ianmdrennan

Dave, I think the answer is in a mix of the two. We need to train pilots using your method WHILE wearing these devices so that it can help them build a better sight picture and idea of altitude loss for their type of HP turn. This requires heavy, and active mentorship, from the HP community on how each guide (eyes, neptune, audible, etc) are used and how to add them to your toolbelt and up the pilots chances of success. The problem with the analog only method is that it's grossly inaccurate, particularly at lower altitudes (where it's most critical). 500 ft and 250 feet on a analog alti look almost identical. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Frost, To counter your points 1. The jumper is a farm regular. He is aware, and does, to set the offset at 130 feet. 2. It's a crossfire 2 139 loaded around 1.5 I believe. Absolutely untrue. The pilot himself will tell you he was focused on what the neptune said and was waiting for the 'magic number'. As Dave has said, and he's 100% right IMO, these tools are GUIDES. Unless you can guarentee that you're doing the exact same turn, in the exact same manner, with the exact same pauses, inputs, etc, in the exact same conditions each and EVERY time - they'll never be anything more. Neptunes/Optimas are WONDERFUL for helping get people to the right place at the right time - what they do from there is entirely out of the guide's hands. Which is exactly why they should NEVER be used as 'go when it says x altitude'. The point you appear to be missing is NOT that we're saying 'Neptunes/Optimas are bad, don't use them' (at least not what I'm saying). Instead we're saying that they are guides and there is NO SUBSTITUTE for a slow progression that will help you build the sight pictures to tell you when things are going wrong. In a nutshell: Digital Alti's are great for helping you build a consistent pattern and inititation point. They aren't any good at all for telling you when you've done something to eat up more altitude in the turn than you expected and that you've now put yourself in the corner. THE PROBLEM is that novice pilots have a habit of relying on the device. Honestly, I'm not sure how to break the habit (since I do encourage them to jump with Neptunes) but the dangers that come with them are something I repeatedly cover and stress to them. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

JP - Thanks for posting this. It really illustrates my point (and yours) of altimeter dependence. The jumper in question is a friend of mine (and a hell of a nice guy actually), he totally understands the situation now and has actually moved away from HP turns at this point. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

To the OP: What are you looking for, from a canopy? I assume the Sabre is being retired because of age, or some other condition? I think knowing what you like, are looking for, and where you plan to go, will help indicate whether there's a better choice for you as a pilot, or whether the KA is the one for you

There's a video at the bottom of the page, www.nytimes.com Performance Designs Factory Team

Nice

I had a chat with Kolla about this. The Storm IS NOT an intended replacement for the Spectre (although that doesn't mean jumpers won't convert if they like it more). It is a 7 cell with 9 Cell characteristics (so I'm told) that is more performance than a Spectre, but slightly less than a Sabre2. Flight Characteristics I'll know when I get to jump one Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Not sure I agree there. I don't lump McCain and Obama into the same category as her. My personal fav is Obama, and I genuinely believe in the message he stands for, but I'm also not naive enough to think that he can single handedly turn the current washington mindset around. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

I've heard that as well but my hunch is that it's only emotion talking. I seriously doubt that when it's down to McCain and Dem X that those voters will vote for four years with "Bush Light". I suppose it will all depend on how the Dem loser handles the exit. I wonder what the chance would be that Obama would allow her on the ticket as VP. I agree on the emotion comment. I think, if there's enough time to settle down after the nominee choice, that those polls won't ring as true. I'm excited though, this will be the first election I'm eligible to vote in

I thought that was hilarious! She was referring to the "Winner Take All" nature of Republican delegates - like that of the general election. This is despite the fact that Obama has won more popular votes and more states. The holy trinity of the Dem nomination is: 1) most delegates; 2) most states; and 3) most popular vote. And Obama has all of them. She is also pressing to get the delegates from Florida and Michigan seated - even though Obama withdrew from the Michigan election and she did not. A Time articleTime Magazine article suggested 5 reasons why her campaign failed. They were: 1) She campaigned as an insider, which strengthened Obama because the voters want change; 2) Her campaign staff, all cronies, focused on big states under the same Republican method of delegates, forgetting about proportional pledged delegates; 3) She ignored the caucus states (I remember she actually put down the caucuses after losing them); 4) Her fundraising dried up too soon because she used an archaic method; and 5) She thought she'd wrap up the nomination early on. I think No. 2 is the most prescient. The rules. It is about playing by the rules. Know the game and play the game by the rules as defined. Counting on big states is an excellent strategy in the general election. Counting on the big states is an excellent strategy in the Republican primaries. It doesn't work in the Democratic primary because delegates are based on votes, not who wins. Her losses are based on a lack of appreciation for the rules. This has led to her demonstrated contempt for the rules and her desire to have them changed to work in her favor - she wants the rules changed to reflect the game she played - the game she wanted to play. Of course, this constitutes a nightmare for the Democratic leadership that a Clinton is advocating to change to the rules that caused Al Gore to lose the general election when he won the popular vote. Hillary can only win now by altering the rules. This, of course, shows a profound disrespect for the rules. To me, this demonstrates her greed and lust for power. She'll do ANYTHING she can to get the nomination. Just what we need - more greed and powermongering in Washington. I don't think there's a shred of integrity to her. Performance Designs Factory Team

We can only hope. My personal opinion is that she has shown every reason why she should NEVER be president. Going into this process I didn't feel that any of the three were particularly bad. Since then, she's proven me wrong. Personally, I hope Obama gets nominated (and the Presidency), but I won't be unhappy if McCain gets in either. This country has had WAY too many years under a Clinton or Bush IMO. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Folks, There's already a thread for Jeffro's course, no need to hijack this one. If this topic doesn't go anywhere soon, I'm going to lock it. I allow a lot of wiggle room in this forum, and I think canopy courses are a grey area (as I want to encourage them), but lets try and keep the 'chatter' down. Thanks. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Locked since this thread already exists in General Skydiving. Performance Designs Factory Team

That's exactly the clip I was going to post LOL Performance Designs Factory Team

About half way through and it's pretty good so far. Performance Designs Factory Team

You're actually incorrect. In the original series Nick Fury was caucasion, BUT in the relaunched Ultimate Universe series the character was actually modelled AFTER Samuel L Jackson. There's even an issue where they are discussing (in the comic) that if a movie was made about them who'd play whom. Nick Fury's character says "Samuel L Jackson, of course!". Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

They don't test them at all sizes, it's just not financially viable. This is why, most, manufactures don't offer anything at any size. Just doesn't work that way. I would try and contact Bundy Tailor and talk to him - he's a big guy who jumps a JVX, you can find out what size he has and if he's been happy with it. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

IMO the slow turn builds more energy. Fast turns rely entirely on the pendulum to generate the energy. That said, your rotation rate should be slowly, and steadily INCREASING - for a 90 you shouldn't really be getting up too high on your wing - that'll start to happen more naturally with the bigger turns as you'll have to increase the rotation rate throughout the turn to keep accelerating. The philosophy I follow is: Do the turn the slowest you can that will keep you accelerating. Done correctly this should be a smooth increase in rotation speed over time. I think you're on the right track. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Bill, I definitely won't argue that the benefits (performance wise) are negligible for most pilots. I do think though that there's another good reason for opening the chest strap and stowing the slider......it makes it MUCH harder to get into unintentional line twists. Of course the obvious answer is don't fly in a manner that will do that, but, case in point: I saw a jumper at Raeford during Danny Page's ash dive get hit by some UGLY turbulence at 1000 feet. Having this chest strap wide, and slider stowed was the few inches of benefit he needed to not get into linetwists (it was VERY close). Given that the jumper was under a velo 96 it could have been very nasty. Of course, I'm not going to say that everyone is safer with their chest straps loosened and, like you said, the slider MUST be stowed otherwise there is zero benefit to loosening the strap - but I think there may be more pro's than cons. Just my opinion, but if they can do it safely, why discourage it? Still it's funny to read this thread today as I just spent the day doing hop and pops and the items discussed here (especially the debate about WHEN to loosen the strap) were on my mind during each descent. I see pro's and con's to both methods, but as the canopies get smaller, loosening the strap first will become more and more necessary IMO. If nothing else, this thread has made me pay extra close attention to my brakes before I loosen my cheststrap that I can be as sure, as possible, that there will be no issues when I release them. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Mike, Don't confuse caution with 'not recommending'. I absolutely encourage pilots to get audible and visual (digital aids). I also back that up with a heavy lesson on why you shouldn't 'rely' on them per say and why they aren't some magical swoop machine that'll make the pilot fail safe. Basically, what I'm trying to say, is that I teach them HOW to use the device correctly and, IMO, that is teaching them to not just 'go when it beeps' but rather teaching them WHAT it means when it beeps

Yep I do. Basically, they end up in the corner because they don't do the same turn every time, at the same altitude. Sometimes it takes them longer to pull the fronts down, sometimes they turn faster, sometimes they turn slower, etc. Of course this happens to all of us, but we're compensating during the turn, whether we realize it or not. Oftentimes, less experienced pilots are still developing that skill. Another common thing I see is a pilot getting to their setup point a little early and rushing their turn (they think it's being done slow). They then get down and say "I turned high" and want to set their device to beep lower when, in reality, they turned at the perfect altitude but they just turned too fast. If they do that and then, on a subsequent jump, do a great rotation speed (now inappropriate for the altitude) they're low. That's kinda what I was driving at when I commented on bottling up the turn - there are just so many variables in every landing that there's no 'fail safe' solution that I can see. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

See, that hasn't been my experience so far. Pretty much in every class I've run there's been at least one pilot who just goes when the neptune/viso says so. They're also, typically, the pilot who's in the corner a fair bit. Having the neptune tell you a good turning height doesn't mean the pilot will turn at the appropriate rate to keep it 'safer'. Turns are just too dynamic to bottle up like that IMO and small hesitations or rotation rate changes can have a dramatic impact (no pun intended) on the results of the turn. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Neptune in my ear, and on my wrist. That said I'm always cautious when recommending these items - NOT because they don't have an immediate, tangible benefit, but because I've encountered far too many 'hook by the beep' pilots lately and, as we know, it not quite that simple

Couple of things to note here: 1) Never put all your faith in 1 teacher. Everyone can get it wrong at some point, unintentionally - not to mention methodologies and practices are evolutionary - not static. 2) If you're popping your toggles (and then letting go) you're far more likely to have a toggle wrap around the riser (happens a lot in freestyle tricks - there's one reason for you). Not only that but you are now messing around with stuff in FULL FLIGHT at FULL SPEED both horizontally and vertically (There's another reason for you), and finally when canopy sizes get really small and twitchy, it'll be an absolute pain in the ass to keep the wing flying straight and level while releasing your chest strap if the toggles are in your hands. You have your beliefs, I have mine. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

I did. Just to make it clear the suggestion is to check for and be clear of traffic, collapse and then stow the slider, release toggles and perform canopy control check and then finally loosen the chest strap. I can't see where any other way would make sense. You're wrong on this one. Chest strap should be loosened BEFORE popping the toggles (for a number of reasons). Ian Performance Designs Factory Team