ianmdrennan

I've been competing at Mile Hi since 2005 and train at sea level. I find my canopy feels about 1 size smaller than at sea level. More importantly than bumping up your turn, is bumping up your roll out sight picture. Most people start turning higher, but keep turning till it 'looks right'...so, in CO it should look a little high but won't really be. Treat it like a new canopy - do a straight in, then slowly work back to your usual turn - this time of year it's getting cold so DA will be less of a factor and you'll just be dealing with the altitude about sea level. In a nutshell, be prepared to be low - if you're low, be prepared for it to take longer to respond. Basically, don't go balls to the wall right away

Lets try and keep it constructive here. To the OP - get good coaching. period. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

The post, while close to advertising, isn't breaking any rules (yet) IMO. I don't know if the OP works for the manufacturer, but providing product awareness isn't something I frown on. I'd offer the same respect to PD, Daedalus, Icarus or any other manufacturer who doesn't try and turn this into their personal pimping ground. Now, if it becomes excessive, or if the poster blatently tries to make this a sales post, I'll delete it promptly. In the meantime I have deleted some of the more obvious 'pimping' Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

You definitely have to get the wing above your head first before banking - if you try and arrest your descent rate while banking (not to be confused with banking without descending) you'll crater hard if you're in the 'too low' scenario. Most people trying wingovers for the first time experience this and they're not even in an emergency - they attempt to bank the wing prematurely, causing themselves to sink while banking which, in turn, causes them to strike the pond - and hard. Done correctly there can be minimal time loss from the time the wing is above your head to the time of heading change. If you're that low, banking will result in a higher vertical speed at impact. The FIRST and most important thing to do is arrest descent as rapidly as possible. Continuing to turn, while flaring (in the scenario described) will do more damage than good. IMO the ONLY time a banking component is applicable is if obstacles need to be avoided - and even then it should be as soon as you have arrested the descent enough to avoid impact with the ground. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Bola's tried pretty hard on Friday night

Set those puppies free! Performance Designs Factory Team

Heh, thanks Andy. I guess I'll just have to come do some more belly ways

Good seeing you this weekend Turtle. Thanks for catching me in all my flailing glory

Same here - my post op x-ray looks almost identical (although my break was minor compared to yours). Let me know how you heal up - mine was surprisingly fast (driving in 4 weeks, skydiving in 11). Blues Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Is there a rule about that? I mean, I know we can get red/yellow carded for dangerous flying, but I don't think there's an actual height limitation. I see your internet is back up again.... Don't get mad just cause my mom turned you down.... Performance Designs Factory Team

Stu, actually I believe it was put in as a deterant against hammering in to get the zone no matter what. Personally, I think it's ineffective in that regard - most of us don't stand up za anyway. Blues, Ian ps: Tell your mom I said thanks for last night, that's one freaky lady in the sack Performance Designs Factory Team

Well, then I guess my girlfriend who had 20 jumps total at the time and on a Spectre 170 was stupid . Personally, I'd like to just call her a typical inexperienced jumper. The simple solution, IMO, is not to put the pin through the excess line and just use the riser like a regular toggle. I'd rather have a break fire than a toggle lock - at least one of those I can easily fix. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

that's exactly what happened. It seems to be most likely on canopies with long excess line (like the spectre). Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Mike Gruwell and myself found an interesting tru-lock malfunction this past weekend (when stowing the excess in the 'tru-lock' fashion described in the manual). We took pictures and I believe his is going to both bring this to UPT's attention and post an article on his rant and rave. I really like my UPT risers (I have the Louis loops) but I don't stow the excess line like the manual describes on page 53 Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Yes, she has an AAD. She has also bought a 135 after spending some time chatting with me. Overall I think it'll be a better travelling canopy for her. Anyway, so, current stats are 300 jumps, aad present, Sabre2 135. Thanks again for all the help. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

You're kidding right? Lead times aren't the complaint - it's the customer relations and service. The OP was told 16 weeks. Then it went to 25. Almost every single person I know with an Icarus product has had some issue at some point contacting or getting communication from the company and the poor US dealers get the brunt of it because they can't get hold of the company either. Icarus, while they have notably good products, have never been strong in the customer service department. There are plenty of good businesses both in skydiving and outside of skydiving that grow their operations accordingly to offer good customer service. Your (bogus) argument excusing poor service because of a good product has driven many companies into the ground over the years in the corporate world. Skydivers, oddly enough, are generally willing to tolerate more crap than the average consumer. Now don't get me wrong, no company is perfect. Even the best make mistakes and get it wrong. But look back on the history - this is not the exception. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

hey all, I have a friend who's about to travel to Australia, Spain, Italy, Greece, South Africa and New Zealand. Are there any canopy regulations she should be aware of? She has 300 or so skydives (does 200 a year) and has a wingloading of about 1.2 on a 120 (which she's considering) and 1.0-1.1 on 135. Are there any potential regulations she could be affected by in her travels? Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

HA! No really, I have a 'regular' canopy lined up and all! Fat bastard.....you're just pissed because only anvils can keep up with ya Performance Designs Factory Team

Ok everyone, both parties have had their say so it's time to lock this one up again. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Blaine, Put me on your 1000th. I'll be going to altitude all weekend

Kevin, Thanks for coming here and explaining, while remaining professional, your side of the story. Nice job on not lowering yourself into a mud slinging match. Hope to see you in the air soon. Blues bro, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

I've been asked to open this thread so that Kevin may say his side of the story, so I've done so. Please let the man say his piece and we'll go from there. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Sorry, but that is not a helicopter stall. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Ok guys and girls, I think this thread has run it's course and I can't see anything more constructive coming out of it. If anyone has information that would make it worth unlocking the thread then feel free to PM me and I'll make a decision whether to open it or not then. For now though, it's time to close shop Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Want some cheese with that whine? Performance Designs Factory Team