ianmdrennan

We South Africans don't treat canopy mutilation lightly Performance Designs Factory Team

I heard about that. That, right there, is enough to make a grown man cry Performance Designs Factory Team

Brad, I think it depends on a couple of things. First, I don't know if you're capable of generating enough speed on a KA 107 to fire a regular cypres with enough rotations. I haven't done any speed tests with the 107 I jumped a few times, but it might be worth doing

I would really recommend he didn't do that, especially if he's initiating above 1000 ft. Either turn it off or get a speed cypres. This has already killed one person, more have done tests and fired a cypres, it's no game. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

My guess is that the best place to get the info from is PD themselves. As far as how big you can go, it seems that one size up is pretty much the standard, but I'd confirm with the rig manufacturer to be sure. Blues! Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

I don't believe anyone here said your swoops suck. Everyone has to go through beginning of the learning process at some point, and even then we all still have swoops that aren't as good as we'd like. It's just the way it is. Keep working at it, aggressively pursue every bit of knowledge from good pilots around your area and it'll all start falling into place. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

DEAL! Performance Designs Factory Team

I coach, for free, on a regular basis both at The Farm and other places. I know I'm not the only one. There are plenty of people out there willing to share the knowledge, but sometimes the person wanting it needs to make SOME effort Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

I'm sorry, but speaking as somebody who's (now ex) wife cheated on, I doubt your emotional beating was anything like those your choices had inflicted upon them. edit: I see a few responses about how the Cheater felt afterwards.....how about some thought to how the person who was betrayed felt? Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Just speaking from experience. Like I said, I'd like to believe I'm wrong. So far I haven't been. Performance Designs Factory Team

I'd like to believe you're right, but absolutely nothing I've experienced has lead me to believe otherwise. If someone had asked you during the happiest point in your 10 year relationship if you'd have cheated I'd venture a guess to say you'd have answered "No"? Those kind of choices that we make, that require that kind of deception, usually change us for the worse forever. Kinda like your virginity, just can't ever really get it back. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Definitely agree. Thanks for the clarification. I agree with that definition, regardless of whether the relationship is considered 'conventional' or not. I also believe that once someone cheats once, they'll do it again at some point. It's just a matter of the right circumstances for them to justify their disgusting behavior. People typically equate cheating to sex, I believe it's deception - it just so happens that in 99% of 'conventional' relationships that sex is how it manifests itself. I also believe that it's a pretty good indication on what they'll do to their regular friends in the right circumstances too. If they will do it to someone they are supposed to care about, why would they treat those who aren't as close to them any differently. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Paul, I'm going to move this to events as it's better placed there. Ps: Thanks for telling me you were going to SA...bastard. I'll jump for you this weekend Performance Designs Factory Team

Yep, right back to training this weekend

Yep, that's right, the DR cleared me to start jumping again. See you around the dz

Put all your skydiving gear on (helmet, alti, everything). Get a scale and weigh yourself. You'll probably be surprised at what your exit weight is. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

I really enjoy how landing into the wind isn't the proper landing direction any more. Some dropzones have that rule as a matter of necessity. For example, in Thomaston, you have the choice of landing crosswind and having a 600+ long area with plenty of over or undershoot room where tarmac is the only obstacle (and that should never be an obstacle) OR over an active runway which you have to cross at less than 500 feet to make the landing area, then taxi-way OR landing over powerlines, hangers, a 300 feet wide landing area towards the taxi-way and then the active runway. In some cases, crosswind is a lot safer. Regardless - landing against the set direction, no matter what that may be or what the dz rules are on setting it, isn't the proper landing direction...period. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Me! Performance Designs Factory Team

I agree with JP. The focus should NOT be on HP stuff, it should be on canopy flight in general. Performance Designs Factory Team

No but then neither does a 125 honda vs a CBR 954 RR - both of which can be purchased on the floor by anyone. Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Well then I guess we disagree 100% on the issue. Personally I think 'thinking you know it all' mentality is the biggest culprit. I'd be interested to see, of those that are statistics, who furthered themself by education and who thought they were above it. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

That right there, IMO, is part of the problem. Last I checked none of us knew it all, regardless of how many skydives we have. So if you're going to do everything you can to protect yourself, you don't consider continuing to educate yourself on good canopy practices (be that swooping or regular landings) to encompass that? Come on Chris, I met you a few years ago so I hope I'm taking this out of context, but I hope you aren't suggesting that the education of canopy pilots is hurting more than helping? Blues Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

Out of curiosity, how many preventable deaths is acceptable to you? If a BSR saves even ONE LIFE, I'll bet that one guy would think it was well worth it. His one little life might not be important in the grand scheme, but I guarantee you that its EVERYTHING to him. You just stated that it would probably have prevented TWO of these incidents. Thats SWEET

And, as I said, Bob's incident would almost definitely be one of 2 that would have been prevented with this BSR. That, as unfortuate as it may be, still doesn't address the majority of the problem. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team

[Quote] And it is even easier to complain about those that are trying to do something without offering a better suggestion.[/Quote] Sorry you see thinking about a problem as complaining. Jay, I've mentioned on numerous occasions that, I believe stronger education policies will go far further than regulation. I still believe that. How exactly are these guidelines going to remove mistakes? That's just something you cannot regulate away. People will still make the same mistakes in different areas. Tell me how this BSR would have prevented over 84% of the fatalities worldwide related to canopy collisions (granted I know the USPA isn't a worldwide organization)? Would it have prevented 2 incidents....probably, but it doesn't address the majority of them in any way. So, IMO, this BSR while moving in the right direction for reducing fatalities, will do NOTHING AT ALL to reduce the BULK of the canopy collision fatalities. Till pilots start taking canopy flight, and education, seriously we'll have this problem. Case in point, Scott Miller was at Skydive Atlanta recently. Not ONE instructor took the course offered Fri, Sat and Sun. If you want to take thinking about the bigger picture as complaining then go right ahead, there's nothing I can do to stop that - but it's not the intent. Blues, Ian Performance Designs Factory Team