Abedy

I like this part most: "leaves a bigger hole for the butt to slide out" Huhu, they said "butt"! back to topic: Thanks for sharing this article. The harnesses we use here are slightly different but most tips/hints given also apply and be it only to re-think the whole matter again. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

There is another aspect to keep in mind. Most measurement devices do not measure the intended physical value itself but something that is in a relation to it. (Example: A classic thermometer provides the length of a column of a liquid based on the fact that the expansion of it is in a linear correlation to the temperature.) Same goes with air pressure. Means you must also take care the relation between the physical value actually measured and the value you want to know remains unchanged after calibration of the scale. (That's another piece of cake if it is non-linear, for example...) In German, this is called "Kennlinie" = characteristic curve. If you wish to find out whether your AAD is really, really exact, you'd also have to check whether the abovementioned Kennlinie hasn't changed. That takes a little more than a calibrated barometer for ONE point of the characteristic curve (Yeah, physics was one of my subjects at university long, long ago...) The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Well, isn't THAT something typically German? What's wrong with raising your kids bilingually? I've seen several Anglo-German couples in Ireland and England who spoke German (surprisingly most often mum) and Englis (most often dad) in public. I dunno if any of them fled East Germany, but hey, gratitude should have its limits The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

To be honest - I can only talk about Germany but suspect it is quite similar in the US - most people born here have problems understanding the bureaucratic form of German with its long, wound, complicated and hardly self-evident phrases and vocabulary that is used in official forms such as tax papers, claim forms and, of course, everything to do with the law. So seen, most of the people who demand that immigrants have to be fluent in front of a Congressional hearing are hypocrites. They could demand anyone has to fill out their tax papers without help as well But again, I write from a distance and can only reflect Joe Sixpack's railing about "them furreigners" The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

They check the sensor data against the values of the barometer(s) in the pressure chamber during service. Check against an "absolute" value, if you like to. The idea of yours is OK so far but would mean to have a calibrated barometer handy during the initialisation of the CYPRES. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Immigrants who want to acquire citizenship over here are now required to take classes (with a final test) beforehand to gain a certain level of both vocabulary and fluency in German. I favour this. But OTOH, if someone whose first language is not German resorts to an interpreter, I do not object since - at least in my eyes - this is a legitimate reason for doing so. I support the idea to be able to speak with the locals in their language and think it is a basic sign of politeness to learn the language of the country the citizenship of which I want to be given. But that doesn't mean I want immigrants to give up their mother tongue. Growing up bilingually, for example, makes children richer in many ways. These thoughts should apply to the US as well, IMHO. BTW: I think it's hilarious (to put it politely) if people who claim that immigrants have to "speak our language" express this wish in bad English. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

I understand English is not your first language (nor is it mine) but could you please be a little more precise about your point? IIUC you mean there are/were a great number of CYPRES with faulty sensors? This can't be true. This would mean they either do not test them (but they DO and I (and many, many others) SAW it on-site) or they buy cheap shit that goes faulty after a short period of time (which is also not true if you see how scrupulously they choose the companies to deliver parts.) Apart from that I would like some evidence for the statement of yours instead of a religious-like "You gotta believe." But heck... I'm not gonna go into another useless discussion with you again. Consider yourself plonked. (German Usenet term) Nuff said. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

When doing tandems I jump an EZ 384 which opens nice. (Icarus tandem canopies are better but we don't have any at our DZ) But back to topic: I once jumped the tandem rig of a mate with an EZ 384 as well ...and it gave me the willies as it opened really slooooooooooowwwww. And he told me: Yeah man, should have jumped the thingy before it got a smaller slider The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Icarus canopies open really soft. The Crossfire2 is not suitable for beginners (hehe) but you might consider a Safire2 after due time. Had one and was very satisfied with it. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

hey you like short too coz you dislike capitals it seems makes reading hard but heck thats life no need for apostrophes as well isnt that nice The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Youtube suggest watching this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PQitC-z73o&NR=1&feature=fvwp Really liked the face of the boy with his girl tagging along; didn't pay any attention to her sorting through clothes The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

We asked for this change as well. There are some facts: If the battery charge/voltage is too low, it will display an error code. If it's in its operating range it doesn't provide much useful information (and some jumpers even start to "mine is bigger^T higher than yours!) Example: After a longer break, e. g. winter, the voltage is a little lower due to chemical processes etc. But after a very short while this effect has gone. But jumpers might be worried (WTF!!! Only 6,24 volts!!!!!) though it's still comfortably in its operating range. So I can live with CYPRES 2 not displaying the voltage. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

CYPRES 2 tells you how many jumps were made with it, its serial number and the date of the next service due if you just press the red button (or blue or yellow ) after it counted down to 0. @All: When we were given a tour of Airtec, Helmut Cloth told us about many aspects. Part of this was the search for a battery that would be small enough, resistant enough and powerful enough. They tested a great deal of batteries available and slightly came to terms with a plant that produced batteries as to "steer" them towards what was needed. That was at the beginning of the 1990s, so both plants pioneered in some ways. He told us that they were "pretty sure" the new CYPRES 2 batteries would last longer than 4 years but since it is their "first directive" to provide the safest solutions available they set this limit of four years (which is a conservative estimate I suppose). But during the service you not only get a new battery (quite often a new version/build) but also the latest firmware installed and everything is checked including filters etc pp. They also check the mechanical components under several, different conditions. Looks quite interesting to see a bunch of cables coming out of a pressurized/airtight freezer where the CYPRES units are exposed to increasing and decreasing air pressure at different temperatures - same goes in containers that are heated. I can only tell anyone interested to just go a see with your own eyes; ask for a tour and you'll be impressed. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

I got spared from reserve rides until last year when I was due ;-) The reserve was a PD 176R from my first own rig (that I bought second-hand) and was about 15 years old. Took me home without any problems. I like the old safety rules, too. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

I like this. Would come very nice on a T-shirt worn at the DZ with "Skydiver over 50:" above. BTW: I saw a guy with "Skydiver over 60: Please help me into the plane. Falling out of it, I still can do on my own." (Was in German, it's translated as close to the joke as possible. ) The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

I just asked for some information. I have never heard of Mannheim being referred to as "Mathayme". That was my point. I didn't express any sarcasm. May it be you are a little touchy? The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

FL 120 is the "lowest" at our DZ. Standard is FL 140. There are folks with an AN-2 next to our DZ who do tandems from 2500 m (~8000 ft). That would be my hard deck or lowest tandem exit altitude as well but I would do it only if absolutely necessary - less freefall time, less fun The lowest exit altitude by law is 2000 m (~6500 ft) but I doubt anyone does tandems from that altitude on a regular basis The official hard deck for releasing is 1400 m (~4500 ft) in Germany btw. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

That's a blank lie and an insult to the folks at Aitrec. Go there, ask for a tour and have a look. You'll see everybody is working. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

I can't find any information about a BASF plant in "Mathayme". Not that this means it doesn't exist, but could you be so kind to post a little more information For CYPRES: Yes, it's more or less a manufacture, but the "toys" they produce there are of extraordinary quality. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Been at their factory, been given the full tour, was deeply impressed. Talked to Helmut Cloth (spoken kloht) who invented it, was even more impressed. Have never used another AAD in my rigs. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Tandem packing rate? Hmmm, 5 or 6 per hour should qualify for the title of "good tandem packer" Serious: ~ 8 EUR, should be 10+ bucks The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

I use this technique for exits from a C206 (soloy) which works very fine. I also use my right leg to "push" into the relative wind while my left leg is sort of passively "dangling", but spread when I "launch" the party. As we are almost immediately "lying" on the relative wind the student might even push their legs forwards or go foetal - they do not really have a chance to mess up things, at least within the period until you throw the drogue. Works even with 90 kg students (~ 200 lbs) But you have to take care the student really put their legs underneath the edge of the door to prevent them from blocking your right leg which may result in a nice barrel roll The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

It already does. OK, the fusion reactor is about 150 mio km away, but it already provides us with much more energy (free of charge) than we need. In fact, it has done so for more than 4.5 billion years. Sounds a little arrogant, but if man spent a reasonable amount of money on solar-thermic and solar-voltaic technology, we would be much better off than we are right now. Another point is saving energy, e. g. housing in North America... The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Right call, it means Exit Two countries, divided by the same language. Also applies to Austria and Germany. "Ausfahrt" is strictly "exit from a motorway or a roundabout etc" in Germany. A pilot in Germany would have yelled: - "Abgang" (if he was very old and used to old-fashioned skydiver terms) - "Abprung" (jump out!) or "raus!" (= out!) (if he was just a normal pilot) - "exit" (if he was younger or/and a skydiver as well) BTW: I also smile when I read "Uitrit" at motorways in Vlandern :-) The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks

Thanks for sharing this story, very interesting. I also like jumps late in the afternoon and do not really mind a long spot (as long as there isn't another pax already waiting aground for the next lift up, AKA "double strike") which allows for long and "deep" intake of scenery etc. Now and then even a hawk (one time even a buzzard) flies nearby (and probably mutters about them flying monsters scaring away all the prey) Moments that tell you it should be a hobby first and to remind you to keep up the fun... The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks