BrianSGermain

I agree. I put an engagement ring on her finger at the Thanksgiving table this past November. Thought I was going to pass out from that jump... Transcending Fear, baby! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I stand by my original statements that if you fight right from the beginning using good technique, you can get out of many line-twists. However, there are situations that develop quickly, as this one did, and the right choice is to chop it before the "G"s hit you. Cutaway cables can get sucked into grommets, risers can get pinched (I have hard housings in my risers), and sometimes this prevents a cutaway. In such situations, chop it. If however, you find the canopy in twists after opening, fight hard right away. You will know within a few seconds if this one is irrecoverable or not. Going into it with the expectation of cutting away, however, forfeits the possibility of a recovery. That's what I was trying to get across in the seminar. BSG Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I was using the only technique that has proven to me to bring the twist down, rather than up. Spreading the risers apart only maintains the canopy's anhedral arc, which will reduce it's roll axis stability. In other words, bringing the risers can help the canopy come out of the spin. John LeBlanc also teaches this. That being said, this was not working on this prototype. I have successfully kicked out of all the linetwists I have been dealt so far using this technique, (asside from canopies that were not shaped like a parachute)(I had one that turned upside-down at the center cell). There will always be situations that no technique will be sufficient to prevent a cutaway, as this jump proves. BG Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

No comment on the first issue... :) The canopy spun until 7500 feet. That is 6000' of lost altitude. That works out to be 69 mile per hour towards the ground. Yea, baby... Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Ultimately, unstowing the brakes and flying the parachute was the only reason why the spin stopped. Had that not happened, I never would have gotten out of it. I should also mention that I do not recommend trying this, since the parachute spun faster and dove harder once I started monkeying around with it. I had time on my side. If I had been at 3000' there is no question what I would have done. Hello PD126R. Further, had the lines been spectra, they would most likely would have melted and become unsafe. My friend had that happen in New Mexico a few months ago. Someone broke his steering line with his bare hands after he landed from a line-twist spin. I had 350 lb HMA on the suspension lines, and 550 Dacron on the mid and lower steering lines. This may also have reduced the friction, allowing me to steer the canopy. To answer your question directly, though, yes, it ended up being the right choice for me in this particular situation, which is most notably not normal at all. BG Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Please watch this video: (7 minutes) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-17AHJQQ8fA --Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I think Laura was way to shocked to laugh at the time, but she laughed her ass off on the ground when she knew I was going to live! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Why did their jumpsuits blow up too? No, I don't think I know them. B Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Yup, you did!! The suit is gone, but the story remains... Bri + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

There was a Jedei 136, Jedei Super Sweptwing prototype 120, and a Stiletto 150 Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Brian Germain will be teaching his canopy flight course on January 29-30th, 2007. This course is open to all levels! There will be equal portions of lecture and jumping/debriefing, assuming that the weather cooperates. To sign up, email: brian@bigairsportz.com for more information, go to: http://bigairsportz.com/education.php#parachute Slots are still open! + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

There's lots of Laura footage here: http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=BSGermain&p=r Enjoy!! Bri + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Ah, you caught me. The jump was in Chambersburg, Pa, but the powered parachute at the end as in Orange. I just wanted to stick something interesting at the end... CYA Bri + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Yes! I will be teaching at three dropzones in Australia this year: Toogoolahwah, Nagambie and Picton. The dates look like Late January, and early Feb. You can check with those dropzones for details, the APF, or on my site: www.bigairsportz.com See you there!! Brian Germain Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

This is NOT a How-To!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fp-V8CFIiys Enjoy! Brian + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

The music is my brother Andrew. He uses the stage-name "Andy Glockenspiel". (His real last name is Germain, of course.) His website is here: www.andyglockenspiel.com Here is the direct link to some samples: http://www.andyglockenspiel.com/music.html Rockin' Kids Music for kids of all ages... CYA Bri + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

I guess six years and a several thousand jumps are enough... Have a look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXC9g9ykcSg + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

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Brian Germain is offering a canopy flight course in Zephyrhills, Florida on the 29th and 30th of December, 2007. All levels are welcome! To sign up, email Brian at: brian@transcendingfear.com or call (703) 349-2639 Slots are limited, so get your deposit in right away! Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

There are several variables that contribute to consistency in openings. The first is percent of taper, in other words, how elliptical it is. The second is balance of leading edge to trailing edge taper. Also contributing to openings are trim (which changes over time with spectra lines), brake-setting, brake line array configuration, leading edge aperture, and airfoil type, just to mention a few. I have found that there are ways to make an elliptical canopy open like a square, and vice-versa. It isn't fair to judge a canopy by it's taper. -bg + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

That is a question for Norman Girdwood, he works for Sunpath now. The Pintail was definitely a very early elliptical as well. BSG Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

It's not blasphemy - it's strong truth. It's just that there's a sticking point. it's in this part - "if everyone" that 'everyone' part is a slightly difficult goal Agreed. Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

While I believe that a spiral approach affords me less visibility during the turn, a 270 counter to the traffic pattern allows me more visibility of the other canopies in the pattern than being in the pattern myself. I am entering the area from the opposite direction, and have the ability to turn before I get to the centerline to avoid traffic. I am also quite a bit higher in altitude than others in the standard pattern, which also helps my visibility of other parachutes. That being said, I think that the answer to canopy collisions stretches beyond organized patterns. We need to keep our heads up, looking around so we can keep track of a changing situation. We must be calm and wide awake under canopy if we are to survive in the long run. If everyone did that, we would not need an organized pattern at all. (I know that is blasphemy, but I believe it is the truth) Bri + Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Yup, I can hook you up with another, but it will be a Samurai 95. You will love it!!! --Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com

Thanks, Chris!! Now it's available at Barnes and Noble!! How cool is that?!? I hope the whuffos read it, they need this stuff more than the jumpers do. Blue Ones, Brian Instructional Videos:www.AdventureWisdom.com Keynote Speaking:www.TranscendingFEAR.com Canopies and Courses:www.BIGAIRSPORTZ.com