nigel99

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Everything posted by nigel99

  1. No a C9 is a round canopy (I used to jump long ago). The steady winds here in Perth make landing a Sabre 170 descent more vertical than forward. Previously I had sworn that I would never downsize below 170, the change to a sea-level dz with constant winds is making me think twice. Regardless, have fun I and keep safe.
  2. Why not just focus on the first few parts of section 4 (Student learning program) and the BSR's section 2? You don't need a full hardcopy for that. The problem with trying to 'jump start' your learning solo, is that it can be hard to unlearn stuff. Instructors are good people.
  3. I have had a bit of hit and miss on the dz.com classifieds. I have enquired about gear from two well known posters and had fantastic support (unfortunately I didn't end up buying from either them). Other people put ad's up and simply don't bother responding for some reason. However I bought my rig from the dz classifieds and did very well (less than a 100 jumps on the system although it was 10 years old, Vigil 2 still in warranty and less than $2k!). I've also bought odd's and ends with no problems. I have no idea why some people don't reply. Also watch out that some people list a container and reserve as a 'complete system'.
  4. Katana's and Crossfires are pretty HP. I don't know where in Oz you are, but I find the winds make landing my 170 'feel' like I am back on a C9! Most people believe that a fully elliptical canopy should only be jumped with more than 500 jumps. So going into that territory early is not 'conservative'. You haven't posted jump numbers so I am assuming you haven't made the grade for E or F licenses yet. Sorry if that is wrong.
  5. Isn't the definition of madness doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result?
  6. There is a thread in this forum where a D license holder does a 'recurrency' jump that ends in an AAD fire. That is just food for thought. As someone who took a long break from the sport, alot has changed in 10 years. Regardless of what the rules say, I would want to sit through an AFF first jump course and go out with at least 1 AFF instructor.
  7. Personally I think it is a waste of time. The only way to get better at landing, is to get off your arse and jump. If money and the cold are an issue, do hop and pops. Also remember that landing is a dynamic and interactive process. It is completely different landing in no wind to a 15 knot wind, dz altitude and temperature also affect things.
  8. First of all you have an A license so you should be doing the jump under the supervision of an instructional rating holder as it has probably been over 60 days. Read the SIM and EP muscle memory is more important than packing muscle memory. You can always pay a packer to pack for you, but there's no-one you can pay to get your reserve out for you Ask your DZ if you can sit through the next first jump course. It is amazing how sometimes hearing things a second or third time, can suddenly 'enlighten' you.
  9. They seem to be telling researchers of a particular type, in a tongue in cheek manner, that they should go jump out of a plane without a parachute. From memory that is exactly what it was all about. Apparently in the medical community unless medicines or treatments have successfully completed a double blind study, they are deemed not to work. By extension parachutes do not work as they have not been through such a study.
  10. I love water. Pretty much every weekend for the past 6 weeks, I have been snorkeling or body boarding with the kids. Very keen to give kite-surfing a try. I go past this every day on the way to work... http://www.perthperth.com/surfing/kitesurfing/ But I think you are brave to out out kayaking in the UK winter....
  11. Just to add something to what Andy has said. Read up what the manufacturers recommend for a specific canopy as well. Size is important but the design is equally important. For example a Stiletto is not a good choice even at 170.
  12. Well...MY parents didn't do dugs, have sex with sheep, drive too fast, hang around a bunch of drunken SKYDIVERS! You admitting to that??
  13. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=379672562062458&set=a.142006912495692.24087.139399876089729&type=1&theater
  14. Too right. Guy with the 170 is trying to offload a boat
  15. What? They eat for you too? . Don't spoil my fun with logic
  16. Today's Friday. Being the last day of the week I thought I'd let you see what I have had to suffer all week Came home to find someone had just dropped this off. I love the fact that all week I have been given detailed instructions on how to use a microwave - including what to put in the microwave, how long to reheat food for etc. But telling a man how long to BBQ the steak for. Jokes aside, it has been really nice of them to look after us. It has made dealing with 3 teenage kids livable.
  17. nigel99

    Drama!

    I really feel no pity for the 'victims'. Without exception they were suckered by him appealing to their greed. I suspect many of them had dubious morals of their own. For example one guy mortgaged his home without his wifes knowledge to 'invest'.
  18. nigel99

    Drama!

    10 to 12 years ago I unknowingly worked for a conman and fraudster. He was a really colourful character and had somehow managed to get business with the US Army and Lockheed Martin. Around 2003/4 his business collapsed and it came out in the wash that he had a criminal record. This explained why he had been travelling to the US with us but had to have a VISA in a UK passport. Strangely enough I quite enjoyed the time working for him. I was the engineering manager and left to run the companies engineering - while he bonked women and ripped off his friends. There are many stories of his eccentricities... On a couple of occasions threaten to have his friends in the CIA 'have me taken care of' for projects running late Gives a new meaning to the term 'dead line'. He was a very smooth talker normally, for example he managed to get a free private jet flight to and from a meeting in Italy from the UK, by showing an interest in buying a new Cessna Citation (no bullshit I was there at the office at the time). Well it seems that he is now in the shit AGAIN. He has ripped off another few people for a couple of million. Seems people have done some digging and over the past 30 years he has been in prison 3 times - about to become a 4th. Remember folks, when something is too good to be true, it probably is. Secondly when you ask a sales man if it is possible to break the laws of physics, it is NOT. I warned at least 2 people not to get involved and that he was a snake oil salesman. They chose to believe that it was sour grapes on my part, that I was no longer involved. Now in the past 24 hours I have had a couple of emails from them asking for help picking up the pieces
  19. As far as I know these 2 links refer to the exact same skydiving company which is one of the very few on western Australia. I have called them and they canceled my jump. They are 2 different companies. Skydive Express certainly offers outside video, can't say about WA Skydiving. Remember that Skydiving depends on the weather and today has been poor. Another option near Perth is http://www.skydivejurienbay.com/. They also offer outside video. I will be out at WA Skydiving on Sunday morning.
  20. Replace the gopro screw with a normal M and get rid of one more snag hazard
  21. I'm curios as to why the stories about Days Inn? Personally I haven't had any issues (well other than drama between skydivers one night)
  22. Just to be 100% clear. My observation/criticism of hand-cam footage is generic. I have no idea if that person paid for the footage, but with that kind of footage it would be a disappointment to a client. Stick with an outside video - in my view. On the 'my pax is crazy' I guess our different viewpoints just reflect different cultures and backgrounds. Personally I find it mildly offensive.
  23. I'm not advocating newbies jumping with a camera, just stating some observations. Most if not all the people I know who have B licenses, got a GoPro shortly afterwards. It is quite funny on facebook as they post their GoPro toy - which gets all the normal warnings about jump numbers. The reply is ALWAYS I know and not yet. Then you see the 100th jump video and them sporting a gopro. Or in one case the answer was for mounting biking, but the next pictures of the sub-100 jump person doing a wingsuit rodeo sporting their GoPro. IF you are going to jump with a camera, at least get the proper equipment. A helmet cutaway, audible etc. Get education on how your emergency procedures have to change. To the best of my knowledge nobody I know who jumps a gopro has the appropriate equipment. I think there is a little bit of a generation gap though. Many younger people live their lives saturated with video and just about everything they do in life is recorded to pass on to mates. This might reduce the distraction, compared to those of us who are 30 and over, where video was mean't to be 'a memory' or actually worth watching.
  24. yeah yeah, like if wingsuiters would do double backflips or any other kinds of flippy-do's before pitching their PC http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUVkNAv3Yssk&h=SAQEbUE9OAQFUxaVji7073e34VPkW_QdYirxRQMGWmjEo6g You mean like this (go to the 33 second mark)
  25. Mike, thanks for the currency observation. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.