nigel99

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Everything posted by nigel99

  1. nigel99
    Doesn't Aussieland permit... -swooping -wing suiting -group tracking -group atmo -bigways -other ...you know...all that dangerous stuff? My bet is yes...it just takes a little longer to get there. I see no problem with that. Here in the U.S., it's not about "freedom"...not really...even though they will claim as much. It's about instant gratification. That's what the kids want. It doesn't even take very long to get there. Most crests that qualify you for specifics (e.g. bigways) only require 3 or 4 successful jumps! I'm getting sick of the bitching about rules here. A proposal was recently floated/leaked regarding standardizing penalties for safety violations. So for example not wearing a seat belt will earn the same penalty regardless of dz. Australia is big on rules in all aspects of life, but they also have a culture of ignoring rules. So often the potential benefits are lost. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  2. nigel99
    I find the cascades easy to check as.they are right there. Some people use a pullup cord to tie the risers together through the three rings(I don't). Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  3. nigel99
    Are you making sure the risers are even? When the canopy is laid down the cascades on the brake lines (left and right sides) should be right next to each other. Not sure if the description is clear? Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  4. nigel99
    Why don't you trust your instructors judgment? I'm curious as to the reason they passed you and yet you feel they are wrong? It's fairly normal to over analyse your jumps, you have less than 10 minutes falling, the instructor knows what to expect of you. The goal is a lovely stable relaxed skydive, the 'pass' criteria are different. Being able to recover, be altitude aware and safe are probably what they look for. Over time and jumps their expectations for your performance will rise, but for now enjoy your jumps and try your best! Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  5. nigel99
    It's pretty simple really. Having uneven weight on your harness at higher wingloading and a slow opening is a recipe for twists. I naturally stand with my weight on my right leg, all it takes is lifting my left leg a couple of inches during the snivel and I can induce linetwists. During the bigways I was wearing more than 10% of my body weight in lead as I was in the base - that didn't help. Anyway did a bunch of 4 way and was fine, it's a matter of refining body position. Student canopies and lower wingloading all you really need is shoulders square. One of the guys I was jumping with this weekend had developed bad habits that he got away with on his Sabre 2 for hundreds of jumps, he'd only just moved across to a highly loaded katana and his habits were causing issues on the katana. I guess its a small part of the downsize equation that isn't always considered. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  6. nigel99
    Our CI believes all skydivers should have done at least 1 CRW jump. I know it's not a canopy coach rating, but I think good canopy flying skills are sorely neglected. We should be seeing far more activity in theatre of all round canopy skills. Harking back to the days of static line is wrong though (I learnt on static line rounds). Canopies of today need a new level of tuition - we all are happy to pay freefly or rw coaches, or pay for tunnel time, and yet most are happy with a single canopy course! Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  7. nigel99
    That won't work. They check dates. Trust me. You mean like they check the license requirements Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  8. nigel99
    It would be a good idea to send an email to USPA HQ and have them update the manual to add a "*" to the D license requirement. Just sign off your D license and back date it to prior to your appointment - problem solved More seriously it irritates me that the 'rule enforcers' don't even know the rules Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  9. nigel99
    Ok, solid idea on dirt diving my opening. Either on a creeper or the student ep hanging harness. It's not during the pitch that's an issue, but during the snivel. Canopy stands me up and I adopt the skygod foot behind the knee pose as opposed to the Lego man pose that students take (feet straight and 30 degrees apart). Ye old Sabre that I jumped for the last couple of years opened so quick it always beat me to it I'll be on Creepers for 4 way, I'll add deployment too the dirtdive and I'm sure it will help thanks. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  10. nigel99
    Another point of view would be... don't do anymore Bigways until you sort out your opening problems? That's sound advice. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  11. nigel99
    I suspected that may be the case. It just frustrates me, as on 'normal' jumps I'm focussing on feet and knees together during deployment This weekend we did bigways and the last thing I needed was a canopy that wasn't fully flying with 26 other people all around. I was focussed on looking for traffic during deployment so my legs went to their natural position. Fortunately I just pointed myself away from traffic and kicked the twists out - did mean I landed off. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  12. nigel99
    Reading your posts my suggestion is to spend time at the various dropzones. Pay attention to the following - how are students treated? - does the equipment look well cared for and maintained? - do you like the vibe and staff? It may take a few visits to learn enough to make a judgment. Reviews by tandem students aren't going to help you much. Chatting to AFF students will. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  13. nigel99
    From the lack of an asterisk by the D requirement in the governance manual that JP posted, I take it the D-licence requirement is non-waiverable, hence there is no loophole. Seth Agreed Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  14. nigel99
    It's a fine line - too little fear and you are complacent, too much and you're like a deer in headlights freezing up and not thinking. I suggest judging the sport by the size of your smile AFTER a jump, many of us are really nervous before or after a long break. You've got nearly six months before AFF, but if you let the local instructors know why you are waiting (surgery), there's no reason you couldn't hang at the dz, learn to pack watch the students and soak it all up. The more prepared you are, the more relaxed and confident you'll be. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  15. nigel99
    I've gotten into a bad habit of tucking my left leg up immediately after pitching. To some extent I'm even flying with my left leg slightly cocked, but I don't even notice it in freefall. The problem is that on the snivelly canopy I'm jumping it consistently causes line twists and is going to result in a chop sooner or later. When I consciously point my toes during deployment I get nice on heading openings. The problem is its a habit to bring my left leg up, so any distraction like watching for traffic and I revert to the old behaviour. Any suggestions on.breaking a bad habit? Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  16. nigel99
    Thanks, he was really excited. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  17. nigel99
    Anyone on here from the RAF falcons? Just want to say thanks to the guys who did a display jump in Lincolnshire yesterday. My brother is retarded (mental age of about 6 or 7) and he saw the display at the cricket. He's told me that he got their brochure signed by all the guys on the jump to post to me
  18. nigel99
    So what's your point? Nobody should ever jump anything > 0.7 WL? You've got to go to the original post the person made to see the point. The person stated that he felt 'safer' under a higher wingloading. There are very few circumstances where a 1.3 loading is actually safer than a 1 - you could possibly argue that there are no circumstances where this is true, but I'm leaving it open... Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  19. nigel99

    good weekend

    nigel99 replied to nigel99's topic in The Bonfire

    Mine - best day of the year - 27th Happy birthday to you. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  20. nigel99
    I did a couple for a friend over the past few months (when she got her rating, and then her handcam TI jump) I actually really enjoyed them, and unlike a solo skydive where you get 'bored', I found it relaxing to just kick back and enjoy the view. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  21. nigel99

    good weekend

    nigel99 replied to nigel99's topic in The Bonfire

    Fantastic weekend. Celebrated my birthday at the dz, resulting in large blacked out portions of the night. Did a 2 way with a friend who was a student with me 20 odd years ago. Sunday spent doing bigways and did my first formation load. Load organiser is a fun guy, and after we waved off the 4 of us in the base turned a couple of preplanned 4 way points
  22. nigel99
    Depends on the canopy, but normally 5-10 minutes now. Student rigs take me longer, so do 'bitch' rigs where people have incorrectly sized/mismatched setups. My favourite sizes to pack are 100-150 square foot. Smaller and its like folding dolls clothing, larger is just more... I don't like being under pressure though. I want to check things over for wear, untwist brakes etc. I'll skip this stuff if I've packed the rig earlier in the day. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  23. nigel99
  24. nigel99
    I wonder how many people put more thought into the pretty picture or whitty comment on their soft reserve handle, than whether to have a soft handle or metal D? Cutaway - trust your rears Reserve - safety 3rd Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.
  25. nigel99
    Totally agree, shortly after being cleared to downsize but while still on the 170 I screwed up a landing. I'm glad all that happened was a cloud of dust and humiliation. I'm curious about the person who 'feels' safer under the smaller canopy. Experienced jumper - someone who has made mistakes more often than I have and lived.