PiLFy

OK, Thank You everyone. I figured members of the brain trust here would know. I'm sorry for causing any troubles w/der Herr Baumchen.

I've a few questions for the riggers, please? I'm looking for my first canopy, & have seen a lot of good things written about the Pilot. I've also seen a couple of references to Aerodyne having used a South African source for their ZP in the past. 1) They're now using the same ZP that PD does, right? 2) The South African ZP doesn't last as long, correct? 3) What year did they switch to using the same ZP source as PD? Thank You. Kenny

I read somewhere that Perris has approximately 150,000 jumps a year(?) I don't remember the source. Agreed that numbers can be played with to suit the study. However, don't most other decent size DZs do 15-20K jumps a year?

A quick question on that, please? I'm new, & have no intention of EVER swooping. I'm curious about something, though. You experienced guys are talking about possible instrument assists, but haven't mentioned the swoop warning bank of the Optima2. Why not? Does the feature not work as advertised? I keep that feature turned off. It sounds like what you're talking about, though.

Ah, so it was water. It looked dry to me. I figured there had to be a reason. I'm not second-guessing you. Just planning ahead for if/when it happens to me. Glad you're OK.

"To all you beginner skydivers..." OK, Newb question. I've only been to Florida once, as a kid. What was wrong w/that large clear area off to his right (@around 40 secs.) just before he came around 180 degrees? It looked wide open, w/no trees in it. Is that area really four foot deep of yuk, w/grass floating on top?

Mmkay... All these Hard Hat references in the shower are getting a bit awkward .

Right. PD exists.

I haven't seen that before. No offense, but I'll stick w/the PD Gurus. I'm just a little fish is a big fish pond... I don't know enough to argue the point.

http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/Best_Performance1.pdf "A collapsible pilot chute will normally improve a canopy’s glide, make it easier to land, and will often let the canopy turn more smoothly and handle turbulence better. Some people believe that collapsible pilot chutes are not necessary on larger canopies, but the fact is they can improve performance on any size canopy. Even a relatively large canopy may have a full glide speed of 30 mph or more. At this speed, an inflated pilot chute creates a substantial amount of drag, and has a significant effect on the canopy’s performance."

I understand your sentiment. This, from Wiki: "Good Samaritan provisions are not universal in application. The legal principle of imminent peril may also apply.[10] In the absence of imminent peril, the actions of a rescuer may be perceived by the courts to be reckless and not worthy of protection. To illustrate, a motor vehicle collision occurs, but there is no fire, no immediate life threat from injuries and no danger of a second collision. If a 'good Samaritan' elects to 'rescue' the victim from the wreckage, causing paralysis or some other injury, a court may rule that good Samaritan laws do not apply because the victim was not in imminent peril and hold the actions of the rescuer as 'reckless' and unnecessary." Deisel, if someone isn't breathing? Or, if they are in full arrest? They ARE in imminent danger...

"no more dorky than a misogynistic engineer with a shaved head."

I've seen some of the variations. I don't see why a little modification wouldn't make another pair work. Whatever. Never mind...

You're no fun in this, Dave... Do try & get w/the spirit. OK, I thought most/all toggles would fit in the same hole in the risers. I guess they don't?

"This may sound like a very dumb question but....are toggles interchangeable?" OMFG, Shah... You're an Engineer!! Are the little loops that are tied on by strings interchangeable!? You're drinking again. Aren't you?

I'll give up my Rail Gun (& my plasma pulse thingy) over your cold, dead hands.

Not_Fur_Nuttin, Bill, but I remember reading an incident somewhere on here a while back. A plane-load of jumpers crashed on take-off. All walked away, save one. The guy wearing the Frap Hat. Everyone else was wearing a regular helmet. He suffered a traumatic brain injury, & is now permanently in a wheelchair. Respectfully submitted as food for thought, friend. I'd love to jump in the summer w/o a helmet. It's just not a smart thing to do.

Yes, I wondered about that too, but I'm not medically knoweledgeable enough to know from reading that report whether the things like "opiates" they were talking about are legal or illegal. Summary In 2008, the number of poisoning deaths exceeded the number of motor vehicle traffic deaths and was the leading cause of injury death for the first time since at least 1980. During the past three decades, the poisoning death rate nearly tripled, while the motor vehicle traffic death rate decreased by one-half. During this period, the percentage of poisoning deaths that were caused by drugs increased from about 60% to about 90%. The population groups with the highest drug poisoning death rates in 2008 were males, people aged 45–54 years, and non-Hispanic white and American Indian or Alaska Native persons. The vast majority of drug poisoning deaths are unintentional (see Appendix table). Opioid analgesics were involved in more drug poisoning deaths than other specified drugs, including heroin and cocaine. Opioid analgesics were involved in nearly 15,000 deaths in 2008, while cocaine was involved in about 5,100 deaths and heroin was involved in about 3,000 deaths (data not shown). Deaths involving opioid analgesics may involve other drugs as well, including benzodiazepines (2). In addition to an increase in the number of deaths caused by drug poisoning, increases in drug use, abuse, misuse, and nonfatal health outcomes have been observed. In the past two decades, there has been an increase in the distribution and medical use of prescription drugs, including opioid analgesics (3). From 1999 to 2008, the use of prescription medications increased (4). In 2007–2008, 48% of Americans used at least one prescription drug in the past month and 11% of Americans used five or more prescriptions in the past month. Analgesics for pain relief were among the common drugs taken by adults aged 20–59 years (4). In 2009–2010, over 5 million Americans reported using prescription pain relievers nonmedically in the past month (that is, without a doctor's prescription or only for the experience or feeling they caused), and the majority of people using prescription pain relievers nonmedically reported getting the drugs from friends or family (5,6). From 2004 to 2008, the estimated rate of emergency department visits involving nonmedical use of opioid analgesics doubled from 49 per 100,000 to 101 per 100,000 (7). Government agencies and other organizations joined together to achieve great reductions in the number of deaths from motor vehicle crashes in the past three decades (8,9). A comprehensive approach, including improvements in the safety of vehicles; improvements in roadways; increased use of restraint systems, such as seat belts and child safety seats; reductions in speed; and also efforts to reduce driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, contributed to the decline in motor vehicle related deaths (8,9). Using a comprehensive, multifaceted approach, it may be possible to reverse the trend in drug poisoning mortality. Definitions Injury deaths: Include deaths that are caused by forces external to the body. Examples of causes of injury death include drowning, fall, firearm, fire or burn, motor vehicle traffic, poisoning, and suffocation. Poisoning deaths: Include drug poisonings resulting from unintentional or intentional overdoses of a drug, being given the wrong drug, taking the wrong drug in error, or taking a drug inadvertently. Poisoning deaths also include poisoning resulting from other toxic substances, gases, or vapors. Opioid analgesics: Drugs that are usually prescribed to relieve pain and include: Natural and semi-synthetic opioid analgesics such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone; methadone, which is a synthetic opioid analgesic used to treat opioid dependency as well as pain; and other synthetic opioid analgesics (excluding methadone) such as fentanyl and propoxyphene. Opium and heroin are not included in this class of drugs

"...go tell the local S&TA that you've done so and have them signed off. No big deal." I jump at different DZs, now. Is a different S&TA to merely take my word for it? Also, what about the classroom component? My still unanswered question to instructors, in general: Aren't these canopy drills already a part of every initial student progression? I had to do them for mine. "btw, one of my hobbies is indeed pot stirring ." Some people have issues. Issues that can get in the way of teaching. If someone openly proclaims themself as a SkyBeeyatch? Whose stated hobby is stirring the pot (AKA:Trolling)? Whose sig-line reads: Just another anonymous troll. I'm a lot less inclined to hear their message. In fact, I'm more inclined to block it out, entirely. That's not a slam. It's purely an observation. A lot more people would benefit from your knowledge if you dropped the 'Tude. "And if you stay in the sport, you'll see more." Sadly, I'm afraid that's a given.

I understand your points on that clearly, Rich. I do go through drills when jumping an unfamiliar canopy. I only pasted that quote in again because someone else (whose admitted hobby is to stir the pot) chose to cite a different reply I'd sent to you. We're cool .

"It is apparent that you're good enough that you'll never hurt anybody else." Are you inferring in any way that I said I've got Mad Skillz? I never said that. Nor did I say I didn't want or need a canopy course in the near future. In fact, I specifically said I just haven't had the opportunity to take one yet, due to time constraints. "My point is that I already had to fulfill the requirement for my A. Why require it to be done again, & be signed off only by an ST&A? If I didn't display enough proficiency doing the initial drills. My instructors would've made me do them again until I was." BTW, don't preach to me about bodies under plastic. I'll bet I've seen more deaths than you ever will.

You're not coming across as being a wiseguy, Rich. I hope I'm not, either. I'm fully aware of my Newbness. Paying for five jumps w/friends. Or, paying for five dedicated jumps, & having to sit in a class on a rare day off aren't the same things. I had a feeling you might say it's already all in the SIM. I was thinking more of a pocketbook w/only the drills as a progression to work on individually. Perhaps it would be a bit of spoon-feeding, but would make it easier for some of us to more-easily improve between instruction. I know the SIM is available for smartphones, but I don't have one. Not_fur_nuttin, but the SIM is kinda big, & has a lot of other info in it. I work a lot, including weekends. So, I haven't had the opportunity to take a canopy course, yet. It's not that I'm averse to paying for qualified instruction. I rankle at having additional demands placed on me. Especially when I already do those demands on my own. I still jump rental gear. I routinely jump different canopies depending on where I go that day. I'm only humbly offering another approach to the same goals.

I like Mike. I'm not sure if he'll go as low. I think he will, too. To be safe, I'll PM it to you.

OK, PDRs currently sell for $1155. PD still wants the full $1495 for their Optimum. That's a price difference of $340. That's still a significant price difference.