DJL

But what is so bad about just going heavy on your brakes or rear risers to stall the canopy a bit (receiving the dock)? Is it just that the canopy gets more squirrely w/ stronger input? For two-way crw or base-pin it's not like that's going to end up in a big nylon mess. So, willing to hear voice of experience. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

I think that's a pretty definitive answer. It would be nice to feel what it's like to chop in the relaxation of your own choosing but it sounds like the complexity, risk, and wear on your gear defeat the purpose. Thanks a bunch folks. -Doug p.s. MEaton is an ass. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

I would like to get some intentional cut-aways under my belt and here's where my train of thought brought me: What I would like is a back-up belly system at my DZ so that when it came time for the repack I could practice an intentional cutaway and fly my reserve. Is this something that a DZ could do? I think it would be a very good learning instrument. I do forsee the problems of having to chase down free-bags and mains... -doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Hey Cheif, Sorry if I'm overstepping myself but don't you think that rather than "mentally" prepare for a canopy hooked up backwards, you can take measures to not fly backwards in the first place. Yes, I mean go into a headstand. This is obviously the best way to avoid the dangers of backwards flight. It's not like you're going to stand up the landing anyway, in fact, now you've already acheived a safe 180 degrees, of the somersault you will inevitably go into. Try it next time. Flying backwards is just dumb. Edit: See following comments and precautions, yes, this is humor. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

We only got one in, damn short winter days. I was to come in third and was all set up to come in but 2(tri) was having trouble getting in on the floaty pilot and I thought we were getting too far away from the wind line towards a solid forest and so I docked on a tri who I flying right next to we headed back to a better position. A tri and the Lightning hooked up and followed us and the pilot and #2 followed them. The original pilot then tried to get in on the other stack but was way too floaty and was zooming in a bit much. We approached in a plane, broke and I took up the #3 spot. It was pretty fun, we just needed another jump to iron it out. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Do WHAT for us? Please post the specifics of the terrorist strikes we sponsored against the USSR. -doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Amen, I agree with you. Anyone please correct me but I believe the CIA has demostrated the proper use of a device to combat terrorists. I say open fire. The article painted the CIA as "trigger-pulling" = trigger happy. Do you really think they're going to just shoot everything that moves and hope they get it right? They are NOT operating on assumptions and they are not operating by either of the careless phylosophies of "sort it out later" or "means to an end". They got it right based upon research and intelligence. The fact that Hijazi was a US citizen has no bearing on this discussion. This is EXACTLY the kind of thing that everyone was screaming that the CIA should have done in the first place. This is not a comparison with the government vs. peace protestors, these are killers who declared war against the CITIZENS of the United States. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Talk about a hairy First Jump Course. "Ground obstacles consist of trees, powerlines, Panzer Tanks, and Anti-Aircraft guns. Be sure to PLF." -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Hey, thanks Wendy, we're going for an 8+ stack this weekend. What we have right now is: Paraflite Turbo ZX 185 PF T ZX 165 Lightning 160 Tri Tri Tri Tri Tri Lower guys will have weight. Edit: Anyone feel free to share advice. I'm a student at crw so I'm happy to hear suggestions. The organizer has tons of experience, so the big picture is in good hands. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Got chased by horses and a cow. We were doing a 3 man CRW jump on the sunset load. Uppers had been 55 kts but had started to die off towards the end of the day so we didn't take our spot out so far. Then, what would ya know, they actually increased right at sunset. We got out and started chasing the base pin who headed straight downwind. He was also floating on us, so me and the other guy just docked and turned it into the wind. By this time we were at the point of no return. The two of us broke and front risered towards a school and some open fields. The third guy took off and headed towards an area with no houses for miles. As I was coming in I saw something walking across the field so I yelled down. The as I turned for final I saw more things and more things and they all had four legs, I said, "oh shit." So I landed and started getting my stuff together and was looking at the horses and a cow and they all looked a bit pissed. It was kind of a "what the fuck does this bird think it's doing on our turf" kind of look. Then they charged. I picked up my canopy and started waving it in the air. They were kicking up on their hind legs, not way up but just stamping a bit. So I took off in a run towards the front of the property. They ran ahead of me and cut me off and started walking up to me from the front. I angled towards a fence a bit and waved my canopy at them and then started walking at them. They finally split to the side and I just walked the rest of the way off of the property. The guy who had landed apart from us (big no-no for crw) landed in a clear cut area and it about two and a half hours to find his way to the road, where someone from the DZ found him. -doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

I agree with you that it should be more tightly moderated. I know that HH and the moderators want to keep everything as open as possible but it's just sad to see the incident's forum turn into someone yelling, "what kind of bullshit statement is that?" All posts should be absolutely directly related to the incident or else be deleted. All threads should begin with all possible facts related to the incident, not, "hey, did anyone hear about" or "I heard from someone that". This is stated in the rules. And then of course there's the human side. The incidents forum is VERY touchy so we should visualize that we're all in the same room, not sitting behind a computer. Let's picture this like it happened at our own DZs and we're talking to fellow jumpers. And for God's sake, go to PM's. If something is offensive then send a PM, say you're offended and ask them to provide a little more information. We're a sarcastic bunch of people, sometimes all it takes is a clarification to save someone's quickly written post from turning into a fist fight at a funeral. As for your poll. I don't think compiling the data would be worth the time. A lot of the back and forth that goes on are statements of personal philosophies that really help someone to think about a situation. I do agree that descructive criticism should be deleted. PEACE, Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

He was just joking you that you took the suggestion of actually burning sites seriously. Or maybe we didn't get it that you were joking that you took it seriously, or....sh1t, I've gone cross-eyed. Ok, to get the forum back on topic. Fall Delay...um is when you delay as you fall and um... -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Hey Ray, good to hear you've coming into the area. We have a budding CRW community at Skydive VA. A guy by the name of Larry Westby is showing us the ropes. He has a good deal of big-way experience and is looking forward to his 3000th jump in which he wants to get at least an 8-stack or a diamond. Diamonds will depend on us being able to aquire some Lightnings and for us low-timers to get some more experience with offsets. So, we're looking forward to seeing you out there so we can pick your brain. See you soon, Doug Locke "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Actually, I'm going to go w/ flyinryan on this one. A moltov cocktail or two thrown from the top of an antennae would not only look cool but would give great insight as to what the winds are doing from the floor up. Ok fine, I'll stick with my bag of flour idea. Like I said, I have no base experience so I don't know what you really want to look for and what you can dismiss but a big column of fluffy stuff will enable you to see updrafts, swirls, basically all the stuff dorks like me did in college with wind tunnels and smoke sticks. Damn, I really need to ask Mom and Dad for BASE gear for Christmas. FAT CHANCE. PEACE, Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Hey Chip, we're starting to do quite a bit of CRW at Skydive Virginia. My college roommate is starting AFF in the Spring down at Suffolk and I'll be down there to lurk a few of his jumps and am looking for contacts down there. I'd be glad to get in some jumps with you. I'll send you an email with my contact info. Talk to Wendy and look at her websites about all else. She'll hook you up. Regards, Doug Locke "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

I don't know what base jumpers do for figuring out wind (anyone?) but I had an idea. Bring a bag of flour and cut a hole in it, drop it off the side. That way you can see swirls, etc. and you can get a better idea for what's going on. Get three people to observe, one from above dropping, one directly out in front, one 90 degrees. Voila.. I'm looking forward to my first jump at Bridge Day next year. I'll maybe even do a FJC earlier in the year. Depends on money. Regards, Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Here's an idea to drop on ya: If it were safe, because of whatever difference in physics, I'm sure we'd find some way to push it to the envelope and put it back into the "not so safe" category. -doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Well, then you should try the Ginsu Knives.... !!!THEY EVEN CUT TOMATOES!!! -doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Also, some advice that I took to heart was to put a cardboard (thin kind) or paper plate sleeve in the pocket. The knife will come out easier and won't catch on the pocket. It would suck to break your knife or foul the blade when you really need it. I have an aluminum one on each legstrap and put a third on my chest strap w/ wrist altimeter during CRW. I also twist the loop to the snap so the strap bends out a bit instead of just lying flat. Easier to grab, especially with gloves on. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

"Call her, she'll think it's sweet that it's 3:15AM and you're thinking of her (ass). And sure, she'd love for you to come over." Smarter voice is saying "eat hash browns and eggs, sleep, and get up in time for ride to dropzone." -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

From the article: "That's the hard part, talking to people, because you feel like such a fool," he said. ...then we can't be fools. But yeah, I hear you. I shoot black powder, so basically, I have to expect that any component could fail or be hot and then I have an exploding rod in my hand. ...amen. -Doug Damn, I'm ready to go home now. "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

3. Shut up Enough with the long stories already. First meetings call for shallow conversation, not your memoirs. Um, exchange "shallow" with "witty" and yes. If I'm shallow ("...so, where do you work, where did you go to school...") then punch me in the face. Then at least there's something to laugh about. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

I care so little I'm not even going to take the poll. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Wouldn't date and probably wouldn't hook up with someone from my DZ; don't want that aspect there. I would like to date a jumper but I want to be able to get away from it too. Sometimes I head to the DZ just because it's a group of friends where there isn't some kind of dynamic between myself and a girl or an ex and my friends / new female friends. -Doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

Sliding leg straps, freaky. I have the same prob with my canopy. I get a little drift to the left. I'm no rigger so I don't know it all but the suggestions I've gotten are the possibility of stitches in the canopy getting pulled tight or lines not installed correctly or having stretched. You and I both fly big-ass canopies that don't have as much response to leg strap f-ups, so... That's it here. -doug "I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher