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While I am still a newbie, I think it's important to note that for us newbies like lisamarie and I, what our instructors say has a lot of bearing on what we believe. I was jumping a Skymaster 290 for jumps 1-6, and I came up to do some jumps on a saturday, and all the static line rigs were out for repacks, except for one: A Skymaster 230. My instructor said that he thought I could handle it, but would leave the decision up to me. At that point, my naked weight was perhaps 215lbs or so, giving me an exit weight of, what, 245lbs? I decided to give it a try, since I'd had 5.5 standup landings at that point, out of 6 jumps (The .5 I stood up my first jump, then remembered I was suppsoed to PLF, so I did it after standing up for about a second. Thus, half a standup!). Well, we rode up to altitude, I made my jump, and realised immediately that this canopy was a different ballgame. It was turning when I told it to, it was flaring when I pulled both toggles, and dammit, it was more fun! I came in for a basically no-winder landing and.... stood it up. Same with the next one, and the one after that. Looking back, I don't know if I should have made those jumps, even though they turned out ok. However, I got a lot of of confidence from my instructor saying he thought I could do it. At this point, I put a lot more thought into what I read from certain posters on this site, because they are responsible in the information they give, but that doesn't mean I discount what my former instructors have to say. After those jumps, I went back to a 290, because the 230 was in a container with a harness that was smaller than I liked using. Granted, the 290 is in a too-small harness as well, but I'm a freak. Right now, I'm using a Raven IV loaded lightly, and a light wingload + old and busted F-111 7cell makes for conditions where I stand down due to wind quicker than anyone else off of student status. When the time came for me to order my rig, I was waffling a lot on what to get for a main canopy. After talking with instructors and having them watch my flights, it was decided that a 210sqft main would probably be a very good choice for me, and I ended up getting a 9-cell Fusion 210. That rig will be here in just a couple of weeks, and I think the timing is good, as the air will be cooler by then, thus lowering the density altitude, and making it easier to transition. So, I guess after that long-winded speech, I guess I'm saying I know where lisa is coming from, and that while using the lightly-loaded main might not have been unsafe, it wasn't conducive to enjoyment of the sport, and certainly wasn't helpful in getting her in the air in conditions which shouldn't present a problem to most jumpers. But then again, I'm just a 44 jump wonder. cavete terrae.

The only problem with backward landings is that if your square is fast enough, a backward landing can guarantee that you'll be drug. You can PLF backwards (I also have a few hundred round jumps, so I know a lot about landing backwards). Learn how. Learn how to deal with the situation that comes up. If you're going to land backwards, you can PLF, drop one toggle, and pull the other one in. It will collapse the canopy quickly, and then you're not being drug any more. Wendy W. I had that situation pop up at our boogie. Landed straight down on a Raven IV loaded at .86 or so, stood up the landing, then the wind said "Oh, hi!" and dragged me a few feet before I got my toggle pulled in far enough. It was interesting... cavete terrae.

Yep. Has been for as long as I can remember. You too?

You know you want to :) Come to the dark side! cavete terrae.

I love it, BUT, I wish we had a turbine. cavete terrae.

Your birthday is the 16th?????? cavete terrae.

Woohoo! It's here! New toy! New toy! New toy! New toy! New toy! New toy! cavete terrae.

Yeah, I saw that, thought it was interesting, but it doesn't hold enough for me, and it doesn't play the format of music that I use cavete terrae.

Thanks, here's the link: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/k/kotiteollisuuslyrics/jossanonlyrics.html cavete terrae.

I've got this song that I like alot, but it's in Finnish, so I have no idea what I'm singing along with , so I was wondering if someone could translate it for me cavete terrae.

Did it :) I'd like to see the results. cavete terrae.

You can probably get away with calling, god knows I called every 11 seconds :P I'd wait until Monday, I doubt they're gonna be there today cavete terrae.

They said about two and a half weeks when I called a few days ago. It's currently being constructed, then they have to install the canopies. cavete terrae.

I have to stop calling VSE, they threatened to embroider "hairy pink balls" on the mudflap I promised I wouldn't call anymore until it ships cavete terrae.

Gozer the Traveler!! He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms! During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving TOR! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant SLOR! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you! cavete terrae.

How badly? cavete terrae.

35mph winds at my DZ Plus, I doubt I'll jump again until my rig gets here... though I may go make a couple jumps on the Solo 230 we just put in one of the student rigs, just to get a couple jumps on a smaller ZP canopy, so I don't break my legs on my first jump with the Fusion cavete terrae.

Ha! Wait til you're married. You'll get a life-long education in "overreactive PMS" cavete terrae.

Haha, I know, I'm just saying I feel your pain :) cavete terrae.

Normal sized torso? My rig is going to ahve a 19.5" MLW! cavete terrae.

Hopefully mine will be here by the end of the month. cavete terrae.

Ok. Skymama is the ONLY person who realised this was a joke reply on my part, going along with the "calling bullshit" thread. Any of you who have ever participated in a thread with me realise that I am NOT a serious person. I make jokes. That's what I do. I have got some of the most overreactive PMs I've seen in a long time. Calm the fuck down, people. cavete terrae.

You can. I can't. Not every DZ is big and high tech Our manifest is writing your name down on a sheet of paper, and paying at the end of the day. cavete terrae.

How many H/C manufacturers do YOU know of in Northwest Iowa? Someone's gotta do the measurement. Better a tailor than someone that lives in my dorm. Is that anywhere near the Spirit Lake/Arnolds Park area? Sparky According to maps.google.com, it's 110 miles to Spirit Lake, but all lameass county roads, so it's apparently a 3 hour drive. cavete terrae.

'atta guy! Show 'em who wears the pants in the family! cavete terrae.