cloud9

I tried real hard but I couldn't get past one.

Do we really need this crap anymore? I guess at one time it made some sense maybe. But now what difference does it make what time the clock says in reguard to how much sun is shining. I have to get up at 0430 to go to work, so this morning was actually 0330 I lost an hour of sleep. Also the night shift lost an hour of pay because the government changes the time twice a year. Don't laugh that equates to a jump and sixpack. So what the hell do we really need this sh@#t anymore?

Well guys I hate to disagree with you but the stats show that the average experiece level for the skydiver that hooks it into the ground is over 1300 jumps. This came from this months parachutist. With that in mind most of them intend to make a high performance turn and somehow misjudge the altitude, or something. There really are not that many students pounding it in on low turns. In fact skydiving is doing the best it ever has in reference to injuring students. The people that jump high performace canopies are well aware of the risk involved and trade off for the enjoyment of high performance flying. While I don't like seeing anyone injured, I sure don't think that anything other then education and technology will change this. I certainly hope it never changes due to new rules or other forms of government.

Hey Paula if its that stiletto, you wouldn't be the first that doesn't like the way they fly. I'm not slamming stiletto's but lots of folks find them to twitchy and find the openings a little wild. I jump with a guy that has several thousand jumps that jumped a Sabre up until last weekend. He didn't like the stiletto and he's a PD man so the sabre it was. He just demoed a sabre 2 and loved it. Thats what he's going to buy. He jumps a 120 as well. One of our camera flyers on the other hand thinks the stiletto is the best canopy ever made. So its a matter of preference. However there are so many great canopies out there don't stay with one your not happy with.

Well Chuck I wish I could give you some words of encourgement, but the truth is your really out there on a limb. I was a police officer for 11 years. I was once injured in a fight with an escapee from jail. My shoulder was dislocated in the process and required surgery. I was out of work for over 4 months. Like you I collected workers comp, but of course police officers can't live on the PD salary alone. So I had no OT and got way behind in my bills. Eventually I did get back to work and managed to get things caught back up, so it will work out it just takes time. In my case the bad guy had nothing, so what are you going to sue for? Another officer friend of mine was a Motor officer and was involved in a wreck, a car pulled out in front of him. He injured his back and had surgery, he was let go by the city because he was no longer able to perform the duties of an officer. He collects just over $200 a month for his disabilities. One of our younger officers that only had two year on the PD was shot in the leg, he was disabled and could no longer work either, but he wasn't vested so he get's nothing. Again the bad guy had nothing so what can you sue for? Hang in there, I know how tough it can be. Of course you could always do what I did and go to work for an oil company. I'm very protected for that sort of thing now. It's a shame we don't protect our officers better, after all they're out there on the street protecting the masses. But when they get hurt doing it, such is life! There's nothing you can do about it, so make the most of it. Spend some quallity time with your family, sit back and look at the wonder of life and enjoy what you do have. Good luck! little boy to little girl. Oh yea if thats what it is lets hear it meow!

I hear this a lot, so I guess this will surprise a lot of people. In 1976 I was jumping a strato star. A 5 cell square canopy. I had a spinning mal that put me on my back right away. When I cutaway I was still spinning on my back and got stable before my reserve pull. I dumped my reserve at around 1000 ft. It can happen with any canopy! little boy to little girl. Oh yea if thats what it is lets hear it meow!

Actually I just did this last weekend. I normally jump with a digitude and I bought an Altimaster II for a back up just in case. My digitude read about 100 ft lower then the altimaster at 12,500 and they were within 50 ft of each othere at 1000ft. But of course I have no idea which was the most accurate. I do prefer my digitude though. little boy to little girl. Oh yea if thats what it is lets hear it meow!

Wow that is weird, I still get all pumped up over jumps that go that well. That's a hard one to call. little boy to little girl. Oh yea if thats what it is lets hear it meow!

Well you lived with monks so how about Monk or you were once posing as a priest so how about Padre or Imposter. BS&S Bunge, skydiving sailing In memory of your 13th jump, Macabre. Or in memory of your riser slap how about stitches. Openingshock Slammer injuryprone linewrap I personally like Padre or Stitches Thats about as good as it get for me.

well I started life Episcopal but have attended Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist and several others. I settled on Nazarene. I won't start any debate, so I'll just say Happy Easter and may God Bless, reguardless of your beliefs

You have a gorgeous, beautiful women that won't talk. Sorry but I just don't see the problem.

I jump a digitude and find it much easier to read. I will never go back to an analog system. I like it that much! Not saying I'll never use an Alti 2 or 3, just that I won't jump one if I have a digitude, and I won't buy anything else.

I didn't think anyone really took those titles very serious. I mean look at some of them. poo bah, come on I think any reasonably intelligent person will figure it out.

Thanks I guess I wasn't smart enough to figure that one out. I didn't even notice the other.

This came up in a different thread so I thought I would start one to see if I could get a few opinions. What is the difference in longevity of the ZP type that PD uses compared to the ZP that Aerodyne, PISA, and Atair uses. It seems some folks think that the less slippery ZP will not last as long as the slippery stuff. I have seen no data confirming this. So does anyone know if there is a significant difference in wear? Will one last many more jumps then the other? Will say a Sabre or a stiletto last longer then a Cobalt or a Heatwave?

Well you had two mals in a row and handled both. You shouldn't have any more fears about it, now you know you can do it. As for paying for two repacks. I can see paying for yours. But hey who ever packed the second rig and didn't cock the pilot chute should pay for the reserve repack. That was a serious mistake that could have turned real bad real fast. The least they could do is pay for the repack. Just my 2 cents worth.

I'd love to know what you base this information on. I owned a Triathlon as a first ZP canopy then bought a Hornet and now a Heatwave. I haven't asked PISA about it. But I did ask Aerodyne. They said that their ZP should and would last just as long as the material PD uses. In fact they felt that it was superier to the ZP that PD uses. There are Triathlons out there with thousands of jumps on them. I know PD has some canopies out there with thousands of jumps on them also. So where did this information that one last longer then the other come from? As far as resale, I think its because PD canopies cost more to begin with. Also PD has been around for a long time and are better known. It has nothing to do with canopy life expectancy. How about it Cobalt Dan don't you all use the same type of ZP. What is your take on this?

Hey HH I know you can't get them all, but do you think you could add the Hornet main they're getting more popular and also in the container you don't have the wings again getting more popular. Again I know you can't get them all but if you manage to find some spare time (although as big a the board is getting I'm sure that's not often). Thanks for a great site Larry

Most gear stores sell wrist mounts for the altimaster II. I bought one from Para Gear. Rigs and things also has them, I'm sure several others do too. It cost about $12.00.

$35 in Houston. Although some riggers in Houston charge as much as $50. Still not bad.

If the 7 cell reserve is like a triathlon, which I'm banking it is. I have about 50 jumps on a tri loaded at 1.4 and it was no problem. It flew great and landed ok. It didn't have the lift or flare of a nine cell, but I stood up all my landings under it. I could put it down where ever I wanted. I could sink it in or float it what ever needed. I don't think it would be a bad loading for a reserve. In fact its what I load my reserve at. Of course it would depend on your experience.

Well I quit jumping in the 70's at that time the only squares on the drop zone were strato stars and clouds. So in 2001 I went to a DZ to start jumping again and was watching someone land. I later found out the canopy landing was a manta. But I asked the dump question, Is that a cloud? Well after some blank stares from the younger folks and gut wrenching laughter from the older folks, one of them said yea its a cloud 9 cell. More laughter and the remark Cloud9

I love my digitude. Just clance at it and you can see the numbers. No worry about looking for a dial hand. You see a 5 your at 5000 thousand feet. Its really great under canopy too, because its so easy to read no red line or hand to look for. Try one you'll never want to go back.

I got a 6" extension on my 150 and it seems to be just about right.

I found that psycho packing was faster, easier, and I got better openings. I won't go back to the standard propack.