IanHarrop 42 #1 February 19, 2008 PIA is happening right now Feb. 18-24 in Barcelona. Last year we had excellent reports from PIA (including video) anyone able to report this year?"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #2 February 19, 2008 And a whole lot more of us were there. Besides having a new baby due in four weeks, a new job and not a lot of vacation, the several thousand dollars was a little more than I could spend out of my pocket. I'm waiting to here if I'm still rigging chairman.Remember this is both a PIA business meeting and a shortened version of the symposium. The next business meeting is in Albuquerque N.M. Sept 12th through 14th. And the next symposium is in Reno Nevada Feb. 9th through 13th with the PIA business meeting 2/6 through 2/8. I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #3 February 19, 2008 it wasn't in the budget to do PIA in Barcelona so we could provide the video feeds, sorry....Wanted to do it, but Barcelona is about $500.00 a day and can't be justified. We'll be back in Reno though, hopefully providing a couple live video feeds at that show, plus the youTube interviews like we did last year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #4 February 19, 2008 I'm hoping to be heading over for a couple of days...Going to catch a ride with my wife who will be driving the bus there from NewYork on Thursday.Expect a report if I make it! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RIGGER 0 #5 February 19, 2008 Cloudy weather with light rains. The PIA 2 days meeting ended today - it was good with some nice rigging & technical topics brought up at the meetings. The classes will start on the 21st to the 23rd. Good to meet friends & see & hear new staff. Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #6 February 20, 2008 Nothing that the average person would be concerned with has happened yet. Tomorrow(20th) morning is when booth set up will begin and the exhibition will open up in the afternoon. Seminars will begin on the 21st starting in the morning with the event hall opening at 5 PM until 9 PM."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
councilman24 37 #7 February 20, 2008 Am I still rigging committee chairman? I'm old for my age. Terry Urban D-8631 FAA DPRE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #8 February 21, 2008 Day one . . . This is a much smaller event than Reno last year, but the turn-out has been good. The exhibition hall is much smaller, and the vendors have scaled down their displays to cut down on costs (overseas shipping, etc.). There are several new vendors that have appeared this time that were not in the States last year. The local manufacturer, CIMSA, which is connected with Icarus, is very well represented. Both CIMSA and Icarus have double booths on a corner that are connected together. I did not make it to many booths yesterday, but I did see a few things of note: -Rigging Innovations: Sandy Reid is building rig bags for use in the wind tunnel that completely enclose a flyer's rig to render them wind tunnel safe. This allows tunnel flyers to get more realistic training. Sandy says that they have been very well received by tunnel operators. Sandy is also nearly finished developing a Field Rigger Kit, which contains all the tools a Rigger needs to repack a reserve in the field. Since I am military he oriented his demonstration that way; the closed kit is small enough to fit in a cargo pocket and his (of course) is made in MARPAT camouflage with his beloved globe eagle and anchor proudly displayed. -Alti-2: They have debuted a new free fall computer cousin to the Neptune2 called the N3. This model is in being readied for production now. The software appears to be the same, but the hardware has major changes: an aluminum case with rounded corners and flush rubber buttons makes the unit more durable, a glass lens to protects the LCD screen, the IR port for communications has been replaced by a USB2 connection, and the battery is now an internal rechargeable.Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #9 February 21, 2008 I hope to be able to do at least a few videos and post them either from here or early next week. I'll try to get Sandy Reid's stuff and the Alti2, and have asked John to be point man for finding other stuff of potential interest. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #10 February 21, 2008 Allen Silver is the chair of the Rigging Committee. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #11 February 21, 2008 I'll try and post a few pictures later on today/tonight of some of the new items."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #12 February 21, 2008 Here's a picture of Alti-2's new N3. It has a hardened metal case; the buttons are different, and said to be more responsive to pressing with gloved hands. It has no battery to replace, but is charged through a USB port connected either to your computer or to a supplied charger. And for those allergic to Windoze, it will connect for software updates and presumably for logging equally happily to Macs and Linux devices. I'll check Friday whether Paralog will be available on other platforms as well. I'll do a video tomorrow, probably up over the weekend. I've also scheduled time with Sandy Reid and Jari from Birdman. More to come. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnnyZ 0 #13 February 22, 2008 Did PD release the new competition Velocity? I heard that it was supposed to be introduced at the PIA this year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #14 February 22, 2008 Here are a few pics. A quick note on what was new. Alti-2: The N3. Very slick and all aluminum body and glass face that has an internal battery that can be charged up via any USB device. Rigging innovations: Rig Tunnel covers for your rig. Covers your rig and allows you to fly it in the wind tunnel safely. camera helmet: A very neat camera /helmet mounting system that allows camera/video to be mounted in any orientation with out the use of tools. Birdman: Introduced a full clothing line of Jeans, Shirts, jackets, Belts,jewelry. They also unveiled 2 new wingsuits, the S8 and the Tengu along with several improvements to all existing suits in the line. Paralog: unveiled a new and improved version that incorporates too many new features for me to list here.check Paralog.net for details."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #15 February 22, 2008 More pictures. These are just a few random shots and by no means a complete list of new items seen at this PIA."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #16 February 23, 2008 Wonder if any tunnel will really allow a covered rig to be used. Still a lot of exposed metal to scratch the windows. Good idea though. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #17 February 23, 2008 Square 1 has a new kick ass catalog thats just full of cool skydiving stuff. It can be ordered from their web site or by calling/writing them for one."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 5 #18 February 23, 2008 Thanks for the pix, Scott. Sandy Reid's field rigging kit is sure sweet, I got a sneak-peek the day before he left for Spain. Makes me wish I wore camo pants just for the cool factor. Anything new from PD other than the GL canopies? Any word on how long the battery charge in the new Alti lasts? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #19 February 23, 2008 Those tunnel covers have already been used in at least 2 tunnels I've directly heard of and have been rumored to be getting approval at others too. There was some talk about them in use in the tunnel forum and I think at at Skyleague.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RSG 0 #20 February 23, 2008 Hi all, i am leaving spain now, actually in the terminal at the airport as i write this It was very cool, but this is my first time to see PIA I had some nice photos , but will take me a week to post I thought that it is highly priced as well as most the guys there it was very nice to see a lot of guys that i worked with via e-mail and phone and put some faces to there voices CPS booth was very cool, they had draft beer that made everyone stay there, Thanks Fred, Steve and Marty I enjoid standing there and knowing a lot of others better sorry fot he not so perfect speling here , i am in a ruch and this freackin PC in the laoung is in Spanish !!!! I i'l post photos in a week Cheers_________________________________________ R S G = Ready Set Goooooooooo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #21 February 23, 2008 That about covers the field of the new and interesting I saw as well. I was going to do videos, but time was short and it didn't seem worth the time and effort. The only thing to add about the N3 is that I was assured by release time (May?), it will be possible to upload software versions (via the wire connection) from Mac and Linux boxes as well as PCs. AFAIK this also applies to the Paralog interface. Alti-2 was giving away little balsa airplanes, and toward the end of the show each day, it was hard to avoid being hit by/step on a plane. The biggest crowd around a booth did not always mean the most interesting exhibit; it was often the one with the coldest free beer (or best wine.) See you in Reno in February, 2009. HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RIGGER 0 #22 February 23, 2008 You should be here. They said 1 night charging is good for 3 weeks. Buy & find out.See you around late 2008 ? Cheers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigway 4 #23 February 23, 2008 Is there not a PIA in reno this year as well. I was thinking this must be the europe version. .Karnage Krew Gear Store . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
howardwhite 6 #24 February 23, 2008 PIA is in Reno next year (2009) HW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
P-dro 0 #25 February 23, 2008 Quote Did PD release the new competition Velocity? I heard that it was supposed to be introduced at the PIA this year. The same for XC 7 cells Canopy. Any news ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
