BigM 2 #1 April 4, 2004 Latest Issue of Parachutist (April)... page 42 I think... there is a full page ad for L&B audible altimeters... it's a 4 way hybrid- 2 bellys, a hanger and a surfer on top. The top surfer has NO FREAKIN' VISUAL ALTIMETER! No wrist mount, no chect mount. I realize this is an ad for audibles, but c'mon, no visual altimeter??? Just wondering if anybody else noticed this too. Blue 111- Jeff "When I die, I want to go like my grandmother, who died peacefully in her sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in her car." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpy 0 #2 April 4, 2004 could we get a scan of this?... i only get skydiving magazine not parachutist... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
towerrat 0 #3 April 4, 2004 so what? what makes an audible alti any less reliable than an analog. people argue that batteries die. Mine let's me know when my batteries are going dead. The other day I bitched at some dude for pulling low. I then found out that my anolog alti was way wrong. I was very embarrased. It really shouldn't matter what type of alti you choose to wear, as long as you know where the dirt is.Play stupid games, win stupid prizes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #4 April 4, 2004 I dont see what the issue is....your eyeballs and a back up altimeter is what you need. whether that is a visual altimeter or an audible is up to you. but you should rely on your eye's to tell you how high you are. Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,027 #5 April 4, 2004 QuoteLatest Issue of Parachutist (April)... page 42 I think... there is a full page ad for L&B audible altimeters... it's a 4 way hybrid- 2 bellys, a hanger and a surfer on top. The top surfer has NO FREAKIN' VISUAL ALTIMETER! No wrist mount, no chect mount. I realize this is an ad for audibles, but c'mon, no visual altimeter??? Just wondering if anybody else noticed this too. Blue 111- Jeff I know of no rule or regulation requiring a visual altimeter.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 5 #6 April 4, 2004 I don't see a problem either. I have two audibles and one wrist-mount analog. Do we know that the person in question did not have at least one audible? Even then, I have hundreds of jumps without any type of altitude informing device. You get used to a couple of things--looking at the ground (should do that regardless of how many tools you have) and looking at altimeters of other people (which also is often easier than looking at your own). -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nightingale 0 #7 April 4, 2004 there are a couple of folks at Perris who don't jump with a visual. The ones I've asked all have two audibles. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #8 April 4, 2004 Quote The top surfer has NO FREAKIN' VISUAL ALTIMETER! No wrist mount, no chect mount. I realize this is an ad for audibles, but c'mon, no visual altimeter??? 2 points. The guy is one of the best skydivers on the planet. If you don't recognise him, perhaps you haven't been paying attention. There is no requirement from either the FAA or USPA for experienced skydivers to wear altimeters at all.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KevinMcGuire 0 #9 April 4, 2004 (Latest Issue of Parachutist (April)... page 42 I think... there is a full page ad for L&B audible altimeters... it's a 4 way hybrid- 2 bellys, a hanger and a surfer on top. The top surfer has NO FREAKIN' VISUAL ALTIMETER! No wrist mount, no chect mount. I realize this is an ad for audibles, but c'mon, no visual altimeter??? Just wondering if anybody else noticed this too.) Won't somebody think of the children......Please some one save us from our selves Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #10 April 4, 2004 QuoteThe guy is one of the best skydivers on the planet. That was going to be my reply. Eli has more jumps than most of us combined will ever do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BigM 2 #11 April 4, 2004 Hang on, hang on. I never mentioned anything about there being any type of regulation requiring one. For the most part, it does scream of common sense to wear one though. What would be the advantages of NOT wearing one? The advantages of wearing one are obvious, regardless of how "fine-tuned" your eyes might be. I have made a handful of jumps without a visual (or audible) - intentional water jump for a demo, or riding a plane up and discovered a recent AFF grad without anything, but it is definitely not the rule. And regardless of how good (or GREAT) the skydiver is, the ground seems to care not. Our history is littered with horrible accidents that include in their description "they were one of the best jumpers you've ever known...". I'm not the altimeter Nazi, and I am fully aware of the things you can get by without, it just seems like we would all benefit from some of the simple things to make our sport a little safer. You are NEVER too good of a skydiver that you couldn't stand a pin check, to check your chest strap and handles one last time before getting out, or maybe to wear an altimeter that you can see. Just my opinion, nothing more. Blue 111- Jeff "When I die, I want to go like my grandmother, who died peacefully in her sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in her car." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #12 April 4, 2004 >your eyeballs and a back up altimeter is what you need I personaly can't tell the excact difference between 4000 ft or 4500 by just eyeballing...when at pull-altitude (3000-ish) it gets easyer to judge altitude, but I think the higher you get, it gets harder and harder to stay within a 500ft accurate altitude... I think the whole eyeballing comment is a bit overrated... I think it's more of an internal clock think, and people who totaly rule the skies with over a gazillion jumps probably have such an accurate internal clock, that no matter what altitude..they could probably break-off at the correct altitude with their eyes closed if they had to, or back-tracking (not seeing mother earth) or whatever... But aside from that...I've had my wrist-alti give me wrong readings once or twice due to a nasty bump against the door on exit once, and once more when the needle had unbeknownst to me came lose....while my audible has always worked without a glitch. And I've seen one or two wrist/chest alti's on other folks that where off quite a bit when we where at 4000/5000 ft (in the plane). Granted, those where busted up student/rental altimeters, but in the plane Audible beeps always seem to come at excactly the same time... I'm quite curious to which alti (audible/digital, or mechanical analogue) performs more accurate... I'm leaning more towards the first one... Although forgetting to turn it on when its in econemy-mode could be a realy big problem if use it a a primary altimeter I think...(happened to me once or twice, but wasnt a problem..I'm more of a wrist orriented person anyways...and don't take that as a sexual comment please) Any thoughts on this???JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maxmadmax 8 #13 April 5, 2004 I wear two protracks. One for my good ear. The other for my not so good ear. Don't go away mad....just go away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nbblood 0 #14 April 5, 2004 QuoteI know of no rule or regulation requiring a visual altimeter. SIM Part 2-1, paragraph K, subparagraph 2c, requires students wear visual altimeters. subparagraph 4 requires AFF jumpmasters on an AFF harness hold jump wear visual altimeters. You said you didn't know of any....there's the two I know of. However, in this case it doesn't seem to apply (obviously). Blues, Nathan Edited for spellingBlues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GreenLight 8 #15 April 5, 2004 QuoteI think it's more of an internal clock Don't count on that one. If you are used to getting out at 12five and then visit another DZ and get out of a Cessna at 10five, well.... Always keep the dirt in view... Take a look every once in a while. If you don't know your altitude, go for the reserve...Green Light "Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there." "Your statement answered your question." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #16 April 5, 2004 Come jump at Pitt Meadows. When the ground starts going by sideways, your at 5500. Seriously though, I went through a phase when I didn't need a dial about 1500 jumps ago. Some people are proud of the fact that they don't use a cypres. I use both but wouldn't let the lack of either or both keep me on the ground. I forgot my dial on a tandem last year; no problem. I just used riggerrob's drogue as my reminder. I know he pulls within two hundred feet on every jump.Problem is I forgot to turn before I pulled so I was flying straight at him when I opened.(We weren't that close). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,027 #17 April 5, 2004 QuoteQuoteI know of no rule or regulation requiring a visual altimeter. SIM Part 2-1, paragraph K, subparagraph 2c, requires students wear visual altimeters. subparagraph 4 requires AFF jumpmasters on an AFF harness hold jump wear visual altimeters. You said you didn't know of any....there's the two I know of. However, in this case it doesn't seem to apply (obviously). Blues, Nathan Edited for spelling CONTEXT! Pilots flying IFR need altimeters too. These guys weren't students or doing AFF jumps. No altimeter rule applies to them.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nbblood 0 #18 April 6, 2004 QuoteHowever, in this case it doesn't seem to apply (obviously). That's why I said this. Blues, NathanBlues, Nathan If you wait 'til the last minute, it'll only take a minute. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #19 April 6, 2004 A lot of really experienced 4 way teams just use audibles and only have one guy with a visual altimieter (other then eyes). They do this because it takes to long to look at an altimeter when cranking 25-30 points in a dive. If I am not mistaken, Airspeed does this. Clint D-24352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 235 #20 April 6, 2004 I've personally had my old visual alti malfunction twice. Once it read 1000 too low, even though I'd zeroed it and checked it on someone else's. (I must have done something myself.) The second time it was broken and wasn't worth shit. It looked good until after I opened and then read -3000 ft. Then the dial just spun to random numbers. Edit: I was actually more pissed that I had to blow the money on a new Alti becuase I was at a boogie and was thinking of buying some tracking pants."I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #21 April 6, 2004 I've got a fair number of jumps with no visual altimeter and my Pro-Track in my pants/shorts pocket just to log the jump. Once during a mal I glanced at my wristwatch to find out that my main had assumed an unlandable configuration at exactly 3:10 in the afternoon, but otherwise I've never looked over at my wrist on those jumps. What purpose would the altimeter serve on jumps where I simply don't look at it? Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJL 235 #22 April 6, 2004 QuoteI glanced at my wristwatch to find out that my main had assumed an unlandable configuration at exactly 3:10 in the afternoon THAT'S WAY TOO EARLY!"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #23 April 6, 2004 QuoteThe top surfer has NO FREAKIN' VISUAL ALTIMETER! No wrist mount, no chect mount. I realize this is an ad for audibles, but c'mon, no visual altimeter??? Was he blind? Because if he was, he wouldn't have much use for visual altimeters. -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ifics 0 #24 April 6, 2004 QuoteQuoteThe guy is one of the best skydivers on the planet. That was going to be my reply. Eli has more jumps than most of us combined will ever do. Is that the guy from "Flyboyz"? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BikerBabe 0 #25 April 7, 2004 QuoteIs that the guy from "Flyboyz"? Yes. Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
