apoil

I've heard numerous stories like this from back in the day. Most of them also involve Orly, who was perhaps little to vocal about what freefly was and would be back in the day. Anyhow, while it is absolutely essential to have compulsory moves, or dive pools in order to have competition, I do feel that in a sense, competition kills off creativity in the sport. When RW began, it was new and fresh and rife with possibilities. Now that sequential 4/8/16 way has pretty much become the standard for RW competition, it has reduced those possibilities to a finite series of moves that need to be worked on to the point where you are shaving seconds off of the same repeated maneuvers. Nothing wrong with that - it requires great discipline and skill, but when it comes down to new folks saying, "what can we do on our bellies for this dive", the options to an extent have become a little more limited. The same thing is taking place in freefly. And competition to a degree reduces the "free" aspect of "freeflying". This isn't necessarily bad, and ultimately, by combining all possible flight modes we have a much more diverse pool of "points" we can turn on a highly skilled recreational dive that have yet to be explored. Also, freefly competition is not finished evolving. It is currently categorized as "artistic" which leaves some room for expression in routines, but there are plenty of vertical competitions that can be judged absolutely, as specific points performed in specific time. Pylon Racing and 4way speed are some very good competitions that can be judged absolutely rather than subjectively. They may never get entered into the IPC but as vertical skill improves, it is likely that we will see competitive events that involve larger teams.

If you are going to compare it to driving, wingloading is directly comprable to a high power to weight ratio. A fast car. Bringing in impairing conditions bleeds the issue over into something much more controversial. But let's run with it. While Statistics certainly do bear out that driving drunk does result in more accidents, it's misapplication of statistics to say that being drunk will result that I myself am more likely to rear end a car at 50 mph. Because it's not necessarily the case. Just as it's not the case that jumper x under a 2.0 wingloading is more likely to break his leg or kill himself. He's just more at risk if he makes a makes a mistake and everyone knows that.

Try harder.. you just agreed with me. The MISTAKE is what killed them. The wingloading was just a contributing factor. Had they not made the mistake, they wouldn't have died, under either canopy. I tell everyone that the higher wingloading puts them more at risk and will be far less forgiving of minor errors and completely unforgiving of major ones. But if you are writing the incident report that goes to the public are you going to put: "cause of death: wingloading" or "cause of death: low turn" ??? I'm not talking about what you put in your analysis. I'm talking about cause of death. There you go agreeing with me again.. This is becoming a problem.

I had a battery said go dead on me before the two years were up. there were well over 500 jumps on it. I'm over 500 jumps on my current battery, therefore I check the voltage every time I turn it on. If it powers up with 6.4 or 6.3 volts it will most likely work even with 500+ jumps on it. As an aside, that JM violated procedure by not having an open container by 2000 ft as stated in the BSRs. Chasing a student that low actually puts them in greater danger. They have a better chance of survival with the AAD they are required to wear and the instructor in their airspace at that time is a serious hazard. At 2000 feet, saving yourself is a priority. If you are EVER conscious and need your cypres, you should be thankful you are alive and re-evaluate your participation in the sport.

I said it can't be proven. The log book could be incorrect. Someone else could have jumped the rig. The logged jumps could be on a different rig.

The CHRISTIANS hijacked this forum, which is supposed to be about skydiving, by sneaking in a subject that really belongs in Talk Back, under the flimsy guise of setting up a ministry tent at a boogie. Any thread to the relationship of this topic to skydiving got lost quite early on. This thread should be locked or moved.

Which is why it's still a term invented with the concept of God in mind. Atheism is literally defined in terms of theism. So it is unacceptable. Fortunately, I lived in another country for a while that actually practiced religious tolerance, instead of giving it lip service under a predominantly judeo-christian umbrella. There you they'd accept you as a "free-thinker" and that would really be the end of it. Because religion is a private matter. Morality is public and if you get it from religion that's fine with me, but keep the religion part private.

Many of us go to the dropzone as a way of "changing the channel" It's not so much that we are threatened. I am not threatened by christian ministries. However, don't try to convince yourself that it is being set up to be "there for the people that want it" The people that want it, know where to find it. It's being set up as an outreach, for the people that they think, might want it, and not realize it, or might need it and not know it. That is intrinsically bothersome to me, because it's based on the core assumption that theirs is the only belief system that will lead to the only desireable outcome of life, ie "salvation". The majority of the world population does not share this viewpoint. It's not being BANNED. Do you think that every religious spiritual voice has an intrinsic right to express itself at a skydiving event? It's not a public forum, it's skydiving. Let's keep what we do related to skydiving. The landscape surrounding every dropzone is LITTERED with churches. They have every right to do what they do. People know where to find jesus if they want him. He doesn't have to be brought anywhere. I wonder what the reaction would be if the nation of islam set up shop on a dropzone, "just in case we needed them".

Thermal lifting can create feeder drafts from below that start it spinning. They can occur in Florida as well, just not quite with the same regularity, and they wont be visible if there's no dust/debris on the ground. But the ones in the South west are fearsome to behold, easily rising up a thousand feet or more.

None die from it being too heavily loaded either. It's just a contributing factor.

Fortunately, there's no way to prove the number of jumps on a particular battery set, so the 500 jumps part, while law, is completely unenforceable.

The Javelin is designed completely differently from the mirage. The Mirage G4 does it with inner elastic straps. With Javelin it is actually part of the rig and this will not happen. The Mirage isn't actually cut-in at all. As to the risk of snags, it is pure hypothesis. To act like it's a real danger is quite silly at this point. Cut-in Laterals have been available on the Javelins for 3 or 4 years. Thousands of test jumps and tens of thousands of sport jumps have been made with them, and there has never been a single snag. Naturally, I can't say it's impossible, but it's not a realistic risk.

Do you charge significantly less for an HMA reline? The ground zero canopies (and the Nitro and Blade from germany) have no cascades and thus involve considerably less labor to do a reline. No bartacking, no fingertrapping, just swap out each line individually.

Please post things that you are sure of, and not what you have simply heard. "up to 60%" is one of those marketing phrases that mean nothing. So this is just another misleading statistic, that may not even be appropriate to the HMA lines that are being used on parachutes. HMA lines are suitable for parachute use. Extensive exposure to sunlight is bad for all of our gear. Pack quickly and in the shade whenever possible. Check your lines for wear.

I did.... she was beautiful

As with most things freefly, if you can't do it now, practice it and learn. You don't need a coach to practice going slow. Just grab a buddy who can also hold a headdown. Drill on going slower. Take turns doing a hand dock, followed by slowing down and taking a foot dock (a quick slap will do). Have a slow fall contest (but do it while slowing down TOGETHER to prevent a dangerous situation where you lose sight of each other). FORCE yourself to slow down with only your legs. It's not easy. Hint - you don't have to go full on daffy right away if you can't fly it stable. Take your widest wide leg stance, and while flying in front of your buddy, try for just a little bit of front/back in your leg position. Even a little will make a big difference. Each time, try a little more. Try it with the other leg forward. Every chance you get, try to do leg freeing excercises (kicking, "running in place" while head down) and leg strengthening excercises - slowing down by using the legs as much as possible. Only use your arms to slow down if you are in a big formation and really need it, then as soon as you can, get them back down and relaxed. Don't get too frustrated, everyone who now makes it look so easy has been where you are. Try to avoid saying "I can't do that". It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Try instead to say "That's something I need to work on". It's a journey not a destination. Keep jumping, keep working on the areas where you need work, but enjoy each jump and you will improve.

Steve, how would you feel if the Church of Satan set up an equivalent booth? A little threatened perhaps? Offended? Keep your religion to yourself.

As far as I'm concerned, you would not be welcome. The arrogance and centricity of christians never ceases to amaze me. There is no shortage of churches in the vicinity of most dropzones. Plenty of christian support is "there if we need you". Those who need it, know where to look for it. But to put yourself IN the boogie environment crosses the line as far as I'm concerned. Be honest, you are not there for the converted - you are seeking to reel in those you consider lost or in need of your help. Many of us have chosen this lifestyle in active rejection of what you are offering, and would find your presence unwelcome. Be christian if you want, but keep it to yourself, please.

Actually, wingloading is more analogous to total displacement in an engine. The number of cylinders is more like the shape of the canopy, 7cell/9cell/square/elliptical, etc. Displacement relates fairly directly to horsepower, but not entirely, and horesepower doesn't completely answer the question of 'how fast will I go'. Consider a 5litre V8 in an SUV full of people versus the same engine in a Corvette. Obviously the analogy breaks down because there are more different options for an automobile configuration.

my feeling is that if that's the case, you have bigger problems. you wouldn't be significantly better off under a 143 in that circumstance. you have to take different precautions to prevent being in that situation.

I'm still a little concerned that you considered a 180 front riser turn that low to the ground to be a conservative move on a smaller canopy that you'd never jumped before.

Utilizing your "abdominal control surface"

Now I'm the one shaking my head. This wasn't a discussion about exit order. But someone brought up exit order as if that were THE ONLY THING that would ensure proper separation between groups. We all know it isn't. Even with "proper" exit order the delay between groups should be longer if the winds are higher, and if someone bombs out with a 2 second delay there will be trouble.

i would reply but instead i'm gonna just shake my head at this one. your profile says you have 1700+ jumps. at that experience level, surely you have more sense than to believe that statement you made. I've got even yet still more jumps than that now. Stop shaking your head and start thinking because I explained myself very clearly. Exit order does not ensure separation. Only separation ensures separation. How much sepearation is appropriate determines the exit order. Those of you that insist that there is only one safe exit order are not thinking about all situations. It is a valid rule of thumb, but even if you follow it you still have to give the appropriate time between groups and that depends on the ground speed, and winds aloft.

I object to the continual reference to it as a "license" Because it is not universalized or recognized as a license outside of a very limited group of people. What exactly is it a license to do? To jump with the ball? Well you are jumping with the ball when you take the test. To ballmaster? The A is not a sufficient skill level to ballmaster for anyone else. Originally it was the qualifier for the space games. Now it is a very good skill test. A rating, sure, that's fine, but a license? don't make me laugh.