EvilLurker

I think it's a good idea, but wait until you're getting consistent, good landings at your present W/L, because if you have to "run them out" with a weight vest, it's a potential problem. After you're landing repeatably, use the weight to get a "feel" for a higher wingloading. I don't see anything wrong with that logic. It's not identical to downsizing to a smaller canopy (line length issues), but it would be close. Don't rush it, you'll know when you're ready, from the sound of it. Getting busted up is a bummer, believe me.

I started jumping when I was 41, if you're in good physical condition, you won't have a problem. Packing will give you a workout for a while, though, and kneeling on the floor of a Cessna for 35 minutes gets a bit old.

Sit back in your harness and let the leg straps ride up on the back of your thighs, it will help a lot.

The best thing to "cure" lower back pain (assuming it's not from nerve/bone damage) is many, many situps.

I'll tell you what I did after I got my A license: I made a couple of pure "fun" jumps, then I made about 20 where I did nothing but style (back loop, front loop, right 360, left 360, repeat) until I could do a set in ~10 seconds, learned to flat track and worked on accurate landings. In my opinion, that paid off later.

I've got a spankin new vest, made by Bev, for sale. I sent you an e-mail. It' will adjust down to a 34 chest, if that's small enough.

I did that on a PD-210 loaded at around .8:1, and a lot lower than you were. Be careful, bro, it can happen at any wing loading with the "right" canopy. Yeah, I had the same reaction.

Steel rods, huh? No wonder there are so many farmer McNasty's around.

Believe me, he wasn't ready for it. Once we got the van stopped, he wasn't ready for the lecture, either. If that Manta 290 would have gotten out the window, it would have gotten pretty interesting, I bet.

I saw the same thing coming back in the van from our "remote" DZ to the airport once. At ~40mph the guy had his shoulder almost dislocated by the PC. If he had let go, we would have had a main deployed out the window. It had his arm pinned back along the car and he was screaming "Stop!". The PC may have more drag being in the compressed slipstream of a car than in free air, but at 120 mph there is a LOT of force on the bridle. "we held them out the window of the car with a fish scale to see how much pull they had. We tested up to 80 mph." How much drag did they have? 80>120 mph should be a drag increase factor of 2.25, I believe. (Drag increases as the square of the velocity).

I went through the FJC twice at my DZ (12 and 10 students, counting myself). I'm the only one who got an A license out of the bunch.

Are you aware that you can use the "offset" function on an Expert CYPRES to have it fire at the higher altitude of a Student model? Check the operating manual, you might want to consider that as an option.

MB, I sent you an e-mail. frizzo

I've often wondered just how much you learn making 500 jumps in a summer as a member of a 4-way team where the sequence is "dirt dive, jump, pack, debrief, repeat". You learn a lot about RW, admitted, and you've probably got some good tracking and canopy control skills. Other than that, you're a very limited skydiver. That's why when someone unknown makes the statement "I have X number more jumps than you, so I have extensive knowledge", I take it with a grain of salt. Any of us could go live at the DZ and pump out a couple thousand solo hop n' pops without learning much of value relating to the sport, if we were so inclined. Jump numbers, by themselves, are of little value. Being involved in the sport, having a variety of jumps, and asking questions and finding the answers are a lot more valuable, I've found. Exactly what I saw, some of the guys with 500 jumps were very "experienced", and the best guys to jump with/learn from I met, including jumpers with 2000+ jumps that were in it for themselves only. And no, I am not saying EVERYONE with high jump numbers falls into this category, but a fair number do.

The one where I DON'T slip going out the door and bounce off the Cessna wheel, losing the 4-way chunk I was supposed to be taking video of. Never did catch them.

Exactly, good explanation. It also gives you a heading reference that keeps you pointing into the relative wind of the forward throw. That's often a problem with low-time jumpers, plus when you do look down now, the ground will still be in relation to what you saw on exit. (i.e. "the DZ is to my right").

-30C is colder than I've ever jumped. If the gloves are windproof (Gore-Tex, plastic, neoprene, rubber etc.) you can ignore the wind chill effect. I have a pair of "yachting" gloves, (no, I don't have a yacht ) that I bought in Australia that I really like for jumping. They're actually "line handling gloves" I think, leather with partial fingers. I like them because I still have a good "feel" and they keep my hands fairly warm. I don't know about using them at -30C, that's instant frostbite territory. http://www.foulweathergear.com/sailing-gloves/7440.html

A rocket-powered reserve is not going to be something you will be allowed to carry aboard a commercial aircraft, and I have my doubts you'll even be allowed to transport it across a state line or store it in your home without voiding your homeowners insurance policy. Now, imagine the scenario where it accidently fires on the jump plane. Not a pleasant thought. A better solution might be replacing the pilot chute with a weight and a stronger launch system similar to those used in ejection seats. That would reduce the possibility of the reserve PC entangling with the harness/main until it was clear of the clutter. No design is going to be 100% reliable, though, if you wrap a canopy around it first. You can get one for a Cessna right now if you want to spend $16,000. http://brsparachutes.com/BRS6July05.htm

How cold is it, below freezing?

The risers slapping you during deployment, most likely. I've seen a few students get neck burns from risers, too.

The smallest canopy I jumped as a student was a Falcon 215. I bought a PD 210 (almost new, not a ragged out main) as my first rig and jumped it for 80 jumps, then downsized to a new 160 Triathlon. I was about 180 out the door at the time. I'd say you should add about 30 sq. ft. for the weight difference, minimum.

Repack it and jump it, the wrinkles will be out as soon as it opens.

The jump plane crashing right after takeoff. I don't like being below 1500 feet.

I agree 100%, that's what I learned to do and it worked. It also gives you a reference to establish a heading and helps you get a "feel" for the hill.

I think to meet the criteria, it has to be sub-terminal. I think a 4 or 5 second delay (to get stable and bleed off the forward throw) is still considered a hop and pop by most people. I always at least establish a stable heading before I throw a PC.