Cloudi

The most valuable piece of information from your post. I've already flown my reserve, so I know what to expect, but it's a good reminder. As for practicing my EP's and being ready...baby, I'm always ready! I practice my EP's on the ground, on every ride up, and I check my handles often while under a good flying main. I'm ALL about survival. I have no fear from double-stowing, just wondered if there were any "numbers" to go along with all the "don't do that!" advice. Edit: Thanks for your post. It is very helpful. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

This is good to know. I'm traveling domestically in a few weeks with my rig (with a Cypres) and I want (of course) to take it as carry-on. We'll see...stupid terrorists. They "win" whether their planned attack works or not. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Ummm...good for you? Glad to hear you lived. Would you by any chance have green skin, live under a bridge, and like to scare and/or eat small children? Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Any skipping of sizes during a downsize is dangerous, whether you will be loaded .6:1 or 2:1. You should try each size along the way to make sure you are comfortable every step of the way. There's no hurry and it's not a race. Last I heard, there wasn't an award given for the guy who plows himself in first. Smaller, lighter people have a more difficult time with progression because to be loaded 1.1:1, they have to be on really small canopies. While this is a "conservative" wing loading, the size is not. If progressing one step at a time means you can't jump on windy days...oh well! Take that down-time to ask questions, listen, and watch. It's amazing what we actually hear when our ears are open. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Can anyone offer factual numbers of instances of bag locks in comparison to line dumps (overall &/or per method)? I think this has been long debated and I, for one, would like some evidence that my double-stowing is going to cause bag lock. So far, the closest I have come to a bag lock was a pitifully weak throw. I've never had a canopy not want to come out of the bag (they sure don't want to go in the bag!). That doesn't mean it won't happen during a normal throw, but it just hasn't been my experience. Of course, I'm pretty inexperienced, so I'm open to evidence toward either side of the debate. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Exactly. People often confuse the meanings of "full flare" and "stall." It is (and should be) quite difficult to stall a large and/or docile canopy, generally speaking. Stalling is not necessary for getting the best flare for landing. Quite the contrary. People shorten their brake lines for several reasons. One example is their wee little arms are not long enough to flare the canopy fully with the factory settings. While shortening the control lines for that reason is valid, it should be noted that these adjustments should be made a little at a time to be sure they don't end up too short. That can cause the canopy to constantly fly in brakes...which reduces the amount of flare left at the end, and defeats the purpose of having them shortened in the first place! It will also make it necessary for the canopy to have its control lines replaced more often because of the tendancy for control lines to shrink faster than the other lines (Dacron & Microline). Shortening your brake lines because you can't make the canopy stall without taking a wrap is not a good reason, IMO. AFFI has a different experience under his Stiletto 135. It has a much shorter control range and will stall by flaring it the way someone else would flare, say a Sabre2 190, which requires a bit deeper flare and is more difficult to stall. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Happy Birthday Kim!! You ROCK! We're all wishing for your quick recovery, inside and out. You and your family have an incredible attitude and God obviously has great plans for you. Thank you for bringing hope and something positive out of this by simply being you. So many people are hurting and missing their loved ones right now. We are all so grateful that you are still with us. Your courage and compassion mean the world to many more people than you will ever realize. Your skydiving family awaits! We wish you all the best and hope to see you soon! Hope to meet you in the air. Blue Ones! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

I don't refute that. If there were a "kallend" patch, I would probably wear it. Anyway, you're entitled to your opinion and I'm entitled to mine. I like patches. They cover the grass stains very nicely. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Clicky.

It's called "Brand Loyalty." You have a rig made by X company, you feel loyal to them. Same with canopies, altimeters, helmets, AAD's, jump suits, etc. We pay a ton of money for our gear and we're proud of what we jump. What's wrong with that? Personally, I'm waiting until I have a "decent" jumpsuit that 100 people before me haven't jumped & sweat all over before I sew any patches. But when I get one, the patches are going on. It's the same with those "sexy" jean jackets we wore in the 80's with Jack Daniels & Metallica patches sewn on them. You mean to tell me you never owned a Panama Jack shirt or some other item that displayed a brand? They are a small way to identify who we are. They don't define us, but we are proud of what we do, where we jump, and who makes our gear. Nothing wrong with that. I guess you don't have anything skydiving related hung on your walls or anything like that. You're too cool for all that...

That's an offer you shouldn't pass up! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Good thing gloves have a place to put your pinky. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

I've not heard of jumpers actually getting fined, but I have heard of jump operations being shut down for the day and pilots being scolded/fined. I guess we're a bit harder to single out than the guy landing the plane. I have entered my fair share of "industrial haze," though. Little scary at break off altitude...but it sure does cool you off on a hot day. Bad skydiver, Bad! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

You would make for a great surfer in Daytona... They will ride anything, merely to "feel" like they are really doing something. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Why are you guys making it seem more difficult than it really is? The reserve demo's are already set up as mains...PCA's & all! Dang ol' hecklers...sheesh!! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Wow, and he still sent you money? J/K! Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

You are perfectly right to ask around about someone you don't know, who you may be sending money to with no guarantee you will receive what has been advertised. You might want to give it more than a couple of hours before you run like a scared little rabbit, though. An additional option to posting on this site (and possibly a bit more polite), is to contact the DZ. No DZ will vouch for a thief and they are usually more than happy to help. A third party (rigger) is also an excellent option. That throws it back in their court & then they are given the option of checking you out.

I'm not a rigger nor near experienced enough to comment on what may or may not have been wrong with the main you had to chop. I will say GREAT JOB on calmly assessing the situation, trying to correct it well above your decision altitude, then getting rid of it when you approached that altitude. ...and you kept both handles?!? You did GOOD. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Really good advice and points that I'm assuming are directed to the OP and another poster. Not your fault. I drunk-posted and muddied the waters a bit by confusing information between catalin and Ms.A. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

She already knows all about him. She had this friend who was a pig. The pig died tragically when he pushed her off a cliff so she wouldn't "squeal" on him. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Fuck. Horrible news. They need our support and prayers right now. Why does bad shit always happen to good people? I have some friends there. It's frustrating not knowing if they are ok. BSBD...again. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Solid advice. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

The best way to know if a canopy is right for you is to test jump it. Opinions on canopy choice are extremely subjective. We compare a given canopy to what we are familiar with. We have different goals. We have different preferences. I may be perfectly happy putting up with x to acheive y and you may not. That's why asking for opinions on gear is somewhat like asking what car to buy. Some people really love manual transmissions... PD Reserves could fall within this description, but they are quite possibly the best reserve canopies available. (I'm a little biased, of course) You're right to be "concerned" about an F-111 type canopy though. There's nothing wrong with that material, but it does have a major influence on the size you should try and it has a shorter life span. F-111 type canopies can be great and keep you happy for quite some time. Just keep in mind that you will experience a quicker descent from this more permeable material and it will slowly lose its performance and flare power as you put jumps on it. It will simply become more "porous" over time (meaning "use"). It will see retirement much sooner than a similar canopy made of all zero-p material or one that combines the two. I've not jumped either the Hornet or the original PD canopies, so I can't offer any opinions to you regarding how you will like the canopy's characteristics. My frame of reference comes from completely different canopies. When these canopies were designed, small canopies were practically unheard of. A 170 was "hot shit." Times have changed, but large, lightly loaded canopies are still recommended for students/beginners. The max. recommended wing loading chart on this canopy and for hybrids (Navigator and Silhouette) may seem ridiculously conservative, but they really aren't. The charts were created with the canopy's intended performance and tolerance for wing loading in mind. By "tolerance," I'm not saying PD thinks they will blow up or anything, just that they will begin to perform much differently from how they were originally designed to perform as wing loading increases. As wing loading is added, the more experience and skill is needed to pilot them safely (that's why the charts have defined experience levels as the wing loading goes up). If 170 is your exit weight (your body weight + gear), then a 190 in all zp, a larger hybrid, or a larger F-111 type are probably better choices. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

I would suggest going with your instructors' advice above all else because they know you and the LZ conditions. Having said that, I find little reason for you to be entertaining the thought of a 150, much less actually jumping one (even in the most ideal conditions) at this stage in your progression. Listen to your instructors, but do research and use common sense. It is common for anyone (instructors included) to forget what it's like to be where you are. Many will relate to their current experience, even when advising a new jumper. A 1.3:1 wingloading under a 150 is typically reckless at 50 jumps, but maybe with a bit more information about your skill level and landing conditions, many people might understand the logic. Then again, maybe not. Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.

Errr....yeah. That's what he meant.... Kim Watch as I attempt, with no slight of hand, to apply logic and reason.