babz

I quite like the dives put together by Kjetil from Airplay and can be found - http://4way.dk/index.php/dive-pool Red - Point Green - OC Blue - IC Yellow - Tail

Don't forget to include the manufacturing cost to the environment of the kit.. ;-)

It is a question I asked myself, and I'm pretty comfortable saying I don't really care. There isn't a way to do this in a more carbon neutral manner. I'm still not sold that we've got it right with global warming, and even if our theory is correct banning skydiving will make a tiny dent in the numbers - its not like its a big sport. Making countries like China clean up their manufacturing processes would go alot further than banning jumping.

Not sure on costs, but might want to put Airkix Basingstoke on there too.. .. its getting hard to keep track of the UK tunnels now ;-)

If I recall correctly Hibaldstow / Skydive Seville have the following dorniers.. HA - ACO HA - VOC HA - HIB EC - KTC And I've seen two other dorniers in Portugal with call signs (and no benches).. HA - ACX HA - ACY Definitely one of the best jump planes out there.. still can't work out if I prefer these or the super otters, sadly no super otters in the UK :(

I'll bet even the monkeys working in IT are fed up with some of the policies that come down from the top. Nah, those who know how it work can usually work around it..

I was pretty open and honest with my mum about it all. She didnt like it but I was living away from home and there wasnt much she could do about it. Then when I got my own kit I was able to sit down and go through parts of it with her, show her what safety aspects are in the kit which seemed to put her at ease with it it. Eventually got her to do a tandem a few weeks ago and was great to be there with her in freefall :)

If I hadn't had specific instructions to wear a jumpsuit to the funeral then I'd wear a suit. A jumpsuit in the car won't hurt though, just in case that was expected.

I lived in various shared places and we invariably buy our own things. With a bit of leeway for people borrowing the stables such as milk for cereal / cup of tea if they are out. It usually balanced with someone else doing the same.

It's crap like this that makes people want out of the EU. I suspect in a vast number of places the regulation will be ignored / unheard of.

Personally I went for the pilot. I had the opportunity to demo a sa2 against my previous pilot on a training camp (alternating between rigs on back to backs). I wanted to try a saf2 too but wasnt able to get hold of a demo and a good priced second hand pilot came on the market. Personally I prefered the flight characteristics of the pilot to the Sabre 2. I haven't had a chance to demo the magellan but I'm a bit wary of spending that sort of cash on a canopy that I've barely heard of and don't know how it'll last.

I did the odd stretch before jumping to loosen my lower back (not the most flexible and had issues before). Then on our 4way camp our coach had us do 30mins of stretching / warm up prior to jumping and I found it aided my performance. Since then I do some light stretches prior to fun jumping and more when we've got competitions / training.

To echo the points made above, I think you are being a little unreasonable. An unknown aged protrack which you didnt even purchase from L+B which couldn't be repaired. It's consumer electronics, try buying a 5 year old mobile (cellphone) and try getting it repaired when it goes titsup. Chances are you can't. My own personal experience with L+B was that I had a Solo Mk1 I bought a few years ago, the case split in a training camp and had to be held together with a bungee to keep it on. Emailed Mads asking about a repair (I considered it to be out of warrenty so would have paid). I sent it back, within 3 days of them receiving the parcel they'd posted a Solo II back to me FOC. So I still think their customer service is stellar, but not infinite in what they can do for customers.

When I bought my rig I was weighing up the difference between getting an PDR 160 or an OP 176. In the end I ended up buying the PDR 160, and partnering it with a Pilot 168 in the container. I was told the PDR canopy's are actually larger than they claim to be due to the way in which they are measured so a 160 was more like 170. Given this I opted to by the PDR I've now got a Pilot 150 in there with the PDR reserve so my reserve is now definitely larger than my main.

£ /lb =lb #123 = number .. am 26 and really don't get twitter..

Yeah I found that, then I spoke to them and they told me not to bothered as it wouldnt cover me.

Hi Peke, Good luck with your AFF, theres a number of AFF instructors who run tunnel time who may be better positioned to help you out other than the tunnel instructors (lovingly known as Tunnel rats..). The tunnel should help you with basic body position, and give you a feel of f/f before you get there. It's not 100% but it helps (is cheaper too). As for insurance, you need to be very careful - a lot of insurers cover 'parachuting' but not 'skydiving' (i.e. no freefall). They may also assume by skydiving/parachuting its a one off and not the purpose of the holiday - so best to double check (I'm sure insure and go said no last year when I asked to go to Belgium..) I've got year wide cover with BUPA IHI which gives worldwide cover and heard good things. I assume you're going to want to continue in the UK, so it may be best to make sure your kit and docs are up to date and keep copies of any videos - esp important if you don't finish AFF out there. Have a fun safe trip and hope to catch you at a DZ some time :)

Whilst watching the coverage, all I could think of is let the guys go and find them later. You know who they are, why risk shootouts (manhunt in LA comes to mind about what happens with eager armed cops looking for someone..). It's a bombing that killed 4 people, a heinous crime but in context - which the article tries to do - it's no more than day to day life in the US in terms of murder. says it all really on how the rest of the world viewed it. - mistercwood beat me to the punch on this one.

Double check with UPT but I believe they will change the container size that you've ordered as long as they haven't made it yet (a friend of mine decided to go for a v308 rather than the v310 and they were OK with changing it)

The go pro is a cracking camera, but I agree with Joel, the cutaway issue is mental. I spoke to a mate who used one of the many mounts for the go pro and put a cutaway to the mount instead of the helmet (so in an emergency the helmet stays, the camera goes) He's attached his to a Cookie Gas not a G3.

Having jumped my Phantom is some pretty cold (UK Winter) conditions I've found some issues with it fogging up - not so impressed. I like it as a helmet as its comfy with a nice design on opening the visor. (had the helmet for a year and a bit, put about 140jumps and 12hours tunnel on it - all FS) As for the gap at the front, don't really notice it unless I look straight down, then a bit of air comes through it..

Cheers Buzz, it's an interesting subject that trying to get my head around. I've heard various opinions on reserve extracting forces (other than on DZ.com) and also how reserve PC design impacts this. I've just had a try (not popping the reserve as I don't fancy wasting £40) of this, I was a little concerned as I do a 'both hands on each handle' drill, that it wouldn't be do able - however it is but a little awkward. How does this take into account skyhooks? From the last time I cutaway on the ground the PC didn't have enough force to break red seal thread and therefore the skyhook didn't disconnect so couldn't get to full extension (i.e. failing the 5ft clearance). Are these guidelines published yet?

Reminds me of a quote of a Tory MP (google suggest Iain Duncan Smith but can't verify this one) visiting a particular run down and staunchly labour area of glasgow and was effectively told he was wasting his breath as they always vote labour - to which he replied "and look where it got you". I can't really comment on the UK before and after as I was born in '86.

It did take two to tango, fundamentally she stood her ground - part of her legacy as a PM I think she'll be remembered for. The consequences to the industries that subsequently folded .. well part their own fault, part hers. Personally, I'd like to see another 'thatcher' who will stand their ground against international and internal pressures rather than water down, dilly dally, and generally compromise away from tough choices.

Socialist worker.. surely thats an oxymoron...