Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: notesfiles - hp 1.2 08/01/83; site hp-pcd.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!pesnta!hplabs!hp-pcd!kas From: kas@hp-pcd.UUCP (kas) Newsgroups: net.rec.skydive Subject: First Jump on New Gear Message-ID: <41800003@hpcvlo.UUCP> Date: Wed, 13-Mar-85 23:59:00 EST Article-I.D.: hpcvlo.41800003 Posted: Wed Mar 13 23:59:00 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 17-Mar-85 01:08:42 EST Organization: Hewlett-Packard - Corvallis, OR Lines: 66 Nf-ID: #N:hpcvlo:41800003:000:4144 Nf-From: hpcvlo!kas Mar 13 20:59:00 1985 Well, my long-awaited first jump with my new gear is finally history--actually, the first four are history. The necessary conditions (low homework load and blue skies) finally came to pass last Saturday, so off to the DZ I went. At the suggestion of some of the resident sky-gods, I made a couple of solo sub-terminal jumps first, just to stretch out everything and "set" the stitchery under moderate loading conditions. (I don't know if there is any validity to that theory). Then, I was able to get on a couple of 4-way RW loads, only to discover that I've got to learn to fly all over again. Those of you who read my letter a few weeks ago will recall that I had been jumping with old conventional (heavy) gear, including a 1972-style cotton jumpsuit (straight arms and legs, no wings, etc.). Needless to say, I used to fly like a rock. With this new, lighter gear and jumpsuit (a standard-fall-rate Flitesuit) I discovered that I float like a cork, even when compared to jumpers using similar suits. Now, it appears that my problem is going to be staying DOWN with every- one else. Oddly enough, I found that I couldn't achieve anything close to a vertical, head-down body position for fast diving--the best I could do was about a 45 degree angle, which made me track like hell but not drop all that much faster. It seems that I have a lot of lift on my upper body, even with my arms tucked tightly at my sides. I also had my legs straight, feet together, and waist slightly bent--the position I've always used successfully in the past. About the only modification I can think of that might help would be to spread my feet a foot or two (no pun intended). Any other ideas out there? The new canopy (a Raven III) has the highest advertised glide ratio of any I've seen (it's 4/1). I was frankly skeptical about that ratio--until now. Of course, I have no way to accurately measure it, but one thing is for sure: that sucker goes forever. I consistently overshot the target because I'm accustomed to jumping an old Strato-Star with a glide ratio of about 2/1. The Raven isn't one of the fastest canopies around (I think they advertise 25 mph), but it'll fly to the next county and back because it stays up so long. The Raven is a joy to fly, stalls and recovers very predictably, and lands soft and easy. All I gotta do now is remember to set up a longer approach. I've never used a throw-out pilot chute before, so I was a little nervous that I would accidentally yank on the break-away handle, which is right where my ripcord used to be. Well I didn't, but one minor problem that I had was locating the pilot-chute handle. It only took me a second or two to locate it, but it's somewhat unnerving because I can't really see it. I've noticed that some throw-outs are located on the belly-band, which makes them easy to see, but others, like mine, are located on the leg strap. This makes it rather hard to see without twisting my head and shoulders slightly, so I go mostly by "feel". Even so, I've managed to remain more or less stable during my first few deployments. The Raven opens very briskly--in fact, a little too briskly. I've been told that rolling the nose during packing will slow it down a little. Any comments or other suggestions on that? I discovered that body position during opening shock can make a big difference in elimi- nating opening shock bruises. Rather than leaving my body "straight", that is, everything hanging more or less vertically, I draw my knees up a full 90 degrees, so that I'm "sitting in a chair". This puts the legstraps in a position such that the load is placed on the backs of the thighs rather than in the crotch. It's like sitting on a swing, and a lot more comfortable. That reminds me of something--I was once told that in this position the opening shock forces would cause your legs to spread like a Thanksgiving turkey and your harness would slide right off! Ken Scofield C-9355 Hewlett-Packard PCD Corvallis, OR {ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kas