FataMorgana

Here are some pictures of the black hardware from UPT (Vector) after 5 years of jumping and ~1000 jumps. It still does look cool IMHO. Also, there is absolutely no damage to the webbing that came in contact with the oxidized surface of the hardware.

Another benefit of pulling the slider down is an instant unobstructed view in the front and above you

Typically bursitis is considered to be a repetitive motion injury. Therefore, it would be rather unusual to get it from a single "event" (tunnel crash). The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

Hi Skytrooper, You mentioned that you were doing a lot of free flying. Then you cannot go wrong with a Vector which has been embraced by free flying community for a reason (skyhook , Collins lanyard, magnetic riser covers and ton of other options). I used to jump Icon and it definitely worked fine(got ~600 jumps on it). But I like my Vector way better. Plus it provides an extra peace of mind at higher free fall speeds (Vectors seem to be a primary choice for serious angle flyers). Just my opinion. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

Apologize for my ignorance but could you elaborate on the source of your information regarding supposed "10%" skyhook releases (for skyhook assisted reserve deployments). Seems a bit high. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

Okay I will bite. I have seen some very experienced organizers sticking to the same flying techinques year after year and some other also very experienced organizers changing their flying techinques quite frequently. It seems to me that massive tunnel experience leads to noticeably similar angles flying styles/techiques that are different from angle flyers with massive “sky” experience. Plus different styles appeal to different people. At the end of the day the only thing that seems to matter is whether you can get quickly to your slot and stay there for the whole jump

Lol. Knowledge of all but one of the listed areas is actually part of the D license exam. Or perhaps you are just trolling . The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

Well, it seems to me that skydiving is all about taking unnecessary risk. So, I ams not sure why it is bothering you that one of the licenses requires candidate to perform 2 night jumps. People are skydiving voluntarily because it is simply fun. Why would you want to sanitize this sport? Do you really think that somebody trying to land a parachute first time in their lifetime (cat A AFF jump) is taking less risk than the night jumper? Yet, there is endless supply of people that really want to do it. I do not understand where you are going with this “irrational risk” argument. Also, not everyone needs to have a D license! The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

I have seen videos of the cutaway and reserve handles (modern “bulky” pillows) flipping back and forth in a free fall with amazingly high frequency. The said “oscillation” of the handles was mainly observed for the handles that were not seated very well/deep in the corresponding Velcro pockets. Also, it seemed like it was happening mainly during belly jumps. I am not a rigger and do not know the exact details of the construction for pillow type cutaway handles. However, I am always wondering whether the constant flipping of the handles could lead progressive weakening of the attachment point between yellow lolon cable(s) and the pillow. Of course in the case of D-ring handles the the above potential failure mode is much harder to imagine. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

Hi Mirino, Since, one of your AAD choices is M2 I wonder whether you could provide some more background info on the immediate ban on MPAAD issued in the Czech Republic on Sep 23 . http://www.caa.cz/file/7994 The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

So... I have to admit that I am failing to see your point regarding feasibility of the attempt (scuba diving to 365.76 meters or 1200 feet). Current world record for the technical dive seems to be set at 332 meters (or 1,089 ft) which is not light years away from the attempted depth https://www.deeperblue.com/ahmed-gabr-breaks-scuba-diving-world-record/. I do agree, however that we should test our limits wisely and with a sufficient amount of experience. The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

https://www.chutingstar.com/skydive/replacement-icarus-main-canopy-lineset

It almost happened to me! On my jump # 32. I was planning to repeat the dive flow from my A license check dive, so back barrel rolls were included. At 8400 feet my PC come out of the pouch and initiated the deployment sequence. Luckily it happened before I got to my intended barrel rolls. Scary shit. I was jumping rental student gear on that jump. Once on the ground I realized that the BOC pouch was seriously worn out. This issue did not catch my attention prior to the jump. However, the idea of wrapping myself in a bridle (and possible consequences) would not leave my brain for many weeks. That incident got me started on learning about gear and "getting my own rig" projects real quick ... Be careful out there... The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking

It seems that how you exit does not matter as much. The enclosed video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caFJxmJzITY) shows transitions and flying style that you are interested in (1:34). The level of flying in the enclosed video shows pretty well free flying proficiency that is required. Tunnel time and good coaching will get you there sooner

Training may be easier than it appears to be (aside from the massive ball that will be needed to execute this stunt). Remember Jeb Corliss training for the Flying Dagger stunt. He actually used a visualization software allowing him to fly through the virtual replica of the crack.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRBXF_Unwm0 The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Stephen Hawking