United Parachute Technologies issued service bulletin #20111109 on November 9th, 2011, regarding inspection of the top diagonal attachment point on all Sigma Sport Tandem systems.

Download the document below or contact UPT for more information.

Sigma PSB 20111109 November 2011

Some eye candy for you from the infamous Robert Justin Carmody of today’s POPS action here in Deland. We’ll be on site tomorrow and should have some more fun goodies for you. Good luck, POPS!

By: Brian Buckland

Every time I go to an event I’m always meeting new jumpers. Some have been in the sport a short time while others have been doing it longer than I have.  Inevitably someone will ask me a question about how I take my pictures.  They are curious about the angle I shoot the big ways or what settings I use for an average skydive. If you’ve ever asked me about any of these things then you’ll know that I love to geek out and chat cameras for as long as time permits.

With that said, I’ve been working with SkyVenture Colorado on several projects this past year and we decided that we would host a Camera Fliers Skills Camp.  Learning the techniques from the Tunnel to the Sky.  200 jump minimum required.  If you’re just starting out filming your friends, work shooting tandems all day long, or want to get better at shooting big ways and filming your team on the side, then you should pay attention!

This is a comprehensive camp including both video and stills, covering everything from setting up the equipment, exits, flying, framing the shot, to landing and post-production / promotion.  If you are just starting out or are looking to take your current product to the next level, then this camp is for you!

Sign up now with SkyVenture Colorado and soak up the knowledge from someone who has been there and gotten the shot!

Jeff from Skydive Dallas contacted us about reprinting an article that Ian Drennan of Flight-1 wrote for us a while back. It’s a bit last minute, but if anyone else would like to use the article for Safety Day, here it is. Enjoy, and happy Safety Day!

Dirt Dive This by Ian Drennan

Dirt Dive This | words by Ian Drennan image by Nik Daniel

Thanks for the idea, Jeff! While y’all are at it, sign the petition for dirt dive equality.

Trunk inspecting... something.

And yes, the methods shown here can be used on non-PD canopies as well. Anything made out of nylon really, including your tent and sleeping bag – and seriously, you’ll want to inspect those things before hitting up the next boogie, just in case any contamination from last year escaped cleanup at the end of the season.

Enjoy watching, and boy, that PD kid sure can move fast!

Like slow food, there seems to be a movement afoot to promote smarter canopy piloting. Here’s Exhibit A, an awesome video of badass Euro flyer Luciano Bacque landing his Spectre:

DirtBag Swooper Dave Lund and some buddies have a project cooking along the same lines, to show all the things what an “everyday” canopy can do – it’s not just the Comp Velos that can rip it up. “The sport is rebounding against the lack of instruction and too aggressive canopy choices for jumpers. It is a good thing, although we as the sport are transitioning slowly, I think that we’re all headed for a better sport with less dead friends from flying their canopy into the ground.” Watch for the Everyday Canopy Project here and over at the PD Blog later this season.

Jeffro. Dubai. Big buildings. Woah. (Click the “Read More” for the video. You won’t regret it.)

Olly Burgin sent us this brand spankin’ new photo of the brand spankin’ new official British head-down record, done yesterday over Skydive Hibaldstow. Cheers, guys!

British Head-Down Record | Photo by Olly Burgin

The Canopy Piloting World Championships is nearly finished.  But it’s not been without a few issues- most notably the smoke from all the fires in the area.

This hasn’t stopped competitors bonding; Mike Kleist, German swooper and author of The Secret of Male Multiple Orgasms and Other Sex Skills , has been researching his next book on how to pick up girls.  Others have spent time working on their wing loadings, as athletes in this discipline should, and eating pies, or the Russian equivalent.  The mischief has been a little tame so far but if the competition finishes today then perhaps we’re in for a wild night.

So far Speed and Zone Accuracy are finished with PD Factory Team and Flight-1 athlete Jason Moledzki clinching both golds with some awesome performances.  You can see the break down of results here.

Smoke on the ... Everything

Competitors at the Canopy Piloting World Championships are plagued by the dense smoke that has engulfed the area.  So, at breakfast in the hotel, PD Factory Team members and some of the South African delegation decided to bond with the locals with a few vodka toasts to set the morning off.  The smoke is pretty thick outside so our chances of jumping are low.  These guys started the meet roulette game early.

Breakfast of Champions