Brought to you by guest author Andy Malchiodi at Skydive Elsinore in California. Photos by Montana Powell. more »

Brought to you by Brianne Thompson of AXIS Flight School at Skydive Arizona in Eloy with Thomas Hughes of Arizona Airspeed. Photos by Niklas Daniel. more »

Some of the suspension lines on this main canopy have serrated edges, which indicates that it is time to reline the canopy. Different lines on the same canopy will wear at different rates. (The line at the top of this photo shows the most extensive damage). Generally, the lower part of the steering lines is where the most wear will occur, followed by the outside lines of each line group. As the slider grommets slide down the lines during deployment, the grommets generate heat, which wears out the lines over time. This heat can also cause significant shrinkage of Spectra® and Dacron® lines. more »

Each year, USPA requires all instructional rating holders (which includes USPA Coaches, as well as Instructors) to participate in a Rating Renewal Seminar. The Skydiver’s Information Manual describes this as “a meeting of USPA instructional rating holders to exchange information, introduce and discuss new ideas, and to develop, improve or assure the quality of skydiving instruction.” more »

A premature brake release on one side of your main canopy during deployment can cause a mild inconvenience, a fatal accident or anything in between, depending upon a variety of factors. But regardless of how well your canopy handles it, a premature brake release will affect controllability right after deployment, which increases the potential for a canopy collision with another jumper. A brake release can also lead to a malfunction that requires you to cut away and deploy your reserve; it can even lead to a fatality if you do nothing to bring the canopy under control. Indeed, several fatalities over the past few years occurred after jumpers experienced brake releases on one side of their canopies during deployment but did not correctly handle the problem. more »

by Sandy Reid | C-6557
Master Rigger and President of Rigging Innovations more »

Just as no skydiver would board an aircraft knowing the pilot is under the influence of alcohol or illicit drugs, then by the same standard, no skydiving student or novice should be entrusted to a coach or instructor who is similarly impaired. All of skydiving's working professionals—the thousands of coaches and instructors working with students each day at drop zones across the country—must agree that chemical or alcohol impairment while skydiving is not an option. more »

by Larry Hayhurst | D-29907 | Forest Hills, Pennsylvania

I started skydiving after age 50. more »