I noticed you mentioned that some of the trees you plan on felling are dead. IMHO, dead trees are much more dangerous than live ones. Limbs are brittle, hinges are brittle if the tree's been dead for a while. An open face notch is a good, safe way to cut, with the hinge staying connected(thus the tree somewhat controlled) for longer than a standard notch. If the tree is completely dead, it may be a bit useless though. Many of the dead trees I have cut have been hard and brittle from one end to the other. You cut the notch, make your backcut and of course the proper precautions beforehand, but as soon as the tree starts falling the hinge breaks. Tree falls, of course, but with no control from your hinge. anything the tree brushes against on it's path toward the ground is game to break a branch or alter the direction of the tree. Be very careful when cutting the dead ones.
Depending on the nature of the trees you're cutting, and the species, there may be another method of cutting you need to learn. I call it a bore cut, some call it a plunge cut. When done improperly, it's very dangerous regarding kickback. With a little learning and practice, it's a very useful method for cutting trees. The species I've learned are most likely(in my area) to barber-chair are Ash, Chestnut Oak, and Black Birch. There are others, but the ash and chestnut oak are particularly finicky. Beware cutting in extremely low temperatures, frozen trees are much more dangerous.
The information required to explain how and when is too much for this post. I couldn't recommend anyone to learn to fell trees without an experienced teacher. I'm not saying it's impossible, just that there's nothing like a little watch-and-learn followed by some hands-on training. That's how I was taught, so I may be a little biased in that statement.
Redpath gave a lot of really great advice, too. Without the PPE, plenty of gas/oil for the job, and a sharp saw, you'd just as well stay home.
I was given a short list of things to remember by the most talented cutter I've ever met. I'll pass them forward, if I can quote them correctly.
A level stump pulls a tree.
Split the forks, not the tree.(this means that if you're felling a tree with a large fork in it, you want both forks to hit the ground simultaneously. If you cut it so that one hits with the other above, you may split the butt right down the center.)
Always bore the heavy side first.
Quality in time makes quantity.(this isn't exactly what he told me, but it was the point he was trying to make)
All the good timber cutters are dead.
I hope this helps, anyone feel free to correct or interject.
