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airdvr

Lamest Demos Ever...

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Live at the Northwest end of Akron Fulton Airport. There's an airshow here every year. Really great stuff usually...except the skydiving. Actually, you can't even call it skydiving...it's parachuting. 3 guys in a Lodestall using WDI's and what appear to be F111 canopies. Hop and pop...couple of turns...land. I mean...for pete's sake...light off a smoke canister! Get out a little higher and do some CReW! And get a real plane. These guys are military...using red/white/blue canopies. The local paper said Army parachuters...hehe.

I guess what bugs me about this is it doesn't even come close to showing what a man with a rig strapped to him can really do with it.
Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

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I guess what bugs me about this is it doesn't even come close to showing what a man with a rig strapped to him can really do with it.



Ya mean something like do a hook turn and femur in right in front of the crowd? Or swoop the crowd and take out a spectator? [:/]

Give the guys a frickin break if they all landed safely and everyone walked away uninjured. :S

Most dont know the difference of what canopy does what.

Most just respect we have the balls to jump and that we can jump from a plane and live! ;)


Be safe.
Ed
www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

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Give the guys a frickin break if they all landed safely and everyone walked away UNinjured.

***

YUP!

99% of the spectators are thrilled just to see the exit-open-land type of demo.


And ya can't impress that other 1% because they're jumpers...and no matter WHAT you do...they'll tell ya THEY can do it BETTER!;)










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Needed some women on that demo. When my wife and the other women jumpers do demos around here, the crowds get really amped when they realize it's "GIRLS" jumping out of airplanes.

Gotta give the little girls in the crowd something to dream about, not just the little boys.

And a little smoke and freefall maneuvering really wouldn't hurt either. But I've done my share of hop and pop demos.

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No, the lame demo is when you have to dress up like the 'Mary Moppets daycare' character.

Kinda like the Wendy's hamburger girl.

That was a lame demo!:D
People are sick and tired of being told that ordinary and decent people are fed up in this country with being sick and tired. I’m certainly not, and I’m sick and tired of being told that I am

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spectators, both whuffos and skydivers can't see clearly people doing skydiving maneuvers... they look like dots in the sky during the fall. with an open parachutes, they definitely can see even one from the sky. but there's always an exception... if there's a big screen for spectators to see of skydivers doing kinds of maneuvers (real time video feed)... that would be GREAT!

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if there's a big screen for spectators to see of skydivers doing kinds of maneuvers (real time video feed)... that would be GREAT!


***

It's been done a few times...ballgames, NASCAR Races...venues that already have a 'bigscreen' set-up.

Not really practical for an Airshow.

A lot of the demos I do are Airshows....and trust me when I tell you...It's about the AIRPLANES!:)

They could care less about the skydivers for the most part.[:/]


Not directed at anyone...but it's real easy to be critical of a demo team as a skydiver on the 'outside'...
You see ten times better 'stunts' at the DZ on EVERY LOAD!

But...

If you want to do a lot of demos...
safe and simple keeps you in the business.










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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I've seen some demos done by the australian army display team, similiar thing. The did a hop and pop with smoke cannisters for a gentle landing, but the public loved it.

Its better the people see this than someone smash into the ground, thats never good PR.

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Gotta disagree here. It's an opportunity to showcase skydiving. When the F14 does a full military power takeoff straight up that's not the "safest" maneuver he could do. That's not what it's there for. It's to show off the capabilities. What's wrong with a 15 or 20 second delay with smoke? Golden Knights do it at the Cleveland AIrshow. Hell, they get a whole segment...cutaway jump, CReW, diamond track. ANd the people love it. Bring the people some excitement. By todays standards and, I think airshow standards this type of demo is a bore.
Please don't dent the planet.

Destinations by Roxanne

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Ironically, it was some guy who hooked in at a cricket match that inspired me to give skydiving a bash. He slammed in hard and had to be stretchered off. As he was being carried off the field in front of 50 000 people he raised one arm about a foot off the stretcher and everyone started cheering. I thought "I wanna be just like that guy." He did hook it on a small canopy into a pretty tight stadium but damn it was cool. I don't wanna be so much like him now. But most importantly, exciting demo's rule.
"In one way or the other, I'm a bad brother. Word to the motherf**ker." Eazy-E

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As he was being carried off the field in front of 50 000 people he raised one arm about a foot off the stretcher and everyone started cheering. I thought "I wanna be just like that guy." He did hook it on a small canopy into a pretty tight stadium but damn it was cool.




You think hookin it in is cool? If your profile is up to date i'll give you my rig, i'll scotch guard it so the blood doesn't stain it, i'll set up the cameras and you go spin that puppy in. Hookin in is not cool. I have personaly seen 2 fatalities from guys hookin it in. You my friend are about 1 in 50,000 who think it's cool. Everybody else is saying how much of a dumb ass he was for smashing himself up. They cheer because he actually had a pulse and was gonna make it.
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

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As he was being carried off the field in front of 50 000 people he raised one arm about a foot off the stretcher and everyone started cheering. I thought "I wanna be just like that guy." He did hook it on a small canopy into a pretty tight stadium but damn it was cool.




You think hookin it in is cool? If your profile is up to date i'll give you my rig, i'll scotch guard it so the blood doesn't stain it, i'll set up the cameras and you go spin that puppy in. Hookin in is not cool. I have personaly seen 2 fatalities from guys hookin it in. You my friend are about 1 in 50,000 who think it's cool. Everybody else is saying how much of a dumb ass he was for smashing himself up. They cheer because he actually had a pulse and was gonna make it.



Lighten up, Francis.

Copied directly from his post: I don't wanna be so much like him now.

-
Jim
"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

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A good demo is kinda boring to a skydiver [Edit: boring to a skydiving spectator, not to the demo jumper. Demos are tough, even the boring ones]. Ya, smoke would spice it up a bit or a flag, but they can also cause problems if the jumper isn't careful with them. Generally what would impress a skydiver scares spectators. Sounds like a well done demo to me.

Derek

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When the F14 does a full military power takeoff straight up that's not the "safest" maneuver he could do.

Small correction. Mil power is full power w/o afterburner. Those airshows climbouts are down with afterburner.

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What's wrong with a 15 or 20 second delay with smoke? Golden Knights do it at the Cleveland AIrshow. Hell, they get a whole segment...cutaway jump, CReW, diamond track. ANd the people love it. Bring the people some excitement. By todays standards and, I think airshow standards this type of demo is a bore.

I agree with that. You can easily do a 15 sec delay from 5000 feet, maybe a little RW, all with smoke and very easy to follow. Intentional cutaway is cool but is best done with a dedicated cutaway rig. Also requires a good spot and canopy shagger. Watching airshows like that made me want to grow up to be a skydiver.

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No, the lame demo is when you have to dress up like the 'Mary Moppets daycare' character.

Eww, did you really?

I did a demo as Santa Claus. No, I'm not that fat. I stuffed a gear bag in the costumes belly. My wife jumped as Supergirl, and we did a 2 stack into the baseball field.

She made a really good Supergirl, blonde hair and cape and all. :)
The costume stuff still sucks.

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Saw 4 or 5 guys do a demo jump in lunch break at an England vs SA cricket match earlier this year. No-one noticed them till the canopies were over the stadium, and the crowd seemed impressed enough with the simple fact that they all landed on their feet in the same area. (As was I, having about 3 jumps under my belt at the time!)
Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

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http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=579192;search_string=kudos;#579192

Link is to dot commers reviews of my last Ohio demo...;)


http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/gallery/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Personal_Galleries/airtwardo

link to my gallery with numerous demo pics...




>What's wrong with a 15 or 20 second delay with smoke?<

*Nothing...I love to jump smoke, check my gallery pics...but there is a cost factor involved.
Many shows I do..I personally will burn 300.00 of smoke per jump, 3 day airshow that's 900.00 in smoke for just me. And we haven't factored in the other jumpers, insurance, aircraft, pilot, gear, time, travel....

For a civilian team to do a show comparable to the Knights, 20-25 THOUSAND dollars would be a good ball park figure. You find me a dozen or so venues that will write me that kind of check and I'll be more than happy to put on a show that will impress even you!





>Golden Knights do it at the Cleveland Airshow. Hell, they get a whole segment...cutaway jump, CReW, diamond track. ANd the people love it. Bring the people some excitement.<

*Getting the whole segment is part of the deal when you get the Knights for your show...
They are there as a recrutiment tool, as a promotor you're getting a 20,000 demo..free...ya give them as much time as they want.

>By todays standards and, I think airshow standards this type of demo is a bore.<

*if you didn't know...;)


the Knights show and todays standards shouldn't be used in the same sentence...their show is basicly the same show for the last 25-30 years.

It's a good show, don't get me wrong...but it's designed to promote the ARMY...not skydiving.


...Now I've been IN the airshow industry as a jumper for 25 years and have dealt with organizers and promoters one on one for all that time. I believe I have a pretty good feel for what THEY want in a performance. By 'skydiving' standards..it's pretty bland, but I give them what THEY want..not what 'I' feel would 'showcase' my sport.

Most performances exit at around 5 grand, the spectators can see the exit and freefall without the aid of smoke.
I'll burn freefall smoke if asked to, but that price is more...not only for the product itself but for the damage an opening canopy incurres...Jump YOUR main trailing smoke 10-20 times and see what ya think.

I open high...3-4 grand, because you have a time slot to fill...open low and do a lot of radical maneuvers and you're done.
The show would rather get more minutes for it's money.

Lots of flags, banners & smoke under canopy...
The crowd loves it, it's easy to see, and with proper gear and training is relatively safe.

Land in a designated area STANDING UP...
again, we're showing how safe the sport is, nothing
screws it up more than femuring a landing or center punching some lady with a baby.


I attend LOTS of airshows...even as a spectator to see what other teams are doing.
~CRW is great, unless you wrap and or end up away from your LZ. Do that ONE time and you may not be asked back.
I saw a Navy jumper get paralyzed for life doing a downplane into Qualcomm stadium in San Diego, now THAT really put the crowd in a great mood to watch the game, and said volumes about our sport.[:/]

There is a lot that goes into doing an airshow demo,
I've seen LOTS of teams come and go...
I'll say to you with respect and sincerity, if you want to give it a go, get your PRO rating, join ICAS, and market the act you think is best.

Don't be a critic until you've spent some time in the arena with the lion.
;)










~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

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Don't be a critic until you've spent some time in the arena with the lion.
***


Well said! I have seen my share of demos. To me some of them were kinda boring. Smoke and stuff really doesnt impress me all that much but the reaction the crowd made is what counts and they love it. The flags, the smoke trailing, red white and blue canopy's, they love it.
If you find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics suck!

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One of the best Demo jumps I have done was into an Airshow in Oklahoma following the Oklahoma city bombing. Jumped static line rounds tailgate from a C-130 at 800 feet right in front of the crowd right after the SR-71 did a low level fly by and simulated bomb run with an ass load of pyrotechnic explosions. As far as skydiving goes it was nothing great but the crowd loved it and I had a good time being part of something that had way too many moving parts but managed to work out in the end. It's all about providing entertainment for the general public who has no clue about skydiving. The people coming up to you and thanking you after something like that makes it all worth while IMO.
"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

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Lighten up, Francis.



***

NOBODY calls me Francis!

Somebody calls me Francis, I'll kill 'em!!:ph34r:


STRIPESB|
You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

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