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Now, f you can keep anyone desiring to drive slowly to do the same - we would be closer to a perfect world.

Fly free Arch! Thanks for the great times in the mid 1980s with the Miller Light Beer Demo Team - we were very well paid for demos into amazing venues - Clear Lake, TX unlimited hydroplane races with the Golden Knights demo team was one of many - too much fun. When I heard you made 40 jumps on your 40th birthday in 1974 (or 1975?), I was inspired to make 50 on my 50th birthday in 2003 - I did not realize you were 21 years older than me until I saw your age of 88 in the news article. The Cypress Gardens, FL jump with the double malfunction into soft sand and survived always was an amazing story, having heard it a few times after some night time beers. Will see you in the next life and don't be late (Jimi Hendrix) - Frank D-8200 - BSBD

Boeing and airlines shouldn't get bailouts either. They have all been using the majority of their free cash flow to buy back stock for the benefit of the executives with stock options and stock price based compensation. Turns out those companies have been mismanaged for the personal benefit of a select few.

And they start sailing under US flag so they pay taxes in the US and have to abide by US labour laws.

Curious, are there still pop top front mounted reserves like the Starmaker still available out there? My next project after I get my back rating is to work on getting chest and seat. So, an old military type chest and pop top. If anyone has one they may be willing to part with I'd be interested.

So with a huge number of DZ's now shut and likely all shut within weeks if not days what to do? Browse social media, get depressed.... No? How about you decide what 2 sets of skills you really need to learn about: 1. Core survival skills; e.g. what to do in a 2 out, landing out, wingsuit malfunction, tail hang up, first aid for jumpers, the list is endless 2. Flight skills, whether canopy or human flight, e.g. how basic canopy aerodynamics work, the affect of pressure, temp, humidity, elevation on your canopy. The mental drills and physical drills for safe approach or breakoff in your discipline? There is a huge amount of info our there and from trusted sources whether proven credible individuals or companies, organisation, set out what you want to learn and set out a programme, the resources are in written word, audio and high quality video, images. Lets use this time to learn and keep our minds current and hopefully in 2-3 months (fingers crossed) we are back in the air and have a safe sharp mindset. All the best and stay safe but have fun. Feel free to respond with links to great resources e.g.: Canopy Handling/skills/general resources: https://www.performancedesigns.com/resources/ https://www.nzaerosports.com/blog/?v=79cba1185463 Awesome interview series: https://thefuckinpilot.net/ Cheers Fraser Insta:@verticalflyer2020

Well, right now it's illegal in 17 states to be out in public. And the drunk driving analogy is pretty apt. If you want to jump without an AAD, RSL or reserve, ride a cycle without a helmet or whatever, go for it. The only person it puts at risk is you. However, the reason drunk driving is illegal and the reason for the 'shelter in place' orders is because taking those risks doesn't affect just you. It puts the entire community at risk. If you go out and get infected, you will get sick. But before you show symptoms, you will infect others. (current estimate is 4 days before symptoms show up). If you want to put yourself at risk, go for it. Totally your choice. But when your 'acceptable risk' puts other people at risk, then it changes.

Quite ironic that as capitalism falters the US demands quick socialist action to help themselves.

I was with the Tampa Sky Divers when Arch started jumping and was part of his ground crew when he made 40 jumps on his 40th birthday. He drank orange juice and had the Florida Citrus Commission pay for the effort. Cool!

Somehow I'll bet more clap has been transmitted at DZs than Covid-19 will ever be...

<popcorn>

Bullshit. He was trying to pretend it wasn't serious so his stock portfolio wouldn't tank. And, of course, after it became apparent that it was serious, he claimed he 'knew it was a pandemic before anyone else'. He wasn't trying to calm the public, he was thinking only of himself and his image. As always. If he was 'trying to calm the public' (or even thinking of anyone but himself) why didn't he take the question asked 'what would you say to a scared public?' (paraphrased). He didn't say something vanilla and calming, like Pence did later. He called the person who asked the question "Nasty". If he had said how serious it was and how serious it needed to be taken from the beginning, we could have done similar to South Korea (not as much testing, we didn't have the tests). And if we had taken it seriously to begin with, it probably wouldn't be as bad as it it. Again, I fail to see how anyone can continue to support or defend this buffon.

If just looking for a loft-rig (practice and cert) there are still some Starmaker's and mil types around. Ebay has been a great source for me. If you're looking for the market as a rigger, there is only one civ chest rig I'm aware of (Jump Shack to go with a base rig for use in planes), but there are several mfg's of seat rigs for the war-bird pilot community. Not sure if the new owners are making any, but Jerry's old company had gone through the process so that he was making lap rigs, and there are a handful of DPRE's that can test that as well. JW

The gentleman was pointing out that he chose to wear a helmet, ostensibly for safety reasons, as a personal choice. Like seatbelts, I wrongly believed that helmets were now a universal requirement for all ages. Not so, I now see, and I stand corrected. However, if the gentleman's home state is California, as his info suggests, then he is required by law to wear a helmet. To that extent my point is intact. I also don't want to survive certain things if that misfortune visits, but for the overwhelming most part I think I do. So it seems to me that wearing a helmet agrees with the odds.

No Bat Soup For You!!

A perfect world where trucks NEVER enter the passing lane??? Sounds lovely.

I think the willfulness was them trying to cover it up in the beginning.

In the Netherlands, social distancing is not applicable for families. So my wife and I (who both have the necessary Mad Skillz) decided we could jump from, say, a rented 172 if we adopted a pilot. Then we realised that many of the (volunteer) pillots at our club are also commercial airline pilots. We briefly considered the amount of college debt your average pilot incurs during their study and decided we'd wait until the preventative measures are revoked, along with everyone else.

In fact, my preferred gloves (for greasy mechanical work) are the Harbor Freight vinyl ones. They cost less than nitrile or latex. They don't have the latex allergy issue. And most important for me: They are available in XL size to fit my hands. BTW I just noticed today that the postal carrier was wearing nitrile gloves when she delivered my mail.

And this is where I mute Turtle. You’ve taken a single post, by a single inconsequential person about one other individual and have not only used that to demonize tens of MILLIONS of other unrelated people, but have, in your own frenzy, somehow made it that every democrat wishes every Republican dead. That’s batshit crazy levels of fiction. You need to step away from the keyboard and chill out, dude. Your absurd hyperbole and trolling is boring and repetitive.

Here is what an actual leader sounds like in a health crisis, (as opposed to a mentally-impaired clown):

One of the surgeons at my wife's hospital is on a ventilator. In his 50s, not exactly a health nut but he works out and is not overweight. My wife is very upset.

You're all so very silly. Cruise lines are American based already. Note the peak in the last recession. Lubricant always reduces friction. Total for Cruise ships & lines: $3,607,000 Total Number of Clients Reported: 10 Total Number of Lobbyists Reported: 33 Total Number of Revolvers: 27 (81.8%) and just for laughs and giggles.

Absolutely Bill...with the exception of blaming the POTUS I guess.

Bless your heart.

Simple. 1) Stop speaking and tweeting for the next two months. 2) Put Fauci in charge; he becomes the public face of our response to COVID-19.

Local hospital needs masks. A small contribution, but I'm making these on my 3D printer. https://longliveyoursmile.com/3d-printable-mask-for-covid-19/?fbclid=IwAR0pPJvg22Q59jqj-QYR6XXZhsmxJkJsmOlTt-iH1a7XicB_-qchw0HYMWQ

At first I thought this was to post open mic videos of guitar or other open mic stuff..I fart around with guitar

https://www.aappublications.org/news/2020/02/28/flu022820 125 Child deaths from flu - Does anyone have the same statistics for Covid?

Trump has an overabundance of that trait.

Anatomy varies from person to person; also, women are supposed to go front to back, never back to front. Just as an aside. Now enough butt talk Wendy P.

Might still be available from Jump Shack. Earlier this century they partnered with Sonic to build a BASE rig with TSO'd harness. Snap on the Pop-Top chest to make an FAA-legal rig, leave the Pop-Top behind to make a non-FAA jump.

Hi Bill, I, for one, cannot seem to understand why the right wingers on here seem to just grab the headline(s) & fail to actually read the stories that they post. IMO a rational person would want to look like they know something about the subject. Jerry Baumchen