obelixtim

Yeah, its not like they don´t know what they are talking about... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Ah, for the good old days of pumpkin passes..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

What it the logic of dumping the reserve instad of giving drogue a chance? Both could entangle, so starting with drogue would make more sense to me. You would still have the "reserve option" left. In a side spin, and going tandem terminal, you are going way into the red zone. If the TM doesn`t have the smarts, or skill, to stop the spin, he is in big trouble. First priority is to stop the freefall. This is best achieved by dumping the reserve. It is for use in an emergency, and a side spin going terminal, definitely qualifies as an emergency. It is not the time to start pissing about finding the drogue. No question about that. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

And have a word to the person who whistled past you after you had already opened. They need to be a bit more aware of what is going on around them, and to get their own tracking right. They came from above, and the low person has right of way. You did nothing wrong. Even if you don´t think so, you are learning and gaining more experience every time you jump. As do every skydiver, no matter how many jumps they have. Learning never stops. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

I bet she has trouble getting dates with that history. Sparky The old 3 strikes rule huh...... Good on her though.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Darwin is working just fine in the skydiving community. The recent fatality in Croatia being a typical example. Stupidity is usually rewarded by death. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Get a cheap flight across the channel and go to Holland. They have a postivie attitude to skydiving, much better than anything you'll find in the UK. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

I'd be interested to know his experience level.... That was not good at all, he let that go on for far too long, and letting it go can get you places you don't want to be. Its better to dump your reserve rather than let a side spin carry on if you can't fix it instantly. That boy would be in line for a bollocking and a bit of revisiting of his training from me.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

It's well known that the Brits are against all forms of aviation. Sums up the BPA perfectly. Always finding reasons why things can't be done. Can't tell the difference between training and actually jumping. The negative "you can't do that" attitude that they take to everything, rather than the "You can do that, here's how". That negative attitude infects nearly every aspect of British life. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Well it seems to me that you did fine, then suddenly got to a point where it all got a bit overwhelming. It seems a very unusual to me that you were OK, then suddenly were not OK. I suggest you maybe have missed on something during your training and this is triggering your response. Fear usually comes from the unknown, and having got through several levels OK, you should be gaining in confidence, not the reverse. Maybe you lack confidence in the equipment, or yourself to carry out your EP's in a real emergency, or both. To me this may be where your fear is rooted. Also you seem to be putting pressure on yourself to be perfect right from the start, and in skydiving prolly more than most activities, you can be found wanting rather easily. This is OK, it sometimes takes time. Try to get into the mindset of just wanting to enjoy yourself, rather than being perfect...if you set your goals too high it is easy to miss them, and feel disappointment as a result...fear of failure may be partly the problem, so try lowering your expectations of yourself......skydiving is not a race..... As a start I would revisit those videos and things you watched that sparked your interest in the first place, and if possible, sit through another training session with your instructors (sit in on another FJ course), particularly the bits where they show and explain the equipment, and the EP's. Practice your EP's in the harness again. Maybe you could take a step back and ask your instructors to go back and repeat one of your early jumps which you carried out successfully. And don't bother with more tandems, you are not gaining anything by them, relying on the TM to do everything does nothing for your own development. Find the old, grizzled jumper on the DZ who started jumping when the Ark sailed, buy him a beer and ask his advice... And remember, fear is a normal response.....is instinctive. Your brain just has to tell your body thats its OK. Also remember, you've already achieved something 99% of humans never will.....Be happy with that knowledge, you have nothing to prove to anybody else. Just my 2 cents worth.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

1992....you are right, not sure where I got 1991 from...my alzheimers must be kicking in stronger than I thought. The opening ceremony was certainly impressive for the numbers of people there, they seemed to cover the whole airfield...I particularly remember the helicopter display, they had a little Robinson 22 which blew dust over all the high ranking Chinese officials who were there. I guess they thought a R22 was pretty impressive. Also remember the Aussie 8 way team doing a demo at the opening ceremony and landing off the airfield....we gave them a bit of stick for that.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Gary, It would appear not. And then, as in this video they go on become instructors passing on their lack of knowledge. Sparky +1. How do some people get ratings?. Why did he hang around so long outside the A/C ?. As Andy pointed out, she prolly did the smart thing if what we saw were "expert" instructors..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Bang on.....that was quick... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Can anyone tell me where the term "nylon" came from?. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Even though Bill shot a few holes in what you said, I thought it was a good post..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Anyang was where we were at in 1991. Most teams stayed on the airfield for a few weeks before the competition at the air force base...conditions were very good there, but when the competition started we were all moved to a flash new hotel which proved to be not as good as the AF base quarters. One big reason for the food fight was because the manager of the hotel itself was a real slimeball who tried to rip everyone off by doubling the prices of everything sold in the hotel (in fact right in front of our eyes he instructed stasff to change the prices) which didn`t work because you could buy the same stuff at a tenth of the price out on the street. This manager frequently abused his staff, even striking a maid in front of guests on one occassion, and by the end everyone thought he was a real arsehole. The food fight was spontaneous, but once it started went completely out of control, mainly because he stood there with a look of absolute horror, while his staff in the background looked on with glee, recognising that it was a huge loss of face for him....and most people had no hesitation telling the Chinese officials that it was a reaction to his arrogant and nasty behaviour. Prolly not politically correct at all, but it was a damn good food fight......I think it was the Aussies that started it.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

You aren't nicknamed "Lefty" by any chance?.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Its been done lots. Generally, called a bounce..... There are a couple of recorded cases of individuals surviving long freefalls with no rig. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

The problem I have with requiring "medical" clearance is that most GP's have absolutely no idea about skydiving and tend to think of it as incredibly dangerous, thus disqualifying many people who are perfectly OK to jump. Again older people are perfectly aware of their age and the limitations that brings, and are big and ugly enough to make their own decisions. It is up to the instructor to then assess their suitability during training. That should be enough. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Also make sure your equipment and any bits you might be carrying are properly secured (as they should always be anyway). The pilots tend to get a little tetchy if something flies off and gets caught in the tail rotor.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

And when you woke up she was asleep but your arm was trapped underneath her, and you had to quietly chew it off and sneak out before she woke up....right?. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

They seem to have cleaned up the air quite a bit. Back in 1991 you could not see across the airfield because of the smoke. Under canopy you could smell the coal smoke at about 6 grand, and once above about that height you could not see the ground through the smog. Looks like the same hotel we stayed at, and certainly the same AN2 aircraft. The city looks a bit more modern though..... A great memory memory is the massive food fight at the closing banquet...... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

I've always been of the opinion that these are adults and once they are aware of the risks, should be able to make their own decisions. They are big boys and girls, not babies.... Having said that, I make it quite clear that I will assess them during their training and if I have any doubt as to whether they are able to complete a safe skydive I will not allow them to jump solo. They all seem to accept that, and trust my judgement either way. For that reason I am against a cut off point based solely on age. I take a long hard look at them during their training, and any doubt in my mind results in a refusal. Its the same though for any solo candidate, no matter what age. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

___ Lines - cut/frayed? Asymmetrical from side to side? Any opening problems? When did you or your rigger last check the line trim? Are the brake lines still the correct length (slight bow at full flight with no tail deflection)?? Note that if only the brake lines are frayed, you can have only those replaced. ___ Slider - any holes/tears? Run your fingers around the inside of the grommets... any sharp spots? (they tear up lines quick). Got slider kill lines? Are the channels still intact, correctly sewn down and without holes? Note: if you still have pull tabs (like me) talk to your rigger about changing them for no-tab kill lines... their less likely to get caught in a cascade and result in a stuck slider during deployment. ___ Canopy - holes, tears (what about in the ribs? (keeping in mind that there are crossports and they should be there, but they should be generally straight and not completely frayed, talk to a rigger for further info on them))? When did you last actually LOOK at the whole canopy? Can you hang it up to take a close look?? ___ Bridle attachment - is it pulling loose? What about the reenforcement inside both halves of the center cell? What about the support tape? They can and do get cut and fray, bad enough could turn your d-bag into a free bag. ___ Bridle attachment link - good condition? (see link notes above) ___ D-Bag - holes? Are the grommets still in good shape? (round/fully seated/no chance of a line getting under the edge) Stow attach points in good shape? Correct size/shape for your container?? Are the bands the right size for your lines? Are they matched (type/size/condition)? ___ Bridle - cuts/frays/broken stiches?? How's that pin attachment? You'd look silly if the pin stays in place as the bridle rips away... (ok, more than silly, but you get the point...) ___ Pin - Smooth? No burs that will cut the closing loop? If you have an older pin - is there any chipping/pealing/missing platting? ___ Kill line - proper length? (when fully cocked, the kill line should be slack with the PC crown line taking the tension) Is the "cocked" color still visible in the window? ___ PC - wear/cuts/pulls/broken stitches? Handle pulling off? Does it still lift the canopy/D-bag like it used to?? ___ Closing loop - GEEZE... when did you last change that? We'll yea, it hasn't broken yet, but that might be because its 6 inches too long!!! ___ Main container grommets - Nicks, cuts, other damage? Would suck to have a torn up grommet cut your closing loop in freefall. You expect packers to catch these? I replaced 2 grommets on a tandem rig, one was worn almost completely thru... the packers didn't notice/care. A good way to check grommets for sharp edges or "feathers" is to run a piece of an old nylon stocking/pantyhose around the inside of them. This applies to all grommets on your rig including slider, and should be done on new rigs, or any time you have new grommets on your gear (a new slider perhaps). --------------------------------------------------------- If you're not sure what any/all of this is talking about, ASK!!! Find a rigger and ask them how to check all this stuff. Then DO IT. For what its worth, once you know what you're looking for, it should take you less time to do this check than it did for me to type it up, so don't gimme no SH!T about it taking too long. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

No. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....