floormonkey

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Everything posted by floormonkey

  1. It's that time again...skydiving on a Wednesday! Wednesday, April 26, is the date for the 3rd annual Just Fer Us Boogie at Skydive Dallas. It's the day the instructors, pilots, packers, and other staff take the day off to play and jump with the fun jumpers. Here's an even better reason to show up...the jumps are cheaper then normal...$20. That's right, the Friday rate on Wednesday. Plus you get to jump with the staff. There's no registration fee this year. Lunch is available, but the cafe will be closed. (Jump with Chef Mike!) Dinner is potluck, so bring a dish that feeds a few folks or $10 in cash to cover your lame no-cooking self. The school is closed, so no students (though gear rental is available). There will be some packing available, though limited (that word means I'm not working, nor is Tom or Ray, so don't ask). Contact me if you want to bring your own packer. We had a great showing last year, with over 120 skydivers from all over Texas. We look forward to the staff from other DZ's showing up to play...that's why we do this. If you want to volunteer (this is a mostly volunteer event), click on the link. For more info, click on the link. To go to a different website, click on the link. And remeber, we'll be open Thursday, so make it a 6 day weekend... Rain or shine, April 26, Be There! (if it rains, bring more beer.) Pre-register if you can so we'll have lunch for you. www.loonair.com/fju Oh yeah...Work sucks, Let's Skydive!
  2. I'm having a save bottle party on December 3rd. I've racked up a few saves this year, so it's time to open them up! There will be plenty of beer, plenty of booze, and snacks. First Saturday in December...come and help empty my booze cabinet. There will be a grill, but if you want meat, you'll have to bring it and cook it yourself. All condiments and stuff will be provided. Maps available if you need 'em.
  3. Jeff- Read p. 4 of the PD flight characteristics report. http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/Reserve-Flight-Char-v3.pdf You fall in the expert wl range by weight. The PD Reserve Manual gives tips on flying a reserve at higher than 1.4, as well as other information on your reserve. If you haven't read it, you should read the whole thing. http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/Reserve_manual.pdf
  4. Best source for parachute bands: http://www.keenerrubber.com/Parachute.htm The only downside is the turnaround. Great service, really great price.
  5. Open content encyclopedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BASE_jumping
  6. Here is the used Cypres value calculator from SSK. http://www.cypres-usa.com/usedcypres.asp Just plug in the numbers and you have the manufacturer's values...
  7. Sorry, I forgot the second link. It's http://www.dlis.dla.mil/fiigdata/A081A/atable1.htm.
  8. This would be found in MIL-H-7195, renamed PIA-h-7195, which can be bought here: http://www.pia.com/shopping/specs_01d.htm You might be able to find someone who has this document, I can't find it on the web. For a complete discussion of hardware, see Poynter's, chapter 4 (p. 96). Poynter also lists MIL-S-6049 (Steel) and MIL-S-5626 (Steel) that might answer your question. According to this page [url]http://www.dlis.dla.mil/fiigdata/A081A/atable1.htm[url]the steel is 4140 (ST1895) or 8740 (ST1895). All other references I've seen refer to 4140.
  9. Carene is packing at Skydive San Marcos. If you have the choice, fly into Austin. From there it's only an hour or so to SSM. www.skydivesanmarcos.com
  10. As usual, it's best to consult and take advice from the manufacturer, a rigger (which you did), or a qualified instructor. Here's an article from the manufacturer. I would contact them or an experienced rigger for more information. http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/Best_Performance1.doc
  11. I noticed that a customer who chose to stow their brakes this way seemed to experience premature wear of the lower brake line at the point where it entered the lower keeper; it seems the thread on the toggle caused excessive wear. Checked a few other rigs and saw the same worn brake lines in the same place. Correlation does not equal causation, but 4 out of 4 that I inspected all showed the same kind of wear. If it matters, all canopies were lined with Spectra.
  12. From http://www.performancedesigns.com/docs/Spectre-Flight-Char.pdf Straight Flight at full Glide: The Spectre flies at about the same airspeed as other canopies such as the original Sabre, the Sabre2, and the Stiletto. Many jumpers do not expect a seven-cell canopy to glide as far as a comparable nine-cell, but at full glide the Spectre actually has a slightly flatter glide angle than some nine-cell canopies, including both the original Sabre and the Sabre2.
  13. Try going to www.skydivesupplies.com and clicking "Contact us"
  14. It was the same chopper. We put up 8 loads (from about 3-5) and are doing it again tommorrow morning.
  15. jumpshack has modded some of their older rigs to the new closing pattern also. It is the OWNER'S responsibility to make sure the packer knows of any little nuances of his/her particular rig, as well as do a gear check to make sure it was done right.
  16. Are you refering to the inspection form in section 9.3.10 (p. 357) of Volume II? It has 9 check points for the canopy itself. There's also section 9.3.1.7.3 (p. 494) in Volume I, but it's not very specific.
  17. Skypimp is from my DZ. He makes incredible stuff and a new website is on the way.
  18. go to omniscore, it's on there. http://omniskore.com/comp/2003/nats/2003_nats.htm
  19. Thank you Skydive Dallas! Thanks Eddie, you were great this weekend. All the jumpers down here really appreciate using the Caravan for the weekend.
  20. Well, take me off the list. My transmission officially crapped out. E's already up there, though. Y'all have fun, you bastards.
  21. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030926/ap_on_bi_ge/do_not_call_38 Second Judge Blocks Do-Not-Call List 1 hour, 51 minutes ago Add Business - AP to My Yahoo! By DAVID HO, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - With remarkable speed and near unanimity, Congress on Thursday passed legislation intended to ensure consumers can block many unwanted telemarketing calls. But whether the service millions of Americans signed up for takes effect next week was thrown into doubt when a second federal court judge ruled the list violates free speech protections. U.S. District Judge Edward W. Nottingham in Denver blocked the list late Thursday, handing another victory to telemarketers who argued the national registry is unconstitutional and will devastate their industry. His decision came shortly after the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly for a bill making clear that the Federal Trade Commission has the power to enforce the "do-not-call" list. The legislation was prompted by an earlier ruling by a federal judge in Oklahoma City who said the FTC lacked the power to create and operate the registry. The House voted 412-8 and the Senate 95-0 for the bill. President Bush (news - web sites) said he looked forward to signing it. "Unwanted telemarketing calls are intrusive, annoying and all too common," he said in a statement. The list that would block an estimated 80 percent of telemarketing calls is supposed to be effective Wednesday, but it's unclear whether legal issues will be settled by then. Even after Bush signs the legislation, the FTC must win in court for the list to move forward. Despite the uncertainty, the FTC is encouraging people to continue signing up for the list at the Web site www.donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222. The FTC asked U.S. District Court Judge Lee R. West to block the order he issued Tuesday declaring the agency lacked proper authority to oversee the list. He declined Thursday and the FTC immediately appealed to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals (news - web sites) in Denver. The FTC had no immediate comment on Nottingham's ruling, but it also probably will end up with the 10th Circuit. During brief debates, House and Senate members made it clear they want the list. "Clearly the court's decision was misguided," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., referring to West. "The measure before us makes crystal clear the commission can and should proceed with the do-not-call list." He said the ruling has "served as a rallying cry for the tens of millions of American households who signed up for the registry." Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said no one likes "hopping up and down like jackrabbits to answer the phone and then hear somebody on the phone try to sell you something. It drives you crazy." Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said he is confident West's decision will be overturned. "We should probably call the bill 'This Time We Really Mean It Act' to cure any myopia in the judicial branch," he said. The ruling caught lawmakers off guard but they responded with remarkable speed. Bills can take months or even years to pass, but the do-not-call legislation was drafted and approved in both chambers in little more than 24 hours. The rapid response underscored the popularity of the list, which after fewer than four months already has nearly 51 million numbers. "This legislation got to the House floor faster than a consumer can hang up on a telemarketer at dinnertime," said Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass. Since issuing the ruling, West's home and office have been bombarded with calls from angry consumers. His numbers were posted on the Internet and people were encouraged to call. "They just keep calling to harass us, like the telemarketers harass them, I guess," said Rick Wade, operations manager at the district clerk's office. Despite the torrent of angry calls Thursday, West rejected the FTC's request to block his order, saying the agency offered no additional evidence that would make him change his mind. The FTC expects the list to block four of every five telemarketing calls. Exemptions include calls from charities, pollsters and on behalf of politicians. The FTC's rules require telemarketers to check the list every three months to see who does not want to be called. Those who call listed people could be fined up to $11,000 for each violation. Consumers would file complaints to an automated phone or online system. Telemarketers say the list would severely harm their industry and lead to the loss of thousands of jobs. Still, the Direct Marketing Association, one of the groups that challenged the registry, said it has asked its members to obey the wishes of those who are enrolled in the registry. "It is appropriate for marketers to respect the wishes of consumers," said H. Robert Wientzen, the association's president. ___
  22. BASE jumpers provide windfall for TF, businessman says By Rebecca Meany Times-News writer TWIN FALLS -- Legislators touring southern Idaho were treated to the gorgeous vista of the Snake River Canyon Tuesday, but high winds kept them from seeing the main attraction: people hurling themselves off the Perrine Bridge. BASE jumpers were on hand to showcase an activity that attracts the eyes of locals and tourists alike. BASE, an acronym for Building, Antenna, Span and Earth, is a relatively new sport. Participants jump with parachutes from tall structures or geological features. Don Mays, owner of Snake River Canyon Tours, offered an enthusiastic presentation to the visiting Idaho lawmakers to make up for the canceled show. In addition to the unique spectacle jumpers offer, local businesses benefit from feeding and housing them, he said. BASE jumpers' monetary contributions to the community are not insignificant. Hotels, restaurants and peripheral services benefit from the nearly 2,000 jumps the bridge gets per year. Over Memorial Day weekend, jumpers injected more than $35,000 into the local economy, Mays said. Kent Just, executive of the Twin Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, estimated their activity is worth at least $250,000 to local merchants every year. LEGISLATOR TOUR Troy Droegemeyer, a BASE jumper from Maryland, foreground, listens as Don Mays, a local tour operator, talks to a group of legislators about BASE jumping. The Perrine Bridge is the only bridge in the country where jumping is legal year-round. Photo by BRUCE SHIELDS/The Times-News But BASE jumpers' economic contributions should not be the only consideration, some detractors say. During discussions last summer, a lawyer from the attorney general's office told the Idaho Transportation Board there could be some liability issues, even though there don't seem to be any lawsuits resulting from the activity in other parts of the country. Attorney Stephen Bywater advised board members they could face liability on three fronts: from the participants themselves, from people under the bridge in boats who might be inadvertently hit by BASE jumpers landing on them, and from drivers losing control of their vehicles as they turn to watch the BASE jumpers. Bywater could not be reached for comment Tuesday. "We try to keep this as safe as possible," Mays said. "If there are boats in the river, we don't let anyone jump. And we're all in constant radio contact." "This is the safest place in the world to jump," he continued. "There have been over 30,000 jumps from this bridge and only a few accidents and one death." "Five accidents in 30,000 jumps is phenomenal," he said. Boise-based jumper Steve Van Cleave, 58, swears he jumps for the same reason people golf: camaraderie. "Jumping is like going to a golf course," he said. "We're not trying to scare ourselves. We're just enjoying a sport with friends." Legality enhances safety, enthusiasts say. Van Cleave, who has jumped from the Perrine Bridge at least 150 times, said it becomes safer every time. "It gets easier, and you control the situation more each time," he said. "Here in Idaho we let them jump," Mays said. "When people jump and then are running from cops, that's when accidents happen." Legislators had mixed reactions to the concept. A few egged on one another to make the jump. "If you do, I'll buy you a steak dinner afterwards," Mays joked. "I think it's wonderful," said Susan Kiebert, executive secretary for the North Idaho Chamber of Commerce. "They're going to do it anyway. At least this way it's safer." Mays noted that the participants take care of their own search and rescue. Jumpers pay him to fish them out of the water if they fail to land in their designated spots on the ground at the canyon bottom. "We police ourselves," he said. "If they outlawed this," Mays said, "they'd still jump. They'd just do it at different hours." Times-News writer Rebecca Meany can be reached at 735-3259 or by e-mail at rmeany@magicvalley.com.
  23. floormonkey

    Olav?

    See my post above. They are not the epitome of Military Airborne operations. No one FFs, 4 ways,8 ways or styles into combat. I know, I was just arguing semantics. I've packed HALO gear-there is no FF in that stuff.