crwmike

Quote How far you willing to travel, the US Team has a beginning/advanced camp at Lake Wales in early December. Would be a fantastic place to learn. Oops, make that a beginning/intermediate camp.

We could legally do it then and legally do it now. Now, however(at USPA DZ's), we violate the safety rules of OUR organization if we don't obtain a Coach business license. Michael

Wearing extra equipment (clothing/gloves) I'm not used to and recognizing that reflexes are s l o w e r in cold weather ...I would pull a bit higher, perhaps. Michael

Contact Jackson Hoffman at Caroling Sky Sports. A group of CRW regulars have been meeting there for a while now. With the record attempts coming up in a couple of weeks, the emphasis has been on advanced CRW only. After the record, I suspect things will relax and pups will be welcome. How far you willing to travel, the US Team has a beginning/advanced camp at Lake Wales in early December. Would be a fantastic place to learn. CRW Skies, Michael

You learned the number one lesson in skydiving ...how to make money off skydiving. Michael

I see everyone is saying go ahead and jump it. I require a bit more information. What environment has your rig been in for the past 5 weeks? Living room? Trunk of your car? Hanging on a peg at the DZ? In a climate controlled environment, I would have no hesitation in jumping a canopy (main or reserve) that had been packed for ...years. BSBD, Michael

I'm in complete agreement!. I've travelled to a bunch of DZ's over the years. Mike and Gold Coast keeps coming up at the top of the list. There's a bunch of Finks out thre running DZ's but Mike has been and continues to be what skydiving is about. HIM! Michael

Interesting question. I started feeling relatively relaxed around jump #9. Then, on jump #31, was filled with a sense of fear and dread that almost got me. Got over that and enjoyed a bunch of jumps but two or three more times till somewhere around 300 jumps, I would get this strange feeling of dread (this is the jump that;s going to kill me kind of thing). After almost 30 years of skydiving and talking to others, this seems quite typical. You get over the fear, it comes back, you get over it ...it comes back. What cues it? I don't know. My fear reoccurance jumps were nothing special ...aside from the fear, that is. I've trained a few thousand students. Occasionally, you get someone who says they feel no fear what so ever. These people made me nervous. I felt they did not appreciate and respect what they were doing. Of the ones that continued and I kept track of ...my suspicions were confirmed. Two are dead, one will spend the rest of his life moving laboriously with a walker. I will admit, one other is still around, still skydiving and doing well. BSBD, Michael

Were you surprised at how comfortable you felt in the air? I was ...amazed actually. I was off for 8 years and was delighted at how ...natural it felt to be back in FF after all that time. Tight, controlled turns, backloops and tracking ...like my last jump had been last weekend rather than eight years before. Welcome back, brother! Michael

Shhhh, don't tell anybody. It's a secret Michael

Well, let's see. Skydivers wanting a rating to make beginning skydivers pay extra money for what they should (IMHO) get for free ...are bitching that they are having to pay extra money. Nope, don't believe I'll help you out here. Michael

Actually, Dom, so am I. I'm not picking on you individually, but I wanted to make a point (circuitously perhaps) that we should look at situations individually instead of lending ourselves to the emotions of the tribal collective in skydivng. Some actions are unsafe ...some aren't. Don't have all the facts? Don't make a call. Until then we can slam each other around with foam rubber to relieve the stress. Peace, Michael HELMET UNSECURED ....UNSAFE! UNSAFE!!!

That's interesting. I've been on planes where the pilot won't take off if everyone isn't buckled in and wearing their helmet (or have their helmet secured secured). Or are you trolling? Well ...just a little bit My head protection is a foam rubber kick-boxing helmet. Remember, dgskydive, gather the facts first ...then make a decision. Michael

Oh my! I can honestly say I've never had anyone express any concern about my unsecured helmet on an airplane. Are you positive about your call? Michael

From the CRWDog email list: This past weekend Mike Goodin and Allen Gutshall had a canopy collision (actually a face to elbow collision) during 8-way Speed Canopy Formation competition at the US Nationals. I will quote Scott Smith the meet director: "This guy took a hit that would have killed a belly-flyer!" Mike is doing ok, surgery and recovery are in his future. It sure could have been worse. The attached picture was taken approximately 24 hours after the accident. Blue Skies, Jim Bolton

I believe a state record should include 100% of the people who have the talent and experience for the jump. Michael

I don't believe my helmet would be a danger to anyone in the event of a crash. Michael

More often than not, I wear it for takeoff. If not, I just leat it sitting on my lap or sit on it ;) Michael

No comment on your perception of gender issues and being violated, however ... I agree with your main point. We need to be honest and accept that increasingly larger numbers of skydivers no longer thoroughly understand the construction and function of their own gear ...much less a system used by someone else. To compound the problem, they believe they do have the knowledge and experience to do this. Michael

YEEEEE HAWWWWW!!! Watch out for those two. They like to take long showers with CRW Pups. Welcome to the DARK SIDE, brother. Michael

They pretty much fell by the wayside ...no money it it. Michael

No, no and no. For me it was; politics, attitudes, egos, lack of aircraft maintenance, and a generally poor safety attitude. I looked at the effort I was putting into it and the return I was getting out of it and all the hassels and decided to hang it up. So far no regrets. Derek Wow Hooknswoop, ditto the above for me. The negatives finally outnumbered the positives that made it worth the hour and a half drive each way to the drop zone. I'm gonna throw in a 'me too' here for some of that. I'm not all warm and fuzzy about the directions skydiving has taken over the past couple of decades. I've been 'semi-retired' from skydiving for several years now. After the CRW world record attempts next month, I've pretty much decided to pick some new, enthusiastic CRWPup, give them my gear and walk away with 30 years wonderful memories ...and (hopefully) one more world record CRW Skies, Michael

Congratulations to all! CRW Skies! Michael

Women???

And you don't find that sexy?!? Michael