aero04

I must admit it is one of my favorite sci fi shows. I did always think the names of the characters were, well, kinda retarded. But a great show nonetheless.

Go to your room to get better. Not because I'd hate for you to make someone else sick, but because your gas could kill someone.

Damn, my luck right now, they'd say, we're sorry, we are out of money right now. Hehe, come back in two weeks and we might have some cash. (Refer to my original post if that makes no sense.)

We'll see what I can come up with. I feel like this thread just ran into an airport yelling "HIJACK"!!!!!

Yea, Dave I would, but i don't know, I think a 200 mile round trip to work and back sounds a bit extreme. Gas alone would take up most of the paycheck. Awwww, come on Dave, I was there yesterday, where were you????

*Begin Rant* Yep. Here's what happened. I've been looking for a summer job since the semester ended and thought I found something. It was a manual labor job at a moving company. Not to excited about the job, but I have to do something so I can get back in the air. No jumps since April. Anyway, so I call up the company on Tuesday (June 10) and he says he can hire me as a helper since I don't have a full size pickup. He tells me come on in for the orientation meeting today (June 13). So I drive 40 miles through the hell that is rush hour downtown Houston traffic and get there.....and the same guy I talked to on the phone tells me they have no need for helpers. They already have too many. I felt like breaking that sum-bitches nose right there. He tells me he needs some more people over the phone and 3 days later he doesn't need any. He damn well could have told me that on the phone and saved me an 80 mile round trip and the headache of that damn traffic. Anyway what could I do? I could raise hell with him and tell him this is horseshit for 10 minutes, but ultimately I still wouldn't have a job. So I just left and drove back home, back through the same shitty traffic. And this same son of a bitch said to me as I was leaving to call back in 2 weeks and he'll see if he has an opening for me. Gosh, I was pissed as I was leaving. I gave my rig to my rigger yesterday because I thought I'd have a job to pay him and I thought I'd have money to go to the Aggieland boogie this weekend. Oh well, just keep on looking. I'll either find a job, or next semester will start. I finally have more financial aid than tuition, so free money. * Rant complete*

First off, I'm not in the military but I've talked to a couple of recruiters and my dad's been in the military for 20+years. So what I know is what I saw at the armory and what he has told me over the years. Whatever the recruiter tells you you'll be doing, be sure to get it in writing. I have heard stories from dad, his friends from his military days that SOME RECRUITERS will promise you everything to get you to sign, but deliver very little. So get a "contract" from them: This is what I want and this is what the Air Force will do.

Hey Dave, I've read most of the Michael Crichton books as well. Here are my fav's (at least the ones you didn't mention) The Terminal Man Sphere (My fav) Congo Rising Sun (Awesome who-dun-it story) Disclosure What was the name of this one? I don't seem to remember this one. It has been a while since I read any of his books.

I had something strange like that happen to me once. I'm pretty anal about making sure all is well after you run up the lines. Anyway packed it and a couple of days later at the DZ I unpacked it because something felt funny about the pack job. And sure enough, the C & D lines on the left side were wrapped around the lines on the right side. Quite strange to look at. I still have no idea how that happened.

I envy you. I did my water training in march and the outside temp was in the low 50's. Damn, that farking water was cold. Made getting out of the harness one hell of an effort.

I agree with Skymama, blowing through the hard deck was the big problem. Unfortunately, it seems having the shit scared out of us is the best teacher. Not just skydiving, but anything. For example, when you get your drivers license, some think they are the best driver around and have the "it will never happen to me" syndrome. That is until something happens to make you realize the roads can kill you quickly (falling asleep at the wheel while doing 70 mph and spinning my pickup was my case). You'll never make that mistake again and now your a better skydiver for it. There would be very few jumpers if we decided to stop jumping after a scare. We all make mistakes, you must, and sounds like you have, learn from it. Besides your still alive so you did something right. Good Job!!

As soon as i find the victim, i will deliver the pie!! *cowering in the corner hoping no one sees me*

*cough**cough* BULLSHIT *cough**cough* heh....

Most definitely. That is what I thought, but I tried to jump without the plugs one jump (just before I got my Mindwarp) and the freefall noise really bothered me. Actually more than the engine noise. Could possibly be because I have a bit of tinnitus in my left ear due to loud music when I was young and dumb. Hah, still young, just hope I'm not dumb anymore.

Post just to post? Gosh no, I would never do such a thing. Edit: Jeepers, 100th post. Do I get pied for that?

For my first 60 or so jumps I used those squishy ear plugs; the ones you squish up and put in your ears then they expand to fill your ear canal. I never had any problem with the ride up or freefall. I just hated wearing them because I couldn't hear in freefall or under canopy and mostly because it was one more thing to worry about. I don't wear my earplugs now because I bought a Mindwarp and I just wear my helmet during the ride up. I used to wear Protecs and with the holes over the ear, it was awfully loud, hence the ear plugs. But leaving the Mindwarp on my head (and no holes at the ears) muffles the engine noise and the noise of freefall. For me, a perfect solution.

Dad: Perfectly understands. We did our first jumps when I turned 18. He wishes he could take up skydiving. Mom: Can't understand why I would something as crazy as jump out of an airplane with a parachute strapped to my back. But she understands how much I love it so she accepts it. She deals with it by turning to her religious beliefs.

A few jumps ago I was trying to sitfly. After fumbling all over the sky I tracked away from my coach and reached back to throw out and felt quite a bit of bridle flapping around. Fortunately, there were no problems and I had a normal deployment, but that was my first, and last scare. No sitflying in it since. My rig is an older Racer. I'd rather stay on my belly until I can afford a new container then face a horseshoe mal.

Yep, same problems for me when I started. After my first few jumps it would take between 1 and 2 weeks for my ears to clear. For me, jumping more often cleared it up. Even now my ears are occasionally a little messed up after a jump, but it clears up after a few minutes or hours. Seems like for some, jumping more often helps clear up the problem.

Sorry, no camera, but here's what I did. Please excuse the incorrect terminology. I routed the chest strap throught the buckle, then DID NOT route it back through the buckle over the slide bar, then secured the excess over my chest with the rubber bands. That way when you pull on the strap, there is nothing to keep it from sliding when pressure is exerted on it.

I had the same thing happen to me about a year ago, except my misrouted cheststrap was noticed on the ground before boarding. He saw the problem and pulled me aside and told me there was a problem with my rig and told me to find it. Of course, I didn't see it so he pulled on the cheststrap and loosened all the way up. I am now very careful in my gear check and I look at others for potential problems before boarding and on the way up.

I've got a Mindwarp. Love it!!

Yea, I get tons of messages that are titled something like message failed or message undeliverable, etc. Thought at first I was just typing in everyones email incorrectly. I really hate f#@$ing spam!!

got certified many years ago, but I haven't been scuba diving in years. Found another hobby

Very cool! Congratulations!! About a year from now I'll get my aero degree. Oh, so close....