kimemerson

isn't packing part of the initial instruction? Like AFF or whatever they're teaching these days? The jumpmasters/instructors should be doing more than just jumping with a studen, and packing is part of the whole instructional package. And a perfect rain/low ceiling/wind hold activity. By the time a newbie asks anyone other than an instructor - or just has to ask in the first place - I know something's lacking at the school. Teaching how to pack is part of the instructor's job description and part of what they're already getting paid for. So students are already paying to learn to pack and if they're not being taught - and taught more than the rudimentary stuff - then they're being cheated out of their $$ and should either demand instruction or a partial refund.

I think it can be a thousand mph before anyone would care. At 12k that is. Down here where we land it should be a tad less, though, double digits at least.

It was Lance "Swoop" Kirwin who first let us know about the rarified air molecules. It was a great video and it got his ratings pulled but only for about two weeks. The part of the original footage which showed the surfing across the peas was looped for our viewing pleasure. Bill Booth visited the Ranch around that time and was shown the raw, loped footage. He howled with laughter, loved it. And he said nothing against it. After he returned to DeLand, the video production was made (John "J.P." Patrick at his funniest best!) and shown first only at the Ranch. At a boogie at the time, the video was shown publicly for the first time and the embarrassed and somewhat miffed Lance was presented with a trophy. Sunshine Factory provided the trophy in exchange for a copy of the vid. That's how it made it to Florida and began its internatiol route to fame, ok, notoriety. So, one day, it was being shown in DeLand and Bill was watching along with Bob Hallett. Bob commented to Bill that he - Bill - had always said he would pull ratings for infractions etc. but seldom had evidence. Bob pointed to the screen and more or less suggested to Bill that evidence was right in front of him. Presto! Rating pulled. Pissed Lance off! If you can get a copy of this now vintage video, it is well worth the time.

It came from the desire to celebrate surviving 'back in the day', when 200 jumps was enough to make you an expert and living to see another day was something to brag about. Firsts are milestones along the way and viewed as reason to celebrate. And I think that some standard was needed so beer was chosen as the celebratory vehicle. But there's nothing strict about that. The deed is, indeed, a way to celebrate with friends so whether you drink or not is moot. Bottled water would make a severly and measurably diminished impact. You never hear calls for "Case of Evian!" I don't drink either, but I do have a gloucoma problem and from time to time someone does something momentous or stupid and if coerced and convinced, can be talked into passing up the beer for something sweeter, floral, herbal. But we can't talk abouut that. God's boy George W. might be listening in.

First of all, a packer is basically cleaning up the mess the jumper has left on the floor. Whether the jumper actually jumps the packed rig is arbitrary, moot and beside the point. What about if you pay a packer then sell the packed rig? What if, after paying for a main pack job, the reserve repack cycle comes due and the rigger takes the main out of the container. What do you do? Renegotiate for partial main pack jobs? And who says that any pack job must be jumped? The opening of the main is not what the packer is being paid for. That's gravy and is part of the relationship between packer and customer. But the general purpose of packing is to neaten the mess that the lazy ignorant jumper can't handle. What are the odds that the person here who rode the plane down cannot even pack? And as for having a malfunction, that's the sole property of the skydiver experiencing that particular thrill. If you can guarantee that every malfunction is the result of the pack job, may I suggest remedial instruction, a new sport or some dead serious reindoctrination to reality. Second, the dye on the kill line can fade, not be visible at all and is generally a back up indicator and not a promise. And you can cock a pilot chute even after the container is closed. So riding down a plane is essentially proving a degree of ignorance - and ignorance is never a good jump partner. Third. I'd watch out for this yobo because unless and until he gets a clue, this perspective and this behavior will only lead eventually to someone else getting hurt. So,yeah, this packer should be paid. And from the sound of it, 5 bucks won't quite cover it.

What exactly constitutes "live"? (ok, don't tell anyone.) We use paintballs and we do indeed shoot at each other. Ask Chris Oliviera how he feels about that.

Hello, I’m jumper #1. One bit of info not known that may or may not matter or make a difference: I had not done a stand up landing but geek slid in and was laughing all the way. I ended the landing lying down. And still laughing. I stood up where I was, facing whatever direction I ended the landing in. I didn’t rotate myself while still on all fours, for example, to be able to stand up facing oncoming traffic. After I stood up, a member of the team I was videoing looked across the lz and signed a thumbs up “ok?”. I thumbs upped an “all ok” response and began getting my stuff together. Even when we are keeping our heads on swivels there are seconds in which we are not. In my case it was when I was trying to undo my slider from its bungee keeper and was having a hard time of it. It took me a few seconds longer than it should have and more or less kept me facing downwards as I leaned my head forward to get to the back of my rig. I accept that maybe this part of the procedure could be done off field, but - and this could change real soon – I am one of those who does a lot on the field before walking off. I stow my toggles. I remove chest and leg straps and I will often but not always take off my helmet. I also undo the slider retainer to slide the slider back up as I gather the lines. None of this usually takes very long but in this case I was taking longer than usual as I was having difficulty. I do often pay attention to all the traffic. As a former S&TA and AFF Instructor I have taught this part a zillion times. But I seriously doubt we could come up with even a slim majority who does it all the time on every landing. You jump with someone, land and then find your jump partner across the lz and start right away talking the jump. Someone else rolls in and you look to see if they’re either ok or good laugh material. You kneel down to roll up your booties, bend over to pick up your helmet, didn’t land in a stand up yourself and are just getting up. There are a hundred reasons and as many instances when are not gluing our eyes to the oncoming traffic and we are all there at one time or another. And in my case, all it took was a second of not noticing, a second I share with all of us. Yep, just about one whole second. Also, I believe that we who have been around a while do have a peripheral awareness so that even when not looking directly, we can ascertain that there’s stuff a-coming. It isn’t a perfect tool, peripheral awareness, but it’s a tool beyond ignorance. So, yes, the sage advice is to keep your head on a swivel, eyes up, face oncoming traffic, but you’re not going to do it 100% of every jump. Just ain’t going to happen. Also, doesn’t it make sense to work on establishing your landing area and its situation as soon as possible and not as late as you can get away with? Shouldn’t one be taking all factors to determine where, what direction, with what group, away from what obstacles one will be landing? What element of surprise is allowed when we are in a sport demanding full preparedness and awareness? Myself, I start about as soon as I know I have a good canopy and have determined whether I'm making it to the dz. Then I begin learning what I can about the traffic and areas of congestion below. For example, the Knights train at the Ranch each summer and by now I know they tend to land in one 9way cluster, so that if I see one gold & black U.S, Army parachute down, I'll be seeing at least eight and maybe 9 or 10 total all in that same area. I then conclude that tey've claimed it, it's their's, stay away. Aside from all that, thanks for the well wishing from you all, too. I am healing. And I will see the sky real soon.