miked10270

Hi MC, Last I heard it was now exclusively 2-way jumping with Sangiro so i assume she's still lurking... Mike D10270.

Shame I won't be able to get out there, but... First it's too far, & second, Iona would Feckin' KILL ME. Still, we have heard such claims before so this time we WILL EXPECT POSTED PICTORIAL EVIDENCE (purely so we can all assure ourselves that the claims & pics aren't faked)!! Mike D10270.

Hi there, Doesn't the pic in the ad say: Everybody stare... everybody talk about it... everybody log on to the website...? Mike D10270.

I'm "pretty" sure that Foot & Mouth isn't spread by MS Outlook Express... I heard it was a code problem with early versions of Windows (just like every other virus known to man). Apparently it affects beasts 'cos they don't have the ability to get "critical updates". Then again I also heard that the disease was originally political... As in "Every time the Agriculture Minister opens his mouth, he puts his foot in it"! Mike D10270.

Hi there, The general tone of this thread has me somewhat confused. What ever happened to the adage "Parachutes descending... No props turning"? The idea is that (generally form run-in) the skydiver can't stop descending - he's committed to coming down (!!) wheras an aircraft engine can be stopped & later re-started. In short a descending parachutist (an unpowered aircraft) has an absolute right of way over powered aircraft. As for the "helicopter incident - it happened a good few years ago & if I remember correctly it was a student under a round canopy. IMHO it should be the pilots of the aircraft involved in the near miss that should be "spoken to", not the skydivers. Mike D10270.

Yeah... It's amazing the number of problems that seem to "stay in the 'plane" when you exit...

Yes right - and this is an agreement between the man and which one of his hands!!!!!!!!!!!?? IonaXXXX

Yep... More photogenic with the "horse" flat flying... More fun with the horse "back-to-earth" (at least for the horse). Of course the above was simply a safety tip to protect the guy's container????????????? Mike D10270.

Yeah... say that NOW!!. Mike D01270.

Hi Speedy, Perhaps the exact origin of the slang term "Pink World" skould be witheld from your delicate young ears... Then again, 'Sis, You wanna' educate him!!? Mike D10270.

Hmmm... I'm with Zennie on this... circular image, almost evenly lit, dark points at the centre & just off... Yep... point the camera the other way when you'r taking pictures!!! Mike D10270.

HI Chic, "Acceptance Rituals"... All I can say is beware of the "Whip-Sister"!!!!! Oh, BTW... "I'm Mike... I take the p!$$" Mike D10270.

Hi Skreamer, One more of us... One less of them. OK... 7-cell main is a must, also you need continuous centre cell A & B lines - ideally with the A lines easily identifiable (commonly coloured red). A bridle retraction system is VERY desirable, as is a container which provides minimal opportunity for line snags. Knives = LOTS!!!! personally if I'm doing CReW I've got 3 knives in various places including a "divers" knife on my chest strap. This is not 'cos I'm a closet Sushi Chef... the idea is that in a "wrap" I've the best chance of being able to see & access at least one. Finally... Get a COMPREHENSIVE safety brief - expect to spend a couple of hours on this. Bear in mind you're going to deliberately do the exact thing you've been taught to "avoid at all costs" - canopy collisions. Have fun... do a Downplane for me. Mike D10270.

Hi Mark, So you got the Florida job... Nice one

Hi there, I remember this coming up before, so at the risk of repeating myself... The object of any skydiving training programme is to produce a skydiver who can fall stable, recover from instability, turn, track & track-turn. Oh yes, and operate his parachute/equipment safely!!! In other words the basic survival skills for leaving the 'plane before it starts to descend!!!!!! Ultimately any training system produces the skydiver with an "A" license who turns up at a DZ with his/her own kit ready to jump largely unsupervised. The fundamental difference between "AFF" (of whatever kind & a "Progression system" (of whatever kind) is NOT the cost of this, which is curently c.$5,000 whichever way you go - it is the timescale in which this money is spent! For example, personally I went through a progression system. 13 months, 26 jumps & I was "A" license with my own kit. i have also seena guy go through the AFF programme in a weekend and in one week (yes!!! ONE WEEK!!!!!) he'd got to the level that took me 13 months! So... I suppose the really fundamental difference is a mix of finances & committment. I kind of drifted into skydiving (hence the progression system) while Iona "KNOWS" she's going to skydive (hence AFF). Plus (of course) there is the question "Do I have $5,000 available now? or do I spread the cost over time?" In short, AFF is for those with both committment & "free" cash while Progression is for those who want to "spread" the cost over time. Mike D10270. Oh... BTW... I "quote" $5,000 as a "finished" cost, I.E. the fully trained AND fully equipped skydiver.

Yeah, I'm with Speedy on this, except for the "nearly empty" bank account... I'm one of those who get leters from the bank along the lines of "When you started banking with us, we were under the impression You would bank with US, not the other way 'round". I suppose the fundamental difference between "us" and what I have heard termed as the "Pink world" is that as "adrenaline junkies" we seek our limits. I suspect that a free climber, a SCUBA diver, a Para/Hang glider, a Speliologist, etc... would feel at home in the talkback forum (even if lost in the S&T or G&R forums). A "Whuffo" (of any adrenaline sport) would view any "edge seeker" as mad. IMHO that's what sets us apart & what we have in common. Mike D10270.

Hi High (Yuk..Yuk..Yuk..), What can I say, The RI Genera is an excellent budget/first rig! PERSONALLY I think it's the best budget rig on the market. Buy one

Hi skreamer, Short version is that you can get a USPA license or award if you fulfill their req's... One of which being that you're either a current USPA member "OR" are a temporary USPA member "AND" a full member of another country's governing body. At least, that's "MY" reading of the relevant bits of the USPA rules & constitution. Regardless of this, can i ask what the lure of a "D" license is? Nowadays the FAI (BPA) "D" license means nothing except a lot of jumps! The "A" signifies qualification, the "B" allows you to JM & signifies experience, the "C" lets you jump with a soft helmet & move into instruction, what does the "D" let you do?? IMHO the FAI(BPA) "D" license signifys nothing more than that you've done loads of jumps... The "C" is the one to aim for. Just my $0.02, Mike D10270 (yeah... I know...).

Hi Tom, So, you're not the "original Lizard". I'm feeling even more pedantic than usual, so I'm going to take issue with one small & irrelevant bit of your post: "Falling off my motorbike is unlikely... but that doesn't stop me wearing a helmet" *ARE YOU SURE* that Section 16 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (& it's associated $100 fines) isn't the thing that got you wearing a helmet for riding in the first place, & keeps you wearing one? The reason I ask is that TRRL research indicates that 94% of motorcyclists "would not wear a helmet all the time" if it wasn't mandatory(& very visible)!! What do you do when your Cypres is "away" for it's check? Do you accept the slight increase in risk? Do you modify your jumps? If so, then are you using the Cypres to "compensate" for increasing your personal risk (as drivers of cars equipped with ABS & airbags tend to drive more aggressively)? Don't get me wrong, this IS NOT a personal attack, merely "food for thought". Mike D10270.

Hello Froggie, "And if I go, while you're stll here... Know that I live on, vibrating to a different measure - behind a veil you cannot see through. You will not see me, so you must have faith. I wait for the time when we can soar together again - both aware of each other. Until then, live your life to its fullest, and when you need me, Just whisper my name in your heart ... I will be there." Thinking of you, Mike D10270 XXXXX

Hi Zennie, Brave man... Good call... It's a (sad) fact that at some DZs the attitude is that if the jumpers are willing to go up, they'll put up a 'plane as long as the 'plane will get up & down safe. At this time it takes "the right stuff" to be the one who de-manifests first. I was at a US DZ a little over a year ago waiting to go out to the 'plane... Winds were strong but steady, yet they felt like they were getting stronger. Last thing before going out to the 'plane I asked what the winds were at manifest only to learn they were at 38mph!!! I de-manifested and kind of started a fashion. Thing is, everyone was "not happy" with the wind, but they would have jumped if someone (else) hadn't had the guts to de-manifest first. The moral... be brave, have the courage of your convictions, and set a limit for weather. Once you have set "your" limit, don't stretch it under peer pressure. You'll probably be the one that saves the rest of the lift. Mike D10270.

Hmmm... Somewhere but not skydiving. I used to have a lot in common with many of you - SCUBA

Hi, I am Iona,mike's "carer"! I am the one who keeps him sane or comatosed when the need arises,although I feel that the"socialised medication" does not pay me the danger money that I deserve!!!!. I hope to do AFF in the summer,but Mike will not be packing my canopy unless I take him off his medication which would be a mistake as he starts to talk about"Lebensfraum",which is german for livingspace,but he gets that when I give him his medication. Just before I go this one made me laugh.Mike decided to have a sleep while I was playing with our kids,Timothy our youngest,who by the way will be 1 tomorrow yee-ha!,saw that his dad was lying down,and decided that it was playtime with daddy.He crawled over to where Mike was and lifted his hand to the cries of "dad boo",when dad just ignored him he shouted it again until he woke up.Smart cookie!!!!!!!! Bye for now Iona xxxxxxxxxx

Hi There, Had to share this... Only in America...can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance... Only in America...are there handicapped parking places in front of a skating rink... Only in America...do people order double cheese burgers, a large fry, and a diet coke... Only in America...do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters... Only in America...do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and leave useless things and junk in boxes in the garage... Only in America...do we use answering machines to screen calls and then have call waiting so we won't miss a call from someone we didn't want to talk to in the first place... Only in America...do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight... Only in America...do we use the word "politics" to describe the process so well: "Poli" in Latin meaning "many" and "tics" meaning "blood-sucking creatures"... Mike D10270.

Oh, BTW, IF any of you REALLY want to know about Haggis, their behaviour & how wild Haggis' are caught then I'm willing to explain.... Mike D10270.