miked10270

OK, here goes, Hello, I'm Mike. I take the piss.

Hi there, This post comes as a sort of query.... Some words seem more appropriate when mis-spilled slightly... Like "Californica". There was a competition run by a newspaper along these lines recently - add, subtract or change ONE letter in a word & supply the definition. The 2 that stick in my mind were "Dopeler Effect" (the way stupid ideas seem smarter if they come at you at high speed) & "Ignoranus" (someone who's stupid AND an asshole). Anyone out there got more? Anyone think up any skydiving related ones? Like "Freakfall" (I wasn't unstable, that position WAS deliberate). Mike D10270.

How can Californica (is that the correct spelling?) have a power shortage? Why not just build (suntan) oil burning power stations? After all... it's not like you're gonna be using the suntan oil for anything else in the forseeable....? Mike D10270 (who's currently laughing his socks off 'cos a work colleague was boasting about going to Cal. for some sun) & is out there right now.

Yep... Gotta agree with Frank about Canada

Hi there, Personally Iwould wholeheartedly recommend Sky-U. I did the Basic Bodyflight course a few years ago & left it amazingly capable. Well worth the time & money. Mike D10270.

Hi there, Just to get this back onto the "Skydiving Vs Piloting" thing, I seem to remember it beng summed up very well with the following saying: "If sitting in a 'plane is flying... Is sitting in a boat swimming?" Mike D10270.

Hi there, Define "Stowing the slider"? Step #1 is to collapse the slider, commonly using a built-in drawstring or wrapping your gof=ggles around it. step #2 is to stow it by pulling it down over the (type 17) risers so it sits behind your neck. some folk have a velcro "slider stow" sewn onto the back of the neck of their jumpsuits. That said, pre "A" License (& on student kit) I'd expect you to just leave the slider inflated at the connector links? Mike D10270.

Zut Alors!.. Pas les Francais!!! I have tried to post on the subject of the French once or twice... But I've never managed to stay calm about them for long enough to finish it! The 2% of Americans who are aware of a world outwith their borders (bet NONE of them are from Texas - sorry, couldn't resist the sideswipe) will no doubt know that the French are our closest neighbours and as such we are bound to them by ties of Jealousy, hatred & suspicion. The median Frenchman spends 98% of his time in bed, recovering from sex or alcohol (or both). France is the largest country in the EU (drunks like a lot of room to fall over) and is largely cobbled (they also like the feel of grapes underfoot). Historically, France has fought a lot of battles, always (win or lose) against overwhelming odds and grossly outnumbered. This is because, being drunk, they always saw 2 of each enemy! The French believe themselves to be the worlds greatest lovers... But then again, how often have we ALL thought that when drunk!? This is a country that views Truffles, Frogs Legs & Snails as delicacies... Surely indicative of a life spent in a drunken face down posture waking up with a God-awful hangover and the munchies? Perhaps unsurprisingly, the French language has the smallest vocabulary in the world, Viz "Boisson, Alcool, Vin, Escargot, Cuisses de Grenouilles, Truffes, l'Amour". Mike D10270.

"Does this means skydivers can all direct movies?" Errr.... Ask Guy Manos...! "Will the women of (Sweden) be going forth anytime soon to follow your advice?" WE live in hop OUCH!... OUCH!... OUCH! Mike D01270. (with sound effects by Iona).

Hmm... Any NON-TEXAN opinions on my "perspective" on history? Mike D10270.

First person to owe an entire liquor store.... BEER!! Mike D10270.

Hi there, Just to put an accurate historical perspective on this: "Britain is just still pissed over the fact they lost the colonies!" At the time that strategic genius King George III successfully cut good old Blighty loose from that bunch of colonists who were too thick to realise that you're supposed to put tea into HOT water (is the American fixation with cold "iced tea" a carryover from what happened in Boston?) the "colonies" consisted of New York, Massachusets & New England. Believe me, we would have FOUGHT for Baywatch... Californica... California, I meant California!! "They would probably own Texas too" Absolutely not... The British have had years of dealings with "Furriners" and we would NEVER have fallen for the "Hey Gringo... Bargain, bargain" routine . Does anyone REALLY believe we would want dominion over a bunch of folk who wear Ten-Gallon-Hats - which only hold 6 pints (an exaggeration by a factor of 13.3333333*)? Mike D10270.

Hi there, This may seem a somewhat cruel view of this incident, but please bear with me. The FXC12000, "J" modded IS a largely reliable AAD, particularly suitable for students (NOT for the experienced). That said, it is a mechanical backup, and like all things mechanical, it is subject to wear & possibly breakdown! In short, it's NOT GUARANTEED TO WORK! 2 points strike me from this: 1; The Cypres IS a FAR MORE RELIABLE AAD! Yes, far more expensive, but electronic, not mechanical. 2; THE ONLY WAY TO ACTIVATE YOUR RESERVE IS TO PULL YOUR RESERVE HANDLE! Please, PLEASE... Don't wait for an AAD to fire, you could wait for the rest of your life for the "box" to work! While my heart goes out to the poor girl and her family, I am also reminded that skydiving is a VERY "Darwinian" sport. I simply can't accept that this death was caused purely by the failure of a backup device. Was the reserve handle pulled? Just my $0.02, Mike D10270. PS. As for FXCs firing prematurely... there are 2 potential reasons for this: 1; The FXC activates at a relatively low descent rate, about 30ft/sec if I remember correctly and "at some point" +/- 750ft of it's set activation heght. 2; The activation height MUST be set or adjusted with the "jump/safe" knob FULLY turned to the "jump" position. If the knob isn't fully set then the activation height indicator needle will move down and will underread the set activation height. If it is then adjusted, you are setting the height higher than what is shown.

"Texas is NOT the South. Texas is not the west. Texas is an independent republic that the United States BEGGED to become part of their federation". And THERE, ladies & gentlemen, we may have discovered the exact moment that the political "Garden of Eden" that was the United States was invaded by the "Serpent" of political corruption... Viz: Mexican: "Hey, Gringo... Want some land?" American: "No way!! You're just trying to offload them there Texans off onto us." M: "Tell you what Gringo.... You take Texas, we'll throw in Arizona with all the silver mines." A: "No way... It's not worth it." M: OK Gringo, you drive a hard bargain... How about we give you California as well. All the gold mines - not to mention the baywatch cast... All them starlets Gringo..." A: "Hmmm..." M: "Tell you what Gringo... We'll even throw in New Mexico just in case you ever want to blow something up, or set fire to something that doesn't matter much." A: "ALL the starlets?" M: "Sure t'ing Gringo." A: "How'll we get it past the Texans?" M: "Don't worry Gringo.... We just do it... And in a few years the Texans'll THINK it was their idea and take the credit for it anyway.... Go on Gringo... Think of the gold, the silver, the starlets, the stuff you can blow up." A: "OK... As long as they don't catch on." M: " Don't worry Gringo... I know Texans." And there we have it. I'll leave it to "yo'all" to judge whether the foregoing is believable & accurate. Mike D10270.

Whuffo we care what Steven Sonderberg thinks? Bjorn Borg is obviously a man of great integrity whose future in politics is now assured... Although I understand that almost all politicians say something very similar, Borg's real stroke of genius was to insert the word "for" in his statement. Mike D10270.

Actually... No it's not... I just wanted to wind 'Sis up. I'm really "on the mooch" for images. Does anyone out there have good quality pics of dual deployments (square on square). Ideally a side/side, biplane, & downplane. Even better if someone has these from the parachutists point of view!! If anyone does have these, can you e-mail them to me please? Thanx in advance, Mike D10270.

Hi Wes, Yes, PISA does have a website... Well, sort of!? Their website is really aimed at military customers!! So... If your interest is in landing the SA knockoff of the Dassault Mirage, or delivering a battalion of paratroopers to take over a small nation then this is the site for you. If on the other hand (as I suspect) you want to talk sport products and you're looking for something a bit brighter than Olive Green in your rig's colour scheme then you can contact them at: Parachute Industries of Southern Africa (PTY) Ltd. P.O. Box 1616, Verulam, 4340, RSA. Tel: +27 32 533 0333 Fax: +27 32 533 0262 E-mail: pisakzn@icon.co.za Hope this helps, Mike D10270.

Hi there, Expect to do a "clear & pull" and a "half series, turn & track" to get back into the groove. I'd expect these not to be at student rate but done for the cost of the jump tickets. Even if your DZ just tells you to start jumping again (without restrictions), I'd still suggest you make these your first 2 jumps just so you know you can still do it! Next... Get some RW coach jumps (Sky-U or WARP) as the foundation for jumping with others. Mike D10270.

Hey Kingy... Still out there! I assume that all those irate mommys & daddys haven't caught up with you. Is that why you're now posting as anonymous? Are you hoping to become the "D.B. Cooper" of skydiving into day care centres? Just remind me... What nationality are you? (it's been a while) I tried making a small constructive criticism of our South African friends a while back but no-one bit! Mike D10270.

HI Boy, Thanx for the info... I always assumed Texans had loads of guns, maybe even more guns than swiming pools. Remember "Dallas", the '80s soap opera? Well, I heard that the shoulder pads they all wore weren't actually a fashion accessory, they were comfort pads developed by Texans to ease the problems of carrying LAWs in shoulder holsters! As for the War of Northern Aggression... wasn't Texas the downmarket end of Mexico when that was going on? Mike D10270.

Hi There, I must admit that I followed the posts about the Georgia DZs with some interest but felt I couldn't contribute 'cos the only thing I know about Georgia was from watching the movie "In The Heat Of The Night". You know, the one where the heroic uniformed cop (played by Marlon Brando) was all set to solve the crime in five minutes flat... Only to be frustrated and upset at every turn by the slimy detective (Sidney Poitier)!!! Anyway, from watching that film, I was under the impression that they didn't skydive in Georgia 'cos they didn't have any airports.... Only railway stations!? Apart from that I understood that Georgia was much like Texas, only without the pollution... And of course, fewer guns!? Mike D10270.

Hi there, Yes this was a true incident... Happened a few years back. I'm pretty sure the "rescue" - fly in & pull reserve was done by the cameraman. Anyway, I'm pretty sure it was reconstructed by Leo & Mandy Dickinson and I think it's on their "Dead Men's Tales" video - but I'm not 100% sure. Mike D10270.

What about Headcorn? - About half-way to Dover from where you are. Mike D10270.

Hi Frank, I'm with you (sort of). I'm running a Long Wheelbase Landrover which I've had a couple of years. It's a 1971 model, right on the change between Series IIA & Series III (so parts for it can sometimes be a pain - but that's part of the fun

Hi Skreamer, Yeah... Netheravon is good... BIG DZ, good 'planes, great facilities REALLY NICE RIGGING SERVICES (& if you ever need some scaffolding for a building project, I doubt they'd miss it much). Only catch is that it's weekends only for civvies. Where do you stay? Netheravon is a bit in the middle of nowhere (unless you're a professional tank driver or AAC pilot). Mike D10270.