diverdriver

Uh jtval, you don't pack a main in a "free bag". If you do, this sport has GOT to be WAY expensive for you. The ATTACHED bag that you use on your main is called a "D-bag". Hope that helps. Chris Schindler D-19012 ATP www.DiverDriver.com

Renee and I (DiverDriver) will be there. All should stop by the TF (red packing mats) area if we haven't already met you. And if we've already met you then come see us again! Chris Schindler

According to some people here it would be cuz it would be mental cheating.

So a groom's friends take him out for a "last night out" and get him a stripper. Traditional. This stripper rubs all over him. Is that cheating? According to most of you all's definitions it is. And I know one or two skydivers who's parties MAY have had a stripper or two........er three. Chris

Oh yah....that's right. Forgot that. Chris

We used a quarter stick of dynamite one time to blow the door off the trailor of the jurks keeping everyone up. It didn't even phase them at 7am. JURKS. It was still funny and felt good even if they didn't wake up.

Wow....if people are wondering though....this is NOT the video from SDC that I was describing a few weeks ago. That video is a much lower cutaway. Chris Schindler

I think that's speculation at this time. More info is needed. We don't know if it was a mechanical failure, pilot error, or weather related. Does anyone know if Belgium puts their transportation accidents in reports like the NTSB? Chris Schindler http://www.DiverDriver.com

I know what you mean. Chris

Any links to a news article in English? Chris

People are very lucky to have you as a friend and watching out for them! DD P~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here is the NTSB report on this accident: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20020606X00825&key=1 Chris Schindler ATP D-19012 www.DiverDriver.com

I will remember to not look at any attachment you post again.......Yick!

More info needed. This is put together from deduction. The aircraft is registered to: SKYDIVIN PLACE INC. The FAA report is: IDENTIFICATION Regis#: 2555G Make/Model: C182 Description: 182, Skylane Date: 06/02/2002 Time: 2000 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N Damage: Unknown LOCATION City: GERMANY TOWNSHIP State: PA Country: US DESCRIPTION ACFT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WHEN IT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND AND NOSE-DIVED INTO THE GROUND, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN, GERMANY TOWNSHIP, PA. INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0 # Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk: WEATHER: METAR FDK 022003Z AUTO 31013G20KT 10SM CLR 29/08 A2976 OTHER DATA Activity: Pleasure Phase: Approach Operation: General Aviation Departed: UNKN Dep Date: Dep. Time: Destination: UNKN Flt Plan: NONE Wx Briefing: U Last Radio Cont: UNKN Last Clearance: UNKN Chris Schindler ATP D-19012 www.DiverDriver.com

Seatbelts Fastened. Helmets (including camera helmets) ON, clipped or fastened. No yelling on take off. Let the pilot concentrate. Chris Schindler www.DiverDriver.com

So true. Very good post. You hit the nail squarely on the head. Forums like this do much good and are a resource to many jumpers. I imagine that more than one life has been saved by information that was passed on here. Problem is that not everyone reads here. Some can't. It's a tough question about what more can be done. But.....we are all adults. We all signed the waiver saying we were taking personal responsibility for our own actions and decisions. Each and every skydiver MUST seek out the information that will keep them safe. We can't say "We didn't know it was so dangerous." Man....look at history. When I joined skydiving in 1995 people were screaming about jumpers hooking themselves into the ground. That was 7 years ago. Much has been written, published, and broadcast about canopy flight. If you don't have information on how to fly canopies then you didn't try to find it. Plain and simple. "We don't make new mistakes in aviation (skydiving included). We only repeat the old ones." Chris Schindler

Yes......A loud, horiffic, THUD!!!!

If you are at a "non-towered" airport (as most DZs are) there is NO requirement for gliders to have radios on board and listen to any broadcast that the jump plane may have. That goes for all other General Aviation ops at non-towered airports. They don't have to listen or talk to anyone. Flying skydivers in the US is the ONLY VFR activity that is required by FARs to talk to ATC and be radar identified in controlled airspace. Everyone else is allowed to do whatever they want pretty much. Now, if an accident occurs then they might postumously be labelled as the culprit in the accident but what good does that do when your skydiving buddy is already dead? Think about it if you jump at a DZ with much other GA activity. Glider activity or not. Chris Schindler ATP D-19012 www.DiverDriver.com

I'll remember this omission in my Christmas Card list. LOL. DiverDriver

Oh man Marc, after all that has happened this past two weeks what could possibly have happened now? I can only imagine. You know where to find us if you want to hang. We're here for yah. Chris

Skreamer...I took no offense. Sometimes the correcting of a post can bring more attention to the issue/topic and will be highlighted in the minds of others. In about two weeks time in the US I know of two BASE fatalities maybe three and 5 skydiving fatalities. Heads up out there. Chris

Uh, a week and a half ago a jumper at SDC went in with nothing out and a Cypres most likely off. There are other things out there. Chris

Safety Day should be every day. You think gravity takes a day off? That other days are somehow different after this weekend? I know what you are saying. You want to redouble your personal efforts to make yourself safe. But you really need to do this all the time. Not just last weekend. Not just this weekend. ALL weekends. Everyday you jump. And even days you don't jump you can still go to the DZ and learn something. Not a flame.....just a perspective adjustment maybe. Chris

Team Funnel did a memorial jump this past weekend. 22 plus camera. 23. It built....not exactly as we planned...but it still looked pretty cool. Was real nice getting in the air with an all TF group and filling an otter. Wasn't that long ago that these were the "low timers" at SDC. My....how they've grown. And...I've been waiting for the official write up but I can wait any longer.......TF raised 5,300+ for Make A Wish Foundation to sponsor a child and grant their wish. For those not familiar with MWF they grant sick children their wishes to make their life a little more enjoyable during their illness. The cost of an average wish is 4,600 bucks and that was our goal. 950 dollars were raised by threatening to have TF males jump in bikinis. People could donate to "Make it happen" or "Gawd, please no...don't let it happen". Fortunate for the skydiving community the "don't let it happens" won. It was the charity of choice of one of our fallen TF members and thanks to Bill Homer TF #1 we were able to support that charity. Bill....my hats off to you. You organized, pushed, and challenged all to make this happen. You are an inspiration to all skydivers. Blue skies. I don't know if the video you saw was from our jump. It was just fun to be there. Chris Schindler

Excuse me Andy but have seen the video? You don't know if he could fly through the opening. Maybe no one could. Ok...it was a very fast snap and then he was on his back. I believe the twisted steering line had a lot to do with it. I believe the lesson here is not how to fly your body through deployment (yes, it's important sometimes) but rather starting emergency procedures at a proper altitude. As for what he should have been able to do......well...it didn't happen that way. Chris