Foggy

Hi Ed essentially the USPA Coach can teach the generic portions of the first jump course, i.e., equipment and canopy control. They can also teach the freefall portions of categories F thru H (ISP basic freefall skills). All under the supervision of an instructor. They can also introduce basic group freefall skills (you can download the details in the IRM essentials in pdf format on the USPA website as well as the SIM). Also consider that you only need a B license and 100 jumps and there are only two in air eval jumps. There is no requirement for 4-way knowledge although I am sure it would be helpful Foggy D21109

Anybody catch this on Bravo? I think it has potential. The US version of Fawlty Towers just plain sucked but this has the same awkward balance of being funny and making you cringe at the same time. Different actors (obviously) but the same set. Foggy

if you have a car and are prepared to drive for about 30 mins, there is a "casino" with motel at Lake Elsinore. Its a little basic but clean and the skydiver rate was around $35 last November. It compares with the Days Inn which is around $70. Foggy

I had a buddy in a similar position (45 jumps, 3 year break) and took him to Eloy (am also a brit in exile in Ohio). He had his BPA license and logbook. He did the entire ground school, a 2JM L1, L3 release then went on to single JM L4, 5. After demonstrating stability recovery he was released into the coaching program. A 7 year layoff is not something to be taken lightly. In his favour will be the ability to "get back on the bike". Ultimately it is at the discretion of the DZ and instructors he works with. Foggy D21109

I teach students to throw away each handle in turn. This helps the stripping of the cutaway cables before a reserve pull. Handles can be replaced. They cannot. Foggy D21109

Hi Eric been doing the field service engineer thing for the past 14 years working on scientific instrumentation. Disadvantages: Isolated from corporate HQ (my boss fired me over the phone last Sept! just got rehired by a competitor in the same field). Advantages: Isolated from corporate HQ Minimises office "politics". I am actually rarely in my home office so I find I work longer hours due to travel, working on a customer site then doing paperwork after regular office hours. It requires self discipline to stay on top of the mundane admin, expenses etc. Having said that, I enjoy the independence from the whole cubicle thing.

Heard he is back in Columbus. Hope he is doing well and will someone pass on my wishes for a speedy recovery. Foggy p.s stick to pull offs on the golf cart dude

We tried to get it so you could see it next weekend.....didn't work out though... we were sharing ski and snow boarding tips at Safety Day yesterday So I think it will take some powerful persuading to get "34" and Mark V. back up here before July. Foggy

Short answer - nope. I have a Ti plate holding my fibula together (1997) and another supporting the fusion of my C5,6 and 7 (2001). I fly 3-4 times a month for work and have yet to set off the detector. Have had a minor squeak out of a hand wand but think thats the stainless screws in the leg plate. Long answer is down to those more qualified than I in mettalurgy/ physics but essentially the detectors emit a magnetic field and are looking for displacements in that field caused by ferro-magnetic objects, i.e. containing iron. titanium is not ferro-magnetic. Asleep yet? Foggy p.s.I can also confirm that the foil on a condom does set it off

I think these contradict each other a little. Perhaps land safe, not close would be a better description. Landing Priorities: 1. Keep the wing level for landing. 2. Land in an open area avoiding obstacles. 3. Flare to at least half brakes for landing. Foggy D21109

In his autobiography (The Long Lonely Leap), he describes the series of jumps that led to Excelsior III in detail, including the transcript of a tape recording he made. The drogue was deployed by a timer 16s after exiting the gondola. A fascinating book by the way

IIRC Joseph Kittinger still holds the record at 102,800ft set in 1960 as part of Project Excelsior. There has been plenty debate about the freefall vs droguefall aspect but no-one has even come close regardless. There have been a few attempts in recent years but none seem to have got off the ground (pun intended), including Cheryl Stearns, Rodd Milner and "Tom Read" (Nish). Mostly lack of funding I guess. Foggy D21109

Would Steve Murphy be one of the instructors? If so, give him a slap for me Foggy D21109

Patience young Jedi . I am reluctant to tell my students about DZ.com until they have approx.500 jumps or so as there is a potential for information overload . As a student skydiver, your best source of information is your instructor. This website is a good resource but there is no real way to differentiate the well intended advice from what you really need to know. i believe Tom B. mentioned a couple of books. Probably a better source of information for you at this time. As for your concern about exit technique, ever stuck your hand out of the car window at 54.5mph? Most jump aircraft are doing about 90mph across the ground so the relative airflow is actually parallel to the ground (known as relative wind) so the exit is planned to get best presentation into that airflow. Your instructors will teach you the best way to do that according to the type of skydive you are doing, (Tandem, AFF or Static line). I have seen you posting other queries so I have an analogy for you. If you had a medical issue, you could research online but actual concerns would be better addressed with a trained medical professional Don't pull low (unless you are!) Foggy

IIRC correctly the main is also subject to the same repack cycle as the reserve in the US (120 days, FAR 105.43) Lets be careful out there Foggy

been over here since 93 and get the occasional bout of homesickness. Found one cure is to cook a chicken curry while imbibing a Boddies and watching either Blackadder or an early Red Dwarf. My new job requires me to relocate to Indianapolis so not sure what to do if I get homesick for Ohio Foggy Don't pull low (unless you are!)

Not sure about that. My right arm was at 50% paralysis before surgery (due to a hard opening) and degrading due to pressure on the nerve root from disc compression and the stenosis of my C7. I recovered to 100%. I do recommend talking to your surgeon and getting professional second (and third) opinions. Perhaps NeurosurgeonsDotCom Foggy

Hi Wally had discectomy and cervical fusion of my C5,6 and 7 in April 2001. The discs came from a cadaver in the bone bank. My surgeon explained that they would be close to the shape they needed and my recovery would be faster than with very sore hips. Not sure if tissue rejection is an issue with bone material. They added a titanium plate because of both discs being done. Being a smoker slows down the fusion process (I am non smoker) so they may add a plate. I was not allowed to lift anything heavier than 20lbs for about 5-6 months then started rehab. Take your time getting back into things. I have done about 1000 jumps post surgery Foggy

Do Not Pull Low!! (unless you are)

In 4-way, team Ground Prep (Ohio State) tied for 9th with just a tad over a 5pt avge. Experience was 110 jumps through 320 and they had nine practise jumps together. They worked very hard after club meetings doing random draws, dirt diving and creeping the sequence, hence the team name

Nothing is impossible Only took me 15 years and 1100 jumps but then again I had not made any bets. Seriously, I would re-consider your motivation. What did you admire most about your instructors as a student? The aerial skills are key but not the only component. Ground instruction is something I feel needs more attention. Kim Brandt wrote in her AFF pre-course guide that the ground preparation is "the recipe for the meal you are about to eat in freefall", applies to real world more so. How are your canopy skills? Can you teach those same skills? I know that I have problems teaching more than the basic pattern and approach in the FJC. I have done the Scott Miller thing three times now. The first two for me and the last to observe how he teaches. As for the birdman and tunnel time comments, 6 hours of freefall time is a pre-requisite just to attend the course so lots of birdman jumps will get that quicker but that time would be better spent flying with evaluators, doing 2-way belly with low timers and even 4-way. Tunnel time does not count but again it can be used to good effect for practising side-slides, rollovers spin stops and bottom end sequences. Talk to your local instructors and as for betting, I put my money on a White Christmas Foggy

Thanks. I flew out just before the storm hit and got back half an hour ago (10.30pm) extremely happy that my power was back on. Took me 40 mins to defrost and dig out the car from the airport lot. The interview went well, the only snag is that they want me to relocate to Connecticut (about 15% higher cost of living) and their best salary offer is about $15k less than I was earning before my layoff!! Wah wah wah wah Anyhow, have to pack a bag for Collegiates. Be good Foggy

IIRC this incident was 12+ years ago at Sibson in the UK, i.e. prior to an AAD being mandatory on tandem gear. The videographer was Ronnie O'Brian who was also a TI and I believe he pulled the reserve as the drogue was around the TI's neck causing him to lose consciousness. Once under the reserve, he recovered and landed normally. The passenger was totally unaware. Foggy

Not sure if I can make it. I got a call from a guy yesterday who wants to hire me so I flew out to Rhode Island today for an interview tomorrow. Only a 45min delay due to the snow then 61deg at my connection in Baltimore. Foggy

To be more specific in the case of Cypres. Remember when you turned it on? it is going to shut off 14 hours later. Just in case you were up bright and early for the first load at say 7am then the night load taking off at 9.01pm. So better just to turn it off and cycle through the power up procedure. As for the whistle. proved to be useful for a friend of mine. Cell phone would be nice. One person on the ground appointed to check in the load and one person in each group appointed to account for their group (buddy-buddy system). Lay your gear down then check-in before packing. Be nice to appoint a "load master" in the aircraft to assist the less experienced with their exit timing. All breakoff and opening altitudes upped by a minimum of 500ft. Be confident in your current canopy and suggest at least a couple of jumps at that location that day on that canopy. Sounds like a no-brainer to say no downsize but would not recommend upsizing either unless you have landed it the same day. Be aware that the oxygen density changes for night flying. Have no specifics but hypoxia can be a greater risk above 10,000msl than in daylight. Maybe an aviation specialist can be more specific. Foggy