rgoper

_________________________________________________ well any ideas on how to get rid of this fear inside of me??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- there ain't but one way, ya gotta get back on the horse that threw ya! i've had scary shit happen to me to, the cranium likes to try and play mind games with you. i just learned to ignore it. just last weekend, i had this wicked mal on my first jump of the day, i'm headdown, arch out at 5K do a 360, look around for traffic, as we had two fromations go out before me, and ya know ya can't be watching the ground when your headdown, but anywho, 3K, i pitch, line twist from HELL, all the way down to my risers, i kicked out of that, the whole time the canopy, a triathlon 170 is spininning vicously in a counterclockwise motion. i was freaking, i'm thinking, why me? first jump of the day, f**k! got rid of the twist, and the canopy is still in this violent spin, i'm horizontal to the earth, alt check, 2100', decision time, i looked up one more time, i'm inflated, no line over, no end cell closure, what the f**k? so i made the decision to unstow my brakes, then the canopy started flying correctly. i thought, thank you jesus! after getting back to the packing area, i asked one of my old jump masters (super sharp dude) derek, what could have caused it. we traced out the steering lines to the corner on each side, and the line on the left side had about 1500 twists in it, making it shorter than the right side, which had twists as well. this canopy had been telling me there was something wrong for a long time, i just ignored it, it had been opening off heading, and in a slight counterclockwise spin, and yet i chose to ignore it. new rule, check for steering line twist after each jump! so i know how you feel, i was tempted to go home, because i felt i wasn't mentally prepared to jump anymore. but i stayed, and i'm glad i did, i had four more wonderful sky dives! Blue Skies! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

no second thoughts, go for the silver! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

the other week at my home dz in waller, texas, i was under canopy around 1500 agl. all of the sudden i hear another skydiver, who was above me, and over my left shoulder screaming obscentities at me, he had to do a hard left turn with his left front riser to avoid colliding with me. i was pissed! this particular skydiver was also wearing a camera helmet. when we got back to the packing area, he began to scold me, saying that i turned in front of him and it was my fault that we almost collided. i said "let's review the camera my man" (i knew i was underneath him) i told him, if it was bad as he said it was, then surely, me and my canopy would be in his viewfinder. sure enough, we reviewed it twice, i was no where to be found. i guess my question is this (and i already know the answer to it) who has the right of way under canopy? and which sky diver is responsable for avoiding collision under this circumstance? this particular sky diver looked like someone slapped his mother when i wasn't in his viewfinder. when he yelled, and started cursing me while we were under canopy, as i said, he was above me, and to my left. his parting remark was "head on a swivel, all the time" the whole incident really chapped my ass though. am i wrong on this one? Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

i'm with ya on this one bro' i'm a p.e. by trade, not much drilling going on right now. rig count is dropping like an anvil! price of oil down to $16.00-$17.00 a barrel. (as opposed to $35.00 a barrel last year at this time) i'm considering going to the middle east, as much as i hate to, just to go to work, there is none here for my trade. hope everything works out for you. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

yep, kewel movie, but that 4 minute freefall from 4K was a bit missleading! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

yeah jessica: why don't we ban words? then lets ban guns, alcohol, ciggarettes, automobiles, planes, trains.........................................................................................................................................first amendment rights, live by them, die for them, or get the f**k out! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

Damn Straight! case and point right here guys! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

thought for perspective thinking....should we halt manufacturing of inceindary devices ie: cigarette lighters, matches, cutting torches...etc to stop arsonists? should we ban automobiles because drunk drivers kill? should we stop sky diving because a sky diver got inured/killed because his "weapon of coice (parachute) fails?" if we go around banning everything that gets people killed, i guess we shouldn/t build any buildings over 50 stories tall? the whole anti-gun theory is ludicrous at best. when you compare it to deaths vs. war, oh by the way, should we ban wars as well? they kill our children, and the children of others.......... Richard "Gravity Is My Friend" the first amandment speaks dor itself, how any individual tailors it to suit there propaganda is the very basis on which our nation stands "freedom" period.

this is obviously a highly emotional issue in america, you have your pros, and cons. i'm 43 years old, i've carried a weapon(s) all my life. i travel a lot, and some of the places i go, you more than likely wouldn't go out of fear. i go, because i took the CCL course, plus some teclose hours, and i obtained my CCL. i carry everywhere i go, and just like they teach you in the class, it will diminish crime, because criminals don't know who's got them, and who don't. that's the reason for the concealment. which by the way i dissagree with, i think we should be able to have them exposed. that way, there really won't be any doubt in any criminals minds who has them, and who dont. say your in a mall, someones getting mugged, your not bruce lee, and you don't have a firearm? what do you do? throw them to the wolves? most people do, they "don't want to get involved" i raised four children, one now in the military, i've owned all types of hunting rifles, and a few semi-automatic assualt military rifles as well, i don't have on of my kids who can't field strip, and clean a .45, .9mm, .223 ar-15, .308 H&K 91 A-2, i taught them this, and to shoot as well, to prevent them any injury. for those who strongly oppose the first right ammenment right to have and bear arms, i don't know what to say, it's almost like having your freedom of speech removed, which, by the way, can be just as deadly as any bullet traveling at 3820 fps. gun manufacturers are coming up with new ideas every day to prevent handguns and firearms of all types to be rendered useless, unless authorized either by gun locks, trigger locks, and i understand there working on a fingerprint mechanism that will not let anyone other than the authorized owner to activate the weapon. if we do not let this law stand, only criminals will be armed, then what?? sobering thought, yet provacative. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend" So Is Kevlar!

no, not all alcholics go to meetings. i'm an alcholic, and i don't go to meetings. once an alcholic, always an alcholic. i'll be in recovery for the rest of my life. i haven't drank in over 7 years, and i (personal view/opinion) don't think that beverages of this type and nature should be banned from dz's. i know i'm gonna catch some heat for that, but that's my opinion, that's all. (and i should be allowed that, shouldn't i?) Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

sometimes, just a force of habit, nothing more, nothing less. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

congrats! take care, get well soon, and you'll be flying the friendly skies again! good luck. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

i'm not going to belabor the point. but i'm dissmayed at your response. this jumper asked a legitimate question. and all we can do for him/her is associate our sport with alcholism, and beer drinking. sorry we've degraded to that point. Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

just a notaton, out of 44 views, i am the only one to respond to this one. are we In denial? Just A Thought. Blue Skies, Black Death Richard "Gravity is My Friend"

what do you mean by a "beer board?" If There Are Folks At Your DZ Who Inforce the FAA Rule Of No Open Container On The Drop Zone UntilThe Sunset Load, Trust Me, There Doing The Right Thing. The FAA Emphasizes No Open Containers On The Drop Zones During Jumping Hours. (USPA Afilliated Drop Zones Anyway) They Even Require That A Sign Be Posted Stating There REGS. Think About It, Do You Want To "Jump, And Drink?" Or Jump With Others Who Have Been Drinking? Do You Think It Really Goes On? Sobering Questions, For A Sober Sport, Until The Sunset Load! Our DZO Will Announce Over The P.A. When To Start Cracking Tops. Stay Sober While Jumping, Don't Jump With Anyone Who Has Been Drinking, And Stay Safe! Blue Skies, Black Death! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

hey, if you don't wan't to pack there rigs, there is nothing in the sky diving book of rules that says you have to. i don't pack my own rig, although i can assure you i can, and do from time to time. it's really no big deal. a lot of people i jump with let the dz packers do it for them, so we can socialize, and review video while were waiting on the next load. to have to jump, and pack, and try to make 8-10 jumps a day, in my opinion, that takes the fun out of it. for those that do pack there own rigs, kewel. but you shouldn't be angry about it. we have a couple of packers at our dz that were packing before they started jumping, they learned to packed, packed through the summer, now there on student status. just a thought, have you ever thought that a lot of sky divers let packers do it to help them out? by the way, i tip my packers, i don't know about everybody else. if we go by what your saying, i guess we shouldn't eat at resturants? or have our cars serviced at a dealership? lighten up my man, it's all good! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

clintondorf: You Do That, Visit Your Closest D.Z. But Remember, Experienced Sky Divers Don't Cotton To Being Asked Dumb-Assed Questions Like You Ask. You Wanna Sky Dive? You Wanna Do Research? Go To Your Local D.Z. Sign Up, Forget The Money Excuses, And Get On With It, I Humoured You With Your Forst Question, Fun Time Over. It Is Better To Remain Silent, Than To Speak And Remove All Doubt. Cut It The Fuck Out! Richard "Gravity Is My Friend"

and open me a fu****g beer!

man, your a pain, made me go get my log book! first jump, sky dive spaceland, oct. 17th 2000, next jump will be 226. i love freeflying! i have done maybe 25 rw dives, no CRW. gotta get a camera! Blue Skies, Hot Days! Richard Gravity Is My Friend how many you got?

Damn Cyber: what brought all that on? everything's kewel! pre-jump anxiety i'm sure. have fun, be safe, i know you will! Blue Skies, Hot Days! Richard Gravity Is My Friend

slappie: ya'll have fun, and be safe out there this weekend, hope ya'll achieve all your objectives in a safe manner. good luck, have fun. be sure to post the good time! Blue Skies, Hot Days! Richard Gravity Is My Friend

jabelin: for me it's three things. 1)Never get on load 13 2)I will NOT jump witout my st. christopher necklace on 3)I ALWAYS say the apostles creed on the ride up, every time for me that's about it! Regards: Richard Gravity Is My Firend

Alex: if your not sure what a rig weighs, that tells me that maybe you might not have a handle on wing loading either, you've been provided a good chart here for fall rate, that should get you started there. but do some research into wing loading, if you haven't already. take care, be safe! Richard Gravity Is My Firend

this is a most unfortunate incident, one which could have caused a chain of further unsavory incidents. plan your dive, dive your plan! NEVER jump with someone your not comfortable with, or with people who have reputations for pulling shit like this. i'm glad the jumper wasn't injured, but if someone pulled this stunt on me, my reaction would have been negative, and physical, directly after landing, and getting out of my gear! an aff jumpmaster certainly should have known better, sounds like an incident for the dzo, and s&ta to review. Blue Skies: Richard Gravity Is My Friend

as with ALL mals, we must go back to the "root cause" after investigation is done, so we can learn from it. i know of too many sky divers that have been either injured or killed jumping borrowed equipment. if you must jump borrowed equipment, do youself a favor, unpack the thing, prior to jumping it to see what's inside for yourself! beats the hell out of the alternative, and it take 20 mins. tops! Blue Skies: Richard Gravity Is My Friend