JohnMitchell

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Everything posted by JohnMitchell

  1. JohnMitchell
    There ya go. It's no fun if you get killed. I'm with you on that.
  2. JohnMitchell
    The pulled cutaway handle was funny. Why not hang out and finish the skydive? More dangerous to leave early and hang your reserve out super high.
  3. JohnMitchell
    There have been days where I've suspected we'd have a short spot due to high winds. I told the first TI on the bench that if the green light came on early, I was gonna be slow in the door. I took about an extra 5-6 seconds before we climbed out. Even so, some of the light ladies on our load barely made it to the DZ. Everyone was cool with it since they had been forewarned. Unfortunately you can't always predict when the light will come on too early. I've gone short and long and landed out, once with an AFF student. The occasional mistake I can forgive, but I give the pilot feedback so he can adjust his jump run. If the pilot is okay with people landing out, he needs to review his job definition.
  4. JohnMitchell
    So. let's see, with stilettos, hmm, 6' tall? Impressive.
  5. JohnMitchell
    That is true, but it's so much easier to jump when you're younger and in better shape. And if it turns out he wants to be a skydiver, think of all those wasted years not jumping. I can't point too many fingers, though. When I got married I sold my motorcycles and still have not base jumped. Those are my limits.
  6. JohnMitchell
    It's your business. Run it how you like. In America, I think we'd expect service with a smile. In France, I'd expect what you did.
  7. JohnMitchell
    People are notoriously bad at being able to accurately assess risk. This is a prime example. Word. I know very few skydivers that have been killed in car wrecks. But maybe we're just really good drivers.
  8. JohnMitchell
    Sounds the most likely.
  9. JohnMitchell
    Chess, that's that game where the horsey moves funny, right? It's a cool game. I'm definitely an unschooled novice.
  10. JohnMitchell
    Alternate beer-water-beer-water. But the best conversations are often a little slurred, aren't they?
  11. JohnMitchell
    It's unrealistic to expect that. We become friends with people. We're gonna miss them when they're gone. Fatalities are terrible things and almost always preventable. Prevention is what keeps me working so hard as an instructor. Some people, unfortunately, don't want to be helped. Stubborn. No worries. Somehow there always seems to be plenty to drink at jumpers' funerals. Trust me on this one.
  12. JohnMitchell
    A sort of Stockholm syndrome! No, because in the Stockholm Syndrome the victim is held securely. Obviously not the case here.
  13. JohnMitchell
    Ah, gotcha, neatness counts. I'm a more mechanical person, not artistic like some. For me it's "Do it right so it comes out right." I think we would work well together.
  14. JohnMitchell
    I'm glad to see at least that punishment. We've all come across instructors with no regard for anyone but themselves. Maybe this threat of monetary punishment will finally motivate them to do the job correctly.
  15. JohnMitchell
    Oh what do you know? Your profile says you only have one jump. That was sarcasm, that was sarcasm! Thanks for the backup, you and Twardo, on the harness thing. People just don't want to believe it can happen.
  16. JohnMitchell
    Yep, the parent in the middle, right? Agree with Dave that you can dislike someone's actions and still love the person. Not everyone is like that, though, and too many people let hate and prejudice crowd their life. Their loss.
  17. JohnMitchell
    DC-3's are loaded with charm and character, and have a beauty from a bygone age, but the slow climb rate and little door make it, for me, far from my favorite jumpship. I do have a ton of fond memories from many DC-3 jumps, though.
  18. JohnMitchell
    C-130 for fixed wing. MI-8 for helo. Probably say Chinook if I had ever jumped out of one of those.
  19. JohnMitchell
    Could we stir up Packerboy again?
  20. JohnMitchell
    I don't know what you've been thru. A lot of people experience things that no human being should have to endure. But, yes, there's always someone who's had it worse, and there are some inspiring stories of people who have survived and thrived. It sounds like you're healing and coming out of where ever you've been. Welcome back, stick around, maybe talk to someone if you need to, okay?
  21. JohnMitchell
    You won't lessen its life, but you'll use it up sooner. Unfortunately most of us have car-centric lives where we must drive everywhere. It's 12 miles to my job. I purposely live at least that close and wish I had bought closer. It used to be about 10 miles to the DZ until they moved to a new location. After I quit working I plan to move to be closer to the DZ. I don't mind driving, but it's a tremendous waste of time and $$.
  22. JohnMitchell
    I have a lot of respect for your opinions. But there are a lot of generously sized booties out there today and I like having the Y-strap for them. I took a Rubenesque young women just this weekend and used the Y-strap for my piece of mind. My hyper flexible wife Vskydiver fell out of her own harness after a hard opening, literally hanging by her knees from her legstraps at 2500 feet. She climbed back up into her harness to survive. She will NOT jump a rig without a cross connector between the leg straps. And, no, she's not fat.
  23. JohnMitchell
    Not sure what that is. Please enlighten.
  24. JohnMitchell
    comments and author removed. . .
  25. JohnMitchell
    Congrats. I need to do that some day. Hope you got some pics.