JohnMitchell

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Everything posted by JohnMitchell

  1. JohnMitchell
    One DZ I've worked at has the maintenance log for all the rigs up on a big board for everyone to see, such as new date, reline date, reserve repacks, etc. Each jump on each canopy is logged and the line sets are replaced in a timely fashion. I like it that way.
  2. JohnMitchell
    I thought it was just over 4k years ago when Satan made the fossils to confuse us.
  3. JohnMitchell
    I think I know what kind of collar you want. Is this for style or function?
  4. JohnMitchell
    A lot of people know Jeff. Great skydiver, always good at a party.
  5. JohnMitchell
    I'd love to hear the details. As fun as those things look, I've long realized it's not something to be taken lightly. There looks to be a lot of single-point failure modes. I'm glad the guy only fell 10'.
  6. JohnMitchell
    As I get older my desire to never again land a round parachute grows and grows. Yes, I have my share of 28' flat, paracommander and 26' lopo rides. I no longer have the knees for that kind of stuff.
  7. JohnMitchell
    Damn interesting! I haven't worked anywhere where the rate approached 1 in 3-400. That's a lot of chops. My last several tandem chops were broken lines and tension knots, nothing I'd blame on pro packing. But certainly food for thought. Hey, TIs, like your openings? Thank your packers.
  8. JohnMitchell
    Damn auto correct! Hey, it's great they're doing such cutting edge research. It should give everyone a hard-on. What a great year in physics. Actually detecting gravity waves. And now working towards a better understanding of dark matter. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the latter. . . What else is out there beyond our primitive senses?
  9. JohnMitchell
    I was wondering that too. Are parachutes used at all? What kind of reentry speeds and aero heating are encountered? Nice google subject for later today. You're right about the approach. And it's so cool to see the vertical, flaming touchdowns, like something out of old 50's science fiction. My hat is off to those magnificent engineers making it happen.
  10. JohnMitchell
    "You don't quit skydiving because you get old. You get old because you quit skydiving." ~ some very wise person. Although I know age will slow me down eventually, I do hope to stay on that middle, moderate path and be jumping for the rest of my life, at least a little. It's been such a great part of my life.
  11. JohnMitchell
    ***I wish the FAA saw things in my old job your way.
  12. JohnMitchell
  13. JohnMitchell
    Why is that, Jimmy? BTW, I remember when we all jumped F-111 7 cells and everyone would shoot accuracy on almost every jump. We got pretty good at landing where we wanted to. Much easier than with today's high performance, flat gliding canopies.
  14. JohnMitchell
    Yeah, same here. I stopped with the diamond wings and haven't really bothered with any of the rest. It's certainly not about the badges, but about the great times, experiences and people, isn't it? Reminds me of the old joke . . . Whuffo: "What do you do when the weather is too bad for jumping?" Skydiver: "I burn a $100 bill, stuff a dirty sock in my mouth, and throw myself down the stairs a couple of times. It feels just like I spent the weekend skydiving."
  15. JohnMitchell
    Wow, a blast from the past. I remember Vskydiver had one of his main canopies with the little flares on the bottom. Seemed to do okay.
  16. JohnMitchell
    I heard those aren't real diamonds!
  17. JohnMitchell
    That rush into commitment is one of the indicators of an abusive partner, I've read. Once again, glad you're out and okay.
  18. JohnMitchell
    I am so glad you're out of that relationship. You made the right move.
  19. JohnMitchell
    Aw, thanks. Yes, out on the West Coast we did a lot of Boeing test flights. Flutter track runs, emergency descents, etc., even boxing the compass. It sure made it interesting some days. I'm sure your test pilots are a professional and good as the Boeing guys. When we meet up, first pitcher's on me.
  20. JohnMitchell
    Do you need it? I've had both done (not because of skydiving) and recovered 110%. Yep, I wondered if anyone felt that way. There was a 70 yo TM who had a heart attack under canopy a few years back, right? Thanks for the input. Some day I'll need to hang it up. I just hope I realize it before the rest of the world does. . .
  21. JohnMitchell
    I thought he was being a using jerk. That's shouldn't be the one. Sure, there is some compromise and work, but if you marry the right person, it's easy to do . . . and well worth it.
  22. JohnMitchell
    Somewhere out there is a guy who's going to be the man you deserve to have. Don't think about the past. Go find your future.
  23. JohnMitchell
    You are so good to Nat. She's lucky to have you.
  24. JohnMitchell
    Sounds like solid B+ work on that jump; you pass. Next jump concentrate a little more, shove the fear back in the corner, and stick that jump. I know how you feel, the desire to jump fighting the fear of leaping from a plane. Keep going. Soon it will be the new normal and your life will be more fantastic than you ever could have imagined.
  25. JohnMitchell
    Yeah, although I knew I wasn't as quick as I was in my 40's, I had the experience in my 50's to see things before they happened. Lot to be said for experience.