JohnMitchell

I still just use a visual altimeter. I've used audibles in the past, but, like you said, they seem to fail from time to time. Don't rely on any one thing too much. You should know when you've been in freefall too long.

For years we went and cut a fresh tree here in WA state. And they would suck up a quart or more of water daily. We had some that we hauled out of the house 3-4 weeks later that were still in great shape. One year we had one the didn't take up water. Shock, bad tree, I don't know? But it was dry and brittle in a week. I was scared to death of that tree catching on fire. Took it outside right after Christmas; no keeping it around to New Year's. We had a nice bonfire pit in the back yard and would burn the dried out trees in the spring. Wow, there is no way you'd want one of those to burn up in your house. I think the problem is you discussed something logical with French people. Of course they are going to argue with you.

Squeak and Karen were staying with us and went to our local butcher with us. They were amazed at the relatively low prices there.

I heard this case has everyone stumped.

Think of professional aerobatic pilots, such as the Blue Angels, flying in tight formation. From a distance, it looks like they are motionless relative to each other, as if locked in stone. But a cockpit video shows that the aircraft are constantly moving relative to each other, with the pilots making constant micro corrections to stay only a few feet apart. Same with staying relative to someone. It's a constant feedback loop of eye-body coordination. At your experience level, you don't perceive the change in fall rate and respond as quickly as someone with more experience. With more jumps (and maybe good visualization practice) you'll improve your perception and speed up your reactions to the point that your corrections will be almost imperceptible, just like the Blue Angels. Another piece of the puzzle is that you will get better at nailing a "target" fall rate the group is using and then continuing that speed, regardless of what maneuvers you're doing. The other day I was on a coach jump, doing two way drills, and was having a helluva time matching the student's fall rate. During the debrief he told me "I was experimenting with different fall rates the whole time." No wonder I couldn't target the "right" speed. I told him that when doing RW, try to nail a steady fall rate, matching the other person.

You're thinking too hard. Falling is fun. It's all part of what we do. Breathe, smile, arch, embrace the suck, don't worry about falling. It's what you were meant to do. You belong in the sky. Go there. It's okay.

Ya know, she lives about two hours North of me, and I haven't heard from that gal for a while.

Here's gotta be the best song. . . http://www.pandora.com/bloodhound-gang/hooray-for-boobies/lap-dance-is-so-much-better-when-stripper-is-crying

You and me both. It involved a person who may or may not have been a meteorologist. And a girl with a new boyfriend, right?

I know how that feels . . . fantastic. I'm now retired but I sure miss my old job. Well, we miss you too.

Good to hear. Welcome back.

That reminds me of a joke.

Si, Senor!

But if you're going to take another human being on a parachute jump, there is a certain level of ability that MUST be attained first. There's always "learning on the job", even for the most experienced jumper. But the gross mistakes of the inexperienced should not be played out with paying passengers.

Just stumbled across these fine words of praise. Would you like a job as my PR guy? Ain't nothin' cuddling about a bad tandem landing, right? And I ain't that cute, neither. I just look good standing next to Vskydiver. I have all my students practice holding their feet up while above 2000'. Plenty of time to coach them as to exactly how I want it to look and plenty of time to make a game plan if they are physically challenged by the task. Surprisingly, even the 70+ yo grandmas seem to have little trouble holding their feet up sufficiently.

How old is the gear? I don't think I'd want too many of my old rigs back. The new stuff is better.

I just read a New Yorker magazine review that said much of the dialogue was drowned out by the music soundtrack. V and I were watching a movie the other night with that same flaw. Irritating as heck.

Happy birthday. Gonna use the pumper truck to blow out your candles?

Hey, David Janssen spent 5 years chasing a one-armed killer in the TV show The Fugitive. This could take, oh I don't know, 20 years?

DAMN ! i'm jealous if i had a bucket list. those two along with a b-17 would be it It's funny, but I had lusted after the Turbine DC-3 ever since seeing one the Forest Service owned. When I finally jumped out of one was during a 2 week boogie in Thailand, jumping from the C-130s everyday, so it was a little anti-climactic.

I'm afraid to. I heard some were porn. OMG, so now all the parents are saddled with these little monotone babies, ack.

Damn, but from a Darwinian point of view . . . Hanging onto his virginity like that? I dunno, did he seem half a bubble off to you? I can't imagine wanting to do that. Women are just too . . . ahhhh, everything.

Exactly. My wife has jumped with many friends and family going with me on a tandem. And she is an extremely good tandem swooper. She would never commit those grevious sins related in an earlier post. Other times I would be taking someone not getting video. My wife would ask if she could come along and fly with them. She would fly up, wave, smile, dock, back off, do a flip or two, come back in and redock. Frankly, the passengers seem to love having their own private air show and something to relate to up there. Never had any complaints.

I remember 3 of us out on the C182 strut, waiting with grips to launch a donut, while the 4th member of our group was behind the pilot's seat, furiously fumbling to release his seat belt.

All good stuff advised above. You don't have to be in great shape to skydive, but being fit and light makes it much easier. Yes, go for strength AND flexibility. I had a muscle-bound AFF student this summer that could just barely reach his deployment handle. See if you can take the class early and then keep reviewing all the parts of it. Get all the stuff, exits, dive flow, emergency procedures, ingrained in your head thru months of repetition. Learn how to pack, and more importantly, how the gear works. Sit in with a rigger repacking a reserve. The more stuff you know deeply, the better you'll do. I still amazed that students get to jump after a 4 hour class. Yes, they usually do well, but their knowledge base is very shallow and fresh.