Ron

Pilots are required to not fly for 8 hours after drinking. Pilots are also required by law to not allow someone under the influence to fly as a passenger. § 91.17 Alcohol or drugs. (a) No person may act or attempt to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft— (1) Within 8 hours after the consumption of any alcoholic beverage; (2) While under the influence of alcohol; (3) While using any drug that affects the person's faculties in any way contrary to safety; or (4) While having .04 percent by weight or more alcohol in the blood. (You would have to be wasted to have a .04 8 hours later.) (b) Except in an emergency, no pilot of a civil aircraft may allow a person who appears to be intoxicated or who demonstrates by manner or physical indications that the individual is under the influence of drugs (except a medical patient under proper care) to be carried in that aircraft. If you can tell they have been drinking they cannot be flown. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Or maybe we live in a Country where lawsuits are more common? Jumping while drinking is against the law in the US and anyone letting a person jump after even one drink is opening themselves up for a lawsuit. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I did both at the same time. It is expensive to do it that way. I had a certain amount of money available and I had to spread it to two very expensive sports. My budget back then was 5 jumps and one hour of flight a week. There were times I could not fly because I needed that money to jump, and times I could not jump because I needed that money to fly. It can be done. It just requires effort and not allowing yourself to abuse a credit card. The actual lessons didn't hurt each other. Maybe they helped each other since all my life was spent at an airport. But only you know you. Some people need to focus on only one thing. And I can tell you that doing more helps. So two hours a week of flying or 10 jumps a week will let you learn faster. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Most times I just grab another rig and keep moving. That is provided I have people looking and collecting my gear. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Check out clip #2. A buddy of mine at Mayday last mth. I can say that in person....It is much cooler http://www.runryder.com/helicopter/rrTV-Photo/funflies/MayDay2006/ #3 and 8 is one of the best pilots in the US for 3D Heli stuff. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Oh really???? Have I got some stories for you "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Sure it does. You said, "Seems to me that video becomes a valuable training tool when you know enough to be able to put it into context" And I think it can be good to watch videos even if you have no jumps, or very few. If a guy with 1 jump sees people breaking off and tracking on video after video. Then he knows that you have to do that. Even if he does not know HOW, he knows its something he has to do. The best way to stay ionvolved with the sport is to DO it. But if you can't do it....Say cause you are in Iraq. Then the next best thing is to watch videos. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

What if the pilot was also a new pilot? Why does the pilot have to be the ass? I mean, its not like the student jumper could not see the STATIONARY runway that he was crossing. And its not like the student was told not to cross it. I don't tend to blame the new skydiver for making a mistake and being somewhere he should not have been. I also don't automaticly blame the pilot for not seeing a skydiver when he is where is should not be. You are a pilot, so when you are landing you look around right? Did you have that ability to look around while on final when you had 50 hours? 100 hours? Why is it not possible that the pilot was so busy looking at the runway that he didn't see the skydiver? Ya know, just like the skydiver didn't see the runway or the plane. I agree. But here is the thing. The pilots have the upper hand. They have to want to work with us. We have not given them the reason to want to work with us. And by snipping at the pilots that make mistakes will not make them want to play nice....Your story had only one mistake made, and that was the skydivers fault. But you blamed the pilot? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

More training is always better than less training. I can take a video and show a student how things look, and how body movements create action. Seeing is better than just telling. I tend to disagree. I use video all the time with my students both in skydiving and in my real world job as an Instructor. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Not true. Visilization can improve your performance. So can video. Watching video is required by some teams. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

What it all boils down to is this: "I remember one jumper, with his A license and 60 jumps crossing the active runway at approximately 60 feet to land, cutting off a single engine Cessna on final. The Cessna pilot was being a dick and didn’t abort his landing until the very last second" Why is the Cessna pilot a "Dick", but not the skydiver? Pilots for the most part don't like skydivers. Skydivers don't tend to like regular pilots. Both don't like each other, and only one person is going to win. The winner almost every time will be the pilots. DeLand years ago was a DZ in the almost middle of nowhere. Well, now thats not the case. The traffic has grown more and more over the years and high traffic airports and skydiving do not mix. You can claim that the area will lose money if they build the tower. And they might at first. But the dream of the non-skydiving community is to grow into a suburb of Orlando, not a World Class DZ. If the DZ goes, other business will take over that area. They want a Tower so they can get commuter aircraft to fly there more, what the locals see as a higher class business. In the end, at some point, SDD is going to have to move. I don't like that idea, but the increase in traffic will force it at some point anyway, even if the Tower does not. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Bummer, Oh well "Plan B" in effect. I have the donkey, now all I need is a hooker and some blow. This IS NOT going to be pretty "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Oh thats easy...Men. Him and Auqaman. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Agreed 100% The very nature of two people in freefall strapped together, with the need for a PC in tow basicly, and a reserve that may or may not survive a terminal deployment 100%. Makes Tandems much more dangerous than a regular sport jump. The added training and requirments (500 jumps, 3 years in the sport, a cutaway, and another rating) make sit so that the higher level of skill offsets the danger in most cases. But that does not mean it is more safe, just handled better. Also, when comparing the two, you have to consider that more "fun" jumps are made than tadem jumps. So given the higher rate in which sport jumps are made, the lower qualifications/training/experience need to sport jump. It makes sense that there are more sport accidents than Tandem accidents. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Sorry, already here. It would have been neat to hear your first, "No shit, there I was, thought I was gonna die....." story. Anyway, you guys need to start getting me involved, right now it looks like plan "B" might need to be put into gear.....Plan "B" never works out well in the end. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That was my original plan...However there is a TXL skydiving meet. I kinda have to be at that, or 4 folks are gonna be a little upset. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yep, that thought killed one of the best skydivers ever. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yeah, I think you are right....Thanks for correcting me. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I have to be in ATL 6/2. So I am arriving tonight. Anybody wanna do something? Its your chance to hate me in person. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Can I say have a rigger look at it? And before anyone starts going to Home Depot to fit their risers....Take your rig to a RIGGER and have them do these things. Quite a large number of people have made modifications to their gear and found out the hard way it was a bad idea. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The major problem is with people not pealing the velco first. That is a major failing of application of technique, not the technique itself. Being back into FREEFALL is better than under a mal for the same amount of time? I disagree. 2 seconds is about 100 feet in freefall, less than that under most mals where a canopy is out and spinning. It is silly to claim that one method is better than another flat out. And I bet most people who have hard pulls these days with all the gizmos have one due to not doing the technique correctly. Now if you wanted to debate that the two hand per handle method is better since some will screw up and not perform the technique correctly....That would be a worthy point. But properly done EP's should be able to be done with little regard to strength. Yes, the 90 pound person might have problems, but the average person has no problem if they do them correctly. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Sorry, you were very clear, I just saw your avitar and thought about a WS and how it might effect things. I don't have much exp with a WS so I thought I would ask. Thanks. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That does not mean it will save you. Your posts here are nothing more than trolling. You don't want to listen when people talk...Fine, but don't post just to be a troll. You are adding nothing to this, or any disscussion that I can see from your track record of posts. No name, no other info. Registered: May 2, 2006, 10:23 AM "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Lots of people don't think it is dangerous. Some think , just like you said, that a CYPRES will save them so they are good to go. What I find tragic is that it takes a bad weekend losing several people for people to put saftey in the spotlight. What I find even more tragic is when people try to debate that skydiving is dangerous, or slam those that wish to inform people who may have forgotten, or never really understood. What do we want people to do? Put safety first. ALWAYS. Realize that even though you think you will not die...That every person who has died thought that same way, yet they still died. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Then you clearly have no dea how the device works. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334