Ron

Agree 100%. A friend once told me at 100 jumps to look around the DZ. He told me that in 5 years one of the people I see could be dead. He was right. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

None of this is your fault. You tried to be a nice guy and lent a helping hand. You tried to help her back on her feet, she decided to do something else. None of this is your fault. You were honest with your friend, he reacted badley...Normal. None of this is your fault. You getting my not so subtle message? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Two Dr's. told you it was a bad idea. So you went to an internet forum and asked for advice. The people on the forum for the most part told you it was a bad idea. So you ignored all of them and did it anyway. It is times like this I wonder why I bother to try and help people who are dead set on doing what they please no matter how many people tell them its a bad idea. Ignoring me, or anyone else on here I could see. Ignoring all 12 that gave an opinion that it was a bad idea is not so smart....If 12 out of 12 think its a bad idea...It most likely is. But ignoring a DR?!?!?!!?!?!?! Sheesh. Except you are more likely to get hurt if you are already injured. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Asking because I don't know since I never bothered to check....Can you use 2 hands per handle with a wingsuit on? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

There are plenty of reasons. You already have the reserve handle so you will not waste time trying to grab it then pull it. I have had 7 mals and one hand on each handle has worked every time. There are drawbacks and advantages to each system. My GF uses two hands per handle and it works for her. I am not about to try and get her to change. But to claim that one is wrong is silly. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You are also a meat head Lifters, get over the BMI bit for a second. It works for MOST of the population of the planet....You know those scrawny folks you kick sand at on the beach. Anyone with half a brain can tell if a person is in shape. They could then use the BMI as a REASON to say no. You have to have a reason to say no in todays climate. You just can't say no to fatty. You have to be able to reference why. Just saying "you look fat" will get you slapped and sued. So if I have a fatty show up, I can say, "Sorry, our rules do not allow me to take anyone over an "X" BMI for saftey reasons." And I can cite the accident now being beat to death in the other forum. Now I have to try and explain it in a way that will not get me slapped or sued. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That right there says no jumping. Skydiving is a physical activity. So do you, know more than your Ortho guy? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Why? Are you guys good enough to change how you do something to make the judges happy? From the SCM: 3. Where degrees are shown, (180º, 270º, 360º, 540º), this indicates the approximate degrees and direction of turn required to complete the inter as indicated. 4. The degrees shown are approximately that amount of the subgroup’s centerpoint to be presented to the centerpoint(s) of the other subgroup(s). So it seems to me that it is to the other sub group, and that the ground has nothing to do with it. Which is why I had no issue with the old Zip Star bit....Other than it just being a blast! Well if it were not for these questions, you would just annoy us with stories of flaming lawn mowers But most of the answers you seek are in the SCM. However, you need a team of lawyers to some times figure out what they mean. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Thats where "omission" and "intent" get ugly. If the judge thinks you are trying to shear so much that you are trying to short change the inter....Well thay make a call. They only have three options really: 1. Give you the point. 2. Bust you. 3. Judge it as an omission. The problem comes with the way judges differ. At one nationals the judges were briefed to give the competitors benefit of the doubt...The next year they were told to make sure we showed it to them. Ons set of judges liked how Majic rotated the camera guy, the next set busted them for it. So if *could* be judged as an omission. *I* most likely would not since it would be relative to the other piece. However, I also liked the zip star and would let you rotate it as much as you could. But others will bust you for it. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Not showing intent *is* an omission. Since you omitted the inter. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Never make a list. It brings the pain back with each pen stroke. Still, with all the friends I have lost.....I am glad to have known them. My tribute to them is not sitting by and watching smart people do the same dumb things that killed my friends. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I agree, but this case the student didn't know the difference. So its back to education. YOU might catch it, but they most likely will not. John, can you give me a reason why all rigs don't juts have an "expert" AAD? The only real answer I can think of is legal liability. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

#1 congrats on not dying. Believe it or not your actions kept you from being in the other forum where you can't defend yourself. You kept your wits when all hell broke loose. I know plenty of dead skydivers that did not. Seriously, you did fine. Now it would not be me if I didn't point out a few things. PEEL, then pull. My first mal I had a hardish pull. I thought ,"Oh, what the hell?!?!?!?!?" And I applied massive power to the handle and I felt the velcro rip. At that point I realized that the velco was holding it in, not a hard pull. Talking with my buddies back then they all told me to peel first. To be honest I had 600 or so jumps and I was never told that before. Lesson learned. Next time try a controlability check. If it was just a brake fire it would have cleared and there would have been no drama. Even if you could not *fix* the problem a good number of times you can slow your turn rate and give you some more time. How about you fire it anyway and then put it into a cooler or trash bag? Not as nice, but hey...Its safer and therefore better. All in all you did fine. 1. You had a hard deck and used it. 2. You reacted instead of freezing. 3. You fought till the saltwater filled your goggles. Practice: 1. PEEL then pull the cutaway... And remember if you have a soft reserve handle the same applies. 2. Controlability check....Unless you are at your hard deck, try to get control. 3. Practice your E procedures. Even if you go to the DZ and have them put you in the hanging harness. Really, you did fine. Next time, just do better "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yes, but they also can then be set wrong....IE Solly Williams and his being set to "Tandem" and having a double out. The best solution might be to actually make people understand the gear they are jumping...to include things they can't see. WAY too many people have AAD's and have no clue about how they work.....The Perris death where the jumper set the AAD at home (-1200 feet from DZ level) and then drove to the DZ. Can anyone see a real drawback to every rig (other than Tandem) having an "Expert" AAD? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Problem is that low timers often do not have the control to land in an exact area and exp folks all craming into one area is not a good idea either. Several accidents happen when you try and get all the hotshots landing in the same area. More instruction is need to teach people how to build a stack. The fast canopies land first, the slower canopies land last. Not hard, but you always have some hotshot trying to float, and some guy under a boat trying to land first. None of that makes sense. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Only time it is a dnager is if there is a cutaway after the laterals have been released. There has been one fatality where the pair split and it broke the TI's neck. So the laterals should only be released after a controlabiltity check and everyone else should stay the hell away from a tandem pair. Landing with the laterals connected is a very easy way to break a students leg. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That would be pretty much close to impossible. Going from a sit to flat will slow you down, not speed you up. You might want to wait longer next time between your flat and your pitch. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

My favorite GK piece of advice....I think Trinko or you gave it to me....."If you don't have a grip, get one! If you have one....Key it!" "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Already did. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Come one Doc....Is that really news? I would like to point out, that not liking crowds is different than not being social. I just don't think your true self shows in large groups. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I really respect you. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

#1 quit listening to people on here. You never know who they are, what the have for experience, or who is paying them. We had a guy on here saying that a one canopy he sold was perfect for both Pro swoopers and as a student canopy. Listen to your instructors and riggers who know and care about you.....You can also listen to the "names" Germain, Scott Miller...ect with some confidence. Everyone else is suspect....Including me. #2. People often try to tell you that what they are selling is perfect for you. I knew an INSTRUCTOR that sold a student a Stiletto. He had one to sell, so he sold it. He told the student he would be fine. #3. People often put their own fears into you. Some folks *like me* think that jumping a bigger canopy that is docile for maybe too long is way better than jumping a little too small of a canopy. Don't confuse this with not knowing. I have jumped a Xbraced 69, and a bunch of other stuff....I just think it makes more sense to wait to swoop like your hair is on fire till you are SURE to be OK. Others seem to take the track that you should get a higher performance than you are comfertable and you will grow into it. I think thats bad. Just look at the risk/reward or ROI. In my plan you don't have an exciting canopy ride. On some others plans you risk getting hurt or killed. I would rather you be bored than broken. Are you willing to bet your life on "not bad, and pretty much"? When in doubt, play it safe, you will live longer. Surviving makes it so you can have courage. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

*Sigh* That all depends on a bunch of stuff. Your blanket approval could be dangerous. Agreed. But at what point do you earn the right to give advice? Does a filled out profile trump an empty one? Does my AFF rating trump your Coach? Does my 3800 jumps trump your 700? Does that mean your advice is not good? Nope, Sabres and Pilots can be a good canopy for a new jumper. But I happen to agree with Pops that a Tri or Spectre is a better choice all things being the same (WL, skillset...ect). So is giving advice a matter of qualifications, communication of qualifications, or the advice itself? In this case Pops advice is pretty good and copies mine. Does that mean you are wrong since my profile is filled out and I have more "stuff"? Or does that just mean we differ in opinions? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Nah, revert back to "not liking crowds". I did a 110 way years ago. Didn't like it. The money and time I felt was better spent doing 4way. I just don't like spending 1/3 of the jump trying to get everyone together, and 1/3 of the jump trying to get away...Save time, launch it intact I am pretty impressed with some of the skills that big ways take, they are just not skills I want. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well that and I don't like crowds. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334