Ron

Well they are correct. I consider myself to be a student, and accuracy will save your life. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Many of us are a "fix the problem and move on kinda folk". We will be here waiting for your next problem "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The best advice I can give you. 1. Learn to not fear your reserve. a. watch one being packed, there is not magic involved. b. get a demo reserve from PD. They have them set up to be used as mains. c. Look forward to your first ride...They are fun as hell. 2. Do a bunch of low hop n pops. You will learn that air is air and you will remove your irrational fear of going low. Being at 1,000 feet in freefall is not fatal. PANICKING when you are there IS. The only way to remove that fear is to do things that build confidence. I recomend hop n pops from the lowest altitdue you license will allow. Look you are in a strange environment, doing something unsual....Panic is normal. The key is to become comfertable so you will not panic. The other weekend I did 27 jumps....My awareness was better on the second day and I noticed things I didn't before. Currency and repetition is the key. Yes..The only way to become relaxed....Currency and repetition. BTW there are some books you can read if you can find them. The Inner Athlete The Warrior Athlete Both by Dan Millman. Edit, DAN, not DAM "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Nope. And "event" is 4way/8way ect. The classes are not taken into consideration. there has not been a video pool since I think 98. Each team must bring their own videiot as the video person is now a member of the team. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Actually it works quite well once you get used to it. I try the closing pin and if that does not work the pull up cord method. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Get over the fear of your reserve. 1. Watch it get packed, its not done by magic. 2. Jump a reserve....PD will send you one you can jump as a main. 3. Look forward to your first ride. It is a major accomplishment, and sets you apart from the "others"....Plus being able to tell a whuffo you had a parachute not open is GREAT "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That says it all right there....The only way to overcome it is practice. One exit is not practice. It is an introduction. Ask yourself this question "How would I react if I had to bail out of a plane at 3 grand? 2 grand? 1500? 1,000?" If you have never jumed from 3 grand I bet you will be scared to death at 2 grand. Everyone, if you have not done a bunch of Hop, n Pops.....Try one this weekend. Get over your fear, it will help you later. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

She wanted to blame anyone that does not see life through HER eyes. And she called anyone without an AAD or RSL dangerous. Thats just not true. For the record on of the most dangerous situations I have been in was an AFF student that was petrified in the door of a low emergency exit. SHE put people's lives at risk. We ha d aplane full of people that could not get around her, and she had a death grip on the plane....For christs sake, we were at 4 GRAND. So I guess I could say that AFF grads are dangerous right? Well I could say that, but it would not be accurate. People lose people in this sport. Getting emotional about it is natural, but it does NOTHING to fix the problem. Crying the sky is falling, sending "Vibes" to the deads family does NOTHING to fix the problem. Education, training, drilling is the key, not just running out and buying an AAD or RSL. New jumpers think they will be safe if they have an AAD and RSL. Thats just not true and they are lying to themselves. What she is doing right now is one of the stages skydivers go through. 1. Scared but excited. 2. Confidence that sometimes leads to cocky around 400 jumps. (More often in Young Males). They think that they now "know everything". 3. Then an accident to them or someone they care about happens...They react emotionally. Some quit, others rant just like she just did. They either learn to adjust to it, or they quit. But they don't see anything past their emotions. Some realize that we are playing a dangerous game, others still think it could not happen to them and stay in stage #2. 4. You get to a point where you accept that you will lose people you care about every year. Some try to help (And get called all kinds of names, and get all kinds of grief...thanks), others say "Fuck it" and stop caring. 5. Start back at #1. Sorry if I "trashed" your post....Sheesh. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

No, I think the instill it into themselves. They tell themselves that they will be fine since they have AAD's, RSL's, and will pull high. AFF does not help. I mean many AFF students are scared to death of freefall below 4 grand. So what happens when they find themselves at 3 grand? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Do you see me telling people not to jump an AAD? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

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

Thats what you think. I just simply stated that the reason that most people give for wanting an AAD is not even close to the number one reason they fire. The number one reason is people fuck up. So maybe a better reason for saying you want an AAD is "I want an AAD cause it is more likely that I will fuck up. And even if I fuck up, I don't want to die." But that does not sound as cool as "In case I get knocked out." AND it requires people to admit they might screw up... Statistics show that being knocked out is one of the SMALLEST reasons an AAD fires, but why is it the MOST common reason given? Also, knowing that the #1 reason they fire is lets just say "Failure to pull the reserve after a cutaway". Then in my little mind it makes more sense to work on WHY people didn't pull the reserve after a mal, rather than just say "Thank God he had an AAD" and call it a day. Finding out how to prevent these accidents (and make no mistake an AAD fire IS an Accident) should be the priority over just yelling at people to get an AAD. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Please, read this report and tell me how many saves were from people being knocked out. http://www.cypres-usa.com/saves05b.pdf Being knocked out is the most often used reason for buying a CYPRES. But the truth is the #1 reason for having a fire is "I fucked up". An AAD is a good thing, but the actual fire reports show that being knocked out is a VERY small percentage of saves. There are some on that list where the person was saved TWICE!!!!!! Answer: 16 out of 293 5%. Most were big ways of Freefly collisions. I'll admit it is more than I thought, but the number one reason? Just flat out lost track of altitude and forgot to pull. Opening a parachute, the most important thing you have to do in the next 60 seconds. Read the reports and tell me what you think. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Just because you are not comfertable without and RSL or AAD does not mean that it is dangerous. Most people would be better saved if they did 50 cutaways on a 3 canopy set up than buying an RSL or AAD. WTH are you in this sport if you feel you NEED devices to save you? If you want to "save people" you would do better by making everyone jump Manta's than AAD's. If you are sick of the death....Quit and cut all ties from any jumpers that you know. As you meet more jumpers the rate of your friends dying will do nothing but increase. Sorry but your Rant hit a nerve. Just because YOU are not comfertable without an AAD or RSL gives you no right to claim those without them don't care about safety. Safety is about training and drilling, not buying toys. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

My personal Vave was from me quoting BillVon "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

If it were held every other year attendance would drop over time. People would find other things to do on the off years and might not ever go back. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Who said anything changed? When this was first written I was not AFF qualified. Even now there are plenty of AFF "I's" out there much more qualified than me. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I don't know WHO did it. I only know it was found in Italy. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

This serves two things.... BUMP And did you ever learn to fly? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Back years ago a big plane at a boogies was a draw. If you were jumping a Cessna and you and your buddies wanted some serious air, or to jump with a big name organizer you ahd to go to a boogie...Well other Cessna monkeys thought the same way and you all went to these big boogies. One year in the late 70's Zhills Turkey boogie had 100 10 way TEAMS. Now its around 5 teams. The reason is everyone has an otter now, but back then only a few DZ's had DC3's So the convention was THE boogie. Attendance was close to 4 grand a year. But as every DZ got Turbines, and organizers. And then the Convention lost the Jet...Well most people can find a boogie closer that costs less and has close to the same stuff. Why would I go to the Convention when I live on a Big DZ. You could say to see my friends, but I live on a Big DZ. They come see me at Turkey meet, Xmas and Easter. I think the fact that there are more DZ's with turbines means that the WFFC needs to provide something that other DZ's can't...And as of yet, they have not been able to do that in a scope large enough to draw the crowds. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Where does Airspeed work when not on the DZ? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Nonya:01:01 Never anyones business. 1 Jump. I spent most of the weekend hanging out with whuffo friends, but I had a Demo jump I had to do. 1 hour tunnel coaching "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Wow, a Canadian making fun of the French.....Hello, do you know you are from Canada? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

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

GUYS....He admitted he was wrong!!!!!! Well its a start "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334