Ron

I bet its nothing compared to the volume of young studs and grey hairs that pass though I drive in Orlando. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The problem is (such as in this case) that the person felt safer with the helmet on even though he could not see....He felt that way cause he was told helmets are good. And he had never jumped without one, so he never knew he would be just fine without it. You can't expect someone to do something they have never done before when in a high stress situation. Thats why jumping without a helmet/aad/rsl/gloves/altimeter, ect in a set of good conditions can teach loads about what you cana nd can't do. If you have never jumped without an altimeter you might pull as soon as you see it is broken...And that could mean pulling dangerously high. Or it could casue you to just stare at it, instead of seeing all the other clues to your hight. Train in the most realistic way you can. And that means when you can try to simulate the extreme event so that if it happens it is atleast SOMEWHAT familiar. Jumping without a helmet but goggles will prepare you for the very loud skydive...That might scare the shit out of you otherwise. In a high stress situation the guy with the best simulated training will be better prepared than the guy that just thought about it. Thats why when I was in the Army they shot real bullets over my head, and threw real exposives around us....Not just loud sounds but real exposions. Simulate in the best conditions possible the worst situations you can safely do...And you will be safer. And he and I have been around this sport a long time...And we are both Instructors....You think we might know more and better ways to train than a new skydiver? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Uh in my SCUBA class we practiced in the pool then at 30 feet in a lake then at 60 feet in open water. That way people got used to the fact that without a mask they will not drown even in 60 feet of ocean. We also did everything but "ditch and don" in open water. Does that make me feel better prepared for my mask comming off in open water at 60 feet than they person that only did it at 6 feet in a pool...Yes. Just like a person who has jumped without a helmet will be better prepared for a situation that requires them to take it off than a person who has never jumped without one. Edit to add.... In my Cave course the instructor would fake a panic and rip your regulator out of your mouth...Think about it. If a buddy runs out of air is he going to calmly swim over and give you the hand signal for out of air? Or is he going to take grab the only source of air he knows...Yours? Trust me I have seen this happen and the guy didn't grab for my octo...He took the reg right out of my mouth. Train for the worst in the most realistic situation available...Thats why when I am acting like I have a mal on my handles check, if you listen real close you can hear me say "shit". "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yes moderator lady.... Actually it is in response to how some people (You) will never understand that you are gear dependant. And also how that is bad. Now when you turn green I will gladly do what you want in reguards to this place until then you should quit acting like you are. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Bill, some people are just never gonna get it. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I take goggles...I will not ride the plane down without them, but when I started I had contacts so I have never forgotten them.... "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The Mantos tunnel is enclosed...And damn does it get hot in there. The best plan would be an open tunnel that could be closed in the winter with vents that could be opened to let cold air in to regulate the tempurature. But that is a very expensive test building. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I think thats reversed. A venturi will compress the air. The compression should heat, not cool the air. However the exahaust when the air expands after being compressed would be cooler than the air in the middle of the venturi. Now I could be wrong... But whne I fill a SCUBA tank with O2 I have to be careful to watch the temp. And when you vent air from a full tank the air comming out of it is very cold. Like I said I could be wrong, but I think that the venturi will heat the air. Kallend? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

There is a really kick ass recirculating tunnel in Chicago already. It is at the Universtity there...I think windspeeds up to almost 300 MPH. However it is horizontal, and I don't know the cost. I have been told by Kallend that they use Ice water to keep the temperature to +/- one degree. Kallend has more knowledge (Gee there is a surprize) but I really doubt that a really good design will be affordable. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Different type of tunnel. The new designs make those look like box fans. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The current design of tunnel sucks in bad WX as well as skydiving does. Rain gets sucked in and it hurts... Cold is still cold. Hot is not so bad when you are in the air, but in the staging area it can really suck. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Hey is there a surfing forum around?...I thought I would join then act like I know what I am doing and ignore all the guys with experience. Can I get a cool small board with flames painted on it? Its all about the gear right? (Not a slam on you...just a general slam) "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yes and he might be real...The real question was raised with as I emailed him: Kinda like asking the Dodge dealer if I should buy a Dodge or a Ford. Plus most of his questions could be answered with a search. Like I said, Im not slamming the guy, I just had my doubts..as did others..I just have nothing better to do than surf this site. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well it does to me...You don't have to agree. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I don't surf, so I would not know...It is on the list of things to do. So I'll let you know. But I have always been an aviation kid. I used to play with model airplanes while my brother played with model cars. I used to ride my bike to the airport just to sit by the fence and watch planes take off...I'd sit there trying to get in the planes propwash to feel the power. I'd take my 20 cents in my pocket so I could get a hot chocolate from the crew area...I'd have to sit for an hour before it cooled down enough so I could drink it. So the air has always been my playground. But even with all that I could quit when and if the time comes. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

What is the point of any troll? To start something and see where it goes for fun. In ONE day? And he learned all of this but missed important things like atmosphere vs sky...ect? And show me one 14 year old that calls himself a "kid". Who is trashing him?...I just don't find this post honest. Simple fact if he knows so much about this sport why is he asking questions like? Thats been discussed on here several times...And if he is savy as to be able to look up all these types of gear you would think he would see the "search posts" link above. And this has been disscused to death: I just don't see this as real. I could be wrong. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Uh,,, yeah...Or something... Anyone able to translate this to english? All I got is... Your moody reasoning should be (Rejected?/ Disclaimed?) Is he agreeing with me, or is this a personal attack and I'm just to stupid to see it? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I have a friend that asked me to try and find a Michelle Hayes from Alabama. anyone know how to reach her? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

From the USPA: Longest I have gone was three mths (Thanks US Army). "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yes, and no. The Orlando Tunnel could survive quite well without whuffo rides. However, as other tunnels open the demand by skydivers will reduce. Tunnels will reach a point when the market becomes saturated and the demand from skydivers will drop. Right now you have teams and camps using the Perris tunnel that would have had to use the Orlando tunnel. When the projected tunnels open in NJ, NC and AZ...Expect the demand from skydivers to increase a little due to locals using the local tunnel as opposed to having to fly to Orlando, but not so much that all of these tunnels could survive without the whuffo rides. Once the market becomes saturated expect a few things... The tunnels will have to focus on one or more of three areas. 1. Whuffo rides. The Orlando Tunnel will do fine since if can always recover the lack of skydiver hours with whuffo rides. an AZ tunnel, and maybe the Perris tunnel will not do this as well. 2. Military contracts. The NC tunnel (If built) should do well since it was originaly planned for military contracts and over flow from the Ft.Bragg Mantos tunnel. 3. Camps and training programs. Such as Airspeed, NSL, freefly camps, AFF programs, ect. This will become a key to the ability of a tunnel to keep skydiver hours. We should expect the cost per hour to stay about the same. The tunnels will not really try to compete with each other, instead they will try to draw from their market area, and try to have the best coaching available. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Is it just me, or is this "Kid" not all he seems? I mean: I don't know many 14 year olds that call themselves "Kids". Atmosphere? Most 14 year olds I know would say "sky" Registered April 18th but seems to know a bunch about gear already. What experience...He claims to have never jumped? He guesses about the speeds, but can list several different rig names. No name entered...ect? Just a thought, call me a sceptic, but I don't think this is legit....Its not hurting anything, but he seems to know a lot and nothing at the same time....And the words he uses don't seem to fit in with a 14 year old. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yeah, I think you are correct. When I started I would not have given it up....11 years, 3,000+ jumps, 2 close friends dead, knowing several more that died, watching a few of them die, and the bull shit at he DZ...Now I could quit. I used to call it "the source". But now that I know several people that have quit, and they are loving a non-skydiving life. I know it can be done. I'm still skydiving cause I think I still have much to learn, and still want to reach a goal. But the importance of that goal is not all consuming like it was. I have seen enough death to know that I very well could die on any jump. It makes me sick to know that some people think this sport is safe. They are fooling themselves. I accept the fact that my next jump could end my life...when I am no longer willing to accept that fact, my last jump will be my last jump ever and I will sell my gear. I live in a trailer on a DZ, and I have lived in a nice house...The house was better. At different times in my life I wanted different things. The things that drove me into this sport 11 years ago are not there anymore. The goal that kept me in this sport is not so shinny anymore when you compare it to the cost. So while it is hard for the newer jumpers to understand...And I didn't understand when I had

Then why the hell is he saying I proved his point? Well in the Spanish case they were there, so leaving after a bomb attack IS giving in. Now maybe if the attack had not happend they would have pulled out anyway. But he might not have been voted in without the bomb attack. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I don't see how you can say he is giving in to Terroist demands when he planned on turning over power anyway. And I still don't see how he owes the world an apollogy Maybe Im stupid, but I don't see how doing what you said you were going to do is giving in? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Click and Clack (NPR's "Car Talk" Guys) Were asked this question: When is it time to buy a new car? The answer: When you no longer feel safe to drive it on a road trip. So it sounds like you did the right thing. Now I buy new cars cause I want something new...not really smart, but fun. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334