Ron

Funny, mine says "Master" So it seems it went from "Expert" to "Master" and back to "Expert" at some point. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Then to have accurate data, they need to be excluded. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Because people still die from not dealing with a malfunction. Make them jump a rig with a tertiary reserve... Same thing we do for TI's that have not had a mal for Strongs. Since you have not had a mal.... You base this on???? Having had 9 malfunctions I can tell you that pulling the handles in the air and on the ground are NOT the same. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Some places in Europe already have regulations in place... So you can't really use them as an example of not needing regulations. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You can DO them any time after a "B". You just have to show you have done them by "D". And a reason was given.... A DZO could easily say you have to have a "D" to get on the sunset load. This would mean the person has had two night jumps and would be better prepared for a lower viz landing. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You are more proficient than the person who has never done it. False, I have landed at 'night' twice without planning to do it. It didn't bother me since I had plenty of night jumps. Others wisely stayed in the Aircraft, some got a briefing from me right before exit and jumped. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

They used to say "Master"... I'll see if I can scan mine when I get home. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

It has happened to me twice. Once a slow climbing cessna and another time due to ATC routing us around in an otter. Both times I landed in darkness. Yet, the only "water" landing I have ever had was swooping a pond. Jumping at night is a confidence builder and helps if you ever have reduced visibility. Besides, if someone does not want to jump at night, there is almost nothing that a jumper cannot do with a "C" and there is a waiver process in place. Personally, I would like to add a cutaway requirement. And proficiency in more than one type of skydiving. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Thinking out of the box... Good. But: 1. What about doing 8 way or 20 way skydives? 2. Are you willing to pay the extra cost of the fuel being burned? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

A bit of a stretch.... BUT, I could see them starting a tandem section like the GK's (using the EXACT same logic they did for the demo team). And I could even see them starting a "USPA 4way team" (and using the EXACT same logic). "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That is because hoping that people will change has not worked and we have been trying it for almost two decades. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

OK but most people consider it bad advice to jump a camera with less then 200 jumps. The USPA for one. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Just get a new suit.... Over the years you will collect quite a few suits. I tend to give my older suits away to low timers that are low on cash. But I keep enough that I have a suit for every need and some spares. You will find that adding booties later is often quite expensive and a big PITA. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Don't you have to release a racer RSL in the event of a double out before cutting away the main? And failure to do that will result in your reserve being Strangled? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well, they claim that they are after corporate sponsorships... Like the old Coors team back in the day. They saw this demo as a way to bring attention to the USPA demo team... A way to grab some headlines. The problem is as others have stated, by giving away the demo not only have they lowered the perceived cost of what a demo is worth, but they have put themselves ABOVE the other demo teams. Look at it this way.... You have an airshow and want to get skydivers to jump in. You have two choices: 1. Ron's flying circus who wants you to pay for the airplane, the insurance, the materials (smoke etc), and to pay the jumpers. 2. The "official" USPA demo team who will do it for the cost of the plane. Which would YOU pick? The "official" demo team of THE organization of skydivers in the US, or some dude with a neat looking jumpsuit and a rating FROM the organization? The team that will perform for FREE, or the one that wants to get paid? Hell, I'd call the USPA as well. By doing them for free... How are they ever going to pay back the loan? Car Salesman voice: "I lose 10 dollars on every car I sell, but I make it up in VOLUME!" And you know how they keep saying that they will "include local qualified demo jumpers"???? Well..... 1. You will have to attend their demo training program... Isn't that what a PRO rating was supposed to do? They have no idea when it will be, what it will cover, or who will run it. And again, isn't that what the PRO rating was all about anyway? 2. You will participate... But only in some segments of the program. The proposed program as told to me by Hayhurst. The performers are staged through out the crowd talking to the spectators (brilliant BTW). They are called forward and come walking out of the crowd holding up flags (Again, brilliant). They all head to the aircraft, one of the jumpers could even be a disabled jumper (again brilliant). The plane takes off and a few classic accuracy jumpers jump out and hit targets. When they land, pyro fires off... Well..... Spectators don't really like classic accuracy. They think we look stupid falling on our asses. Then the plane lets out some CRW guys who build formations.... Good and pretty visual. End with landing some two stacks and the crowd will love it. Then the plane lets out some wingsuit jumpers trailing smoke... The crowd will love this. Then the plane lets out a swooper to fly in formation with an aircraft. Neat, and I bet people would love it. Better IMO would be to show the demo accuracy guys landing and then the swoopers to show the range of canopy control... ALL of the jumpers should stand up the landings. Then some jumpers will land flags. Of course all of this has been done to some extent before... But it is still a great plan. The only "open" slots for local jumpers as told to me would be the flag jumpers at the end and MAYBE the WS flights. The style and acc team will do the classical accuracy, the CRW team will do the CRW, the swoop team will do the swooping. So at each demo you MIGHT get to do the WS jump and some of you will get to fly a flag. So if you figure: * Classic accuracy 4 people * CRW 4 people * Wing suit 2-4 people * Swoopers 2-4 people * Flag jumpers 2-4 people So out of 14-20 slots, 4-8 will be open for PRO rated locals. They tried to make it out as a big deal that you will get to wear the "US team colors".... I don't know about you, but I'd rather market my own team, not someone else's team. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

As answered on AR15.com..... Sounds like Zhills is the one closest to the areas you have mentioned. And again, skydiving is not at all like military static line jumping. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yep. I had lots of people telling me I would be fine, that I had the skills to handle it. I was jumping a stiletto 97 with 300 jumps. Finally a jumper with a massive amount of exp told me to slow down. I up sized to a stiletto 120. My friends thought I was stupid. I hooked that fucker into the ground. I remember hitting and then thinking "Well, at least its over".... The I hit the second time, the third and then the long slide/tumble. I limped away, had to use crutches for a week... But overall got off lucky. People who saw it... People who heard it... All thought I was dead. If it had been the 97, I think they would have been correct. Up until that point, only ONE person had told me to calm down... The rest thought I would be fine. They took me to the hospital... I had no serious damage, just massive pain. I made it back to the DZ before the end of the day... And to add insult to injury, a buddy was jumping landing my new gear as we pulled up. Good things: 1. I didn't die 2. I hooked up with a smoking hot nurse I had been chasing around the DZ for weeks. This I just one of the reasons I am a 'canopy nazi'... The others involve holding people together till the ambulance showe up to take them to the hospital... Or in a few cases the morgue. Remember, until my dumbass move only ONE guy stepped up to warn me. My buddies all thought I would be fine. I had to later hold one of their legs together till careflight arrived. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Learn at a DZ that is near you. It is the one you will jump at most of the time and you might as well start to learn about that DZ. One of the most difficult things to do after student status is to 'break into' the fun jumpers. Having been on the DZ will help you make friends and this goes a long way. Traveling to learn..... Well, any cost savings will be eaten up by travel and lodging costs. Save the road trips for after student status... You will get more out of it and maybe be part of a group from your DZ when you do it. Go to any DZ that has USPA instructors and you will be fine. I personally would avoid Lodi. Nothing against the jumpers, but the aircraft mx is the issue that would keep me away. Not from rumors, bit from the FAA actions to the DZO... You can do a search to find more info. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

From two people at HQ. The CEO of the Code of Support Foundation called the USPA asking for the USPA's help to start off an event Sept 11th And I was told that the event paid for the plane, but only after being told that it was the min that the USPA could do the went for. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

This has already happened. And they did it for free. So: 1. How is a demo team going to compete against free? 2. How is the loan ever going to be paid back if they are free? The USPA will tell you that they are going to charge... But they have already established that the 'official' USPA demo team will do the demos for free. The USPA will say they are going after corporate sponsorship.... Well, so is every other team out there. In essence the USPA has created a team using membership money that will compete against its own members. As for voting the BOD out... I think that is a great idea. If you think the BOD no longer represents you, then you should step up and voice your concerns. I personally think the USPA cannot serve two masters (jumpers and dzo's). You should do your homework.... Call and find out who still supports this idea, not all still do, and then act as you see fit. The problem is that 99% of the jumpers do not care what the BOD does. Hell look at the BOD position for the last election in FL.... No one ran officially, and less than 500 people I think even voted. As for the lawyer idea.... I personally don't like it. In the end WE have to pay for their defense. And it will paint skydivers in a bad light. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

No, but it is pretty clear you are just looking to nit pick anyway. It does not take a genius to see if a guy you weighed last week gained a bunch of weight. Your 'suggestion' required monitoring every single jumper on every single jump. It is pretty clear you have no real suggestion and are just trying to nit pick others. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

As a TI and an AFFI... I can guess a person weight pretty damn well. I do not think I am unique it that ability. The same applies to the turn degree limits. Sure Of course... Reserves already have max weights. The manufacturers. See, none of this is hard. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The school does matter. I'd pick a school that has a good program for what I want rather than just a DZ close by. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You would be MUCH better served finding a school that you like and worrying about the DZ second. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

A WL restriction would be MUCH easier than a degree of turn. With a WL, you can prevent them from jumping it. A degree of turn requires you to observe the event. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334