Ron

What kind of costs?...For me to get my HP all I had to do was prove to an Instructor I could handle it....In my case it was about an hr of time in an airplane. Oh no! I had to prove I could handle the airplane before I could fly it...And I had to pay a guy to check me out...All told it was the same as one jump and a coaching fee..which is about 33.00. And this is just to sownsize...Not everyone would have to do that. I do have to get a checkout with an instructor every two years...Not a bad idea there either! What you think the FAA will just make decisions without any research???? I don't think so. Hell it takes the FAA longer to make a change than the USPA does. VFR pilots don't need to open a flight plan. We are VFR. So dirt diving is a waste of time? PLAN your dive, dive your PLAN. Where the hell do you get this? VFR you have to have: 1. Altimeter 2. Compass 3. Airspeed Thats it,not even an ELT is needed, much less TWO of anything...And this is for pilots, in AIRPLANES. Skydivers don't need a compass (well maybe a wingsuit) and they dont need an airspeed indicator. An Altimeter is a GREAT idea...I would not care if they were made manditory. You should do homework before you start with the examples. And you think they would just start making rules without any research??? I don't think so. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

This is wonderfull.... Brilliant. Fucking brilliant "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I don't agree. The FAA is short staffed. They are not going to hire a bunch of inspectors to cruse DZ's. If the fatality rates jump...Then they *might* get involved, if we start bouncing on little johnnys head they *will* get involved. No I have not done a TSO...But I do have a pilots license...which is closer to the type of regulations the JUMPERS would go through than a TSO...A TSO would be more like certification of a new A/C...I personally like the idea of it not being easy to certify a rig or an A/C...I would hate to have comercial POS's out there. Not a bad idea when you look at the fatality reports. You mean like several DZ's make students do already? Or like our dirt dives??? Again a great idea. Like an altimeter? Again not a bad idea! "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

How YOU doin? I tried to look at the pics you talked about on another thread....But I got nothing. I still don't know who you are. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Oh I thought you were working in the present. Sorry. I think that the idea is very good...Therefore it has no chance of happening. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Another damn fine idea. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

30 ...22-35 is to large of a jump. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

what the hell is a "Rated" DZ? The only thing you have to do to be a group member and have a cool listing it to send a check and pledge to follow the BSR's. And there is no check to see if you do follow them...but they do check to make sure that your payment gets processed. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

They do read 105. For the most part the FAA does not care about us as long as we have in date reserves and don't kill anyone else. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I have gone to the USPA 3 times...and 3 times I have been mostly ignored. I have emailed them for info, and never recieved a response.... But god forbid I didn't sign the check once...that warrented a phone call from HQ. Name ONE that the USPA started an implemented that was not already being done? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

FedEx 12 years "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Really?!?!? Watch close....They are worthless. See I can do it. I'll grant the political part....As for setting the standard for training.... USPA didn't aprove of Tandems, AFF, BOC for students and a bunch of other stuff... People did these things with out them, and THEN the USPA said...Hey thats a good idea. USPA fought several of these when they were started. The ISP is NOT manditory. The coach ticket started as a good idea, then got watered down like crazy. They had the BIC which was the biggest joke around...Now its gone because it was so stupid. NO USPA course or instruction is the same at ANY DZ...No standards anywhere. I used to think that they were powerful....Then I looked around and delt with them a few times.....They will not do anything if it requires extra work for them...And they fight the good things. They wanted to disallow the team Synchronicity from representing the US at the world meet....They had to let them because they did follow the rules..USPA would rather have not sent them, and gave them NO support. USPA sucks...but what else are you going to do? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

It is NOT manditory "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I agree with it all. The USPA is ALMOST worthless. They have some benefit in that they lobby for airspace. Other than that they are worthless. Still I don't mind paying a few bucks to have a lobbist. But most of the USPA programs are old and outdated...The new ones are poorly thought out, and not enforced. Hell they spent all this time on the ISP only to back down as soon as people said they didn't want to do it. And the coach rating. The BIC was a giant waste..and now its gone. If you have Rules and regulations, but don't have any power to enforce them...What good are they? USPA should stick to lobbying in DC, and for gods sake don't build a museum,,,Everything else they have touched has been bad. What makes them think that they can run a museum? And worse a museum about something that most people could not care one bit about. They could take the money they plan on wasting on it, and spend it on a Demo team, or a traveling display at airshows state fairs ect...Or hell both. What kind of a group suports a group member that will not let regular jumpers jump at his DZ? (I think hes out now, but it was several years that SLV was a member DZ that would not let USPA members jump there.) If it was not for the lobbist being needed, and the fact that there are DZ's that I have to be a member to jump at....I would never send the USPA another check. USPA is a giant waste. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Ah.....nope! These things tend to live a long time. Besides where are the post whores gonna go? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I have gotten a Michigan in a week. Standard times I have seen on my DZ are two weeks. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Damn I knew TX was big.....But geeze "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Why? Its not illegal. If the USPA does not care that a USPA DZ (I am not sure it is) is not using non USPA rated I's...Then why should anyone else care. And if its not a USPA DZ...Then the USPA has no power there at all (I would say the USPA has no power anyway, anywhere and I only am a member becasue I have to to jump at some DZ's...I personally think they are worthless). "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The answer is simple. Let people know you jump. If they are interested, they will ask more. Answer them HONESTLY. Offer to take them to the DZ to just watch. But don't nag, or pester....They will or they will not. I have several friends, and a few family members that will never jump. As a joke I asked one of my buddies how many more jumps do I have to do for him to let me take him on a tandem....He asked how many I had, I told him 3,000...He said "10,000". I bet when I get to 10,000 he will still not go. Don't push them or you will lose friends. You will be known not only as the nut that jumps from airplanes, but also the nut that will not shut the fuck up about it. People will resent you, or at least avoid you. Listen to me or not....I really don't care, and you are going to do what you want anyway. However, I have been where you are, and seen it MANY more times over the last 10 years....I know you think you have come accross the best sport and the coolest thing in the world...Some don't agree. Don't force the issue. Just offer to help if they ask...But don't try to be a recruiter...What do you think of Army recruiters?....Ya hate them right?...Well don't become a skydiving one. Of course you will ignore me and do what you want. But in 5 years you will think different. I skydive for me, and quite frankly don't care what you, anyone else or any Whuffo thinks about it. Most people could care less you are a skydiver. Most people don't get it, and you could not make them understand in a 100 years. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Well after reading this I felt compelled to give away my savings to a crack addict on the corner.. Now I was saving to buy a house, but thats kinda selfish of me, and VERY "Haves" of me. I bet that crack head really will enjoy his next round of highs on me. I feel so much better about myself as well. I am proud to live in land where an able body guy can live his life with out having to do any work, but still have the latest "kicks". And while fathering children that he never has to even take care of!!! Wow where can I sign up for that...Do I HAVE to smoke crack, or will my addiction to skydiving count? Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Years ago, there were all these shirts that said "I Jumped The JET!!!!! WFFC 94" Then the next year there were all kinds of shirts. I jumped the Connie, I jumped the Biplane, I jumped the Shark...blah blah blah... Then I saw a group of guys that were giving out shirts... They were very poorly made, with runs on them. They said "I jumped a Local" And you had to have gotten some to get one. The next year they were all over the place. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You needed a reason? I saw a bumper sticker the other day... It said "Proud Native Texan"....Now this was in FL.... I can't help but wonder....Why are they in FL if TX is so great? But then again I think the same thing when I see Doninican Republic or other countries flags on stickers that say basicly the same thing. If it was so great...why leave? I left Memphis...and while it was nice I don't really want to go back..If I did, I would have never left. Ron "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I tend to agree..Everything I have seen of a Symbi suit it is very nice. But since I also really like my Michigan suits, and Mike lives in the same state as me so I see him 2 times or so a mth....I plan on just staying with his suits. His customer service is the best I have ever seen. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

My Fav way of picking gear.... Look around your DZ...See what everyone else is jumping. Chances are that there is a reason. Ron FWIW...I'd say Michigan suits. Bullit proof tough, and GREAT customer service. I would avoid getting suits from outside the US. If there is a problem the fix is a long way away. But do what you want.....You will anyway. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

They do lobby for our rights to airspace. But if it were not for that, and the fact that there are a bunch of places that I could not jump WO the USPA card..I'd tell them to shove off. The USPA is mostly worthless...And they continue to show that they are worthless time after time. So I am a member just becuase they make me...Without that stupid little card I can't jump at a lot of cool DZ's. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334