ltdiver

You just gave me goose bumps, K. Yes, this sport is incredible. Competitors on one hand, in the air, willing to put pedal to the metal to win and pummel the other team into the ground....and on the other hand, willing to help the same with anything they need. One need only to go back to 2001, to how Airspeed helped the Russian 8-way team out after they missed their plane. :^) The epitomy of sportsmanship. Read about the protest HERE! The final round HERE!! Russians Celebrate Alan Metni. :^) ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Here's another sweet picture of your team, compliments of THE Michael McGowen.

JP...trying to upstage the DZO's squeeze? http://www.omniskore.com/comp/2005/nats/images/McGowan/6E6U3330.jpg ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

One need only to go back a few years to read about Jan Davis and her helmet/canopy entanglement. She didn't make it. It was her fatality that made me sit back and seriously consider just -why- I was flying camera...and if it was worth it. It made me very critical of every new cameraflyer's set-up and reason for flying this discipline. Skydiving itself is a step beyond the normal risk....and to add a camera to it steps it up more than one level further. BSBD Jan 'Devil'. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=8151;search_string=fatality%20Jan%20;#8151 Update to add a couple more informative links: http://www.makeithappen.com/wis/bios/davisjan.html http://www.dropzone.com/news/JanDavisdiesatLodiCalifo.shtml ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Yeah, yeah....you owe me.... You're right...Amy and I were with our 4-way team, Perris Censored, tasting imported champagne and toasting the end of the season back in my trailer. There was absolutely -no- place to do our meeting there, so we disappeared back into the back regions of the DZ. Man, you should see your team captain and his wife dance! Samba, Rumba....Amazing! I really wish I'd had my video camera then....by the pool, with the DJ playing in the cool of the night air. Wow, Man! You are one busy busy man there Deuce! Get some shut eye soon.... Yes, Perris put on an exceptional show yet again this year. I think we, as locals, forget what a treasure we have right at our finger tips when we're there all the time. Thanks for the reminder. Well done, Melanie and Staff! Now (Manifest) Dan, perhaps you can rest your voice... ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

And now 1/2 day off to catch your breath before the next round. See you two on Saturday! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Very cool, Deuce. Randy and Leah couldn't stop saying all this wonderful stuff about you, after you left on Tuesday night. They thanked me over and over for getting them in touch with you. Your resume' is growing with each Nationals....I have a feeling there will be teams beating down your door for 2006 now.

Yes, of course. A camera malfunction is the responsibility of the cameraflyer and not grounds for a re-jump. I was asking about a malfunction of canopy which caused a helmet to depart, which was out of the cameraflyer's hands and control. No worries. I talked to June Bug this morning, just after writing the previous post. She reported that this year the Comp. Manual was updated to include all camera malfunctions, which encompasses the loss of the helmet etc... as not grounds for a re-jump. Only something like a handle on an aircraft breaking or something like that could be grounds for a re-jump. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

How much force does a cutaway main have? If it is caught on your camera helmet (or any helmet for that matter) will it break your neck when cutaway? Not saying this is the way to go (it's NOT), just curious of the lbs of force a collaped pc and main canopy creates when cutaway. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Okay. A judgment call for a video controller and USPA judge to make in this instance. Let's say that the team's cameraflyer could not produce anything but a busted helmet and camera....or perhaps not even be able to retrieve the helmet (as Kwoo couldn't of her FTP when it sank into a chemical pond). 1) Would the team be honored a re-jump based on a camera malfunction that was out of the cameraflyer's hands? 2) Perhaps you could ask JuneBug and get her view on it as well? And as a Video Controller (and cameraflyer), what would your position personally be? There were helmets and cameras being offered the Air Force guys to use if they needed. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

I was there when the Air Force guys brought the newly reconstructed tape to download for judging. We all gathered around to watch the helmet come off and go in (after his lines snagged something and ripped it off his head). Amazing footage to see the helmet enter the realm of "G-force" black out.... However, I did not get to see the helmet. They were able to take it over to Bonehead and get it repaired by the next day! Go Bonehead! What broke? What was the final conclusion of what ripped and let the helmet come off? ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Shindig, you and SKZY are the greatest! Thanks for helping a fellow cameraflyer out! Ya know, that same error code came on my 2nd camera as well this Nationals (for the very first time ever). I had cleaned the heads the night before (which I do before every Nationals) and the TRV10 performed just fine. Then on Round 3 that camera came down with a BLACK screen playing for the time of freefall. From the time I pushed 'record' until right as I climbed out the door, the recording is fine....then the screen went completely black for a minute of 'recording'. I checked the camera on the ground when I saw this had happened and the yellow 'Head Cleaner Error' flashed in the screen. Huh? I recorded footage on the ground, over that same piece of tape and it recorded and played back just fine. No problem. And no problem the rest of the meet either. I kept this same camera and tape on my helmet (remember, it was only 2nd camera) and it performed just fine after that. Don't know what was going on, but perhaps the camera didn't like the tape, or the tape really -was- bad, the I guess I'll never know...since the camera worked fine the rest of the meet. Oh, and for people who know...this was the TRV10 that I had bought off Ebay and had to send to Sony to have repaired right away. They replaced the drum and it worked fine after that. I love my primary camera, a TRV22. Think I'll get another one. (yeah, I know they aren't made anymore, but they can still be found). Ah, the fun of being a cameraflyer.... ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Should have seen the creeper races behind the golf cart last night! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Very good list, Paul. May I add to this list, pay attention to what your camera is doing on the ground, too. Kwoo had her TRV22 quit on her on the ground after doing a good job of recording in the air. It started not playing back well, even after 2 head cleanings. In the loading area, five minutes before her team's call, the camera quit! Two other cameraflyers, competing teams from her plane, loaned her a TRV11 and a tape! She plugged them both in, on the plane...and it worked! Kwoo has a Flat Top Narrow helmet (since her PRO took a flight by itself earlier this year) and only one video camera can fit on-top. Karen jumped that TRV11 for the final rounds and her team did her proud! Carolina Ice brought home the Intermediate Silver from Nationals! Whoo Hoo!!! Talk about a nail biter! They -almost- had a jump off between them and Divewerks too! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

8-way started at 7:30am this morning. I know because the first plane woke me up. Nice party last night. A lot of 4-way people hob-nobbing until very late. Computers were down, so I couldn't log on and update anything. 4-way awards tonight, poolside. Now to check Omniskore to see what I'm missing ( typing this from my trailer here at the DZ...haven't ventured out to see what's up anywhere yet... ) ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

And DeLand Fire and Golden Knights get to duke it out over that all random dive in just a few minutes! Tie-Breaker!! Yeah! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

The scores are not completely tallied yet. The ones in italics are not added to the scoreboard yet. They've only tallied through Round 7. It's Ice 127 to Divewerks 126 if my addition is correct. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

That's exactly it. Their rotation is up and they would normally be going to Iraq anyway. Yes, there is a jump off between Fire and GK. Fire did a blistering 20 and GK fumbled a zircon (not enough verticle separation to make it over cleanly...they stuck belly on back for a few agonizing seconds before breaking free! ). This cost them and the GK came in with an 18. They were told to be ready for the jump off in an hour (and that was about 30 minutes or so ago). Intermediate is finishing their Round 10 in the meantime. Wow! What a meet! We almost had another jump off between Carolina Ice and AZ Divewerks too! Ice pulled it off and is taking home the Silver. Divewerks the Bronze. Elsinore Equinox is taking the well deserved Gold. Round 11 for Open is O-G-B-L-Q. :^) ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

Rumor has it that if the GK's don't win GOLD that 2 of their 5 members will be heading for Iraq soon. If they win then they get to delay that and train for Worlds coming up. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

I've seen a few of Black Magick's rounds during judging the past couple of days. It's even more fun to watch them creep! Open and Advanced Medal rounds will be shown 'live' at 3pm today. Both have finished already, but they want a 'climatic close' to those by showing them in sequence with everybody around the screen at that time. Intermediate is still slogging away at their rounds. We (Open and Advanced) had to be here for wheels up at 6:30am this morning. Intermediate didn't have to be here until 10:00am. Well, at least we got to finish before it got blistering HOT outside! I actually feel sorry for Intermediate right now. Our sunrise jump this morning was actually beautful! ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

There have been so many hugs given out the past 2 days that a wuffo would have thought there was a love-fest going on here at Nat's!

Uhmmm....it wasn't a him who was concerned with the name... ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

I'll try and make it happen. Rick Lemmons, our internet-web cam guru, has alot on his plate with everything else going on. I'll try and see what he says. Competition starts tomorrow for 4-way.

Well, for the time being, you'll have to be content with Lew's pics on a daily basis. Like Black Magick and their wacky fun.

Hey! I was trying to figure out how I was gonna get those 4 goofballs to get off the creepers and into freefly suits. That or I was wondering why I had all that tequila the night before. Edit: Better? http://www.skydiveperris.com/pictures/2005_0831/IMG_3135.JPG JP, are you -really- that short or is Lew just that tall? Nice to see you smiling....