mr2mk1g

I had to ask for a reminder on how to turn a cypres on at about 130 odd jumps. I hadn't jumped one for over a hundred jumps and about a year... even when I was a student most of the time it was already on for me. I know I knew how to turn it on while I was a student - hell I was right about what I thought the turn on proc. was a year later... but I still had to ask to be sure. Self supervision means you should be capable of doing your own gear check. For many that did not include a cypres - they're not mandatory after all. On the other hand if you jump something you should know how to use it. That goes for reverse risers, digital alti's, RSL's or cypres's... know thine gear or don't jump.

Anyone want a pool table? I’m putting mine up on e-bay tonight.

yup - FF for the last year and hoping and poping for the past month and a half means going flat again hurts.

A friend of mine learnt a couple of weeks ago that it's also not a good idea to cut your canopy away and sprint across the exp. landing area simply to film the landing of your friends 500th jump... DZ control saw someone cut away and sprint off out of sight into a dip in the ground. They were convinced someone had biffed in and was receiving aid out there.

Insist that they open it out of the way in a side room so it doesn't get walked over and dragged through crap. Ask them to swab it first - only if it sets off their "explosometer" (TM) should they want to open it. Explain as Airtwado said. Offer to open your main rather than the reserve. Claim it doesn't open - if they want to take it apart by force back down. My travel buddy on his way through CDG Parris just refused point blank and offered no further explanation. He was quite rude actually - I was cringing and wondering if I would stay with him or just leave him to his ass exam on his own. After asking about 6 or 7 times for him to open “the bag” and being told flat – “NO, I’m not opening it” the security bod just gave up and walked off.... gives you confidence doesn't it.

There's that argument again. Support your president - Blindly vote for whoever's in power at the time or you're not a "patriot". Go read up on the concept of democracy!!!!!!

8-way 10-way 10-way track 3-way tube jump 7-way hybrid A good weekend indeed.

Not that it counts for crap as far as the FAA is concerned... but out of interest there was one done in Holland at the weekend. An 80 year old, blind, WWII vet did a tandem with a Red Devil, (think UK Golden Knights) onto the DZ he jumped into during the battle for Arnhem. (The film "A Bridge Too Far" for those of you who know nothing about history outside of Hollywood).

I'm feeling some pro bono work comming on... anyone have this guys number?

Easter time's good. Not too hot yet so not too many dirt devils to worry about at the big DZ's that have them. You get holiday from work anyway so it doesn't bite into your vacation days quite as bad (least that's how it works out over here - I presume you have the same kinda thing... if not my last comment doesn't stand). I've been to Perris now at easter two years running. It has everything you're after and more. Now that's not to say other places don't have, just that I can personally reccomend Perris. That said next year I'm seriously considering a DZ in Florida just for a change cos three annual holidays to the same place is a) a bit sad (even if it is to such an awsome place and b) a bit of a waste as I could experiance other places. Either that or I'm off to a DZ near Moscow if I can figure it out (but that's not really a newbie holiday).

Maybe it count's as an "O"(ther) then??? Or maybe they'll just end up arguing about how it's not attached to the ground or something??

I don't think anyone can - that's what I said earlier; there's some research going on over here to try and address the point but it's a way off from what I understand. The biggest problem is it's of academic interest only as no one actually has a major financial stake in finding out who actually causes claims - just who has claims.

Why would you ever get clouds in your sinuses - whenever I come across clouds I just land on them and jump off the edge again.

Don't worry about the other's joking with this post or the other's you've made. It's fun to see them. Just out of interest... were you told that to clear the poped sensation in your ears you should hold your ancles and jump up and down? Sometimes exp. jumpers have fun with tandem passengers and feed them jokes like these... hopefully you'll agree it's completely harmless and just a bit of fun. Osmosis - no Parachute going up when it opens - no holding ancles and hopping - no those and a whole host of other little one liners built up over the years. Once you've done a training course and a jump or two you'll soon be able to spot the shit from the corn.

What you say there is true an'all... but I was merely thinking about the meaning of "careless" and what kind of accident might fit into the bracket.

"Careless" fits the headlight vs. gate post a little better though don't it?

Actually the only thing that costs is a claim. The research done over here suggests that if you include all the minor shit like knocking out a head light on the gate post that doesn't get claimed for - women end up with numerically more accidents than men... it's just those accidents are far far cheaper so even if they were included in statistics they would still only have a limited effect.

That's the problem I highlighted in my first post. There is no data out there in relation to this so we don't know. There is a strong suspicion over here that certain elements of society are more likely to cause accidents to others, and that those trends don't necessarily correlate with those elements of society who are involved in accidents. Think Mr. Magoo - never involved in an accident but left chaos in his wake. There is some research going on at the moment to try and collect useful data on the subject. The additional problem is that even if it’s conclusively shown that "person type A" causes more accidents than they're involved in, that still wont effect the cost of anyone’s insurance policy because causing accidents doesn’t always cost the insurance co any money – only getting involved in accidents.

My comments are based on UK stats only... whilst perhaps indicative of Western soc. in general they can't be taken as conclusive.

Christ man you must have taken a while to type that! I corrected that typo ages ago. Not sure what your problem with my use of French is though... although it is the language of the Devil. (nice post though - pick up the humour and run with it I always say)

Same in the UK, it's not first contact or last contact that counts - it's both. If you can't do that you don't get the rating. Of course the problem with the UK regs is that there is no requirement to do your rating jumps on the canopy you're going to use. I did mine on my ordinary sport rig and 170, but then that's likely to be what I'll use. Most pro demo jumpers though simply nominate 5 tandems each year then do the jump on whatever rigs the demo team own - usually sensibly sized tri's or similar.

It's a pity to see adults such with a poor grasp of the English language. Pour votre edification:

How'd you think Holyrood would have dealt with the problem Nac? Would we have seen gold painted naked ladies usher the protesters out of the diamond-encrusted hall on a silver thread conveyor belt powered by miniature fission reactors while a light pine sent automatically masked their appearance? Stormont would have probably known about their plans months in advance due to some secret bugging device that was steeling the protesters electricity. They would have thus been able arrange for someone to go round the night before and knee-cap them with a sawn off, thus preventing the protest. The National Assembly in Cardiff would never see such events as no one actually cares that they exist at all, much less think that protesting to them would even make a difference to anything. That's if they could actually find the Assembly in the first place. Meanwhile Westminster has "Black-Rod" and "The Sergeant at Arms" to deal with such interlopers who are apparently also in charge of paperclips. Still say they should keep the names at least though as opposed to this new fangled “Minister for Homeland Security"... sounds so vulgar... so... American...

Oh man, you should'a said. We could'a sent you some... I 'dunno, some cheese or sumink... Happy belated b-day dude.

Things that work for me: Go and take a good long crap. Take good reading material. Do it noisily and be proud of it. Or Work out. Or Shag, a lot. Or Have a really big argument... my profession helps the availability of this solution. Or write a really nasty letter... if you can't do so in your professional capacity pick on a product you'd really like to gripe about... such as complain the blue flavour ice pops just don't taste blue enough. Or write and complain to an advertising standards agency about an advert that really pisses you off. Flatulence. Try laying miniclip games on line. Do a happy dance or walk down the street emulating the Ministry of Funny walks sketch. Go for a run in the most spastic manner possible - really flail your arms around and make lots of noise. Or simply pretend you're being chased by some strange being. Develop an elaborate plan with a friend to play a practical joke on another… performance isn’t even necessary although could pay dividends.