skybytch

Probably a good thing the weekend courses are producing coaches instead of teachers then, huh?

Don't do it. It'll ruin your life, man...

That's what most jumpsuit manufacturers recommend. Not a bad idea to use Woolite or other mild detergent as well.

Did she work full time too? And no, you don't have to pull in big bucks for your partner to not have to work. It's totally possible for a couple to live on one person's salary, even today. You just have to live within the means that are available - ie you have to care more about both of you being happy with life than you do about having a nice car or a big house.

He doesn't have to think about any of life's minutiae. She can get the car(s) serviced, go to the post office, do the shopping, keep the house clean, do the laundry, go to the bank, change the bed, arrange for home repairs, cook meals, handle family social obligations... not to mention take care of the kids needs. Personally, I think everybody who works fulltime - male or female - needs a wife just like that. How nice would it be to always have clean underwear and sheets and dinner you don't have to cook and dishes you never have to wash... How much better could you focus on your career and your fun if you didn't have to think about any of that shit?

Never could understand that. I have a solid color reserve primarily because it looks completely different from my multicolored main. It's also a color that I have nowhere else on my gear. There will be no question in my mind which canopy is above my head should either of them ever deploy without my permission.

Lassen Volcanic National Park. Camping, hiking, a mountain to climb, solitude even on day hikes, geological and historical points of interest, nice scenery. If you're at all into history, the Sacramento area has loads of gold rush related things to see. The redwoods on the northern California coast are amazing. The Oregon coast is cool. Touristy and expensive, but pretty with lots of public beach access. The Columbia River Gorge (OR/WA border) is gorgeous. Numerous "beach" access points, a side trip past some cool waterfalls, interesting physical and cultural geography.

Davis. The guys on Kaleidoscope (former local 4 way team) organize lots of RW stuff, including camps like that one. Besides the "paid for" camps, they also do a lot of free coaching.

I got a static line JM rating at 100 jumps in 1990. 100 jump wonders have been working with students for longer than you or I have been jumping. The only difference is that today many of those 100 jumps wonders fly a hell of a lot better than we did when we had 100 jumps. Believe The jump in question is #6.

I call bullshit. Maybe "back in the day", but not now. At least not where I jump. I know a guy, been jumping for almost a year now, who did 10 points on a four way on jump #70 (M-J-E-O, if you're curious) - two advanced 4 way competitors, another low experience jumper and him. Most of the 4 ways he does now (at about 150 jumps) are with people with less jumps and they still manage 5-6 points. And he doesn't have a crapload of tunnel time, either. Nor is he the only newer jumper on the dz with equivalent skills. But we're also lucky enough to have a few LO's who love to bring new jumpers into the RW fold. Sure, "back in the day" it took sending three good people up with the noob (with the noob staying in place and the other three flying around him/her) to get them their Falcon award (that was 4 points on a 4 way for the young pups). But it ain't the 90's anymore... it's very possible to become a safe recreational RW jumper in less than 100 jumps. Just depends on how much money and effort the new jumper is willing to put into it and how coachable they are.

Same applies to some AFF instructors. Sucks for someone to pay $200 for a jump and then spend half the freefall tumbling because one of the instructors screwed the pooch on the exit and the other can't get it stable. Not that anything like THAT would ever happen...

Shop labor rate per hour plus materials.

Containers for student use often have options that the experienced jumper doesn't want or need - adjustable main lift web and reserve side main deployment for example. Canopies for students are generally conservative in their performance. Nothing wrong with having one as your main; conservative is good when you're learning, if you're older and/or if you have previous injuries to protect. Differences in canopy flight will depend on which canopy you fly. A Spectre is going to fly and land differently than a Pilot, and both are going to be different from the Navigator you've been jumping. There is really no way to predict "how much" difference, since it depends on which canopy you choose, how you fly it and and your perceptions of speed and landing difficulty.

I dunno. I'd have him do a couple toe taps, those legs are just beggin' to spin him up.

Pot, meet kettle.

My turn. They are not connected to the container. They are connected to the harness.

I haven't jumped either and I can tell you they are apples and oranges, before even getting into the wingloading difference. The Batwing is a Stiletto copy. Highly elliptical, short recovery arc, turns fast, opens squirelly, and unlike Stilettos, doesn't land all that well. The Pilot is a modern tapered 9 cell. Longer recovery arc, nicer openings and easy landings, and yet it's still fun for more experienced pilots. I've never heard anybody who's jumped one recommend a Batwing at any wingloading to anybody with 20 jumps. I'd recommend a Pilot at 1.1 or less to anyone capable of landing a student canopy without hurting themselves.

I'd give my s/o everything I have. He's my partner, not a competitor.

Whine, whimper, moan. If you really cared about the scores, you'd be there.

Nah, I haven't been over 10k on a hike in a few years. You, OTOH, have been at 12k or above how many times this year??

I called you delusional first, so you have to find another word.

Just cuz you thought that me banning you meant that I wasn't nice doesn't mean I wasn't nice. I did put an expiration date on it, after all...

He was right, or course. We all know how well the "don't fuck the students until they're off student status" thing works. But he also used to say that the best AAD for a tandem was a trained tandem master...

You're both delusional. The only nice moderator was me.

Nah. I thought that because when I started jumping, it wasn't marketed as an amusement park ride.