airtime1

Whenever asked if I still get scared I tell people "after a 100 jumps you earn the right to say your moderately apprehensive." It used to amaze me how I could drive 80mph to get to the DZ because I was so excited to get there and then be too afraid to jump. I could fill a book with all the reasons I've come up with to not jump once I got there. And I even believed most of them. I'd usually find a way to blame it on other people. "Damn DZO, I don't want to support them" or "there's no one I feel comfortable jumping with today". And my ever popular, if there is the slightest problem with the plane "screw this, I'm not jumping from that piece of shit". Truth is, I was a victim to my own anxiety, still am in alot of ways. This has been going on for over 28 years. In this time, I've ran the DZ, trained many students, did tandems for over 10 years and AFF for more years than that. The only time I've ever really noticed an affect in freefall was if I jumped by myself. I will do it, but a long solo freefall is not fun for me. People think I'm joking when I say "I'm scared to jump by myself there's nothing to do but look at my altimeter." In fact, this is my first public discussion of it. Once I leave the plane and have something to focus on I have no problem. I have demonstrated the ability to react under pressure both skydiving and flying. I originally suspected it to be just irrational fear so I utilized some rational emotive behavior therapy techniques. Non skydiviers would assume a fear of dying would be a rational belief but as many of us know it can be very annoying when we live to skydive. If I'm not focusing on a student on jump run there are certain other things I often have to focus on. A psychiatrist friend suggested I have "quiet" panic attacks in many areas of my life. There was a drug that appeared to help but I try to avoid those options. I believe it is quite common, just not personally explored and talked about. The single biggest factor to address anxiety has been mentioned here on nearly every post "currency". It's a crazy circle, the anxiety slows your jumping and not jumping feeds the anxiety. Early on I got involved with 4-way RW. I had a commitment to others (3 others I knew and trusted) to be there, and dirt dive visualization gave me something to focus on during climb to altitude. I'm now considering learning head down. (I've been saying that for years.) But it involves alot of freefall time by myself but if I can get past that and focus on techniques I think it can be rewarding. Besides, there's nothing like watching a fat, balding, over 50 guy trying to learn something new. There's always a challenge available in skydiving, it's just more fun when it doesn't involve just getting on the plane. RobH It was a scary day when logic and maturity crept into my life, it damn near ruined my skydive.

I used to flat pack my accuracy canopy due to the size. After a few hundred pro packed tandems my accuray canopy didn't seem that ackward. Now I pack either way depending on available space and if I feel like bending down much.

Started for the prairie this morning. Lots of smoke (forest fires) between here and there, and electrical gremlin in the plane. Turned back , fixed the gremlin but the smoke isn't any better. Great, my weekend pass turned into landscaping duty at home. Hope your having smoke free skies prairie dwellers. RobH - Caldwell, ID

This is the week I usually try to avoid visiting the inlaws but that may change. It will be a tough decision - 16 hr. drive with family (which we just did 4 wks ago) or 4 hour flight with just me and the rig. Air trip. RobH - Idaho

Maybe a container near manifest during the boogie so we can donate to a new memorial plaque? I wouldn't want to take anything from the memory of Joan however. Just an idea, I don't know whether it's a good one or not. I'd be grateful to be able to donate the cost of a jump ticket in honor of the latest. RobH

Check this out. www.boppy.com Great for nursing mothers, hemroids, and fractured tailbones.

Skydiver/Skydiving Proposals I proposed to my wife after she landed on a high profile demo. I figured she would be so jacked from the demo, and with all that adrenalin she would be really exicted by the prospect. I had a friend tow a banner behind his plane over the demo area (thousand of witnesses) with the proposal. I had a fellow jumper saying "hey, look at that plane towing a banner, what does it say?" Since the other 18 jumpers were looking at my then girlfriend, she immediately surmised the recipent of the message. The response from her was what not quite what I had intended - "I'm going to kill you". A year later she vowed "til death do you part". When she calls me a selfish, grumpy old fart I remind her of what a loving, thoughtful, sensitive guy I can be. RobH

Mac, take care of the boys.

Beautiful freefall. One very tough girl. Heal well babe. RobH

Suicide is the ultimate act of control. After realizing this it was no longer an option. I wasn't about to let all those that called me a control freak think they were correct.

This certainly can't be the Jeff Wragg I've known and respected all these many years. And then came Weiner. RobH

I witnessed a cut-a-way at a DZ I don't jump at recently and over heard an individual state that it was his 8th save. Having been a rigger in the area for many years I instinctively asked how long he'd been a rigger. Response: "I have 40 packs but I haven't taken the test." Then I heard him state that he was owed a bottle for the reserve ride. Have I lived an isolated skydiving existence, believing that 8 saves out of 40 packs is a fantastic percentage but strongly suggests questionable main packing techniques being taught? Am I naive in the belief that a rigger would want to assist in correcting the bad main packing techniques at the DZ to cut down on the malfunction rate? Should I be put out to pasture because I believe that to be "owed a bottle" one should not only pack but learn basic sewing tech., study, and pass a written and practical test? At the very least should I admit my ignorance by not having a packer boy to do the work while I put my seal on it and collect the money and call it training? If necessay I'll admit that I'm simply jealous having over 400 reserve packs and only 5 saves. Actually, I do thank God for my percentages. RobH

"What I am currently experiencing is that after the weekends adrenaline overload I seem to feel quite blue on a Monday. Is this normal or am I just a 40 something year old fart who's body and mind are subtly trying to tell him to rather take up fishing? " As any true, self respecting addict will attest to - this is known as WITHDRAWAL. RobH

I believe the 1977 Collegiate Nat'l champ was L. Bruce Jones. Currently using a phone number in Rathdrum, Idaho area. Owner of US Submarines INC Everytime I used to run into Ottley he would tell me about attending the Collegiates at Star. I'm sure Dr. Pedro would remember. Steve, sorry I missed Hamiltion. I was worried about flying through all the smoke. Sounds like you all have a good thing going there. RobH

OK Michelle, tell us about your first experience with an LP Saturday night. Sorry I had to leave before you got there. I wanted to personally deliver you to chior practice with the instructions of " I leave you a girl return to us a woman." However, I have a stong suspicion you did just fine. Robh

airtime1 alanab Amazon Angie22, just to play in the water and drink beer Balls Bigsky BirdWoman Chrissylicious Clownburner D22369 DBCooper DrDive "AKA" Doc ED G5fh84 29th to the 3rd Ggggia Doc... IanHarrop & Maria jacketsdb23 Ladydyver livendive mach2 madjohn JasonRose McBeth MichaelBess monkycndo Murphy, drinking beer with Angie22 ndfallrate Nightingale NWFlyer PurpleNed!!!!!!!! Rkymtnhigh RobR RobV Rogers (SuperFly!) SeaKev Shannon and Jim Shell666 Smilie Soulshine Stitch TallGuy TravisJones Turtlespeed UntamedDOG Hell I might as well go, at least I get to put my name at the top of the list. Flying in Thurs. morning. LP was my first out of town boogie in '81. I'll never forget seeing Teddy Mayfield do a down wind accuracy landing in the saw dust pit, bounce 20 yds. and get up with a smile. RobH Darkwing, if your still lurking I'll miss seeing you there.

I never loan anything I'm not willing to lose. If I borrow and I brake, I pay. I have often assumed others felt the same. Experience has proved me wrong. Rob

In reply "Do you think our club has a drinking problem?" Yes, I believe you do, looks like all the glasses are damn near full.

I seem to remember Darkwing clearing me for 30 sec delays trying to get me to do a 15 sec delay. No altimeter, no stop watch but I could count pretty damn fast. Truth be known - I usually lost count somewhere past 5 sec got scared and pulled. I think someone loaned me an altimeter to get me to 30 sec delays. Took thirty some more jumps to discover what "gound rush" was I didn't need an altimeter to know I was low that time.

Steve Fred is a DPRE and is an excellent, knowledgeable resource. Another resource in your area are the smoke jumpers. Are there any in your area that are sport jumpers? I realize they tend to get busy at certain times of the year but at other times may be willing to assist a willing apprentice. Most, if not all are riggers. The sport/smoke jumpers in the Boise area have been invaluable to my learning over the years. Rob PS. Terry, the Symposium was great, I learned and relearned alot.

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Jan Sullivan and John Stubblefield put together a great collection of old photos for Eddie's services recently. I had forgotten Bullit Bob ever looked that young. Not to mention the skinny blonde kid name Ron Gulley. Rob H

I always regretted not knowing Wally before the infamous stadium accident. I never knew the man who did so much for skydiving in the Boise area. I heard so many great stories that never seemed to match the man I knew. The man I knew showed the signs of daily endurance of tremendous pain, and the effects of the use of things that helped relieve that pain. The after-life is considerably more lively now that Wally and Crazy Ed are together again.