packerboy

Who have you got amazing good and bad customer service stories from in this sport and why? I'm not going to list my reasons because I am short for time right now but here are my favourite peeps. Good: Theresa @ Unfeathered (amazing customer service) Lara @ Alti-2 (again, super nice amazing service) Bad: Kurupee suits - (poor product twice - maybe an anomoly.. don't care to try again - I have seen other nice Kurupee suits. Mine sucked - both of them) Para-Gear - shitty post sale service on faulty product. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

That does suck. I agree with the sales guy, you'd better treat every customer like they ARE your best friend or you won't get far in sales. At least you won't get my sale, because there ARE people out there competing with a product just as good or better that ARE willing to be cool with you no matter who you are or what you smell like. As far as it just being a rep... depends on what their intentions are. If they are doing it so they themselves can get a cheap suit and all they have to do is be a go between for people that seek them out, I can see it happen. But if they are being a rep to earn some extra cash on the side, they are going about it the wrong way. I would rather order straight from the company and give them the extra money than give it to someone who is not going to appreciate it. Sales people in skydiving should learn something from T@unfeathered, Lara at Alti2, and the guys and gals at Larsen & Braugard (sp?) and PD. These people will go a long way in their field based on their people skills alone.. not to mention they have wicked products. There should be a comprehensive list of awesome customer service reps somewhere here... hmm..... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Do you seriously do that? I could see someone doing all that, but without the Velo. Low, Velo, Camera, Wingsuit.... scary combo. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

It happens in the Canadian military as well. At least in the regiment here in Kingston. My father got coined at the mess, and had to buy a round for the entire mess full of people. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I know someone who did just that... but had their mains connected backwards. I'm not sure they pulled points after the chop though. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

At Gan, staff typically just settles up at the end of the year. Or by making deposits through the winter. It's not so busy with students at the beginning of the year, so it takes all summer to work off the debt incurred. Fun jumpers settle up at the end of the weekend or sometimes are even able to work something out for paying after payday or whatnot. In the Cessna's, our pilots keep a log of everyone that gets in the plane for weight and balancing Nav Canada requirements anyway, so it works well to keep track of jumpers. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Turning too low to avoid an object has killed alot of people, I would rather hit an object with the forward speed of MY canopy (Sabre 150 1:1) than hit the ground while in a hard turn (much faster closure speed with object being planet). -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Oh.... I guess the word Mamba automatically makes itself a clicky... whether it was you or someone else, it was a very tricky clicky! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Absolutely... I bet Scott Miller would swoop WAY WAY further on a small Stiletto on double fronts than on a Safire 2 269 on a straight in approach. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

You could reply to the original post, but that would mean going back a page... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I fully agree, but Scott Miller has more than 235 jumps. I took his course, and he's not that bad of a canopy pilot at all! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

So you had no problem figuring out which direction the wind was coming from, good. So the problem that occured was a poor spot and too high winds for such a canopy and wingloading. You managed to stand it up, not break yourself and learned from the experience no doubt. Excellent. All is well then. I wasn't trying to take a stab at anyone or any specific situation, I just have a bad habit of replying to the last post in the thread to make a general post on the thread topic. My point was that if you can't figure out what direction the wind is coming from without a windsock, you will need to add extra variables of safety to your skydive while you learn how to do so. Such as a forgiving canopy and jumping in not so crazy winds. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I'd have to say that Aerodyne has a pretty sexy website, but that was a very tricky way to make me go there... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I don't think you misunderstood the statement at all. "1oz can make the difference between something that flies at a reasonable rate and something that flies 200mph" is how I read it. Perhaps a reasonable or pleasant rate is somewhere around 194mph... I do know that bowling balls inside motorcycle helmets fall really friggen fast, and motorcycle helmets don't do much to protect bowling balls who skydive. Pumpkins fall fast too. G.I. Joe, although not as fast, does not have a survivable fallrate under his 3" round and he can't PLF well with 2 broken legs. Everyone should take their balls with them on every jump, just watch out for those legstraps... it'll only happen once! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I'd have to see that to believe it... maybe if the Safire is downwind and the Stiletto is into wind. Forgive me for being skeptical, but who's flying the small Stiletto? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Two 3 ways huh? I guess thats the difference when you have the Otter full time. In Gan there would likely be more than a full Otter load hanging around all weekend no matter what the weather is doing, just waiting for a hole. You have one all the time and people will give up and come back next weekend. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

If you have set yourself up for success from the beginning (which you have done hopefully), and you are inexperienced enough for this to be a problem for you, than hopefully you are jumping a big enough and square enough canopy that a groundspeed check (looking between your feet to see which way you are going fastest) should be just fine. If there is a wind sheer at 750 ft, hopefully you are flying a canopy that can afford you a flat (hopefully you have chosen a canopy that can afford you an aggressive toggle turn at that altitude [don't do one]) turn at that altitude. And hopefully you are flying a canopy that is forgiving enough to not kill you if you are going into a 10 mph downwind. And if the groundwinds are a whole lot more than that, hopefully you didn't get on the plane. Don't let the wind direction take your focus off picking a landing area up high in order to not have to avoid objects down low. If you have 50 jumps, have a Katana 107, jumping in 20 knot winds, didn't check your spot, didn't pick your landing area up high, hit a wind sheer at 1000ft, did an agressive enough turn to eat 800ft of altitude, and have now found yourself flying straight at some powerlines, you are in great big trouble, probably gonna die. Moral of the story... if you can't figure out wind direction without a windsock... find out how and in the meantime jump a great big fucking canopy and not in high winds. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Want more out of your canopy? Just downwind everything... 20-30 knots.. fuckit... go bigtime downwind! And carve it too.. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

2 Tandems at dropzone A 479 jumps at dropzone B Become staff and get in debt with a dropzone.. that'll slow down your curiosity -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

You had the balls (or appropriate girl parts) to leave a plan in flight. Count' em. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I agree with the laser eye surgery fanatics. Had PRK in the winter.... 20/10 vision now. As for goggles.. I used to lose contacts all the time jumping (probably about 10 in 350 jumps). I got CURVZ sunglasses and didn't lose any after that. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Bring a flair gun, and when you open, point it staright up and fire. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

My first real take at video editing I used Black Eyed Peas - Let's Get Retarded. I think it goes well... see it here Edited to add: my first attempt at a clicky didn't go so well Edited again to add: It wasn't an original skydiving choice... I first heard it on a video by Fuzzy and loved it. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I sometimes pack in about 3-4 minutes if I'm in a hurry. Just comfirm non-stepthrough by running up the lines roll the nose up wrap & stuff close & go. (don't forget to open slider and cock pilot chute) I only do this for myself though on my own canopy. Packing without properly flaking can cause line burns on the canopy during opening and is not cool to do on other peoples gear, especially when they are paying for a professional pack job. Of course when you are in this much of a hurry, you will always break 2-3 stow bands and a closing loop. The quicker the packjob, the nicer the opening it seems though... untill it steps over that fine line of slow opening and malfunction. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I don't need to do that, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that both riggers that I use do a full proper professional job. I doubt either one of them would pencil pack for me even if I asked. I believe you know them both. Will McCarthy and Gilles Dutrisac. Maybe I'm thinking of a different Rob. Steeve Mavre still flying for you guys out there? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson