packerboy

My girlfriend did one IAD style with a Manta 280, worked great... I was planning to upload the video to skydivingmovies.com. I think it would be easier on a canopy with large lines, perhaps a CRW canopy. That way you know what lines you are grabbing onto and what the affect on the canopy will be when you grab onto them. (I assume you will try to climb up on the shoulders and jump off). I will let you know if and when I post the video... To answer your question though, yes the person in the saddle found that it was a pretty painful experience. I really suggest you do IAD style deployment if you can, it helps you to have a better grip on each other when the time comes. There is a great picture on skydivegan.com --> picture gallery --> Summer 2003 I tried to upload it, but it wouldn't let me for some reason. Good Luck! edited to say Manta 280 not 230. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Unfortunately I don't get to see a whole lot of CRW go on in my dropzone. What really amazes me everytime I see it is a wrap. There are a couple of vid's on skydivingmovies.com but not too many.. is their a special CRW dog lair dot com where I can check out some more pics and vids of wraps and cool CRW moves. You guys are awesome, keep on barking, just don't shit near my trailer.. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Sure, we had a guy at our dropzone who was doing an intentional cutaway, so just for fun he connected his main onto his rig backwards.. I didn't see it, but I guess it was pretty funny watching a guy in full flight on a fast canopy going backwards. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

People win the lotto every week here! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

so learn to pack, pack for jumps. after that you'll be able to pack fast = more jumps per day learn to pack fast when your packing for jumps = more pack jobs in a day, not necessarily more jumps where I'm from -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I'm currently trying to sell my car to get gear.. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

How do you possibly train someone to handle a hung jumper or someone deploying in plane without actually having one? Landing gear not working, engine failure... These "free pilots" aren't flying for the first time. I assume that training to handle these situations happens well before they have their commercial licence. Actually if you have flown 3000 hrs after your initial training to get your licence before one of these things occur you are much farther away from being trained how to handle it. "What did that guy say 5 years ago that I should in this situation?" I'm not trying to say that someone with alot more hours is not going to be a better pilot with a cooler head on their shoulders. For sure they are. I'm not talking about Casa pilots or even Otter pilots either. I'm talking about 182 pilots that need hours for their resume. Do you think just because a DZO doesn't pay their pilot they just give him (or her) a key to plane and say "Fucking givver buddy.. she's all yours!"? A DZO who doesn't pay their pilots is no less worried about the safety of their friends and customers than someone who does. There is training involved, and those "free" pilots become very competent, handling those same situations that you are describing. When was the last time you heard about someone being injured from the pilots actions while a jumper was hanging from the plane? I know it's happened to those who fly for free too. Not just the intentional hanging from the plane either.

QuoteIf I am above my hard deck, I'll still play with it. Below that, buh-bye. Umm... hmmm.... you want to rethink that statement? The key to having a hard-deck, at least in my opinion, is that something has to be done above it. If I believe that I am 1ft below my hard-deck and I still can't land what is above me, I am dumping the reserve to get as much nylon over my head as possible. WITHOUT chopping. That is what a hard-deck is to me, something that I don't chop below. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I started as a packer before jumping. I packed at least 2 of my 4 tandems before starting AFF. I pack tandems all day long only to get on sunrise/sunset loads. I hate packing... but I love the benefits.. The only skydive I have ever paid for was my first tandem. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

What is a good situation for one, is not always the same for another. I know pilots that would love FREE hours in their logbook, which can help them to build a career. I also know some engineers that would have loved FREE university tuition. Nothing in this world is free. That plane is owned by someone who has paid good money for it (not the pilot). That gas is paid for by someone. The maintenance is paid for by someone. Those hours in the pilots logbook are paid for by someone. That leads me to believe that yes, even if you are flying for free, if you are doing it with the intention of using those hours on your resume (somewhat like the engineer and his G.P.A), you are being compensated for your time and effort. If an experienced pilot doesn't like the amount of compensation for what they do then maybe they should do something else. Or... get more hours and get a better job. I happen to believe that the upper echelon (sp?) of pilots get paid MUCH MORE than enough for what they do. However, said pilot has no right whatsoever to blame a brand new pilot who flies for free to get hours, for his rate of compensation. If that were the case I think that I should get paid for skydiving NOW, because someday I might become a TI, or a video flyer. Damn those people who skydive for free because they can! Damn those people even more who pay to skydive! Damn those pilots who have to pay to rent planes because they can't get a job because they have no hours. My two cents. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Stay there then... I bet 12 ways can still be pretty fun if you have to do them from 3 planes with a bunch of newbies though... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I don't get it... you get paid to jump out of an airplane doing tandems... draw the line? Do what you have to do. Obviously I'm a packer.. at a Canadian dropzone.. can't afford to go to the States and do a few hundred jumps to get my ratings. I packed my own tandem even before my freefall course.. I've packed for it all... I can't friggen wait to do tandems! Perhaps that will change after a few thousand of them. I've seen burnouts.. but they were doing it for the wrong reason to begin with. We have tandem instructors with thousands of tandems who still love every bit of the opportunity of getting to jump out of an airplane for free or less! I guess you year round jumpers are just a little spoiled with your 12 months of jumping, cheap jump prices, half loads in Casa's and Skyvan's and thousands of students to pay for your jumps. Here, if we can be in the air, we do it..... edited to say: I was being playfully sarcastic... but you have to admit that you've got it made compared to a 2 Cessna Canadian DZ. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Try diverdriver.com -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

If a DZ packer packed the main, NO. If you packed it, yes. Broken parachute (depends on the condition of the parachute) Most likely not. Lost pieces - yes. If I were a DZO however, I don't think I would make people pay for handles if they lost them on a particularily nasty mal packed by a DZ packer. I would make the packer pay for it IN BEER! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Where they jumping from the FrankenOtter? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

It is... I LOVE IT! Because the pilot is half asleep at 7:30am he doesn't notice when you do fun stuff with his airplane, like hang off the wing by your feet!

Man... I wish I had a tunnel when I started... that is sweet! Man.. I wish I had money for gear when I started... that is sweet! Oh wait I still don't have gear, at least the dropzone rents it to me for free since turning me into a slave! Wait a second.. did you say last week? I was snowboarding last week, fun, but not as fun as skydiving. I wish I lived in California for the winter... that is sweet! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Just watch out... before you know it, you'll be spent and the DZO will have you packing tandems for 12 hrs a day, while people that are concerned that you look like you're going to pass out while you're packing their parachute are hand feeding you sammiches while you are ramming their canopy into the D-bag. Finally you will have enough money saved up in your account to do 100 jumps, but unfortunatelly there are 6 tandem canopies laying on the packing floor and everyone is running to the plane while you are being yelled at by the DZO to get his gear out of the sun. Then at the end of the day, after the last load everyone will want a pack job.. so they will sit around and use you as a beer cap flicking target, while you are being eaten alive by mosquitos (can't use bug repellant because it will wreck the canopies) while you are trying to purge the canopies while somehow trying not to lose your concentration by staring at the ice cold beers (sweet nectar of life) that everyone else is drinking, not to mention watching that full beer that someone offered you and you set down by the last rig get opened and drank by the first person who is too lazy to go to the fridge and get another. Meanwhile everyone else has gone and started their bbq's and then the smell of steak wafts into the hangar (only 2 more tandems to pack) which you can't afford by the way, because you just bought a $300 helmet the day before. Oops theres another beer cap in the ear. Finally you build up the courage to ask the DZO if you can pack the last two tandems in the morning if you promise to get up early.. he will frown, you will pack one more, and then put the last one into the rigging loft when he's not looking. Then go have the time of your life for 3 hrs. because you have to get up early and pack that tandem canopy, and then pack your own (left out from the first load the day before). Finally, you get to be the first one to manifest for the first load of the day.. go wake up a grumpy ass pilot and a few other skydivers.. wait for an hour with your gear on.... and GO SKYDIVE FOR FREE AND ABSOLUTELY LOVE EVERY 60 SECONDS OF IT! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I jump at a small Cessna dropzone with very wide open "outs". Typically at least one person will land with the main.. one with the reserve rider.. and two will chase down the freebag. Freebag chasing is not a sport that we get to indulge in too often (fortunately). I personally believe that gear chasing should be left to the very seasoned professionals. I think that the potential for a canopy collision while more than one person is chasing gear is much higher than at the DZ, mainly because people tend to not fly so predictably when chasing gear. At least one person on the load should land with the jumper though (if they are way off). Just be smart about it. Know your canopy skills. When you are landing with someone, you don't have to land on them, chose a safe spot nearby and wait for the ambulance that Ron is sending even though he has no clue if you need one or not. The only mal that I have had, I got beat in an accuracy competition by my own freebag which landed 5 ft from the target. Now that was a well spotted load! Jokes Ron, jokes... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

sigh... that sounded pretty professional... Oh well, I won't be the only guy at the dropzone with a girly looking rig because it was a good deal. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

That's what I'm looking for! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I assume that the material for rigs is dyed before the rig is made. Can you dye a lightly colored rig to make it... ahem.... less ugly? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I landed a freebag in the bowl last summer! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

If you are talking about Vicki Lanthier, she is in Afghanistan right now (actually New Zealand at this moment), but she will be back jumping in Gan in.. uhh I think May.. don't quote me. Vicki is tonnes of fun to jump with and party with, as are almost everybody at Skydive Gan. As for the question of RW in Gan.. check out the website, we have 2 instructors that were on the 300 way, and more than a few others that are definately skilled enough to have been. The DZO is a pioneer of training students in the sport. There are also more than enough recent freefall grads (like myself) with between 20 and 300 jumps who you can go out with and learn with and maybe a little bit from. Can't wait to see you in Gan! Oh wait.. shit did you say another French-Canadian jumper? I hear Skydive Burnaby is nice.. LOL. Just kidding dude, there are plenty of French-Canadians here you can go to trays feet with.. you might even find a french pilot or two (shudder.... thinking of Montreal drivers). In fact I'll be snowboarding with one tommorow at Mt. Sutton... I'd better get to bed. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Maybe you will look sharp to the untrained eye when you come in under a puny canopy. However, I guarantee you that your fellow experienced jumpers at your small dropzone talk behind your back about how you will become the next incident report. I know this because I come from a small dropzone with a casual jumper with the same attitude. At my dropzone, people also tell this guy in person that they believe he is getting lucky time and time again and eventually his luck will run out. I hope for yours and others sake that there is someone at your dropzone (hopefully your DZO) who will be frank enough to let you know what you are doing face to face. Perhaps it won't sink in by listening to nameless faceless persons telling you online. BTW, noone looks cool with their femur protruding from their left lung. Please don't prove me right! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson