Vertifly

BIGGEST {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{VIBES}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} to you, MIKE. Dude, that sucks! Hey man, just take it easy, rest up, and keep your mind on something good (we all know you will anyway). Hope that you're back to 100% soon.

Wendy's the SHIT!!!

1. Whats your name? David Colucci 2. How old are you? 31 3. Why did you decide to start jumping out of airplanes? a girlfriend sorta talked me into it and I always had it in the back of my mind until the 1st one 4. Are you single or taken? Married? very single for the time being

Yeah. Let's face it, what we do is hardly 'a natural act'. It is going to take about 100,000 more years of evolution before our bodies look good at terminal velocity. Until then, I'll just enjoy the 1-G aesthetics without relative-wind making me look like a 90-year old... oh, yum yum anyway! it is soooo much better that way.

Is it ok to be too self-conscious (or perhaps even "vain") to skydive without clothes? I get freaked out by seeing the cheeks on my face flap around on exit. And after seeing Mike McGowan's video of a naked big-way skydive (the from-underneath view), this will probably never happen. My odds of getting naked in public usually only increase with Sambuca or other 'ground-candies'. LOL

I think my ass may be white (or hot) enough to blind a driveby. Then I could just hitch a ride. LOL Is this what you meant by this? Why, did this happen to you? That would be soooo funny.

Yeah, I can be quite philospophical and less physical when it comes to expressing my ideas about freeflying. A lot of my posts can be that way too. Many people say that their flying improves with a better mood/attitude. This is true of many sports, but particularly with ours. 'Why is this true???'hmmm...I've always wondered. Well, it could be because RELAXING STRENGTHENS SKILL in freeflying/skydiving. A positive attitude, a little focus, and without the stress (of someone else around you at 170mph, gear fear, altitude fear, etc.) your flying ability can consistently improve on every jump. My posted reply to Wrongway in THIS post actually touches on what I am referring to here. Anyway, cool!!!, glad you are with me. -DC

I love that. She's very creative indeed. How much are they?

1) Making the second point of a 14-way head-down formation. The concentric circle one. That was a pretty cool day. 2) Probably graduating AFF and doing a solo. Really though, it just keeps getting better and better...

That's great. And an impressive mindset to have. It's awesome to meet people who are intense about there flying. To me, there isn't any other way to be. Rock on!!! ps. can't believe that this is your fist year...oh my!

Snowing isn't the word for it. This is a late-season Blizzard and there is more on the way. I'm beginning to think that being in Florida last weekend, freeflying with new and old friends, and simply enjoying the sunshine was JUST a dream. Please tell me that it isn't so..... F'N COLD WEATHER SUCKS!!!

Yeah, but the picture comes out SOOOO much better. Particularly when you are jumping in hazed conditions or when the backdrop makes for excellent eye-candy. It is usually very hazy in Jersey (where my home DZ is) and when I go elsewhere the eye-candy is usually good too. I'll work it out somehow.

Thanks Ivan! How are things going at your DZ? Getting much freeflying in lately!??? You were planning on coming to X-keys this year, weren't you? Let me know; we'll do a Kurupee suits jump!

Pretty soon you'll have Smithers' position!!! ooohhhh, did i just say that. No really, CONGRATS dude! Way to go!

I've already tried gaffers taping it. Purhaps I just didn't use enough of the stuff. The area where the tape needs to go is a very tough area to get into. In other words, the wide-angle lens is BIG, the polarized lens is small, and the camera gets BIG again. This makes for a very unstable lens and difficult to secure so that it doesn't vibrate in freefall. It doesn't sound like the option of a NON-Rotating lens is available. Hey, I will have to do what many thousands of camera flyers have done before me and GAFFERS tape it to death.

That is a really great way to explain it Wrongway (no pun intended - LOL) Think about it... By exiting an aircraft at altitude, you are really giving yourself to the wind by changing environments. In other words, you're changing your surrounding and/or environment where gravity controls your balance to one where relative-wind is in control. Unless you are SUPER-CURRENT, it will take a few seconds to make this transition. With low experence or when you are just learning, I think that a good way to practice this would be to put the top of your head into the relative wind - quickly as possilble out of the plane - and let your spine (or torso) find the sweet spot. That spot being an equal amount of air pressure flowing down your body on each side. The more sensitive that you are to this pressure, the better. It is really a feel or an instinct at that point. If you are doing solo's: Try using the plane as a reference. From AFF, we all know that the air is moving horizontally, at first, when exiting the plane. Knowing that is enough to get you started in the head down position. Just lean back, in the front float position, facing the tail of the plane and hold the bar for balance. At this point, try to get your body as far outside the plane as possible to be more familiar with that "environment" we were talking about (relative wind); sort of like having one foot out the door of the old and into the new -get it? Lean back, simulate a count, and place your head and spine *DIRECTLY* in line with the relative wind during the exit of the plane. Just watch the plane shrink away from you. It is important to keep your spine stiff (and straight) enough to control your position. However, you want it to be versatile enough to feel for the sweet spot. During exit, don't worry to much about your arms and legs; they aren't going to help (or hinder) much at this point. When you feel the speed pick up, then you can use them for balancing. Using your limbs to your advantage takes air time and coaching so don't let that frustrate you. Although, experiment with them. Everyone's body is different. Eventually, if you've listened closely here, you'll fly the relative wind until the point when you are looking at the horizon (except it will be upside-down!!!) instead of the plane. From there, you can use the horizon as your reference point. Sort of like one of those GYRO-electric horizon indicators in an airplane. Please don't forget to have good altitude awareness while trying this. Even if looking at your altimeter takes you out of the position, just give it a look once in a while. Flying head down will be much quicker than you are used to - especially at first. And ABOVE ALL people... GET JAZZED ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!! Don't be afraid, check your gear, practice all safety issues, and then GO UP THERE AND FLY YOUR ASS OFF!!!! Listen to a favorite song before heading up in the plane. Imagine yourself flying head down on the way up to altitude and think about that song. Or do anything that will give you the edge. The sport is about flying high!!!; my best freefly days are when I've had a good night sleep, when I know that I will be experimenting something new in the sky, and when I know that I will be learning a new trick up there. Best of luck on this guys/gals!!! ps. Glad you were listening Denise. Nice one!

Better change your profile then, it says only 2400 jumps. You probably meant 4200. Welcome anyway.

Well, at least you're stoned.

Yeah, it really make the difference. I've got some video over the Puerto Rico coast that will blow your mind. But the polarizing lense keeps vibrating. Perhaps it just isn't meant to be for video. I do like how the color comes out though. Thanks.

Better use a 22 Kev. That way the bullet doesn't come out the other side, make a big mess, and get blook all over the shirt.

Cooooool!!!! I've got two of them on the way. Here is a pic of the one's that I just ordered today. What do you think???

I have to admit that this is awfully speculative of you; unless of course you know for sure. Since 9/11 we've been hearing this. That is not to say that another attack is impossible; although, I think that trying to predict the next move by terrorists isn't a good idea without solid evidence.

You have every right to be annoyed. One of the reasons why we plan skydives is for the safety aspect. This type of behavior is abnormal amongst experienced jumpers and should be frowned upon by the majority. I know that if someone ever popped in, unexpected, on my skydive that we would have a sit-down when we got down to the ground - solo or not! However, there was a time when I fell into someone elses jump accidentally (I fell off of the bar on the skyvan while waiting for my group to go out - it is a long story, but it was an accident....trust me ). I remember making it a point to fly very close to this person so that he knew that I was there. This way he wouldn't track in my direction.

Everyone needs coaching in some way/shape/form. Sometimes it isn't the destination, it's the journey. 'It just isn't my thing dude.' But thanks.

They're even better if you have a skyball with you.