Fast

lmao ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

I very uncomfortably treid on a xxl Z1. Not sure what I am going to get for a helmet yet at this point, because I haven't had the opertunity to try anything else, which I am going to do before I buy. I know what I will get for an openface, but not sure about a full face yet cause I have a big head myself. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Nice!

Its been there awhile, I would think at some point it would get released though. Have seen it myself, and thought it was pretty cool. Some great visuals. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Assuming the same exerience level overall, I would think, (just an opinion here) that they person who only jumps 17 times a year would have a higher level of risk per jump because they are not as current as the 170 jump per year person. However in reality, I doubt there is much of a way to compare the overall risk taken compared between the two. Its like trying to decide if the overall marginal risk of the 17 per year jumper out weighs the total added risk of of the extra jumps. Something along the lines of: 17 jumps * (risk + noncurrency) is , or = 170 jumps * risk Pretty hard comparison to make honeslty. I know I would probally not jump if I could only make 17 per year... just not enough time in the air. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Yah... Same here in wisconsin, car dealerships are not allowed to be open. Thats why I find sunday the best day to look at all the cars on the lot. No salesmen to deal with !

Yeah. Hope I didn't scare any of them too bad when I went off. Nah ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

I always insist on breaking at or above 4000. My track isn't the greatest so I like to have plenty of time to make sure I am in clear air before I pull. That said, I pull around 3k. I have my B now so i _could_ pull down to 2500, but I don't really see a need to go that much lower. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Well, all I can say (being that I am 21, in college, and know just a little bit about htis from the other perspective) is that eventually they will realise. In Middle school the only people that could comptete with the grades that I have were the ones whos parents pushed them so hard that they had no life. In Highschool there were a few more people who did as well as I did, and I started to not really care. In college the classes are harder, and I am still putting forth the ammount of effort that I did in highschool and my grades are average. I didn't get stupid, I just am not working hard. Slacking and getting by is easy. I was never pushed really hard, I grew up with my mom, and she made it apparent that I need to get good grades, and that I should do well, but she never went nuts about it, or anything. I graduated highschool in the top 10% of my class with a 3.8 gpa... It really wasn't hard to do, but up untill now, my senior year in college, when I am pissed that I might be one class short at the end of next semester, I never really got the point that I should really care about what I am doing. So I care now, and am actually putting forth effort. The only thing I can say, is make sure your kids know that life gets harder as you grow up, and that the same ammount of effort that worked in the past won't hold out forever. If they get that concept, and realize more of whats ahead they will naturaly want to suceed. I suppose it can be compared to business. Every busniess has its day to day tacics for making money, selling the product, whatever. They also have the long term strategies that are in place to keep the company alive for more than just a few days. Once people realize that applys to life in the long run (and I am talking about actually realizing it, not just thinking or saying it) then they know what it takes to be sucesfull. uhh, rambling, and take it with a grain of salt, but thats my point of view... Oh and don't think your kids hate you, my mom seems to think that from time to time, just because I am not all connected and emotional as I used to be when I was 10. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

N/A

The RIAA is not going to win this one. There are enough people out there like me, at least I think, who will just say screw it and not buy CDs. If I can't download the songs I want, I just will listen to the radio. Its simple... $20 is a rip off. I might buy CDs if they were like $4-$5, max. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

You don't have to call me by my full name. I answer just as readily to Bytch. Working on that. Thanks. yah, chear up and stuff... At least there was decent turnout in the pub last night, was better than drinking alone ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Let me start by saying that I don't think the USPA does nothing for us. In fact, I do understand they they are a lobbying power for skydivers, be it a large one or a small one they are a central voice to the government. I am in no way questioning that aspect of what they are doing. I undedrstand that they provide quite a few benifits to us, including the aboved mentioned lobbying power, 3rd party liability insurance, a general set of saftey guildlines, an industry/sport magazine, some form of elective saftey regulation. I guess the general skydiving population is happy with out regulation? I mean, it sure makes it hard to complain when people do unsafe stuff if there is no regulations though. Do I want the FAA crawling down our backs, hmm, not really. Do I think there should be some form of imposed saftey regulation, that you have to follow, I don't know... My point in this was to see what people think, because I read a lot about people being mad when there are injurys or deaths that may have been prevented by some regulation, but then when everything is going well people say its not needed. I guess, well I don't know what I guess.... *sigh* ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Its not our fault not giving them power, its their fault for not using the power they have. The biggest problem is the enforcement of the BSRs. If the USPA actually used the GM program properly and did checks on DZs to check for BSR enforcement, etc, AND they had fines or other ramifications (like no student activity at the DZ for 30 days or something), THEN, they would be able to weld serious power. DZs would get on the ball and actually enforce BSRs. Instead of breaking the rules like I've seen done at some DZs. Yes, but the truth of the fact is that then a DZ just drops the GM program, they don't HAVE to be a uspa member, then all the GMs that don't want to follow just drop the uspa, and most people don't know a diff. But if say, the BSRs became laws, that had to be followed like FARs? Then the uspa would have real power, not just percieved power? Hmm ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

would be kinda funny/cool i think, in an ironic sort of way

I may be a new skydiver, but one thing that I hear a lot of is bitching that the uspa can't really do anything. That they have no real power, and people have to be on the honor system. Then someone brings up giving the uspa some kick, power, whatever... and people all say they don't want that either. How can you have it both ways? My question is who would support the USPA being given actual power over skydiving in the US. Things that should not factor into your decison are the ones that include fiscal reasoning. Lets asume for a few minutes that people could figure out how to pay for things, becaue well... This poll is not about whether the uspa can afford to be an actual regulating agency. So, if we say that the uspa could financially work, as an agency with power over all skydiving in the us, would you support it. I would love to hear arguments on this because people seem to be all for both ways, and we all know you can't have your cake and eat it too. /rant off (Edit for title) ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

there IS A GOD!!!!! Brian, you just made a very important step towards buying gear....knowing a canopy size that is appropriate for you level. with that being said, i'd recommend buying used. there's no reason really to buy new. learn to drive a used car before you buy you're new baby. :) used cypres too if you can find one. if not, then buy new. you can always remove it and use it in your next container. this investment is good for 12 yrs. good luck!!

YEAH!!!!! ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

So true Welcome to the forums and Blue Skies! ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Welcome to the forums! -&- Blue Skies! ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

In my limited experience opinion I think that the focus should not be on labling gear dealers as unsafe people. I think the focus should be on (like its been said) getting people to not want small canopys. Sure it looks cool, is cool, etc... to swoop the pond/landing area/whatever... but if the encouragement from all the people on a DZ is that bigger is better when you don't have experience then people aren't going to be buying the small stuff. There has to be people somewhere saying to new jumpers that its ok to jump high wingloadings at low jump numbers. More people need to step up and keep someone on the ground if they are not confident that the person is being safe. Making a list of people that sell small gear to underqualified jumpers isn't going to do much. They are gonna get the canopy regardless, and then there was no reason to have blacklisted anyone. The focus needs to be on education, and keeping people properly informed that they might kill themselves or others, or keeping them on the ground. Thats just my take. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

Very nice alana

Sounds like a cool wife to me. Welcome to the forums, and good luck on getting that A. Blue Skies ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

I went through AFF and I couldn't ever remember exact altitudes. The thing is I knew them when I was looking at them, and I pulled on my own always, but durring debrief I couldn't remember what altitude I got what hand signal, or what altitude I did what manuver. I could only take my best recolection which was ussualy +-500 feet or more. Eventually the presence of mind will come that you can remember the little details in exactness after the jump, not just while your doing them. Just takes some getting used to. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

hehe... She is from Rhode Island. Its in the US. ~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka