MakeItHappen

I think you and others are missing Kallend's point. Think of it this way: Do you think someone can teach skydiving without ever having made at least one skydive? Most will agree, of course not. Many are clamoring for even higher jump numbers, freefall time and currency to obtain and maintain a rating. Kallend is asking why it is ok to teach pedagogical subjects without having a requisite teaching certificate. Replace some words to obtain this statement: Kallend is asking why it is ok to teach skydiving subjects without having a requisite skydiving certificate. I think that if Kallend had asked the second statement you'd all say it is not ok to teach skydiving without the proper rating. So why is it ok to teach pedagogy without a teaching certificate? That's his question and it is a logical and valid question. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

You need more specific examples when you go to the BOD. For instance a quote like this describing what a coach is or this quote after stating that there was no difference between the SE tandem course and the USPA tandem course would be telling about the general perception of the NGs getting ratings. USPA just finished up revamping the CD/IE appointment/rating. I think the AIC should have been left as a separate course that anyone could take. Not only does it teach you how to teach teachers it has a lot of info on how to teach in general, at least in the form that Laidlaw had organized the course. I think in a couple of years USPA may backtrack a bit on the IE rating and limit the number of IE for AFF and tandem to enhance quality and standardization. One thing that USPA has done with the AFF standardization meeting is hold it separate from the PIA Symposium and has now started charging $100 for it. This will probably cutout some people, especially the ones overseas. It's not really the way to do it, but it might work. Right now, SE limits the number of SE TEs. I don't know if JS or UPT limit the number of TEs they approve. One argument you can use is that the number of Coach CD/IEs was never limited and that may have lead to certifications of coaches being non-uniform. Maybe that is where the issue is? OTOH, there have been a lot of Coach CD waivers given based on the 'hardship' issue. The DZ needs some more Coaches and the only way to get them is to waive a requirement or two. You need to find out if the substandard coaches or instructors are coming from specific IEs or IEs that had some requirements waived or for some other reason. That 'conditional AFF' rating would be a good example. I've attended AFFCC from Sitter (when I got my rating), Yarhling, Horn and Stokes. I was an evaluator for Sitter and Yahrling. I was just sitting in on Horn's and Stokes' classes. I'd rate the courses in this order: Sitter, Horn, Yarhling and a much distant 4th Stokes. I hope that Jay has changed his presentation since I sat in on it. As I mentioned on the other thread, showing eval jumps to a group of IEs and asking them to grade the dive & compare to what happened in a course would go a long way to help standardization. But you'll be walking on eggshells when you do that. If you did that at a presentation to the S&T Comm or BOD your audience might be in the dives that you show. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

We will have to agree to disagree then. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Do you think you might be hypocritical because before you have said . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

The harness that MG put on Bo was not properly fastened. The video clearly shows Bo slung very low and partially out of the harness before exit. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Finally - John Kallend has learned to fly. http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1965608,123109southtownstar.article . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

I was able to get out of my fully packed Racer that was custom built for me. The grippers on my jumpsuit provided some resistance, but I could move the harness without extending any straps and get out the back. Once I put on the extra strap - no more fall out. I tried this on the ground if that was not obvious. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Interesting video but CLEARLY that is not a properly fitting harness. The shoulders are FAR too wide and the back of the yoke hangs half way down his back. Well the 3 rings are positioned properly. The yoke 'cut' is different on different rigs. Reflex has a high yoke, so high in fact helmets brush against the earlier models. Racers have a low yoke, compared to others. That was a Mirage. People do buy used rigs that may not fit exactly as on the one it was built for. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

I think they are a false sense of security. If someone has a main premee in a sitfly position the little bungy thing will most likely break or pull through the binding tape keeper and allow the leg straps to move to the knees. The knots on most of the bungy things are small enough to pull through the binding tape keeper. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Hey Steve, What you ought to do is send in a change request for that part of the IRM (pg 171) to EVERYONE on the S&T Comm. State how you would like it to read and why. It is not enough to just send it to HQ. Crouch sits on a lot of stuff until the BOD mtg. Then when the agenda comes out 15 days before the next meeting make sure it is listed on the agenda. The idea is to get some input and dialog going on before the meeting so that USPA does not make knee jerk decisions. Even better measure is to send it to the FB, so you can get feedback from those not on the S&T Comm. But in reality most won't reply at all. You can use uspabod_AT_skydivehard.com _AT_ = @ for the FB. The change for the prerequisite for the TIs changed when USPA did that BIC crap. That was last century. But you can raise the issues and cite examples of where the educational system is failing. I think the wording was originally "holds or has held any USPA instructor rating" now it reads "holds or has held any USPA instructional rating" and that includes coach. Also note that going back to the way it used to be will screw up the pretty picture on page 202 of the IRM. It is important to contact as many BOD members as possible because so many of them have personal agendas that act as filters to ignore members. In the Ottley days, letters addressed to the BOD were sent out on a regular basis to the board. Now, letters or emails addressed to committees are not forwarded on. HQ or the Chairs filter things from the rest of the board. The only way to make sure the FB has received what you write is to send it to them all. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Here's a dry run on the ground http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5979072227420503131# Some speed skydivers have reported that their rig tends to pull off their shoulders in a high speed head down maneuver. Search for Cadiz to find the thread on a fatality of that type, but she did not fasten her chest strap. See also http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6075652443880467365# Can you fall out of a properly fastened harness? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Most cases do not go to trial. I can only think of two that did. One was the recent SDA v SR. You can read about that elsewhere. The other one was a case from a 1992 tandem accident. This case was about the owner of a SE rig (Burton) that allowed a non-SE-rated TM (Norman) to do a tandem jump on a rig he was not rated on. The PAX died on landing. The TI lived. Defendants were Burton, Norman, SE and USPA. USPA settled out of court and paid money to the plaintiff. My rumor mill shows up with $20K. Norman settled out of court. The settlement awarded by the jury was $525,000 for the plaintiff with the following attributions: 55% to Burton - the rig owner 40% to Norman - the TI 5% to SE There were also jury awarded punitive damages against Burton for $125,000. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Try reading this post and the rest of that thread. and also this. Let's see - medical out of date, wrong type of simulation of engine out, unapproved canopy, what else? oh yeah Roberts was on back to back loads on that day. Load 9 with an AFF and load 10 with McWilliams. Roberts did not do a tandem recurrency jump the weekend before. Kinda makes you wonder if they check anyone's paperwork. Expend all their assets and go out of business, yet are still running the same DZ - what's up with that? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Wow, Robin, I have been severely misinformed. I did not know that only Robin Heid's approval of someone's opining was a basis for a post. I must have missed that in the rules section. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Santa did not screw up. He put them there because he knew you could find a home for them. Keep asking around at all shelters, pet food stores, senior centers etc. Ask around for people that have recently lost a pet from old age or disease. They are very likely to adopt again. I've found homes for the dogs I took in. It takes a lot of asking around to find someone who knows someone that can take in the dog. The pups are cute and should make anyone a very nice friend for life. Blue Skies. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

SE is NOT going out of business. It filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy. That means that a company's debt structure is rearranged so that creditors can be paid. The company has income and stays in business. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

"legions of lawyers"? Great, if there is ever another lawyer that needs info about this case, tandem is seriously fucked. Every opinion or insight that has been mentioned on this thread has been brought up in the depos. Specifically, the rumor that Roberts was instructed by someone to sling the lower back lateral under the butt for plump women has been denied all across the board. I've read all the depos, have you? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Robin you can STFU and go to hell too. Nothing on this thread is new to the attorneys of any of the parties. It's all publicly available information. For John Mitchell - here's a quote from Robert's depo . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

According to his depo He had 177 tandem jumps in 2004 at AerOhio, 79 tandem jumps in 2005 at AerOhio. These numbers were backed up by manifests and invoices. He said he did 8 tandem jumps in 2006. He claimed that 4 were done at the Marathon Keys boogie and 4 at Aerohio after May 20, 2006 (This was the weekend before the accident.) The Marathon Keys boogie took place Nov 10-13, 2005. When he started up again in May 06 at AerOhio he was uncurrent as a TI. He did not do a recurrency tandem jump and said that he was aware of SE rules and regulations about using their equipment. There was no mention of how many total jumps he had. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

The TI that originally geared up McWilliams was never named in the lawsuit. The DZOs and DZ were named in the lawsuit, but later claimed to 'expend all their assets' and 'go out of business'. see doc143 They are the only two parties still left after the original lawsuit. The original lawsuit also named the pilot (Milford) and AC owner (Dr. Lee's company SPOT). USPA was added about 4 months later, mainly because of this S&T NL that stated in part: USPA settled in May 09. Unofficially, I heard that the plaintiffs got $40K from USPA. I completely agree. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

12 Days of Christmas - skydiver version lyrics by Jan Meyer On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me A bright sun in a blue sky On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Six beers a cooling Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me Seven chutes a flying Six beers a cooling Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Eight lines a twisting Seven chutes a flying Six beers a cooling Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Nine bodies flailing Eight lines a twisting Seven chutes a flying Six beers a cooling Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Ten stars a speeding Nine bodies flailing Eight lines a twisting Seven chutes a flying Six beers a cooling Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me Eleven packers packing Ten stars a speeding Nine bodies flailing Eight lines a twisting Seven chutes a flying Six beers a cooling Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Twelve swoopers swooping Eleven packers packing Ten stars a speeding Nine bodies flailing Eight lines a twisting Seven chutes a flying Six beers a cooling Five brainlock dives Four ready slots Three ring checks Two brand new gloves And a bright sun in a blue sky . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Yup you are right. It does look like 7k exit altitude. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Please send your Merry Christmas and Happy New Year wishes to Ted and his wife Marcie to tstrong_AT_strongparachutes.com _AT_ = @ Ted will appreciate hearing from you. Ted also has a minor medical issue at this time too. You'll find him next in DeLand at the Expo. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

It's my understanding that the y-strap stuff could not be entered as evidence because it's development occurred after the incident. It was talked about in depos, but since the concept and development all occurred after the accident it was not something that SE could have forseen. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

It is time for the membership to learn how the incompetent actions of one person screwed the pooch. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker