MakeItHappen

Duh, Bill, the environment to create separate landing areas in time or space already exists and it is already on the shoulders of the DZO (or organizers) as you have just verified. Why do you need a BSR? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Hi Flip, So nice of you to reply to a 3 month old post. Better late than never. You have jumped to conclusions with "yet you won't create the environment that makes the DZs do just that. " 'that' = separate landing areas in time or space What I am saying is that the environment to create separate landing areas in time or space already exists and it is already on the shoulders of the DZO (or organizers). RE "If you demand DZs mandate this for safety, why not put it in writing that USPA mandates landing plans be created at every drop zone?" Here's a for instance. At Perris, there are big-way weekends (camps or invitationals) with slightly different rules than the regular load. Are you suggesting that USPA say to Perris that they need such-n-such for bigways and such-n-such weekends and such-n-such for fun load on the same weekends? Then what happens when Perris anchors the tetrahedron (and forgets to release it after the bigway) and then a fun load lands downwind because the first swooper down looked only at the tet and set his pattern from the tet? I think the implementation of landing patterns belongs to the DZO, not USPA. There are so many what ifs, that there is no way USPA can say or not say such-n-such was within a generalized rule or not. Specific rules, set by a DZO and enforced by a DZO is the solution. Hey can you reply to a more recent post of mine in the Swoop forum? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Did I spell it wrong? Not too fast Not too slow but just right . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

I want to mention something that has not appeared on this thread. If you do a 'hang in the sky routine' at a DZ with multi-turbines, perhaps dropping every 2-3 minutes, you may find yourself landing with the speedsters from the load after you. Stacked approaches are a good thing, but keep in mind, your plane might not be the only one in the air. IOW, what may work fine at a small DZ, will not be the best idea at a busy DZ. The story of Goldilocks comes to mind. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

No matter what type of deployment system you look at there are very definitive reasons to choose a straight or curved pin. When the pull force to extract the pin from the closing loop is parallel to the plane of the top grommet, you should use a straight pin. When the pull force to extract the pin from the closing loop is perpendicular to the plane of the top grommet, you should use a curved pin. If you use a curved pin when the pull force is parallel to the plane of the top grommet, then the pin may not clear. If you use a straight pin when the pull force is perdendicular to the plane of the top grommet, the pin may not clear. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

With the attached pic you had, I see - the possibility of getting a rightous PCIT if you loose the handle before extracting the pin or if the PC got deployed accidentally - the overall length of the bridle line looks too short For your original problem, you might try lengthing the bridle line so that it catches cleaner air further behind your body. In standard pull-out systems, most hesitations are because of a too short bridle line or lazy throw. I always lengthen my bridle line by 3 ft on my Racer pull out. "Because the handle's attached to the PC itself, just like a throw out, " is not true. Throw outs have the handle attached to the APEX of the PC and pull outs have the handle attached to the BASE of the PC. A longer bridle line on your current system will also help reduce hesitations when jumping a camera suit (and birdsuit too). . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

I agree that there are folks not cut out for skydiving. What I am saying is that teachers may not always be right in their evaluation. It's better to get a student to come to the conclusion they are not cut out for it. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Could you explain this statement a bit more? It seems broad and overly bold. (edited for clarity) A teacher that only knows a student for a few hours at best, really has no idea on what makes the student tick. A teacher may think they know, but they really don't. Let me give you some examples. Waay back in the olden days, my 3rd or 4th grade teacher made a bunch of us stand up at our desks because we 'failed' some test. I forget the subject area. She went on telling the rest of the class that 'none of these students studied and were goof-offs.' or words to that effect. The problem was that I did study for many hours. But I'll never forget the inane accusations that made me and the others (about 1/3 of the class) feel as though we were shit. When I was in college as an undergrad, I had several teachers (and other students) tell me 'We'll see how long it lasts' when they found out I wanted to major in physics. When I was a grad student, I had a major professor tell me that he didn't like women students because 'they just get married and quit', unfortunately it was after he was already my major professor. When I was a student jumper I had several JMs tell me 'You know skydiving isn't for everyone.' Not a single one of these teachers was right. They had no idea on what I did or did not do to get through school or what my motivations were. The damage that these teachers did was immeasurable. Teachers have a responsibility to students to encourage them and provide skills and knowledge to allow a student to succeed. They do not have the authority to tell someone 'Hey, you are not cut out for such-n-such.' . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

DiveMaker.com has some stuff to help you learn the formations. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Definitions should not be in the BSRs. The only reason the definition of a skydive is in the BSRs is to exclude BASE jumping. BSRs are performance-based objectives that are measurable, except for the lone definition of 'skydive'. The definitions you have are incomplete and conflict with the performance-based part of the proposed BSR. Your definitions are two-dimensional. In real life the canopy traffic pattern is a three dimensional space that should also have altitudes specified. Your definitions classify someone doing s-turns as high performance. Your definition of a 'standard' pattern can include this pattern: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - < - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - | | | | - - - - - - - | | | - - - - - - - - - X This pattern may be one that someone avoiding traffic may take. I'd hardly call it high performance and I would not call it a conventional pattern either. I'd called it a pattern to avoid traffic and that is the goal afterall. In the swoop world there are 'standard' swoop patterns. A better name would be 'conventional' pattern that describes the 3 legs of a pattern with 90 degree turns, all turns in the same direction. Your definitions allow someone to do a conventional pattern (3 legs with 90 degree turns) after some 360s below 1000 feet. IOW, someone can spiral to 500 feet and then do a tight conventional pattern in the last 500 feet. That would be 'ok' with your proposed BSRs. Or someone could ride deep brakes until 500 feet and then do a conventional pattern. Or someone could ride deep brakes to some altitude below 1000 feet and then just do a straight in approach (because that's " enter a leg of the pattern determined by their position relative to the landing area") If a DZ separates landing zones in time how does this apply? "If a jumper intends to make a high performance landing, but cannot get to the HPL area, then a standard landing pattern will be performed regardless of location." I have a big 'Huh?' about that. In regards to: "Drop zone operators are required to establish safe separation procedures for landing traffic to ensure SLP and HPL traffic do not conflict with each other." Let's say a DZ has two physically separated landing zones. Some jumper does a 270 approach in the conventional traffic pattern area. Is a proposed BSR violated? The DZO established separate areas. The DZO fulfilled his obligation. What proposed BSR did the jumper violate? Let's talk about infractions. Say someone violates one of the proposed BSRs. (Let's pretend that we could write them without loopholes.) What happens next? The only thing an S&TA or RD can do is temporarily suspend ratings if the infraction is in the line of duty of that rating. (IOW, you cannot pull a rating if someone pulls low on a fun jump.) What happens if the jumper does not have any ratings? Formal disciplinary actions generally take up to 6 months to be resolved. Is that a good way to stop someone from causing havoc within a conventional traffic pattern on a boogie weekend? It is much easier for the DZO to 'refuse service' to customers that jeopardize their business. That is pretty much an instantaneous, on the spot correction. I think the real problem we face is getting DZs to enforce their already established rules and making rules that apply to all jumpers equally. That will take more feedback from all jumpers and some watchdogs at the landing areas. This is a local solution. Each DZ will have it's set of rules and may be significantly different from another DZ. The authority to ground someone executing inappropriate maneuvers at inappropriate times already exists. We just have to get the DZO or organizers to exercise that authority. About the pull altitude BSR. That's a BSR that is not a BSR (in real life). If you are in freefall below a minimum altitude, USPA and everyone else wants you to pull before you reach the ground. That BSR does not say 'You MUST pull above such-n-such altitude.' It says, 'We prefer that you pull above such-n-such altitude.' I've know many people that have been grounded by a DZO for pulling low, but I've never heard of anyone having formal disciplinary actions taken to suspend or revoke membership for pulling low. RE the family 'there ought to be a law' perspective. The steepness of the learning curve is not what precipitated these proposed BSRs. It was the 'better-than-mere-mortals' attitude that created the situation and lead to deaths. The incident that killed Bob and Danny happened at a non- GM DZ. Any proposed BSR does not necessarily apply. All of us mourn for Bob and Danny. We are pissed at Danny too. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Recently, it has come to my attention that several people think that I support a USPA BSR that mandates canopy traffic patterns. I believe this misunderstanding has arisen from the juxtaposition of my article on 'How to Avoid Canopy Collisions' and the articles from the BSR pundits in the June SNM issue. All the articles present similar ideas of separating different canopy approaches in time or space. The difference is in the implementation. I advocate education with repetition until it sinks in. I do not advocate a BSR to accomplish these goals. There are many flaws in the proposed BSRs that one can drive Mack trucks thru. I submitted my article to both SNM and Parachutist at the same time. The one that agreed to publish the article first got the article. I withdrew it from Parachutist after SNM said they would publish it. I did ask Lambert to consider republishing it in Parachutist because repetition will help. Both magazines have policies of not publishing something that appears in the other magazine. I think this is a time that that 'status-quo' policy should be bent. The original article has a lot of information that was not in the SNM version. I suspect that the debate/discussion on this issue at the next BOD meeting will be more about implementation ideas, rather than the exact wording of a BSR. I do not foresee support of a BSR. We have a common goal of making the traffic pattern(s) a safer place. We agree upon ways that can augment safety for all jumpers. We disagree on the ways 'to force' or mandate that to happen. I think that if the BSR pundits understood how USPA functions, they would realize, on their own, that a BSR is not the way to go. In the meantime, I will continue to write more educational articles and suggest implementation ideas. Ways to make the canopy pattern safer: 1. Separate areas (in time or space) for conventional patterns, swoop patterns and student landing patterns. 2. Specify no over fly areas. 3. Post aerial photos with areas (and altitudes) denoted. (posted in the boarding area, not just manifest) Sort of like a sectional chart for the jumpers. 4. Provide a DZ briefing to every jumper that comes to the DZ. The briefing should include an aerial photo of the DZ with marked landing and no-fly zones. 5. Same DZ rules for all jumpers. IOW, no one gets to do swoops in the main landing area because they are 'special'. 6. Post an aerial photo in the boarding area. Allow jumpers to tell others where they intend to land, traffic permitting. 7. Have a watch-dog for every load. Allow the watch-dog to suggest better approaches for those that may be creating potential collision problems. 8. Communicate with other jumpers on the ground and in the air. One of the cuts in the SNM version was the scissor kick communication between jumpers in the air. . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

2.5 years. tested out of 29 credits, just 1 shy of being called a sophomore in my freshman year. double major (by accident) in physics and math. Illinois State Took degree in physics, that was always my declared major. Math was just something to know to understand the physics. 1.5 years for my Masters, also in physics. Purdue I am a college dropout in the Ph.D. program. The only regret was being in a fast track linear algebra class with the world's worst teacher in my first semester that was 'normally' a JR, SR or Grad course. (I was 17 at the time) I switched to the two semester version after getting a D on the first exam. Just curious, why do you care what others have done? Bill Gates was an undergraduate dropout? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

I thought it was Don that lost the foot? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Other that the obvious Nick D and Anne H in the center, my wild ass guess is Don Swaze(sp?), Simon, Jana L., Chad Z. no idea on who the two youngin's are That's an odd variety of footwear on the group. WTF were you doing? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

L to R Nick D, Dick Pedley, Todd Shoebotham(sp?), 4th guy ??? (maybe Dick's son, but I've never met him) . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Troll-meter tips out at 9.5 see this post too Ever notice that when 'that other thread' reappears there is always a new or wannabe jumper posting about 'that company'? Phishing for more lawsuit material? . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Ditto on Clusters need to have the same length parachutes. I have a Featherlite reserve. You can 'patch' the steering mods to make it non-steerable. I'll sell it cheap! . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

nick that label called Tom Allen in the demo pic should be Rick Horn. Bob Baxter looks like the guy, with mustache, right, front, sitting Myles Elsing looks like the guy in front of Fred. The oriental guy in front *might* be Yuki. Guy with hat on left might be Jay Fergoso. . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Thanks for the good tips. I'll stay away from the AA battery type cameras. I already have a memory stick reader that supposedly readers 52 different types of cards. The video question was about video dubbing to my lappy, not copying stills over. (Sorry I wasn't clear on that.) I have firewire ports (4 and 6 pin) on the lappy. I'm just wondering if a firewire dub from a PAL video camera works the same way my ntsc video camera does. (I am not sure if I'll have enough room to bring my video camera and the pal-ntsc converter) The converter is a ComWorld 850. (I also need a PS for that in case anyone has an extra one lying around.) The converter has s-video or composite input/output, not firewire. So I am trying to determine that a firewire dub will work on the lappy coming from a PAL camera. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Thanks. This camera will be used to take team pics at events for the OmniSkore web site. What about batteries? and how fast you burn through them. Roy was always replacing batteries (AA) at Nats last year. I have this old Kodak DC4800 (3.1 MP) that came with the equipment Ted gave me last year. It has a recharable LI-ion battery, but I don't have a charger for it. It also needs a memory stick. That should be a no-brainer. That camera is apparently dead. What about dubbing pal to a computer? Does it work the same way ntsc does? Do I need converters for that? thanks . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

No. You do not have that right to do that no matter how nicely you put it. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

That is precisely the point. But what I see also on this thread is some people have a 'You cannot ever be a skydiver' reaction to Mr. or Ms. Dufus. I don't want the 'dufus' person out on a jump. But I would not say to them that they can never be a skydiver. It's up to them to get out of the dufus box. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Because I like to type as little as possible, call this SS Call this CP Call this SU/WA Call this BD Ok, I understand all of that so far. Joe get energy to go to the BD stateWhat causes Joe to go from the CP state to SS? What causes Joe to go from SS to SU/WA state? Dood, you lost me with all the acronyms. I wrote the lesson plan and can't relate to your abbreviations. I need a different teacher. ;) Do you mean Joe gets energy to go to the break dancing state. What causes Joe to go from the couch potato state to sleep state? What causes Joe to go from sleep state to stand up/ walking around state? The answer to the second question is his Wheaties breakfast. When Joe goes from couch potato to sleep states he 'emits' more energy, but since we have no useful purpose for that energy we just ignore it and call it part of the 'cost of doing business'. So the first year I was in CA I had to take my MC cert at a dmv. It was raining out by the time I was called up. The lady said she could not administer the test in the rain. I said 'WTF?! I have to ride in this back to work, why can't you give the test. I'll find you an umbrella.' Umbrella found and then the lady says I have to 'look at' the signals when I turn them on or off. I again go on with the 'WTF?! attitude'. I ended up passing the test, but it was because the lady realized how little she knew about MC riding. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

I'm looking for a still digital camera that is easy on the battery use and easy on the upload to a computer. Photos will be used on a web site, so 72 dpi per photo is ok, but I'd probably take the pics at a higher res and crop. Photos will also be 'staged' so timing with button press is not that critical. This does not have to be the latest greatest model. Any ideas or suggestions, old cameras? whatever... Please let me know. Thanks. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker

Meet Joe Joe is in his sleep state. Meet Joe. Joe is in his couch potato state. Meet Joe. Joe is in his stand-up and walking around state. Meet Joe. Joe is in his break dancing state. A day in the life of Joe goes like this. Joe wakes up from his sleep state and then stands up to walk around. He has a Wheaties breakfast to get him into a higher energy state. Joe drinks a Go-Fast energy drink. Joe now enters his break dancing state, full of energy. Joe dances for several minutes and collapses into his couch potato state. This is quantum mechanics, albeit simplified. If Joe were a molecule or atom, then there are discrete energy states that Joe could be in. For Joe, it would be sleep, couch potato, stand-up or break dancing. Joe needs the addition of energy to move from a low energy state to a high energy state. That Wheaties breakfast or Go-Fast drink boost his energy levels. Joe needs the removal of energy to move from a high energy state to a lower energy state. All that dancing takes energy and works up a good sweat. Molecules and atoms don't break dance. Instead they give off electromagnetic (EM) energy. Electromagnetic energy is radiation that is sometimes in the form of visible light. Sometimes it may be heat radiation (at lower frequencies). A laser cutter works the same way Joe does. A bunch of energy is supplied to a bunch of molecules or atoms in a sleep state. The atoms dance around for a while at the break dancing state and then collapse into a lower energy state, the couch potato state. A little photon (a chunk of light energy) is produced. A bunch of mirrors are used to collect and focus the photons into a pinpoint beam of EM energy. This beam is used to cut materials. . . Make It Happen Parachute History DiveMaker