bigbearfng

It's my therapy...

Jose, Gemini; my only perspective in this instance was as a volunteer working grunt. And the topper was when the swoop pond folk took the extension cord off the already setup and inflated accuracy tuffet to try and setup a PA without asking or mentioning it to anyone. Just really glad that the folk that were going to be using the tuffet looked at it first! Freeflyers-I've always found them to be one of the funnest groups! And again, up till now I've never run into the "tude" in skydiving(sounding like lucky and/or havn't been around enough yet); and dissapointed because I'm just naive about skydiving being one big happy family, and/or just still too new to the sport....so I'm taking all the above input to heart and won't make any blanket assumptions; just take it on an individual basis.

I didn't mean for my post to be derogatory towards swooping or swoopers in general. What they do is completely amazing. I guess that this is just the first time that I've actually run into anyone that could fit into the "derogatory" definition of skygod and it was at the swoop pond circus. I was beginning to think that the "derogatory skygod" didn't really exist and disappointingly this just really kinda popped my bubble of that expectation.

Just an observation from a newbie nobody.... I've heard of the "skygod"; and yes competition RW folk are intense-but I've found that they are "real" people. (Flame suit on) Now to me at least; the swoop pond is where the "skygod" mentality is at. Maybe it's just to an old ski-patroller, the whole swoop pond thing is like the first snow board parks- full of attitude. And no, not all-but seems like the majority. One of the RW competitors put it this way to me-take a kid and give him the equivalent of a Ferarri in a canopy and what do you expect? OK, end of rant-just curious if it's just me that's seeing this or not.

Welcome to Perris Valley Skydiving. Aty least you wern't one of the TMs that had to jump with them....reports were they were all pretty swishy....(The models, not the TMs!!)

Hey, I saw ya on the 210 fwy a few weeks ago! I saw your vette with the personalized plates (I'm a white C4 vette). I was trying to figure out a way to wave, and make it look like a wave off and pull-but figured I'd just look like a complete idiot.....then again I've been called worse things!

Thanks!

www.skydivecostarica.org It's south of Jaco, in Esterillos. Let me know if this is the one and only.....if so, then their website is realllll optimistic lookin....

Jeez...their website makes it look like a daily op... How recent were you there? I believe you! Just hoping they've changed....?

We'll be taking a vacation to Costa Rica next year, and I saw that there is a DZ there. I'm wondering if anyones jumped there and liked it, would go back/no way in hell go back/ or in between? If anybody says it's unsafe, then I'll leave my rig at home. Thenks for any info!

I recently bought a Neptune also. Only "problem" has been something that only effects a few folks, and has a "work around". I jump at Perris and live in Big Bear (7000ft elev.) So after leaving Perris for the day and driving home, it senses it as a slow ascent and will stay on untill I "clear" it; either by to man. mode and back or I'm at dz. Then it'll 30min cycle off. Then repeat after going down the hill back to Perris.

I was able to talk to alti-2 this Am-they said they're one of the few with working phones-but on gen power. The phones there will ring on your end, but the phones are mostly down; they're not being rude by not answering....

Ya, what Dom said above re: Perris! I've always just asked manifest if anyone else is belly flyin-even on a slow mid week day with no LO, they'll hook ya up with another solo jumper, or even some smaller gruops. Rarely have I jumped more than one solo for the day before putting together at least a 2-way. Even gotten advice and free video for me and another newb! And I always offer the "old hand" a free jump ticket-usually refused unless I insist! BTW Dom, thanks for the advice on helmets....I bought the Oxy A3 and jumped it last week for the first time-I like!

Have you had a mal yet? If so, what was the handle and what did you think of the grab and pull? Personally, after having a reserve ride.....I'll stick with a metal D for reserve....

Very good point on aircraft speed-on further research, there are one or two pilots (same aircraft) that fly a slower jump run-I really don't know if this was the case on that jump. As far as "solo's don't need as much exit seperation". I'm afraid that's one of the comments that was echoing around in my head when I screwed up.....Don't worry-I don't camp out in the door! But I would much rather go at ideal exit time plus 2-3 sec. than minus 2-3 sec. So with all due respect, I'll go ahead and exit last, pull high, you go ahead..... Yes I've landed out before; a plf, call me dusty again...

Yes, I'm still kicking myself in the ass for this one..... As one newbie to other newbies....please don't get pressured by more experienced folk to hurry up and exit-and make the exit seperation minimal! As a newbie oft times we will be jumping solo, and it just seems that as a solo, you tend to have folk "hurry you up" out the door. And I've been reluctant to "stand up" to more experienced jumpers; but on this issue I definately will err on the conservative side from now on.....and make sure of what the uppers are....(my fault again there) I followed a 4way out, and on this load I wasn't "hurried up", but the prior day I'd been jumping I was "hurried up", and still had left plenty of time on that particular day. Still had it in mind from previously being hurried on this exit-and when I saw a canopy opening close enough to have been from my "own group", so to speak; I thought "shit! what did I do!" Rapidly waved off and opened and immed. turned away. On later speaking to the other jumper he said he had ended up tracking up the line of flight...however I consider it my fuckup! I realize the experienced folk may not fully understand how newbies can get pressured into doing something really stupid-so this is mostly for other newbies.... And now a question for the more experienced here- I can understand the near miss with a plane in incidents now-as far as the first instinct is to pull! In this instance-would you recommend waiting a few to pull (of course granted enough altitude and clear under you)? Which brings me to another question that this brought to mind...(sorry for the long post several questions-but this has been stirring around in my head!) Several times I've seen folk stumble shuffling toward the door-if someone were to fall out right after a group;due to aircraft tubulence or a stumble-as a member of the group before the unintentional premature exit-what would you want them to do??? Is there a "standard" of track away from jumprun? Fly up to your group and communicate/show intention to track away so you won't wonder where they went??? Thaks for all input!!(And still kicking myself!)

From the way it went down. The jumper should have been kicked off the dropzone. When this guy got on the ground he went over and started having words with the packer. Then he started shoving and pushing. Their comes a point when it is self defense. This jumper was way out of line. The kicker is. The damn PC was cocked! IT was shown to him (the jumpe) that it was cocked. The color on the kill line had flipped under. It was fine. This jumper is new and doesn't pack for him self ever. Probably doesn't. Really know how to do it. Another reason that new jumpers should pack for themselves. He would have learned already that half the damn kill lines you seee don't have any color on them andymore. People either packed it themselves and know that they cocked it or they check it on the ground. I am not telling anyone to do this, but I have even jumped knowing that my PC wasn't cocked. It opend just fine. Good strong throw on the pull and right to the handles just in case. Please tell me this jumper is now banished from the dz!!?? According to your description of the way it went down-personally I would have had him in handcuffs and off to jail!!

I PMed him a few hours ago (right after I replied). Kinda worried he/she has a not so nice motive in this, possibly...it sure would be nice if folks atleast filled out some of their profile. And the question is still there...who are you? Motives?

Have you tried some tunnel time with a good coach??? Worked wonders for me.... I was getting quite used to hearing "you suck"...LOL!

Now a B license-I guess I owe beer....I'll be at Perris on Thurs. to pay up. Preferences????

Save a tree....wipe your ass with a spotted owl. (this one was popular out west...)

Re: open container in a small plane; having read about this subject in incidents, and reading here, I can't understand why anyone would open the door (when the door is closed and chute still out) and jump....I realize I'm still gonna be an fng for a long time yet-but at this point I'd really appreciate some input from the pilots here. The pilot in command has the final say, yes? And I've been drilled to listen to the PIC. (yes, I know there may be exceptions-eg.plane is already spinning out of control, tail is already gone, etc, so just get out the best you can ...). So as a pilot-in these situations, would you tell these folk to not open the damn door? Or else? Thanks for any input!

I've tried not to keep track.....my wife does.....she's into "equal value"! She's been showing her friends her new earrings with quite a few diamonds..."See my new parachute?"

Hmmm.....no comment yet on that "45degree rule"....soon....

Re: 1992 Perris-As I understood it, the contaminated fuel was not "fuel drums left out in the rain", but a large fuel tank that was damaged by the earthquake????