Guru312

I'm writing an autobiography...of sorts...and I was wondering about some firsts that you olde farts will probably know about. 1. First time a blind person was taught to jump: Instructor, DZ, jumper, location, date? 2. First jump into a national sports stadium [Baseball, football...not a jump into your old high school stadium]: Jumpers, location, date? 3. First AFF course taught: DZ, Instructor, location, date? 3a. When did USPA first sanction AFF instruction? 4. First civilian static line jump for payment... as a business: DZ, instructor, location, date? 5. First non-military exit altitude above 18,000: DZ, jumper, date, altitude? [Meaning, oxygen required.] 6. Not a first question, but what's the best "History of Sport Parachuting" book and author---in your opinion? Thanks...and keep pumping out those "Scary Stories" It's so much fun thinking about the early days. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6723118152185682120&sourceid=searchfeed Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

http://BernieSayers.com A note to folks interested in having their name as their domain. I've had mine for about two years. My daughter has her name as her domain. You can get yours, too, unless someone else has it. Go here: http://godaddy.com Enter your name; see if you can get it. Note the variations available if it has been taken. Makes a great present for someone. I have no connection with godaddy.com. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

This is a interesting subject. Although most of the experiences mentioned can be explained by genetic influences. I had a conversation a few years ago at my old drop zone airport which proved it to me and I wrote an article you may find interesting. [Includes clickable references.] See this: http://www.aicommand.com/D4DR.htm I'd argue that many of the experiences responders have mentioned in this thread were influenced by D4DR. In other words, we did the crazy stuff we did as kids because of our genetic predisposition to do them. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

THE MAN for number of jumps in one day is Jay Stokes. See this: http://www.mostjumps2006.com/ A phenomenal number and a phenomenal effort. I suggest that you attempt to break my world record for parachuting jumps I hold the record for Parachuting Night Pukes. My number is only 89 so you'll have a *much* easier time than breaking Jay's record. My record: http://aicommand.com/PukeDuke.htm Frankly, I think you should get off student status... Then think about breaking a record. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Well, yeah...exactly why I started this thread. I have a 13 year old daughter who is looking forward to her first jump. I've tried to explain the 'the people' but she'll have to experience them as much as the jumping. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Am I breaking the rules by posting this in both The Bonfire and History and Trivia? I'm doing so because younger jumpers hang around the fire and the older jumpers hang onto their walkers. Maybe the moderators will allow this in both places to see what difference longevity and age makes in the responses. If the moderators want to delete it from one, please take it out of History and leave it in The Bonfire. A few days ago I posted a thread in "History and Trivia" and a responder posted in the thread: "Don't you just LOVE skydiving?" There is no question how much I love skydiving, that's for sure. [For quite some time, it was my business and my life!] But it's the people in the sport as much as it is the act of jumping. There seems to be something about the personality and personal make-up of jumpers; their outlook on life in general; their respect for one another that draws us to a drop zone. Last night I spent about 6 hours driving with an old jumper friend--he's old and I've known him for 30 plus years--and we spent most of our trip talking about people we knew over the years. It got me to thinking how ALL of my close friends are jumpers. I've been best man in a few weddings--all jumpers. I've been to a few funerals--all jumpers. The people I have do work for me--mostly jumpers. I'm pretty much a recluse...unless there are jumpers around! I personally have a VERY difficult time relating to non-jumpers. In general, I can't stand groups of people, unless they are jumpers. Over the years, nothing thrilled me more than going to Herd Boogies and various competitions...just to hang with 'my kind'. I've operated DZs and travelled a bit and noticed that at all DZs the openess and trust we have for each other seems to be quite different than the rest of the society and it transcends all walks of life, education, gender, race and national origin. At Herd Boogies, hundreds of people would leave vans and cars un-locked and un-occupied for days with personal gear, clothing, money and other 'un-mentionable' items available for the taking. And nobody ever took anything. I know there are occasional thefts at DZs but compared to 'normal' society, considering how open things are on a drop zone, it's pretty amazing. So...my reason for this post: tell us about *your* thoughts. Do you find non-jumpers a bit difficult to deal with because they aren't as open and honest and straight forward as jumpers? Have you pulled away from non-jumpers as friends? Do you have trouble relating to non-jumpers now? What do you think makes us have more respect for each other than than society in general? You'll note, I've been jumping for a long time. If you are new to the sport, give us your impression of the people you've met. If you've been around for ages, what are your thoughts on your friends and associates? Am I wrong in thinking that we are different? Tell us! Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Am I breaking the rules by posting this in both The Bonfire and History and Trivia? I'm doing so because younger jumpers hang around the fire and the older jumpers hang onto their walkers. Maybe the moderators will allow this in both places to see what difference longevity and age makes in the responses. If the moderators want to delete it from one, please take it out of History and leave it in The Bonfire. A few days ago I posted a thread in "History and Trivia" and a responder posted in the thread: "Don't you just LOVE skydiving?" There is no question how much I love skydiving, that's for sure. [For quite some time, it was my business and my life!] But it's the people in the sport as much as it is the act of jumping. There seems to be something about the personality and personal make-up of jumpers; their outlook on life in general; their respect for one another that draws us to a drop zone. Last night I spent about 6 hours driving with an old jumper friend--he's old and I've known him for 30 plus years--and we spent most of our trip talking about people we knew over the years. It got me to thinking how ALL of my close friends are jumpers. I've been best man in a few weddings--all jumpers. I've been to a few funerals--all jumpers. The people I have do work for me--mostly jumpers. I'm pretty much a recluse...unless there are jumpers around! I personally have a VERY difficult time relating to non-jumpers. In general, I can't stand groups of people, unless they are jumpers. Over the years, nothing thrilled me more than going to Herd Boogies and various competitions...just to hang with 'my kind'. I've operated DZs and travelled a bit and noticed that at all DZs the openess and trust we have for each other seems to be quite different than the rest of the society and it transcends all walks of life, education, gender, race and national origin. At Herd Boogies, hundreds of people would leave vans and cars un-locked and un-occupied for days with personal gear, clothing, money and other 'un-mentionable' items available for the taking. And nobody ever took anything. I know there are occasional thefts at DZs but compared to 'normal' society, considering how open things are on a drop zone, it's pretty amazing. So...my reason for this post: tell us about *your* thoughts. Do you find non-jumpers a bit difficult to deal with because they aren't as open and honest and straight forward as jumpers? Have you pulled away from non-jumpers as friends? Do you have trouble relating to non-jumpers now? What do you think makes us have more respect for each other than than society in general? You'll note, I've been jumping for a long time. If you are new to the sport, give us your impression of the people you've met. If you've been around for ages, what are your thoughts on your friends and associates? Am I wrong in thinking that we are different? Tell us! Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Since we are 'talking' about all these Steves... Here is a link to Steve Snyder's FIRST ram air parachute patent...and a some other interesting parachute related stuff. http://www.google.com/patents?as_q=&num=10&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=foil+parachute&as_eq=&as_pnum=&as_vt=&as_pinvent=stephen+snyder&as_pasgnee=&as_pusc=&as_pintlc=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=1&as_miny_is=2007&as_maxm_is=1&as_maxy_is=2007&as_drrb_ap=q&as_minm_ap=1&as_miny_ap=2007&as_maxm_ap=1&as_maxy_ap=2007 Sorry about the link length. Hope it works. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

You are right, again. My dumbness!!! I used "steve" rather than Stephen. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Having no social life to speak of, I spend way too much time following links from DZ.com posters. In the link about Para-Planes I found a link to Jeff Wragg's pages. Oh, wait, you stopped by for the porn not comments about my surfing: http://www.cofc.edu/~wraggj/images/jumpsuit_sharing.jpg Jeff, that picture made me laugh so hard I almost pissed myself...which, of course, isn't too difficult at my age. Jeff writes this: "Sharing my jumpsuit with Evelyn, a member of the French 4-woman team. Yes, we were both completely zipped up in it." My apology for the link, Jeff, but this picture needs to be shared. I hope all the hits don't bring down your server. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Here are other pictures: http://www.foreverflying.com/sutton.html I wasted some time searching the Google patent data base using words like: air foil, strong, steve sutton, ram air, wing and couldn't find anything. Maybe it was patented in Canada and assigned to Strong in the US and that's not showing up. It's certainly interesting looking the color photos but I can't understand the purpose of the split trailing edge. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

It looks like you spent some time on Google/Patents and now the ball is in your court. I mean...in your sky! You must find the site as interesting as I do. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

This thread is very interesting. Just for the heck of it, I used Google/Patent search to look for "parachute slider" and got these hits: http://www.google.com/patents?q=parachute+slider&btnG=Search+Patents Check out this Google Patent search here: http://www.google.com/patents Click on the "Advanced Patent Search" link for all the possible combinations. Steve Snyder certainly has his share. Not meant to hijack your thread, Howard, just to give all us old folks a chance to refresh our memory on who has patents on what. The only trouble is how much time I waste using it! Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Does 'scary jump' cover reactions among the spectators? In 1963 I was jumping in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia, at a place called the Troop Farm which wasn't a DZ, just a huge pasture the owner allowed us to use. The location had no airstrip and we had to drive 10 miles to the airport. At the time, I owned a business doing R&D in the pyrotechnic and munitions field and was working on smoke grenade delivery systems for jumping. We were working on devices to replace the military surplus M-18. I had an old smoke bracket I made from bending and banging on a metal strap from an Army bunk which allowed my boot heel to fit inside the U and the grenade to be held without touching the boot. Because some grenades got VERY hot we didn't want them to burn our boots. More than one jumper learned that jumping with HC white smoke was a bad idea. I was experimenting with a bracket and ignition system during a planned 4-man exit out of a Cessna 182. [In the early 60s, RW hadn't evolved to the point our group understood body flying. We were still trying to pass a baton (an old broom stick with tire tape) and thought it was a real thrill to see anyone else in freefall.] This particular Sunday my mother, my sister and some neighbors came out to watch. I told my mom that I'd be jumping with the red smoke and the other guys were jumping green or blue. [Remember how lousy some M-18 colors were for jumping?! My company, PyroDynamics, Inc. was working with Steve Snyder Enterprises to develop ignition systems and color/burn mixtures that didn't burn too hot or too long...specifically for jumping.] When we got to the airport the pilot said he had overfilled his plane and he could take only three of us to 12,500. Since cellphones didn't exist we had no way to communicate back to the DZ that only three guys would be jumping instead of the planned four. On jump run I put my right foot out on the step and pulled the pin on the grenade. Apparently, I hadn't flattened the pin well enough for it to extract easily. I had to hank and pull very hard which loosened and twisted the bracket so the grenade slipped to under my foot. Plus, the grenade didn't light because something was hung up and keeping the handle from disengaging. As I was screwing around with the grenade the other guys were yelling, "The spot...the spot...where's the friggin' spot?!" I grabbed the non-burning grenade and bracket assembly from under my foot and flipped it into the plane as I moved out over the wheel. When the grenade landed inside the plane, something--the jarring or banging--caused the grenade to finally ignite and the cockpit filled with thick oily red smoke. The pilot was screaming "Get that fucking thing out of here I can't see!" As I fell away from the plane looking up I saw the other two guys and my smoking grenade leave the plane. All three grenades were burning with mine not attached to me. Because of the 'situation' with my grenade on jump run we weren't even close to the spot. Maybe a mile or two off...way off!. Remember: 7-TU main...not a PC or a square! Why is this a scary story? Because my mother and my relatives--expecting four jumpers--saw me fall to my death beyond a distant hill while trailing red smoke. For at least an hour my mom thought I was dead. She became hysterical because the other guys got back to the packing area well before I did. Strangely, no family member ever came out to watch me jump after that. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

How easy will depend on a few things with the major one being the type of Wi-fi device you have in your laptop. Laptops with fully integrated wi-fi are severely limited for easy access to signals. I've spent many hours experimenting with various manufactured wi-fi products for inclusion in something I'm building. Not all wi-fi enable laptops work alike. If you are serious about connecting on the road I strongly suggest that you experiment with known locations so you'll know distances and laptop placement when you go on the road. I'm assuming you'll be connecting from your car some of time. Like sitting in a parking lot in a large mall. Here in New Jersey, nearly every library and college has wi-fi hotspots. I'm both a radio ham and computer geek so this stuff fascinates me. I do something called 'WarDriving' which is driving around finding open access points. I can understand that all you care about is having it work. Send a PM and I'll explain more if you think it would be helpful. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

That's why I'm asking the questions and want back in... because I know how much it will mean to me. The suggestions I've had so far are right on with what I want to know. I don't want to hijack my own thread and divert from gear and rigging... but I want to get back to jumping because of the people! I am unable to relate to people who don't jump out of airplanes. Thanks to everyone so far for the comments and suggestions. Don't stop! Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

WOW!! Thanks for this! What a great help for me and the questions I have about getting back to jumping and rigging. Just wonderful! Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

I've been kicking around in skydiving for many years as a DZ operator and jump pilot. I have a S/L Instructor Rating and J/M (not current, obviously) and chest/back senior rigger ratings but I have not jumped since 1986. I'm 65 years old. 900+ jumps with this experience: 28' LL & TU cheapos: 600 jumps. ParaCommander: 200-250. Thunderbow: 50. RamAir of various types: 100. 24' reserve: 1. I never expected to go 20 years without jumping. Years ago I couldn't go 4-5 days without a jump fix. I want to get jumping this coming Spring, 2007. I thought I'd start now investigating what would be good for my old body. My point: I want an assembly (main/reserve) which will be forgiving to my old body but still have some fun flying it. I've always gotten a huge thrill out of cross-country flying from 12,500 or higher. [Do people still do that?] I'm in very good physical condition. 5'11" 170 and walk or run a few miles every day. I don't plan on swooping or playing close to the ground...(I've seen way too many injuries and my body won't heal quickly.) What are your suggestions regarding main and reserve combinations? Harness assemblies? AODs or other safety devices? I have no experience packing square reserves but I certainly want to do so for my jumping. So, I'll be planning on some major packing guidance for main and reserve plus whatever recurrent training that will be required. I'm 45 minutes from Cross Keys, NJ and will probably be jumping there. I've spent many fun days hanging there with folks I've known for 35+ years. Comments? Suggestions? Warnings? Ideas? Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

I'm 65 years old and it still pisses me off that Christians like you never stop in their quest to convert the the opposition... ... So, you're pissed that some Christians prothelytize, but feel entitled (or even compelled) to spray about your own belief system. Freedom of speech is a two way street. Every Christian has the right to believe that all Christians should proselytize. If Christians want to spread their word I support their right to do so. Wiccans have every right not to proselytize what they believe and I support their right to not do so. Nothing in the telling of my Atheist Dog Tag Tale is spraying, proselytizing or pissing for mammalian territory. Your use of 'spraying' in a post having to do with Dog Tags was probably unintended humor but I commend you on your comedic relief. I purposely related the incident as one off many personal experiences where certain Christians in a position of power used that power to stifle non-Christian views. Your statement "Freedom of speech is a two way street" is puzzling in the world-wide, international audience of our DropZone.com forum. This is the Internet...this isn't a town meeting in rural Nebraska, USA. DZ.com forum dialog reaches areas of the world and populations where 'freedom of speech' isn't even a narrow dirt trail let alone a street. I am not quite half way through The Delusion and I'm fascinated. I don't agree with all of what I have read but the book is excellent. I recommend it highly. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Why can't all those uppity black people just sit in the back of the bus and let us white folks get on with our lives? Why can't all those faggots just shut up about being married; marriage is for a man and a woman? I've been a non-believer all of my life. I've heard every possible argument about why I should just keep quiet. I'm 65 years old and it still pisses me off that Christians like yourself never stop in their quest to convert the the opposition...or attempt to get us to keep quiet as you are attempting to do. Can you say "Iraq"? Talk about bloody annoying! A true story about why I will never keep quiet about being an atheist--- I served with the 82nd Airborne Division during Viet Nam. [Fortunately for me, not in-country.] One day during an inspection by our unit commanding officer, a colonel, looked me up and down and then spied my dog tags. He took them in his hand; looked at me with his teeth clinched and growled, "What's the meaning of this?" "Meaning of what, Sir?" I asked. "Atheist!" "Do you mean what is the definition of 'Atheist', Sir?" I asked. "No, you fool, I know what an atheist is. I want to know why you have 'Atheist' on your dog tags?" he yelled as he got more red in the face and more pissed at me. "I was asked in basic training what religion I was and I told them 'atheist'" The colonel turned to the lieutenant standing behind him with the ever-present clipboard and growled, "I do not have any atheists in my command!" I was attached to Headquarters, 82nd Airborne Division Artillery where all the personnel clerks were also attached. One clerk with whom I went through jump school sat down next to me a lunch. He said, "What the fuck did you say during that inspection this morning? We have to go through ever single record and change all 'Atheist' references to 'No Preference.' I told him the story I related above. He laughed and said, "Well, the colonel is going direct you and two other guys we found with 'atheist' to get new dog tags." A few days later, I went to the dog tag stamping shop for my new tags. The clerk asked to see my old tags. He looked at them and said, "What do you want changed?" I told him to change 'atheist' to 'existentialist'. I now have two sets of tags and a story to tell about how bloody annoying it is when Christians in power encounter a religion they don't like. Get used to us atheists, mate. I, for one, am here for the long haul and I am not going to sit in the back of the bus just so you don't have deal with me. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

The guy on the far left, front row is DB Cooper. Actually, this post clears up the issue. You are referencing PCA where I'm asking about USPA. I think the name changed in the earlier '60s, maybe 64? My Instructor Rating was issued by Norm Heaton in 1971 when USPA was the associations name and after the 'reorg' of the training and safety syllabus. Because of some weird office accounting, my Instructor Rating is dated March 21, 71 and my JM rating April 5, 71. I can't understand how I could have an I before having a JM but...there it is. Does anyone know when PCA became USPA? The only piece of memorabilia I haven't been able to find is my PCA patch. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

I have a very good friend who was an actress until switching careers into medicine. I sent her your post. Here is her reply: Jeans! definitely. They'd look like tourists if they dressed up. How old is her daughter? It makes a difference, so I don't know what to suggest. I have friends who have kids & can ask them, but are they kiddies? or teens? It's going to be mobs-ville, so the more popular spots like the Empire State Building are going to be long, long lines. They were long for us, they'll be even worse now. Good to hear from you Bernie! She was my daughter's and my tour guide for an entire week in NYC. She knew folks in Stomp so we went there. FANTASTIC! If you have to miss anything DO NOT miss Stomp. We loved it. As a non-NYC-loving person, I can tell you don't look like a tourist, you'll be a target. Pretend that you know where you're going, even if you don't. One final thing, my Rebecca was 11 when we visited. The thing she liked most, after the top of the Empire State, was the subway system. Don't miss a ride on the subway. It's almost as much fun as freefall. Enjoy...it's an amazing experience. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Hmmm. How do I address this thread without killing the humor? Dear Thread: OK...OK...here's the deal. NEVER discuss a potential marketable idea with anyone without having them sign a NDA. Non-Disclosure Agreement. Even then the NDA is only as good as the amount of money you want to spend to litigate. I have been an inventor since my teens. I've made enough from ideas to live, pay the rent and, for the most part, be very independent in my life style. Although I have a few patents, they are meaningless. The determining factor for success is not the idea; it is market and marketing. The 'Idea' is the easy part. The greatest inventor of all time, Thomas Edison, with 1000+ patents, is quoted as saying "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration." Have you ever heard of a Xerox machine? Well, the inventor of that indispensable device, Chester Carlson, spent 13 years in the process of getting someone to invest. Imagine business today, world-wide, without a copying machine of the Xerox variety. Carlson couldn't convince anyone of the value in what he had. It took 13 years! In retrospect, it seems like 13 minutes would more than enough time. My latest invention, a multi-player, on-line computer game and associated robotic vehicle system, is very impressive but nothing like a copying machine. I've been working/struggling/promoting it for over ten years. I'll be rich from it...eventually. I'm still perspiring from all the work involved. Have you heard of the phrase "Location, location, location" in regard to making money in real estate? The phrase for making money from your ideas as an inventor is "Marry someone with lots of money." I haven't met her yet...still looking. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper

Dear Olde Howard... Thanks for this information. I couldn't ask for more reliable sources: you and Parachutist. And now with this information from you, I may have to adjust my memory of the wild night I had with Bridgette Bardot and some blonde named Marilyn. Getting olde is a drag. Guru312 I am not DB Cooper