NickDG

I'm not sure of the legalities, but didn’t I hear of a DZ some years ago that put people like this through static line courses using tandem rigs? Maybe I'm imagining that one. In any case my test was always if there was a chance the student could score a touchdown from the one yard line in a real NFL football game, I ain't taking them . . . NickD

I've always gone with the idea it's all right to un-stitch and re-stitch a harness just once. But sometimes the problem is knowing for sure if the time you do it "is" the first time. If there really is a crack in the harness ring, or even if not, but it's something that's bothering you, don't jump it anymore and get it replaced. NickD

Another bit some JMs miss is if they use the actual aircraft while its on the ground for exit practice. The distance from the step to the strut is different from when the plane is airborne. The gear leg drops down quite a ways when there's no weight on it. This will surprise your student when it’s time to climb out if you don’t mention it beforehand. NickD

I sometimes think there never was a D.B. Cooper. I think the ticket seller who gave the initial description, the flight attendant (the only one who saw him on the plane) and the pilots were all in it together and they split up the money. That amount was pretty large back then. The money found by the little boy was real but probably not related to the case. We were just told that, along with the jump most likely killed him, to dissuade others from trying the same thing as hijackings were a big problem in those days. On the other hand, I'm sure there will come a day four guys take over an Airbus A380 which in certain configurations can carry 840 passengers and rob everyone of their cash and jewels. They'll then leave the aircraft using tandem rigs with the loot up front. That will also be the day you'll never be able to carry a parachute onboard ever again . . . Note to Bill Booth – shave off the beard, it will be a dead giveaway! NickD

When I think of all the ones before us, the ones now, and the ones to come, it makes me so proud and I'm not afraid to admit I'm crying tears in a bucket right now . . . But, I as long as I live, I'll never shrink from admitting how much I love my brother Marines. Tomorrow is our 230th birthday. Sure, we've been fucked over by near-do-well politicians from time to time, but that's the way of it, and not a question a young Marine will ever ask. With permission, I'll tell the following story: In 1971, I was serving at Camp Pendleton as a Combat Photographer and a few months before he died, General Chesty Puller was in the house. He was royally pissed off as he was requesting assignment to Vietnam, but was turned down as he was just too old. He's visiting the CGs house, and pretty much bed-ridden at Cam Pen and I took some photos of him which I was made to deliverer. I was a young Lance Corporal then and when I banged on the hatch (Marines don’t knock) only my knees were knocking. A Navy steward opened the door and when I announced I was there to deliver some photos to the General, I heard a voice I'll carry to the grave from the back of the house. "Is that a Marine? "Yes sir," the steward said. "Well, send him in," the General bellowed from his bed, "and let's have a look at him!" I won’t say what General Puller said to me but I can say he loved me just because I wore the uniform, and in two seconds he made me really understand what the Marine Corps was all about. Later, when I went overseas, I stood and heard the standard line that's as true today as it ever was: "Marines die, that's what we are here for, but if the Marine Corps lives forever, you will live forever!" And so we forever will. Happy Birthday, my Brothers, . . . NickD

Okay, I'm up for telling about John V, but please, no Qs about Eric Ryde . . . NickD

Okay, I must admit, that 911 call is Nugget City . . . When Don Swayze called for help after ripping his foot off, he said he crawled as far away from the object as he could so as not to burn it, but after 100 yards he was bleeding out, and had to make the call. He said it was like calling artillery down on his own position. John should have said he ground launched, found some lift, and hit this stupid tower in the middle of nowhere! NickD

No, I think I'll do better on the fly . . . NickD

>>Based on my observations, I don’t think this crusade against 1800SkyRide is justified.

The bottom line is not that there are "stupid" students. The point is good Instructors have been saving "stupid" students since day one in this sport and good Instructors never truly get the credit they deserve. If you organize skydives, or even sell hot dogs on the DZ, there will always be jumpers around to sing your praises. The majority of people Instructors interact with, especially the ones they do the most for, will generally make one jump, or just a few, and then they are gone. Being a good Instructor means starting all over again and doing it day in and day out . . . Most skydivers, once they reach a thousand jumps, forget how goofy footed they were as students. They forget the Instructor who let them grab onto them, even after being told not to, while they walked petrified towards the door. They forget the Instructor who quietly listens to their problems like they never heard them before. They forget the day they graduated AFF and an Instructor shakes their hand and says," Man, I'm so proud of you." Most Instructors I know are satisfied with that, they know glamour is not an Instructor's lot and a job well done is its own reward. But, come on, the next time you see an Instructor heading out for that sixth AFF jump of the day give them a high five, or a pat on the back, and offer to buy them a cold one later. None of us would be here without them . . . NickD

>>So what's the answer? Sit around and wish for the old days?

I bought an early Cypres (1991?) and at that point I don't believe there was a life limit. That came later. If he quit jumping around that time maybe he didn't know about the life limit until someone told him . . . My original Cypres is close to 14 years old and still self tests alright. Even though I'm a rigger and licensed to be stupid I wouldn't put it in my rig as a misfire could kill someone besides me. But, I think there is a bit of cover your ass going on here. Gee, I have thirty year old eight track player that still rocks . . . NickD

Since he didn't want to crosspost from the Bonfire, Dave, of "Skydive Radio" asked me to mention in here you can send in questions for me to answer when I'm on the show this Monday. The questions can be sent to skydiveradio@gmail.com or called in on voicemail at (206) 600 5867. They need them no later than Sunday night to get them into the show. And go easy on me, Brothers . . . NickD

Rick Horn had a video called "Students at Play" he used in his AFF cert courses, and Perris had an annual "Student Bloopers" video. Nothing very gory on either one, except on Rick's tape you get to see a student breaking my arm on an AFF jump, and both are educational. However, the advent of video TV shows means these are kept out of the mainstream as they would be presented without the proper context. If I ever saw myself on "Maximum Exposure" with that moron narrator going, "Dude, that's gotta hurt," I'd have to find him and punch him in the nose . . . Also, when the time comes for your own AFF cert course (if you are leaning that way) find an expereinced evaluator to pre-course you. He/she will have tons of video from past courses. Your looking at it now may be entertaining but it would also be without the right context. NickD

>>I did a few AFF jumps at Perris - every day they'd put their students on wall mounted harnesses and practice EPs. It's a great practice that I haven't observed up north.

>>Someone please tell me this story wasn't made in a way that made the skydiving industry as a whole look crooked.

I just received this from the producer. >>Nick, Hi! I’m the producer who wrote the story. You totally made my day! Thanks so much!!!! Carrie Bohnsack Investigative Producer KUTV 2 News 299 South Main Street Suite 150 Salt Lake City, Utah 84111 (801) 973-3255

Never mind all our postings here, never mind the lawsuits, an 18 year old wuffo and a local news reporter just did more good than anything else so far. We write to reporters when they get it wrong so we should all write to this reporter and tell him how right he was. He hit every main point in the problem with Skyride. His name is Bill Gephardt and his email is gephardt@kutv2.com This issue must go national and that will be the death knell for Skyride. Next stop, "60 Minutes!" NickD

Not a B-52, but I jumped a B-25 and while the rest went out the bomb bay I went out the back from the tail gunner's position. After I landed it was just another jump. What I did get off on was sitting back there on the way to altitude channeling all the courageous men who gave their lives in this type of aircraft. I closed my eyes to say my thanks as the two Wright R-2600s engines rumbled up my spine. Suddenly, I was over some ball bearing plant in Germany and the flack was so thick you could walk on it. To add to the effect we hit some good turbulence just as the pilot rang a really loud bail out bell. We were hit! I could actually smell the smoke and the flames are licking their way down the fuselage toward my position. I shimmied out and dropped away watching the others come out the belly. My mind is screaming, "Come on, you guys, get out of there . . . !" I flipped over and deployed knowing, for sure, this meant Stalag-17 for the duration for me. I wondered would I ever see my parents or my girlfriend again. What would become of me? Then, out of the haze, Lake Elsinore appeared below me and my journey back in time was over. It was the best thirty five dollars I ever spent . . . NickD

Not too much of a biggie, but . . . Tom split this thread and as he noted he also re-named it and that's cool with me. However, this is something I want straight. I often give a lot of thought to not only what I say but where I say it and I buried my original post in another thread for a reason. I didn’t mean it to become a bash fest or even a discussion. It's was just me saying what I had to say and moving along. When I do get on someone like a Felix or that other John it's because I know them and think they deserve it. I've never met John Agnos, don’t know how he came up the ranks, or know who did or didn’t mentor him. Right now I think of him as ignorant but not malicious like the previous two I mentioned. I was only trying to further the lesson on damage control. We should probably be a little careful about turning our backs when someone messes up early in their BASE careers. If they stay in the sport we might loss the chance to ever reform them. Anyway, sure, there's a good chance he's not worthy of our help, but since I've never actually talked to him, I just can’t make that decision right now. NickD

Okay, I'm glad I read it wrong, or it would have been the end of the internet. The problem as I see it is "we" know Skyride takes advantage of students being naive, but car salesmen do the same thing to people who don't buy a new car everyday. "We" consider students as sacred and "We" don’t mess with them, but convincing a judge or jury it's anything but buyer beware might be tough. Hyperbole in advertising is nothing new. Just look in any PARACHUTIST Magazine and you'll see gear touted as the "Best," and the "Fastest." Boogies are the "Ultimate!" And one AAD calls itself, "The World's Best!" Even USPA's own back cover advert says, "Skydivers Speak with One Voice!" It's all a bunch of hokum! And truth is the first casualty in a courtroom . . . NickD

I always do the FJC without mentioning the AAD or the RSL until we are all done and they've taken the written test. Then I say, "Look, one more thing. There are two back-up devices on this rig." I take a minute or two to explain them and then instruct them to go about things like those two things aren't there and do what I've taught them to do. It's a little bit of a confidence boost for some students, and it's a shame not to use it. You just have to really be careful how you explain it. For instance you don’t want to say, "No worries, if you don't pull the reserve handle, there's this thing." And yes, I've heard exactly that from Instructors who's classes I've sat in on. Of course, that's before I take them behind the hangar and counsel them. Also, one issue Instructors should ignore is the one that goes, "Oh well, most likely they'll only make one jump." Gee, the worst kind of malfunction you can imagine can happen to them on that one jump. So don’t picture it as "their" one jump, picture it like the 5000th first jump student you've taught. They aren’t playing the odds, you are! Another problem is with a student's continued education. Sure they get refresher training in the hanging harness prior to every AFF jump (or at least I hope like hell they do) along with the new dive flow, but there is a disconnect between what they learned in the FJC and what needs to be amplified and expanded on as they progress. It's kind of a hodgepodge system now and we really have to fix that . . . NickD

I'm in the 170ish camp . . . NickD

>>Uses for an Expired Cypress?

Step off to the side not straight back and you'll not hit the step. JMs would also serve their students better by following them out on a Cessna and not leading them out. This puts them in a much better position to assist should your rig come open (he can tackle you off), if there is some reason to abort the jump (he can assist you back in), and in a minor way he's taking the chance of falling off and leaving you there alone. NickD