jfields

So slow.

I bet you don't even care how densely it is packed, you silly mule, and would be fine with 5 pounds or 5 kilos.

You and your metric system, Remster... He said 5 pounds, so that is only 2.268 kg. If you can't do conversions, you'd make a horrible drug dealer.

I'm glad to hear things were pretty smooth. I've been assembling my documentation for two upcoming trips. I will be heading to Perris in June and to the WFFC. Unlike you, I'll be going through National and BWI airports both times. The only debate I have is whether to try to take my rig carry-on or checked.

I think it is some form of counter-wave stupidy nullification field, like noise-cancelling headphones, except it keeps the moron cooties off him.

God damnit, Bill, you are efficient too. When I asked last month about getting a ride from San Diego to Perris, Keith volunteered. Now I know that you used your biodiesel-powered generator and your solar array to power the supercomputer you programmed to figure out that I would be picking on you in the future and subliminally pre-arrange his opportunity to make me his bitch. I just can't win!

We have to come up with some good ones. It isn't like I can talk about that either! Good effort though.

Well, not really.... But in the interest of fairness, I'd like Bill's friends, or Bill himself to prepare the following list: Top 20 Things Bill Knows NOTHING About It obviously can't have any thing about skydiving, biodiesel, global warning or S&M dungeon design. So folks, come on and help out! It will make us all feel better. Of course, this list will have to be updated quickly as he dilligently goes out and researchs whatever we come up with for the list. Clearly, just teasing, Bill.

And I always wanted to be a porn star. Hey, we can all have dreams.

Bought used gear and started jumping it on jump #17.

Bill, Of course I'd put the seatbelt on if the pilot recommended it due to turbulence. (If it was a nude jump, I'd just be careful about how I routed it.) But don't you generally agree with the reasoning I described for why, on average, the seatbelt is more liability than benefit above a fairly low altitude?

Perhaps they have so much sunny weather that they have radiation-induced cerebral shrinkage, rendering them happy-go-lucky, unknowing, skydiving lobotomy victims. Either that, or it is just all the drugs. I'm not sure which. Rainy, same as yesterday, the day before yesterday....

PS I'm not trying to bust your chops about the question. There was nothing wrong with asking. But to me, the answer seems pretty clear. The only question where I don't have a definitive answer is at exactly what altitude the seatbelts should come off. 1000? 1500? 2000? To me, it is going to be somewhere in that range, but within that range I defer to the DZ policy.

Adam, I'm not saying that can't happen. However, I think the chances of it, combined with how it fits into the risk/reward mix, suggests that you are better off without the seatbelt above hop-n-pop altitude. I've been bounced around severely in small passenger planes as well as 747s and C-141s. But none of them in weather I'd be sport jumping in. As to the air traffic, it raises other questions. I think it was Paul that said if traffic was problem enough to cause frequent near-misses, then the DZ was in the wrong place. I agree. If you are preparing for a very rare instance, I think the emphasis over the more-likely loose chute scenario is adding risk rather than reducing it.

As you ascend during flight there is a point where the combined risks of wearing the seatbelt surpass those of not wearing it. If you put risk of seatbelt usage and altitude as the axis on a graph, where it becomes riskier to wear it, you ought to take it off. When you are taxiing and taking off, you stand a better chance of surving any problems with the seatbelt on. You parachute does no good below the height in which it could reasonably open. Then you get into a fuzzy zone where there are pros and cons of both. For example, you may be at an altitude where you can exit and immediately deploy your reserve, but not have enough altitude for your main. That is a risky scenario, because not everyone may have time to get out and also you have narrowed your options by only effectively having one parachute. A little bit higher, and you are into hop-n-pop territory. Everyone should have done them at some point, so a low exit and main deployment shouldn't be a problem. An unplanned exit from this height isn't ideal, but shouldn't present anyone (except tandems) with a problem. To me, seatbelts should be off here and above, if not a little sooner. Above that altitude, I think you are better off not wearing the seatbelt. Fundamentally, you should be ready to exit the plane. Your gear should be checked before you ever board the plane. (Not saying you shouldn't check again, anyway.) Other than maybe pulling your helmet/goggles on, you are ready to do what you planned to do anyway, jump from the plane. Upon exit anywhere above the hop-n-pop zone, you still have all the options you would on a normal skydive. You have plenty of time to potentially deploy your main, check it, cut it away, then deploy your reserve. The risks of the seatbelt at these altitudes seem to outweight their benefits. You don't have anything for the plane to run into. (If you do, the seatbelt won't help.) The seatbelts could prevent a quick exit in the case of a loose pilot chute or situation where the pilot ordered everyone out. Wearing the seatbelt that high up provides virtually no benefit, and a small but measurably higher risk even with the door closed. When the door is open, the seatbelt risk jumps up even further. My $.02: 0-~1000/1500 feet Seatbelt on (specifics depending on DZ policy) - Exit, go silver (if directed by pilot) ~1000/1500 - 2000 feet Seatbelt off - Exit, go silver 2000 ft and up Seatbelt off - Exit, deploy main It is what I was taught, and it makes sense to me.

Weather permitting, I might try to get up there for a day.

My start page is my.yahoo.com, personalized for my news, stocks and stuff. Not that interesting of a choice, but simple and effective. My home page is www.jennandjustin.com, among other project pages.

Great job, Dave! So we can now officially start pestering you for a newly-designed jump plane that is roomy, fast-climbing, wide-doored, yet so fuel efficient that jump tickets will only be $5?

I hate sarcasm.

Bad, bad idea! Didn't you ever see what happened to the big black guy in the James Bond movie "Live and Let Die"?

Or a particular lack of talent. That isn't just a slam against American Idol, although my feelings on it have been previously expressed. It applies to the Olympics too. Some of them are really horrible at what they do. However, instead of an annoying Brit making fun of them on TV, they just don't make the sports highlights tapes.

Yes, you were: "numerous scantily-clad skydiving hotties"

What is the definition of an "underage lamb"? How do you tell? Ask it for it's driver's license?

Yup. She bonked her head on the edge of the table last week and drew a little blood. My brother-in-law was watching her, so I'll just blame it on him instead of the furniture. We have the plug covers up. The socket size doesn't really matter when there are knives and screwdrivers around the house. Yup. We let Lucy walk around the entire supermarket this week. She loved it. She was checking out all the stuff on the aisles and waving at all the people.