skydived19006

I think that if you do a search, you'll find multiple threads on this subject. Apparently most folks here are tired of writing on it (deduced by the lack of response). I know that I've commented in multiple threads on tandem mains. Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

[lispy voice] Oh, does that mean I win!?! [/lisp] Here are a few fairly FAGy pictures, the first is a camera suit, but the hat really makes ensemble. The second and third are me with a really cool human rig adapter, though not all color coordinated. I suppose that no true FAG would be ever be seen in public with a human rig adapter that didn't at least "go." [lisp] accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. [/lisp] I'm not going to apply for membership, not really much of a joiner. You FAGs have a nice day though! Martin Edit to add: I don't think any real FAG would ever be seen with a Strong tandem rig, my human rig adapter is a Strong TI/IE. They're ugly right off the production line (the rigs, not necessarily the human rig adapters). I jump Eclipse rigs, fun to say with a lisp, and pretty too! I'll throw on a pic with an Eclipse Tandem Rig Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I've had two tandems where the drogue ended up malfunctioned with a half hitch in the bridle catching the edge of the drogue. I threw it, and felt it doing a bit of stabilization, but damn sure knew something was wrong because we kept accelerating! In both cases I pulled the release rip cord by 1000 to 1500' off the airplane, and there was enough drag to deploy the main, but barely. One of them I was wearing my hand cam, and you can see the deployment bag almost bump me on the back of the head before it slowly deploys. Over the course of my 2000 plus tandems I've gone from an a mind set that, everything will work fine, if not I'll deal with it. To one of, shit is going to happen on every jump and being ready to deal with it. I simply can not understand how a TI would not know that the drogue was not out. Even in training I damn sure knew the difference in speed on the tandem terminal jump. I also know the difference in speed between a 120 lb student and a 220 lb student, let alone tandem terminal. I also know what it feels like to be stabilized by the drogue, and the feel of "hanging from it." I would think that all of this goes without saying, apparently not. Maritn Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

He doesn't lose altitude awareness, he's watching his altimeter, and has an audible, and appears to attempt to deploy the main on time. 15 or so seconds after attempting to deploy the main the Cypress fires, that would be at 4 to 4.5 at a light weight tandem terminal seconds per 1000' at a light weight tandem terminal. That would have put him at somewhere around 5,000 to 5,500' at his rip cord pull. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

My first thought was that maybe this was an Instructor doing a training jump. The student though seems to be oblivious of the camera, and experienced skydiver on front I would think would be reacting differently. I can not understand how anyone with more than a couple of tandems could not remember to throw the drogue. Even if the TI did forget, what about the damn extremely high fall rate? He obviously did forget to throw the drogue, he seems to think that at pull time pulling the drogue release rip cord is going to make something happen. Someone with the power should take a second look at this guy. Looks to me like he was not cut out to deal with being a TI. Good head down video flyer! You know he's got to be thinking he's chasing a total idiot! But, at a loss to help. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

Hence "Off like a prom dress!" Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

They do. Its called the USPA. Well hell, maybe they could do something about Skyride! Maybe just kick the boys out of our club? That was rhetorical for anyone thinking that they need to tell me "the story." Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

You did get her number, right? Sure I did! But my wife said I couldn't go play with her. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I don't think that it's necessary. I don't personally think that $20 is adequate compensation for a tandem instructor, so I pay double that. If an instructor in unsatisfied being paid $20 in Hawaii, then it's time to move on. Same answer for most issues a professional skydiver may have. Voice your thoughts, if nothing changes, move on. Theoretically the DZO would either change his ways, or go out of business if all instructors employed this theory. Then again, DZOs should all tell Skyride to go pound sand, and it would die a silent death as well. Maybe DZOs should have an organization?!? That one made me laugh! Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I had a 200 +/- lb guy show up wearing cheap imitation jump boots. We landed fast on a no wind day (Icarus canopy, loaded fairly heavy), with damp soil. One of his boot heals dug in enough to stop his foot while the rest of our 500 lbs continued. Broke his ankle. Our solution: We now do a better job of stressing to people the importance of wearing tenis shoes, NO BOOTS. We've taken students bare foot when they did not have appropriate shoes. There have been a handful of compressed lower spines, and a broken coxes or two in the 2000 plus tandems I've done. Generally a bad landing due to wind conditions, not necessarily high winds but landing when a 15 or 20 mph guest goes to 5 or 10 right at flair time. Our solution: we try not to jump in "gusty" conditions, or when the wind is above 25 mph. I witnessed a landing gone wrong last weekend. The instructor asked his heavy out of shape older woman student to bring her feet up for landing. She used the toggles to to pull her legs up causing them to lose air speed at 50'. Every one around was gritting their teeth as it was obvious they would land like a sack of potatoes, and they did. She had some compressions, and left in an ambulance. My solution: I started taking the toggles away from my students at 1000' within the first year of doing tandems due to this type of thing. It could be argued that more practice flairs would have helped, I know that this instructor does a few practice flares at altitude. Maybe some would argue that the additional danger is worth the training the student gets by helping with the toggles all the way down? Possibly the "additional training" is not relevant with someone such as this lady who unless she lost 50 plus lbs, and started working out regularly would never be a solo jump candidate? On a humorous side, I had one student proclaim at opening "That hurt, I'm glad I didn't get bigger tits than I did!" The landing wasn't my best either, to which she said "That hurt my butt hole worse than anal sex!" I guess I wouldn't know on either point. Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

You might get better response in another forum. Maybe Instructors, or General Skydiving? Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

How about $35 to go to 20,000'? That was not announced until they started manifesting. Larry Hill said that he had not planned it, but the FBO had the oxygen, so they sent 4 loads up there. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I don't think that tandem is a bad choice either, and the vast majority of our first jump students choose tandem. We do a fairly good job making sure that they understand that tandem is not required, at least not by rule, law, or us. Bottom line, I make more money dispatching a load of IAD students from 4,000', but we don't push folk one direction or the other. Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

Off topic, I always offer to proof any article or piece regarding skydiving, or my DZ when contacted. Rarely does the media take me up on this offer (one small town newspaper recently did for an article they wrote on our business. My review and editorial comment corrected what by industry standards could only have been considered ignorant statements). I think that the news folk are a bit lazy or feel the push of a dead line, and figure that news is somewhat like movies. It doesn't matter if all the technical stuff is correct, the general public will not know, and will not care. A fairly large percentage of the population these days think that a tandem skydive is required. On topic; I had a guy threaten to sue me because I refused to give him solo instruction. He was an obvious drug burn out, and I was not about to train him. We did take the threat seriously, but thankfully it never amounted to anything. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

He's jumping at my DZ (Air Capital Drop Zone, Wichita Kansas), we do not have staff, or lift capacity to offer AFF. I don't have an issue with AFF, and occasionally will have a student do an AFF jump or two at some point in their progression if it's deemed appropriate or helpful, and an AFFI happens to be available. Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

By your definition Rob every exit I do off a 182 is unstable. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK1qXDBbKtM&feature=related skip forward to 3:30 for exits. This is not a cherry picked video, the student posted it. Years ago I decided to quit fighting the forward roll momentum, and let the thing go on over. I do a full front flip, tapping the student as we go off. About half way over, and the point when the student is again aware, we arch. It'll over rotate back to head down, then roll back. The advantages I see; I virtually never go side to the wind, I'm working with the student as opposed to fighting them or not trying to get the drogue out before the student can make us unstable. I've seen more than a few TIs go off arch hard, and simply try to ride out whatever the student does, fighting as opposed to working with. I like it, it works well for me, but not necessary promoting it. Mark (tandem I shoot going off before me) chooses to exit and stay as stable as he can. He steps off (I think) more to reduce the rolling momentum. Martin edit to make it clicky Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

Work with your instructors, stay current, take advice and information gained on the internet with a grain of salt. Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I'm incorrect regarding the FARs requiring a Medical. I could edit my last post, but would rather let it stand, and write the correction. Got'a be trained, have 500 jumps, 3 years, and hold a master parachute license. No specification that the master license be current. § 105.45 Use of tandem parachute systems. (a) No person may conduct a parachute operation using a tandem parachute system, and no pilot in command of an aircraft may allow any person to conduct a parachute operation from that aircraft using a tandem parachute system, unless— (1) One of the parachutists using the tandem parachute system is the parachutist in command, and meets the following requirements: (i) Has a minimum of 3 years of experience in parachuting, and must provide documentation that the parachutist— (ii) Has completed a minimum of 500 freefall parachute jumps using a ram-air parachute, and (iii) Holds a master parachute license issued by an organization recognized by the FAA, and (iv) Has successfully completed a tandem instructor course given by the manufacturer of the tandem parachute system used in the parachute operation or a course acceptable to the Administrator. (v) Has been certified by the appropriate parachute manufacturer or tandem course provider as being properly trained on the use of the specific tandem parachute system to be used. (2) The person acting as parachutist in command: (i) Has briefed the passenger parachutist before boarding the aircraft. The briefing must include the procedures to be used in case of an emergency with the aircraft or after exiting the aircraft, while preparing to exit and exiting the aircraft, freefall, operating the parachute after freefall, landing approach, and landing. (ii) Uses the harness position prescribed by the manufacturer of the tandem parachute equipment. (b) No person may make a parachute jump with a tandem parachute system unless— (1) The main parachute has been packed by a certificated parachute rigger, the parachutist in command making the next jump with that parachute, or a person under the direct supervision of a certificated parachute rigger. (2) The reserve parachute has been packed by a certificated parachute rigger in accordance with §105.43(b) of this part. (3) The tandem parachute system contains an operational automatic activation device for the reserve parachute, approved by the manufacturer of that tandem parachute system. The device must— (i) Have been maintained in accordance with manufacturer instructions, and (ii) Be armed during each tandem parachute operation. (4) The passenger parachutist is provided with a manual main parachute activation device and instructed on the use of that device, if required by the owner/operator. (5) The main parachute is equipped with a single-point release system. (6) The reserve parachute meets Technical Standard Order C23 specifications. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I don't really have an issue with USPA requiring a copy to be sent with the rating renewal, the manufactures had been requiring it, and it is required by FAR. I simply figured that since I had not been made aware, apparently due to my not paying attention to stuff in parachutist, Facebook, or some e-news letter. There were others out there who were equally unaware. I asked my RD to send something to his area S&TAs. You can get it covered in the subject line, but he sends a link to a page that discusses the change. Again, something very easy to not follow through and read. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I’m sure that this is not exactly news to many here. USPA at the 2009 Summer BOD meeting “clarified” the BSRs regarding the Third Class Medical requirement to include the word “current.” Anyway, the point of my post is as a reminder that USPA is now requiring a copy of your current FAA Medical along with all Tandem Instructor rating renewals. I was surprised that a search turned up zero results for “medical tandem” dated after the BOD meeting. So, I guess if I missed the search term, and this is a repost, flame on! Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

So, I guess that if "porn dick" doesn't seem to be out of the range of what I'd think of as normal, I'm probably in the "ok range." I can now sleep, or not. I guess that also when it's time for the photo shoot, a guy should most certainly work up a simi. The 13,500' skyvan nakey, scared/turtle isn't going to help a guy make any new friends. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

Hey, I'm not shy. Size matters!! I'd be interested in what size you consider adequate. Need length and girth, like 8" and diameter of Coke can minimum, or similar. Is this another thread? Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

Here's my situation. My primary daily back and forth to the airport/work car is an 1989 Honda Civic, which gets 33 to 35 mpg. It doesn't qualify for trade in. My wife drives a 1997 Toyota Camery, which also does not qualify. I'm 6'8" and believe me, nobody wants to ride behind me in either of these cars, since the front seat is pushed all the way back, and reclined. We have two children 5, and 7 years old, and they are constantly growing for some reason. So, what we need is something like John Sherman invented, a mini van. Guess what, from what I understand a mini van getting 18 mph would not qualify. From reading the arguments here, my 1989 Civic with 330,000 miles on it is the best damn car on the road! The pollution created in it's manufacture has long been "paid for", and it gets good gas mileage. It costs me, with fuel, maintenance, insurance, taxes, deprecation, etc., around $.10/mile to drive. Maybe the government should have given $1000 in a maintenance rebate for anyone driving a car in excess of 15 years old, which gets over 25, or 30 mpg. That way, we're not polluting the planet building new cars, and we're making these old super green ones live on! Don't tell anyone that I'm going to pump over 200 gallons of fuel this weekend, and burn it off as fast as I can, going nowhere but up and down!!! I burn 6 to 7 gallons to get two miles (up) in my Cessna 182. Let's all hope the Greenies don't find out!!! Martin Oh yeah, I also have a 1970 Volkswagen Beetle, which is not very fuel efficient at all. Don't qualify, too old. Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

I'm on it! This will be 15 years for me. First year I attended, I had less than 100 jumps. Got on a naked load (sausage fest, organized by two girls, but they backed out). Some of the boys landed near the bleachers. When I got home, people were telling me that they'd heard about a bunch of naked skydivers on Paul Harvey. What do you say Jenny? Let's do it again, but add a bunch of girls to the mix! Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ

Thought I'd update how the recovery went. I started jumping my sport rig about a week after the cast came off. I started doing tandems again 2.5 weeks after the cast came off, I'm sure my doc would have said that it was too early. I did a tandem with another TI in case I couldn't manage the toggle pressure. It was more of an issue getting around in the airplane (C182) without over stressing the wrist than flying the tandem main. I'm at about 12 weeks now since I broke the arm, I still don't have 100% motion, but it doesn't really hurt anymore, and the strength is back. The Power Ball was and it an excellent tool for strength, and flexibility! It's a fairly fun toy too. Martin Experience is what you get when you thought you were going to get something else. AC DZ