kkeenan

Latest cartoon... http://www.klydemorris.com/strips.cfm?strip_ID=2064 _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Thanks for the memories, Pat. In those days, the gear was so mis-matched and cobbled-together that it was truly scarey. To us, at the time, it was state-of-the-art. But everything had to be either custom-made or home made, and there were a thousand ways for something to malfunction. To stay alive, you really had to know the ins and outs of the gear. The average non-rigger jumper back then probably knew more about his stuff than a lot of riggers today. It seems to me that the ratio of fatality causes back then was about: 90% - Gear Issues 10% - Jumper Error Now, with almost foolproof gear, microprocessor-controlled AADs and Audible Altitude devices, we have almost the same number of fatalities each year. Only now, the cause ratio has reversed: 10% - Gear Issues 90% - Jumper Error Now, it is possible to fly a perfectly functioning main into a clearly visible brick wall at 60 mph and die. Booth had it right when he said, "...whenever I make something more foolproof, they just come up with a better fool." (Paraphrased) Kevin K. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Well, he's invoked the Prime Directive. There can be no going back now after the mention of Coolness vs. Goofiness. Christ, If students only knew that they could fly and learn just as well in a pair of Sears coveralls, the Jumpsuit Industry would collapse. But it really helps the riggers' business when they rip the knees out of those expensive jumpsuits 4 or 5 times in their first 100 jumps. Kevin K. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

did you read the bottom of the post I did, but I figured no one else got it. I'm just a sucker for an easy joke. kk _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

He didn't mention that he wanted to look good for the gay attendees, but attention is attention... I'm sure those laddies will get an eyeful. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

There's no trumping the P card... _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

The last launch is scheduled for 9/6/10, although that date is subject to change. There may be an additional "really last launch" after that, but it is not official, yet. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

The end of this program is drawing near. I'm personally pretty sad about that, but if anyone is interested, a commemorative patch will be produced, and anyone can vote on their choice. SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM COMMEMORATIVE PATCH CONTEST Nearly 100 designs were received in the Space Shuttle Program Commemorative Patch Contest from a wide variety of individuals, including astronauts, former and current civil servants and contractors. Choose your favorite from among the 15 finalists for a People’s Choice Award. The number of votes received will be one of the factors in the judges' final decision. The winning design will be flown on an upcoming shuttle mission, and the winner will be presented with their flown artwork as an award. Vote January 11 – 29 at http://rendezvous.jsc.nasa.gov/patchVote.cfm

= MAD SKILZZZZZ Tell Ted we all said Hello. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

_____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Wow. Here I was thinking he was in a wood chipper all this time. I should probably appologize to Liz... _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

While not really a silly question, I think that the concept of cutting away instead of landing with rear risers is somewhat silly. Certainly a student might not be up for such a landing, but anyone off student status should have enough of a grasp of parachute landing principles to make a survivable, if not pretty, landing. Many people are far too quick to trade an operating main for an unopened reserve. A perfect reserve is not guaranteed. It would suck to find that out after cutting away for something like a loose toggle. Kevin K. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Liz is still around. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

That thing looks like it belongs in a Chinese Dragon parade. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

...so you are expecting an invasive search ? _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Add DeLand to your list of consideration, and delete Titusville. I'm sure someone will provide an explaination for that one. Kevin K. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

05/01/2010 ?? Isn't that five months from now ? _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

This is one gnarly-ass shredder... http://www.ssiworld.com/watch/the_monster.htm _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

How so? I have a couple hundred CRW jumps with a rig that has B-12's. Never a problem. I think he meant if you ever got close to another canopy. In your case, they're perfectly safe. Kevin K. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

X-Base, Did you have to try this hard to get friends when you were younger ? _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Maybe DZ.com should have such standards... http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/personal/01/04/dating.site.overweight/index.html _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Chainsaw. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

They still tell stories about him around the fire at ZHills... _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

My amateur analysis is that he's afraid to jump because he may screw up again and die. But he wants to be considered a "Skydiver", so he keeps posting about his incident so that "Skydivers" will talk to him and about him on the internet. As long as this is going on, he can call himself a "Skydiver", which is something he really wants to do. Actually, all he did was to demonstrate how the AAD has short-circuited the Darwinian process that used to exist in our sport. I guess he's made his mark, though. If he had died, there would have been only one thread. Look Bruce, we're talking about you. We only talk about Skydivers here, so you must be one. Now knock this shit off and go pick out a nice Bowling shirt. Kevin K. _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?

Congratulations, Pat. I was just a few years behind you in Houston and at Texas A&M. I, too, still have my Art of FFRW, and a few copies of the old RWu newsletter. I just couldn't get enough. Those were days of great revelation and discovery. Thank you for your great teaching skills. They helped bring me into a family that is just as strong today as back then. Kevin K. SCR-3022 _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ?