ChasingBlueSky

Does your DZO realize you are giving reckless advice? If so, please get him on here and get him to reply to this. I want to hear his reasoning on why he would allow this to happen. I'm curious - how many friends have you visited in the hospital? How many funerals of people you jump with have you gone to? I doubt you fully understand how dangerous you really are. Your bulletproof mentality will get someone else killed. Even if you are one of the lucky ones that does good in the sport right from the beginning doesn't mean those you coach are in the same category. You are a prime reason I why I feel that the coach rating is a joke and that they will give it to anybody. I'll be sending you a pad of sticky notes for the people you are coaching. Like I said - I knew someone that claimed he was differant than everyone else and somehow found a way to get under a Velo at 120 jumps. He is dead now. And just to give you some perspective - I come from a very progressive DZ that puts students on Sabre 2s (I learned on a Safire). I understand how using modern gear is a great thing - but needless downsizing at low jump numers/experience isn't needed. You may be able to land that canopy but it doesn't mean you should try it. I had this conversation with someone this weekend...he jumps a 119 and felt he could jump down to a 99 without a problem. He told me "no worries, I can land it" and I looked at him with a puzzled face and inquired why he felt he had to do that. He was lucky the only thing he did was slice open his foot on landing. The bad part of you coming from such a small DZ is that you really believe you are a big fish. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

I am not a rigger and I am 100% against raising the cycle on repacks. Quade nailed it on the head - most people are dolts and don't do proper gear inspection and the 120 cycle probably saves more lives than you think. Yes, a reserve could probably sit in your rig for 6 months or a year and still work like a charm. However, you may very easily see incidents on the increase due to the lack of rigs being looked at by riggers. Why does anyone feel this is an important issue???? So you save a bit of annoyance and have to leave your rig in the loft maybe one less time a year? You might save $40 a year? Wear on your gear? How many people do you know that actually keep a reserve for its entire life cycle of repacks? I don't see the issue and I don't want my membership fees being used to lobby for such a useless and unsafe change. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Have you noticed the trend that people that have been in the sport a long time with a decent amount of experience tend to say the same thing? Do you think it is because they don't want the newbie to grow and enjoy the sport, or could it be that they have seen too many people killed for very avoidable reasons. Maybe their years of experience has wisened them. Personally, I know a few people that have been in the sport a long time that still wonder how they survived the first 10 years in the sport and now preach a much safer method for newbies. Here is something else to consider - notice that the death rate tends to go up once off of student status and ego starts making your decisions instead of a seasoned veteran jumpmaster? I was a bit reckless my first year or two in the sport and felt how you did. Then I buried a friend, and then I buried a half dozen more. Funny how that changes everything. I give rather conservative advice now for one very selfish reason: I don't want to go to another friends funeral. I usually tell people that I will stick this note on their gravestone: "I told you so." As far as downsizing goes - I've been talking about doing that for four years now. Everytime I jump the size smaller than mine (like this weekend), I realize how much more I can do with the canopy I already own. Like this weekend - I did my first intentional downwind landing in winds over 10mph and stood it up. But I am sure you are better than the rest and are the exeption to the rule. I've been to two funerals for people that felt the same way. Where is my sticky pad...I think I may have a sign to write. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

:6:2 6 jumps all freefly, and 2 parties this weekend - at two different dropzones. I had wayyyyyyy to much beer Saturday night. We called it quits close to 5am and I think it was about 19 beers I killed off! _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Don't waste your time with Day After Tomorrow. I'm hoping to see Harry Potter on IMAX tonight. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

great shot! any filters on that lens? _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

What people don't realize about that dunk tank is just how cold the water is. We filled it up using the hose and let it sit there for a few hours. It was painful just putting your arm in it, plus we had a nice 20-30mph breeze all night long. Those in the tank did a great job to help us generate some cash and entertainment. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

If I wasn't best man at a wedding that weekend, I would be there! I wish you guys luck!!! _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Yes! Team Funnel did it again! $5000 raised to help grant a wish! Story will follow, but check out the pictures in the meantime: skydivechicago.com/gallery/mem_weekend_04 _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

N/A

Wish us luck and good weather! Off to the DZ now... If you can, give up one jump ticket and purchase a raffle ticket now! _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Ok - off the DZ! Wish us luck and good weather! You still have a chance to give up one jump this weekend to purchase some raflle tickets! _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=11810888&BRD=1817&PAG=461&dept_id=222077&rfi=6 Feeling the effects of skydiving without stepping out of a moving airplane will be possible later this year at the Eloy City Council approved a special use permit for Skydive Arizona to construct a wind tunnel. The wind tunnel is to be used for training as well as recreational purposes. The council also disagreed with the city's staff recommendation when it came to the noise level coming from the project. The staff recommended a 40 dB from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and a 45 dB from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., the levels originally proposed for the new zoning ordinance. The council felt the current reading for commercial would be permissible. The current reading were 90 dB in daytime and 80 dB at night time. The wind tunnel received a positive recommendation from the Eloy Planning and Zoning Commission April 21 with the following stipulations; that the FAA approve the project and provide the city with the approval letter; the applicant provide the correct manufacturing information to staff and a reasonable effort be made so the sound being emitted at the property line be consistent with the levels being proposed at the property line. Loras Rauch, Contract Planning Services principal, said the existing levels are much higher than those proposed. The new proposed ordinance refers to the noise levels established in the Eloy City Code. The Eloy City Code has the noise levels set for residential 70 dB at night and 80 dB at day, commercial 80 dB at night and 90 dB during the day and industrial is set at 90 dB at night and 90 at daytime. Councilman Richard Horton called councilmen Byron Jackson and Jesse Rosel from the wind tunnel in Parris Valley, Calif while he was standing next to the wind tunnel and they were not able to hear it in the background. Can the they put more restrictions on the applicant than those in the city codes, asked Jackson? Rauch said if they wanted they could put the original proposed noise table back into the ordinance. The feeling were expressed by both the planning commission and council they did not want the change because they felt the noise level was higher already, she said. They always have the opportunity to amend the city or zoning codes. Jackson was concern about setting stricter restrictions because 50 dB was pretty quiet especially for the location in which the airport is at. City Manager Jim McFellin said the 40 dB and 45 dB are levels the World Health Organization has set as acceptable levels of pollutions. That is why the city felt setting the same dB at the property line was acceptable. We have vehicles in the street which are greater than that, said Jackson. McFellin said those were not continuous. Rauch said the sound is consistent with what is in the proposed zoning ordinance. Using it for opposition for this project seemed premature to Jackson, he thought they needed to look at the levels. "We're looking to the future and not the past," said McFellin, "we want a city that's livable." McFellin purchased property about a mile from thereto build a home. He will not build it if he has to listen to the sound for 18 hours or more. They have to think about the citizens, he said. If sounds levels are violated in his neighborhood because of the wind tunnel than it violates the city codes, he said. Andy McGregor, Sky Venture product development and support, said the city needs to look at the ambient noise level. The proposed unit is quieter than perceived. During the planning and zoning commission meeting he brought in a dB tester and the air handler in the building was reading at 50 dB. Daily conversation is greater than the levels the city wants the wind tunnel at. The existing codes are acceptable to Larry Hill, Skydive Arizona owner, McGregor said. They don't want to be singled out. If the sound is louder than those listed in the Eloy City Code the have many mitigating techniques they can do such as dampening. Mayor Manuel Salas asked how many hours the tunnel would be running. It would run a lot, but it would not be heard, McGregor said. Hill was not asking for a noise variance, he should live by what everyone else does. Since the first wind tunnel went up in 1998 Hill's business at Skydive Arizona has been going down. In order for his business to survive he has to grow with the industry. It will be difficult for him to survive another season without a wind tunnel. They also had other concerns with the tunnel one of which was getting FAA approval. McFellin said they Hill had a letter from the FAA and they did not have a problem with it. Jackson asked what the typical height of a control tower was? They average from 150 to 200 feet, Hill said. His structure will be roughly 95 feet, about the same height as the flag pole at the Toltec Cafe. Loras Rauch said the site in in a agriculture zoning and requires a conditional use permit. It is in the airport overlay and the heights are referred to in the airport master plan. Hill had no objection to the council restricting the height to the height listed in the FAA letter. During the planning and zoning meeting many area business supported Hill in his venture saying their businesses could not survive if Eloy lost Skydive Arizona. Much of their business is coming from skydivers who frequent their restaurants, bars and hotels. A portable wind tunnel, with no noise buffer, was at Skydive Arizona less than 18 moths ago. The noise was only a problem at less than 200 feet. ©Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. 2004 _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

I felt like sharing this tonight. A small passage that Roger Nelson wrote and I happened upon it tonight: My friends, skydiving is only a moment of time in each of our lives. It is not happiness, it is a way we express ourselves. It is something you never forget and should use for strength. You should remember when skydiving was new and intriguing. When you tried to tell everyone what you experienced because you wanted to share it with those around you. When the feeling lifted you up beyond the normal "water cooler squabbles" and everyday issues of life. What is sometimes nearly conveyed but mostly over looked, is skydiving is a mindset. It is nearly all mental, and is an understanding of control and destiny that can be conveyed to everything you do. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

High - Team Funnel will help make a childs dream come true this weekend. Low - Someone won't be here. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Well, now that I have my vacation days back to do whatever I want with them, I am requesting time off for both parties. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

From this week's Skydive Chicago weekly update from Missy Nelson: More good news for this season!! Bird Man demo suits are here!! Rook and I have studied up and have become Bird Man Instructors. We have small, medium and large suits, so come on out and join in on the new craze of wing suit flight!! Pic: Missy and Friends in the new BM rentals _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

All good points. However, I still think it is illegal (from my brief days in the HR dept) to listen in on personal calls. However, you can log the amount of personal calls made and time lost on the job. All grounds for dismissal. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Nice timing - I had a friend that was bit by one today. A bat that is. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Psycho's good but that cat is more of a Spaz. call him Spaz. shithead always works. toggles is good. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Actually, they taste like crunchy mashed potatoes. no joke. Becareful, just heard a news story that someone found out the hard way he is allergic to them after he ate a couple of them. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

I could be wrong - but calls can no longer be monitored after it has been established as a personal call. Also, illegal wiretap is a big deal - he could be crossing that line. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Apparently you have quite the ancient Roman belief system. If you aren't in the military you aren't allowed an opinion? The only way you can make change is to enlist so you can blow stuff up? I guess I feel I have made changes in a bit more of a peaceful manner (sans assualt rifle). Hope that was an attempt at a troll. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

The only reason they even give warnings is so UNLIKE 9/11 in the likely event of an eventual attack they can skate responsibility and say WE TOLD YOU SO.. Bunch of fucking idiots running this whole security hoe down.. Rhino BINGO! See my post above that said the same thing, well, almost the same thing _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....

Oh yes he is, and it makes me smile to see you deny the facts so vehemently. Conservatives have a lot of faults, but not once did I ever hear one cry out the childish "Clinton's not MY president" in all eight years of his presidency. I can introduce you to my roommate - a card carrying repub. He walked around for 6 years saying that. _________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again.....