teason

Me Me I do! And I'm acurate to with 2 or 3 hours! So far I have ... um ... carry the 2 ... 10 hrs, 97 min and 487 seconds! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Sound very similar in function to pack openning bands which were used back in the old days when jump were a nickel! They were bungee like things that were stretched when the container was closed. On opening the bands retracted to open the container. Damn where's my pointers manual when I need it!

Well, my reason isn't up there. I bought my racer cause of what I do ... IADs and lots of them. I've had three MAJOR scares on 1 pin conventional reserve set ups involving climbing out repeatedly and having pins pop or nearly pop. If you do 30-60 IADs in one day, the constant flexing can move the pin (it would take quite a bit to explain this). I once wore my gear for 10 hours, did 30 loads and only took it off to take a leak, that's a lot of flexing. Did you know that gear can put red marks on your shoulders that turn brown like a suntan? Also my rigger doesn't charge me anything to pack...oh wait .. that's me! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Um, guys, are we debating the same point? As I mentioned before, we need a structure and a perhaps a license (CoP) for canopy skills. I believe, however that there are more considerations that must be taken into account. Regulation without forethought is always a bad idea. As I said previously I beleive that DZs can't look to the regs to save us and think "we can do this, the SIM (PIM) says its OK". Your comment on pull altitude is exactly what I'm talking about. Going beyond the BSRs for the different demands of different situations. I've jumped at too many DZs that treat the BSR minimum as the standard. I've seen jumpers turn off AADs 'cause they "open at 2200 at it might fire at 2500'". Keeping the AAD on and opening higher is a foreign concept! Somehow the minmum became the rule of thumb! I'm agreeing with you on the BSR thing but the execution of such is the issue. We must go beyond the basic. As I suggested before, a progression chart which takes into account the wide variety of training and DZ scenarios out there may be the answer but it's not simple. Simplicity and consistancy are the best training tools, I agree, but it can't too simple. What's the balance? I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

What's a CoP? ooops sorry. It was canuck talk for license. You see, in Canada we issue a Certificate of Proficiency. Licenses can only be given out by Gov't folk. Just symantecs.

oh yeah, it also burns my ass when some whuffo tells me that someone I knew obviously commited suicide. THAT is a real insult to their memory! It's also the only time it almost came to blows! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

I've gotten that quite a bit. I've had students actually ask me if I "was there when that guy went splat" I tell them that it was a freind of mine and that it's not a polite way to ask and they usually apologize. Often the students are nervous and don't really know how do address the situation so they attempt to make light of it. To them it's not real, to us.... They're not trying to be malicious, this guy may have really wanted to know about skydiving safety and was just tactless. Although that was quite extreme and I'm being very generous! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Yeah this is the same s**t different thread. I was thinking about cutting and pasting all my previous ones together, saves me the typing.

Any word on two-pin vigils? I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Test jumped a Firebolt 146 yesterday. Did a couple of kick ass stalls on it on each jump. (opened high of course) Everytime I'm jumping a new canopy, I find the stall point. I then go deep and collapse the canopy and reinflate it while maintaining a heading. When you've got some choppy air, being able to control your canopy and maintain heading while on the verge of collapse is a great skill to have.

Yeah, all the typing becomes a pain in the ass! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Hmm ... you sound like me last date I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Just figured I'd spew some rhetoric so that I can seem intellectual and sensitive. (these are from memory so please forgive the errors) "And bending down beside the glowing bars, murmur, a little sadly, how love fled and paced upon the mountains overhead, and hid his face amid a crowd of stars." - Yeats from "when you are old and gray" "All experience is an arch where through gleams that untraveled world whose margin fades forever and forever when I move" - Tennison from Ullyses "Treat 'em mean and ya keep 'em keen!" - my sister when I asked her the same question you're asking. Don't look for happiness in anyone else but youself and remember "In skydiving, you don't lose your girlfriend, you just lose your turn!" - my old DZO I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

hmm...sample size eh? hmm.. lets see.... been to dozens of DZs .... seen tens of thousands of skydives ..... everyone in that situation has drawn the same conclusion. let's see ... limited DZ exposer .... seen hundreds of skydives ... drawing different conclusions. The latter seems a poor sample size by comparison. If those in the latter group also disregard the observations of those in the former group, then they are in effect disregarding hundreds of thousands and even millions of bits of data. The only reason for doing it seems to be that it conflicts with the conclusions they have drawn based on thier own poor sample size. I think that is a good example of ignorance. It's one thing to not know, its another thing to not WANT to know. The problem here is self awareness. Some have it, some do not. And some are so insecure they can't see from any other perspective but thier own! Broaden your horizons gawdammit. Most of us have already seen your eyes and have the scars to prove it. Try to see through ours. The life you save just may be your own! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Sorry, I've calmed down now. Drug use and Skydiving and/or rigging is one of my hot buttons. It felt like you were assuming I supported it. I was just trying to be fair to both sides when I was stating my arguments Drug use was one of the majors factors in starting my own DZ. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

I have to tell you that I am probably the most naive person posting in this forum. I have never and will never smoke pot. The only strong drug I have ever been on was morphine when I had my knee surgury ... and I was refusing it. It took my mother, a nurse, to convince me to take a shot. I hate the effects of drugs and alcahol that much. I also hate those who believe that it's thier god given right to do such things when it impairs thier ability to safely execute thier responsibilities. I'm am writing under the assumption that booze and pot share all the same side effects. I'm writing from a place where possesion is mearly a misdemenour and legalization could be around the corner (US pressure aside). That is the perspective I'm writing from because my only experience with the shit has been one sided from those posting in forums and those running for the "Marijuanna Party" (Canadian wacko party). My perspective is that I don't care what you do, You have freedom to F**k yourself up anyway that you want. If it interfers with you responsibilities, then you should be hung by the short hairs! And I think everyone can agree with. Come on! Disagree with it!!!!! My point is also that you cannot limit the irresponsibility to just pot use, Drinking and rigging should considered to be akin to drinking and driving. This forum is one of opinions. And my opinion is if you want to f**k yourself up, go for it. But don't do it while you're responsible for someones life. That goes for anytime you are under ANY influence!!!!!! Clear?!? I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Regulations are not just rules but I think what we are talking about is instituting recomendations and that wing loading would be an official recomendation. I am not talking about BSRs after all, and one can get a waiver to the recomendations (or at least in Canada) For example; Altimeter use in the CSPA is a recomendation. Anyone wishing to not jump with an altimeter can apply for a waiver in writing to the applicable technical commitee. Other things in the CSPA that fall under this catagory include DZ clearances, Winds, Wind Drift measurements, Footwear, Instructor Headwear, Student dusk jumping, Student progression, Parachute Packing ... etc The only difference in the CSPA between a Rule and a recommendation is that a rule is not waivable and is considered the bare minimum. Seeing that experience is a bell curve, piloting skills regulation should appear under the recommendation side. Unless the proper channels have been satisfyed recommendations are identical to a rules in thier function. So, to better illuminate my perspective Recomendations are what I'm talking about, in the CSPA a rule regulating this is not an option but a recomendation regulating it is. I'm guessing the USPA may be the same! As for Birdman suits, they self-regulate and that's what I ment. Clear? Cause I can bore you some more! I got shitloads of useless facts!

Ohhh baby! look at the pack on that one! That Jav is so hot! The curves! Ohh yeah! is that a J1? And those colours! Man oh man .... I think I'm gonna pop my pop top! Uhh ... is it creepy that I'm checking out your rigs? I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Wow Nathaniel, buddy, you seen to be playing a equivocating game of stump the wizards here! If you need some facts, I'll give them to you. First Good judgment is directly proportional to experience, skill level and time in the sport. If you take the average judgment of people with 1000 jumps and people with 100 you WILL notice a difference. To obtain proofs for this, one only has to observe the landing area for a few years and it will provide all the empirical data you need. As a DZO and instructor, I have been observing poor judgment demonstrated by novice and expert alike for years. The evidence is as follows; Experts demonstrate poor judgment due to complacency, novices demonstrate poor judgment due to the improper handling of a canopy in an unusual situations and intermediates exercise poor judgment due to attempting to fly beyond their skill levels. In the first and last example ego is a major factor. In a limited context, this would be naught but anecdotal, however a decade+ of observations is what moves this into empirical. Secondly higher performance canopies reduce your margin for error. To prove this thesis simply fly a manta into the side of the hanger. After you heal fly a smaller higher performing canopy into the same hanger. If you survive, fly a crossbraced eliptical into the hanger. I'm sure your xrays and Doctors bills will demonstrate a smaller HP canopies' propensity for being less forgiving. (note: If you spend enough time in the sport, the previous experiment is not required as you will witness jumpers conducting their own experimentation) With this irrefutable evidence based on empirical data, we can see that placing the average 1000 jump wonder and 100 jump wonder in juxtaposition, suspended under like canopies, proves the more experienced jumper with be able to better manage the greater risks involved. These observations have influenced other regulations such as helmets, allowable wind speeds, birdman suits, camera helmets and other such things which can reduce the margin for error while skydiving. To put into place planform and wingloading regulation would be in direct cohesion with that which is already being facilitated. Although canopy skills do exist in a bell curve, the mean jumper skills of each level are the topic here. Is there a need, given the current performance climate, for canopy regulation and if so what are the mean skills of each level and what is appropriate. Note; your previous reasoning that placing ludicrous wing loading regulations would save even more lives is intellectually consistent with saying that slashing a someones tires reduces his likelyhood of having a car accident. Locking yourself in you house reduces you risk of being struck by lightning.remember, intellectual consistancy is the hobgoblin of small minds. No one is proposing to eliminate risk all together, but rather establishing what level of risk is appropriate for a given skill level. Although arguments about individual rights will always abound in this topic, we must also realize that an injury/fatality affects more than the individual involved. It will affect the other jumpers on the DZ, student on the DZ the DZ business itself and the family of the injured or killed party. logically, if something out has the ability to affect me, I would wish to have some influence over it. Conclusion; 1.)HP canopies present higher risk for the jumpers flying them. 2.)Less experienced jumpers have a greater propensity for error by flying beyond their skill level 3.) all those affected by accidents should have input on the factors contributing to them. Now quit making write dry responses gawdammit! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Butt sucker, Butt sucker! seriously, I started that way and it became a pack a day habit that I struggled with. I beat it by wearing the patch and drinking bottled water (satifyed the habit of bringing something to my lips). By doing that I satisfyed the social component and could even go outside with those who needed a puff without having a craving. Use bottled water and stay away from the lung darts! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Actually, I think he has other deeper issues, as I said before it's not the dope, it's the way you approach your responsibilities. There wasn't any jumping the night before or at all the previous week. Also, it should be said that alcahol gives memory loss too. If we're worried about riggers getting stoned and packing, we should recognize that it's no different from drinking and packing. At our DZ we even have strict rules about cracking a beer and then packing your main! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Oh, in that case, i think the canopy makes his d**k look bigger Other than that, I have no idea I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

That reminds me of my old rigger (a chronic). One weekend I showed up at the DZ and asked if he had repacked my reserve. he said no so I put on the gear and gave it a pull test. Once out he went to work on the gear and I checked out the data card. It turns out he had packed it the previous night. I've always wondered how he could forget a thing like that! Now I'm getting shivers up and down my spine! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why??? I told him I wouldn't let him jump anything higher than a 1:1 wing loading and he emailed around to find the most aggressive 170 he could find. If I refused to let him jump it at my DZ, he would just jump it at another. (so far he's gone to two other DZs and they don't have a problem with it.) By permitting him to jump it at my DZ, I can have influence over how safely he flies. I've been told that he's more aggressive at the other DZ. I can't turn my back on him because I don't agree with his choice or motivations, I have to do everything I can to make him safe and if he went to another DZ and killed himself, I'll always think that I may have been able to change hat outcome. Small canopies don't kill, poor judgement kills. I'll do everything I can to teach him proper judgement. I may fail but at least I'm trying. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

I think we all know where your coming from. If you've spent anytime in the sport you soon realize that finding drugs near skydivers is like finding flies near shit. There may be two perspective at war here. 1) it's the jumpers who worry about irresponsible use while jumping and or rigging. (and we have all seen that) 2) it's the responsible users who hate having people assume that they are irrisponsible with it. I have no problem with the responsible types. They are mature adults who understand there is a time and place for everything. We shouldn't confuse them with the types who toke before jumping. These individuals have no respect for themselves. And don't cofuse them with the bottom feeding scumsucking pricks who puff and then teach students, pack or rig. They are putting themselves first at the expense of anothers safety! You can't tell me that you at 100% when you have been partaking in booze or drugs! I believe that the individuals who puff and jump would also drink and jump if the beer bottles wern't so damn obvious. The debate should be about responsibilty not personall views of individual choice. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.