teason

I had a rigger that I cut a lot of slack for. I knew he toked but who cared. I figured he would never do it and pack. That's what I thought. Even when I had a reserve ride in the states and the rigger there (after looking at my rig) took me aside and told me not to trust my rigger anymore, I still got him to pack it. Even after he was seen smoking up before a Tandem, I still refused to believe it and still got him to pack it. Even after I heard that he left velcro in freebags I had him pack it. I could really go on for a long time about this rigger but we don't have the hours. The point is two fold. 1.) a bad rigger just may toke and pack. Not because he partakes but because he's a bad rigger 2.) Riggers are looked at the same way we look at Doctors. We think that ours is the best. We have to have faith in them because our lives could wind up in thier hands. Make sure that the trust is deserved and do it by educating yourself. The real issue is not what they do, but how responsible they are with it! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

I'm trying to think about stuff to say to tell you that you're wrong. That the DZ is a family and you don't abandon family when tragedy and confict happen. I'm trying, but that's all bulls**t. I started my own DZ 'cause I thought I could get away from the bulls**t and the bulls**t just reared it's ugly head. I couldn't stand the drug use at my former DZ and I found that there were people at my DZ just as bad. I had no power to stop it. I wanted to influence the safety on my DZ but wound up being called an old granny who holds people back. I wanted to teach people all that I had learned through 12 yrs of being at a dropzone every f**kin' day. I sacrificed years of fun jumps for training thousands of FJs, coaching and being involved in the drop zone. But it means nothing to them. I've seen death. I've seen maiming. I've seen totally preventable accidents. I've seen history repeat itself again and again. The faces are different but the characters are all the same. Arrogant pricks always think they're right! That they know it all. That if they don't know it, it's not worth knowing. You must feel like me. Like a painter in the world of the blind. I doesn't matter what you know. It doesn't matter what you've seen. There's always those who think YOU'RE the idiot. And then they go out and prove that you were right after all. I f**kin' hate being f**kin' right! The only thing that keeps me going is the few people who listen and become great coaches and great instructors. When they make a difference then I've made a difference. Sorry, I got lost there and made it about me, but the feelings I can relate to all too well. I hate having people resent me for protecting them from themselves. But I didn't, if I quit or chased them off the DZ, who would be there for them. Look brother, your welcome at my DZ anytime you get the urge again. You have some like minded individuals here. Take the break you need but don't go for good. We need all right thinking people we can get. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Thanks for filling in the blanks I left behind. Sometimes I'm just too vague. Like that other time I did that thing with that wactha-ma-callit and what's him name gave me shit... you remember, don'tcha? I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Had a beauty with that myself! Jumped a demo into the Canad In stadium with 25 mph winds. One guy in a mascott outfit bounced his head off the Home Depot parking lot! The first dumb move was made by the pilot. When we saw how far the DWI drifted we asked him what the winds were. Even though we were jumping 2 miles from Winnipeg Int'l Airport, he decided that the LAS in the stadium would have more insite than Air traffic control! Our mistake, we believed the pilot when he said the winds were 11 gusting 14 when our eyes told us we had 2 miles of drift! Nothing scarier than drifting backwards into the stands with weight bags and flags hanging from you, knowing your only out is the top of the next building cause the parking lots' full of cars! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Well, if it was an old f-111 canopy, I'd say junk it or at least have it tested. Water reverses the calandering process that is used to make f-111 less porous. If you are worried about what is in the water, rinse it with clean water and then hang to dry. While dirt and salt water won't be able to get into a ZP fabric, the risers, threads and tape are not quite so protected. Dirt and especially salt crystals become like little knives when they dry. Also, beware of shrinkage of tape and lines, use cold water.

Are these Teflon cables? There are two dfferent types of cutaway cables; lolon and teflon. Teflon are red and do not require lubrication. I don't think, however, that the Infinity uses teflon cables. Lolon are the yellow cables and require cleaning with either silicon lubricant or 3 in 1 machine oil. Do not use WD-40 as it is not designed for long term lubrication. p.s. Silicon V. 3 in 1 machine oil is also a subject of great debate among riggers I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Whenever I hear " But I'll be really careful" I tell that I have total confidence that if I put them out on a cross braced itty-bitty elliptical, there is a really good chance that they would be fine. That, however is not the point. If it's hitting the fan (bad spot, reading the windsock wrong, malfuction ... etc.) Can you pilot the canopy safely? It's one thing to jump in perfect winds, do a controlled box pattern and land with a straight in approach with lots of outs but that doesn't happen 100% of the time. If you are going to fly a canopy, it has to be a canopy that you can land safely in 100% of the possible situations, not just the perfect scenario. It seem to me that with low-time jumpers, elliptical canopies are penis extenders. I have a jumper with 70 jumps under a Vengence 170 He opens ridiculously high, barely turns, get eratatic on the landing(his accuracy sucks) and slides in 40% of the time. There is no way you can tell me that that is fun and worth the risks of jumping beyond his skill level. I think it's the bragging rights are worth the risk to him. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Previous Mr Bill story and teathered fights aside.... At 50 jumps, I landed between a building and powerline on a windy day. .... Collapsed my Sabre at 15 feet. On one of my first RW coach jumps, I tubed my student (who I thought was doing really well) at 7000'. .... He let go of me under 2000' At 300 jumps, I thought tracking in the old style sit suits was a better plan than dumping when I saw someone under me. .... Struck his canopy in freefall. About the same time I tried to impress a student friend by hooking a swoop past him. 10-12 mph Down wind. No outs. Obstacles. Runway. .... actually ground down the soles of my shoes skidding! Hooked behind the downwind side off a building. .... almost a broken ankle. Left my gear next to a sprinkler on the Y2K jump at Skydive AZ and soaked the gear. .... did the night jump anyway to "Airdry it" Came up with the "fruitloop" exit for cessnas. .... now banned at some Cdn DZs. Jumped a "kneebrace altimeter" (my own invention) and found out they don't work with baggy pants. .... open at 1000' Fixated on a student under a streamer and forgot about pulling until his opened. .... opened, flight check, turn, land. Tracked with a jump run. .... opened between two freeflyers. O.K. my fingers are tired and this is the tip of the iceberg. Me smarter now! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

I canada, there are no REAL laws, just regulations from our skydiving association. That being said, for our needs up here in the great white north, Once a year would be fine. Although, to be honest, I sometimes repack gear when I see a wrinkle I don't like. A friend of mine left his gear at the DZ a while back. I didn't like the way it had settled and seeing that I was the one who packed it last, I repacked it for him free of charge. I'm really anal and it really bugs me to see anything less than perfection!!!!!!! Now...where's my iron? I've gotta do some rigging. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

I get bad mojo when I'm a.) rushed b.) uncurrent c.) there's a chain building If I'm rushed, I do my little four point check which is; testicles (gear) specticles (goggles) Wallet (Pull) Watch (Alti). If I got that, I've got the basics. If I'm uncurrent I make sure I'm not overtasking myself (like a 30 way on the second jump aftre a 6 month lay off) If there's a chain building it gets quite easy to see with a 30 sec. reflection. Bad mojo usually happens irrationally. Shit happens when you are jumping with good vibes and don't see any problems (at least everyone I've seen). If you have bad mojo, double check your gear and dive plan and go. Let your brain be your guide! p.s. I just had a friend at 250 jumps lose his nerve this year. He doesn't "feel good" about jumping this year with everything that has happened in his personal life. I don't think he'll ever jump again. If you let it in once, it will nevr leave. Don't let this happen to you! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

You can stand on his feet if he points his toes upward. You can also stand on his upper thigh close to his body if he bends 90 degrees at the hip. Make sure your weight is close to his body, not his knee.

I thought he was refering to turns, not flat glides. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Money is kinda the issue, any legal action must be undertaken in atlanta and there are still no guarentees. That's a long way from here! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Even though I think that it's a dumb idea, I would have to answer no problem. In the scenario you've put forward you have control over altitude and body position as opposed to a mal situation where you may not have that luxury. I had never had a problem pulling with a F*** up canopy, low altitude and spinning back to earth, too low to get belly down! I have 100% confidence in my reserve. If I did not I wouldn't jump the gear in any situation. I would never want to be under a mal and think "gee, do I really want to pull this handle?" He who hesitates is lost... Literally Although by the same token, I would hate to cutaway a good canopy, look up and stay " Oh, That's what happened to that molar strap!" I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

When I show them the rig, I tell not to worry about the size and weight, cause I'm the one wearing it ... so they've REALLY got to hang on! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Worse yet, telling hungover people jumping is the best cure for a hangover (I heard it somewhere!). Maybe that shoud be a new thread called "Dumb Dangerous skydiving myths!" I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

If your rigger opens your gear and finds an out of date AAD, he must either send it in for service first or just remove entirely before repacking. According to the FARs, we have to follow the manufacturers requirements. If they say you can't pack an out of date AAD, we must obey! The logic loophole. My jumpers often ask "Isn't an AAD that might not work better than no AAD at all?" All I can do is say "hey, good point" ...and then I pull out the unit anyway. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

The brochure was produced in conjunction with another DZ who bought the images for use in the brochure.We have a new one now but we have updated it yet. We also bought a clipart CD for our web-mistress to use and it I pisses me off that we bought the images that they use for free. The Jumper on the banner however is me and the logo displayed is my own design. We payed a webmistress money to produce the layout, which they are using for free. I even painted the logo on the girl who appears in the bottom corner, paid money for professional photography (part of an ad campaign) and have the negs to prove it. Naming me as their Cheif Instructor, scaming people and using stuff we paid for in good faith pisses me off . They also have these sites in markets I advertise in, confusing the customer and using my advertising dollars! OOOOHHHH they will pay! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

If you don't want something ground hungry, why eliptical? I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Hey, do they call themselves Adventure Skydiving? So far I've found 23 fake DZs using my DZs name and the sites are exact clones of our sites. The meta tags even name me as their Chief instructor! Check it out Mine www.339jump.com One of theirs www.tnskydiving.com You tell me if we're being ripped off! These sites have no real location listed, just a number that sends you to a national booking centre (like 1800skyride) Pissed, You bet! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

It was kinda a touge in cheek question. Whenever we have a jump pilot take the FJC, we'll ride him mercilessly if he screws up the flare. We'll usually say something like "That's why we get out before you land" Aftre that we call him Captain crash until he goes up again and does it right! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Are ... are you spying on me?" I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

I've always wondered why pilots tend to have rounds in their gear, If they can't figure out how the flare works on a wing, they probably shouldn't be flying! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

Just staying true to form! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.

It seems to me that it's the technology that gets old, not the materials. I've seen more than one jumper sucked into buy a pegasus with 1000 jumps on it in an old Bullet or Innovater container. Yeah they work, Yeah they were built well, Yeah they can be safe, but does someone with 50 jumps know the limitations of his own gear? How will the gear perform when he's head downing or sit flying with his friends? And I don't even want to go into the main landings. The kicker here.... it was sold to them by a rigger! I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.