jimmytavino

Regarding "one cessna" dzs,,( where they consider 25 loads (only 100 skydives) to be a HUGELY busy day,,,,...) ...............I have developed a motto (after years and years of frustration)..... "I would rather take a turbine,, freefall for 25 SECONDS.......... and find myself at 10,000 feet AGL............ Than to take a Cessna,,,,climb for 25 MINUTES.... and find myself at 10,000 feet AGL.....

[in reply to] "can you imagine a 100 pound skychick with a 200 pound skydiver?? No.....but I can Imagine TWO!! or THREE !! one hundred pound skychicks,,,,,with a 200 pound skydiver......... I can imagine THAT very vividly

The TRV-8 IS mini dv....It is designed in the palmcorder format,,, rather than the way the Sony PC series is designed... The TRV 8 has a flip out viewfinder,,,very good playback effects,,, and shoots a pretty nice image...I found One about 3 yrs. ago and was able to buy it for 900 $$$$...I got It cause my friend and co-videographer Carol had said she was looking for a new camera...I passed it on to her,, for what I had paid,,, and she has used it for maybe 3 seasons now.... She Is EXCELLENT,,, and Carols vids are always so well received... Check out the Dropzone.com classifieds,, I seem to remember a TRV- 8 offered for sale,,(pre-owned) by someone in Mass. USA.. for like 400 dollars....Factoring in Sony's reliability,,,, it may have many years of good use left in it (NO I am not gonna get a commission if it sells ). P.S. I use a TRV-20 side by side with a VX-1000 (sony) the 20 has a .42 lens the VX ,,,,I shoot with just a little bit of zoom,,, dialed in... "During ckimbout,,,,,,,, ...watch the spot,, watch the student,,,,watch your handles !!!"

"After Jump parties are NOT for the faint hearted" Roger That,,,,justdumi It's called Baptism by Fire!!!!!!!!! Maybe the real point is.... "Faint Hearted People make poor skydiving spouses"............ .......as for ......... "HE will probably never LET his wife go back to the DZ...". (I know you're just joking around,,,but,,,,) The fact is....... A good spouse, male or female doesn't LET anything.. he/she assists, helps and makes possible, the things which are important to his/her partner.....

They are saying......... "......TEN LEFT..!!!!!!!!...."

"Good Luck is the residual of good planning and hard work"..... by ? "Life Moves pretty fast!!.. If you don't stop and take a look around,,, you could miss it" .. by Ferris Bueller "Do or Do Not.... there is no TRY!!!".....by Yoda "I'm finishing work early .... to go Skydiving" .... by You, Me, all of our friends,, and anyone else who knows how to properly live their lives.....

If you are accustomed to exits at 13,500ft. or 14,000 ft..... just be sure that your 3,500 foot solo............. doesn't turn into......... "a SO LOW" ... Be sure to keep track of your altitude as you get bookin' along..... "This ain't no party ,, this ain't no disco,, this ain't no foolin' around"....... Wait a minute,,, we're talkin' about Skydiving here !!! It IS a party,,,, it IS a disco.... it IS some foolin' around"...so have fun!!!!!

It sounds like you're married to someone who must hate a LOT more than skydiving.... How can ANY spouse look at the smile on the face of a skydiver.... and hear the enthusiastic chatter that follows a day at the DZ,,, and NOT be entertained by it,???,and feel HAPPY for their spouse...??? (jealousy maybe??). Sounds like HE needs to attend an "after hours jump party"........ Ya' know what I am afraid of??????? I'm afraid of people who are afraid of skydiving..

Usually the climb to altitude is a chance for me to RELAX a little !! Between packing, making videos, fussing with gear and cameras, and attending dirt dives ( a video person should always attend the dirt dive so that there are no surprises for ANYone on the dive) the ride to altitude is the only time to kick back and close my eyes for a bit.. If the door goes up around 1000 feet and if there is room in the back of the otter, I like to lay down on my stomach and stick my head WAY out the door and just look down.....If it is a Sunday morning (remember when we used to go to Church on sun. mornings ) I will say a prayer of thanks for the privilege of skydiving with my friends...(I long ago came to the realization that 10,000 feet,,, on a blue sky Sunday morning is a great place to talk to God.... ) But I avoid the doom and gloom prayers,, like,, "please make this parachute work" or please dont let me die!" Otherwise I will sit back,, grin like an idiot,, try to smile at everyone else who is in the plane,, and check my gear, and camera(s).... If it's a work jump,,, I'll shoot some footage of the student, the instructor, the pilot, the engines, the clouds, the stickers and labels in the cabin,,,,and then be ready if anyone asks for a pin check... Then it's back to grinning...... as jump run approaches, I look HARD for traffic,,, wait for the green,,,,,light up the video cams.... and then its "Yeah,,, Yeah,,, Get the f*#< Out!!!!!!"

Best $$$ ever spent for fun... WFFC...'94..for 3 memorable skydives from the Boeing 727,,on the same day... Best $$$ ever spent for practical reasons....buying my Sony VX-1000...camcorder. Best $$$ ever spent,,,,,,,IN MY LIFE....50 bucks !! for my first jump static line course,,,,,back when 50 bucks would buy you around 100 gallons of gasoline !!! "it's really not money SPENT,,, it's money invested,,, in one's own happiness" and it has paid me back tenfold..... jt ps.. the $$ I invested for my Javelin/Spectre rig... was "The right thing to do!!!" thanks Sun Path and Performance Designs.

Beech 18, Beech Queen Air, Beech King Air. Mike Mullins Super King Air, Westwind Beech, Lodestar (load stall!!) Twin Bonanza,, Twin Aero Commander Cessna, 172, 180, 182, 185, 195, 206, 210, 208 Caravan Tri-Pacer, (with the door removed), Huey helicopter, UH1H DeHaviland Beaver,,, Twin Otter, Super Otter, Casa 212, Skyvan, Pilatus Porter, Helio Stallion, Douglas DC-3, many times... Boeing 727 (3 x in one day it was magic)... but my FAVORITE plane???...... any one which I am going to jump from...... NEXT!!!!!!!!

I think the skating rink at Rockefeller Center has opened,,,,,I saw Katie Couric,,,(Today Show) talking about it. NBC TV studios are right there also and visitors/fans are encouraged to show up on the plaza by 7 AM for the daily live shows,,,,,,(weekdays),, You could check out Matt Laurer!!!! Live and Personal... Of course,,, My favorite..... is still that cutie, Katie!! Oh Yes!!!!!! Happy Birthday!!!

DeLand... 1974... College National Championships.. competed in accuracy and team accuracy,,, as a junior in college,,, for me it was my first trip south of Jersey....A guy named Gary Douris ran it. A guy named Terry Schroeder ( i think) was manager. Mike Truffer was the meet director (I think) hahaha..... maybe my memory was not so good,,,,,,'cause it was the 70's.... but they were skydivin' there,,,,,then......and so were we!!!!!! jt

Thanks PLFKING........... The Doobie Brothers..... no kiddin'??? Like I said,,,, it was the '70's............... hahaha.... and now that you mention it,,,,, the Joe Walsh album I liked was called,,,, "The Smoker I Drink,,,, the Player I Get"... thanx for the pin check........ jaytee

in reply to "vice is so negative... I like to call it a hobby" That Reminds me of an album title,,,,,, by I think.... Joe Walsh....like around 25 years ago...........called..... ."What were once Vices,, are now Habits"..

I have heard that chant, toast, salute for a long time now,,,,,and ALWAYS chime in loudly for the first two HIMS ( or HERS) (or thems),,, but NEVER yell out the "Fuck Him : part........ I never got with it.... ya' know.??........ Sure I like to congratulate people for various accomplishments,,,, but I just don't care for this way of doing it

Roger that on the recommended brand......... But unless you need to jump it next week........ take a little time read up on the many many models out there,,,and DO go to a retail place and check them out....the TRV models work for top mounting and the PC for sidemount,, ( the choice is yours, based on what you plan to video,,,right???) Look at features, look especially for digital PLAYBACK features,,,, like flash,,luminesence, still.... The More recent trv's.... the 8 the 11 the 20 the 30etc... offer them,, and they are absolutely ESSENTIAL for making great looking ,,on the spot tandem videos, for your students....The PC 100 and some other PC 's may also have these options.... but if you get mini-dv you need to get it with these playback options..... Check to see if the camera has analog INPUT...... meaning it will cable into any vcr , or TV audio/video jacks,,, and let you record in VTR mode,,, right onto a mini dv tape...I have many,, many, skydives which I videoed on 8 mm tapes.... the analog input lets me load that footage onto the mini tapes,,, If I care to... So go and check out the local Circuit City,, or Best Buy.. or whatever A/V store may be near you.... ask some questions,, pick up and hold in your hands,,,,, a few different cameras,, factor in how you plan to mount it,,, and what will be involved in changing tapes.....Some models will require that you remiove the camera from the helmet,,(though this is NOT a big deal)...some not.... Remember,,,, you don't HAVE to buy it where you learned about it....(unless you want to)...you can always determine the right model and then search......... and get a good price,,,,,anywhere.....One thing you WILL get with Sony........good VALUE......

"Well Sure that was great !!,, But as your instructor I must advise you,, to save THAT kind of farting for Jump Run!!!" (Ok Ok gimmee a Break,,, I just woke up)

Throughout the early 70's a HIGH load from the C 182 was 7,500 ft...... (5 bucks)... we did so many static line students then,,, that I have pages and pages in my log book with "JM 3 S L 's,,,,, followed them out" We also , always tried to get the plane up whenever the winds were good and we had at least 3000 ft of ceiling........of course there were the occasions when we THOUGHT we'd get 3000 ft.. but didn't......Hop and Pop...just under the scud.....Without digging out all the old log books,,,, I'd guess in my first 1000 jumps I did maybe 400 of them as get out, get squared away,,,, wave and pull.....no big deal...Fact is,,, when I made my 1000 th jump,(1979) , I only had like 5 hours of freefall hahahah .. since then things have changed,,We started getting altitude,,,,, and now mostly get out low ONLY when there are clouds preventing us from climbing any higher... But nowadays,,, I look at those jumps as Hop and Hums...... since I like to get booking right along before I toss,,,,,,Remember,, there is a big difference between coasting through 4 grand at terminal,,,,,,,from a high jump,,,,, and getting OUT at 4 grand.....I like listening to the relative wind as it starts to whistle in my ear while I am accelerating after a lower altitude exit.. still never pull below your minimums,, and the key to longevity in this sport just might be,,,,,consider raising your minimum pull altitude a hundred feet or so each year,,,,, til you're back up to 2,800 2,900 3,000 feet again....(where some of us started.... as static line jumpers.)

I have 75 posts in a little under 2 yrs. I have 2692 jumps...

No.Not after the first 2 years... My helmet fits me very well,,, and I've developed a sense for where I am looking.... I will say though, that a sight could come in handy for zooming different subjects,,, say under canopy... etc... but the last few years,,,,no.... p.s. my video framing is just fine...

I graduated college in 1975,,, with a Bachelors of Science degree,,,, and 385 skydives.!!!!... haven't been to school since,,,,,,,,,but I do continmue to LEARN ,,,,, everyday!!!!!! AND I also try to teach someone,,,, something ,,,, every day....

We use WHITE ones,,,,,,,,,cause around here,,, Upstate New York,,, near Buffalo... the ground is usually covered in WHITE for about 6 months each yearhahaha... JT Frontier Skydivers

At the start of the season this year, I took it upon myself to contact most rig manufacturers and order 25 or more closing loops from each of them..... We made up some "membership benefits packages" to issue to each renewing Club Member... In addition to stickers, labels, pull up cords, membership cards, certificates,,, and other "goodies",,,,,,, we also made available to "everyone",,, members and Guests alike....... replacement closing loops,,, at no charge,,,, so that No One would have a reason to delay the replacement of a worn loop...."just ask at Manifest"... People were then not tempted to "squeeze out another weekend or two" with loops that were borderline dangerous.....a small effort,,, for great peace of mind....... jimmeetee

Yes I DO have a cam-eye ll on my camera now.... for years though, I carried a small folding pocket mirror... it was kept in a jumpsuit pocket and I would take it out after donning the helmet and as we were approaching the exit....I could open it, look in it and clearly see the red indicator light that is on the Front of Most SONY equipment... I always had a good feel for the cameras' control switches,,, and therefore usually knew when I was in standby mode... The mirror let me know when I was in record mode , then went back into my pocket for exit..... Never had to ask anybody, "Is My light ON???"... Plus I often used to find a pretty girl in the plane, and ask her, "Do you wanna see something beautiful??????.".. If she said "Yes",,, then I would turn the mirror around and have her look into it, only to see herself.... . hahahahaha...... Made quite a few friends that way....!!!... I also listened to my share of my buddies askin' me "How's your Makeup???".time and time again..hahaha but for $2.99 it was an effective and functional approach to checking my own indicator lights..worked for me for years....I could even remove it from my pocket while under canopy and carefully check, when I would relight my cameras at say 7 or 800 feet AGL...so I could shoot a couple of spirals and then the landing swoop... But as for the cam eye .... yes... you should have one for each camera that you skydive with..If the technology is there and has proven itself,,, it should be used,,, it is well worth it........