pilotdave

http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=7403&topic=-1 "As we make way for more accounts, we may periodically allow you to invite others to join Gmail. When we do so, you will see an invitation link in your inbox." Dave

Insurance companies will typically require 500 hours of total time, plus a commercial rating and 25 hours in type. Dave

I'm pretty surprised the packer wanted to be paid for his mistake. I'm not a packer but it seems to me if I packed someones rig and they had to waste a jump ticket and ride the plane down because I wasn't careful when I cocked the PC, I owe them a packjob. Yeah, the jumper should have checked the kill line before putting the rig on. But I don't see why we shouldn't expect a certain level of service from a paid packer. If my rigger didn't properly pack my reserve and I only caught the problem during a reserve pincheck on the plane, I wouldn't jump and I'd expect my rigger to fix the problem for free, even if it means redoing the whole packjob. I wouldn't expect my money to be returned for the reserve repack of course, and I wouldn't expect my rigger to pay for my lost jump ticket. I'd say in this case, either returning the money or giving a free packjob later would be the right thing for the packer to do. BUT, it would be up to the packer. I don't think this is about what the jumper should or shouldnt have done. It's about what the packer should or shouldnt have done. Dave

I once watched 2 guys get on a CASA wearing their street clothes, with their rigs and gearbags in hand. During the climb, they got geared up. I hate even getting on the plane with my legstraps loose or my booties off my feet. Also heard a guy mention he once packed in the back of a DC-3 during the climb. That's taking it a little far...

If you're talking about jumping from an ultralight, it's FAR 103.1 (a): "For the purposes of this part, an ultralight vehicle is a vehicle that: (a) Is used or intended to be used for manned operation in the air by a single occupant;" If it's got more than one person on board, it's not a legal ultralight (unless its used for flight training, blah blah blah...) and therefore part 103 doesn't apply. Then it would have to be certified and flown by a licensed pilot and all that. Dave

The new rule doesnt affect ultralights. Not true part 103 ultralights anyway. It's a WONDERFUL thing for all the 2-seat european ultralights though. Many of them will finally be legal in the US. It's always been illegal to jump a 2-seat ultralight in the US. I haven't read the rule carefully yet, but there's a chance it could be legal when the rule goes into affect. But yeah, the new rule also may create a whole bunch of less trained pilots flying lots more planes that are just as capable of really ruining your day when you're skydiving. But I'm still excited about all the existing designs that will suddenly become legal in the US. This is a great thing. Dave

Class 3 is for private pilots. Class 2 for commercial, and class 1 for airline transport pilots. Dave

I know a guy that is Moby's first cousin. I'm also somehow related to the guy that invented the bendy straw. Dave

...yeah, and the atheists too! Dave

I remember one of the first boogies I went to. There was a registration fee which covered load organizing and freefly coaching... probably food and beer too. No special plane or anything like that. Registration was like $25, and I had to buy new jump tickets that day...wasn't allowed to use tickets I already had. Didn't go on any organized loads or get any freefly coaching. I was there because it was a saturday, at my home DZ (don't jump there anymore), and I wanted to jump. I can't remember if I stayed for food and beer that night, but if I did, it was a hell of an expensive meal. Wasn't too happy about having to pay $25 just for the privilege of paying them $21 per jump or something, especially when I had a couple jump tickets sitting in my wallet already. I have no problem paying a registration fee when the boogie actually costs the dropzone something. But sometimes boogies just aren't so special. Dave

Those can definately be ordered for the Icon when you buy it. It's an option that you didn't chose (it appears) so I don't think it's fair to make that a negative. If it's comfortable without them, I don't see why it would even be a negative if they werent offered. Dave

I used ICQ right after it first came out (I think I was about the 3000th user... #103358. dont ask me how i remember that. and I think everyone at the time started with at least 10 at the beginning.). But in all the time I had it, I only found a few other people that used it. Everyone I knew had AOL at the time, so when AIM came out, I was "forced" into using it. Dave

Sounds like a good one for Real TV or something... Dave

Was it a vector 2 or a vector 3? BIG difference... And what do you like about the freebag on the icon? Dave

Isn't the icon heavily based on the atom legend? I dunno how much is similar, but the icon isn't a completely new design right? Dave

If that stuff is part of the ISP, maybe I should go do AFF again. I was never taught anything about touching risers in AFF. Actually I'm taking a canopy course next month. Maybe I'll learn a thing or two that students are being taught now!

Yeah, but I don't remember the wording of that FCC regulation. I came across it a couple years ago when I was getting a lot of telemarketing calls on my cellphone. The rule against that is nearby. I had it printed out and ready to quote to the next telemarketer that called me.

One more reason I love the Vector 3... no exposed kill line inside the Dbag, and no connector link to attach it to the canopy either. Confused the heck out of me when I bought it. But it works! The bridle itself kinda scrunches up between the canopy and the dbag, instead of pulling all that extra kill line through. I do often have to re-cock my PC after stowing my lines or after closing the container to get green to show, but that's more to avoid freaking someone out when they give me a pin check. Dave

It's an FCC rule, not an FAA rule. Cell phones (except those approved by the FCC) are illegal to use in any aircraft in flight. Now under canopy... hmmmm... Dave

Otters (especially super otters) have lots of other ways out than the jump door. Might be easier after a crash to get out another way. 2 cockpit doors, a right side emergency exit in the back, and super otters have 2 more emergency exits under the wing. Dunno what kind of certification jump doors go through, but I bet the rest of the exits are designed to work after a crash. I definitely prefer the door to be closed for takeoff, but I'd leave the decision to the pilot, not to the warm skygod sitting near it. Dave

I was on a chartered flight in a small twin a couple weeks ago. The pilot started slapping himself in the face during the descent to wake himself up. I assume he was half kidding around, but I was glad there was a copilot!

Anyone wanna help me test a new feature (which will get dumped if this test doesnt work well)? Just PM me (soon) and I'll give you the details. Dave

As far as I know, only the marines still use cobras. Thats really what I meant... Yeah the apache replaced the cobra for the army. But I don't think the marines are going to be flying apaches. I think the cost to marinize apaches (all corrosion resistant, folding blades, landing gear, etc). The apache is much bigger and really was designed for a different mission. I think the cobra is a whole lot cheaper too. I'm sure continuing to upgrade old cobras will be cheaper than buying marinized apaches for a long long time... until UAVs are ready to replace everything. Dave

The president might be flying around in a foreign designed (and 35% foreign made) helicopter when the Marine One fleet gets replaced in a few years. The decision between agusta-westland (soon to be 100% italian owned) and sikorsky aircraft will be made right after the presidential election. And the apache couldn't really replace the cobra. Very different aircraft (which is why we use both). Dave

Uh huh... and all alti-2 dealers should be required to have a computer with an IR port to do upgrades? And how much should they charge for this service? You jump at perris. I'm guessing you have dealers for everything there. In the real world, the rep program makes a lot of sense. It's just some jumper at your DZ that's capable of upgrading your neptune. My DZ sells neptunes but doesn't offer that service. So how would the dealer be hurt if I was upgrading other people's neptunes? It might be bad for protrack dealers... i can see that! Dave