pilotdave

How's this for factual? http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=4916

That was a first jump static line student. I'd guess it's a radio on his head, not a camera. Dave

(click the smiley face above)

Some magician guy got a tattoo and then he freaking LEVITATED! I must meet this man and learn how to fly! They didn't mention it on TV, but he can also make things, such as keys, disappear. He hasn't gotten the reappear part down yet though... Dave

More discussion about this video (well, an unedited version of it) are at http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=1622 Dave

That's true, but thats not an excuse for a DZ to hire a minimally qualified pilot either. Most of the 182 pilots our DZ uses have thousands of hours. Gotta recognize that flying a jump plane is not to be taken lightly, no matter how small a plane it is. Our insurance company wouldn't let a pilot with 350 hours fly for us... apparently for good reason! Dave

Why didn't ya just open your helmet under canopy? I wear glasses under my Z1 on every jump.... it's not hard to prevent or get rid of the fogging glasses. Don't close the helmet until the door is open and you're about to exit. While in the plane or any time it seems like it might fog, breath through your mouth. You can be really careful and make sure you're breathing through the mouth vent. Under canopy, open it up. Only need to crack it open to prevent fogging. I used to hate landing with it closed so I'd open it all the way, but now I just leave it cracked a tiny bit or leave it all the way closed when it doesn't fog at all. Dave

If you happen to use firefox, check out https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/3905/. It's an extension you can install that lets you right click on an image to see the exif data (the metadata written to the jpeg file). Many images have many of the camera settings embedded in them, including those. Doesn't tell the whole story, but it's a start. I've learned a lot about photography by looking at the settings of nice, and ugly pictures. Dave

I only used a full face helmet between jumps 50 and 700, other than a few tandems. When I bought an open face camera helmet, I was so scared I was gonna forget my goggles that I bought a spare pair that fold flat and fit in my jumpsuit pocket. I'm not sure if they'll actually unfold into a useable shape, but I haven't needed em yet. My goggles are ALWAYS strapped to my camera helmet unless I'm wearing them. My eyes don't do well with wind. Dave

None of em are mine... I was so pissed that last one came out blurry... woulda been a great shot. Dave

The weight difference is 16 grams, or 0.04 pounds. Don't think that's gonna play a big part of the decision. Dave

I went to Deland in January on a wednesday and all they had flying was a 182. We couldn't even get a full load for my second jump, but they sent it up anyway.

I think the requirements are too low, but it's up to individual dropzones to implement the coach program in a way that benefits their students. I went through the traditional 7 level AFF program (before there was a coach rating). Now I jump at a dropzone that follows the ISP and has a lot of really good coaches. None of them only meet the minimum requirements. I think all our coaches are D-licensed or C-licensed at the very least. I have seen rated coaches get turned down from teaching at our DZ. There's no rule that says anyone that has passed the course must get hired. I'm absolutely AMAZED at how much better our fresh A-license holders are than I was or anybody else was that did 7 AFF jumps and 13 solos to get their license. New jumpers learn things that I didn't learn until I had many more jumps. They're more competent with their gear, spotting, and general skydiving knowledge too. But that's not because they're taught by "100 jump wonders." It's because they're taught by competent skydivers that have taken the coach course and learned to teach skills that they already had. A dropzone that puts their students with incompetent coaches, rated or not, isn't teaching their students properly. Dave

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=5415 Dave

Depends. If I'm trying for accuracy, before boarding the plane. On a normal jump, I'll pick where I'm going based on traffic, obstacles, etc... usually on downwind or base. If you're going to use the jump to meet an accuracy requirement for a license, the target should be picked before boarding. Dave

And the alternative for a plane is called an aileron roll, which would sound pretty stupid for skydivers. Barrel roll is close enough. Although "snap roll" wouldn't sound too bad... At least swoopers don't do "tail spins" to build up speed! Dave

One step farther? ...

Yes, looking in a mirror is easier than tracking really well.... I agree with you! I also agree that mirrors exist and can even be purchased over the internet. No argument there! Dave

It's not that looking at a mirror is hard, it's that you're unlikely to get any useful information from it. You may have a false sense of security that the airspace above you is clear because you don't see anything in your mirror. I wouldn't recommend a barrel roll either though. Track hard, track straight, and try to keep track of anyone that went low earlier in the skydive. If you went low, it's your job to track farther than everyone else. Dave

The university I went to had a research wind tunnel, 8 x 11 feet. The cost to use it per hour for research was very similar to what the vertical wind tunnels charge. They're just expensive to run (and they have big loans to pay off too). Most of the testing they did at that tunnel was cars (Ford tests all their new models there), sailboat keels, and buildings. Dave

I went straight to AFF.... I've done 6 tandems now though, mostly with unrated instructors to help them get their ratings. The others were for instructors to get/stay current after the winter. I think they're fun! Dave

Yeah, video 3 is http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=1750 (uploaded in 2004 btw), by superstu. Also check out http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=1760 if you liked that one. Dave

Doh, didn't see that on Amazon... Dave

Believe it or not, you can buy a subscription to Parachutist (and Skydiving) on Amazon.com. Dave

At PIA in 2005, I thought PD was showing a 143 packed into a 106 freebag. I know things have changed since then, but does the production optimum reserve pack a lot bigger than the prototypes back then? (Or am I wrong about the sizes in 2005?) Do you have a comparison chart of what size they "pack like?" Dave