SuperKat

That and keeping my mouth shut and not pointing fingers anymore and just being more patient. That's the best thing for me to do right now. We'll all just have to sit together and just discuss what we really want out of this. Thanks. I can only hope for the best and hope that we can all come to terms. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Thanks Bliston. I hope we can do that soon. I just spoke to a Kim, a Skydive U coach. She said that she'd charge about 200 or 250 for 5 jumps. I think that's reasonable. My other teammate agreed as well. I just hope that I can get the rest to agree. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Man, you are so right. Everyone here is right. I'm expecting us all to hit the ground running. I'm forgetting that things just take time to improve and to be patient with them. Another good point. I've become an anal bunghole! I'm expecting improvement that will happen with time and patience like yesterday. Screw the points for now. The points will come. Forget about analyzing 15 things that could've gone better on that skydive. That won't help. It's too much too fast, and it increases frustration. You've got all season to figure that crap out. Allow the team to have fun and make their mistakes. Right again. Both low timers just have fun jumping 4 way, even if we don't get together. I'm the one that rains on their parade and quick to point fingers. The most basic one that I forget, we jumped together, had fun, no one got hurt as a result of it and we can get packed up and do it again. Sorry guys this is way over my head. I wouldn't know what the heck is the right position for anyone. I jumped with a couple of 6-10 way formations previously. They usually put the heaviest guys out in the door. I just grasped the whole concept wrong. Cheri Schuch once told me, it's not the suit that makes the person, it's their ability to fly that does. However, she did mention how important booties were. Maybe I just got the wrong message again. I probably did. Thanks Rob. I should just adopt this attitude as well. I've got to get my head out of my ass. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Yes, you're right. I could be part of the problem. Problem is, no one wants to spend money to find these things out. So it's like what the heck do we do? Finding out these kind of things will cost money. That's where our problem lies, we're not even remotely close to where we should be. You probably right. I guess it's all our problems. I know but like I said when those two RW flyers with over 2000 jumps flew with us, we were never ever that good together, and yet we banged out more points with those two in the mix. When we tried to duplicate it again without them, it was a mess again. I think it might have been how the other two may have positioned themselves or maybe it was just their aura. I can't explain it. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

The video of the king air exits is, well, waiting to encode. The video of the otter exits, which does not quite have the same hold on for dear life, can be found at http://www.indigox.com/PPP%20Camp%20Short.wmv. I am the one with red grippers, and for the record, you are looking at my 50th thru 60th jump EVER, so don't expect Airspeed... But we got points. (This is not my current team in this video.) Holy crap. Rookies my butt. You guys kick ass for your low jump numbers. I am ashamed. I'm gonna crawl back in my hole right now. Keep up the great work. I'm jealous of you guys. I wish I had half of your flying skills. What a rude awakening. I have so much to learn. Thanks for posting this video. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

I totally understand this point. However, when the other two are still having trouble flying within heading and forgetting to keep flying their body while docked in a round I don't think this would help. Myself and the other 300 jump guy can easily match the low guy's fall rate. However, the problem is that he's still a bit unstable. Well, the problem is, he's spending his time coming up but he ends up side sliding and turning while getting big and he does not make eye contact with us while he's doing this. Yeah but you guys probably fly within heading and you have no problems flying your body. Fall rate might have been your only problem. I noticed that the low guy's legs are always uneven. One is out more than the other is, causing him to slide and turn. That's the thing man. I've suggested and showed them all on video what the problem may have been. I've advised both low timers to practice in front of the mirror to get their legs even. I don't think they're doing it. I'm lost man. I've already given too much advice to the point where I seem like a know it all. I don't want to take that approach any longer because I don't know it all, I'm not qualified enough to teach them, so it's like what the heck do I do? What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Well, our exit positions are by weight. The heaviest guy (low timer) is front float, I'm rear float, the lighter low timer is front and inside, the lighter 300 jump guy is rear and inside. The insiders take chest strap grips and the ones on the outside sometimes take shoulder grips with the insiders and somtimes we just arch and take no grips. We've changed positions so many times to see what works and what doesn't. He has better success when he's front float. We can all arch harder to catch up to him. However, he's still a bit potato chippy when he's flying on his belly. His legs are uneven and he start to side slide and turn too. Even if he were stable but fell fast, wouldn't you think we're depriving him from learning how to control his fall rate if we always matched his fall rate? You got that right. That's exactly what's happening here. I was going to try to just do a two way with him. The dive would be him flying normal, not concentrating on getting big or arching. I wanted to film how he flies naturally without thinking about points and fall rate. What do you think of that? You know what, you've got something there. On video, he never looks directly at me or other divers from what I have noticed. Do you mean eye contact as in eye to eye? I think that's what his problem is if that's the case. I've seen a lot of RW teams practice this by getting out at 4,500feet. I never really understood why. Now I do. Thanks for that tip. We'll need it. I keep telling the low timers to practice arching in front of the mirror until their muscle memory does it for them automatically. I don't think they've been practicing that. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

I didn't want to single them out. I wanted us all to get coaching as a team. The only thing is that they don't want to pay for coaching. This seems like a good drill to practice Ed. Thanks. I think anything is worth trying to help us all improve Ed. Thanks. However, since we're not really thinking about going pro or anything, I don't want to rule them out just for not getting it the first 50 times. They're my buddies too so I'm committed to them as friends too to make this happen. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

I actually wear video on my head while we fly. How I stated the problem is exactly what it shows on video. I've been branded as a know it all so I'm just going to say this as I've been watching it on video. One low timer is not aggressive enough. He just hangs out but does not take grips immediately. He'll just continue flying in front of you or by your side or even behind you. And when both low timers take grips, they forget to continue to fly their body. Their legs will be almost on their butt or one leg will be out and the other will be on their butt. I've showed them their problems but like I said, I'm not a certified coach or instructor so I'm in no place to give them advice. That's the problem. We're just trying to get back into the round after a funneled exit. And we never get back together. We plan tons of points on the ground but in the air we don't even score one point. One time the 4 of us flew with two other RW flyers. They had about 2000 jumps each. Miraculously, we banged out 13 points with them. I couldn't understand how or why. I think they both carried all of us. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Out of the 4 of us, myself and another jumper have 300 jumps. The other two have about 125 jumps. I'm not bragging, I'm stating facts here: When myself and the other experienced jumper do two ways, our exit is solid and we bang out about 12 points with slow movements. However, when we do our 4 way, our exits funnel, one goes low and spends most of the skydive getting big but flying all over the place. The other isn't aggressive enough and just kind of hangs out but doesn't dock on the two of us that are falling stable with the same fall rate. I know we won't learn from this but I usually have the 4 of us free fly the exit with no grips on exit. We save a lot of time and sometimes get together faster this way. The last 10 jumps together, I decided to have the 4 of us split up in two way formations so both myself and the other 300 jump guy works switch working with the other low numbers guy. We've been working on fall rate drills, where I would drop downward about 15 feet and then signal for the other jumper to dock with me. Then, I would move upwards about 15 feet and then signal for the other jumper to dock with me. It worked out for one jumper but it didn't work out for the other jumper. The other jumper was just trying to get big and flying all over the place. Since I'm not an instructor or a coach, I don't know how to show them how to fly within heading. I fly within heading without thinking about it. I just do it. I fly naturally. Therefore, I can't really give any input on how that person should correct himself. Do you think it's a better idea to just keep working on 2 way until they nail down on controlling their fall rate? I advised for all of us to pay for coaching but they don't want to spend the $$$. I know, it's more expensive learning on your own without guidance and what not. Unfortunately, if we need coaching, we have to do it as a team, and the rest of the bunch doesn't want to spend money for it. So what's an alternative to not paying for coaching? I can only observe how others are flying. I can't give any comments about what they're doing with their body because I'm not a certified coach or instructor. I'm thinking that there might not be any options or alternatives here. Please give your 2 cents in about this. Thanks, Nico What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Thanks. Nice stingray. 75 or 76? Any work on the motor or stock? What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

After careful thought and consideration. I'm hanging up my camera hat for a while. I need to concentrate more on flying my body and improving my awareness of my surroundings and what not. I guess I thought I was ready to fly the camera like it wasn't there. I guess that was me, trying to be a know it all again. Well, those know it all days are over. I'm just going to keep my mouth shut and just be safe and really listen to those with more experience than I have. Oh well. At least I learned from my mistakes and I can walk away from it now unscathed. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Just to set the record straight. PJ at the DZ had a long talk with me. He said that I act like a know it all. I'm sorry if I came across that way. I don't think that I know it all. And I know that I was 100% wrong on this skydive. So for the record, buddy, it was all my fault. I should have looked out for you. It was a poor decision on my part to only look out for the other tracker and not for you too. Next time, I will be more alert. And no more getting money shots for me. I almost cost us both of our lives and I'm sorry for that. We'll work on some things together, just the two of us. I think that's more important then being in a 4 way team. I want us both to be safe skydivers. I think we can do that by working together exclusively and talking with other JMs and coaches. I feel like such an ahole about all this. I hope you forgive me. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Great, so now I'm a model example of a low jump number skydiver that shouldn't have gotten video attached to his head. Seriously, all jokes aside, you have to understand one thing. I didn't just one day decide to buy a camera and put it on my head. I consulted over 20 people about this. All were professional videographers and Jump Masters. I actually waited till I got my C license and attained 200 jumps. I even mentioned this to my mentors, Heath Richardson and Scott Miller before I put the camera on my head. They guided me and gave me good solid advice as to camera flying safety and what not. Those two videos are proof that my choice to jump more than 2 ways with low number jumpers were bad choices. I don't make those bad choices any longer. I've learned from them. Besides those videos were from way over 50 jumps ago. If you see my videos now, you can see that I'm well aware of my surroundings and what not. I'm constantly working with my videographer mentors and showing them my homework. I don't just fly the camera and keep it to myself. I look to them for comments, pointing out mistakes and learning new things from them. You're making a wrong assumption that I just want to look cool with a video camera on my head and show cool video. Like I mentioned in my previous posts, I fly the camera on my head like it's not there. I have not had any near misses or incidents since then. I learned not to jump with people that had low numbers. I strictly fly my slot and turn points and that's that. I got advice from tons of people before doing this, and I received encouragement from both Heath and Scott, so please don't say that I made a bad choice. I thought long and hard before doing this. I always used to read about camera entanglement deaths in parachutist magazine. I'm well aware of the dangers that may arise with putting a camera on my head. Believe me, I am constantly asking for advice and getting feedback from all my video mentors. I'm not doing this just for shit and giggles or getting the perfect shot. I don't even give a f*ck if no one is centered in my camera shot. i'm taking this very seriously and I'm constantly working with professionals to be safe and what not. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Dude, obviously you're not reading the previous posts. I will talk to him with a JM together and point out the problem to him. That's what the jumpmaster will do for him. And I'm committed to a 4 way team now. What am I going to do? Invite him to jump with us when it's strictly a 4 way team? I'm not the team captain so I can't make that kind of call. I was invited to join the team and I do what the team captain says. I understand what you're saying though. I appreciate your concernn for my buddy. However, myself and at least 5 other people have pointed out his mistakes to him in the past. We even showed him how to correct his bad habits. He's just the kind of guy that doesn't get it, even after 6 or 7 lectures. All I can do is talk to him with a JM. He's always good if it's just a 2 way. He's safe and what not. However, when you add more people in the mix he sometimes can be a hazard with them. I will mention to him and the JM that he should just concnetrate on 2 way for now. I think that's the best suggestion I can offer him so that he can grow to be a safe skydiver. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Dude, I already know what's on the ceiling above me, the floor underneath me and the wall behind me, it's my house.

First, let's not forget that this video was 50 some odd jumps ago. That's exactly what one of my video mentors told me. He strongly emphasized to just fly my slot and pretend the camera is not on my head. I don't want to put a sight on my helmet either. Everyone at the DZ always ridicules my videos because no one is centered in my video. I tell them that's because I don't care if they're in the video. I'm just pretending it's not there and flying normally. You got that right. I'm an okay RW flyer. I can fly stable and turn on heading with no problem. However, I'm far from being good. Which is why I will probably put a ring sight on after a couple of hundred video jumps and when I decide to strictly fly video instead of RW or freefly. That ring sight is a major obstruction man. I don't know how video guys do it. For now, I'm just sticking to flying the cam on my head like it's not there. Which has worked out pretty decent so far. I'm taking it very slow with video. When people ask me to video their solo dive, I turn them down. I'm not qualified to be a videographer yet. And when I jump RW with others the first thing they say is, cool, we got video. I answer back and tell them don't expect me to get good video from this jump. You can only expect me to turn points and fly my slot effectively. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

I'm nothing special. Like I said, I'm not self-righteous. I'm not perfect and I will own up to any mistakes that I make that I know I made. Thanks though. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

I hear ya. Man. It's okay. I'm only jumping with my 4 way team now. And no, he's not part of it. That's a given. However, it's something that he's not aware of. He doesn't realize that he's doing these things or he's not doing the right thing. I thought you suggested not to jump with him anymore. Lol You got that right. I'm just sticking to jumping with my 4 way team from now on. Thanks for the advice. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

I just teased him about it because I said that he was trying to take my headoff. So I call him headhunter now.

I wasn't focusing on video. I was sticking to my plan. I told the two other guys that I'm going to stay perfectly still to let them both dock with me. I wanted them to improve their flying around skills. What you see is when the other video guy is level with me, I'm preparing myself to dock with him. I'm not focusing on trying to get him in the shot. I'm waiting to dock on him and making eye contact with him. If you look at the video again, I turn my head to the right and I look to my left and I see the guy coming towards me. It appears that he was going to descend and dock with me just fine but he came in a bit too fast. I did see him coming. You can't see my eyes but I'm looking directly at him by not lifting my head and backsliding. He usually docks fine with me in past jumps. The plan was that I stay still until one of them docks with me and then the other guy breaks in our round. He was supposed to be the guy that broke in the round. So we improvised. I figured he would be the guy to dock with first. He came in a bit too fast. People do make mistakes you know. I told him to slow it down next time. I jumped with that guy numerous times before and he's usually okay when he docks with me if he's low or high. It was just this one instance, where he was a bit anxious and overshot. Even before my video days, I've been in round docks with other people and the stragglers would collide with me, fall on top of me, fall on my rig, drop kick me in back of the helmet, fly under me. Mistakes happen. I understand what you're saying. Focusing on video will take away being alert with other flyers but I don't focus on video. I focus on the RW jump. Like I mentioned in previous posts, if I get it on video, cool, if I don't get it on video, oh well. All my camera mentors hammered into my head to fly in the formation and pretend it's not there. Which is what I do. I pretend it's not there. I fly RW and that's that. I don't try to play wannabe cameraman, that's not my main focus. If I wanted to soley fly the camera then I wouldn't be in the formation, I'd be above it. Like I've mentioned in other posts. The camera is a bonus. It's not a main focus for me to get people in shots. I even tell people: "don't expect to see yourself on video. I'm just wearing it to get used to flying with it on my head". What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

What can I say. Turtle power dude! What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Thanks Kallend. However, I do have to accept some liability on my end too. We all should have been alert. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

This was about 50 jumps ago. This was a 3 way dive. We freeflied the exit and I was waiting for the other two guys to dock on a round with me and just hold the round till breakoff at 4,500. Well, it didn't quite turn out that way. The other two dudes have less than 130 jumps and most of their jumps are solos or free fly jumps. I guess, this is a case where the stairstep descent should have come in play. I told him not to come down so fast next time. I told him to slowly come down in steps and not to overshoot the descent. Thank goodness nothing else happened. Maybe I should put a big fat X on my helmet that says, here I am, dump on me or crash on me. LoL Or maybe I should just fly solo from now on. hehehehehe Here's the video: http://www.superkatnyc.com/headhunter.htm What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?

Sorry, but at 300 jumps I can't believe you even had to ask the question. Jump numbers have nothing to do with this chris. I'm not a self-righteous person. I'm an objective person that tries to other people's opinions first before I make judgement calls. The guy said he wasn't that close to me. I said he was too close to me. We didn't agree so I'm looking for other's opinions. How does my jump numbers help me make that decision? Does that make me above anyone else that has lower jump numbers than me? You have to be ojective dude. I try not to be one track minded. What's the most you ever lost in a coin toss, Friendo?