nate_1979

mm k, ... Seeing some coments about the USPA being about people out to make money, I just gotta say, so what. I'm happy that the DZO's get to make a little money, works for me.. If they stop making money, guess what, they will try to make money off of us which = much more expensive jump tickets. I dont think that most DZO's are all about the money, if they were we would already see higher prices. Considering the aircraft costs, fuel costs, operation costs, shit, I'm pretty stoked that I get to jump for around 22 bucks! I think that the USPA has probably done quite abit to keep operating costs down for most DZs. As for training being expensive for new jumpers, well, nobody said this sport is cheap. If your gonna jump, you better get used to the fact that it's gonna cost a bit, not just during training but as long as you jump assuming you do more than a couple jumps per month. If a student wants it bad enough, they will find a way to finish it regardless of cost, and the price they pay once again keeps my jump prices down, and again I'm ok with that. If you wanna play, you gotta pay. I'm also gonna repeat what alot of people have said again and say I think that without the USPA we would hear alot more from people like the FAA and this sport probably would not be what it is today in the US. The USPA may not be there for everything that we want every time we want it, but overall I think they do have what's best for the sport in mind when they make decisions and push for things with the Gov't. I personally think the USPA is a great organization which may need some work around the edges, and at times they could use a little more backbone (skyride), but I'll keep happily supporting them and remain a member quite possibly long after I'm done jumping (although I cant imagion why I'd stop jumping now) . Just my 2 cents.. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

As someone else said, it's looking at the prop on the wing (i.e. in a twin otter) ... This did kinda backfire once during my training though, on AFF 3 I jumped from a caravan instead of the otter, I did a check in, check out, pro.. wtf, no proooooppppp (out the door) ... I was unprepaired for the exit at that point.. the rest of the dive successfully got me a bowling speech.. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

I'd also be willing to pitch in for a tent, seems like alot of people want tents, so I'll start a new tent here.. PM me if you want in, depending how many people we get we'll see how big it is .

So, any Video / Still Photo jumpers going to be jumping at the boogie that would be willing to film my birthday balloon jump (first balloon jump too)? The balloon jump ticket will be covered by me, would like get a shot of me leaving the balloon immediately after the camera jumper (on the back as to capture me and the balloon) ... Any takers? FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

My aunt always tells me that I better be having a great time, because I'm going to pay for it when I get older ... She usually refers to joint problems and the such, but the point she tries to make comes from when she says "but dont stop what your doing just because of that, do whatever makes you happy because eventually you wont be able to do all this stuff, and you'll regret not doing what you didnt do more than you will regret what you deal with because you did" .... I like that. I think that will be my attitude regardless of what may happen ... Atleast I hope that's how I'd feel. . . FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

LOL, that is funny dude... You even started to do it a little on the second jump... Awsome FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

You will be amazed how fast you can get to the point that jumping a camera is appropriate. I too am this way, I wanted to jump a camera the first time I saw someone do it I actually just started jumping mine a few jumps ago, I also thought that I'd play the "turn it on and forget about it" ... It's not that easy to do, I'll tell you that right now... I'm actually jumping mine a little early, (almost 20 jumps prior to most recomend) , but then again I recieved the opinion of a few experienced camera jumpers and my DZO, listened to the advice of every one of them, and they agreed that it was ok prior to putting it on my head. I had already had to execute my EPs successfully a couple of times, and I feel comfortable being able to successfully complete EPs to include any extra steps which may be required to ditch the helmet. (which is important IMO since they recommend no RSL for a camera jumper, and camera can complicate EPs) But once again, like others have said, it can be hard to not let the camera be a bit of a distraction, hell my third jump with it I forgot my gloves and altimeter because I was too busy getting the helmet set up .... Just wait. It wont kill ya. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Just thought that I'd pipe in on this thread and say that I dont think the USPA is such a bad thing. Paying some little fee like we do every year is not that big of a deal, especially when you look at the costs of the rest of our sport. I agree that the magazine could use some improvements, however I do still enjoy seeing it in the mail every month. The insurance, well, it's just a good idea. Many of us may have our own insurance policies that cover what we may do, but I think alot more of us dont. If you dont like the way things are run, we do have the ability to vote out the current board. (kinda like the US Gov't, people bitch, but they rarely vote, I doubt its much different here) ... I think it's great that we have a voice which deals with the Gov't ... Although they probably could help us with a few more issues than they do, I'm sure they still do us a fair bit of good. Ohh yea, it is bullshit that they let the skyride folks back in. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

that looks kinda interesting.... FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

My AFF exits were simply Check in, Check out, Prop, Exit, .... No up down anything. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Running a 101.4 F temp.... this friggin sucks. Just thought I'd share before I crash. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

That's x-tremely awsome dude.. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Got the pleasure of using the RTS as a student, these rigs are very nice.. And they were fairly comfortable. Sweet rig. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Hahahaha You said common sense! FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

I keep myself at a 10% hop-n-pop ratio.... I think they are awsome Most of them have been around 3k, did one at 2k.. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

I have two Neptunes and a Protrack, I wear the protrack and one neptune in my helmet as audibles and my other Neptune as a visual alti. I love the digital readout when using it as a visual, I've used neptunes on all 3 of the night jumps I have done without any problems, and it's so easy to read that the person across from me in one night 3 way was reading my alti "beacause it was so much easier" than reading her own analog alti. The canopy alarms are awsome, I dont need them, but I like them. The menu system on the neptune is MUCH easier to use than the protrack, anybody can figure this thing out. Just make sure that you have the latest firmware installed on it and READ THE MANUAL if you are going to do things like night jumps for the proper settings!

I got the pleasure of visiting PSC while in Hawaii for a navy school. The people who work and jump there are very friendly, I recieved an OUTSTANDING dropzone brief from one of the employees there, they covered everything in great detail leaving me fully prepared for the jump. The view at this place is amazing, right on Hawaii's shore line, I actually exited the aircraft over the ocean! It was increadible. Unfortionately this DZ does close early, it seemed to me that they schedule all the tandems for early times in the morning, and as soon as they get all of them up quickly they shut down, but at that point Skydive Hawaii is 2 buildings down . The king air is awsome, and is even equipt with a Fart Alarm at the back of the plane :) The DZ does leave something to be desired for packing areas. Overall, if you are in Hawaii, you must do a jump with these guys, I really felt welcome there for the short times that they were open :)

I loved jumping here, .. I got to visit this dropzone when I was in Hawaii for a couple Navy schools. The vibe here is amazing, and I think that it is much better than some of these reviews have made it out to be. Tandems do take priority, but it really wasnt a big deal. When I was there they do Experienced Only Sunset Loads 1 or 2 nights per week, no tandems to be seen! After the jumping, there is plenty of people to hang out with for a bit and have a beer or three. There isnt a lot of packing room, but it was not too bad. The plane is a bit slow getting to altitude (compared to what I'm used to, or the king air down the street), but on your way to altitude you sometimes get to hang out with the coolest female jump pilot ever :) When I showed up at this DZ, it seemed that everyone went out of their way to make me feel welcome, my first time jumping there they didnt even make me pay anything until I was done jumping for the day, seems kinda stupid to mention it, but these people didnt even know who I was.. Truely awsome, they treated me as though I had been jumping there many times before the first time they met me. I will be back someday ! If I choose between Skydive Hawaii and Pacific Skydiving Center, I choose Skydive Hawaii, but I definately recommend checking them both out since they are so close to eachother.

I love my FF2, it's a great and very comfortable helmet, ... I fly it with the Sony PC350 right now, also have a PC1000 that will be flown in it. Only two complants that I have about it, the first one being the location of the audbles.. I have played with switching my two audibles around flipping them, everything, I can only hear one of my audbiles in freefall (Protrack and Neptune) . The second one is too high up, I wish there was one on each side instead of the two on top of eachother. Another thing with my helmet is that I've noticed most peoples FF2s have easier to use brackets for mounting the camera, it has one position making it easy to remove and re-install the camera from the helmet .. My bracket has so many adjustments on it that I have to re aim the camera every time I take it out of the helmet (which I must do for firewire ports, AV ports, etc) .. Not sure why mine is different, but it is kinda a pain in the ass.... But like I said, I really do like the helmet, and I'm glad that I choose the FF2!

..... "1 Inch Killer" .... FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

True, guess I didnt look too much into it I made money on Sirius awhile back, liked that too FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

hey!!! whooo!! What happens in the garage, stays in the garage! FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Yup, I am FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

Had Sirius since it came out, .. I knew about satelite readio and was waiting for it LONG before it came out, but XM IMO sucked when it started so I waited for the Serius service, ... Unfortionately XM had a huge advertising campaign and was already released for awhile... I think that Serius could definately use some better advertising, they are IMO a better service. As far as stocks, well, they are about as far apart from eachother as they were since XM came out and Serius had to delay FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.

I just saw a jumper make this same mistake when jumping last Saturday, ... It was hard to notice due to the way his excess strap was stowed, but I do have a habit of checking the jumpers around me during the climb to altitude. Luckly the guy that I saw realized how serious this was, and I'm sure that's a mistake that he will not soon forget ... It's scary for me to think how a simple mistake such as this could change the outcome of a jump so quickly. I check my 3 3's a few times each jump, 3 rings, 3 straps, 3 handles, and thankfully last week, I also check other peoples too.. FGF #??? I miss the sky... There are 10 types of people in the world... those who understand binary and those who don't.