NWFlyer

More importantly, at what level is your current Mountain Dew consumption? Gotta be at at least 4 liters/day to qualify for the worldwide extreme instructor level. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Yeah it was. You made a great wingman. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I saw him in 1988 - far enough post-rehab that it was a great performance. Touring with Mark Knopfler, who's no slacker himself. Speaking of rehab concerts - I managed to catch Stone Temple Pilots in 1996 just before Scott Weiland got so unreliable that they couldn't ever finish a tour. Really enjoyed that performance. Got burned by Oasis's sibling meltdown that same year, though - drove 3 hours from Durham to Charlotte only to find out the show had been canceled... apparently because the boys were fighting. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I like those surprising shows. I went to a venue to see Wilco at the Bumbershoot festival several years ago and showed up early enough that I caught Sheryl Crow before Wilco. Totally surprised me - I've always been kind of neutral about her, but she really brought a lot of energy to the stage. For me, naming the "best" is really difficult because I've seen so many different performers in so many different genres in so many different kinds of venues and they've all been memorable. I'd say some of the "best" were the bonus shows or bonus performers - being in a smallish club in Seattle to see Neil Finn (an amazing performer in his own right) and having Eddie Vedder come out for a few songs with his old buddy. Or really, any "friend of/side project of" Pearl Jam show in Seattle was often a chance to see most or all of the band for at least a few songs. Definitely lost track of how many of those I saw. Worst would have to be bands that were way past their prime and/or trying to make comebacks that they weren't ready for. I've seen many bands that have been around for FOREVER and still put on amazing shows (Earth, Wind, and Fire was one that I particularly remember as being phenomenal, even in 2004). But Cheap Trick should not have attempted a comeback (here's a hint: making things louder does not cover up for the fact that you guys sound like you haven't played together in years). And my very first concert (that I went to on my own, anyway) in 1985 was the Beach Boys ... who lip-synched. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[Caveat: your instructor would be the best person to talk to about technique...] For me, front loops and back loops were relatively easy because I just remembered what it was like to do a front loop or back loop in the pool when I was a kid - and I did a lot of them back then. Barrel rolls were tougher for me because that wasn't something I ever did when I was just playing as a kid. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I think just knowing others have the same feelings puts me at ease. Took me 37 jumps to get my A license. Came close to getting the "uh, maybe skydiving isn't for you" speech a couple of times. Still here, still skydiving, still having fun 6 1/2 years and almost 800 jumps later. You're definitely not the only one. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Sounds like you may have had some communication barriers with that particular instructor, so one thing to consider would be asking to work with someone different. If you've worked with an instructor in the past that you particularly clicked with maybe see if you can do your next jump with that person. That might help you develop a plan to work on the things that were difficult and keep moving forward. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

What would you say the average WL is? Id say close to 70% of jumpers have about the same WL. (No stats just a guess). It really is not that far fetched to organize such an arrangement. Especially when high WL canopies start getting banned at busy DZ's, don't think that can't happen either. I used my team as an example, but I would say that the same mix of wingloadings is not at all uncommon for me on random fun jumps or organized non-team jumps. Sometimes we were on our own pass, sometimes we were on the same pass with another 8-way team, sometimes on the same pass with non-team jumpers. Yes, and that would be part of my point. Having that range of wingloadings naturally spread the members of my team out in the landing pattern. Having us spread out made it less likely that all of us were in the landing pattern at the same time. (Coincidentally, this tends to happen for any group of jumpers that have a mix of wingloadings ... go figure). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Assuming there's penalties and interest thrown in there ... even a modest payment could balloon over time. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Really? I don't think you get out much, then. My 8-way team had WLs from about 1.0 to 2.0 and we did over 100 jumps together last year with only one injury (an individual jumper who had a bad landing). I might add that I've never been as comfortable in the air as when I was jumping with that group because I got to know everyone and their "pattern patterns." I knew who would be down way before me and I knew who was more likely to be getting to the pattern at around the same time I did if neither of us slowed things down. I knew who liked to do wide patterns with long finals and I knew who liked to do tighter patterns. I knew who would hang in brakes and do a high-performance landing once everyone else was down (and I also knew that if conditions weren't 100% clear, she would abandon her high-performance landing and do a straight in approach like everyone else, because she was a responsible canopy pilot in traffic). But you'd prefer that all 9 of us have the same wingloading (which, ironically, would make it more likely that all 9 of us would converge at the same time instead of our varying wingloadings naturally spreading us out). Doesn't fix the problem. It's not about wingloading. It's about behavior in the pattern, no matter the wingloading. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Yes. I've traveled with my rig a lot and I've had very few actual issues, and none that have required me to open my rig or have ultimately prevented me from carrying the rig on board. Skydiving equipment is a rare enough thing that I am not at all surprised when a TSA agent doesn't know/recall the specific rules around it and needs to consult a supervisor. Some locations seem to have their SOP that a supervisor gets called over. I consider the "cluelessness" part of the process and roll with it. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

(As seen on another forum I post on - not sure of the original source) So, you brought home a new Internet Troll. Congratulations! If you are a first timer having a troll, you may have questions. Here are a few suggestions so that you and your troll can live in karmic balance. Now remember, each troll is different and your results may vary. However, this primer should help you get on your way. Welcome to the world of having a troll! How do I refer to my troll now that I have him/her? First, your troll may show up already named. Yet, you will find the “pre-fab” names to be rather unoriginal such as Annonymous [sic], ihateyou or yousuck. Never fear, you can always change their name. If this is your first troll, I find that it is best to give him/her a soothing, happy name to remind you that they are really just helpless, sad creatures. A good name can make all the difference! I recommend something like FluffyLoveBunny or Silly Billy Chickie Boo. How scary is that? Not so much. So your troll has a name! Congratulations! You are on your way! How do I discipline my new troll? Now as trolls are known to do, yours may act up from time to time. He or she may get down right nasty and vicious towards you. Remember: That is in their nature. They are inbred to act that way. It is just NOT their fault. (And rumor has it most of them were dropped on their head often as tiny, baby trolls.) Of course, your first instinct as you get used to your new troll is to lash out and want to punish them for being so incorrigible. That would be your first mistake! It only encourages their behavior. The best way to keep your little FluffyBunnyLove in harmony with you and your home is to ignore him or her. Unlike their human counterparts, neglect keeps trolls temperamentally neutral. Allowing them to see your anger or pain at their behavior merely encourages them to keep it up and makes them raging mean. Neglect. Ignore. Restore (the balance). Those are the keys to disciplining your new troll. Now that I have a new troll, what do I feed him? Like any wild animal, it is important to understand the indigenous nature of their diet. Your new troll may try to convince you that the best thing you can feed him is a diet of your anger, frustration and pain. Don’t listen. As any child can tell you, they will try to get away with anything they possibly can. It would be a mistake to listen to them. Your anger, frustration and pain is their main source of nutrition and growth and– unlike human beings who need good nutrition and growth to survive– it is vital that trolls maintain a steady diet of ambivalence and ignorant bliss to maintain their puny stature. As much as you want to punish him or her, remember that little FluffyLoveBunny needs to be ignored after he or she comes home with you. A steady diet of neglect will keep you living in harmony with your new troll! Where do I keep my new troll? That is a great (and normal) question! As with any troll, he or she will want to be front and center in your life. He or she will want your never-ending attention at all times. It is their nature. However, to live successfully with your new troll, you must remember to keep him or her locked in a corner or sitting so far in the back of the room that you forget he or she is there. Remember: Neglect makes this work! Don’t feel guilt. It is how this relationship was meant to be. What if my troll runs away from me and never returns? Does this mean I failed as a troll owner? Absolutely not! In fact, just the opposite. If your troll gives up in frustration and leaves you for another, that simply means you have done a good job in the care and feeding of your troll. Pat yourself on the back. You deserve it! However, remember this: The troll population is diverse and re-spawns quickly. Don’t get too comfortable. Before you know it, another troll may follow you home. But, with this handy primer, you will be ready for the care and feeding of your troll! Good luck with your new troll! May your journey be swift and painless! "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

So wait. Mark has time to replace all of his Airspeed team members in one fell swoop and stay at the top of the international 4-way game AND train for an event of this magnitude? Way to make the rest of us feel like slackers. I need to take a nap after just reading about a 150-mile run. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

That's one of the reasons I like a full-face helmet with a visor that opens (I believe the ones you've used have fixed visors?). I was on final at Eloy a couple years ago with my visor up and yelled at someone who had already landed and wasn't paying attention and was about to cross into my path. I yelled at what felt like the top of my lungs and the volume of my own voice didn't seem that loud to me (could have been my ears were a bit clogged, plus the insulation of the helmet). Fortunately, it was plenty loud enough to get her attention and she stopped and let me land, but it made me realize that if I could barely hear my own voice yelling that hearing someone else might be a challenge. But I think that goes for almost any helmet that comes down over the ears, except perhaps a Pro-Tec (which is why all those CRW dogs use 'em, of course). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

The current consensus is there is no consensus. Some people choose to jump there some people choose not to. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

A lot of what we teach our students, and what is taught in (currently-optional) advanced canopy training classes is focused on improving individual skills. Accuracy, smooth landings, etc. Accuracy of course is a big component of "playing nice in traffic" but it's far from the whole picture. I think you're onto something here - that our canopy training needs to be much more holistic and "team" focused. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Which is exactly the right thing to do on L&V days in the student area (south when you graduate to the main area). The problem is that people sometimes "chase the sock" and will land "with the wind" even though winds are L&V. That's why it's good to have a discussion just to remind everyone "Hey, they're L&V, let's all land to the south in the main area unless they pick up considerably." "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

USPA has issued a "Call to Action" (just recently emailed out by HQ - text included below, PDF version attached). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

This is fairly common on bigger-ways - people are assigned sections of the landing area and (sometimes) there are penalties for landing in another area without a damned good reason. It's usually not seen as necessary on "normal" loads but maybe it's something to consider (but there'd have to be enforcement/penalties for not landing in your assigned area). I'm totally fine with walking in - I do it a lot. At some DZs, landing far out will have me in just as fast - at Nationals this year at Skydive Chicago I got to know the grounds crew and their golf carts really well as I always landed on the far end of the landing area to get as much of my "own" space as possible (which is extra challenging when you've got planes taking off every 5 minutes, like they did during 4-way). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

This is an interesting twist on the Eloy data and is probably some of the picture. I think a big part of what contributes to the statistic is that a place like Eloy (especially during a big event) is drastically different than "home" for a lot of visiting jumpers. If you've only ever jumped in a DZ that has a 182, or even a mid-sized plane like a Cessna or PAC, and suddenly you're at Eloy in the middle of the Holiday Boogie with 3 Otters turning ... it can be a bit much! I try really hard to do this; just getting to know the newbies and letting them know I'm available for questions (or to refer them to someone who knows more if I'm stumped or not 100% sure) helps. I also try to set a consistent example - I'm often among the first to pull off an organized jump if the winds start getting squirrely or very high. If I'm the only one, that's cool, but sometimes I can inspire someone else to sit down, too, then we can go out in the landing area and watch the effect turbulence has on canopies. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Here's a search for "Drill dives." Some results are not for belly flying but the ones that aren't in the CRW, Freefly, and Wingsuit forum should all give you some good ideas for learning jumps you can do with one, two, or three other people. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=drill+dives&search_type=AND&search_fields=sb&search_time=&search_user_username=&sb=score&mh=50 "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Hoping you don't need it. But if you do, this will be a test of your newfound resolve to be okay with accepting help. You can sit on the couch, mildly drugged up, and direct the action. At least until they move the couch, then you'll probably have to stand up. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Or these guys: http://clientsfromhell.net/ "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Because apparently it's safer than living the rest of your life. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I'm going to make sure that landing patterns and direction gets discussed in the loading area, especially if it's a L&V wind day, which is where things tend to get less predictable. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke