tdog

Is there such a thing as someone without internet access. And, I don't buy that excuse... I actually was told that the reason it was not PDF (from someone at the USPA) is because it comes from multiple sources (probably many documents ranging from old to new, word to excel, scanned to text, on a computer) and would be hard to generate as a PDF. I volunteered to the USPA that if they send me all the documents I would piece them together in one PDF. They did not reply. Anyway, I strongly believe a PDF format IRM would be more useful for instructors (think search and find) - and therefore I think more people should request it in PDF. P.S. my offer remains open to merge the documents into one PDF.

Question... Except for the unfortunate tandem incidents, I don't remember seeing many incident reports for students of late. Is this a serious problem that needs fixing? What is inspiring this?

Wow, then you need new risers or something... I have had 1 brake fire in 650 jumps on my last two sets of UPT risers... I just would not want someone just getting off student status to read this post and think, "I have brake fires all the time too" and think it is normal. From the risks associated with uncontrolled/offheading openings in a large group skydive to a brake fire mixed with line twists, clearly brake fires do add unneeded risks (in my opinion).

Well, according to the Secretary of State, this is not a Florida company... (Being a business owner I like to see how other companies structure themselves for the sake of learning, so ya I looked in the public records... But it could be any other state, and Delaware has like 60% of all business registrations because of their business friendly laws, so this is not saying you are incorrect.) But anyway, if I owned a patent, and I also manufactured under that patent, I would certainly separate those two assets into separate entities, especially if one of those entities proudly proclaims ("Uninsured") in it's name. Seriously, even if this was not the high risk sport of skydiving, good business says separate assets. (Intellectual assets vs manufacturing assets vs completed inventory vs real estate vs automobiles). You don't want a lawsuit for one activity (selling intellectual rights) to have access to the assets of manufacturing unrelated items. Or, if you are a retailer, you don't want your drunk driving truck driver to cause a suit against your inventory and real estate, so for an example the assets in the Walmart trucks are not owned by the same entity as the Walmart stores, it gets sold upon delivery from one company to another (or at least the trucks and the drivers are owned/employed/leased to/something by a separate company). Just look at the side of a Walmart truck and see the DOT name and number... It is not going to be the same company that operates the stores or owns the real estate and buildings.

Download his skydive radio interviews. A lot of your questions will be answered.

If we equip all student jumpsuits with magnets, and AFF instructor's gloves with the opposite pole, catching spinning students would be easier. Back to reality.... To the poster about a otter load of magnets... I just don't see it effecting anything serious... Magnetic forces are not these long straight lines that add up with more magnets in the same plane. They dissipate with distance and have curves to the force... I am not good enough with physics to give a formal explanation without doing a lot of research to refresh my memory but before you guys all start theories based upon concerns, base it on science and testing, not Internet rumors.

Here is the patent http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&co1=AND&d=PG01&s1=atair&s2=magnet&OS=atair+AND+magnet&RS=atair+AND+magnet The "inventor" is Daniel Preston, Atair Aerospace. The abstract is: So, it appears that the patent holder patented the idea of using magnets anywhere in a parachute system. Imagine using a magnet to hold in a hook knife... I just made that up, but it is under the patent... I kind of feel Atair went a little far patenting the use of magnetic force in skydiving equipment instead of patenting a specific design. This patent appears not to have any of the R&D work. Meaning, it is my understanding Mr. Booth's team had to do all the work, such as testing which magnets are too strong or not strong enough - both for the application, and for side effects such as altering other equipment or avionics of the aircraft. So, this opens a whole new ethical question in our world... Manufacture #2 comes out. Tears open a RWS rig and gets the spec on the magnets Mr. Booth used. Then they copy the pattern of fabric (at least mostly). Who should the royalties go to??? Well, it appears Atair. This is why I am a 100% RWS, oops, I mean UPT, fan. Sure, Mr. Booth did not invent everything, but the stuff he did invent seems to be on almost every rig out there today. The problem with other companies patenting blanket ideas in our small market is that it removes the motivation for creative people like Mr. Booth to come up with new ideas if he cannot earn royalties to pay for his R&D and testing... Imagine if someone patented the idea of using "metal rings" in skydiving before Mr. Booth had the three ring idea... It was not the rings, but the design that made them work, that was innovative... My personal beef.... I honestly don't know (and shouldn't really know) the behind the scene finances and contracts with everyone involved. Atair, if ethical, would share the winnings with Mr. Booth since he made the Atair patent work.... EDIT... P.S. Atair patented the idea of using magnets to hold toggles to risers too, in the fine print, filed in 2006. Part of patent law requires the design not to be implemented by someone else before the patent is filed... Since my Gin Bolero Paraglider had magnetic toggles in 1999, this is not a new idea, and anyone who wishes to implement this in our parachutes, should not have to pay royalties because of previous use and design in the market place...

No, it will keep the canopy inflated. The reason, you are keeping tension on 1/2 the A, B, C and D lines. Want proof... My swoop video edit: http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=2722 has a classic kite by only holding risers intro... Also, paragliders learn to kite holding on to risers (by some teachers) before they strap in, because they can always let go. And I disagree about your theory you have to run 29 kph towards the canopy in 29kph winds. Yes you have to run fast while pulling in a toggle, but your goal is to reduce tension on the A's, you don't have to completely go as fast as the wind, pulling the toggle at the same time does most of the work.

To be honest, I saw the same thing at Perris in 2005, and it confused me. An experienced jumper showed his logbook in line before me at the student trailer where they were validating experience for all new waiver jumpers. The last few entries in his book were not signed, but one a few jumps prior was. He said, and I quote as best as I can remember: "The signed off jump is within the currency period. If you ignored all the jumps after it, if I tore them out of my logbook, I still could jump by the USPA and DZ rules. So why do the signed ones not count?" The reply was, "Get the last one signed. There are plenty of skydivers here today. Those are the rules." The skydiver replied, "So you rather get me to go out side of this office, find a random skydiver to forge my logbook since he does not know me, so the LAST jump is signed - instead of keeping this honest and respecting the fact a jumps few jumps prior was signed legitimately and is within a few weeks." Based upon the reply, the skydiver forged the book and jumped that day... I still don't understand this. But, I now always make sure that my last jump is signed before I travel.

Then neither should 1/3 of the population with high blood pressure, poor eye sight, etc... With modern medicine, many things can be "fixed" to the point people can live successful and rewarding lives.

I used to have Oakleys... They broke on the plane ride up, they are crap. I have gone thru so many of them - the last pair I ever wore broke on the plane on the ride up (the plastic arm broke). Since then I have purchased Gatorz. Probably have 200 jumps on them last year. Never an issue... They don't scratch (like oaklys did) and the frames are strong. Every time I have dropped them or found them in the bottom of my gear bag I have said, "Oh crap, I bet they are ruined." I clean off the dirt and they look brand new. I am a loyal fan because they have lasted the "T test", which means I have used them and they have not broken.

Because every position in freefly has to have a "bail out"... Like in a sit, you "cork" to your back when you "lose balance". If you can't back fly, then you are screwed. If you have not mastered the bail outs, then you have nothing to bail out too... Oh... And, because "belly stuff" is just one orientation of "freefly"... Freefly is not "every position but belly."

Well, I guess that is where the trust factor comes in - in our culture of skydiving where we have to always trust our friends... When you jump with someone you have to trust they are disclosing the entire truth especially when you are counting on them. (As in the master of a TM pair, or in a complicated jump)... But, this person with epilepsy has only 50 jumps. I would be much more worried about what they are going to do to me while fully awake then in the middle of a seizure. Hard docks, bad dives, poor tracks... That is why I suggested someone mentor this skydiver into the culture of telling the truth and informing their friends about the possible risks...

Also... Which way were you pulling??? Think of a childhood kite above your head. If you want the kite to rise you need either MORE wind - or you PULL against it. If you want it to crash, you need LESS wind - or you need to RUN towards it... Half the people I see fighting their canopies in the wind are doing exactly the wrong thing, trying to pull against it in a tug of war contest. The canopy will win. As everyone said, pull in a toggle until you have fabric in your hand, while running TOWARDS the canopy. That way all the A, B, C, D lines go slack while you fold the canopy flat in the wind. (Think of your hand out the car window facing up and down vs facing left and right... Which one has more drag.

My pin is from the day I did my AFF1... (and now I am an AFF - I, so some time has passed.) But the "cord" has been replaced a few times. The cotton/synthetic designs failed often... So I simply took a length of leather cord, tied a figure 8 knot in the center to hold the pin, and two half square knots that slide to complete the "loop"... But I am not uploading a pic, because mine is unique as I never have seen anyone else make theirs this way.

Has a doctor cleared her to drive a car? 5 seconds of sesure driving 50 MPH into oncoming traffic in a school zone is a huge deal. In fact, I would be MUCH more worried about her driving a car (in reference to the 3rd party risk) than skydiving. It would take large amounts of bad luck for a seizure to injure a 3rd party in skydiving, whereas behind the wheel a slight loss of control means a head on collision... I know of three people who successfully skydive with epilepsy, but they also have it stabilized and are cleared to do things like drive a car... I know the others say to "rat her out" to the DZO or the S&TA. I disagree. Talk with her, explain the issues, and give her the opportunity to discuss the "issue" with the DZO and S&TA. If she refuses, then you can think about doing it for her, but she is a grown person and should have the right to initiate the conversation. Your job is to mentor her on why and how to initiate that conversation. Also, so she can continue to skydive, encourage her to see a doctor (if she doesn't already have a doctors release for activities) and get a release and get on the meds if the doc thinks they are needed... It will make it easy for her if she has documentation... That is my feeling...

Um.... Rule 1: 4 casters, not 5... Rule 2: There are no more rules... A bit of 3/4" Plywood, with foam glued on the top, and casters bolted on the bottom, seems to work well. If I was doing it... I would put a piece of plywood on the floor. I would have an average size friend lay on it, arms up, legs spread to shoulder width. I would trace the body including the legs. (Hope your friend doesn't mind where you will be putting the pen). Top cut at shoulders. Legs cut somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 way between the crotch and the knee (closer to the crotch). That is how I would do it... Eloy has some stainless steel plate cut to this shape. Very durable and no splinters. But most places have plywood. P.S. There are premade plastic units, but I prefer the ply or metal ones...

Nah... Turner won! The amount of free advertising they got is worth millions. There is no such thing as bad publicity. I see teeshirts, novelty replicas, and merchandising. No superbowl TV commercial would do what this did. Now, I don't believe they wanted it to turn out this way. But sometimes things work out better than planned. P.S. I believe [URL]http://www.hasbro.com/litebrite/[/URL] sales are going to skyrocket too... And - guess who is going to win the most? Consultants in the law enforcement industry to show police departments all over Boston the difference between a flat plexiglass with a bunch of LEDs and a few batteries - and something that actually looks suspicious.

Dude, I agree 100% on the rationale. But, I have two comments. 1) The device was thin and had some lights. The batteries were the only bulge, and in the pictures they are exposed as batteries. I think it is not too far fetched for a police officer bomb squad guy to ask, "could this be a bomb?" But, I think someone did not use their common sense. 2) Ok, so lets say their reaction was appropriate and "cautious"... I have to ask, would I as a DA charge the people who placed them. I am a smart guy (or at least I think I am). I would have placed these lit signs and NEVER assumed my government would think I was trying to bomb the world. Perhaps trespassing. Defacing property, they were harmless. Littering perhaps... I mean, they are funny lit signs, simular to what people put on their houses for Christmas. There was no mallicious intent... But the City of Boston now is pressing charges against these guys as a hoax. The worst you could charge them for is "stupidity", but without them actually intending (and predicting) the lit signs would actually cause a bomb scare, how can you charge them? Next, someone is going to throw away some unique piece of obsolete technology in a public trash can, and when someone says "oh wires, it must be a bomb", be charged for a hoax... Over the top.

If I was the attorney defending these guys, I would show the jury the video and say, "I rest my case". No further proof should be required to prove how innocent these funny little signs are.

Hey Where I live we are now facing our 7th weekend in a row of snow. The snow from the 20th of December still hasn't melted (which is ok because it makes fun landings) - however... It snows every weekend. So can you send some letters our way?

Because they know they will be tried by a jury of their peers and they will be found.... No... Wait... They should be because the jury is going to be pissed they were late for work and want to get even. This time...

So, I read an article in Popular Mechanics this month... It is about police having military equipment to use against citizens. http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/4203345.html I think the article is very timely. Excerpt:

Since when did a funny looking cartoon lit up with diodes become a bomb? Since when did everyone decide to shut down a city when they see a funny looking piece of plastic lit up with diodes. I think the Boston "marketing stunt" yesterday was funny and a classic way of creative marketing. I think the Boston police, who just assumed it had to be a bomb, and shut down the city - are the ones that went over the top. Sure they should investigate, but come on... Am I crazy??? Do these lit up signs look like bombs to you? (Attached) Now they are calling it a bomb "hoax". And they arrested the guys who made them. Do you honestly think the guys who made them wanted to be a bomb scare? Perhaps they were stupid, but arrested for placing some lit signs here and there??? Clearly a lit up LED thing, with dancing lights, is not a bomb any more than a kid running a remote control car. I mean come on. It is a battery, a piece of black plastic drilled with lights in it. No large bomb, no hidden areas to put explosives, no big box... The design was so simple I would have walked up to it, and felt comfortable picking it up. Or maybe if I was a cop, use one of those cool remote control robots to kick it and drop it to prove it was just a kids toy... I remember seeing this story yesterday on CNN as I was at the gym, and I stopped what I was doing and thought, "oh god, the terrorists have won." I mean, my senior pranks in highschool where more threatening to the lifestyle of Americans then a cartoon figure lit up in lights...

You are right. Here is my "snag mal story". I had the Aerodyne style slink. My first rigger who assembled the rig said, "These can be tacked but instead I prefer just aligning them before each jump for a few jumps until they set in and stay in place on their own. That way you can change your canopy without the tack being replaced." (Of course the reserve was tacked) Well, 3 out of 4 risers set in the right spot, but one (right rear) set just enough out of place that the ring sometimes would come out. Maybe 20 degree rotation. I would after every jump spin it back into place, but it was hopeless without a tack. I never thought it would cause a mal sticking out half way... Well, twice it caused a mal. (No I am not an idiot, it took two mals for me to see what was wrong because the first was misdiagnosed.) Both times the brake line wrapped around the ring. Both at Eloy. The first time I pulled the control line down and it would not go back up without shaking. I had collapsed my slider, but was planning on pulling it down past the toggles after I got myself going the right direction in high traffic. Well, the slider was at the slink and covered the "wrap". I was able to shake the toggle enough to make it go most of the way back up, but not all the way because once the tension was reduced at the top end there was not enough pull. So I was unable to let go of the other toggle to inspect the mal (remember traffic and a canopy that wanted to turn). So I decided that since the toggle would go down, but not up, and I tried moving it a few times, I would just flare a tad high and bail to rears if the toggle got stuck. Landed on my feet near the tunnel. When I landed the wrap fell off the ring due to the lack of tension. And the ring "sucked back in" the riser enough that it just did not appear to be able to snag... So I looked at my mal-less rig for a while, asked friends to inspect, and we found nothing. So I thought it was just some kind of tension knot with another line... Three jumps later, it happened again. This time I used my mouth to hold the other toggle down (to flight straight) so I could inspect the mal. Sure enough the line was wrapped around the rig and I could clear it pretty easy - but it required pulling the slider down and doing some random turns to make it happen. I tacked the slinks upon landing. Ironically, on my new PD slinks I have not tacked them down, but they are staying where they need to. I guess I never learn, huh? But at the same time, the round ring of Aerodyne seemed to be more prone to exposing itself. (Slippery thin ring versus thick textured tab) The thick PD tab just does not want to come out of the riser... So - I will say - it is very important that the Slinks be installed correctly, even if it is not for structural issues, but for snag issues. If your tabs want to come out, tack them right away so they will reset their "set" at the proper location... I don't want to badmouth the metal ring design, but I think they are more likely to slip out of the riser and require the tack recommended in the instructions.