tdog

Or, you can visit a "winter" DZ like Perris, Eloy, any of the Florida DZs, or even our Colorado DZ... I did my first AFF jump last October and learned thru the winter. Except for two weekends around Christmas, we fly all winter long. Learning in the winter ain't that bad, because when summer comes you will be ready to make new friends and skydive with them as a licenced jumper.

I don't know, do you have a more specific example??? I know I ask our top management team to give me contact info when they go on vacation or something - just in case... They have so much info in their mind that I might need on an emergency basis... They don't seem to mind as I try NOT to bug them, and if I do, I apologize profusely... But they are team players and freely offer to help knowing that if I call the "life line" I really need their info. If an employer wanted to know your approximate geographic location, when you were off work, to call you in, in case of an emergency, I think that is fair... Now, you probably are not legally required to say "yes I can help you guys out of this pickle" - and they probably can't fire ya if you say "no"... But, in the spirit of team playing and helping out when they need a hand, it seems like a fair question to ask... That way, if there is an emergency, they know who to call first by who can respond the quickest...

Ya, Apley out there was my host for when I visited last February... I love that DZ too, great people, great views.

Hook and Canuck... This thread seems to have had more posts that Skyride of late... I have hours of footage on my camera from this event, and I was there a lot this week... I think it is my footage so far that you, Hook, have seen... Have you seen any others? As I previously said, I might have tainted the footage by primarily picking footage of freestyle and practice rounds, AND by picking shots that were entertaining to watch because not everything went perfect... Please, Hook, try to find some other video to watch too, footage that is more "documentary" in style of the event, that did not get an "editors interpretation" before you judge the event as a whole... I had so many "perfect swoops" with "perfect landings" that I did not put in, because I found "repetitive perfection" to be boring. I threw in a few extra not-so-perfect swoops to try to give the footage some of the spice that makes the TV show "Jackass" fun to watch. As long as no one was hurt, it is fun to laugh at the not-so-good landings... I will admit, there is one shot I thought about NOT putting in the video that ended up in the footage. A pilot ends up not making the right move in a freestyle move and ends up going towards the audience, kind of out of control - but at the same time, once he realized where he was going, he shot the gap between the spectators pretty accurately quickly aborting the move... The landing became a slide because he used his energy to pop up high over the audience... I really was concerned it would give a bad image to the event, although it was only one swoop out of hundreds that went this way, AND the area he landed technically was not an area for spectators to be in and the spectators were moved right away... I left it in because it is something to learn by, next year I hope there is more caution tape or something blocking this area off... Anyway, you guys seem to have burned the afternoon on this subject... As the guy who started this by posting this movie, I just had to go on the record to say you are judging my interpretation of the event, not an actual statistically accurate representation. Oh, and in 24 hours this little hobby project has entered the top 1/3 of most downloaded videos off skydivingmovies.com, so I guess I learned my lesson in giving an "artistic interpretation" into the footage, as a lot of people now have seen it... Maybe next time I will put in a "do not try this at home, these guys are NOT trained professionals" tag line.

You know, that may be my fault. Stand up landings are not as fun to watch in an entertainment piece as someone splashing in the water.... If I was trying to accurately document the competition, or make an educational video on swooping, I probably would have many more stand up landings... I think the injuries were very minor this year, considering what people were doing.

This weekend I am so proud to call Mile High home. So many happy friendly skydivers were around. The vibe was awesome. The Mile High Otter flew it's first flight, and even did a pass of the pond. (proving pigs can fly and hell can freeze over all at the same time). Anyway, this video shows a lot of people learning, and a few pros pushing the limits. I apologize to all the guys who competed in the non-pro levels that I was unable to video that day, so you kind of got omitted from this video... But I am sure the Triax guys will fill all the holes I missed as just a hobbyist... Anyway, if your ears are open Frank to this thread, again, congratulations... This weekend at the DZ rocked!

The video is on skydivingmovies.com now!!!!!! http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=2722

I do have to say that we should apologize to those not there. We supplied you guys with plenty of pre-competition pics and nothing since. Our bad!!! But I'm not the one to talk to. Hopefully somebody who was there with a camera can come forward here and post something for the curious to see? Anyone? My camcorder is broken so no video from me this week. For the record, Steve refused to video with my camera the record being set. I will have it up on skydivingmovies tonight - and as soon as it is approve you will all be able to see it...

That's basically true for "real" helmets. Skydiving helmets aren't really any good for any sort of true protection. They keep your hair from going crazy in the wind, keeps your dytter in place and protects your head from bumps on the AC, from getting kicked in freefall and from scraps when PLFing a landing. Beyond that, skydiving helmets are basically worthless...actually, show me a skydiving helmet that holds a true safety rating. Not that little rating for skateboard helmets that Pro-Tecs have, but true full blown safety ratings that are useful for the speeds we're doing. I've had an old Mindwarp for nearly 5 years, its been good to me. Its been droped, scraped, kicked, thrown (as a joke, but still) and flat out bounced HARD on concret. I still use it for just about every jump (that I'm not wearing a camera) and it does exactly what I need it to do. Just a couple of months ago it took a HARD hit for me in freefall doing a speed star. Someone decided to fly the black-hole of a burble I have and our helmets met. I saw stars and it took about 1000' to clear my head, but my helmet was fine (it was a very hard hit). My longwinded point is, although that's a good rule of thumb for motorcycle helmets, for skydiving helmets its pretty pointless. If its cracked, get rid of it, if its not, go on with life. Our helmets don't serve the same life saving purpose. You are preaching to the choir... My post was to a person who said that it was alright to drop a motorcycle helmet.

I have reworked the previous video.... Added new stuff from today... How about we wait until tomorrow night, and I will add pro freestyle to it...

That's true for a motorcycle helmet with a head in it at impact, as the foam liner compresses to absorb the impact and permanently deforms. You could probably drop an empty motorcycle helmet and still use it, as long as the outer shell stayed intact. My motorcycle instructors taught us that a fall from 4 feet to hard ground = throw the helmet away... Hairline cracks could cause the helmet to not work as designed, or worse...

Hey Steve, or maybe Jason... What is the schedule for tomorrow and Saturday??? I know there were some changes from the posted plans today... I might want to come up tomorrow too, but I have to make it work around work, if you know what I mean...

Try 4way for a while. I have floated many times. At first, it seemed weird, now it is natural... Does not mean I still don't suck at the gymnastic maneuver required of the outside center, but the doorway is natural.

I so wanted to be there... I had the most boring meeting I had to chair for work... So I left right before the attempt... So, which way did he run??? What did it look like... Screw that, will ya fire wire me your video???

The CPC stuff is still done, but there is all the rest of the events still on schedule, right?

My last night jump, I wanted a flashlight handy... No moon, I was on my own with only the city lights to help me out... Landing out was a worry... Using it to see a problem with the canopy was another with no moon. (one in which is a very slow mal where there is time, etc) So, I took a maglight flashlight, the two AA battery model... I had a lanyard that is used for a company ID to hang around ones neck at work... I took that lanyard and hooked it to the flashlight. Tied the lanyard around my leg strap, and stuffed the flashlight in the strap... Upon opening, I reached down, pulled it out, and turned it on and inspected the canopy real quick... Then I left it on and it dangled from my leg focused straight down... The people on the ground said I was the most visible skydiver in the air without blinding them... And on landing, it lit the ground under me, so I could see the exact distance I was above the ground with no shadow issues... I would do it again...

Any updates???? Oh, that movie I uploaded (linked two posts up) seems to be pretty popular. My network has been running full all day... It is now on skydiving movies.com as well... If the link on the previous post is slow, try: http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=2707

I had my video camera at the DZ today and decided to put together a little video of some practice runs... With the touch of music and a splash of water, all puns intended, it is actually fun to watch... Distance seems to be the theme of these, can't wait until I get more video of freestyle, etc. Anyone want to firewire me tomorrow's footage since I can't be there??? I uploaded it to skydivingmovies.com, but I also have it on my website too as it may take a couple days to get approved there: www.indigox.com/Gofast CPC 2005-09-13 Practice Runs.wmv Note - the file is 32MB as the water and fabric looked like crap at higher compression...

Jason, You will keep us up to date, wontcha??? I plan on coming out when I can this week to watch. Also, I asked you (and many others) a while back... What was the theory about improvement/detriment to distance and speed due to our thin air. It seemed at the time no one knew how the thin air would change all the variables of speed, lift, distance, etc. Would speed make more useful lift? Or would the lift be waisted to compensate for lack of air? What are people saying now that there are solid statistics from real jumps?

BUMP... TOMORROW NIGHT!!!!

Every few days I wish my grandpa (and grandma) were still here. He had a seal press from the 60's that was used to seal lab samples... I looked at the paragear site and found that seal is nothing like his... It was solid metal with heavy plates... I used it all the time as a kid as a toy... I wish I knew where it was so I could get you the model... Made a perfect seal, lined up and clean... Other than lab use, I know trucking companies and race car engine makers use the seals to close up trailers and engines... Perhaps look to those markets too???

Ok, folks... Was I the only one that did not know the history of the "Crazy Frog"? In case I am not the only one... Here it is: In 1997, a Swede, DANIEL MALMEDAHL, made the first sound effect, imitating his friends suped up mopeds. It made it onto the web here and there as just a raw audio file with no animations or anything... He made the sound live on Swedish TV, and it started to have a following. The Insanity Test was it's next step, adding some pictures to it, to see if people could keep a straight face while hearing the sound. DANIEL'S friend, ERIK WERNQUIST then animated the first Crazy Frog as a "pet project", (I guess pun intended.) The birth of the The Annoying Thing. Jamster in 2004 paid Daniel and Erik for the rights to the Crazy Frog as a cell phone ring tone. They are making millions and Daniel and Erik are making next to nothing, but something... Then German club meisters 'Bass Bumpers' took the crazy frog ringtone and merged it with Axel F, from Beverly Hills Cop... This version of the song was on the UK's chart as number one, beating out bands like Cold Play, for 8 weeks! With the Crazy Popularity of Axel F, the German club folk released, this spring, a full length CD with the frog and other ringtones "doing" Whoomp! (There It Is) and the theme to the Dallas TV show... So there you have it... The condensed crazy frog history. It appears this video Hook found is the commercially produced music video to Axel F. It actually has the original "The Annoying Thing" video, linked earlier, as the video in the billboard at 1 minute 20 seconds into the video, showing a direct connection to the first work by Erik. But I have yet to find the author to confirm, as this is a cult internet following and anyone could have made it.

We enjoyed that boogie video so much that several of us are going to the boogie. I searched skydivingmovies.com for said video and said video does not exist. Someone please help.

I don't know which is funnier... The video... Or, that I am so used to Hooknswoop starting a thread about some safety item that I expected a cartoon about "CG" as in "Center of Gravity" relating to a plane - and that it took me 1/2 the video to realize he meant "Computer Graphics"

Damn, the first time I don't preview my post before posting and I use the wrong little button to make it a clicky.... You got me. Is there a way to make a clicky with just one button? Sparky Ya, but you will need at least 10 more years and 1000 more jumps in the sport before I will tell ya... Ok, so YES, I pressed the wrong button TWICE...