nightjumps

You laugh, Derek. But, that happens to be my strong point. I teach communications in college and am a Project Manager in corporate America. You draft up the tenets of criteria for each license and I'll puff it up in USPA BSR lingo for submission.

I would teach it for free. WHat I like about your idea is that I've been hearing "Educate, Don't regulate" for so long I'm about to puke. Cause my argument is, "How's your education program working so far?" I recently started a DZ www.tulsatandems.com and my partner and I decided - No hook turns allowed. No one is putting together an education program. I would be a lot more receptive to doing away with such a restriction if folks actually got educated. I am also willing to participate and support your endeavor. Please let me know how I can help. Keith

It has potential, Derek. Plus, it wouldn't cost any more money for an extra dive since one could incorporate it into a dive flow.

I sure am glad you straightened me out. I'd hate to think I was overlooking my obvious failings.

Hook, Every once in awhile I have to have some fun at the student's expense. When they ask me that question, I respond, 'I just think "turn" and it happens,' and watch their expression. It looks something like....

If both died in the crash, how is it possible to know these type of details? If it "came unglued," I'm doubtful two folks are physically capable of standing at the door engaging in debate.

You can't return it to the ebay auctioner?

1. Yes, Nvertigo with two dytters 2. Protect my noggin 3. Nvertigo - open face with one Pro Dytter & one Pro Track 4. Yes - Always 5. To protect their noggin 6. Frap 7. No. 8. N/A 9. Eclipse and Vector soon 10. 25 P.S. I always adjust their harness leg straps to take the pressure off the artery, so they don't get the heaves.

You would talk to the manufacturer first, take your measurements using the manufacturer's form (i.e., tonysuits.com flitesuit, etc.) send the form and the suit. They would email you with a cost. I really can't address the seamstress question. Its been my experience that most of them use a cotton or polycotton thread (which doesn't do well with freefall speeds) instead of a nylon thread, but you could always take the suit to one and ask. Hope that helps.

Since RW suits are custom made, "5'6"-5'10" 150-180lbs," seems like a wide range. That's four inches of height and 30 pounds of variation. No RW suit manufacturer I know would build a suit with that amount of height range. If it was built for someone 5"10" a 5"6" person would have four inches of flop on their booties. Should have asked them their exact size, but since its a done deal - Send it to the manufacturer for a retrofit.

Even education is regulated. One must choose to learn.

You might also check if you have those new stainless thread thus that are the clamps and not really thread thrus. Javelin stuck those on their rigs and during the last Riggers Convention was a source of discussion concerning slippage.

Now that I don't do. But if I don't see color, I make them undo and redo it. My thoughts are, if they have to undo and redo it, they'll remember for the next guy too.

When using packers, I always set the brakes when I land and open the slider from the collapsed position for three reasons; 1. They gots lots to pack and if they can oversight the P/C, its possible to oversight the brakes and slider. 2. They love when you do that, makes it quicker for them 3. I know its been done. Then before gearing up, I do a back (starting with the P/C up to the tuck tabs), then a front check from the 3-rings down.

The USPA has designed new T-shirts for the Coach and Instructor rating. They can be purchased at www.uspa.org/store/clothing. Wear your ratings proudly, be identified as someone people can go to with questions, etc. Pictures attached.

If its any consolation, I think most folks who have done Horny Gorillas or Meat Missiles have had something flapping on their legs. If you put the gear on right and got a gear check; no matter if its thread thrus or B-12s, they ain't coming undone. You'll double, triple, quadruple check that area for awhile and eventually, it will become a distant memory. Its kewl. Check it all you want till the memory fades.

I very much can empathize with your situation. Here's my concoction: 1) I get Afrin "mosturizing" and Saline soultion. I mix 1 part Afrin to two parts Saline and use it in the saline bottle. 2) I use Motrin Sinus IB because it not only is a drier outter, but is also an anti-inflammatory. They are 200mg per ill so I take four in the morning, 3 in the early afternoon and 2 before bed. 4) Concurrently, I use ear drops (usually the kid kind) 3) I only do this regimen for three days (IB is hard on the liver and Afrin is hard on the vessels in the sinus canal) 4. Finally, you have to drink LOTSA LOTSA water for that three days. I'm talking a gallon a day. This really helps your body transfer the water and chemicals around to the affected area. One word of caution. Motrin Sinus IB has pseudophedrine in it. For some folks, it wires them up, others it makes sleepy. Stay on the ground for those three days. This works for me, I usually start three days before skydiving and quit it the night before. Good luck. It can be a painful experience.

Dave, I got mine and have a couple of cents to add. First, If Aggie stadium causes you conern, you might want to carefully think about which canopy you get qualified on. Your PRO card will state the minimum size canopy you can use. The earlier advise of using a canopy with a good "sink" rate is excellent. There will be more times than not that you will have to "sink" it in. They are all tight. Another thing to consider is other folks on your team and what they are or are not comfortable with. Personlly, I stay away from the flag and CReW if I can avoid it. However, I have no problems with smoke and close formation flying with smoke, whereas others do. There are some hidden costs involved with the PRO rating. One of the costs incurred is in having a demo rig to stay up on your skills. While I can use my Safire2 for most High School and community event demo's, my personal preference for closed stadium jumps is a Falcon 300 (I'm 255 out the door). An opportunity cost is the time to recon the DZ and ground support. You could be at the DZ doing tandems rather than reconning, so you've lost income plus spent gas money, etc. In addiiton, your ground crew needs to be able to be assertive in moving the crowd in accordance with the minimum fy-over/nears that need to be maintained. Nothing is more unnerving than to get the OK to jump, be under canopy and see that the crowd has boxed in the landing area and complexed your approach cause your ground crew wasn't assertive. There is a considerable amount of research in keeping up with the paperwork if you're doing demos where there is over "X" number of attendees (an ever-changing number) If you need demo liability insurance.... it is expensive. I "believe" the last quote I got was $400.00 per person per event. If the proprietor of the event needs/wants that insurance, you'll have to factor in the time to submit and costs. Ground-to-air communications is a cost. Some folks are OK with visuals (panels=cost) and such for "Go - No/Go decisions. Both visual and radio is best(radios=cost). Pilots usually charge more for demos AND there is more fuel required since most times you have a specific "Time on Target" where you have X number of minutes before the game starts or have the football on the ground, which means being over the target doing racetracks before the "Go." In short, it is better to take get some proactive assistance in getting your PRO rating than filling out the card and learning as you go and losing money.

We started out with 12. As the day went on, several were taken out of rotation (One reserve ride, too long to open, etc.). We ended with 8 of them in-service.

oooooooo!!! I'm telllllllin!!!!! Hey Ant, "You know what Mar said!!! hehe Actually, the true heroes of the day were Ant and Stacy. They literally packed for 7 hours straight without relief and for the whole 12 hours of the event. No Breaks. They had an assembly line going. One setting the brakes, collapsing the slider, and line check and fluff; another would pack and cock the P/c; another do the line stows and put it in the pack tray and another that closed it up.

Wouldn't it be better to do gear checks on your fellow skydivers and focus on the dive on the ride to altitude and leave surfing the net to the office?

Dale can be an animal at times... Actually, the Humane Society of Tulsa brought out homeless puppies for the crowd to see and perhaps adopt (which did happen). Doc Cari takes care of the critters and ensures they aren't getting too hot in the Oklahoma heat.

Posted in Events and Gatherings: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view&post=542777

Saturday, June 21, 2003 9 AM to 9 PM Dale Settle; owner of Skydive Tulsa set a new Oklahoma State Record and surpassed the world record of 100 (set earlier this year by a team from South Africa) for most skydives in 12 hours from a C-182 with 104 SKYDIVES IN 12 HOURS. The entire event was set on a constant video tape with each jump logged with a date/time group stamp. Dale jumped from 2500' on each jump placed his hand on his hackey and held his altimeter in front of his face and would throw the hackey handle at 2100'. Dale had one reserve ride and was under reserve by 1200' $7,878.00 was raised for the Humane Society of Tulsa which exceeded the goal of $7,500.00. Local radio celebrities Kelley Cash & Tom Carey with K95.5 KWEN Country Radio made a Tandem jump to help raise awareness and funds for the Humane Society of Tulsa. We wish to thank; Kelley & Tom for their help over the past couple of weeks with PSA's; KOTV (Channel 6) for the news coverage; the Tulsa World for PSA's and news article after the event and our own industry magazine - USPA's "Parachutist" for helping make this event a success. Jay Stokes of Skydive Elsinore (three-time world record holder for most skydives in 24 hours) sent Dale an email of congratulations upon completing the event. Jay will attempt to surpass Mike Zang's 24 hour record of 500 skydives by skydiving 550 times in 24 hours. We want to thank Jay for his technical input on making this event a success and wish him success on Veteran's Day 2003. The event team consisted of: Packers Anthony DuBose Stacey McPherson J.P. Patronek J.R. Booth Christian Grill Mark Ketchum Rhonda Nakayama Music Tom Frits Video Dave Dishman Don Maxwell DZ Coordinator Robin Maxwell Record Keeping Toni Booth Pilots Tony McCutchan Jeff Springer Shane Summers Medical Susan Duke, DO Cari McDonald DVM Event Organizer Keith Laub

It still makes my pecker hard when an Officer rallies for the troops. De Oppresso Liber...