mdrejhon

Some spreading online buzz: Sid's Rigging Page (sponsor) GaySports.com Page Nouvel-Air Photo Newsletter (French) Parajump Discussion Thread (French) Lambda Events Listing Also conducted a couple of magazine interviews recently (for issues that will show up in 2-3 months from now). If you know of any online blogs, news websites, magazines, event listings, and other places to submit to, let me know.

When I first tested an audible (flashing LED, since I am deaf) beyond my 115th jump, I noticed I was never dependent on them. But I will get one anyway for bigway use this year. My instructors told me it was a bad thing to have an audible too early because I would become dependent on it.

Clicky: www.skyventurecolorado.com (Colorado Indoor Skydiving) (For the hurried parent that might not know where it is.) That's if your son makes the jump, likes the sky so much and wants to jump again. Since this is nearby and easier to get to, and cheaper than a tandem jump. (until your son screams "I want AFF, I want AFF, I want AFF") (AFF = Accelerated Free Fall - a "skydiving school program") Mike Mullins has a really cool airplane for jumping out of (a "King Air" airplane that climbs to altitude really fast) and this airplane is well known among skydivers, so for the sky, that's a good dropzone to go too, as well.

I chose insurance with a $500 deductible instead of a $0 deductible. Big mistake for that day. As it turned out, the replacement cost almost $500 when all taxes were included. I didn't want to cancel my tandem, so I swapped cars at the airport (it was a Sunday), and was back on my way for a tandem -- about 1 or 2 hours later.

Here is the French website: www.rainbowskydive.com/fra/ Our other official language in this country. :) Although most people will be speaking English.

Strange.... CanPara says May 19th to 21st, "Canadian Record Camp - Guy Wright" on page 19 of CanPara magazine. Website says May 20-21st, 2006 "May 20-21, 2006 - 20 Way Record Warm Ups with Plane Captain Jeff Gemmell." There's an inconsistency. Which one is correct? I guess I have to send an email to ask. Either way, I've still got it pencilled in my Calendar...

It's my understanding he's at Skydive Burnaby for the pre-80-way camps (20-ways 40-ways etc) for May 19-21, right? Problem solved maybe? I thought it was May 20-23, but I checked again -- It's really May 19-21. I'll contact him later this month, I just need to concentrate on finding a job -- that's the main fly in the ointment to my plans for world domination... um... just kidding... I got a PM suggesting I should spread out financially... But if I get a job, I'm still going to spend a lot less money training for this 80-way, than I spent last year as a first-time skydiver (freefall lessons, skydiving gear, etc). So even if I get a crappy job, the $3.5K for 100 more jumps should be no problem... (Plus any fees, reserve repack, membership renewal, gas costs that I may have to pay, of course...) I get bored very easily and need a new challenge.

Thanks for the tips... I think you more or less hit the nail of what I'm already concerned about about myself -- flying steadily to my slot without hurry and gently. I'm told I'm already "almost there" for simple 0-point 20-way, need more pratice. I sure learned a lot about what I did well and what I did NOT do well at the Deaf World Record... You're right. My concern really, more-or-less, stems from my experiences at the only "20-way camp" I have been to, and the camps are different. BillyVance admitted that a lot of people made mistakes and that they moved my slot around too much. That I could have possibly done it if things were organized a little differently. (Interestingly, at World Team, they put very experienced skydivers in the base and the less experienced ones on the outer edges. But it seems for low-jump-numbers, less experienced skydivers often go in the base, because they can't fly too well at the periphery at their newbie experience levels.) The problem is it appears that some load organizers seem too ambitious with inexperienced skydivers in a large base -- at Deaf World Record, they admitted the base was too big (chunking a 6-way out of a Casa, containing a whopping 4 relatively inexperienced and uncurrent skydivers, caused them to almost always funnel -- and in all of them someone else funneled way before I got pulled into it). I feel chunking a 6-way star containing inexperienced skydivers, is too big a chunk for a 20-way, especially if it contains inexperienced skydivers. In fact we even had to change load organizers in the middle of the Deaf World Record attempts. So they "de facto" agreed with me at the end even though I'm relatively newbie. And once the base was reduced in size, the launches became very reliable, but by then, I was cut -- it was too late -- I was moved in position in the formation way too much and the base funneled too often (I was told that none of the funnels were my fault, since another guy fell before I did, and subsequently pulled me down, funneling me, say, 2 seconds later. Anyway, I can handle being cut and it will not stop me from attending the bigway camps... Anyway - Deaf World Record was still fun and I learned a lot about how a 20-way camp works (including the dissapointed people that got cut, frustrated people because of a cancelled load due to clouds, hair pulling, improvisations to the jump design, someone missing in action, the odd reserve canopy, all-day weather holds, etc.) But bottom line, you're right: However, I bet Guy Wright will be able to identify the best skills for me - since he's doing it all the time! I hear such GREAT THINGS about Guy Wright and I'll definitely trust him if he says I fly better in the base. I realize I have to flow with the politics of a bigway... You're definitely right that I should fly in a variety of ways. I'll work on my linked Twin Otter exits, although I really want to fly unlinked too -- It's just I'm currently much more relaxed flying unlinked. That may change... Already did. Wasn't able to get any exceptions since I am just a merely relatively unknown jumper that needs to fight his way into bigway camps. Also can't swing it financially right now. Also, Guy Wright will probably be doing 40-ways-plus at the May 20-23 camps and the June 19-21 camps, so at least I'll get biggerway experience too... I'm going to try to get RW-current before then (4ways in April and whatever...) I know there will be other record attempts but if I don't have goals I get bored of skydiving. I don't want to jump solos since so many seems to freefly so I have to travel to camps anyway, and I have fun at the camps anyway

I am not sure if this should go here or in the "Safety" forum, but.... As you may have heard, there is going to be a Canadian Bigway Record Attempt on June 22-25th, 2006 this year. The registration form is at www.skydiveburnaby.com (Niagara Falls). It's one of my new driving goals in skydiving this year. (Other than me being the Rainbow Boogie 2006 Organizer) This topped popped up and I do personally need a critique on my plan... I am sending an email copy of my plan to two dropzone buddies that I know (both instructors), but I thought I'd post here for further comments from you 1000-jump wonders.

QuoteWhere, when, what 20-way camps will you go to?Page 19 of Feb/March 2006 CanPara issue. I'm going to Skydive Burnaby (near Niagara Falls, not Vancouver) May 20-23. By the way, because I need to verify that my plan to try to be a part of the 80-way is not flawed, I posted a complete reply in the appropriate thread here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2118477

Ouch. Funny, I paid a $500 insurance deductible because a flying piece of metal hit the car windshield while driving to my FIRST tandem skydive in 1997. That was knocked up into the air from the car in front of me, on the freeway. It's as if something was trying to warn me against trying my First Jump....but I persisted, got another rental car (deductible went ouch anyway) and went ahead anyway. I did lose a shoe at exit. It has never been recovered though.

naked? tube? lo(u)vers? I think the greenies are watching us. Shhhh! (Yes, I meant the structure itself as a recirculating "tube". Just finish the interior enclosures and forget the brick and mortar cover for now, and let us fly sooner. )

A few more turn vanes and tubes, and we can literally run it on the spot. Leave the cladding off. Fly in the naked wind tunnel. (No no, not flying naked, I mean a naked wind tunnel without the cladding). Who knows, you could be open this month. Okay, okay, I'll wait.

The person we love to hate (or hate to love), is MIA since February 13th, 2006. I think he's been kidnapped by aliens. Or maybe he's just preparing for his baby (Expected birth March/April 2006) with his wife. Any other conspiracy theories you might have?

That's a damn toughie. You could try going on the 28th, do the roadtrip to Montreal late on the 29th (after sleeping in very well ) and still be a part of the boogie on the 30th or 31st. Also, why not visit multiple boogies this year? There's probably boogies in your area in May or June too. I'm probably visiting a few within driving distance. Of course, this depends on your jump budget...

I took a tour of four amusement parks: Disneyland, Epcot Center, Animal Kingdom, and MGM Studios. All four amusement parks in ONE day! Without going on a ride at all. I just toured all of them. It was still fun.

I have a friend of mine who flew in that one in 1979 (or so he says). A group of friends spent $25 for a full HOUR of tunnel time...! I really meant, the FIRST in Canada in a long time.

You're right. I thought it is probably not as good, but i might as well give them a 15 or 30 minute spin when (if) they open it's a day trip that won't require an overnighter. Even if I go at the last minute such May or June. Nontheless, I can't wait to go to SkyVenture New Hampshire anyway, before or after the Canadian 80 way. :-) Also, it appears that the email address of the wind tunnel operator is at levitarium1@volrecreatif.com although I'm still waiting for a response. Hopefully they are bilingual and can understand my English email.

I'll be passing WFFC this year. My money is going to be spent towards the Canadian 80-way (need to go to about three 20-way camps before then and about an hour of wind tunnel time, to get good enough first!). It'd be interesting to see if I can get enough skills to successfully participate in the 80-way, once I start jumping in April/May/June... (a challenge, and I enjoy a challenge!) And, of course, the Rainbow Boogie.

Ok, I found the contact information: http://www.recreationalflight.com/contact_quebec.shtml It appears to say that opening is postponed. Remarkably little information is available about this windtunnel. It's not even listed on bodyflight.net at all. Anyone know the story behind this one? How did this windtunnel slip through the cracks?

I didn't know about this until today. Is this for real???? Located 1 hour north of Montreal!?! Already built it seems, and undergoing testing (it looks like it by the photos). French page: http://www.volrecreatif.com/levitarium.shtml If true, this will be Canada's only operating windtunnel!!!! I'm sure SkyVenture's design is vastly superior, but it may provide me with a way of praticing before the Canadian 80-ways in June if SkyVenture NH doesn't open before then. (Don't worry, SkyVenture -- I still wanna visit you anyway -- but a true Canadian tunnel less than 3 hours from here!) Anybody who can provide more details about this Canadian windtunnel?

Hi, Martin and I have finished with most of the French-language translation of the RainbowSkydive.com website. However, it is not public yet. This is mainly for Quebec, where the dropzone is located. (Don't worry, a lot of Montreal is bilingual, and a lot of the dropzone staff too!) If you are someone who can read French (Canadian). let me know do a little proofreading for comments, it would be very much appreciated. Send me a PM for the web address!

That's amazing to think of...(even for this 1-pie wonder...!) If it's not a low pall, suddenly finding oneself still in freefall below 1000 feet and pulling main without being unaware of a reserve baglock. Student rig (set to a higher altitude fire) with fast opening parachute? Details, please!

Between 2 and 4 years, tops.

If you have not done so yet, see www.DeafSkydivers.org -- there might already be one at your dropzone!