mdrejhon

Man. Very interesting and almost unbelievable - if accurate. I also saw videos where someone "put on a rig" in mid skydive (chuteless type jumps). So, theoretically, you don't even need to put the rig on before freefall. If he happened to be able to grab a hold of the rig before "falling out" of the distintegrating plane. That'd be only 1 second if it was under your seat (grab by leg straps). As long as you were holding onto the rig and were high enough to have time to put it on in freefall or more realistically, deploy while using some kind of a really tight lock-hold on a leg straps (like I saw in a video), deploy while hanging from leg straps, and climb into the rig under canopy. I think it was something done by Greg Gasson, right? (name may be wrong) Granted, it would take a real experienced guy to be able to do it... But I can see the danger, being the only survivor and suspiciously with a parachute, the authorities will be looking mighty scary, wondering what the hell you were up to, you'd be the prime suspect in the airplane disaster... All improbable, but interesting to ponder...

From logbook... jump 62 through 111 1 RW 9-way (100th jump) 1 RW 7-way 2 RW 6-way 12 (approx) other smaller ways (2/3/4 ways) 8 tracking pratice solos 16 (approx) other types of solo freefalls 8 hop-and-pops 2 high altitude canopy flight (~10K) 0 freefly jumps (not till next year, I wanna do big ways first)

For videos and MP3's, the Treo is pretty good. Palm is a longtime favourite of many PDA users. A good site for TREO's is at www.TreoCentral.com. The 650 is the device these days, rather than the 600. (Although there were some issues with the 650 when it first came out). Palm also announced the Treo 700 which runs Windows Mobile. Unfortunately, I find the Treo's quite fragile - they usually break on a 3 foot drop to concrete. For reliability, emails, instant messaging, and checking weather forecasts, and device durability (easily survive repeated 3 foot drops to concrete, and ability to survive a 5 foot tumbling drop onto airplane hanger concrete - true story), I would recommend a BlackBerry (The new bright-screen models, 7290, 7520, or 7250. See www.BerryFAQ.com). They finally view photographs pretty well now (unlike the older dim screen BlackBerries). However, these may be more for data addicts... There are other phone keyboard devices as well, some by NOKIA, and a new keyboard device is coming out by Motorola soon (the new Motorola "Q"). If you wait until Christmas or Spring 2006, you'll have a bigger choice, with more and better phone devices.

You forgot my name. ;-) Of course, I may be only 100 jumps and a B, but I'd like to be a part of that formation attempt. (BTW - my tracking is getting much better now. All my recent solo freefalls were all dedicated solely to tracking pratice) Yes, you need to contact everyone right away because there's not much time left before DWR. In fact, I held off buying my airplane tickets because I'm still holding out for opportunities to avoid hotel/carpool. I've got an extremely limited budget for the trip and will go camping at the dropzones if I do not find anybody to share costs with. ;)

I passed the B exam! So the B license is now "in the mail", so to speak... YAY! I was nervous I would not pass the B exam, since I thought I had a worse mark at it than the A. I ended up more than 12 percentage points mark beyond the minimum pass level (80%) which I did not expect. I almost did not make it to the dropzone (A brief 102 degree fever on Thursday) but I got well pretty quickly. This was my last chance to pass the B exam before going to Florida approx October 8th...because of CSPA application time lag. This is because I want to try to be a part of Deaf World Record 2005 at www.deafskydivers.org in Mid Oct which recommends a B license; In case you missed it, I also had my 100th jump just two weeks ago - pics of 9-way and cream pie in this thread! Note: I'm not a "100-jump wonder", I prefer to think of myself of as a "1-cream pie wonder"

Heya, who's making DWR this year? I want to be a part of it this year. I've got the required 100 jumps and B now (The B is in the mail now!).

Good news. I passed my B exam! YAY! I'm gonna pratice a bunch of jumps in a 4-way "fun competition" that appears to be scheduled this weekend (first competition, albiet just a fun DZ-arranged instead of a CSPA official one) I gotta call up Scott Miller too, since I want to also make a side trip to Skydive Deland...

I say, begin kicking out of them right away. When I had my spinning linetwists (jump 59), they were still happening when I did my first attempt at kicking. It stopped the further twisting. On the second time, I finished untwisting (I think I was done by 2500 feet) I was beginning to think of my EP's (for the first time). It was relatively minor, only about something like 540 degree linetwists, and under a novice-sized Sabre 170 canopy.

Yeah, I wanted to buy a rig with SkyHook because I heard RWS with SkyHook were among the best. I'm still tempted... Perhaps in my next rig. I pounced at a used Vector2 sold locally at the dropzone to save money. Whatever I am doing right now doesn't warrant a SkyHook as much as others (regular pull altitude of 3000 feet and a relatively docile Sabre parachute that is easy to kick spinning linetwists out of well before harddeck.) ... I know, do my EP's correctly, clearly, and briskly, and I'll typically be fine. (Haven't yet needed to try...knock on wood...don't believe in jinxes). But, yes, I'd still love a SkyHook anyway in the next rig. There will be times in future I need to pull at 2500 (i.e. bigways in the breakoff wave with the lowest pull altitudes) under a maybe smaller parachute that leaves me a lot less time for EP....

I think she did at the Media Convention at... Oh, you mean the hurricane, rather than the other Rita? Seriously, let the hurricane hit a quiet stretch of beach between two major urban centres, if it has to hit within its forecast areas. With plenty of low-population room for the bigger storm surge on the east side of the hurricane (I think). That would be best for damages, I'd think? And no, don't blame Canada for the hurricane. (This is a fellow Canadian speaking here. Wishing a hurricane to Canada is kinda silly, although a few occasionally make it all the way to the Atlantic provinces, where I don't live anyway.)

*shivers* I wish good luck to everyone there, and to be safe. Let's not make this another Katrina... It would be so sad...

Congratulations for conquering many of your fears. Do all the important safely and keep chatting to all your helpful dropzone friends (a.k.a. your favourite instructors) There are always frustrating jumps (me too), but you can get past them.

Purchased a Caribbean Cruise vacation for two as a birthday present to my better half. Mimicked a game show, intentionally rigged to win a Caribbean Cruise vacation. We are no longer a couple but we are still great friends (roommates, actually) that are comfortable and relaxed around each other. Kind of an exception to the rule.

Stop crying... I pay $35 CDN for turbine tickets ($28-$30 USD). All 13500 feet AGL minimum, some a bit higher. About half of the jumps I have ever made (~50) I made this summer are all on just a mere three Otter boogie weekends at Skydive Gananoque! I jumped 18 times on the last one. Feel lucky you're not jumping in places like Japan (About $80, and I don't think that's even turbine). (Edit: No, I didn't vote - I avoided doing so, because it is a US poll only)

Funny, that was the comparision I was thinking of...and you just answered that. I think Baseball vs Cricket is a more understandable analogy than baseball/pinball. The bats used are somewhat different, just like the parachutes used are somewhat different. Someday, I do want to try BASE -- but I'm now convinced to wait a long time, plenty of time under an accuracy canopy, do BASE school, and try a jump such as Bridge Day.

The main different thing that happened is that I did get my reserve repacked recently, and I think the main got packed too. When I pack, I don't roll the nose, but I roll the tail tight (7-8 complete rolls, which would be about 14-16 tight folds). I'm going to continue packing like normal for predictably brisk openings (not hard, not too soft), but may later slowly experiment with varying tightnesses of rolling the nose/tail (after consulting the riggers)

Broken link. I think the link got messed up by a copy-and-paste rather than right-click and select "Copy Link" (so that the whole URL is copied, rather than the condensed version with ellipsis)

I will call, but I am afraid of the insurance companies overreacting when I tell them I am a skydiver. I'll call and ask about exclusions first before bringing up the subject. Suggestion on the sequence of questions would be appreciated;

I saw it back in the 1990's, and thought it would be fun to watch it again a couple months ago as a real skydiver. I see the movie as pretty corny now, but I just had to see it again. Man, they used a lot of old equipment. (Including pre-3-ring rigs!)

An amusing technicality, but let's play safe, as they're liable to read the hospital report that might include a mention of ".... broken femur, 2 breaks, was picked up by ambulance at ACME Whuffomax Skydiving Adventures Inc ...." Does any fellow Canadians have experience with these two insurance companies though?

I've been packing to the point where my Sabre 170 is opening "predictably brisk" (where I like it now, more or less). Well. Except for this opening. One opening was...."weird". A slow gentle pillow soft opening with four collapsed end cells (two on each ends). I reinflated them with a good pull on rear risers and subsequently pulling the toggles once I ascertained it was safe to unstow them. I can't remember altimeter readings at the time, but I remember being fully open about 1000 feet from the pull. I quickly forgot about it, so didn't ask riggers, since my usual pull is 3000 feet and was fully inflated by harddeck... Rather than the "Sabre slammer", have anyone ever gotten the "surprise Sabre snivel"? I just found it funny my canopy would do that to me so unexpectedly. Much softer than usual, it seemed, a bit too lazy of an opening for my liking due to collapsed end cells... Otherwise, it was fun to have some unscheduled jumps from a spontaneous visit to the dropzone.

I am currently redundantly insured at two health insurance companies for supplemental health insurance (I pay about $100 per month to Ontario Blue Cross healthcare/dentalcare, even though I now have Great West Life healthcare/dentalcare provided by my employer). (This is for paid supplemental insurance beyond the existing Canadian default health insurance system) I have not cancelled my Blue Cross, because I'm currently not sure what I may not be covered in regards to skydiving. From what I read, there *seems* to be some default parachuting exclusion on the website of both health insurance companies. Before I make phone calls, does anyone know about either Ontario Blue Cross versus Great West Life friendliness to insuring skydivers? If I accidentally break a bone during skydiving while I travel to Florida this October, I would appreciate being covered. Comments?

Audible altimeter for a first jump? People tell me I should not become dependant on devices (You know about the willingness to jump without an AAD, etc). Then again, maybe only for tandem jumps it may be an excellent idea under a strictly training wheel perspective only -- once the student is in AFF, the "training wheel" of an audible should definitely come off... Besides, I am deaf, I could not depend on an audible, but I understand what people mean about device dependency...

Gee, according to dex's profile, he is a D license holder and has his own personal website (with his own WFFC pics). Is that really him?

His first name is Edward and, no he is not a skydiver. (Though he enjoyed hearing about my skydiving experiences!) He lived only 10-15 minutes walk away from the historic parts of New Orleans and I was supposed to make my first visit to New Orleans, and he offered to host me. I am pondering what I should do. - Try not to think about it about it because I cannot do anything (this is very hard for me to do...) - Try to hunt for him on all of the many registries. - Just wait and hope for the best. I am not going to call the parents (or get someone to call for me) anytime soon again because I am afraid of intruding them again since they don't know me. They would not even take my own phone number to pass along, they just said he cannot contact me. Maybe I should just write a handwritten letter to his name through his parents address and see what happens... They'd likely hold onto it for as long as it takes for him to recover and then the letter would be read eventually.... I would take him into Canada and take care of him if I knew how to reach him...