Trae

in reply to" have read a bunch of political bs that is petty. While sad and unfortunate, it is a part of our sport that will ALWAYS be around due to the personality types our sport attracts. There have been a lot of great points made, I am not picking on the previous replies, but they are all excellent points that have been made before. " ........................................... Such political ( selectively anti-social ) BS is what can ground a wingsuiter. I've seen it happen more than once now . Bringing up distasteful issues in public often seems to bring out the automatic ' you're just the same ' type reactions. This deflects the issue into reactionary woffle. The dodgy BMi issue remains for some of us. What to do about it.?? *Dodge the beggars ..don't go on their dives .. they mostly don't work and you'll get the blame for their stuff-ups. *Don't let them dress you up in wingsuits that don't fit you properly ..it's not safe and you're the one who's paying. *If you can learn how to fly a wingsuit from a BASE flyer. They fly like their life depends on it and it often does. This whole thing about BMI wingsuiters assuming positions of power in the wingsuiting world when they don't deserve or haven't earnt them is an issue that could in the long term discredit the whole lot of us. It's already having its effects. I've heard newish people talking about this very issue and they weren't happy. They said things like wingsuitings cool but the bullies that do it suck. Thankfully some of us won't just suck other people's shyt without saying it stinks . Seeing the genuinly well rounded individuals operate makes it obvious when the small brain swell heads get in charge. Ok they're not on your DZ??? Lucky you. There's no shortage of them out here. Everywhere you turn there's Mr swell head pretending like he invented the sport . It'd be cool if they delivered but they don't know how to look after anyone but themselves. Political BS .....sure is.

EXTREME KARMA GAMES FINAL

in reply to who has experiance of a bag lock , and did it stand you up in your harness?? ........................................... Yep ...I've had a couple of bag locks. One with a Paracommander (thick lines through thick bands ) and another that some-one gave to me by doubling my bands. Neither one stood me up. The overpowering feeling is that it's not slowing you down at all though it does tug at your shoulders a little. Stability issues for cutaway & reserve deployment are fairly minimal as it's definite where the lines, bag and P/C are ...ie above you. Don't muck around trying to shake it out or anything stupidly gung-ho...just get rid of it and bang out that reserve.

in reply to ""Crazy". Does anyone else have a similar outlook to mine, or my friends correct in labeling me as such?" .................... crazy...crazed ..as in a fine crystal vase thats taken one knock too many????.......Mmmm probably correct ..but that's the price of admission round here. The skydivers pretending they're sane are good for a laugh. Stop doing something you love...now that's crazy.

If it was a static line or PC assist instead of a short delay there would be no argument. Heaps fewer variables on the BASE jump into water compared to the skydive. It could come down to the BASE pack job v's the multitude of things that could go wrong on a 1st solo skydive. If the BASE packer was superlative there would be no question....the BASE would be safer just like army static lines from low altitude having such extreme safety records.

in reply to"Well, I've decided to quit quitting. " .................................. Must've been the people you were jumping with 'cause the sport itself has always been much the same. Planes parachutes adrenaline and gravity. Trouble is there's really nothing else quite like it . Good luck with your latest incarnation. ps it can be more fun kicking a bit of groundhog ass occassionally..... they deserve it... let 'em have it.

in reply to " You bunch of pussies. 06 aint looking to be an exciting year on dz.com. Where's the perversion? The personal attacks? The little cry baby squabbles? The moderator abuse? " ................................................. Lead the way dude by havin' a serious go yourself buddie..instead of this small minded inane chatter that sounds like my puppy squealing at a butterfly. ya mixed with anything lately other than innocent unarmed insects ?????? why don't you tell us about it. We all need some new targets Could be you

in reply to "Then you'll go there and get kidnapped and killed by crazy people who pay $25,000 to kill an American!!! Hey-o!!" ............................................... This can happen anywhere these days to any-one who even LOOKS American. Being at war with drugs crime terror and everything else non-american sort a keeps you on your toes a bit. Happy trippin' round the world.

OK didn't really want to tar every BMI with the same brush. Didn't even want to tar the powermad BMI groundhogger but he would have been side-lined (not grounded ) in my team....not put in charge. I'm kinda used to being in company where I can speak my mind without worrying too much about little ego bursts. If I get it wong I get told. This makes it nice and simple ...usually. The best times I've had on the ground and in the air are when every participant feels that their input and presence is no more or less significant or valued than any others..... as in functional teamwork . If some big headed BMi gets in the way of this I'll be having my say . He got the message at the time and that was that . For me this is a discussion of said behaviour not said person. Like others i would be interested in the other side of the story . Like why do these types feel they have to BS there way through the air.? If they aren't humble enough to openly admit they can learn from others then how did they get so far? The aura of imagined perfection looks silly when you see the rest of their life. Relying on little social tricks to maintain a position of assumed power is sorta pathetic. It is good to realise all BMi's aren't so afflicted and that a lot even appear very highly skilled in personal matters as well as flying da suits. Pity there's not more like you guys. ....but then we're all working on that aren't yas.

Funnily enough sometimes a good freefall and solid opening fixes me good. Whether it's the adrenaline or the instant chiropractor on opening I don't know. oh & I left out the bit about having a good friend who really knows how to massage .... when you really need it....................deep heat ciao

in reply to "I never saw the use for BMIs in the first place. i mean seriously... what do they do? " ............................. Some of them do very little indeed except for feathering their own nest. I've noticed that there is a tendency for some/most to get in the wingsuit world just to have serious fun but some bring the most wobbly BS from the relative work ,freeflying , tandem or even style and accuracy worlds with them. I particularly dislike the ones that never learnt to fly properly in flatty relative world and then just cause they've got 100 wingsuit flights think they've somehow learnt to get relative. These types can waste a lot of your money while you pay them to learn what they're trying to teach you.

in reply to " It's a dangerous sport, unforgiving of errors. That's never going to change. And it will continue to attract the sort of people who prefer pushing the envelope. I don't see any way around this reality. " ............................. yeah got to agree ...the thing is there are degrees of danger. OK most of our leadership may be responsible and most of the dummies may not listen.......but who's in charge????? I've seen DZSO's that grounded me as a kid for hook turning 230's allowing low timers to do what they want now including ultra light BASE on DZ's. These same geriatrics just don't have the balls to say SLOW DOWN to the the current generation. It's easy I was grounded often enough to know that all you need is the will to reduce the accident quota...and the balls to open your mouth . It's very hard to see past some of our leaders conflicts of interests given all the money they've made out of the sport. Sure it's dangerous...always was .... but it doesn't have to get more dangerous to keep it going ...does it? Heaps of people have done the hard yards to make skydiving so accessible and relatively safe. Now small canopies and small minds seem hell bent on making it all super dangerous again. The dumb ass newbie on the 95 may just take out you or your friends . Acceptable risk.............??????

yep .. life as a chronic pain sufferer sucks a bit . Being grumpy and sore all the time kinda wears out & sorts out your friends a bit too. After a bit of a bump and squash (non-skydiving incident) I was left feeling it for ever apparently. One thing that helped me heaps was the 'Alexander Technique.' This involves being totally conscious of the position and movement of you body during every action.. however menial. By getting into and maintaining the best posture available to you the pain of everyday life can subside a fair bit.. This is because your body has to learn new movements now that it has been damaged. When these new movements become habit some improvement in general well-being may result.(I got lucky ) All the chemical pain killers in the world only ruined my sense of self reliance. After cutting out every chemical drug from my system I found I could manage the pain better and learn my new limits. Under the hold of powerful pain killers this is not possible. I also found they ruined my internal bits things like digestion etc. Another thing was a few visits to a iridologist and naturapath who recommended slight changes in my diet and some herbal supplements. taste yukky but they did seem to help. Unfortunately one of the best medicines I found can get you 20years behind in most westerns countries . When you gotta have it though there's nothing better than a nice bit of bush herb.... green valium .......no chemical additives and does it ever make those chemicals look stupid. Enjoy ..............life in pain aint fit for a dog.

in reply to Skybytch's "If you aren't willing to do more than bitch about it on an internet forum you are as much a part of the problem as are those who continue to "advise" new jumpers to buy and fly canopies that are beyond their ability to fly and land safely. " ............................ .... kinda had my attention there until you slipped into your namesake with the bytchy stuff. Talking about this here however wobbly it be is slightly more than a bitch. I've been impressed with the standard of reply and feel good that something is being done about this issue not just mindlessly disregarding it.. The idea that this issue is localised seems to point to a localised experience level. People ambitions getting ahead of their abilities is as old as sport skydiving and probably a few 100,000 years or more older than that. My main point is that SOME of our so called leaders are irresponsible . Most of them must be pretty good otherwise things would be much worse. Gear and procedural developements have drastically reduced gear and prodcedural fatalities & incidents. Now I feel we all need some brain developement in the caring department so we can get on top of the stupidity of hook turn deaths in our sport. It's my feeling that such unecessary deaths emanate from a basically careless consciousness sprouted by some that can easily influence young impressionable skydivers. Good on you people out there that are showing a better way. It's good to know that you'll be here for a good time and a long time.

Ringing back and forth to the police can work but often they don't know who to believe. Sometimes the crims are very good at manipulating police officers cause they've often had more practice than law abiding citizens. & they now what gets action and what doesn't. I've personally seen such things get to court and one man's word against another's can be very hard to beat. If it's the baddy and his Mrs against a single guy then the single guy often looks guilty. You'd want to hope you got a well seasoned police officer who doesn't jump to any conclusions if you get caught up so.

This sheet happened to me .....nuts and all.

in reply to "discuss" Ninja's are/were farmers that found 1001 ways to spread fear with poison and sharpened bamboo . Now they have mutated into hired killers with supernatural powers . Those nippo farmers sure did a good PR job.

in reply to 'I’m still here, as always, willing to listen, intolerant of error. S’long for now, Don ............................. Nice reply . I suppose bringing this up here is a bit of a bleat into nothingness but already it feels a bit better having a bleat. I've just had to watch another skydiver die from hitting the ground too hard under a perfectly good canopy sold to him by a perfectly good company. resuscitate ????.......the guys legs were hanging out his ears. If this was just an unusual accident then sure some of the less caring replies to my concerns may be quite reasonable. The thing is it's not unusual at all and nothing seems to be being done about it. The skydiver misjudged his landing.etc etc etc etc etc etc No-ones responsible for it that's the problem what I'm getting at. A perfectly good life is lost just because some irresponsible pace setters make out it's all acceptable, Acceptable risk. unacceptable behaviour. And there's no leader big enough to say enough is enough ...... this is no longer acceptable in a caring world. What am I gonna do about it????? I encourage my students to stick with a nice slow parachute until around 100 jumps . If they exhibit dangerous tendencies then they'll be going that much slower and won't be such a danger to the rest of us either. I had my crashes as a young un and was grounded for much less than what passes for OK now . I lived because my parachute only went about 30mph. If I'd been under a pocket rocket I'd be a statistic not a pain in the proverbial . It appears that todays leaders don't have the responsible attitudes that they should have given their positions of power and influence. Of course there are many exceptions to this. Unfortunately they are usually a very small voice lost in the winds of change. Where is the reward for proving safe consistent behaviour. ? HP canopies could be just such a reward ..after proving yourself as a responsible skydiver ...not just by flashing plastic.$$ Be at the next USPA meeting and voice my concerns????? Why should I have to??? What's happened to the voice of reason .? My guess is it's been replaced with $$$$$$$ talking. ho hum it was a beautiful funeral .........again.

It appears to me that there is a definite lack of responsible leadership in our sport. 'GO FOR IT'....'GO FAST" .... "JUST DO IT" these are the leaders mottos of our current crop. IT's ALL GOOD........such motto sprouting people must have their heads up their dark places. eg's of irresponsible leadership and self regulation. eg1 newbies having unrestricted access to high performance canopies. This is like giving a baby a loaded hairtrigger handgun. Who's idea was it to have a free reign for inexperienced people to use whatever gear their inexperience tells them to.??? eg 2 AFF pushing students through the course too quickly not allowing time for newbies to absorb sufficient information. 30 jump people with sabres chopping up the sky is who's delusional dream other than the manufavctureres ???? Just because you've finished your AFF doesn't mean you know how to skydive responsibly. eg 3 Low jump number people let loose on the wingsuiting world by low jump number BMi instructors. I've really enjoyed being told how to skydive by a 6month 300 jump wonder who couldn't even spot....NOT. eg 4 self regulation has done very little about cutting down on the canopy control fatalities issue. Can our regulators and leaders be trusted to have our best interests at heart.?? From their track record I think NOT. Who's gonna put the brakes on ... it won't be the Go For It crowd that's for sure ..especially with the smell of blood in the air. Dodging speedy wicked little drugged up skydivers is getting VERY boring. Who's got some sense out there.....GET IN CHARGE.

I can fully relate to your fears. A little while ago I ordered a brand new top of the range latest model rig . This rig was gonna be the newest hottest thing I'd ever owned. When it was due the dealer started making the weakest excuses why it hadn't turned up yet. After several more weeks of 'it's in the mail' Ii started thinking about taking a little flight to face the guy. My fear was that he and his mates were happily jumping my brand new rig and that they were having too much fun to let me have it yet. The canopy was the first of it's type in the country and I was gonna be majorly pissed if it had the slightest sign of wear when it finally arrived. It did arrive 2months late after being told it'd only take 2 weeks cause of ordering stock items. I checked every stitch and decided that i was just lied to not openly decieved as such. They still lied about the delivery date though so no go thru him againo.

in reply to "If you're going to throw accusations out there like you have, you might as well throw it all out there. " _________________________________________ It's obvious you're an all or nothing type of guy. I'd prefer to discuss the issues and gripes I've raised rather than making it all super personal by naming the BMi ego trippers I've observed. In my experience such behaviour as I've desrcibed is not uncommon in skydiving . It appears to me that a large number of BMi's seem more interested in blowing their own trumpet than actually doing well planned skydives that involve team work. The overpowering feeling I was left with after a few days in their company was that the wingsuit experience was all about a few personalities rather than the flying and fun. eg it felt to me like " do as I say" " get in line " "speak when spoken to " Hero worshipping is so old and over for me...especially when the hero dives suck so biggly. It's all about them ... not enough about US. Has any-one else had such ego-centric issues to get out of the way so good skydiving can happen? If so how did you deal with it? besides emmigrating .... By the way my little "gripes" aren't accusations they are observations .... and from talking with others not just MY personal views either.

This is kinda like being a sideways devils advocate ......... beware... If you're a little crim here's a little trick to use against those gun totin' law abidin' citizens. When you get scared away from criminal intent by gun totin' honest folk get along to the constabulary and report said honest folk for shooting at you putting you in fear of your criminal life. The perlice will be honor bound to investigate and if the honest folk tell the truth about firing their gerns to scare you away then the perlice will disarm the honest folk for you. You can now go about your criminal behaviour without fear of being shooted . However you will now have to watch out for - objects falling from the roof, motor vehichles rolling over the top of you, dogs tearing you up a bit, children hoping to catch you with their toys, my granny with her ww1 historical piece, getting locked in funny little airless rooms, and just about every heavy sporting article or work tool which may be directed towards your soft bits. Hope trying to nick my whipper snipper is worth it.

in reply to The content of this post is about the biggest pile of tripe and false claims I have seen for a long time. --------------------------------------------------------- When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray. .............................. Australia is a country full of the haves and the have nots. The have nots obviously have a VERY different view to the haveit alls. It's just more of the same for most of us ... oh boo hiss some-one got attacked at Cronulla . big deal. I've had a life of watching my friends and family attacked and victimised by an uncaring country full of 'drive over the top of them' couldn't give a flying *@#% yobbo's . you think it's tripe ? ....... that uncaring attitude is nothing new to a lot of us When the people look like ants .....that's them eating you.

in reply 2 "It sounds like there could be more information to this story unfortunatly. Care to post it? " .............. uh huh... the main missing bits are the names of the people involved. The grounded guy needed help not discouragement. The BMi's didn't display the necessary instructing skills including the BMi CI. It's my guess that a bit of a personality clash may have exacorbated the situation. Being close to this happening made it unpleasant for others as well as the 'victim'. as far as I know the g.guy was flying his own suit. Other low level behaviour noticed from a couple of BMi's(one a CI )-- behind your back put downs . it's not real nice hearing wrong/bad things about people you've been jumping quite happily and successfully with. -- taking over dirt dives organised by others (and stuffing up the dive ) and somehow being allowed to do it again and again always blaming some poor sucker. --their girlfriends taking you out and publicly blaming you for it at the debrief. --confusing conflicting instructions on jump run eg constant changing of circuit directions and exit orders -- very little actual relative work skills ( I know some of these BMI guys were never any good at relative work ) --blame shifting -even with video to prove otherwise it was difficult to pin the real culprits down -- -- the BMi load organiser couldn't be found after any particularly bad flock to determine what was happening . -- In amoungst this bird-crap some good flocks were still achieved ...... after kneecapping the BMI birdgod shyts.

This sort of shyt has been happening in Orstralia ever since the stinky caucasians landed on those beaches 200 years ago. Now they report it ..............that's the only difference. Such social violence used to be hushed up and hidden just like the aboriginal massacres. Watch out if you travel alone in Australia particularly Nth Qld as there you could dissappear and no-one would even bother looking for you unless you were rich or famous. News .yeah right.