grimmie

You were a victim of "I'm not a doctor, but I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night"! So many unqualified people have tried to help out over the years that some DZO's are leary of letting anyone run out that they don't know. It happened to me once and I chatted with the DZO over a few cold ones later that evening. I ended up helping out with their emergency plan and getting them some first aid gear. Once a DZO knows you and your qualifications you'll end up being vital to the program at any DZ. Just my 2 pennies worth.

Everyone does it, so it must be fun. Just think how fun a living funeral would be if you were dying of some horrible disease. Gather all of your pals and have an old style Dean Martin roast. Have your friends tell all of the cool things about you, make fun of you and celebrate your life. Drink lots, laugh your ass off, have a great meal and get laid all night. Wake up the next AM hung over smelling like sex and feeling really crappy, but smiling ear to ear. Get on a plane with a bunch of your pals and make a final leap over the ocean. No rig. Feed the fishes. The End. Everyone wants to meet Jesus, nobody wants to die to get there...

I don't have any details,just looking for interest, but yes, we have a number of flying firemen at Perris. And John Deere, good point!

I am thinking about hosting a fireman four way scramble event at Perris. It would be open to full time, paid call and vollies. Fire Prevention Week seems appropriate. Any interest? Of course there will be free beer for participants!

Skymama, here is your personal invitation to LP. What the hell are you waiting for?

LP...and bring some poker $$$$

I think Sonic should stay out of his helmet ads and hire a cute chic instead, JMHO.

About 15 years ago I followed a guy on a round reserve ride down. He pounded in on the West side of the runway at Eloy. He just missed a barbed wire fence but broke his ankle in a dramatic crash landing...I mean PLF...

Yeah, but packer Reggie only lost 6 bucks! that's why I like being a fireman. No one tells us what to do except the chiefs. We just ignore them!

2000??? Are you sure???? I am getting old and senile!!!! See you this summer Andrew.

Camarillio airspace is the busiest arrival corridor for LAX from the north. Interesting.

Edmonton, Canada. 15 years ago, maybe. Winds came up and the "show" went on. All pretty experienced jumpers. Shell666 was there. pm her about it.

I agree with you about flaring earlier and having 3 seconds of flare instead of nearly none. I also agree that 10 seconds earlier wasn't the earliest he could have usefully flared. My point was that for his ability level he should have released his fronts 10 seconds earlier. The other point is that stabbing his brakes only 1-2 seconds sooner would "probably" have put him into that high speed angled impact that I have witnessed over and over. I'm amazed he made it through with "only" a broken back.

He was on his fronts through a left hand turn until you see him release from what I was told.

I agree with the flare hard when all else fails. However we are speaking of this incident only. 1-2 seconds earlier he stabs the brakes it would have created drag, thus swinging his body forward at an increasing speed. My point is that-on this jump, 1-2 seconds earlier would have put him into a high speed angle right into a flip through his lines. Unfortunately I have witnessed it many times. The way he impacted he should also have been more severly injured. Sometimes we can't just beat dumb luck. Maybe he would have pounded in with no injuries if he stabbed them a second or two sooner, but I really doubt it. The moral of the story, don't hold front risers down until 20ft.

He lets go of his front risers at about 20-25ft it seems. I'm not sure how fast he was turning left on his approach. 10 seconds(maybe just over 100ft) earlier "probably" would have given him a long fast swoop down the LZ. Being a 150 he would have plenty of flare, but run it out to a fall, since he didn't have much experience. I never look at an alti, I just use my eyes to judge what is happening on landing. I flew a Sabre 190 for almost 1,700 jumps and then a Stilletto 150 for another 1,500+ jumps. I fly a Katana 120 now and think it's the nicest opening and flying canopy for me. I had a LONG discussion yesterday at the DZ about the hurry to downsize everyone has these days. Videos like this accident should play in all of the gear stores around the world as a reminder. For everyone reading this thread, think about it. That guy crashed in ELOY, nothing around for MILES. If you downsize and land out will you be able to avoid obstacles and put it down in a tight area? I also agree with Ficus and some of the other folks responding here, you can't measure common sense when putting folks on smaller canopies.

Up thread januszPS stated about starting a flare 1-2 seconds earlier for a more favorable outcome. Only 1-2 seconds earlier on this particular jump would have generated a huge amount of forward speed at a very low altitude, resulting in a feet/legs, head, feet legs landing, IMHO. He was very lucky to impact the softest spot in the entire LZ. I spoke with the event organizer yesterday about this incident. 10 seconds earlier would have been a run out with a PLF at the end probably. Just my opinions, as on one can't predict the "what ifs". signed, Katana owner WL @1.75

The jumper piles in almost straight down. Watch the video. If he releases his front risers and stabs the brakes hard 2 second sooner he now becomes a pendulum. He would swing forward rapidly and impact the ground at a higher rate of speed. He may have been able to PLF his way to minor injuries if he got off of the risers about 10 seconds earlier.

The jumper was on his front riser through a carving turn and held them until about 25 feet above the ground. 1-2 seconds earlier of release may have killed him for sure. He would have had even more speed and impact at a 45 degree(+ or- 10 degrees!) angle. Thus creating the old time honored tradition of feet, head, feet through the risers landing. That is usually a femur or two, a broken neck and a busted wrist or two. I have witnessed that technique about 20 times. He should have flown a conservative approach on a 190. But since he was on a wrong canopy for his skill level he should have flown a conservative approach and risked flaring a bit high and running it out. IMHO.

I don't see some newbie watching that video thinking they could get away with doing same. I would imagine he broke his back at minimum.

How come it didn't flare? Watch the video and try to stop it between 16-17 seconds. It looks like he was in a carving turn and on the front risers, letting them go WAY to low. A Katana "hunts" the ground a bit more than other canopies. After just over a thousand leaps on a Stilletto I went to a Katana. It was hard to judge my landings the first 10-15 jumps on it. Sub 400 jump folks shouldn't be flying one. I'm glad he didn't kill himself or the other guy in the LZ.

"Bar dives" into the crowd seem to liven up a boogie. Free booze always makes for fun entertainment. I have 14 cases of free rum ready for next months pool party! Cameras have killed the spontaneous fun at boogies. When the boogie video went out from the LP 25th year (the wildest boogie of all time, IMHO), a lot of people were pissed that so much bar footage was in it. It killed the future fun. So a nightly camera and cell phone ban, free booze and a bonfire should be enough! Where do we sign up?

Shhhhh....who would ever have fun at boogie like this???? I have 2 slots remaining Chuck! Should I reserve you a room???

The Democrats are using the financial meltdown for their gain just as the Republicans wrapped themselves in September 11th to raid Iraq and scare the populace into re-election. And +2, Reagan was a moron. We can start an entire thread on that bumbling idiot if you would like. And to think I voted for him...

It will be her best landing of all time! I have 4 slots still available.