strop45

"Most of these websites are fraudulent and do not represent real skydive centers. Be advised that the skydive centers listed on this page in RED are affiliated with 1 800 Skyride and should not be patronized. The Skydive Centers highlighted in Orange are NOT affiliated with 1 800 Skyride and are very reputable and we highly recommend them!" Wow talk about mixed messages!!! Most are frauds, but some we highly recommend... The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

I suspect that he made a SL jump from 4.000 feet. He either is confused about the number (most of the world uses metric and does not know a foot from a cm) or simply go it wrong. Its also possible that he said 4,000 and somehow it sounded like 40,000? The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Reread DSE's post, it looks to me like he was giving an example of why a list is a bad idea, not actually attacking you. I'm with DSE on the problems of a list and the solution seems straightforward to me: 1) Man up (or woman up) and talk to the person face to face about your concerns 2) If this doesn't work, say to them OK, I'll have to take this to the DZO - they are ultimately responsible for safety at this DZ. 3) No action from DZO, decide how important this is to you then either do nothing or find others to agree with you and talk to DZO or stay off DGIT loads or find a new DZ. Seems simple to me. Stay safe or kia kaha (be strong) The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Whats your objection to kicking your legs? This is the first I've heard of it, and I'm with Andy and Chuck on this one. Its something you can do with minimal effort and I think it would be useful. At a boogie I got caught out of position (downwind and struggling to get back). I ended up joining the pattern face to face with the other jumpers and a little low. I watched a jumper who was about 200 or 300' higher than me turn across the wind and turned to follow him... He then turned 180 degrees and flew straight back at me. I was aware of him throughout his turns, but would have much happier to know he had seen me. I wasn't in any danger, but given his strange 180 degree turn had to give him lots of room as I considered he hadn't seen me. If I had known he could see me, I would have been able to fly closer to him. Did I need to fly closer? On this occasion no, but if I had been 100' lower then I would have been looking either flying closer to him or landing on a building or a road with power wires all over the place. Stay safe The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Exactly!, Thanks And they were ultimately found guilty .... The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

See http://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/243595-fatal-crash-blamed-incorrectly-assembled-tail-rotor-drive-shaft.html The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

I suspect that the plane rides have done more damage to your hearing than the freefalls. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

http://www.nzaerosports.com/massive-information/25-ways-to-become-a-better-canopy-pilot Not sure if this has already been posted, but contains lots of useful info. Stay safe The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

No, but posting questions here rather than asking your instructors may.... The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Yip, that's exactly the way most of my radio instructions went. This was enough to correct me :-) The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

+1 This is what these people do for a living. Sparky On the + side, if they are wasting time replying to you, sending you documents, checks etc, then they aren't scamming someone else :-) The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

I'm not a lawyer, but IMO, not putting the closing loop through the Cutter is gross negligence. It's a simple action, clearly understood by everyone, and doesn't particularly depend on a level of skill or expertise. I would reasonably expect every rigger to do this. Perhaps my expectations of service and your differ? The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

So if you were in a car accident where the brakes failed, you would assign no liability whatsoever to the mechanic who had just serviced them. After all if you hadn't of driven the car, or if you had used the handbrake or turned the key off the car wouldn't have crashed. It seems to me that a student (or any skydiver hiring equipment) can reasonably expect that the it was put together by an expert and that if there's an AAD, it is functional. Of course if they had pulled silver or hadn't jumped we wouldn't be tapping away on our keyboards, but in my view that doesn't excuse the rigger's failure to route the closing loop through the AAD, nor should a waiver excuse gross negligence. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Because most people don't have a clue who Newton was, let alone what Newtonian physics is. The 45 degree rule still lives and being right, logical, provable, etc is no use against blind faith and 'years of experience'. Boy did I get laughed down and told what I didn't know when I suggested RW should exit before free fliers..."but they're falling faster"...It took your calculator and a session with the DZO to get this changed and enforced.. The 45 degree rule lives on, probably because the time it takes to look gives some separation The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

+1, although it seems to me for most practical purposes to do with skydiving you can ignore the effect of momentum and just look at relative airspeed. With a slope soarer with a strong crosswind, there is a difference in the way the plane turns on upwind to downwind versus downwind to upwind, even though they are both in the same speed airflow. Going upwind to downwind the momentum gets converted into lift and in the other direction you need to loose height to maintain airspeed. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

One of the few advantages of getting older is that there are more good looking women around :-) The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

So its easier to barrel roll and maintain the efficiency and direction of your track than to glance at your altimeter and do the same? Also when you are barrel rolling and someone deploys below you??? IMO, better to track like your life depends on it and scan forward, down and around you than to waste time barrel rolling. When getting ready to deploy have a good look around while waving like a madman... The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

IMO, using an audible during canopy flight is a very useful way to calibrate your eyeballs. Sure you can do it without one, but you will make more mistakes while you are calibrating your mark1 eyeball. Those of you who have x thousand jumps and >10 years in the sport have well calibrated eyeballs. Personally I have use an Optima, just in the same way I use my altimeter, it gives me some references, but turns are setup according to experience and eyeball, not the beep. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

The AFF pull signal used here is a closed fist in front of instructors face moving towards you (pull now or I'll rearrange your face) - very effective when the AFF instructor's other job is as a bouncer at a local nightclub The usual signal used at my DZ for being deep is to point at the ground. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

One factor which you don't mention explicitly is differential speed (i.e. the closing speed) between canopies. If everyone is flying more or less the same pattern at more or less the same speed, then collisions are less likely to occur as there is time for avoidance. History shows that this works. As the closing speed increases, time reduces and the opportunities for seeing the other canopy and altering course reduce. So what factors increase closing speed: Wing loading: a canopy loaded at 2.0 flies roughly 40% faster than a canopy loaded at 1.0 Pattern: Flying in different directions - two canopies loaded at 1.0 flying towards each other will have 2.5 times the closing speed of a canopy loaded at 2.0 flying up behind a canopy loaded at 1.0. Induced speed: The faster you are going, the faster the closing speed and hence you have less time available and you need more space to avoid a collision. IMO, banning small canopies and/or swooping isn't the best way forward, it lies in better separation between faster and slower canopies and rules relative to the size of dropzone and aircraft. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

But....but.....but.....they aren't your instructors, many of whom still teach the 45 degree rule and will shout down any newbie who dares to suggest it doesn't work...THE %^^%%!!! INTERNET...I'VE BEEN USING IT FOR 25 YEARS AND 25,000 JUMPS FOOL..... The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Alternatively take 10 days, head down to Motueka and get it over in one go. There are advantages to doing your entire AFF/1st 25 jumps in one go. blue ones Wayne The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Do students and tandems get to follow that same policy? At my dropzone, yes. At the end of the day, this practice may be legal, and there may be reasons for it but.... It pisses the customers off, this isn't a good way to ensure that your business thrives. Anyone heard of customer service? To me that's giving customers what they want and will pay for...Not taking their money and giving them....? Not being able to jump is enough of a downer without leaving them feeling ripped off. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Personally I'm not a great fan of random testing except...... I've worked in the electricity distribution sector for over 30 years and in the time I've worked with a wide range of people. There have been (and continue to be) people who everyone knows have drug and alcohol problems and who work impaired and therefore place everyone's safety at risk. In practice it can be very difficult to prove they are impaired (i'm just tired, its low blood sugar etc etc...) and having the ability to undertake "random" blood tests (which occur when it looks like they are impaired) is one tool in forcing them to front up to the problems and either get help or try an occupation where others don't depend on you for their safety. The whole drugs are no worse than alcohol, being tired is the same as drunk/off your head etc doesn't cut much ice with me, neither does the turn a blind eye because that will put punters off. If you have a problem, deal with it or go elsewhere, if you are drinking/using and leaving enough time between this and work to really sober up, then great, carry on... Blue Skies The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

Disagree with the exception of "fewer than full" the rest sound OK/acceptable to me. A glass can definitely have less than 100 ml of beer in it. The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein