kschilk

Welcome! Enjoy! I have the highest respect for the Australians. The wild things they do and they do it all, you know.....upside down! Awesome! "T'was ever thus."

It sounds like it has definitely changed a lot, since I was there! There wasn't much of a town, to speak of....a few stores, on the strip. There was a K-mart, Church's Chicken....I think there was a McD's, by K-mart but I can't swear to it. The other stores didn't matter, anyway. They opened, sometime between 10 AM and 1 PM but it didn't matter, when they opened.....they were all closed, by 2 PM....regardless. There was an indoor shooting range, on the strip. It was about the only thing open, after 2 PM. I spent a lot of time there. We didn't have a car so we had to walk everywhere....plus, we had 2 kids. It was a little rough, at times but not so bad. It sure rained a lot, though. Three times isn't bad, considering....most don't make it. It clearly wasn't a "luck of the draw" thing, you obviously earned it....just had to wait for a slot, to open up. I joke a lot, about officers but really....I probably hung out more, with them....than I did with the enlisted guys. LDOs make the best officers, in my opinion. I'm not saying that, just because you happen to be one. I've seen a lot. I'll try to give you a Readers' Digest version of my short career. I wouldn't be surprised if it somewhat parallels your own....before you made LDO. I'll try to send it by private message. The Navy was a good time, for me but all modesty aside....I was good, for the Navy. I was a "lifer"....terminal four-oh. I hated to leave. I think you'll understand why I had to, though. Were you serious, about your Daughter, Wife and Mother in Law....the tandems? I won't let my wife jump, she's just not the type. She's Russian and very athletic but she doesn't follow instructions, so well. I have 2 sons, 2 daughters and 8 grandkids...that's a comfortable King Air load! I told all my kids, that I wanted enough grandchildren....to make a load on a King Air. I'm about there but I'll take a few more, if I can get 'em. I think one of my "grandbuddies" will jump, when he's old enough. He's a wild one! "T'was ever thus."

Wouldn't that be kinda' like, trying to affix white....to snow?! "T'was ever thus."

I did it on 8,9 & 10. I tried every suggestion that I've seen here, even the hips. We did the video thing, on jump 11 and I became rock solid, immediately upon exit.. I've had no problems, since and we never did figure it out. I won't harp on it....but like most have already said, "It's better to dump....than thump!" I feel your pain....I'm a lifetime mechanic. I've had to diagnose problems, all my life. Believe me....it isn't the post office guys, you need to worry about! Mechs are always on the edge, of insanity. Give your instructors the most constructive input, possible. You seem to have a good sense of awareness, a "feel" for what's happening. Use that skill, to help diagnose the problem. Do you feel pressure or drag, in any particular area? Do you tend to turn in one specific direction? In freefall or under canopy, do you tend to drift to one side? It seems that there wasn't a problem,on the previous jump. Something is different. Try to be methodical in your attempts to correct and in your reporting of events, to your instructors. Don't ignore your gear. Check for misalignment or incorrect adjustments. The air flows around your gear, too....including your flightsuit, helmet and gloves. Check everything and assume nothing!! I can't tell you how many times I've tried to get a vehicle running....when it was out of gas. I "assume" that the owners check that, before they bring it to me. Not always so. It's the little things, that get ya'. Arching is good but don't "try" so hard, a "rigid" arch won't work. Assume the "boxman" position and take in the biggest breath, you can. As you exhale, relax....and look up. Let the airflow form your body. Don't make drastic or erratic adjustments....that alone, can induce instability. I wish I could help ya' with something more concrete. You've got a "gremlin", man. Everybody gets 'em....it'll go away. "T'was ever thus."

*** You also must realize that this IS an internet site visited by thousands....aren't quite as vigilant as you seem to be....also realize that his statement while seemingly being directed AT you in particular, is actually a broad statement recommending ALL people with low jump numbers..ie EXPEIRENCE...just suggesting caution....he's not trying to 'insult' you...he's trying to keep you and those like you alive. Quote Oooh, man! I am so sorry….sincerely. I apologize to all, especially John….humbly and most sincerely. I honestly didn’t mean to come off, quite like that. It was most absolutely not my intent. After re-reading my response, I understood my mistake. I write, much like if I were speaking to you, in person. I sometimes forget that without facial and vocal expression, things can take on a different tone…or even meaning. It was totally and absolutely, my bad and I truly do apologize. I normally tend to be sarcastic but in a much friendlier, joking sort of way than I came off. I was, I admit….irritated by the number reference thing. I hate pretentiousness. It’s always been and will always be….a pet peeve, of mine. In my own defense however, I ask that you consider this: If I had posted the same question but lied and put down 1600 jumps, on my profile….would the attitudes be the same? Refer back, my friend….to the responses in all forums. Look at the licenses and jump numbers….then compare. Someone with high numbers won’t receive smart assed responses but most seem to give them. Why? I know lots of people who are so obsessed with the numbers and licenses “eXperience” myth, I call these types “X-Men”. Ah yes, it was one of these “X-Men” (D license, 3000+)….who approached downwind, cut me off (on final & while the low man) and crashed into his buddy….right in front of me. I was inexperienced enough to pull my butt out of HIS fire and landed safely. I don’t have the “experience” it takes, to smash myself into the ground and into another jumper…gotta’ get those numbers up! I could fill volumes, with the stupid stunts I’ve seen “X-Men” do. I can’t recall ever seeing a student do anything that dumb. I realize the number and license thing is all there is, to go by but it’s an absolutely bogus, honor-based system, in regards to numbers. Where’s the verification? I could be making 1000 jumps tonight, who would really know? I can write anything I want and forge an unreadable signature…it isn’t rocket surgery. It’s possible to somewhat verify some information but who’s going to bother? What about quality of jumps, where’s the number for that? Is some guy that makes 1000 solos, more qualified or less, than a guy with 1000 RWs? I guess the "experience" of turning points, could prove valuable....if you were to burn in and landed in the Olympic Synchronized Swimming Team,s pool....during a rehearsal! Take this example: 2 jumpers: #1 has 100 jumps…all perfect landings, proficient at RW, no license….#2 has 200 jumps, B license, can rarely complete 2 points, biffs 90% of his landings and only makes it back to the dz, about half the time. Who is REALLY more “experienced”? What portion of the jump number specifies this? I suspect that many (if not most) of the “X-Men” type, have acquired much of their “experience” (i.e. numbers) by BASEing from the top of a Parker ballpoint….or #2 pencil. Don’t get me wrong, I respect the numbers….if legitimate. I’m not dumping on any one individual and I know this doesn’t apply to all people with high numbers…..but it does to a lot and their number, it seems….is quickly approaching most! Enough said. Again, I apologize. I’m new at this. I had explored the forum thing, several years ago but I was turned away by all the foul language, fighting, attitudes (like the ones I erroneously perceived and projected) and naturally the “X-Men” thing. I can’t jump, due to the weather and it seemed like this was a viable skydiving related activity to (once again) explore. I am not so much vigilant, as hopelessly bored. This site seemed fairly legit but not so terribly active. I posted, just to test the waters. Seems it was a mistake. Still, as you said….”It’s all good!” I learned from this "eXperience" so I'm sure there's no harm in logging it as jump #(i.e. experience)106.(just joking) I appreciate ALL responses and info provided. I wish you all, the best. I'm outta' here!

These are "my riggers". At my dz, there are several. I drop off the rig and it goes to the first available rigger, for repack. I always ask for a complete inspection of everything, including my main canopy. I only consulted with 2 of them, about this particular subject. One says "do this"....the other says "don't do that". I'm probably making mountains out of molehills but my gear's gotta' last. I love the sport but I'm one of the seemingly few, who has that annoying ailment often referred to as "responsibilities". Most of my income goes to kids, grandkids, etc. and there's not much left for jumping...let alone gear replacement. Proper gear care is an important issue, with me. "T'was ever thus."

I agree with all those in support of the USPA, at the moment. It's the best deal going, right now...unfortunately, I sense serious problems due to past experience. The American Motorcycle Association was much the same type of organization, in the beginning. Like USPA, they regulated the motorcycle racing industry, provided sanctioning and insurance.....they still do. Problem is....at some point, they gave in to pressure from promoters, advertisers and the big factory teams. They began to cater to them on every aspect of the sport and the racing public suffered horribly. Motocross, for all intents and purposes, ceased to exist....at least, not in any relevant or recognizable form. Many people, from all facets of racing were simply "priced out" of the sport, due to a "factory production rule" that was enacted on behalf of the factories. If the USPA goes that way, we're gonna' have to give in to the government....if nothing else, to preserve a small remnant of the sport. "T'was ever thus."

Awwwww.....Green Bay's ok! "T'was ever thus."

In 2000, I jumped with a belly reserve. I think it was slightly dated, though....it had a 10 inch steak knife attached to it, by a bungee cord. "T'was ever thus."

So can Spiderman. Bet you didn't know that. Cats too....but a slightly angled trajectory helps! "T'was ever thus."

Curious as to both where you learned this (I've never heard of it) and also what your rigger says. Ciels- Michele When I bought my rig (used), I consulted a rigger about the oiling of the emergency handle cables, as per the Skydiver's Handbook. I have been a mechanic for over 35 years, 5 of that....as an airframer, for the US Navy. Plenty of experience with "exotic" materials, forces me to instinctively question certain combinations of materials and/or lubricants. Plastics are a strange animal, the various types have specific properties and applications....some do not react well to oils, solvents or fuels. Some will dissolve, some become brittle, some lose their rigidity and caution should always be exercised. Anyway, the first rigger suggested beeswax. He also suggested the slight film, around the grommets. I believe he also was the one who told me about the cascades but I honestly can't swear to it. The next rigger I asked, said the cables should be absolutely clean....no lubrication, whatsoever. He might have been the one who told me to wax the cascades. I jumped in Russia, with a (supposedly) vintage WW1 round. It was a 100 meter static line thing, from an AN-2. When we were packing, I saw a few of my Russkie buds putting wax on the lines. These things were huge, though....like the mooring lines on an aircraft carrier! I didn't speak the language so I didn't get to ask many questions. "T'was ever thus."

[With only 105 jumps, you shouldn't be considering such things, without first asking the advice of a rigger. Sorry, man! I hit my head, really hard....when I fell from the turnip truck....on my way home, from the hospital....after just being born, early this morning. Jeez, gimme' a break! With even 15,105 jumps, I wouldn't consider ANY things....without consulting a rigger. I have done that, that's why I asked it here. I'm getting a different story....every time. Every rigger seems to have a different opinion and some of it conflicts with common sense. I was unaware that there was a minimum jump number requirement, imposed on the care and maintenence of one's gear. I humbly apologize, I didn't mean to offend anyone. "T'was ever thus."

To all replies, so far: I myself, have never expreienced the problem (tension knot) but there was a rash of it with the tandems, at my dz.....it was a year or so ago. That's why I always wondered about it. I've had 1 reserve ride and although it wasn't actually packing-related or a bad experience, I intend for it to be the last. I side pack, I'm not comfortable with PRO. I'm really quite anal, about the whole thing. I fear what I don't know. As for the beeswax, I currently only put a thin film....around the inside edges of my grommets, every few jumps. I had seen (somewhere) that it was sometimes used to lube the plastic cables but I'm afraid of the dirt thing....like airtwardo said. I was tempted to use it on the lines....mostly at the cascades, ever so slightly. I had thought briefly about the steering lines but didn't like the liklihood of stiffness, as JM stated. Sorry....but I just don't know, about the silicone spray. It's probably ok but I'd have to have some definite proof of no adverse effects, on the integrity and life of the lines before I'd do it. It sounds like plausible rig pm. I had heard about the babypowder thing, sounds like a "momentary lapse of reason"....but the image in my mind, of the first opening.....hilarious! Anybody watching, probably thought we lost another shuttle! I appreciate all the positive input, so far! "T'was ever thus."

My great-great Grandpa once told me..."Sonny....stupidity, is like innocence. Ain't no point in bein' stupid, lessin' ye' kin prove it....and beyond any reasonable doubt!" I intend to do, just that. I don't understand, exactly....what a pressure knot actually is, what causes them, prevention, etc. and why it seems that tandems are so prone to that particular malfunction. Also, during the day to day care and feeding of a typical rig.....what are the guidelines regarding the application of beeswax? I know the tech is constantly changing, what little info that is readily available may be stale. Is there a better alternative? Any special precautions? I would greatly appreciate some credible info, on the subjects. "T'was ever thus."

Thanks for the info! I'll definitely look that up! "T'was ever thus."

I was in NATTC NAS Millington, for "A" school....Dec.-April '89! Does it still flood? Man....I hated that! The base is in a bowl and it fills up, every time it rains. I left that place with trenchfoot....and a high watermark, on my forehead. Every time it flooded, they had to check the school for "cottonmouths". They'd get into the closets and stuff. Luckily, I lived off base. Went to NAS NORVA, from there. How long did it take, from the time you put in your "package"....until you got your LDO? I heard it's a grueling process...but it's the Nav norm, I suppose. By the way...congratulations! (belated) My last DO was a LDO (AME), a real good guy. When I got to Norfolk, I had to do 90 days TAD as the CO's duty driver. One night, I got orders to pick up an Admiral, at the tower and chauffer him around. He arrived in civvies and with a female lieutenant. He bitched me up one side and down the other....because I had called him sir and opened the door, for him. He was pretty cool, I figured he was a lower. I found out later, it was Admiral Boorda! "T'was ever thus."

The Army !?!? If it's not classified....I'd really like to get a look at that! I'd like to see how they figure it. "T'was ever thus."

Currency is a serious factor, I totally BF'd on that one! I don't mean to compare skydiving, to everyday life risk....only jump to jump. "T'was ever thus."

Caution: low jump number here. It's an interesting idea, but I think reducing it to a single number has problems. If some jump is rated, say, "1000" according to your formula, and somebody jumps it and it goes well, they may tend to think that they can do all "1000" rated jumps. If the "1000" rating was a simple solo jump with a bit of wind, that's still a different jump than a "1000" rated jump that involves a four-way team turning a couple of points. Similarly, I am going to attempt to work out the "risk factor" according to your formula for two different jumps. One is an instructor with 1000 jumps jumping his own rig out of a 182 over a dropzone he's jumped over many times before. It's just him and the pilot on the load and it's dead calm. The other is the same guy, jumping in 400-way they're working on in Thailand, assuming it's a steady 10 mph, there are 40 jumpers and 2 crew per aircraft, and each person only jumps regularly with 14 other people on the attempt. First jump (solo, 182): 1) 2 2) 0 3) 0 4) 0 5) 0 6) 10 (the DZ isn't that big) subtotal 12 xperience-factor 0.1 skill-level factor 5 5 * 100 * 0.1 = 50 12 - 50 = risk factor -38 Second jump (World Team): 1) 42 2) 10 3) 40 4) 400 * 400 = 160000 * 1 point = 160000 385 unknown jumpers * 10 = 3850 total 160000+3850 = 163850 5) 400 * 400 * 3 = 480000 6) 400 * 10 = 4000 4000 + 10 (some have to be landing near an active) = 4010 7) 10 for different exit + 10 for different pilots + 10 for different country = 30 subtotal 651982 xperience-factor 0.1 skill-level factor 5 5 * 100 * 0.1 = 50 651982 - 50 = risk factor 651932 I don't think this does exactly what you think it does. According to this, people with 1, 10, 100, and 1000 jumps have the same experience factor. I think what you want to do is left pad your jump number with zeros before doing this. Another way to say the same thing is to divide your jump number by 1000 or 10000 or whatever to get the x-factor. N zngurzngvpvna anzrq Unyy Unf n urknurqebavpny onyy, Naq gur phor bs vgf jrvtug Gvzrf uvf crpxre'f, cyhf rvtug Vf uvf cubar ahzore -- tvir uvz n pnyy... Eule OK, man...ya' busted me! You brought up some good points. I have to admit that I kinda' wrote all that, on the fly....I didn't actually work out all the math. However, you and the other replies help to illustrate my actual intended point. The formula, the numbers....all need tweaked. There would probably not be any single way that will work for all disciplines,all people and all situations. There should NEVER be a negative risk factor, there's always some risk....even going solo. That's the purpose for a baseline. For sake of simplicity, let's say your "normal" risk factor is 40. You get an offer to make a jump that, for one reason or another....rates at a 90. You look at the numbers and can immediately see the increase, it may cause you to re-think...maybe make some changes, to bring the number down. The "x-factor" thing....it shouldn't vary much. If you look at the incident reports, it seems obvious that the license level and jumps completed are almost totally irrelevent. You don't see a lot of students doing tent stake impersonations. It's usually the "experienced" ones that get hurt or get others hurt. I don't think many start out cocky, it comes with time and "experience". To rate experience is difficult. If you have 2 guys, both with 100 jumps. Jumper 1 has made all solos but 30 were HALOs (30,000+), 20 were BASE, 20 were wingsuit jumps and he has jumped from helos, balloons and 40 different types of aircraft. Jumper 2 has done 70 RW jumps of 8+ ways, from 10 separate types of aircraft and at 20 different dzs. Are they equal? It's tough! "T'was ever thus."

Shut-up and jump! Can't! Tried it & ended UTMA in snow. Got nuthin' else to do...'till it melts, in like....May. "T'was ever thus."

Ooooh yeah......that's livin'! Can I find it at K-mart? "T'was ever thus."

Hi, Walt! Name's Kev....Welcome! "T'was ever thus."

Maybe the guy is a former electrician and thinks the human body is like an electric motor.....It's filled with smoke, at the factory....when the smoke quits comin' out, it's dead! "T'was ever thus."

As G. W. Bush says, when referring to his authority or power....."ABSOLUTEly! "T'was ever thus." "T'was ever thus."

Don't know your style preference but if you go rustic.....I saw a place done with rope, instead of regular wood moulding.....pretty cool, They used all different sizes and types of rope in the different applications. Nice....but I'm not big on rustic. Let your son decide and design. That way, you can blame it on him. "T'was ever thus."