Topcat
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Everything posted by Topcat
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Airtec puts out a superior product and they have every right to charge whatever they wish. Why develop something at all if you can't make money off of it? I hear the word 'monopoly' when describing the Cypres. Nothing, however, is stopping other companies from putting out competetive products. If someone could, I'm sure the price would come down. -Sandy
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Mike: I'll post this up at our dz and alert the local jumpers in case any low-lifes try to come up here and sell this stuff. -Sandy
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Don't know the load. It was an observer. -Sandy
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It's ours. Gear up. No one injured but our pilot's pride. Insurance will cover it; it looks like we have a couple of options turbine airplane-wise while it's getting repaired. -Sandy
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And I just got to use a B-12 snap tool. Finally; I can close a rig by myself - without someone jamming a temp pin into my foot! (Don't ask). -Sandy
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My .02 cents to what Bill posted: I want to urge all the fun-jumpers out there to vote for Winsor Naugler. If you have not had the priveledge to jump with him I hope you get the chance. I met him at a Mullins boogie in Tennessee a while ago (when he was still living in Alabama) when I was an inexperienced jumper - still at that stage where I was afraid to jump with anyone because I didn't want to ruin their skydive. Winsor is completely non-judgemental about the people he jumps with. All he asks for on a skydive is everyone to be safe. He's always been great to me and my friends and I basically decided that I wanted to be Winsor when I grew up (in the skydiving sense). He has always struck me as a man of his word, and he will represent the fun-jumper if elected. Also - Looks like Larry Stapleton is running unopposed - but if you're in the Southern region, vote for him. He is quite accessible and he's a good guy and will do what he can to help if you ask. -Sandy
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USPA Candidate Winsor Naugler
Topcat replied to JamesNahikian's topic in General Skydiving Discussions
Have you met, or jumped with the man? He very deliberately steers away from political correctness, very true. I will vote for him because of his attitude towards skydiving and skydivers in general, not because he doesn't choose to watch what he's saying. I find the lack of regard for the individual skydiver the crucial issue and Winsor is the apotheosis of the fun jumper. Other than a rigger's ticket, he doesn't do a thing to earn money skydiving. And his rigging is pretty much limited to his rigs and helping out a jumper or two during a boogie after a reserve ride. Winsor's a good man; why don't you email him and address your greviences to him? I don't have his address but you can Google search rec.skydiving for it. -Sandy -
Number of Jumps vs. pre-second visit to different DZ
Topcat replied to ladyskydiver's topic in General Skydiving Discussions
I had 24. I went from a DZ with a postage-stamp landing area to Z-Hills. I remember exclaiming, "how the hell can anyone land off here??" -Sandy (Yes, I landed off. Twice) -
Or you would grump about the 182 for a while, do some jumps out of it, get used to it, then enjoy them for what they are. -Sandy (But mighty glad to be jumping a King Air again)
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Contact PD Ph: (386) 738-2224 I'm sure they can tell you; plus give you any advice you might need about the airworthiness of such an old canopy. -Sandy
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Skydive Alabama - Coors Light seems to fill %50 of the beer fridge. We're fairly liberal in our beer policy - as long as it's in bottles. The jumpers who want to schmooze the DZO's wife bring something dark, like Guinness or Anchor Porter -Sandy
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I'd recommend West Tennessee, then. I don't know if Mike Mullins will be in town that weekend but even if he isn't, it's a great dz with great people, landing area, etc. And if you have never jumped a Cessna 195 it's a hoot! -Sandy
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Skydive Alabama. King Air and Cessna 182. -Sandy
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Had mine done last December and I was jumping again in a week and a half. I wear a Z1. I had no problems whatsoever. -Sandy (20-20! Woo-hoo!)
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Not me. I got out of the snob habit when my old dz closed. Mind you, larger planes are nice because they get you more altitude at a faster rate, but I have noticed some nice things about 182's: Nice to have on slow/cloudy days Cheaper Easy to spot (or should be - it is truly a lost art) Cessna DZs tend to be friendlier - young jumpers especially don't get lost in the shuffle as easy. Many times at our dz I have seen more experienced jumpers take newbies with them simply because they were all on the same Cessna load. That's another thing - newbies can't be talked into doing big -ways as easy at a Cessna DZ. Don't hate Cessnas. One day you might have to move to a place where that is your only option. -Sandy
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7:12:0 Once again the best jump I did was out of the Cessna, though I finally caught my knee on the step. Nice bruise but it didn't hurt at the time. Nice 8-way and a bizarre jump number happened: My 666th. I was amused. I had wanted to do something Evil in commemoration - funnel the skydive and see how many people I could rodeo. But it was also a cool guy named Jeff's 4000th jump so I didn't do what I was planning. The only thing Evil about that jump was the spot. Last jump of the day was a 12-way and a really good young jumper went low. He was so upset he had left by the time I got into the hangar. Let me make a Public Service Announcement: Funneling skydives happens. Find out what you did wrong so you can work on it. Running off does not help you at all. [/vent] Hell, I had the wrong grip anyway. It went to crap without his help. Paula, I'm glad you're okay. Congrats on saving your own hide! -Sandy
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It's mind over matter: If you don't mind, it don't matter. -Sandy
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4:15:0 2 Coach jumps w/a woman who really wants to learn. She has 30 jumps; I know all the booties arguements pro and con but booties on a new person = new person zooming around the sky like a sparrow on epinephrine. Did I have fun? Oh, hell yeah! The best way to learn is to teach! 2 RW jumps w/ 3 experienced guys and had a blast. -Sandy
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Blasphemy! Cessna 182's used to be the workhorse of skydiving - in many places it still is. Think of it more like a Classic VW Beetle rally I learned out of a larger airplane, but the more time I get in this sport the more I appreciate a Cessna. The best skydives I have had recently have been out of a Cessna, and we have access to a Turbine. (most likely because the jumps were with old timers, who aren't as picky). -Sandy
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Is Your Hand Deploy Pilot Chute Correctly Made?
Topcat replied to billbooth's topic in Gear and Rigging
Bill: Wish I had that info on pilot chutes about a month ago. I would have saved myself a reserve ride. I'm going to print out your post and hang it up at my DZ. For what it's worth, your willingness to share information has made me consider a Vector 3 for my next rig purchase. -Sandy -
Most skydivers don't judge dropzones by the DZO's business practices unless those practices affect them. I know some people who boycott certain dzs because of the owners' ethics but they are the idealistic minority. People can run their businesses any damn way they choose as long as they don't blatantly violate the laws. I try to be honest with our clients because I want to be able to look into a mirror and not hate what I see. Some dzos don't have that problem. As for your example of offering a lower price for some tandems, in that situation I would not do that. I would point out the fact that they made a mistake and the dz they wanted was at this number. Most of the dzs in our general vicinity would do the same, and the ones who wouldn't take non-refundable deposits anyway. I don't think it's unethical, however, to offer a lower price to someone to get their business. Caveat emptor, -Sandy
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Hopefully you have a friendly, helpful, and experienced rigger you can talk to. Actually talk to as many people as you can and do a bunch of research. People like instructors and riggers TEND to have more informed opinions, but they are not immune to prejudices. -Sandy
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My Reflex had a problem with the reserve cable housing being stitched to the rig off-center - the reserve pin came out of the cable housing at an angle. I sent it back and Fliteline fixed it, but I became aware of the fact that the reserve pin would have to go into the cable housing before it cleared the reserve closing loop. I was worried about if it got stuck there before clearing the loop - yuck. In all fairness, I have had 2 reserve rides on my Reflex and I had absolutely no problem pulling. As far as packing the reserve in a Reflex - yes, the rigger needs some practice but after a few times (and someone showing you the tricks) it is easy and quite possible to pack it without the pop top coming loose. And I would have to really, really try to turn my pop top! -Sandy
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Hey Rhonda: My husband used to bitch me out when I funnelled a skydive, or blew a landing, or landed off the dz, blew an exit, etc. I almost quit skydiving but I quit jumping with my husband instead. I found like-minded skydivers and started jumping with them. I'm still married and I'm still skydiving
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Yikes! That sucks for Sandy. Our C-182 suffered a prop strike about a year ago (non-skydiving related). It now has pretty much a brand new engine, new firewall, new prop (I may bitch about insurance payments but it does come in handy). What nearly murdered our business was how long it took for the mechanic to get the thing fixed. We lost over 5 months - not only no revenue from the plane, but we paid other people for use of their planes. We had to make the payments on the plane as well. I bet I'm making all you would-be dzo's just all excited about opening a drop zone, eh? -(a different) Sandy