DSE

I shoot vertical/portrait for tandems. My RRS mount can go either way, however. I like vert, because it allows me more angle control for when I want to tilt my head sideways for a horizontal shot and all angles in between. I know some folks really don't like vert, but for tandems, it works well. Funny story, I used to shoot with my stills upside down on the front of my FTP. Had two customers two years ago call to complain that photos were "upside down." DZO told em' to flip their printer over.

Just wanted to say "Thank you" to everyone that has participated in this forum over the past year(s). I've learned a lot from many of you, and have enjoyed meeting several members in person. IMO, this is the most easily moderated forum on DZ.com, most everyone here is very pro, very focused, and knowledgeable. Best wishes for safe jumps, blue skies and big-ass puffies in 2010. ~d

A- please read the sticky in this forum that says "read me first." B- read the sticky again. C-Read the USPA SIM on camera flying just in case the sticky didn't help. D-by the time you've met all those recommendations, any camera you look at today will be discontinued and you'll likely want the latest/greatest to shoot with. Please fill out the rest of your profile, it helps folks know more about you so they can better answer your questions.

I don't get to play in the contest, but this guy was one of my more memorable tandems. No shit, there I was, I could hear him screaming in the door. He didn't uncover his eyes for at least 10 seconds.

I would not be the least surprised if GoPro replaced it. They've just been really, really good at Customer Service.

I've not put either of those lenses through a res chart, but I know they're both made by the same manufacturer as Kenko lenses (housing gives it away) and Kenko hasn't made anything ever, with macro optic matching over 300 lines.

Presence from my daughter.

nicly done, J. See you in 2010

Great shot, Chris! That second one is hilarious.

Nothing, nada, can't happen. Unless You have a Hypoxic system. Then I'd look at something like the AT Pro88 if you need wireless for close-range use.

Quick rules reminder gang: The photo has to be taken by you, not *of* you.

I think I'd have called that first one "Surf's Up!"

Don't try. Be nice. I've had my rig in many countries, and only once run into "real" trouble, flying Virgin out of Sydney, Australia. I'd flown out of Melbourne and Perth before without hassle. Being nice, I eventually got the gate agent to call the captain who chuckled and snorted and said "Of course a parachute can come aboard. I hope he doesn't plan on using it." Had I been a dick, the call never would have been made. Be nice. No matter how much you want to point out how insipid, ignorant, pathetic, ridiculous, and unnecessary the TSA agent may be, just "be nice." Nicely ask for a supervisor, nicely present papers saying "these might help," nicely asking for their name... Be nice. You may well be setting the stage for the next skydiver coming through that portal.

Merry Christmas, Andrea. Whenever you open your gifts, if you even don't receive gifts, I'm sure you've had a magical time. Sometimes you're a saucy smartass, but you seem to bring out the best in everything you touch.

Hey JBag...I'm down for it. But SD is just simply too damn far. Peony's has some really good cashew Chicken. And it's only 2 mins from the DZ. but...I ain't Jewish. but I can curse in Hebrew pretty well.

In or out of a case, Ryan? Saw one in a case flip more than 20 times after a swoop gone bad, it's hilarious to watch the video. It broke off the helmet on impact and rolled a long ways. And it survived. Nothing else on the helmet did.

You really haven't given any solid evidence for the "huge number ... aren't serious." . I didn't know I needed to provide evidence of something I said I "felt." My opinion is based on seeing a LOT of coach courses in the past couple of years. The majority that _I've_ seen go through the course do so for two reasons; -Because they're eligible and feel it means something to them (but they don't go any further) -Because they eventually want to gain a "I" rating. Based on personal experience, most that gain a coach rating don't take it any further. If I was to apply my own personal progression, I got the Coach rating at 275 jumps, and ttried for my AFF rating at 1100 jumps. Neither you nor I are the norm. If we were, then this discussion would be utterly moot. And since it keeps somehow getting lost in the bullshit; ~I support requiring a Coach rating for at least one year prior to challenging any "I" course. ~I support a 500 jump minimum replacing the 6 hour freefall requirement. ~I do support oversight on the I/E program (and feel that's where the system is currently most broken). ~I do not support changing the Coach jump requirement to a C license.

thanks for the catch, coincidentally, I no longer jump with a Vigil but have two CYPRES' Expert as replacement. To reiterate...an AAD is something that should generally be expected to fail. To "trust" one is foolish.

I guess in my mind the ability to fly relative (and close) goes without saying. The purpose of the coach rating is to learn the skills of teaching in building blocks and assemble those blocks, brief pre-jump, check gear, and debrief post-jump. If you can't fly relative, then you won't have much to brief, as student won't be docking with you if you're not relative. In the past two years, I've observed at least 100 people going through various coach courses. What I see the most of, is skydivers who start sitting on their ass in the sky as soon as they get their A license. They continue to mess around with freeflying until they hit 100 jumps, and they want their coach rating. Then they can't fly relative on their belly. And so then they don't pass. I see the same thing every month with AFFI candidates. People who have spent the majority of their jumps freeflying (some are very good) but they can't do anything on their bellies. They don't pass either. The majority of unsuccessful challenges I've seen have been exactly these. Freeflyers that can't drive with their feet, can't match fall rate, can't quickly recover during major separation. Some of them work really, really hard to fix these problems. Others give up. Still others decide they'll be evaluated anyway and then get pissed when they get UnSats on their scores. Then there are the videographers that have been shooting tandems. Most of em' are pretty good. If you wanna teach, then prepare to teach rather than playing with your ass from your A license forward.

I don't agree that someone with 100 jumps isn't ready to be a coach. I do feel that a huge number of those that get their coach rating at 100 jumps aren't serious about the rating. One year as a coach should be a requirement prior to challenging the AFF course, IMO, but so should be a minimum number of jumps as a coach, too. FAR too many coaches are pencil-whipped, again IMO. The coach rating isn't about flying, it's about teaching. It's about pre-briefing (anyone with 100 jumps can do that), it's about gear checks (anyone with 100 jumps should be able to do that), and it's about debriefing (anyone with 100 jumps should be able to do that). The coach rating (IMO) is a mindset, not a standard of excellence. Some/most get it and use it as a brag-bullet. Some get it and actually have a mindset of wanting to teach and improve themselves. Too many get it merely cuz they have to if they want to become drogue-throwers and have no interest in being better, teaching, or progressing to anything but a TI. But all of the SPECIFIC objectives of being a coach relate to TEACHING, not to flying. The flying skills challenged in the coach course are about communication and memory for debriefing. Nothing else. Coaches can't stop a spin, roll over a student on their back, nor harness hold. They can't pull for a student. All they can do is provide some hand signals and debrief the jump. And at 100 jumps, anyone _can_ do that, it's a question of whether they care to or not.

oops! Typo!! Thanks for catching. And GREAT photos gang, keep em' coming! No limit on entries. In fact, there are no rules except that you have to be the person who took the photo.

You already know I'll help you, and you already know I'm in support of the concept of change, and in support of a couple of the mechanisms you wish to change. Like you, I've received several PM's on both sides of the scale. There is indeed, a perception of hysteria about this subject. It may not be stemming from you, but it's there, nonetheless. Folks that make ridiculous statements about what is going to happen sound pretty silly. Absolutes in the absence of fact are damaging. Contrary to Kip's declaration, far more than one member of the BOD are following this post. And more than one feel this thread has gone beyond absurd, which is one reason I'm doing my best to play the middle. If you think I'm being objectionable by asking for facts or real-world support, wait'll you stand in front of the BOD. My agenda is the Wingsuit Instructors Rating. Nothing more.

Not in my job description. I have my own agenda with the Board, and I'm not interested in diluting my own efforts to promote yours. You want the change, YOU look into it. I have looked at two years worth of stats because it's relatively easy. It takes no effort at all to sign a petition. It takes no effort to blather on the internet. It DOES take effort to get into a plane seat, fly to a BOD meeting, and take part. All of which I've now done five times. And yes, I signed the petition, even though I don't agree with the stipulations recommended within it. I also have reason to believe that change in the ratings program is imminent, and was so long before this thread began.

48KHz is the standard. 32KHz is used by some Canon and JVC camcorders for four-channel recording. All DVD and broadcast is 48K

No, they're not "one and the same." All three ratings carry very different courses, very different scopes, and very different requirements. Changing one at the USPA level is a challenge. Changing all three at once is a near impossibility. Get on the phone and speak with your RD. Attend a single BOD meeting, you'll "get it." Otherwise, you won't. The USPA isn't any different than a large coporation or military unit. The wheels move slowly and cautiously. Just because a very small and focused group of people are freaking out on the internet doesn't mean there is panic upstairs in the real world.