DSE

There has been a tremendous amount of discussion on requirements to become a wingsuit instructor. This goes beyond the syllabus that is currently in front of the wingsuit community to comment on, however. The goal at this point is to come up with a document that the majority of the current wingsuit community can agree with, that will become the standard for future training. Who knows, with luck we'll someday have a wingsuit instructor rating via the USPA, but for the time being, that's not part of the current goal.

If their insurance or legal advisors say they can't, I can't see how it's a fail. I totally agree, it would be great if wingloading was regulated like it is in other countries (and tied to licenses) and if wingsuiting was regulated like it is in other countries (and tied to licenses), but if the company that insures USPA says "We will not support this language in a document due to legal exposure...." I can't blame the USPA, I have to then look at the legal system=fail. In one specific cited example, a USPA rep explained that the reason they don't offer an official wingloading chart that says something like "no wingloading higher than 1.0 until after 200 jumps, is that as soon as someone goes in on a lightly loaded canopy that is within the guidelines, they're open to litigation for "suggesting" that the lighter wingloading is safe(er). They're very conservative, and on one hand, I agree. On the other hand, I think it's criminal that they don't step up and try to prevent/reduce hook turn fatalities through requiring coaching programs, ratings, wingloading charts, whatever. Back to the original point, I'm looking forward to seeing your suggested edits to the syllabus.

Wow. I've typed and deleted a bunch of other stuff several times because all my brain can really wrap my head around is the word "wow". USPA Fail. I'm not clear on which part you're "failing." That USPA won't change the recommendation to a requirement, or that instructors should be held accountable if they take someone with fewer than the recommended number of jumps on a First Flight? The USPA won't publish an official wingloading chart for the same reason; insurance and liability.

I was told by more than one member of the Board that for reasons of insurance that they are not interested in changing 200 jumps from a recommendation to a BSR. This was part of the impetus of working towards a wingsuit instructor rating, because the instructor would then be responsible/accountable for anyone taking an FFC with fewer than 200 jumps. Keep the comments coming, they're all very helpful, useful, and contributive.

Well said.

I like the Flexvision as well. And, you can have your DZ name screened on them, which looks great on the skydiving photos.

This is correct. There was no "formal" announcement of the second jump being better than the first jump, so there was no opportunity for a "group" pic with Taya or Scott saying "we got it." Scott's plea for a better example was very inspirational, and obviously worked, because although the first jump was technically there, the second jump was significantly better. I wished the formation hasn't been so deep into the sun, because from the ground, it's just a few mottled dots in an overblown sky. Can we make it a rule that record jumps can only be done in the early a.m. or late afternoon?

At some dropzones: "Seniority" doesn't mean squat "Talent" doesn't mean squat "Being there on time" doesn't mean squat "Being a professional/businessminded person" doesn't mean squat "Consistency" doesn't mean squat "Investment of personal time, education, motivation" doesn't mean squat. "Loyalty" of the employee doesn't mean squat "Being ambitious" (particularly when the majority isn't motivated) doesn't mean squat, and may actually work _against_ you. In other words, you could be the perfect guy but it may not matter. It's called "As the Prop Turns" For the OP, Get in their face to remind them you're there, were there, and will be there. Show that you've got fewer cutaways or packing issues than others. Work hard, ask the TI's how they liked their openings (they may tip you occasionally) At some DZ's, it's perhaps about how partisan Manifest may be, the DZM, DZO, or other adminstrative persons may be. Understand that not every DZ operates the way that the business-oriented DZ's operate. Some DZ's are fun-jump places that are happy clubs and tandems are a by-product. Some places are straight-on tandem mills that don't care about fun jumpers. Some are a mix. Some are run like businesses, others are run like a bar even tho the beer light is off. Sucks, but that's life. Try to sit with the DZO and plead your case?

The version of that story that I heard was that a few car windows were cracked, and the owner of the resort wanted to know how soon they could "reload" the airplane and do it again?!

Here's a poor shot I got of Justin exiting the CASA as I'm sitting in the copilotseat of the Otter.

Congrats to the wingsuit folks at the Pepperell boogie; they put up the Massachusetts state record today. It's for Taya or Justin to post the photo, but the group did very nicely; this photo shows Taya telling the group that they've just achieved the record, fitting the grid. Kudos to all involved.

Bolt in pelvis, plates/screws in pelvis. Bolts/screws in ankle. I have a Stryker card that illustrates my metal parts, but TSA doesn't care. Cadaver parts have been ordered for my ACL.

Now we're on the same page. :-) Theft from the record store only, AND the record store had already paid him for the CD. Would certainly be fun to try to argue the affirmative.

Walking out of a store with a Metallica CD is shoplifting. I think we agree on that, yes? But what is more interesting to debate (for purposes of fun only) is that Metallica was paid for the copy that he stole. In other words, he is stealing something he sold. So in the most strict sense, he's stolen twice. It's semantics, and merely fun (I can't see Lars Ulrich stealing a CD) but it makes for an interesting debate. But it's probably more for SC than the Photoforum.

In which case he'd probably be arrested for theft. I wonder if they could nail him for theft twice, since; A-He'd be shoplifting B-He'd already been paid for the recording since the record store would have bought it from the distributor. I'm assuming you're being sarcastic, but in case you aren't, I doubt it - he'd be arrested for stealing the actual CD - regardless of whose music it is. No, I'm not being sarcastic at all. He'd be arrested for shoplifing, regardless of whose name is on the CD. That was point "A" in my previous post. Point "B" (and it's a curiosity) is that since he'd already have been paid for the wholesale distribution of a Metallica CD, I wonder if they could charge him with a second crime as well? It would definitely be interesting to at the least take to mock trial.

In which case he'd probably be arrested for theft. I wonder if they could nail him for theft twice, since; A-He'd be shoplifting B-He'd already been paid for the recording since the record store would have bought it from the distributor.

Sony/BMG are a label. Now...they also own publishing companies, but are different entities. For instance, I'm with Virgin Records, but published by a subsidiary of Virgin called 5Fingered Music, and also by another publisher called "Natural Visions." My personal publishing company is Tayazo Music and Human Touch Music. Artists are rarely required to use a label-owned publishing company, but it's *usually* in their best interests to do so, as it provides incentive for the label and the publisher to work the product as hard as they can. Publishers always take a minimum of an admin fee ranging from 10% to 40%. I have a lower royalty rate and higher publishing rate because my music is pretty easy to place in film and television, and less easy to place on radio. Even iTunes only carries a small selection of my over 400 songs, simply because some of the catalog is for film vs play.

In the case of Metallica, they own 100% of their own publishing, they were one of the early bands to negotiate publishing. A guy like me...I own 65% of my publishing, so it's a different story. "Studios" don't hold rights over musicians or their songs, contrary to popular misunderstanding. Publishers do. Labels market, sell, and do A&R. Publishers collect payment for radio, sync, and specialzed licensing. Publishers get paid a royalty by the label for every mechanical object that contains the song, and constitutes a sale. (put as simply as I can think of to describe what is sometimes very complex)