DSE

to get people INTO wingsuits, find a suitable instructor in your area. IMO, having a guy that wingsuits occasionally isn't the answer to getting people instructed. I went that route the first time around and decided wingsuiting wasn't for me until Campos convinced me to try it again. If you can get a few people lined up, it might be worth it for one of the manufacturers to send a rep to your area to do a number of FFC's in one shot. Getting demo suits likely isn't a difficult thing to do if there is a qualified person to put people in them and instruct them on first-flight. I get to WI a lot...maybe you could make it easy for me to come to you?

Check out the "could use some feedback" thread from Flock University. Download the document. Start working on relative work. Just learning to fly in very close proximity at relative rates will improve your skills VERY quickly, IMO. Everyone can work on that. Maybe put up a four-way team. Fly to Utah for the first Wingsuit Relative Work competition in July of 09.

Uhh....I have never seen a cowboy with any kind of livestock. But I heard of an engineer in the Northwest who recently had a bad run-in with a horse. No cowboys were offended in the writing of this post. And I still prefer to ride without a helmet. Coincidentally, it's funny that 10 years ago, any cowboy that wore a helmet was considered a pussy. Today, it's required in high school, and most cowboys use bucking rolls, some use helmets. So...is it about being tough? Being safe? Both?

I'm hoping to see this kind of growth in my neck of the woods ... Justin, do you have any advice? We've gone from 'half a guy' in Utah to a fairly consistent group of 6-7 a weekend, and once in a while, there are more. We're a King DZ. Advice? Avoid the political bullshit as much as possible. Have a lot of fun and let others see you having it. Develop a skill set that everyone can participate in. Don't get caught up in "I started this, you didn't" or other grand-stand plays. Just have fun. Smile a lot. Help others to see what wingsuiting is all about. If that fails, offer reach-arounds and free beer. And sponsor a "purple" day. Be sure a lot of cameras are there. Your flock will increase.

I'd agree with you if it didn't affect total strangers in society in a very immediate and non-abstract way, but it does: not wearing helmets increases everyone's auto liability insurance rates. That's because an un-helmeted multi-vehicle motorcycle crash is more likely to cause death or serious injury to the rider than a helmeted one; which means greater potential for high-figure liability for the other driver; which means higher liability insurance rates for everyone to offset the higher shared risk. (If it were not for this factor, then I'd agree it would be no different than any other higher-risk activity a person might choose to engage in.) The bastards that eat their hamburgers and talk/text on their cell phones while driving are by far, FAR more responsible for higher insurance rates... Me? I *always* keep one hand on the handlebars while talking on my cell or eating a hamburger. Of course, when I'm practicing my track...neither hand is on the bars, but I'm almost always on a straight road.

Beautiful pix, Bill. here's a couple contributions. Utah's Oquirrh mountains aren't shabby either. Just gotta be sure you can fly a distance or pull really high.

I tend to carve too much/often on front risers (habit I learned to give myself some breathing room) and one day, I'll likely find myself in bad wind and stall the canopy at the wrong time. I could take the argument that "I've done it this way 1000 times and nothing bad has happened, but once he showed me video and broke it down frame by frame, I can easily see my compiled errors that let me 'get by' with what I'm doing. Very grateful to Les for opening my eyes a bit.

Some of the gang returned to the scene of the crime in Utah for more mountain/canyon overflights. Those of you that didn't make it....were missed, even though you're probably not deserving of our wishes. My suit caught fire, the jump was so hot. Very proud of mi amigo for "cowboyin' up" and trusting the spot since he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It was radical. Thanks Joey, Stu, Justin, Monkey, Shawn, and Scotty for making it as fun as I thought it was. But next time...the 172 isn't the right aircraft to use for this. And we need longer smoke, dammit! Photo1 Photo 2 Photo 3 Some of us even wore purple just for Mike. Our cheeks hurt from not just laughing so much this weekend, but also because we "felt" for Mike. He really wanted to find a way to hump on over to Utah, but it just didn't work out. See whatcha missed, Mike? Curious question, all seriousness intended....which makeup manufacturer should I be examining for stock opportunities?

Damn, I'm actually in my slot. Surprised as hell.

Bands that play only cover tunes *should* be covered by an add-on from the night club's ASCAP, BMI, or SESAC license. If they play concerts, aka "tribute" bands, they're required to purchase their own ASCAP, SESAC, or BMI license. BMI and ASCAP have undercover agents that regularly patrol the bars to be sure the nightclub/bar/restaurant is licensed by one or the other (or sometimes both) agencies. Artists get to choose which PRA they use, in my case...I'm a member of both, depending on the song and where I suspect it will be used. Yarak, I'm happy to have a discussion or debate with you when it's an intelligent discussion... Consider this a warning regarding animals...

Are you using a cameye or HypEye device with the cam? Which modes are you using, ie; exposure, etc?

On a somewhat related issue,... The DJ at, say, a wedding, presumably has a license to play music at that wedding. The videographer at that wedding usually has no such license, and if his/her video includes music played by said DJ, he/she IS in violation of copyright laws. It is kind of a tough spot for the videographer who is expected to "capture" the event, but most of the event involves the playing of copyrighted material. Actually, there is a fairly easy way around that particular speed bump...just gotta have a clever editing style/technique....

You simply continue to show your profound ignorance in this (and other) replies. ASCAP/BMI license DJ's to play music at parties, bars, restaurants, nightclubs, etc. Has NOTHING to do with replicating music and putting it on YouTube or other UCG sites. ZERO relevance. Groups of kids don't need a license to play music loudly in a parking lot, even if it's a one-off street party. Replicating the music/copying it and putting it on a website or on your tandem video is *a copy* of the work that you are licensed to listen to. In making a copy, you remove the original artist's right to control copies, ergo "copy right." No one has the right to use your work without your permission, why do you think you have the right to use someone else' work without their permission? Videographers scream bloody frickin' murder when someone uses their pic or vid for free in an advertisement, but they think they have the right to use the creative works of others? That's utter bullshit. Plain n' simple. As far as copyright law, I agree. It needs to change. it needs to be more flexible, needs to reflect the changing methods of media delivery and personal access. I don't believe the commercial applications of copyrighted works need to change, but the small use/personal use and limited time value uses need to change, and they will. In time. FWIW, I'm part of that movement along with many other artists and users of copyrighted materials. Then there are the jackasses that expect law that has taken 400 years to develop to change overnight. With 'Net 2, it'll be easier, more sensible. But that day is a ways off from now. Although you apparently don't "get it," the responses you're reading are responsible (from almost everyone here) and the kind of well-thought responses that help the industry want to change. The "fuck you, I should be able to use what I want" or responses that don't bear any understanding of the laws currently on the books don't help anyone want to change anything, simply because those demanding change are precisely the people that don't have a clue regarding their current rights and accesses. Spend some time learning to understand sync licenses, performance licenses, master, compulsory, broadcast, small distribution....

Factual, independent citation, please? Rush Limbaugh and Spawn Insanity don't count.

Glen, s'OK. With your looks, you need all the vanity points you can get. Besides, that suit makes you ass look smaller.

I'm on the same page as you...and that's what inspired this thread, because there are apparently a few that disagree. Curiously enough, today I was quietly pulled aside by a visiting instructor who has been an S&TA, and is a well-known canopy pilot. He told me that my landing habits, while common, are dangerous and in the correct conditions I'll probably end up broken. He then went on to explain some dynamics of canopy flight that I've never considered from the perspective he presented. He was of course, right. He then went to the DZM and told him of the discussion we'd had. I was impressed.

Norman Kent regularly jumps the EX1, and previous to that was jumping an FX1 and Z1. I've got a coupla dozen EX1 jumps on my belly, and half a dozen in a wingsuit. Scotty Burns has many FX1 jumps, a coupla EX1 jumps (AFAIK). They're all big-ass rudders. Scott was the first in the world to jump this cam; it was a prototype I had at Eloy over the Holiday Boogie. They're all the same planform as the cams you list excepting the A1U, which is now discontinued. It was a superb small format HDV cam. The FX1000 is a joke...avoid it. Crummy 'everything' on that model. If you think the A1 will be an improvement over an HC5, you'd better play with them both. You'll find it isn't a significant improvement, just an improvement. 1080p by itself shouldn't be a consideration. 1080p in combination with other features...THAT should be a consideration. For example, the Panasonic HVX offers 1080p. It looks like shit. No...worse than shit. It's sensors are smaller than a PAL DV camcorder, then upsampled. Speaking of shit...if RED ever gets theirs together and actually makes a fully-functioning, all-features intact model, or gets the "new" Scarlet online (they just scrapped it recently, to redesign, more news later ((if ever))) might be a decent choice. 1080p30 is barely useful for skydiving, 1080p60 is very useful, but price is an issue for you right now. If you don't need to jump today...wait til approx March. It'll be worth the wait, IMO.

you didn't offer "All the time, and it sucks." Many airlines have done away with "standby" in favor of offering a ticket for a 100.00 or 50.00 "alternate" fee. It's rarely fun, and it's always best to plan for the earliest or latest flights of the day. The latter is a drag because you have to find somewhere to sleep if the flight is full.

come out to the DZ tomorrow and we'll show you how to pack the slippery beast.

Fixed Clicky Sorry 'bout that...my error

Very, very nice. Sounds like some of the Cinescore themes that Sony offers!

Yes, there is. Stupid by your view, but the same line may be used for skydiving, for example. "There is not one valid argument for jumping out of an airplane." Freedom. Choice. Being an adult. All valid. All representative of what a motorcycle stands for in some circles. There isn't one valid argument that should allow you nor anyone else, to remove my ability to choose. Regardless of whether *you* or even a majority of society thinks I'm making a "stupid" choice. Camel/nose/tent?

it's nowhere near as bright as a 580 flash, but for daylight fill, it rocks.

I'll wager both were CBR riders vs touring or larger street bikes. And...dragonflies to the forehead at 70mph doesn't really hurt, just sorta surprises you. But...even a small windscreen creates a very nice burble that generally keeps that sort of thing from happening often. If you're hungry, just open wide.

is there a minimum age for tandem scuba? I was surprised to learn there is no minimum age for tandem paraglide. you wanna take a one-year old to 3K? It's perfectly legal.