DSE

Too all the great Leo's out there, we know why we rule the world, right? Wow...Couldn't Skymama have found a more recent pic of me?

Only if the FAI recognizes the poor folks and approves the specialized equipment.

I'm actually not referring to that particular jump, Scott... we were 22750 on that jump...this one was a bit lower. Super humid day, clouds coming in, flying over the water. Took the cues you gave me and it helped immensely. Coupled with those jumps you're thinking of, I now have three 3-min + flights. But LOTS of room for improvement still!!!

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=search_results&search_forum=all&search_string=Samsung%2C%20CES&sb=score&mh=25

You musta missed my article in Parachutist on this subject a while back... ALL PCs recognize mts/m2ts file formats. It may be that your software doesn't, but XP and Vista all have free codec packs that recognize/read the files. Apple is the platform that struggles, and there are now 4 solutions for Apple users, too. Vegas reads almost everything, hence it's value to me as an editor both on the DZ and in the post-house. Congrats on the new purchase!

by that statement, 183 seconds from 18.5k MSL/14.5K AGL is pretty good, yeah? As Justin, Scotty, or the other "sea-level" guy will tell you, air is different up here. then again, so are the people. C-ya tomorrow, Lurch

Mee too. Scott changed my attitude towards wingsuiting overall, and now I'm an addict. Dunno whether to curse or compliment him. Welcome to the flock!

Depends on the artist, currency of the song, market value. There is no set fee, and can't be. "Bad to the Bone" is very old, but very, very recognizable. The drum intro to "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" is instantly recognizable. How do these stack up against the latest forgettable Tim McGraw tune? They're worth a LOT more, because they're "special." Figure anywhere from 1K to 20K for a single use license. In other words, you can't afford it. Just today I licensed an old work (via my publisher) for the new television series called "Tecumseh." My music is the main thematic work in the series. Let's just say it was less than 10K for international rights for unlimited broadcast. I received more than this for a one-shot use in "Patriot Games" for a piece of my music. In other words...it's a free market.

here is my Clear card. The back has the numbers on it. It's a transparent card that is supposed to be kept in a tyvek sleeve to protect the chip. Put it in the security kiosk, put your index finger on the pad, it reads/confirms, you pass. So far, never had to wait in any line, anywhere in 11 uses of the card. MCO on Labor day? 45 mins would prolly be very fast, I'd think. Take a paperback.

None whatsoever. Flying through MCO, which is usually a hassle with my rig, was completely uneventful.

Guiness didn't require any ratifying body to accept the Firefox/Mozilla number of downloads in a day on June 17, 2008 of this year. But it's in their record books. Nor did they require any ratifying body to certify a Stradivarius violin known as the "world record price paid for a violin" either. Who ratifies the "Most ketchup ever consumed in shortest time?" "Greatest number of TShirts worn at one time?" "Largest human foot?" No one. [edit]No one from FAI was present for Jay Stokes "World Record" of 641 (really 642) jumps in 24 hours. Would anyone dispute it was a record? Guinness didn't call on FAI to ratify that one, either. I was there for every second of it. IMO, a "World-record" is the best performance in a specific discipline as recognized by practictioners or participants in said discipline. Nothing more. Malaysia doesn't recognize Guiness World Records, because they have Limca World records (Sponsored by a soft drink company, named for same). At the end of the day, would anyone dispute that 71 wingsuiters in the air in a slot-perfect formation (or 71 wingsuiters in the air, period) constitutes the greatest number of wingsuiters flying in proximity in the history of the discipline of wingsuiting, FAI be damned? Until someone provides evidence to the contrary, the event in Lodi for example, is truly a "world record" within this discipline, regardless of whether Larry, Moe, or Curley at USPA, FAI, FAA, CSPA, APF, or CNN recognize the attempt. And truth be told, who really gives a shit? It's a collective of disciplined people training to be part of something bigger than any possible individual effort. And if that in and of itself is a point of potential dispute, then this entire sport is meaningless, isn't it? I don't care who or if anyone recognizes it as a "world record" event, I'm thrilled to be part of the largest known attempted wingsuit formations known to have taken place in our sport, successful or not. Fu** the semantics and bullshit bickering.

yeah, I have two of those, too. Neither carries any weight with the TSA (did I mention they gave my US passport to a stranger "by accident?") in today's world. Clear has my biometric data, that requires my index finger on pass, and if that isn't 100% clear, they require an iris scan before I get to go into the "secure" zone. At the risk of this ending up in SC...Security is big business...supported by government terrorism. Get used to it. You now get to pay to enjoy the freedom that you once had. "Terrorism Tax" is what I'd call Clear, on top of the new airport security fees that every user of the airport gets to pay. All that said, I can bitch and whine, but it doesn't get me through the airport faster. What I find truly hilarious is that I'm a TSA yellow-flagged traveler which means I usually get an "SSSS" on my ticket. Clear bypasses ALL of that shit, which alone makes it worth my time. In other words, TSA designates me a threat and has done so for 3 years plus. Having a CLEAR card allows me to bypass the added hassle of being a "Special Specimen of Security Stupidity."

I have one. Orlando alone makes it worth owning (for me). SLC, it makes *almost* no difference, saves maybe 3-5 mins, tops. SFO...worth it too. SJC...not worth it. Denver...worth it for one flight, but usually Denver is fast. ATL....ABSO-F'inLUTELY worth it. Worst airport for lines I go to. Even LGA is faster, but Clear is marginally worth it there. All that said...I have received 3 notices from FlyClear that they've had information stolen, compromised, etc. I've gotten more spam from them in a month than anyone else. Is it worth the cost *to me?* Yes. The 100.00 cost (plus 30.00 set up fee) is worth the cumulative 5-10 mins it always saves me, and well worth the 45 mins it saves me when I'm not flying on Delta or Northwest (airlines I have credentials with). Nice to not have to talk to the TSA folks at all, they're marginal morons (usually) at best, where the Clear people at least are "normal." They aren't cops, can't stop you from doing anything, don't seem to have a misplaced sense of "authority" and are generally congenial instead of paranoid. Yesterday in MCO, a TSA agent stopped me just as I was entering the Clear lane and demanded that I open up my fishing rod case (which holds Panfish rods for windblades) and wanted to know "why do you have fishing poles without guides?" Told her to bring over her supervisor's supervisor to explain to me why I was being delayed outside of any security area, security lane, and I'd happily explain. The woman from Clear walked up and asked if there was a problem, and the woman from TSA vanished. So....I'm a happy Clear member, but also see that they have some issues that need to be worked out.

Converting NTSC to PAL, or rather, converting 60i to 50i, is a re-render/recompress...therefore much slower. Purchase the camera that matches your predominant delivery format for fasted editing/output.

Very cool article, Mark. Wouldn't it be a good suggestion for folks to discharge the capacitor using a resistor/jumpers? I'd hate to see someone stop their heart with a seemingly harmless camera.

QuoteAnd bickering amongst the groups aside, I highly respect both Scott and Jeff and I'm really looking forward to both events this November. reply] Ditto. I'd hate to see the bickering reach a point where folks felt a need to "choose sides" as everyone loses at that point. Looking forward to both events. Both have merit, both will be fun, both are something for wingsuiters to look towards and aspire to participate in.

I assume your tongue is sticking WAY out of your cheek. SEARCH usually helps ya find what you're looking for. A few posts below this one is a link to the lens comparison/resolution charts I did a couple months ago. In the Sticky, it also links to this chart. Several posts in the topic about HD lenses. Raynox 3030, 5050, Century Babydeath, .55, are all good HD-resolution options.

Nice setup, looks a lot like the system used for chase-trailers. Better than a preview in skydiving (IMO) is a LANC controller that has memory positions for the zoom, so that you're only hitting a button for one of four memorized zoom points (several LANC controllers already exist wtih this feature). Never tried one on a skydive, but have surely been tempted.

This is Jack Guthrie's recommendation at SDU. It's rare we end up in clouds, and contrary to some posts above, it's *easy* in our area to see which direction the sun is coming from. Having opened in clouds near the sea, however, light diffusion still isn't much of an issue, there is a hot spot that shows where the sun is. Added to that, our rule is right hand turns, slow-only. Never thought about leaving the slider unstowed for sound. One sound forever ingrained in my brain is the sound of Jay Stokes' slider flapping all night long during his world-record jump event. Couldn't see him, but you always knew when he was under canopy, even with people yelling, cheering, etc.

I used to hit the ground at terminal velocity a lot, but now have an Automatic Activation Device to open my reserve parachute. Sometimes, I would cut away too low for the reserve to open, but I now have a SkyHook system. My biggest problem lately seems to be hook-turning into the ground at high speed, causing multiple traumatic injuries and death. However, once in a while, I get hit by a swooper. That's usually fatal to both of us. I think a good security device would be a Laser Cannon, that can track an incoming swooper behind me and vaporize him before he can hit me. Roseanne Rosannadanna said it best, "You know, it's always something." Someone is developing a sensing device that knows when a swooper is too deep, and so auto-stabs the toggles or better still, deploys a drogue on the tail of the canopy, thus putting the pilot back directly beneath the main. Upon resetting body position, the drogue cuts itself away and reloads for the next potential save.

How'd it go? No pix nor reports from the ground yet? How many showed? Looks like weather was good for you on Sat/Sun. It sucked here in Florida. Looking forward to seeing everyone in Pepperell this week.

The Holiday Inn just up the road (about 7 mins) is very nice, rates in the sub 100.00 range, and very good breakfasts... they had several rooms avail as of this morning. Call and speak directly to Thomas. If they try to send you to their reservations center, dont' let them. Call back if you have to. No one at their reservations system speaks English very well, and they don't even know their own properties. Booking with the local people is easier, and you know what you're getting.

I think we've got a Chicks-only load or two planned on Labor Day. I'll be there to photograph, of course.

Congrats to you, Pat! Can't think of a better crew to be there for your 100th, either. Hope to see you back at Utah soon!

for the level of work that most folks here are doing, the Comstock/Punchstock price sheet is a good model to follow. If it's really unusual, you might increase the price for value. Between 400.00 and 1K are pretty much the ranges for a high resolution action shot, if it's a stock purchase for advertising for which you retain rights. If the client wants exclusive, and the photo is unique, "the sky is the limit" somewhat applies here.