SkymonkeyONE

My fullface, which I very-rarely wear at all, is an old-school original Factory Diver (just like the GK comp team wears). It does not get THAT cold in North Carolina, but when I was wearing that helmet regularly, it would certainly ice on me on occasion, no matter how much or how new the anti-fog was. This, with waiting right up to climbout prior to pulling it down. More to the point, the damn thing would want to condense when I was under canopy and that was a far worse problem for someone jumping a tiny crossbraced canopy. I found ways around that (pulling the helmet up a bit after undoing the velcro), but I still generally loathe full-face helmets. Yes, they are very quiet and much warmer, but the problems associated with them keep me from enjoying those benefits. I guess it just boils down to what you are willing to put up with. Lucky for me, it only very-rarely gets so cold here in NC that I feel I "need" to wear it. Chuck

Yo, Sunnydee, what does that have to do with the Keys Boogie? Shimell, we will be at least driving back through there from Key West and will possibly see you there if it's already going on. Peace, Chuckie

VX 46 is the smallest canopy landed.That canopy was actually landed by quite a few people, one who jumped enough weights to load it over 4:1. One person, Mikeal Stevens, jumps a 53 pretty regularly for "sport", and another person on here jumps a 55. One moderator on these forums has a 60 and I jumped a non-crossbraced 65 for a few months. Those are all extreme examples of wingloading and 99.9 percent of the skydivers in the world don't have any business jumping stuff that small. Chuck

Yo, Shimell, you gonna be at Marathon?

Who are you? No name entered or anything. I will probably be at Palatka that weekend doing BirdMan instruction and flocking, but am ALWAYS ready to do some bigger RW. Chuck Blue D-12501

I recommend Chunky Sirloin Burger in the 16 ounce can (for those with healthy appetites).

At what point do you think Andrea was not "prowling and pouncing?" The woman is an absolute menace I tell you!

Will, don't make me stick your head in a toilet.

I have hundreds of jumps under a round. My first main was a Papillon and my first jump was under a 28 foot 7-TU. Lots and lots of jumps under MC1-1's in my time in the service (when I was not jumping a HALO rig)

Among other things.....

Do current D-license holders who do not have 500 jumps get to keep their license? The answer to both is "yes." What's done is done.

Another reason to fly more often without grabbing your grippers. If you mix it up a bit, then you will be more accustomed to the difference in flight sans grippy grabbing. Yes, I drop my grippers to take grips. Chuck

This is NOT Betsy's thread. This is Willem's thread.

around 10 AM tomorrow

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Three more words: IT'S FUCKING DISGUSTING

Keith is correct. No need bashing any one canopy for random whackers when it's true that EVERY canopy can and has opened hard on various occasions. Line dump, shitty packing, and poor maintenance are causes.

You need to practice this transition REPEATEDLY at altitude before biffing yourself in again. Always, always, always, perfect your turns/tricks at altitude before attempting them down at ground level. Chuck

Agreed Craig. It's my opinion that the people making these recommendations be rated, very-experienced skydivers. I sense an usurping of authority here on several levels.

I keep hearing people discussing "typical" seven-level AFF on the boards. That system went out the window on 1 October 2001. It fascinates me that group member dropzones still pass people out the door and onto the rest of us without taking them clear through to A licensing. No A-card, poorly filled out logbooks, etc. You would not believe the attrocious records that some transient students show up at our DZ with. I accomodate them, but first assist them in getting their records straight and get them their A-cards caught up. Some have never even heard of the ISP or the requirement to complete the A-card. Odd. Like Bill said, most of us with any salt have been on Cat A or B AFF skydives where one of the Instructors (there are no AFF JM's in the USA either) fell off. That, of course, is no peoblem according to USPA; in fact it's covered under "freefall problems" in Cat A of section 4 in the SIM. I, as a light guy, have found myself the only guy in control on two occasions. Times where the other Instructor got hosed on exit then couldn't get back up to our floaty twosome. I am a fan of tandem progression/ TAF/ whatever hybrid name you want to call it. I have a best friend, Paul Rafferty, who does a fantastic one-man show in his mercenary skydiving travels. If I owned my own tandem rig I would be right there with him. It's a fantastic tool for dropzones where there is an AFF instructor deficit and it provides a nice one-to-one student to instructor ratio. We don't do it here at Raeford, but I really like the program. One thing that was hinted on before in this thread is for sure though: it only need be conducted by VERY experienced AFF/Tandem instructors. Just my thoughts. Chuck

Most major dropzones have at least one PST professional on the premisis who ought to be able to help you. That said, there are plenty of experienced instructors who can assist you at your level. You are at the stage where simply watching "fly like a pro" or even studying the tips in the new SIM would really help. Chuck

All my students: AFF, SL, whatever, when riding in a Cessna sit with their backs to the panel. I kneel between their legs, just like you do. Chuck

I don't think his heart could handle one of us. Yo, Lisa, have you ever met Don in person? You actually have a LOT in common. He is such a ..................I can't type that. Chuckie

Yes, I wear my helmet during both take-off and landings (when applicable). Not doing so would not only be counter to what the FAA says we should do, it would also be a shitty example to the student I generally have sitting next to me. Chuck

Expect the course we run at Eloy to be substantially different than those which have been run in the past. At our "meeting of the minds" in late November we are going to absolutely hash it out for the the best. Make sure that what we are teaching and what we are requiring of our instructors is inline with what could potentially be expected should the discipline's rating program be "eaten" by the national aeroclubs and governing organizations. It only makes sense. Yes, I will be evaluating and teaching at Eloy. It will be a fantastic time. See you all there. Chuck