SkymonkeyONE

LOL! Hey, dumbasscuss! Don't you mean TRAITOR??? Maybe not? What exactly does she have to trade?

I just looked at the Raeford dropzone.com photo that I finally figured out how to attach (go check it out) and saw that mine points the same way that Merrick's does, which is to "my" left. Pammi's, on the other hand, points to her right. The way mine is assembled, it sticks out farther if worn like I have it on, but would be riding against my chest if I had it the other way, so my way must be correct, at least in my case. Chuck

Got it. I was just hitting the buttons in the wrong order. It's there now. From left to right, rear row: Merrick, Tim (USSkydiver), Tom (Coconut Monkey), Tony and Kate Thacker the DZOs (Tony is registered as TonyT), Joey (Padewan Monkey). Front row, left to right: Pammi, me (SkymonkeyONE), and lastly, John (SlotPerfect).

I am a bonehead fan and own two mindwarps. It's a good looking helmet and it easily adaptable for camera usage once you get to that stage. If you are going to get a camera right away, though, I think I would just buy the Optik since it has flat mounting surfaces and the chin cup as standard equipment. Chuck

I saw your first thread in talkback and answered it there. Collis Griffin (now deceased) owned AeroGlide. They made several different canopies out of their loft in Georgia. As I recall, he jumped at Rome. I don't know if they make the canopy anymore, but they had a decent following down there and even here at Raeford. I jumped a 95 twice and it flew nice, but didn't have much of a bottom end. Those canopies would do the most wicked rear riser turns I have ever seen, but the trade-off, of course, was very high front riser pressure. Chuck

That canopy was made by Aeroglide in Georgia by Collis Griffin (who past away a couple of years ago). Griffins were reasonably popular at the dropzones around Atlanta and there were about six of them on Raeford. The one I jumped was a 95; Greg Offhaus still has it in a box at the loft. Those parachutes opened fine and flew nice, but didn't have the best bottom end. A Griffin had sort of a swept wing design. Not a bad main overall, so maybe you will be able to find someone hurting for cash that needs a main. Chuck

Billy Richards flies his helicopter at The Ranch when he feels like it.

Here. Let's try that again. I shrunk the pic a bit; maybe that was the problem. That's IT! Got it.

OK, now I'm pissed. It's not taking the attachment.

Thought I would post some weekend pics, since I finally remembered to break out the digital camera this time! Anyway, here is the Raeford Dropzone.com crew that was onhand this past weekend. All but one, Kate Greisser Thacker, is registered and several only lurk, but the rest of us post a bunch. From left to right, rear row: Merrick, Tim (USSkydiver), Tom (Coconut Monkey), Tony and Kate Thacker the DZOs (Tony is registered as TonyT), Joey (Padewan Monkey). Front row, left to right: Pammi, me (SkymonkeyONE), and lastly, John (SlotPerfect). This photo was taken Saturday evening out in front of our DZ bar and restaurant, Aviators. It was snapped right as the last load of the day was landing. Chuck

Well, from an instructor's standpoint, I sure am glad that Raeford went to the ISP. What that did for us give us a sort of "safe" jump after that level III (now Cat C, jump 1) you did. The old level IV was a very busy dive for a single jumpmaster. Being out there by yourself with a student who had previously only been released one time and had nothing to do on that jump but fall flat, dumb, and happy, then expect that person to be able to accomplish turns and forward movement. I really like the Cat C dive 2 in the ISP because it is really just a repeat of the two JM level III, but with only one JM. The dynamics of the exit are different, but everything else remains the same; no turning, just stable falling down the pipe. Chuck

I have met or previously known tons of dot commers. You need to get out of the house more often.

How very unfortunate. In retrospect, it may have been better last year when Reggie was charging $30 for the priveledge of swooping the pond during the convention. At least then, he had some oversite of who was coming over the top. There were still "bandit" jumpers swooping the pond, but the great majority of pond swoopers there were guys who were entering the PPPB meet at the end of the week. I know it's open season this time (no charge), so I am sure that there are more people giving it a try. I have no idea what the victim's swooping experience was, but I can tell you from a competitor's standpoint that swooping a pond, with no vertical visual references around is COMPLETELY different than swooping over land. It takes some time to acclimate to and plenty of very-experienced swoopers get wet working out that new sight picture. BSBD My condolences to the family. Chuck

You know, I don't think I have paid attention to which way mine points. Of course, Pammi and Merrick just gave it to me this weekend on the DZ (thanks!). Did I say that my necklace rocks? Chuckie

Mario had a good post there, too. Man, I have seen some serious nig-noggery when it comes to freefall training in third-world countries. Let me relay my Guatemala story to you: In 1990 I was on a six-month trip down there in Puerto San Jose, on the coast. They teach both the basic SL airborne course there as well as their military freefall course and have a parachute brigade stationed on the base. Anyway, I was on a HALO team at the time, but we were not there specifically to jump. Still, I brought two of my personal rigs and extra stuff down there because I knew we would get to jump all we wanted. They would train SL troops most of the day out of either their Arava (flying football) or their DC-3. At around noon, they would send a soldado over to where I was training an 81mm mortar course and tell me it was time to skydive; it was very cool. Now check this out: these dudes had a huge variety of gear, ranging from 1960's MC-3 ParaCommanders all the way up to brand-new military Javelins with Mantas. The senior cadre of the school and most experienced jumpers generally had specific rigs that were for their own use, but everyone else got gear based on how tough and fast they were; it was funny. Everyone stood in a formation in front of the rigger shed in order of what pass they were getting out of the plane. You see, the less experience you had, the lower you got out. In their basic course, they were taught only by table drills and live, individual exits. None of the rigs had automatic openers; you either pulled your string or you went in! In the school, they flew over the top at 3500 feet and you poised out the door and pulled. If you lived through that, you got to go to the next pass over the dropzone at 5000 feet. If you stayed stable the whole way and didn't frap, on the next jump you got to get out on the next pass at 7,500, etc, etc. Malfunctions were common and fatialities were expected (one dude went in while we were there). So, we stood there in formation in lines broken down by what pass (how high) you were going. Those of us in the back all went to at least 12,500 every day and we all had our rigs guaranteed (I jumped my sport gear on all but three out of nearly 100 jumps I made there). The monkeys in the front ranks stood there patiently until the commander of the school blew a whistle at which point those dudes scrambled into the rigger shed and fought, literally, over the gutter gear that was left! It was monkey madness. I watched from the back for several jumps and could not believe how dicked-up these guys exits were. Lots and lots of guys pulling on their backs. All the young jumpers were graded from the door by one of the school cadre. If the "student" pulled unstable, he was coached on the ground (no tunnels there, my friend, sorry) and made to repeat the jump from the same altitude. They never had anyone with enough skill to fly down and get you stable. Likewise, most of the loads from altitude were complete zoos when I first got there. Nobody there had ever launched any exits or floated outside, so when I recommended it to them they were pretty freaked. Eventually, myself, the chief rigger there (Mario Sagastume) and the commander of the school started chunking three-ways and laying base (more like "target" in this case). After a short time, I had them doing some very tight grouping. These dudes were also jumping huge, floppy 1970s/early 80s suits which were giving them a hard time. They asked my permission and I allowed them to take my solid black "work" suit apart and make patterns. A week later, they all had tighter fitting, tactical jumpsuits (with grippers, just for shits and grins). On a side note, I also taught them safe CRW. Their demonstration team had been jumping ParaFoils and two of them had gotten fairly proficient at ramming into each other and doing two-stacks. I saw this and cringed, then told them that they would be far better off using some of their more suitable gear. I ended up finding out that their best choice were the five military Javs with Mantas they had. Remember, this is WAY before CRW dogs went to small canopies. Anyway, I was on the first three-stack in history there, the first downplane, the first side by side. When I left that place after six months, I was presented with the flag that flew over the school and during the wing exchange I was given the sterling silver master wings of the school's commander; it was humbling and awesome. Those guys were great and once they opened up to me, were like sponges, taking in every bit of institutional knowledge I could pass on to them. I was not ever really sure why they had a MFF program, seeing as they didn't have a single troop transport plane what was capable of taking anyone to true HALO altitudes. True, the Aravas could, but what's the point when you don't own a single peice of oxygen gear? We did do some kick-ass cross-country jumps after I coaxed them into thinking it was a smart idea. It was beautiful there and those jumps were very cool. Sorry for rambling, but those are some good memories. Chuck

Well, you just experienced one of the reasons why fighter pilots wear g-suits. What you got was all the blood pooling in your extremeties due to the g-forces on your body during that long spiral. Could be worse, you could have passed out. Question: were you hungover from the night before? That really exacerbates the problem. I have jumped hungover before and nearly passed out under canopy; it was NOT the hot ticket under a 75 square foot main or a tandem. Needless to say, I will not jump hungover anymore for any reason. I don't need the money and I will not endanger myself or any student or passenger for a measly $30. Chuck

I can get one of mine to turn off, but not in the requisite four button-pushes. The other one just won't do it. Anyway, I have always been told that the unit uses less battery power if it just shuts itself off, so I don't sweat it. Chuck

they do some pretty nutty stuff in that airplane. They open the top hatch and crawl all over it. Chuck

Her "personal assistant" is also a complete pig. Did you see the huge tattoo of Anna Nicole on her left arm when she was in a dress at that formal? Ugh!

Fly through it faster, yes, but when it is encountered in close proximity to the ground, then there is nothing you are going to do about it. At Raeford we have "the dragon". It is a phenomenon that happens when the wind blows over the tops of the tall trees in the packing area and over the restaurant. Rotors off the tops of the trees have grabbed parachutes and dropped people 50 feet to the ground before, so we have our beer line out far enough that most jumpers will not be affected. There is a similarly tall set of trees on the other side of the dropzone next to Gene Paul Thacker's house, but people don't land over there for fear of being shot by Miss Billie or GPT. Chuck

2:7 or 8(I forget):0 I had a good day jumping on Saturday, but the DZ was slow all weekend for some reason. Pammi, Merrick and the rugrats (Sammi and Monkito (Tyler)) came down. We had a fun day and took some groovy pictures on my digital camera, which I will post as soon as I can locate said digital camera. I have no idea where I laid it down Saturday night. I am also still pissed that I am not currently in Rantoul. Chuck

Turbulence can and will collapse your canopy. Wind shear, rotors, and wake turbulence have all led to serious injuries and even death. Chuck

Dino beat me to the punch. While I am an MFFJM and complete tunnel whore, I have absolutely nothing to do with any of the B company MFF training. Today's "white side" MFF Instructors undergo a lot of training to get them ready for dealing with those out of control students. First, they must be MFFJM qualified, then prior to being able to lay hands on students they must attend and pass the Advanced MFF Course (8 weeks). From there they test out for their "I" and shadow a course. Nowadays, the school also contracts out an AFF course director once a year minimum and runs everyone through it so that there can be absolutely no doubt that their instructors have at least the same qualifications as civilian schools. Back before the advent of the AMFF course and the AFF continuing education, there were "I" rated MFF instrutors with less than 200 jumps. I clearly remember some of these guys not being able to skydive worth a shit on the weekends back in the mid 80's. Our current train-up program is outstanding and our instructors are first rate; you can believe that. The "black side" courses are a different matter completely, as are the cert courses that the Navy has been running for the last couple of years. Black side courses are generally run with AFF instructors from within the ranks of the unit and are "validated" by cadre from our MFF school so that their graduates can receive diplomas from USAJFKSWC (the acronym for our whole schoolhouse). Likewise, their tandem program is taught inhouse and validated by The Relative Workshop. Lately, the Navy has been running two separate B-license certification courses; one east coast and one west coast. Upon completion of this civilian contracted AFF-based cert, they contract cadre from our MFF school to run a "challenge" course (a 10-day program of instruction when we do it in-house). Upon completion of the challenge course, graduates are issued SWC diplomas, just like "regular" students get. The bottom line is that there are many ways to skin the same cat. While it is possible for an MFF student to complete all the gates of training in as few as 18 jumps, since we moved our school from Fort Bragg out to Yuma Proving Grounds, AZ, the average class ends up making about 30-35 jumps. They leave there with a logbook and a USPA A-card signed by any one of the AFFIs who trained them. This clearly sets them up for success should they choose to pursue skydiving as a sport. Those who come back to Bragg are pointed over to the GB club and are then transitioned to BOC sport gear by myself or anyone of our other instructors around the DZ. Generally, there is very little left on their A-card to complete when they get to us. Their freefall skills are such that we don't generally have a problem checking the blocks. Still, since we went to ISP at Raeford, everyone gets the same level of training; there is no such a thing as a seven-jump "graduate" anymore. Chuck Blue D-12501 AFF,SL,Tandem Instructor Raeford Parachute Center

Ray Ban Predator 8 wraps. I skydive in them, ride my Harley in them, and they fit great. They are Golden Knights issue, so I can DX them if they break. Actually, concerning breakage and warranty stuff, I have never had a problem getting any good sunglasses replaced for free. I wore Revos for quite a while and had three sets replaced after I broke lenses or tore the frames up. I just had a set of my Ray Bans replaced for free after I dropped them and shattered a lens. Outstanding customer service; I got the new ones in four days. Chuck

That pig is definitely not all there. I can't believe they air that show; it's very lame.