SkymonkeyONE

I looked at all the options, but found my cheapest tickets ($153 round trip from Raleigh to SD!) going down south. I tried to get something cheap into Ontario or LA, but wasn't in a hurry to waste precious party money on pricier tix. Thanks for the offer, though. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Bill, just to let you know where Clay is coming from: We have a friend, Larry Sherling, who did not make it completely back into the wind on his final turn. It was a breezy day and his final turn put him at about a 45 degree angle into the wind before he stopped making his turn and prepared to land. The wind TURNED his parachute to the right and he flew right into one of the 6"x6" uprights of our covered packing pavilion at Raeford. If it would have simply PUSHED him sideways, he would have hit the pole sideways; he hit it head on. The wind had turned him about 60 degrees to the right. This all happened in less than 50 feet of altitude. There were a ton of people watching it happen. Larry broke 27 bones in 74 places and is VERY lucky to be alive (there was a surgeon sitting right there supporting some military MFF train-up jumping). This "accident" happened because Larry did not counter the turn with his left toggle on final and allowed his parachute to be driven into the post. Anyone want to talk to him about it? He works at SkyKat gear shop now. Chuck Blue D-12501 "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Nice rig Omri. You know, as sunny as it is over there, you NEED TO GET SOME OF IT! [grin] Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Did I mention that BoneHead rocks? Thanks Jeanie. Keep me informed. Send a private message or just call me if you can confirm anything. I think you still have my number. Chuckie "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

OK, I just bought my tickets for the Para Performance World Games. I fly into San Diego on 27 October (Saturday) at 8pm. I think that is a Continental flight, but I will be sure when my tickets get to me in a couple of days. Anyway, if anyone would like to volunteer to pick me up and take me to Perris I would really appreciate it. I guess I could rent a car for the duration, but I would rather not if I have other options. I will, of course, buy the gas and beer for the trip. I am staying on the DZ the whole time (in the bunkhouse) and will be there until November 5th. Hook a brother up! Sincerely, C. Blue, esq. King of all Skymonkeys and the forum's very-own professional swooper "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

LOL! I HOPE somebody posts some funny shit. One shouldn't ever be ashamed of what they do at a boogie. If they can't handle themselves, then they should be secure in the knowledge that people are going to draw on them, shave their body parts, and take pictures of them in compromising positions. Lovely.... Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

I can promise you that Dan Preston is not "speculating" anything. He is plenty smart enough to write only what he knows and has seen. Now if you and others out there believe that he is posting here solely for the purpose of selling his product (and thusly to downtrod others), you are mistaken. Dan is an engineer, not a fast-food cook turned parachute salesman. He is fascinated by all things technical and spends an exhorbitant amount of time tinkering with things that interest him. He build his own data recording instruments and video equipment when "what he needs" does not exist. He will sit down with anyone and talk all day long about things he is working on. Dan is not parading around going "Icarus sucks"or "Precision sucks", etc. What he IS doing is pointing out some technical problems on equipment in the field, which (as we have seen) have led to catastrophic and near catastrophic loss. Now, that being said, who would you rather hear it from; an engineer (who happens to sell and design parachutes), or some random jumper who really hasn't laid his hands on the product? Now, some here might say that "Chuck is only sticking up for Dan because he is sponsored by him." That is not the case at all. First of all, I still pay for my parachutes and jump an Atair canopy by choice. Second, I have been around skydiving long enough (literally all my life) to have seen this exact same situation more than once; the Nova fiasco key among them. I find it refreshing that there are educated technicians out in the field actually doing independant testing on products. By the way, Dan is using a NASA facility for the testing he is conducting and I am quite sure that he will not hesitate to publish the results of their findings. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

I am not a graduate of his course, but know plenty of them and one person that used to drive up and help teach it. It is a VERY busy long weekend. If you go up there with some rudimentary sewing skills and have done some pre-reading in Poynters manuals (volumes 1 and 2), then you have a very good chance of leaving there with your certificate. Don't expect a leasurely pace; it is hard work. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

or this one: "you want the medula, baby?" Whack! chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

well weLL WELL then! In that case, you can take off the tops of the pockets and sew mesh there! Sort of upside-down air brakes. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

It is my opinion that more RW jumpers don't use the mantis position because: 1) they have never really been exposed to it in real life, or haven't been coached to do so; or 2) At the speed they are transitioning, they really wouldn't realize it's potential. That, or they might be absolute kick-ass jumpers and still fly boxman or some other derivative. Personally, I fly generally "mantis" in 4-way and 8-way sequential, but when swooping to big-way stuff it looks completely different. I guess it all boils down to what you are comfortable with. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Outstanding! I am 38! That pic was taken last November at my wedding. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Man, you are getting RIPPED OFF, that is unless you just MUST have new ones. For those of you that don't have military friends that will GIVE you some, you can still get them used, all day long, at the local surplus store for around $15 bucks. You will be "cool and stylish" so long as you are not jumping at a DZ anywhere near a military base. Smart business on BDU's for skydiving use is to sew down the cargo pockets on the legs. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Kel, I am just a squirrel living in this world. Still, I AM better looking than the majority of those guys, though my dad would argue the point! Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Kel, I am just a squirrel living in this world. Still, I AM better looking than the majority of those guys! Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

This is very lame. "When BASE is outlawed, only outlaws will BASE" Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

You need to send a message to Sangiro directly. He is from South Africa and can definitely hook you up with locations. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Justin, Yes, those are the goggles that I normally wear. I get the best service out of them and they don't have little metal buckles that bite into your head or your custom paint job. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Sounds groovy. Where are you going to be in Florida? Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

got it! Were your parents stoned? I will send the address via personal message. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

What happened here is that you "thought" you were going straight into the wind. Never get complacent under canopy; keep flying that thing until you come to a complete stop. If a breeze causes you to "drift" in one direction, then compensate slightly with the opposite toggle just enough to keep your parachute flying straight. Your final flare might be slightly uneven, but that is fine in this instance. Remember, you are the pilot, not just a passenger under canopy. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Sounds groovy, Craig. Where have you been hiding anyway? Haven't seen you post lately. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

It's a wedding pic. I had been drinking Crown Royal all morning, too! "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

EXACTLY! Break that chick down like an escopeta! (that's "shotgun" in spanish) Let me pass on these words of wisdom imparted onto me by my father, Buddy Blue D-597 , on my 13th birthday: "Boy, every one you turn down is one you missed, and the WORST I ever had was wonderful" That applies to most things in life. If you drag ass now and let the opportunity pass, then you will SURELY regret it later in life. Ask the girl out. Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"

Yeah, Clay. LIKE IN PRISON! Chuck "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy"