Aviatrr

That's the point I was making about having a competent ball master.. Skyballs are not allowed at most DZ's in the US, but a few do allow it - and their rules are pretty strict when using 'em, thankfully.. Mike

That's what I was taught several years ago, and I see a lot of people use it - so I guess they must understand it.....I just kind of assumed it was taught in most FJC's.. Mike

What's the difference between a hop&pop and a 10,000ft freefall? You should know EXACTLY where you are.. If nothing else, look at the ground while tracking away from the group......and, of course, you(or somebody you trust in your group) took a second to check the spot before you exited, right? Of course....who wouldn't do that? Mike

It's that time of year that all the local DZ's have 2 or 3 turbines flying all day, every day.. Mike

A skyball should not be used by somebody that cannot catch the ball in any situation.. Since most people using 'em are just fine tuning their flying, they must have a competent ball master that would get it if the jumper fails to.. Remember....to get a tennis ball to fly 120mph or greater, you have to put weight in it.. Imagine a tennis ball, weighing half a pound or more, hitting a house(or even worse, a person) at 120mph.. Mike

Most people, in my experience, use SAS.. As geoff stated, while the Pro-Track is in your helmet the airflow is disturbed, so it doesn't give 100% accurate information.. The altitude warnings go off within 100ft, but the speeds can be fairly far off.. Mike

I seriously doubt it.. Was this a guy that lives in AZ, and runs some special ops team? DOH! Mike

Sure, you can borrow it....but no, the canopy groupies do NOT go with the canopy.....you have to find your own.. I'll only let you borrow it if your wing loading on it will be at least 2.2.. With your high experience, though, I would recommend a 2.5 loading.. Mike

I don't agree.. If I'm toward the back of a large group - such as a late diver - I will make sure SOMEBODY I trust is spotting.. Otherwise, I will ALWAYS check the spot before exit.. How hard is it to look down during climbout, while you have a few seconds anyways to allow for separation? You state that just going on the green light is ok....but, then you go on to say.. So, in other words, you expect them to check the spot - even though you have over 2,000 hours flying jumpers, over 600 jumps, and you are a JM?? I think that just goes to prove my point.. Don't get me wrong - I trust most of the pilots implicitly....otherwise I wouldn't get in an airplane with 'em.. I have well over 5,000 hours of flight time, and fly for a living - I know what can go wrong with an airplane, AND that often times crashes are due to inappropriate reactions.. I think the fact that I will get in the airplane with a pilot says a lot about how much I trust their abilities.. But does that mean I have to have BLIND faith? Nope.. At the DZ's I frequent, I know the pilots qualifications.. More than once I have left a DZ because of what I felt was an unsafe situation.. Well, since I don't know you personally, I can't comment.. How many pilots are there out there that just turn on the green light when they get to that specific point according to the GPS? Quite a few in my experience.. Most of the pilots that I know are not jumpers.. Mike

Well....if it makes you feel any better....I waited to amass an entire 100 jumps before I ordered that Xaos21 98.. I figure a 2.1 loading is pretty damn conservative on a canopy that has a max wing loading recommendation of 2.4.. Mike

Actually, during CReW, the bottom person has very little control.. The top man flies the stack or plane, as the case may be.. The only problem would be that the person would not be able to flare while unconscious, and it would not be smart for the top man to try to flare both people.. At that point, I would steer 'em toward a clear landing area(preferably with people around, such as the DZ) and let 'em go at 50-100ft or so.. If they are unconscious, it should be kinda like a drunk in a car accident.. Doing something like that is NOT a good idea for somebody not experienced at CReW, or at least a shit hot canopy pilot, IMO.. The chances of making the problem worse are pretty high if the person is inexperienced.. Mike

After a few recent conversations here on dz.com, I have to ask this question.. This is not directed at anybody specific, but more at everyone.. Who knows how to spot? Who doesn't? Who was never taught? Many jumpers do not ever learn, or excercise, this skill in this current age of GPS and green lights.. What do you consider spotting? Is it just looking out to see if you're over the DZ? Do you check the spot before exiting? I learned to spot at a Cessna DZ......OSC for those of you that jump there.. We didn't have GPS.. The pilot told you when it was ok to open the door, and then you can leave at your leisure.. Too often I see people that just exit as soon as the green light goes on, regardless of position.. Once this caused 2 groups to get out over the wrong airport.. The pilot was new, saw an airport through the broken cloud layer, gave a cut and hit the light.....we were at the airport 3 miles away....oops.. The third group actually noticed that wasn't the right airport, and didn't exit.. The rest of us got a good laugh about that one.. Mike

Well, Marc....like I said before...ya screwed up - plain and simple...you didn't accurately spot.. But, we all screw up.. Learn from it.. You dealt with it well.. You chose an alternate, didn't try to make it back to the DZ when you knew you probably wouldn't, and, IMO, you chose the only suitable alternate in that area.. I've landed in that very same median, right across from the FHP station.. Some people would've tried to make it back to the DZ, and ended up in one of those little areas in the industrial park.....not where I want to be.. The canopy collapse....well, as you know, that was likely due to the rotors off the trees.. Cars and trucks going by at 50-60mph doesn't help with smooth airflow, either.. Like I said, I got home early that day, and could've been jumping....but with those funky winds, I chose not to.. I've been up in some really nasty winds(the worst was 20 gusting to 40), and scared the hell out of myself.. I don't even consider those days anymore, as I'm sure you won't.. After my Crossfire collapsed on me, I was definitely spooked.. I had another canopy to jump that day, but didn't jump because I was in some pain.. I jumped again a couple days later, and, must admit.....I was a bit spooked when it came time for landing.. After I got on the ground, though, all the fear went right out the window, not to be seen again.. On the bright side.....I got an article written about me in Skydiving.. Get back in the saddle.. Go jump on Sunday.. I expect to see you out there when I stop by in the afternoon.. Mike

Hey, I thought chicks liked that?! Damn....that explains so much.. Mike

There's plenty of pilot hiring going on right now....you just have to know where to look(not the airlines, obviously) and be qualified.. You have no idea how incredible the past few years have been in aviation, because you have never seen how bad it can be.. It's still a whole hell of a lot better now than it was 5-6 years ago.....and it wasn't bad back then, either.. Hell, I've had 3 job offers in the past 2 months, and I haven't even interviewed for 'em....just met the CP's of those companies out on the road.. Timing is everything.. Mike

Which type of jump? Shuttle jump, or skysurf? Either way, come on down to Florida and jump with us at Skydive Space Center.. Mike

That's scary man.....I had one of those...many years ago.. And I remember having to use that damn Kickstart disk.....and it taking several minutes to boot up.. But, hey.....it was a true multi-tasker when nothing else was.. They're still used for a lot of high end graphics........but they don't have to use Kickstart anymore...they've progressed to hard drives.. Mike

Offend Jessica? I don't think that's possible.. Hey, Jess.....I'll be out there in Texas in a few weeks.....where did you say you lived, again? Mike

Ahhhh, Camp Perry....home of the Nationals.. Aerohio may not be the closes, but definitely, IMO, the best choice for the drive.. It's in Rittman, OH, southwest of Akron.. Not too far from Put-in bay.. I spent a few weekends at the bay.. We used to jump on the sailboat, head out there, and party all weekend.. Good times......although, finding our way back to Cleveland(near Burke-Lakefront airport) was always a challenge while slightly inebriated.. Mike

Jeez, Jess....you're such a perv.. Take a perfectly normal thread like gun control, and turn it into a sexual thing.. I swear.. Get your mind out of the gutter... Oh, wait a second.....nevermind, you said fallacious.. I thought you said fellatio.. Mike

Sneeze guards on the buffet? I thought you said you'd like 'em to be totally nude? Mike

Hey, PT, if those are not the pics you're looking for, try searching the 'net for pictures by Brian Erler and Dean O'Flaherty.. Brian manages Skydive Space Center in Titusville, FL, and is a videographer who has had many pics/covers in Parachutist.. Dean used to be a videographer at SSC - not sure where he's working now - and also has had many pics/covers in Parachutist.. Mike

You might go to which - collegiates or the boogie in Williston? Collegiates is in Lake Wales.. I'll head down there for a couple days, at least.. As for the boogie in Williston.....I'll probably head up for that, too.. Let me know if you're going to either - maybe we can set something up.. I saw that you said you're heading to the tunnel Sat night.. You guys have a group going? I may have to drop by.. I'll be SCUBA diving Sat and Sun, so no jumping, obviously.....but I may stop in at the tunnel.. You guys have a group getting a special rate or something? Mike

The wife told him to take out the trash.....and he said no....and it got ugly from there.. Mike

http://www.goldcoastskydivers.com They definitely put together an awesome Mardi Gras boogie.. Mike