Aviatrr

No Tandem Instructor in their right mind would let you jump with them with a fresh A license.. I'm not trying to put you down - just stating fact.. A Tandem has absolute minimal maneuverability, and they have this enormous target above 'em.. I jumped with a TM once(my g/f did a tandem), and another guy(my g/f's brother) got wrapped up in the tandem drogue bridle for a couple seconds.. Scared the shit out of everybody involved.. The only reason the TM let me go with 'em(with around 150 jumps at the time) was because we jumped together quite often on sport jumps, and he knew what I could do.. Normally he said he would require several hundred jumps, at least.. Mike

Well, just to let ya know what kinda people we are......I got it through the CReWDog e-mail list..

When I lived in Tulsa, I used to eat at Whataburger at least once a week....it was the only place open when all the bars shut down.. They tasted fine when I was drunk, but I've never had one sober.. Mike

Well, of course, that's your choice - but I went over to Mirage and spent a couple hours there(Bill Hallet personally showed me around and helped me with my choices).. The problem that Pammi had is the first major problem that I have heard of as far as customer service with Mirage.. I have known people that have had problems with Sun Path and Sunrise Rigging - but that doesn't mean I won't consider buying their rigs.. I evaluated everything, and decided that the Mirage was the best way to go for me.. Mike

I couldn't agree more, Jessica - God help us all.. This is an absolutely unbelievable terrorist attack, and we don't even know if it is over yet.. My prayers go out to those involved, friends, and family members.. Mike

Yea, that's it - all arabs are terrorists....get 'em all.. Are you really that much of a racist SOB, or are you just that stupid? Mike

Come on, man, you've got to know that even though some of you may think that Clay has some very tasteless comments and jokes, I'm sure that joking about THIS is the last thing he would think about.. Anybody that does is just a low life piece of shit.. Mike

I still can't believe the shit I'm seeing on TV.. I am in Denver right now, and was scheduled to fly to New York at 10:30 Mountain time(12:30 Eastern).. I got up at 8:00 Mountain, and saw all this on the news.. The recent reports I have seen on MSNBC is that 4 planes - 2 American Airlines and 2 United Airlines - are confirmed to have crashed, and United is still missing a plane.. Another report stated that thousands of Palestinians are celebrating this attack, even though Yasser Arafat has denounced this act of terrorism.. The people responsible for this must die - plain and simple.. As a pilot, it is very obvious to me that the crashes into the WTC buildings were intentional.. There is no way that they were accidents.. I believe that either the pilots had been killed by that point, or they were fighting over the controls with hijackers.. I feel the first is the most likely - as the second airplane that hit the WTC(the one on video), which appears to be a B-737, was moving very fast and appeared to be in total control.. Mike

Good job, Carl.. I take it you landed on the DZ, eh? Good spot.. Did ya hit the peas?! I haven't been formally introduced to my current reserve.....but I've met 3 others in some interesting circumstances..

Impressive.. I ordered mine last week, so I need to pick up a new reserve now, and then I'll be set.. I guess I should pick up the reserve right now.....just in case the rig is done way early.. Mike

The weekend after Thanksgiving.. Mike

My Crossfire is white with blackberry ribs.. I've never seen it from the ground, but people tell me it looks pretty good.. I've never really looked at it myself - other than to see that it was good, then time to fly it.. When I decided what I wanted, I grabbed the best looking(to me) canopy that Icarus had on hand in the size I wanted.. I got it about a week after order - I don't really see the point in waiting a long time for a custom colored canopy.. Mike

Yea....but I still got to wear your rig before you! HA! I put my order in on Thurs.. It was started today - Bill Hallet called me to ask me about something on the form.. I ordered the M3X(120main/160reserve), Unisyn, stainless, and with the Bird-Man mod on the container(allows the main container to open more fully after the pin is pulled).. I can't wait to get it.. The colors on yours look as good as you hoped? I have to admit - they looked pretty nice.. Mike

I have only jumped 2 different types of full face - a Z1 and a Factory Diver.. Probably 100 jumps on the Z1, 20 or so on the FD.. The Z1 is a nice helmet, very secure with the chinstrap and lens latch, and as an added bonus(I think you said you wear contacts, and this can make a difference) it has a fabric skirt that you tighten down after putting the helmet on that can almost completely eliminate air flowing in from around your neck.. You can get funky airflows in helmets from that, and that has caused my contacts to come out in the past.. No problems for me with freeflying with the Z1.. The downsides with the Z1 - pricey, not what I would call heavy duty construction, and the lens is kinda pricey to replace.. The Factory Diver that I jumped had the fixed lens.. No big deal, just don't put the helmet on until about 15 seconds before exit, and it doesn't fog.. It seems to be a little heavier duty construction than the Z1, but also seemed a bit heavier.. I would not attempt to do any sit/stand with a Factory Diver - nor any other helmet that does not have a chin strap or chin cup.. Mike

Ahh, should've known.. I figured it had to be him or Richard - and I don't see Richard as being the type that owns a freefly suit.. Mike

Hey, it'd be better than me following you.....I'd go for a dock! Next thing ya know, my feet are wrapped in your A lines, and you get to experience a 2-stack hook turn! Bwahaha Mike

WHOA! She, uhhh... does the Butthead, too.. [butthead voice] Uhh...Hey, baby....Wanna wrestle? [/butthead voice] Hey, my company gives me a jet every other week to fly all over the country........what city are you in again? Mike

WHOA! [butthead voice] Uhhh....hey, baby.. how's it goin? [/butthead voice] Mike

Uh, yea...sure.. I think there are a few guys out there at Deland that do enough watching for you and them.. Ya know, the guys you're always jumping with.. At least you got to jump.. Flying over Texas today - on the way to Austin - I heard "Jumpers away at 14,000 over XXX airport"... DAMMIT! If my rig had been there, my co-pilot would've had to make the call....."Jumper away at 35,000!" Mike

So, who were you jumping with? Oh, and...good spot! Mike

Hey man - a lesbian wedding alone would be cool.. I mean, think about all the chicks that would be there.. Mike

I don't know about a rush on the rig itself - you'll have to call Sun-Path about that....but as for the main/reserve, call Square 1.. I'm sure they have the canopies you're looking for in stock - maybe not the exact colors you want, though.. Mike

How the hell could you be drunk?! As I recall, you drink LIGHT BEER! Don't rub in the fact that you get to skydive and drink this weekend while I get stuck working.. I'm sitting in lovely Minneapolis tonight, and off to Chicago and Austin tomorrow.. No skydiving for me.. Mike

Don't offer if you won't follow through.. Mike

Well - I am only familiar with the requirements in the US.....and as far as I'm concerned, they are very outdated and way too low.. 200 jumps - Master skydiver? Maybe back when 200 jumps was a lot to survive.. 500 jumps to be a TM? Too low in my opinion.. 6 hours of freefall for AFF? Well, ok....most people with only enough experience to have 6 hours of freefall are weeded out of those courses anyways.. I do like the 3 years in sport requirement for a TM.. I know of a couple people that could've gotten their TM rating 8-9 months after they started jumping if it weren't for that requirement.. Am I the only one that thinks that the USPA requirements are way too low? Mike