jdfreefly

I imagine that due to his size and wind loading, you let him register for free? Tell Ernesto I said he's a punk ass bitch. Methane Freefly - got stink?

If the judges were people who had never been skydiving, I'm not so sure you would come out on top. And yes, (to jlmiracle) I think if the customer thinks the video is good, safety asside, then it is a good video. I don't see how you can judge it any other way. If I shoot a video with sick artistic subtleties, that would wow the crowd at canes, but are completely lost on my South Jersey white trash customer, is it a good video? I don't see how you can judge it by any other metric than what the person paying for it thinks. If you want to blast him for being unsafe, fine, but I say your claims that the video sucks are bullshit. Methane Freefly - got stink?

That was exactly my point. The ultimate judge of the video is the student, and if they, with their one jump, thinks it is a great video, what we think doesn't matter, from a purely astetic point of view. From a safety standpoint, well, that's an entirely different matter. My point, was that the angle that the videos are terrible is an invalid one, as the students do, infact, seem to love it. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Once again, I want to make it clear, I think this behavior should stop....BUT...... You, and others, have said how terrible the video is and how you would be pissed as a student, but you are saying that after 1000 skydives and 6 years in the sport. I've never seen/heard his students complain, and what's more, I usually got the impression that his students liked their video much more than mine did with my boring stable tandems. I AM NOT CONDONING THE ACTIVITY. Just saying that I think the angle many of you are taking, that it ruins the video, is inaccurate. What we think makes a good video and what a first time jumper thinks, are worlds apart. Methane Freefly - got stink?

You just have to love people who hide behind the anonymity of the internet and make statements like that. Way to contribute to the discussion, good job. For those of you that want some intelligent discourse, I have this to say: I worked alongside this TM for the 2 years I did tandems, yes, at the crosskeys carnival. He mentored me, and gave me advice and helped me be a safer tandem master. I agree with others that have said, discipline him, and depending on his response, give him another shot. I'd be willing to bet that those of you who want his head on a pike would have a different attitude if you were on site at the DZ and had to say it to his face. It's easy to condemn people and make grand statements over the internet. Try backing it up in real life. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I've been waiting for this discussion. background: I was a tandem instructor, and I have watched the side spin video. First, I want to say that I believe that loose lats do contribute to the side spin starting. After that, it is the instructor's instincts that make it a problem. Back in the day, when all anyone did was belly fly, it was drilled into your head through muscle memory, whenever things go bad, ARCH! This instinct will kill you in a side spin. Now, with many instructors being avid freeflyers, or at least having spent a good ammount of time freeflying, our default action to trouble is different. I've gotten into a sidespin twice, and both times I was out of it before it built any kind of speed. It didn't scare me, and not for one second was I worried if I could get out of it. I think sidespins are a relic from the days of hard arching to solve all your problems. This doesn't mean I think we should all go and loosen the side laterals, and it doesn't mean we should stop teaching new TMs how to get out of it. But I do think it is not the boogey man it once was. Methane Freefly - got stink?

And that;s the whole point!!!! The numbers don't lie! The people who interprate them do, however. Matt, met you at sumerfest, good luck with your new endeavors! I think I told you, but we were both drunk, what you're doing takes balls as big as church bells! I'm a little jealous, but not enough to join you Some thoughts on the survey: To the people bitching about time or wanting something for their 1/2 hour; What if it provides data that helps manufacturers make the sport safer? Is that payment enough? It would be nice if you could someway ensure that the data wasn't tainted by people filling it out multiple times, not sure what their motive might be, but I'm sure I could think of one once I saw the quetions. I'd like to see detailed info on causes of mals, and injuries and those details correlated to jump numbers, currency, jumps on current gear config (ie - did they recently change something?) Much of what you have listed is already asked by USPA. Get more creative, and try to find the statistical trends they are currently missing. Maybe you already planning on asking that kind of stuff. Good luck! Methane Freefly - got stink?

I would say that someone who can land a parachute at 50 mph consistently, but can't shut it down in a 10 meter circle is an accident waiting to happen. Once again, the night jump is brought up. If you don't want to do them, don't get a D license. What's the hang up with night jumps? Is it fear, or is it that at some of the smaller DZs they are hard to organize? I was terrified on my night jumps, but they were also two of the most memorable jumps I have ever done. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I met Keith at Summerfest. Great guy. He had hurt his shoulder and had grounded himself one day, and was organizing us on some big hybrid stuff and sending us up. Very hospitable. I hope he comes out ok. Methane Freefly - got stink?

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=4631 This is what happens when you cork. Methane Freefly - got stink?

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=4631 it's much better on a big screen, right off the camera, going frame by frame....while I do the jaws music in the background...but you can certainly get the idea. edited to "use the damn buttons" Methane Freefly - got stink?

I would want him banned. But given that it is the Ranch and that goes against the DZ philosophy, I'd say you have to at least try talking to him. You can't get so jaded that you stop trying, especially somewhere like the Ranch. As I understand it, jumpers talking to jumpers is the key to safety there. I'm wondering where this guy is from originally. Where are his friends that he normaly jumps with to tell him he's being foolish? Hope he gets smart before he gets dead. Methane Freefly - got stink?

The phrase "under the riggers supervision" is open to interpretation. I've seen DZs where it was considered to mean that a rigger had to be on the packing matt. I've also seen DZs where it was considered to mean available for questions, which meant that they just had to be on the DZ, in the air counting as "on the dz" Methane Freefly - got stink?

I can't believe I missed this thread! My Scotty story: Packing at x-keys in 98. New jumper, even newer packer. This old wrinkled man asks me if I will pack for him. I say sure and start packing. I think it was a batwing but I'm not sure. He comes back in after the next jump and the conversation goes something like this: Scotty: Hey kid, what's your name? Me: Daless Scotty: Daless? Ok! jesus fucking christ daless! I can't have openings like that! I'm pulling at 800 feet god damnit! Me: I'm sorry, you want me to speed it up? Scotty: Hell yes I want you to speed it up! Pack it again! After the next jump: Scotty: What the fuck are you trying to do to me kid? I told you to speed it up, not slow it down! He drops the rig on the floor and storms out of the hangar. He walks back in a few seconds later, as I already have the canopy over my shoulder. I notice, much to my dismay that he has a steak knife in his hand. He walks up, grabs the slider and cuts an X right through the middle of the slider. "There, try that!" he says and walks away. I look at Jono, the guy who ran the matt, and he says, "That's Scotty. Pack it again, and leave the nose out....by the way, you might want to get paid in advanced." Later, he tried to pay me with food! Methane Freefly - got stink?

Any body available to give a skydiver a ride from ORD to summerfest? I fly into Chicage on Saturday at 5:58 PM. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Does this statement from the manager of the FAA's Technical Standards Branch scare anyone else? "Parachute descents through uncontrolled traffic patterns are a hazard at any time and should not be permitted," wrote Michael L. Kelly.... Link to full story: http://durangoherald.com/asp-bin/article_generation.asp?article_type=news&article_path=/news/06/news060725_5.htm Methane Freefly - got stink?

I'm thinking of switching to this lens: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=12069&is=GREY&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation It's not much lighter, but it is over an inch smaller. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I have that lens, and my advice is, get one of the smaller lighter ones unless you are really experienced and know that is definitely the lens you want. It's big and heavy, and I've rarely needed the full wide angle. If they are selling it that cheap, there is most likely something wrong with it. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I have some questions maybe people can answer. Can I rent an RV on site? If so, who do I talk to and how much would it cost. Do they have internet access available? Even if I have to pay for it that is fine. If I chow in the pond and no one hears it, does it still make noise? Methane Freefly - got stink?

Just curious, were you drinking the night before? That could certainly add to the dehydration, you're already starting the day off with a deficit. Either way, a good example of how a very experienced jumper can make one or two bad decisions that can add up in a bad way. Methane Freefly - got stink?

You have to have a D to jump onto the beach. Methane Freefly - got stink?

If memory serves me.....not long enough. Methane Freefly - got stink?

You should try contacting paypal and see if they will refund the charges since it is all for charity. You never know. Methane Freefly - got stink?

It was explained to me this way: A tandem skydive is the safest way for a student who has never made a skydive to jump from an airplane. From the instructor's point of view, it is the most dangerous way for them to get that student from the airplane to the ground. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Dear Boss, Thanks for the memories. I quit! ps - I bare assed something in your office while you were at lunch, have fun trying to figure out what it was. Methane Freefly - got stink?