chrismgtis

I agree with that. :) There was one time where I put mine on weird and I had to thread it back through (hard to explain). No big deal at all, but kinda funny. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I don't normally tell people this sort of thing, but to answer your question; yes it can help. Personally, I'm pretty shy and have had what I feel is a hard life. It's not that I've not had food to eat, it's just that I've been treated horribly by people for most of my life. So, it can lead to depression and lonely feelings and it doesn't help when you don't have many friends. What skydiving has done for me is allow me to be among a lot of people that share a common interest. Skydivers are a breed you might call rare. Most of us except everyone, no matter who they are and that's one of the things I enjoy about these people. There are definitely social status quotas in this community like anything else, but much less than anything else you'll find. A lot of people might try going out and meeting people, but without common interests, it's a waste of time for most people unless you're looking for a one night stand at a local bar. This is definitely the community to find just that and the sport and the people are both therapeutic in their own ways. I couldn't quit this sport entirely because, I'd lose that and everything else it offers. Without it I'm just a geek that can play the hell out of a guitar. I'm doing something I love and that works wonders for a persons' life. Normally I tend to avoid the drop zone when I'm depressed, but when I actually get off my butt and go anyway, I find that I've escaped whatever is bothering me. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Or stop wasting time lifting weights and become a skydiver instead (and save money). When I became a skydiver, I quit going to the gym. It was costing me $30 a month I could use on a skydive. But they are right, it's either too much exercise or too little. Doesn't mean your fat. My older brother is 37 and weighs 220+ (maybe 230 or so?). He isn't fat, but he is built a bit. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I'm sure, but there's also a vast majority of those that probably passed entirely because of another jumper. And I hate to say it, but it's a fact; if you're jumping a high performance canopy - all bets are off. You're waiting to splat. It's just a matter of time. The only way to live longer is to not jump that HP canopy before it's good and well time and to know your canopy like you designed it. I know thousands of skydivers would disagree, but a HP canopy is a HP canopy. You break a leg, you can't really complain, you we're jumping a HP. You swoop that HP and get hurt, you can't complain. It's like you're a jet fighter pilot. You might log 1,000 hours in one, but 1,001 might be the last and the odds are for it. If you've got 3000 jumps on a HP canopy, my opinion is that you're lucky and probably smart. Personally, I'm sticking with my 175 for a very long time. I jump a 160 now and then, but you won't see me go to a 150 for at least another 5-10 years and that's IF and when I have 3000 jumps and am so current that I'm jumping 10 times a week. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Really? Hm. I didn't know that. The main reason I've paid more attention to front risers and other things whenever I play around/practice to get to know my canopy is because the rears require massive strength on my canopy. I don't think I've ever pulled down on both fronts at the same time though, that's something to think about for sure. Rear risers better than front for avoidance? If that's true, I didn't know that either. With probably 60+ jumps concentrated on playing with these things, there's still plenty obvious stuff I don't know about... which is one reason I say people should be doing this stuff... you don't learn it just from flying your canopy 2000 feet and landing it. But someone tell me this. I know this is sort of controversial and everyone has a different opinion on everything, but is it a good idea for me to do basic CRW? When I say CRW, I actually mean just getting with people and flying "near" them at say 10,000 feet, maybe 50-100 ft away and practicing all of these things that way. I kind of feel like it's all good to practice braked turns, etc yourself, but it seems like it would be 100x more informative doing and having a clue what it's doing. The few I've asked about this say it's not a good idea, but I think they say that because most people's first CRW jump is one that consists of actually making contact with the other canopy, which I'm not cool with before I've got 50+ jumps playing around near someone. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

That's what I'm saying. I don't think it's a USPA "requirement" to have a B license for those two. I could be wrong. I'm not 100% sure what the SIM says. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

You don't. I've cut away once and the time I did do it, I feel was a mistake, even though the canopy kept turning and I wasn't sure why. Now I think maybe I didn't pop the breaks like I should have (I instinctively grab the front risers before anything else). I can't remember for sure. All I remember is pulling the risers a few times to get the canopy straight, looking up to see if I could see what was wrong, and thinking I've thought about it long enough. My cut away: dumb move imo. That reserve could have been in much worse shape for all I know. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Yea and the reason he broke is back most likely is because he knew shit about canopy skills, which is the problem with 90% of skydivers. You guys (everyone) don't take the time to care and only care about RW, sitflying, head down, etc. When your canopy is out you think the skydive is over and there's nothing else to work on, which is 100% wrong. You should be practicing at least 1 thing every time you're in the air. Preferably many more. The one fallacy I've made is not messing with rear risers, but I'm always playing with front risers and playing with my canopy. That's why I pull high so often and don't pull at 2000 feet like most people on a normal jump. The first thing I do when my canopy is opening/has opened is grab the front risers. Why? To be ready to steer away from an obstacle and have my hands on the risers ready to compensate for any issues that might have arrived with the opening. When I know everything is cool, which is usually less than 10 seconds, I'm popping breaks and making sure they work. How many people have died because they didn't know anything about handling their canopy and thought everything was a breeze now that it's opened? Seriously. That should be the MAIN thing you know more than anything else. Regardless of what people say with 500 jumps or 10,000, canopy skills are more important than anything you can do in free fall. I might only have 112 jumps, but I recognize this. It's sad when people have 300 jumps and all they've ever done is sit fly and strap on a camera at 200 jumps. That's not to say you shouldn't know how to spot and other such things too. You should. If you EVER land off, no matter what the case is, it's your fault, not the pilots. You got out of that plane in the first place. Deciding when, where and how to exit is the first priority. After that the only thing that really matters in free fall is knowing how not to hit someone else. After that, the real skydive starts, you don't live if you land on a fatal obstacle because you screwed up the two most important parts of the skydive. The reasons people die in this sport seem to be utterly ridiculous. It's what, normally under a canopy? Why is that? Because they thought being under the canopy was no more dangerous or hard than driving a lawn mower and lost their caution. I'm not saying I could land a canopy on risers, I don't know if I could and it would scare the shit out of me, but I'd know I had used them enough to at least not feel like I was in the dark entirely. People wonder why I say I want to do basic CRW (just to fly near other canopies). I want to do it, because I'd know what my canopy is doing and have a vantage point. I don't trust my RW skills, because I've pretty much not gave a damn and I won't normally jump with experienced jumpers because I don't want to screw up the dive and waste their money, especially on something I won't be practicing/care about again. Am I bad skydiver because of that? I don't think so personally, because I'm probably better at the more important things than those guys doing stuff in free fall all the time. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

being able to do balloon, helicpoter, and night jumps. are great benefits IMO. The first two don't always require a B. It kind of depends. The do however always require at least 100 jumps afaik. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Remember that regardless of what they charge, the hop and pop person is still taking a seat that could have gone to altitude. Wendy P. Exactly. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

That was funny. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

If you have 26 jumps, that's most likely cut away time, but this is a pretty hard question to say one way or another on. Personally, I'd find the most experienced jumper on the DZ and ask him, then ask the next person down. Then ask 5 other people. Holy cow that's the scariest scenario I've heard of. Is there even a situation where a canopy couldn't be controlled without cutting a line? (not counting a situation like an auto-turning canopy with the breaks stowed). I mean, surely you could steer with the risers and that'd be by far the best option on a reserve? Personally I think I'd be considering letting the reserve just fly straight and hope I land somewhere soft if I couldn't steer at all before I cut a line Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

You live in Canada? :P In the winter in SC it would probably be pretty darnnnn cold, but I'd do it in shorts in the summer. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Yea, but ... the Internet age. You either don't say shit, and never participate in any discussions online, or you do. I mean, all I'm saying is that if it was up to people like lawyers, we would live in a police state and couldn't so much as breath without permission and paying tax for every breath. As much as I hate that what I say might put someone in jail, there's still free speech and we shouldn't not use it for the reasons I just spoke of, because then they win and as we all know the freedom of all is more important than than freedom of one. As FUBAR as the court system is, at least in the United States, nothing the court system does surprises me whatsoever. I've read way too many cases in the past 2 years proving the court system needs to completely step down and be rethought. The forum moderators/owner could say, "Don't talk about this or that", but the fact is they would no longer have a forum after that, because we wouldn't have anything to talk about. My opinion is definitely not expert. Whose opinion really is? No one in existence. One fact I DO know; Judges and lawyers participate in thousands of cases every day that they have absolutely no right whatsoever. Judges that know absolutely zero about technology judge Information Technology cases and that's some of the most screwed up stuff I've seen. It makes about as much sense as a janitor deciding why a nuclear reactor failed. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I've heard plenty of jumpers with thousands of jumps claim that they've never had a malfunction (that they packed). I've probably heard at least two with 10,000+ jumps that say the same thing. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

If US Airways told you not to unbuckle your seat belt and you did and got injured during turbulence and broke your neck, would you sue US Airways? Personally, in pretty much all iffy cases I've heard about if I was the person doing the suing, I'd probably be feeling like a complete idiot instead and be afraid to show my face for a while. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I know what you mean by the cut because: A. I was taught to signal the pilot to cut the power when doing H&Ps from a Cessna (during my A license H&Ps) B. It's always been noticeable to me even in the Otter which is what I jump from 95% of the time. I've come to expect the pilot to level out and cut the power and hit the green light. I didn't know it was called a "cut", but I associate it with cutting the power. True. It is YOUR responsibility to make sure everything is as it should be before you put on your gear, step on the aircraft and exit the aircraft. I've only been doing this for about 3+ years and I was pointing out long ago that I noticed that people don't care about anything but jumping and getting in their sit fly jump at jump 75. It's disturbing to me personally. There isn't much I can do about it though. I've looked at some people and said "You're doing that with 60 jumps?". They just smile and move on. Anytime I jump out of the airplane not knowing every single detail is perfect, I'm scared shitless. Everyone does need to realize thought that, first off people do make mistakes and will eventually make a mistake again and again in their lives in everything they do. In this sport, it's possible that one mistake may get someone killed or severely injured. It's going to happen eventually. No one is perfect and can prevent making that occasional mistake now and then. We're human. Everyone has to look out for themselves and try to look out for others too. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

We've got a good bit of those here in Chester too. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Uh, is definitely still necessary. a. If you aren't sure you are going to be able to stand this landing up, and you don't have 2000 jumps to trust in yourself to do so. You're coming in a little too fast, maybe you'll just PLF just in case. b. You flare too high (maybe 20 ft) and are going to drop straight down. You had better PLF. Try to stand that one up and you'll break both your legs. I'm sure there are 100 other scenarios. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Yes, Kirk Verner has about 20,000. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Yea, possibly true but really that is the case 0.0001% of the time? The way I see it is if you do everything you should be doing and don't leave anything out due to trying to get things done too quickly, laziness or just shear inexperience and negligence, you'll have everything working the way it should. Problem is too many jumpers would rather just get up there than care about their gear and safety. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

No such thing, unless you want to call a skydiver with a PRO rating an expert. Personally the criteria I'd have for an expert is 20,000 skydives, PRO rating, damn good at belly, sit, head down, tunnel flying in all disciplines, great at wing suit flying and sky surfing & base jumping with at least 1000 jumps in each after becoming "great at it". Also must be damn good at canopy flying, swooping, had at least 100 reserve rides intentionally, etc. Way too many criteria to be called an "expert" imo. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

I heard that you can sell sperm. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

Thanks to David Fender I had a place to stay and had a great time. Great DZ. Great staff. Loved it. Will be back next year! RastaRicanAir is one funny dude. What a crazy weekend. I ended up splitting my head open hitting my head on a refrigerator door. Another of us got a concussion from a golf cart accident. Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan

That chicken was pretty darn good too. I want some more. Oh and the mexican food Dale cooked. Freakin' yum. It was like what 150 degrees in 2008? I thought I was going to start cooking while under shade. I'm the biggest wuss when it comes to humidity. I hate sweating and feeling like I just got dipped in a vat of hot oil. FYI here are some more pics of the 2007 boogie. http://www.flickr.com/photos/chrismgtis/sets/72157600340591117/ Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan