danornan

Got one that has not been used and is probably at least 10-15 years old. Still interested? Dano

There are ways to edit it if the mod really want it done! It is a safety issue and it should be fixed or eliminated. It's not worth the risk of it being misunderstood. Dano

You should edit your comment and emphasize that it is sarcastic and wrong! Someone who is not aware of the problems might not read the entire thread. Would you want to be responsible for a needless fatality? Dano

Yep and it started right after 9/11. Our prior way of life, in the US, will never be the same and the freedoms we enjoyed are in the past tense. Sad but true and it will get much worse, before it ever gets better, if it does. Bridge Day is just another example. Dano

This is from the description of flying, "99% boredom and 1 % sheer terror" came from... Dano

A cell phone - Whenever I travel to a new DZ, I like to make sure that I carry in my jumpsuit a simple map of the area and a cell phone with the DZ's phone number. It can save a lot of time and is critical in an emergency. Dano

A lot of good advise here..... Basically, when you feel comfortable jumping off of a table 3-4 feet off of the ground and can run out a fast landing, you should be ok. Pain or the fear of pain is a pretty good indicator if you are not in denial and off of the pain medication. I crushed the top of my tib, had bone grafts and waited about a year or so. Do the rehab as much as you can without doing damage and keep the weight off. Watch your gate/walk as it's easy to limp as a habit. That will effect your hip in the future. Dano

Do all versions of Planks. Start with 30 seconds and gradually work up to 5 minutes. Full, 1/2, one arm, leg in air and crunches in between. Work up to 15-30 minutes several times a week and you will also be helping your back. Walking plank push-ups are good too. Dano

You will only regret what you don't do.... go for it! Dano

Imagine the DZ as an airport and the traffic is landing the way you want to swoop. That is probably the reason for banning turns greater than 90 degrees in the "Landing" pattern. As long as the landing areas are separate and predictable, I don't see a problem. Unfortunately, that is rarely the case. Dano

It's all a matter of degrees... Very few are pure! Dano

I had a few problems with my right wrist that also made riding the bike (K1600GTL) for more than 15-20 minutes a real pain, but with some therapy, ice and just laying off of it a while, all is now good. Point though is, maybe after your surgery, and some rehab, you will be ok in the saddle. Hang on to the bike for a while and see? You might be fine after your recovery... Good luck! Dano

Canopy collision at break-off. I was tangled in the other lines with a good canopy above my head. The other person did a clean cutaway from below but I was left with his canopy and lines wrapped all over. By the time I untangled myself from the lines I still had his torn canopy above me starting to inflate. I was afraid to land it and felt comfortable cutting away at somewhere below 1,000 feet. It was almost like a canopy transfer and I had time to unstow my breaks and look for a place to land. There was a helicopter below me warming up! Oh and I only had use of my right arm. My left shoulder was hit so hard during the collision that I thought it was broken. I had little use of it at the time. Later it was found to be a bad bruise. Dano

As an average skydiver, I would not want to jump without an RSL. I feel safer and from personal experience, know some who would most likely be alive if they had one. I experienced a very low cutaway about a year ago with demo gear and a Skyhook probable made a significant difference in a positive outcome for several reasons. That being said, I recently updated my gear with a new container and my feeling was, why not have the best, so I added to it a Skyhook. Seemed like the thing to do. Dano

What did you say? :-) Same with cutaways.... Never heard that either! I have cutaway quite a bit lower than 1500, but it was because that was my only choice. Either that or two out and I felt that with a canopy above my head, just ugly, that was the better alternative. I did have a Sky Hook, but was not thinking of it at the time. Dano

Maybe I'm not listening, at least I think that's what my wife says, but, I've NEVER heard anyone say that because of their emergency devises, ( AAD, Skyhook, RSL, etc.) they were lowering their opening altitude. Maybe in jest, but not in actuality. Dano

I wear a Silky" liner between me and my motorcycle helmet. Haven't tried it skydiving, but you might want to give it a try. I keep two and throw one into the wash every week or so. Dano

I don't really want another T-shirt..... Dano

Contact Chuting Star and let them handle it. They will do a very through 3 page inspection for the buyer and act as a middle person. I used them recently and both parties were very pleased with the transaction. My guess is that any reliable dealer can do the same. Dano

Maybe you ARE a firearm skygod. But the funny thing is that not a single one of the gun owners who posts here admits to being anything but a firearm skygod. DZ.COM must be the Lake Wobegon of guns. So where are all the below average gun owners? I guess they're in the police, or firearms instructors who shoot themselves. My limited exposure to the confluence of firearms and skydiving indicates that, in general, the skydivers who are not extremely competent with firearms are those that eschew them entirely. Our population includes an inordinate number of Special Ops, Law Enforcement, and other heavily trained personnel. I know quite a few Class III manufacturers, dealers and licensees as well. The number of active participants in Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun Competition is much higher than in the general population, and the level of technical expertise regarding shooting tends to be in the top 10% of people who show up for any class I have taught. If you show up at a DZ with anything from a BB gun to a 16 inch naval rifle, dollars to donuts says there will be someone there who not only knows how to use it, but can use it supremely well. The skydiving community may be a lot of things, but it is not, and likely will never be, reflective of the population at large. An unusual level of competence with firearms (again, among those who do not routinely avoid them) is typical of skydivers. BSBD, Winsor An interesting thing happened at Z-Hills, in the late 80's early 90's when a young lady skydiver came racing up to the DZ, jumped out of her car and said to a bunch of skydivers that she was being chased down the road by some idiot with a gun. Almost immediately, at least a dozen or so skydivers ran to their cars, came back with guns and aimed them at the intruder as he came down the road. (at least as I remember!) He quickly skidded to a stop and went back the way he came in and all the guns were put away. I didn't realize at the time how many were carrying.... I don't think any shots were fired. Dano

Thanks to Mike, Sue and his family for completing this magnanimous act. What a way to be remembered and what class! Maybe the bickering can be taken to another thread and eliminated from here by the mods? Dano

I watched a guy in a similar situation last year with line twists, kick so hard his line twists eventually came out and then went right back, but in the opposite direction. I was above him and then watched him chop. You did the right thing.. Dano

First step is to work with your instructor and local DZ/shop. They know you and can help you with the fit. There are not a lot of real differences between containers. If you are "normal" size, and can get a proper fit, a used container is probably best to start. If it's at all possible, work on it locally. Just starting out in skydiving, the internet is the last place to look for advise or something that you depend on to save your life. Dano

Like most things in life, "Supply vs. Demand." Dano

That's what is so dangerous about hypoxia. You don't notice what's happening. Even after the fact. Unless you are tested during the event, you probably are not a good judge of whether or not you were affected. Key point! Hypoxia and it effects can change too. YOUR physiology is also key. Do you smoke? Overweight? Age? all can effect it and it can change from time to time. What was OK today might not be OK tomorrow. Airplane goes around? There are also situations where you get no feedback or symptoms. Your first sign is your buddy telling you that you just passed out and you don't remember it. Best to follow the recommendations (there is a reason) and not be in denial. Watch your buddy and don't play macho man... Dano