danornan

We said good by to Mark yesterday, 1/17, with most of his family watching his brother Steve, release Mark's ashes to the Blue on Steve's first tandem skydive. Steve, Gary and Chris, Mark's brothers were at the DZ along with Diane, his sister in law. Lots of nieces, nephews, family members and skydiving buddies were also there for the day. It was so bitter sweet. Two of Mark's nephews also made tandem jumps. Today 1/18, more of Mark's skydiving friends will remember all of the great times we shared with mark with another release of his ashes to one of his favorite spot on earth!! Mark was one of my best friends and added so much to my life. He'll be with me on all of my skydives and will never be forgotten. Dano

They look silly! I saw someone "smoking" one last night at a local bar is it just looked funny. They seemed to be trying to look serious and it really came of as comical... I don't smoke so maybe it's just me! Dano

Way too many great things have happened over the years and great people in the sport are just too many to just mention one, but..... Wife used to pack for me before she did her first tandem.... and oh that was sweet!! Damn my friends who talked her into that first jump.... Dano

I'm not replying to anyone in particular, and maybe it's my age, .... I just don't understand why after the canopy opens, anyone would want to get down to the ground quicker. I love flying my canopy and if it didn't cut into my free-fall time, I'd prefer to open higher for a longer canopy ride. I don't swoop and try to be in a predictable landing pattern, so maybe that's the reason? Dano

I was handed a yellow card while in the line at TSA and it was like a "Get Out of Jail Card" last weekend. I did not have to takes any thing off or remove shoes, placed my back pack in a tray (unopened with a lap top and cell phone inside) and walked through without a scan! Must be a new get friendly policy.. Very nice. Dano

Might want to skip the Hydrogen Peroxide, unless it's diluted and supervised. It tends to destroy good tissue too. Not recommended by most anymore. Dano

Of course not... The guys on bikes are cowards and only act that way in a pack. They do deserve to have their bikes taken away and serve time in jail, alone with Bubba! They were guilty of harassment and possible assault. They don't deserve to keep their motorcycle endorsement either. Just a bunch of bullies. Dano

As we all have opinions, after 25+ years of skydiving and several "saves" with an RSL, one with a demo skyhook, I sold my last rig and ordered a new one with a skyhook. I would not want to jump without one! My last "save' involved a wrap and cut away way too low and unintentional. Many on the ground said I would not be writing this if it were not for the skyhook. Just my .02 Dano

I had a similar ( each one is different!) accident 12 years ago at 50 and was told that in 5 years I might need a knee replacement. In two years I had 5 operations and lots of PT. I jump more now then before my accident and try to swim 3-4 times a week for about an hour as PT. I don't run and am still on my original knee. Very little discomfort. Dano

I watched someone below me kick so hard out of line twists that he spun it right back up the opposite direction and had to chop. Kicking too hard can have the opposite effect. Dano

I use this for Z-Hills: http://www.usairnet.com/cgi-bin/launch/code.cgi?Submit=Go&sta=KVDF&state=FL Plug in your locals for a pretty good idea of what is coming... Calling the DZ is a waste of time.... They are always jumping! Dano

I highly recommend Chutingstar. I used them last month to facilitate a sale and they were extremely helpful. They did a through inspection of the rig that I was selling and held on to it until I had the money. It was very simple and both partied benefited. Dano

The problem is the mixed message. She said that she did not want to go "all the way" but then proceeded to make out. When is no yes and yes no? As Mark said though, she is under age and it could very likely be labeled statutory rape. Dano

It's never a good idea to jump without a chest strap.... or one that is mis-routed or not attached correctly. But, that being said, unless you have a really bad opening or bad body position, you are not going to fall out of your parachute if the chest strap is either mis-routed or just not attached. Once more, it's never a good idea, and I always check mine and as many around me as possible before boarding. Quite a few years ago, I simply ran the chest strap over the buckle and for some odd reason looped it through the elastic keeper. No one caught it and my first indication of a problem was after opening, a missing altimeter that was on my chest strap, before I got on the airplane. I'm not the first and surely won't be the last to do this and I do appreciate your "there I was story" in hopes that it will prevent someone else from being careless. Dano

If your goal is to make the LZ safer, then it must be a predictable place for everyone. They can be done safely ( a relative term!) in a separate area or announced ahead of time in the LZ. Dano

You sound like me when I get stuck in traffic behind an accident! My wife reminds me that I'm not in the accident and that I'll get home, just a little later! The victim isn't going home.... Dano

Not appropriate... Dano

I had two PD Spectras and really like them both. The openings were pretty predictable, but not a lot of glide though. I switched to a Storm and it felt like the glide increased. I did get better penetration too. The Storm was like a Spectra on steroids. Much less toggle input required. Dano

Blue Skies Larry...... You are going to missed by everyone who you came into contact with. It was a pleasure and honor to know you.... Dano

Good article.. I would add..... Carry a working cell phone with the DZ's phone number and either a paper or good mental image of the surroundings. It is possible to land out and not know where your are. It happened to me in TX and I landed beside a seriously injured skydiver. Having my cell phone (that worked in this area) made a big difference to the guy who was injured. Dano

OK - So you would suggest that a new skydiver not have an RSL, (or skyhook) even though, over the years, there have been incidents just about EVERY YEAR of skydivers cutting away and not pulling the reserve in time! There are always exceptions, but to continue to look at them as the rule just does not pass the common sense test. Dano

Seems like the old timers like to split hairs on this forum and look for exceptions and completely miss the point by trying to show how their exceptions makes the difference. Sadly a new or inexperienced skydiver will not understand and get confused by this unnecessary noise. If you are new, inexperienced and learning, which after 30 years, I still feel like I am, get and use an RSL. You are not doing CREW, shooting video or a tandem. Go with the odds... You are average and not exceptional like most of us. In fact, get a Sky Hook, it probably saved my life! Dano

In the case of people who die without an RSL, it is usually from low EP's - skydiver error, plain and simple. In the case of people who die with an RSL, it's often from an RSL induced mal. Big difference and not really comparable as stats to make a stat-based decision. They are still dead, regardless of the reason. Dano

The above is my reason to have one too. In fact, after having used an RSL several times and lucky borrowing a rig several months ago that had a Sky Hook, I just bought a new rig with a Sky Hook. Those on the ground said that I probably cut away too low for an RSL, but the Sky Hook put a canopy above my head almost instantly. I try to go with the odds and not think of myself as special and better than average. Dano

Based on your profile, I'm guessing you weight about 155-160lbs. Are you saying you wear 40+ pounds of lead and then swoop a sub-100 sq ft canopy? That's what the OP is talking about. Better than 25% of his body weight in lead, and then swooping a small, HP canopy. If you have to weight-up to be in the base of a 100 way, and your WL remains below 2.0 and you do the standard, big-way straight-in landing, I see no problem with that. What the OP is suggesting is another story, especially when he admits that he doesn't want to be on anything smaller than an 84, but he wants to load up a canopy as if it was smaller than an 84. I don't see the logic or wisdom in that. Sorry for the misunderstanding.... I was only suggesting a better way to jump with 40 pounds and spread the weight. I DON'T SWOOP and only use the weight for relative work. The most I've actually used is a little more than 30 and mixed it between the belt and vest. He was only asking how, not if I recommended it. To me a vest and belt seem a better option. Dano