RB_Hammer

Yeah, Jon did a great job with the pictures. Will be out there at the crack of dawn. Need some altitude. That is a pretty good looking suit, for a bananna...

This is a picture of my friend, Pratt, and I both doing our 100th jump. We had a great jump at Desert Skydiving Center in Buckeye, AZ. Jon Freegard took the pictures for us and got some really good ones. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I know my post is not to the point, but I ended up rolling on the floor laughing at that...

The two cards that I submitted, one for my A and the second for my B, both had coach signatures, IN THE APPROPRIATE PLACES. I think a coach can sign some, as long as the coach is working under the supervision of an instructor. Anyway, the USPA did not reject either of mine and did issue me first the A and then the B. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

According to the Flag Rules and Regulatons FAQ's, the answer is no. Quoted from the website I cite above: My flag touched the ground. Do I need to destroy it? No. You should, of course, try to avoid having the flag touch the ground. But if it does, you should correct the situation immediately. If the flag has been dirtied, you should clean it by hand with a mild soap solution and dry it well before returning it to use. Again, it seems the answer is no. Another quote from the website: My flag is old and ready to be retired. What should I do? Section 8k of the Flag Code (see below) states, "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning." We recommend that you contact your local VFW Chapter and ask them for help properly disposing of your flag. And be sure to consider providing a small donation to them for their assistance. Or you can contact your local Elks Lodge (who created the idea of Flag Day, established officially by President Truman, himself a member of the Elks), the American Legion, or the Knights of Columbus. Some Boy Scout and Girl Scout troups also can provide this service. A problem that has not been addressed yet involves nylon (all-weather) flags. In some states, it is illegal to burn nylon, so adhering to the Flag Code puts you in direct violation of the law. We will report on recommendations here in the future. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Negative. But you should do everything you can to prevent that accident. What I am saying is you need to take all possible precautions to ensure the situation from happening. The case of the kid running out onto the field obviously could not be planned for. The other posts saying they don't even try to catch the flag because of the heavy weight seem to me to be simply poor planning. I understand the need for the weight on a flag, but the planners really need to ask, "Do we really need a flag so big that it HAS TO HIT THE GROUND?" That just seems to me to be disrespectful to put the want before the need to show proper respect. Hell, I have a flag on the back of my bike. I could get in a wreck, dump the bike or whatever, but I am taking every precaution I can to fly that flag with the respect it deserves. When the flag gets too dirty from road gunk, I wash it. When it starts getting frayed, I replace it and strip and burn the old one as it should be. Is everyone going to show the flag the respect it deserves? No. Am I, and many others, going to be vocal about disrespect to the flag. HELL YES!!! "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Here in Arizona, there is no sales tax on services... "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

What a fouled statement. That is the same as me taking a large American flag and putting it on my car antenna then saying, "No problem, if it covers my windshield, I will just cut it off because I can't drive safely with it on the windshield." It is a matter of respect. I wouldn't do that because it is highly probable I would have to cut it away, and disrespect it by letting it go to the ground or street. That same respect should be used by those that choose to jump the American flag in the planning they do to make sure it does not touch the dirt. off the good earth of the country it represents than to prevent injury to the flag bearer. What a fouled statement. That is the same as me taking a large American flag and putting it on my car antenna then saying, "No problem, if it covers my windshield, I will just cut it off because I can't drive safely with it on the windshield." It is a matter of respect. I wouldn't do that because it is highly probable I would have to cut it away, and disrespect it by letting it go to the ground or street. That same respect should be used by those that choose to jump the American flag in the planning they do to make sure it does not touch the dirt. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Second the statements about the Spectre... My first and current rig: Mirage G3, Spectre 190, PD 193 and Vigil. I am 195 out the door. I also found out it is a whole lot easier to pack in San Diego where the humidity is above the normal 5 to 7 percent we have here.

It is probably more the case that nobody wants to see their jumpsuit design/colors copied by someone else... "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

What is it that makes you say it is a waste of money? Will the experience I get from the track suit going to be useless when I can start flying a wingsuit? I was very drawn to the design of this suit because it is very much like a 'real' wingsuit, but will allow the use of my current rig. I was hoping that using it, I would be able to start developing the muscle memory that will be required for flying the full wingsuit without the extra hazard of the full wings, both top and bottom. Is it going to be that much different? Early along in my AFF, I had asked opinions on going to the tunnel and some responses were that that too, was a waste of time, but I thought the time I spent in the tunnel helped me with my flight when jumping. I would be very interested in your comments as to why you would consider this a waste. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Does anyone have any experience with the Matter Clothing Tracer tracksuit? I am very interested in getting into wingsuit flying when I get enough experience. Does it make sense to start with something like this or is it different enough from a 'real' wingsuit to make the experience using it not applicable to a full wingsuit? Thanks in advance for all replies. Tracer Tracksuit "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I have read that several times and I can't understand the logic. I took AFF, and I know that each jump had a canopy ride. I also know that I was in the saddle higher than the static line students even exit. This gave me more time under canopy than the static line students. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Because I like to type as little as possible, call this SS Call this CP Call this SU/WA Call this BD Ok, I understand all of that so far. Joe get energy to go to the BD stateWhat causes Joe to go from the CP state to SS? What causes Joe to go from SS to SU/WA state? I posted this not because I am an instructor, or know of someone that, in my opinion, should get the TUG/TUB talk, but because I was thinking of all of the people I see these days that simply have no business at all riding a motorcycle, much less a heavy, high powered bike like the HD's. I have been riding for over 40 years, all types of riding, street, dirt, motocross, TT, trials road track and oval, dirt and asphalt, so I do have a lot of experience and knowledge in that sport. Usually, I can tell a person's riding skill by watching them simply leave from a standing start, like at a traffic light, and the way they stop. I know not all of them have actually taken a riding course, but I have seen some riders been passed on an experienced rider course that really did not 'get it'. I know the reason they were passed, it is simply not a course that matters whether you pass or not, it is to learn skills and gater knowledge. Passing or failing does not get you any benefit, except some insurance companies will give a small discount for the pass. The other reason is the instructors want the students to be happy. I have also seen students taking the beginning riding course that will allow them to get a MC endorsement on the drivers license for passing. Not all of them pass. The instructors I know that have failed people on this did so because they were not getting the skills and knowledge they need to be able to ride. On this course, having a happy student makes no difference. The student has a defined set of skills and knowledge they must display to pass. All students must do this. Despite someone passing this beginning riding test, I have seen some that are going to get themselves killed riding because they simply did not really 'get it'. I figured there must some that are skydiving that are like that and wanted to ask the instructors out there about it. Great replies from all. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Have any of you instructors ever had a student that wanted to skydive, but simply wasn't getting it? Has anyone ever straight out told a student that they didn't seem to be getting it and that could get them hurt or dead? Having a small amount of instructing experience in my proffesional life, I know that when I run into someone like that, I don't say that. I take it personal, sort of, and view it as a failure on my part if I can't get them to 'get it'. The worst that can happen to them is they can't get what they want from the software I train them on. Obviously, skydiving is a little different. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

On Ebay "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

All you have to do is find one. The life on the floor here in the 7 dealerships in the Phoenix area has been about 4 hours. Good luck. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Ever since I started skydiving, I look at a lot of things differently, and notice things I did not before. Any aircraft I see I now evaluate with the 'I'd jump that' phrase. Flags, trees, blowing dust are all now wind indicators. Watched "Independence Day" last night. Seeing the landing that Will Smith made after punching out of his plane, I say, "Terrible PLF". Seems everything now has a connection to skydiving now. What makes me keep skydiving? Flying my body. Flying my canopy. Getting that sweet landing. Seeing the passion that others at the DZ have about this thing we do. Having made my first jump at 51, I know that old dogs can indeed learn new tricks. Begin a very stubborn person, I WILL NOT let that new ZP canopy win the 'get in the bag' game. Having that smile that will not leave my face and thinking, "DAMN, I LOVE THIS!!!" Let's jump! "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

You do not have to pay taxes on the money you borrow. Not a bad plan as long as you pay it off. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

[replyI personally am careful who checks my gear to avoid getting the dirty-old-man cooties on my rig. I now know why my head felt so weird when I asked you if I could do a gear check on you to check off on my 'A' card. I noticed how you went right away to 'teacher' mode, asking me what I was looking at/for and making sure I was doing it by threes. Thanks. I appoligize for the cooties I left, but am sure they fell off during you jump. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

That is the best I've heard so far. Did you do a PLF into the water? How deep was it? What differed from what you thought it would be? I just got mine in a public pool, 12 foot deep. Old harness and large canopy. Put harness on, canopy on head. Get a breath, chest strap off, dive out. For me, what was different from what I thought it would be was that I am a really good swimmer, and just having the canopy above me in the water, even though it didn't restrict or hamper breathing or movement, still made me really nervous until I dove out. edit to add last paragraph "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Got it. Been working on getting in the track right after exit. Still can't get that good tracking position and forward speed right away yet. I do love to practice it though. How far after you pitch in the track do you think you continued to have significant horizontal movement when you pitch? What about the deployment altitude? Does the Pro-Track record deployment pretty accurate? Like I said, I know my Alti-Track records it as right around the altitude time I am in the saddle, which with my Spectre, is usually 800-1000 feet lower than when I pitch and deployment starts. Not being critical here you understand, just trying to get my mind around this. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

I know that I am a noob here, but I would tend to question some of your numbers. My Alti-Track shows deployment altitudes that are much lower than I pitch, it seems to record the altitude I am in the saddle. I know that I come out of the track and slow before I pitch. There has to be some time there that recorded free-fall time is not tracking. Trimming off seconds from exit to track and from track to pull seems to be needed in your calculations. "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

Actually, this woman is Pakistan Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar, a woman in here 50's... Article here "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley

[replyI think a better thread title would have been: "Wingsuit with rockets!" Except they were jet engines, not rockets... "I'm not lost. I don't know where I'm going, but there's no sense in being late." Mathew Quigley