LawnDart21

Some people in this sport (canopy or camera progression) only adhere to restrictions, regulations or advice if it suits them to. If they want to do something outside of a suggested parameter, they will do whether it is recommmend or not. Or they will keep asking the question until they get the answer they are looking for. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I like to use quotes in general. I'm not a bible quoter/thumper (I do have the book though, just haven't read it yet). As for using quotes, I think there are alot of brilliant people, past and present, that have made some pretty amazing/thought provoking statements/writings (Mya Angelo, Shakespeare & Socrates come to mind at the moment). And if they say something better than I could, I think it's appropriate to use quotes. Plus it gives me the opportunity to make "air quotes" with my fingers, which you can never do enough of in my opinion........ One of my favorite quotes, given the subject matter: "God is a comedian playing to an audience too afraid to laugh" - Voltaire -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

Tampa = 60-75 minutes to Lake Wales (depends on Rt4 traffic and how fast you drive) Or Orlando International 45-60 minutes, same scenario Or Lesser known Sanford Intl Airport just outside Orlando, 45-60 minutes as well. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

All I see is a chest strap loosened all the way to allow the risers to spread farther apart, there by flattening out the canopy as much as possible. = GOOD THING. Add to that "everyone" sinks a wee bit into their harness when they are under canopy. I'd say from that one pic, the container fits her great. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I would be very impressed if a student asked me for my credentials. Plus, it would be a nice break from "Hey, can we do flips?" -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I absolutely agree. I can't state which states are which off hand, but most states do not allow the use of lethal force based solely on the person just breaking in and being in the house. I know my state (NH) doesn't allow that. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

Forgot to add, in the eyes of the law, any shot fired is considered lethal force, even if you are "aiming for a leg" to "just try and stop them". There is no grey area there. If you pull the trigger you are considered to using lethal force and will be investigated as such. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

Any time you fire a gun at someone, its considered lethal force. Most states (like 48) don't allow the use of lethal force unless the shooter is in: "Immediate and unavoidable danger of death or grave bodily harm (defined loosely as a crippling injury). Some one in your home doesn't automatically mean you have right to shoot them based on how most state laws read. There is also "disparity of force". If you are attacked by someone holding a sharpened pencil, you are not by law allowed to shoot them, the force is not equal. Another example: If I see someone in my house stealing my TV, and I tell them to freeze, and they turn and run, I absolutely do not have the right to fire on them. Why? Once they began to flee, I ceased to be in immediate danger of death or grave bodily harm. I would expect to be arrested and tried if I chose fire at them, whether I hit them or not. Any legal junkies out there, I recommend "In The Gravest Extreme" by Massad Ayoob. Excellent reading on the subject by the fields #1 expert. Think about in this sense: A doctor deciding to end the life support of a clinically dead person must go through an army of red tape to be allowed to do it, the family, the hospital, the hospitals insurers, etc. The government spends years and millions of dollars deciding the fate of everyone on death row. As an armed citizen you are taking immediate action in deciding to potentially end somone's life, if you are not %100 justified as it is spelled out by law, then in the end, you will mostlikely end up in jail and losing everything you ever worked for when the family of the deceased sues you for wrongful death. To quote Spiderman: "With great power comes great responisbility." There is no greater power of a citizen than to carry and potentially use a firearm in self defense. If you are gonna potentially use it, you best be darned sure that you know every detail of your states' regulations. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

Yes. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I don't remember the BASE canopy packing section on the FAA practical exam. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

It's an unfortunate fact that if you stay in this sport long enough, one of two things will happen. 1) You will bury a friend. or 2) A friend will bury you. It's the hardest truth to accept in this sport, and we all deal with it in our way and in our own time. I have made peace with the fact that I can do everything right and still die. I have also made peace with the fact that I could make a bad decision and that could kill me too. I love my life, I love my wife, and I love skydiving. To me it's worth the risk. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I resemble that remark Ed! 330 tandems this season, & only 20 fun jumps...... While I still consider myself a very capable and competent skydiver, I was definitely a better RW flyer at 500 jumps than I am at 1750. Around 900 of my total jumps are tandems and unfortanately they have deteriorated my RW skills some what. (The trade off is that I'm a pretty kick ass TM though.....lol) Side note: Each time I was able to make one of those rare fun jumps this season, I'd find myself getting in the door and saying to myself "don't throw the drogue, don't throw the drogue, don't throw the drogue......" -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

Thank you. 1000ft exit, I'm deploying my reserve. My main is small and unless I have intentionally packed it for a quick open, it likes (needs) 800 ft & terminal elocity to open. Reserves are designed to inflate quickly at high or in this case slow speed deployments. Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. I sure did. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I was talking specifically about deciding to cut away a main. The decision to cutaway impies the jumper is conscious. If a pilot doesnt feel they can fly/land their canopy (pilot function) under a "landable mal", then I say it is appopropriate for them to cut it away for the reserve. Even if it is "landable" by other peoples estimation. I thought that was what the original post was asking. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

A "landable canopy" needs two criteria to be met: 1) Adequate function of canopy 2) Adequate function of pilot A canopy experiencing minor issues that an experienced jumper may be able to land blind folded may be "unlandable" to the inexperienced jumper. If that is the case, then I think it appropriate for that newer jumper to utilze their reserve. As for the reserve itself. Today's modern reserves are exceptionaly designed and functioning canopies. If I had even the slightest thought that my reserve (or my wife's) would not work properly any time it was deployed, neither of us would jump, ever. Reserves work, and work well, alot of us are living proof to that statement. As for AADs, I dunno. My wife and I jump with them, and even though I have the same relate faith in the Cypres as I do in my reserves, I believe it important to embed a different mentality in students, that the student is the PRIMARY AAD and the mechanical one is only a back up. The difference is most jumpers will use thier reserve if they jump long enough, where as most will not use there cypres. Just my .02 Peace. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I have an intermediate size "Right Foot Forward" SurfFlite board that I dont jump any more, I was gonna use it as a shelf in my trailer...lol......but if your interested in it, send me a PM. I can email you pics. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

For the most part I thank my "would be tippers" for their kind gesture and ask them to take the tip money and make a donation to the Make a Wish foundation. Every now and then if I have a bill to pay I will use it for that too. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

There a packer up here that grew up on a DZ, he's in his mid 20s now, and his streak was approx 14,500 pack jobs (sport and tandem) before packing his first mal. Even his 5 minute pack jobs are flawless. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

1 reserve ride in 1750 jumps. Spinning line twists on a HP canopy at about my 600th jump. Pilot chute got stuck in burble of my wing jacket and spun the dbag before the canopy came out. I dunno the stats, I've heard 1 in 1000 for main malfunctions, but know many people with multiple cutaways with under 1000 jumps. Others without any cutaways that have thousands of jumps. I think jumping a HP canopy increases the chances of a cutaway as line twists on larger canopies aren't as quick to turn into cutaways. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

One of my favorite stories I like to tell at the bonfire: "A few years ago a load of very experienced jumpers went up on a high wind day. Most were "younger jumpers" (in sport less than 10 years, , all had atleast a 1000 jumps though). The sole "old timer" on the load, has been in the sport 30 years and also has 1000s of jumps. Long story short, a bad spot and the whole load is barely making the DZ landing area. The younger jumpers all attempt braked flat turns to get into the wind and tumble in every direction. Last to land is the old timer, straight down wind on a high wind day, calmly flares his PD 210 and slides.....and slides.....and slides some more, gently coming to rest on his butt. He stands up and dusts off his jumpsuit and walks in and packs. Everyone else tried to land into the wind, he just tried to land as safely as he could." -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I formed a bad habit in college. I gave names to stuff I owned, in an effort to give the stuff a "personality", so I would (I thought) take better care of my possessions. Long story short, I think I have mild OCD, cause I find myslef still (8 years later) naming stuff that I buy. Most recently I have named my: Snow Blower= Big Geek Weed Whacker= Little Geek Leaf Blower= Weezy Pick Up Truck= Yeti (also nicknamed "Big Snoop") 51" HDTV= R2-D2 big blue sofa= Eeyore Big Lawnmower=GRASSZILLA Little lawnmower= Mini Me Am I the only one out there with this OCD? -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

An observation: Altimeters aren't precise instruments. An alti reading 1000ft could be at 750ft, could be 1250ft. Do you (or I) know what 1000ft looks like, add to that the stress of a malfunction? If a reserve opens in 3 seconds and it takes 500-600 ft to open, what if your alti reads 800ft and your really at 600 ft. Ugh. My point (I swear there is one here somewhere.....) is that when speaking of decision altis and lowest cutaway altis please remember that altis are not that accurate. Even the cypres, a computer aided alti is prone to high (or low) fires due to inconsistent pressure readings. Have you ever heard someone have a cypres fire and swear up and down that their alti said 2000ft when they pulled? (It probably did and was really 1500ft) Just my .02 on the discussion. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

It is organized by Skip Kniley, any info that you would want he can give you. Email him at sc7skyvan@aol.com. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

I've been in the Pension industry for just over 8 years and I can't see this scenario working for a number of reasons, including employee turnover, definition of employee, tax consequenses for early distribution, and administration fees that someone has to pay, either the jumper or the dz. It sounds good in thoery but I doubt you would see any interest in such an endeavor. The happiest "retired" skydivers I know all have a 5th wheel and truck that are paid off and a slot on a southern DZ to call home. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.

25mph ground winds limit, I can't say I have a limit for uppers. A few weeks ago a full loaded exited further out than we had in a long time due to high winds. 4 people landed off, others landed in the paking lot. My videographer and I (under a SET 400) were the last ones out of the plane, super long spot. We both landed in the peas. Higher winds aren't a big deal if you plan for them and fly accordingly. -- My other ride is a RESERVE.