wrightskyguy

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Everything posted by wrightskyguy

  1. wrightskyguy
    Skydive Palatka will be operating out of Jacksonville beach on July 4th for all day beach jumps beginning about 8 A:M. The DZ will be on the beach just North of the amphitheater. Jump costs will be between $20 - $25 to help defray the costs of providing shuttle service to the airport. You must have a D license to jump. Tandems welcome too. contact Skydive Palatka @ 800-243-6481 www.skydivepalatka.com Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  2. wrightskyguy
    I find it hard to believe that any libertarian could tolerate that. You're putting alot of words in my mouth, please don't tell me what I think or believe. I wish that everyone could get on a plane with just a hug a lei but it's a different world now. Could TSA do a better job? Of course they could, but we can't just do nothing. There have to be some kind of security measures, we've already learned that the honor system doesn't work. What do you think we should do at airports instead of screening passengers and luggage? Please be specific. Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  3. wrightskyguy
    [url]Is is customary to tip video/photographers? And if so---how much? At our DZ, if a customer tips the intructor then he splits it with the video guy. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  4. wrightskyguy
    i think the TSAs efforts have very little to do with the fact that hasnt happened again, nor is anything they are doing really helping to prevent it either.. I don't agree with that although there is no real way to know for sure. The only way to find out I guess is to stop screening passengers and luggage and just hope for the best. Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  5. wrightskyguy
    Why are you so keen to defend government intrusion? I am a long time Libertarian and I am anti big brother, anti big government, and anti worthless "steal from the rich and give to the poor" social programs. I do feel however that some things are necessary, such as screening people and taking thier bombs away before they get on airplanes. I know that this inconvienances some people and maybe some rigs have been messed with (I won't believe the cut open rig though untill I see some pictures)but this is a relatively new program and there are bound to be problems to work through. The fact that airliners aren't still crashing into buildings says something about the program. Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  6. wrightskyguy
    i guess you havent heard the reports of rigs being CUT OPEN by ignorant TSA personnel when checked as baggage?? No, I haven't heard reports of peoples rigs being "cut open" but I have been privy to many other urban legends, like the guy that attached rocket engines to his car and flew into a cliff or the burgler that took a pic of himself with the homeowners toothbrush in his butt, but that doesn't make them true. I sense alot of hatred for authority figures in this thread, You guys weren't alter boys by any chance? Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  7. wrightskyguy
    what it requires is the TSA supervisors to do their job and ensure that the lower paid goons understand their responsibilities and dont take the "easy" way out... There you go putting someone down because of thier position. I get so tired of hearing jumpers talk about non jumpers as stupid whuffos and anyone that doesn't know about skydiving or gear is automatically an idiot. I have traveled with my rig many times and have never had a bit of trouble with anyone, I think it is because I am patient, polite, and willing to work with the agents. Spread the love. Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  8. wrightskyguy
    By the idiot TSA agent who doesn't know what a parachute is pulling on things he shouldn't be pulling on!!! "please check parachutes closely before using..." because Agent Dumbass pulled the square metal handle and now there's pastel-colored parachute material everywhere. Oh, that's your reserve chute? How do I put it back together? The Fact that a TSA agent doesn't know how a rig is constructed doens'nt make him an idiot ,or a Dumbass for that matter. You should try and be a little more tolerant of people who are just trying to do thier job. Maybe you could take the time to explain things to him/her. Next time you're on a plane and it doesn't explode or it isn't commandeered by a gun toteing yahoo, make sure you run up to the first TSA agent you see upon landing and kick him where it matters. Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  9. wrightskyguy
    What about an emergency, if the student backs into a corner, terrified and refuses to jump? Are all bets off then and the JM can jump? I tell all my students that in an A/C emergency, everyone gets thier turn, if they balk at thier opportunity then they can exit after me...or the pilot. I'm a conciencious instructor but I'm no hero. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  10. wrightskyguy
    Alrighty, now all of you that have done tandems out of 182s, what do you do for exits? I get them up on thier feet and duck-walk them to at least the center of the door, then I have them pivot on thier right foot and swing thier left foot out on the step followed by my left foot then thier right foot goes out, I put my right foot in the door crotch and push off. This climbout helps to ensure that you don't snag your right hand drogue release as you pivot out the door (I've had this happen, long canopy ride), this won't be an issue for you though since your jumping a Sigma. It's a good clean climbout however and good if you ever get cross trained on another system. Take your time, do things right and make sure that your students know that what they are about to do is a skydive not a ride. Pull high John Wright John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  11. wrightskyguy
    I gave my packer a tip a couple of weeks ago, I believe it was "don't pack my rig with the slider collapsed again". John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  12. wrightskyguy
    In order to progress from level 1 to level 2 you need to: a) have a reasonable arch and stability within 10 seconds prior to planned deployment altitude, b) reasonable altitude awareness, c) initiate deployment within 1000 ft of assigned altitude. Sounds to me like you did all of those things. Your instructors know these minimums and if they say you should move on then move on. By the way, you don't fail any level unless you die, you simply repeat the dive. Jump nice John John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  13. wrightskyguy
    Don't let him do it! There is a weight limit on the harness that he is definetly exceeding but, more than that, he would probably be more than what the jumpmaster could safely manage. There are alot of tandem "tough guys" out there that will take anyone, regardless of weight or physical limitations but I think that these guys think with thier wallets. 475 lbs + gear is alot to handle. My rule has always been that if I didn't think that I could fly the canopy and flare it effectively with no student help, then I won't take them. It has been my experience that the bigger the student is, the less useful he is at flare time, it is for that reaon that I now have all my passengers simply hold onto thier harness for landings and leave the flaring to me. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  14. wrightskyguy
    There are alot of reasons a DZ might not be a Group member and you should ask why and see if it's good enough for you. I would recommend however that you you never jump with an instructor that hasn't been rated through USPA. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  15. wrightskyguy
    The very first student I ever put out of a plane many years ago had one. She was doing a ten second delay and rolled onto her back at pull time. she trapped her spring loaded pilot chute under her arm and had a good one. She got rid of it and had an uneventful reserve deployment and landing. She wasn't fazed at all by the whole ordeal and wanted to go right back up, I however, was pretty shaken up and had her sit down for awhile. She continued with her training and became a pretty good skydiver. She almost ran me out of the instuctor ranks before I even got going good. Thanks alot Tara. John Wright John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  16. wrightskyguy
    The best way to avoid the too high on final scenario is to practice good pattern discipline, which means that you are aware of your altitude and position in relation to the landing area at all times. If you start your downwind leg at the the proper time/altitude then you shouldn't have much of a problem with being high on final. I see way too many jumpers who open, then imediately fly downwind of the landing area without regard to altitude. They spend the remainder of thier canopy ride S-turning, spiraling, and otherwise hogging the airspace that other jumpers need for thier final approach. The area immediately downwind of the target is not for excessive manuevering, it is for setting up to land. If you do find yourself in the high on final position, I would recommend pulling your toggles down to shoulder level or slightly below to bleed off altitude, letting them up with sufficient time to build speed for landing. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  17. wrightskyguy
    The A license exam is an oral exam given to you by an instructor. The questions are drawn from the questions listed at the end of each student section in the SIM, (Cat A,B,C etc). USPA is no longer accepting the old A license written exams. John Wright John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  18. wrightskyguy
    I have a friend that has a bad rotator cuff on the right side. Twice she has had reserve rides due to her shoulder becoming dislocated. She is very athletic and both times managed to steer and flare with only one hand. She considered getting out of the sport but instead she waited until she was healed and then had her BOC moved to the left side. She is very cautious now and doesn't do exits that put undue strain on her right arm and hasn't had any trouble since. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  19. wrightskyguy
    You moving up the corporate ladder Billy? John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  20. wrightskyguy
    The system is good. If you complete all the prerequesites then you should have no trouble doing PRO demos. There are a lot of nay sayers out there that would disgree with me but I suspect that most of them simply can't or wont take the time to train and qualify. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  21. wrightskyguy
    I never cared much for companies that offered "rush" service for a fee. They don't stay late and work on it or hire extra seamstresses, all that happens is that everyone elses order is pushed aside and delayed. Not a very good business practice. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  22. wrightskyguy
    Ah, it's so nice owning PD products, you have a problem, you send it to them and they fix it. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  23. wrightskyguy
    I've done several of these talks to local civic groups. I like to start off with "hi, I'm John, I'm an alcoholic. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  24. wrightskyguy
    Drogue down means the drogue is facing the ground. If you deploy during a side spin Drogue down, you run the risk of wrapping yourself up in it. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver
  25. wrightskyguy
    I have the Mirage freefly handle, it's nice but they also make a PUD that packs up real Clean. I'm gonna have my rig converted over next repack. John Wright World's most beloved skydiver