livendive

I do! I do! Well sort of. I can't imagine watching it on TV or paying attention to who's driving what car or anything like that, but I'd jump at the opportunity to drive one of those cars around a track myself. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I find it funny that people CARE. All you get is a neat membership card and a newsletter. Mostly agreed. Some people get a kick out of whatever SIGs they belong to, but that's about the only reason I can see for paying the dues. Personally, I get all the SIG-like interaction I want from skydiving. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

2% of the world population are *eligible* to join, however less than 0.1% of those who are eligble are actually current members (less than 0.002% of the world population). Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

You are correct that I'm not jumping a Strong. I'm rated on the Vector and the Eclipse, both of which have a little hackey-sack handle on the RSL that allows for a right-hand reserve pull. I didn't know that Strong's don't have that option. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Thanks for the fucking mess you made of my risers/steering lines ya prick! I left it unpacked to review the components with Rene in her FJC and I packed it up immediately thereafter (Tuesday night). Anyhow, we're gonna keep IAD but it looks like we're phasing out static line. We might keep that monster rig we used for Bill's brother, but I don't know if we'll use it enough for any of us to keep our rating current. As for the radio's, we've got three. We'll probably still have Larry carry one on the ground at least as a backup, and maybe in the way you're mentioning (he's the man till the instructor lands). The way we've been doing it has always worked because the students were only on the radio during their low altitude (S/L, IAD, and maybe H&P) jumps, where there's less chance of a bad spot. Last out from 10,500 or 13,000 with a wind shift like we had on Sara's hundredth provides a decent rationale for the instructor to at least carry a radio and be prepared to use it at the earliest possible opportunity. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I agree that's a definite concern that needs to be taken into consideration. Not a risk for me at the present time as I don't have an AAD. With some experience I may decide that purchasing one for AFF jumps is a prudent move, but I'm having a hard time rationalizing such a decision with my belief that one shouldn't ever make a jump with an AAD that they wouldn't be willing to make without one. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

That's kind of my initial thought on the subject. I don't want to make it a habit but I'd like to have the option in an unusual situation. Thanks. Wisely and safely are definitely my goals. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

3. I want the *option* of staging my emergency procedures to include a slight delay between cutaway and reserve pull. I will deploy my reserve when I think it's appropriate and do not want some mechanical (or electronic) gadget making that decision for me. I do wear an RSL on tandem jumps and advise RSLs for anyone who has not yet had a cutaway (unless they're doing CRW). Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

If you're jumping a rig with a right-side RSL that's merely disconnected, (i.e. not completely removed from the rig) you still have that option. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

The people. I'd rather spend a weekend jumping out of a 182 with friends than out of an Otter with skygods. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Diablo 150 at 1.6:1 Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I've searched the forums and only found a few posts on this. With a brand spanking new rating, I'm wondering how many people do what and why. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

The second weekend is the big bash that you don't want to miss. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I've had exactly that happen, though not from any intentional action I took. I was sitflying wearing a Dolphin container with velcro riser covers. My girlfiend pointed above me and I noticed lines up there moving around like crazy. We had been last out and there were no loads following us so I dumped right then at around 8000 feet. I found myself in nice little spin on my back (not violent or anything), but was able to use the altitude fixing the problem (i.e. untangling the brake lines) with simple altitude awareness (my hand and thus altimeter being right in front of my face while playing with the mess). I got it all straightened out at about 3000 feet and landed normally. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

It all depends on which basic route you're planning on taking. The *shortest* route is north to Portland, northeast to Spokane, then east to Marion, but that gets you nowhere near that bridge. For an extra 40-50 miles though, you could go northeast through Nevada to Twin Falls, then up to Kalispell and back to Marion. For 50 miles further than that, you could drive north all the way to Seattle then east to Marion (again heading through Spokane)...this is the longest, but probably the "nicest" drive, with the fewest stretches of nothing to look at. You could stop in the Willamette Valley (Oregon) for wines or at Eugene Skydivers or Skydive Oregon, then hit a microbrewery or two in Portland, Mount Saint Helens/Mount Rainier aren't all that far off I-5 between Portland and Seattle, nor is Kapowsin. After Seattle, you'd cross over the Cascades, drop down through Vantage to cross the Columbia River (that you previously crossed at Portland/Vancouver), then be bored for about 100 miles till you hit Spokane. After that the scenery gets better all the way to the LP turnoff. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I've had S/L and IAD ratings for about 6 years now, a tandem rating for a little over 4 years, and just got my AFF this weekend. I think the S/L and IAD ratings helped me in the AFF course because they allowed me to work with real students (as opposed to those cleared to self-jumpmaster). Ground preps and supervision of my "student" in the AFF course were a breeze because I got really accustomed to doing those things via my other ratings. Also, there is something about teaching someone to skydive from jump #1 that is really rewarding regardless of method, and I'd advise anyone with interest and the ability to teach to give it a shot. My (S/L) FJC instructor and 2 of my JM's were at the DZ Saturday evening when I earned my AFF rating (something none of them has ever gotten) and you should have seen how proud they were...like fathers of a valedictorian on graduation day. It was fun to watch them strutting around with those big beaming grins because I feel the same way about my students. Anyhow, I'd suggest going for it if you can find somewhere to actually do it. Neither are expensive ratings to earn, especially since you're already a coach, so the only big question mark is whether you can use the rating often enough to be a safe and proficient instructor. It wouldn't be a problem in my region (Northwest) because every single DZ up here offers at least one of the two options, but I can see how it might be considerably more difficult in someplace like southern California, Arizona, or Florida. That said, this will likely be the last year I am able to keep my S/L rating current without travelling away from my home DZ. Since we've added AFF progression and have a few IAD rating holders, we can put modern gear to better use than our old SOS, round reserve S/L rigs. We're trying now to find a new home for those rigs, and once they're gone, it won't take long for myself and the other instructors at my DZ to lose our S/L ratings to uncurrency. Oh well, we should be able to maintain our IAD ratings by transitioning students between methods and offering it as a less expensive alternative to AFF. As long as I have that option to complement AFF and tandem, I should be able to tailor my instruction to meet each of my student's individual needs. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

4:18:1 4 days of work skipped (unpaid) to be at the DZ 18 jumps this week, including a few fun jumps & video jumps, some AFF practice jumps, and 3 AFF evaluation jumps. 1 case of beer owed (see attachment) Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

It would have all the friends I've made in skydiving and sufficient lift capacity to carry us to altitude. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

Chronicles 3 Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

What he said! Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

We have a young jumper (~18 jumps) at the DZ who is having some shoulder trouble, some difficulty flying a good pattern that will let her land into the wind in the landing area, and some serious performance anxiety due to those two problems. Friday evening I took her on a tandem just so she could get her knees in the breeze with no pressure to perform, with the added benefit of seeing a good pattern from a first-person perspective. She was totally relaxed and we had a complete blast. After landing she was grinning from ear to ear rather than grimacing from pain or disappointment in herself. Saturday a group of four tandem students showed up (two men and their wives). The wife who went last doesn't even ride rollercoasters, and was so nervous she started crying as I finished my standard briefing. She was terrified in the plane, with tears falling again at around 9000 feet during the climb to altitude, but was determined to do this. The video shows her fear in the door, her mouthing "OH MY GOD!" right after exit, and then a monstrous grin all the way to pull altitude. She conquered more fear than any other student I've ever seen and proceeded to have an absolute blast in freefall and under canopy. The fact that I get to play a part in jumps like these makes me feel pretty good when they're over. That's my favorite reason for being a tandem master. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

1:10:0 1 fun 6-way and a sweet subsequent pieing for a guy's 400th jump 10 total jumps 0 beer owed Unfortunately that 6-way was my only RW jump this weekend. I'm starting the AFF course tomorrow and spent the weekend hanging under a drogue. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

I was one of those guys..."guys" being the key word. In my experience, women jumpers are MUCH less prone to the XXX-jump wonder phenomena. I remember a very experienced jumper once telling me that he couldn't believe I was still alive and would still bet that I wouldn't make it to 500 jumps. I blew that off. I hurt myself on landing once and wrote it off as not my fault. It took a CYPRES fire at around 220 jumps to start me down the path toward a realistic perception of myself, and a couple hundred more jumps to complete that process. I really don't know if any words will break through that ego kick the way a couple major fuck-ups will, but I'm not suggesting that we should just cross our fingers and hope the fuck-ups don't maim/kill the jumpers either. I really don't have an answer but for the most part agree with the approach you seem to take here. Call them on the carpet...very hard...in public. It's better that a person be alive with thoughts that you're a complete dick than dead with no thoughts at all. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

You seem to have me confused with someone else. *I* won't step on your rights to have any weapon you want. *I* believe you should be able to have a belt-fed M60 if you want and have stated as much in this forum on previous occasions. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)

reply]I CAN say that they have not used an Aircraft as a weapon again. You could also say that they had not used an Aircraft as a weapon before. Blues, Dave "I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew)