Monk

Well I can always tout about Eloy. If you decide to come to Eloy lemme know. I have always said that I'll pick any of the DZ.com'ers up from the airport in phoenix and take ya down to the DZ. September is a GREAT time to go. It's still a little warm so So. Cal might be a better choice. Ciao Monk

Well I'm not going to address the sexuality part of your comments Emma, but I will address the WASP part. My DZ might not be the norm but it certainly is the standard as being the largest DZ in the world. It is an international DZ. On any given day there will be French, Japanese, Germans and Norwegians (sp) and Belgians etc.... In fact I was telling a girlfriend of mine about that very thing. How I thought it was so incredible and we all go out and have fun and throw together a last minute dive in the plane without even speaking the same language sometimes. So maybe...just maybe, your preception of the all white males stigma you've just tried to place on skydiving is limited to your neck of the woods. Just a thought. As for Gays...ok.. I will address this. Lesbians, Yes I have seen and jumped with many. Gay Guys...Nope haven't seen any. I just think it is not their bag. But that's their choice. Skydivers are incredibly liberated and free spirited individuals and I would like to think that we would not treat gays unwelcoming. (if that is a word). Well I have rambled on long enough without any coffee...so I'm going to go get some. Ciao Monk

Actually...I planned to ski the whole thing out. And I'm normally pretty good about it. But 2 days before the landing I broke my normal Teva's..and had to buy new ones..and these new ones have INCREDIBLE traction. Hehe...so the skiing lasted till the traction took effect. :) Oh well. Actually I didn't walk away unscathed. I broke my big toe. Doh. Didn't know it until the day after. Ciao Monk

Ah...the good ole days. That was fun. We had a great group back then. Sorry to any of the new faces...I haven't been around enough to get to know yall. But that may change. New job = more money + less time at work. Hope to slowly get to know all the fresh faces. Ciao Monk

It should be called "Break-Your-Ass-Fall". And I don't mean break as in a broken body. Monk

Wow...what a pisser today. Had a downwind landing with the winds at 17-19 knots. I'm setting up in a left pattern getting in place for a 180 turn to final when out of nowhere I hit a downdraft of over 500 ft per min. I'm a high time instructor pilot for the German airlines so I know a bad downdraft when I hit one. So I lost so much altitude that I couldn't risk turning back into the wind...and a braked turn would have put me into the side of a building. So what to do?? Land downwind on a dirt road. My ground speed was over 40. I ski'd the first half of the landing...then ran another 1/4 of it out then had no choice but to PLF the rest. Everyone freaked and started coming out thinking I was hurt bad. But I stand up...brush myself off and curse a bit and head on in to repack. Only thing that happened was a scuffed and dusty rig and a very small scratch on my knee. So lessons learned?? Don't try to turn back into the wind if its going to cause you to die. I'm proof positive that you can walk away just fine from a downwind landing that is well over 40 knots. I had one guy try to tell me I made the wrong decision. Hmmmm....Well I'm none worse for the wear and only have a dirty rig. What do you think?? Bad descion...I think not. Ciao Monk

Ah...the Beaver. That is THE airplane I want to purchase. I LOVE that airplane. Only problem is...they're going for $250,000+. doh. Ciao Monk

>>> beer? beer?! did somebody say beer? make mine a hinekien please :) lol. more beer ijs good. froggie

Your spell checked post is below. Well...I flew out there early and to my surprise my favorite jumping pal was back out at the DZ for the first time in about 2 months. I did a little of everything. A little RW..a little freaky freaky...and some 3 way free fly. It was a PERFECT 85 degs. Then when we just couldn't stand all the fun....we were all standing around at the BBQ when some says Hey Spence...why dont you take me up and buzz the field! Oh Damn...twist my freaking arm! So we jumped into the Bonanza and buzzed the shit out of the outside BBQ. (this was at night too). I think it has now become a weekly tradition...that I take a few people up and let them fly and then buzz the field. So there's another incentive for y'all to get out here to AZ. FreakSis...when's your ass getting out here??!! Sorry for the rambling...I just had more fun than I could stand and had to share with everyone. Ciao Monk

Hi FreeFallFreak #2. I'm Monk. I've been around for a long time...but been scarce lately. My Home DZ is the Wonderful Wonderful Disney Land I call Eloy, AZ. I work for Lufthansa and got back into jumping about a year ago. I always extend an invitation to anyone who comes to AZ. I'll even give everyone a chaufered plane ride down to Eloy from Phoenix. Pleased to meet you. Hope you get that nickname thing worked out with FFF. Ciao Monk

Hey...that was you!??! In the Yellow right? Very short hair? Shit if I knew it was you...I would have dumped the girls and done a headdown with ya. I couldnt see it...but did you give that salute on the hill? Monk

>>> Were you out there this past weekend? I was the dude in the purple and black jumpsuit. Hard to miss really... I was on almost every load!

Hey Mike, Unfortunately NONE of the Airlines in the states have caught on to the idea of hiring and then training pilots from Zero time. And BA has this nasty aversion to hiring us Yanks. Go figure. By the by...your BA boys get trained right next door to Lufthansa (My Company) and your boys just had a wing ding (literally). Ciao Monk

Glad you could sample my HOME DZ! Hehe...just had to rub it in. Yup that's right...everything you just mentioned...I get it every Saturday and Sunday. Oh life is rough. :P Hehe... Don't mind me...just feeling a bit frisky! Monk

Heya Sis! Long time no see. I hate to be the one who dashes your dreams...so I won't. But I will give it to you straight. First to get your private pilot license you will prolly spend anywhere from $3000-4500. And that is on the low end. Then you need your commercial ticket. That will run you anywhere from $7000-$10000. And most places you want to work for will require an instrument rating. That will cost around $4000. So...it is VERY expensive to get your ratings. And my DZ pays it's pilots around $100 per day. That's not bad coin...and if you took out loans to pay for the certificates $100 per day can allow you to pay them back and still have some kind of expendable cash. But here is my BIGGEST peice of advice! If you want to do it....DO IT! Don't ever let something like this be the thing you talk about when you are in your rocking chair. You'll deep down be soooo disappointed with yourself. And the other peice of advice is....WHY NOT GO TO THE BIG AIRLINES!??! You get to make A LOT of money and fly to any DZ you want for free...AND have multiple days off in a row to jump as much as you can. That is my route...and I LOVE IT. I couldn't possibly think of a better life. So I say DO IT! But if you do...do it all the way! It's a great life and there is a shortage of pilots now. Love My Freaksis! Ciao Monk

Hey Pammi, I'm still around. I have just been a bit scarce. I've taken a little break from skydiving due to an accident that happened. A guy (friend) who was on my load for my 100th jump was jumping a skyboard for the first time and got tangled up on opening and didn't make it. I will be back up in the air on Saturday. Just wanted to take some time to reflect and get my head straight. So with the vacation from skydiving came the vacation from dz.com But rest assured I am still here and will continue to jump. I do miss you all...and I see A LOT of new faces. That's good! Maybe some of ya will recognize me. Ciao Monk