freeatlast

Ps travelzoo.com had tickets to florida from london for £150 including Tax. The dollar is about 1.9 to the pound !!! The beer is cheap and the people are friendly ... Got to be worth a look ... Regards James

Hi Bob Are you likely to be in Z-Hills before then? I'm heading over from the UK for 10 days starting on Friday next week. It would be good to grab a beer

I'm coming to FL from the UK 8th - 18th December ... PM me if anyone is playing (I'll bring my rig) or wants to grab a beer ...

Hi Mikki Life's good thanks. Its been incredibly busy and i've missed out on jumping !!! So I'm heading to florida next week to do some wingsuiting and general skydiving. i still haven't forgotten about visiting you either. Maybe a sneaky spring trip is on the books pm me with a date and i'll book a long weekend and some flights. I can't wait to see the valley and some of the other interesting sites that you have over there. As for the camera - i guess it comes down to $'s at the moment. The camera is over £200 cheaper in the US and i can always get a cheap PC 9 or something similar for dubbing PAL next year. i'll double check the camera stores here to see if the gap's narrowed any .... Take care and lets go jump - whats March / April like? Or is it jumpable earlier ????

Ok so i'm heading over to Florida in about a weeks time and i was wondering where's the best place to pick-up a new HC3 camera ??? Any locals have any suggestions for somewhere reasonably priced and that's likely to stock it??? I would mail-order it but i don't think your shops like UK maestro cards !!! Cheers James

Unfortunately my plans are pretty much set in stone as i've bought the ticket now !!! Thanks for all your help though - it's made life easier for me ... (I will buy beers) I know what you mean about mass transportation - every time i head for the states i have to face the equation car = less jump tickets , BUT no car = stuck on a bad weather day plus no chance to head for town to pick up essential supplies (like sleeping bag / food etc) Therefore i usually head for the car option, but i might have to see how much it would save as i would like to jump as much as possible ... And i'll try to keep to the right side - after something like 7 florida trips i'm getting the hang of that one .... My reserve WILL NEED A RE-PACK (as it was february since i last had it done). So i guess i'll have to look Sally up as soon as i get there ... So once again thanks for all your help and see you out there ...

Thanks for that - i'll try to give them a call and get judy's number next week. I'll have to do it when i'm home because of the time difference UK - USA. Staying within staggering distance of the bar is always a good plan as it saves me sleeping on the grass .... So the tickets booked, i've just got to get a rental car and i'm all set

Spain is definately a good option. The alternative is to look out for a really cheap week away - i've just got tickets with Virgin to florida for £280 inc tax (sometimes globespan does the whole thing for £200 ish) and at £10 per jump (roughly) it's definately worth looking at if you can grab the time away

Fantastic film george ... Thanks for sharing it with us. How do i send you the money for a DVD? James

I'm heading out to do some wingsuiting in Z-Hills 8 -18th Dec Might bring my BASE rig - anyone playing ??

Anyone coming out to play ??? I've booked the tickets and i'm hoping i'll still fit into my wingsuit

That's even sadder ... Two deaths due to outdated practices ... I was taught at the very beginning - no pc = no canopy (SL excepted!!) My condolences to all involved and who remain in TF dealing with the fallout ....

Thanks after looking on that site it now appears that this is not an isolated incident so at least i feel less of a numpty. It does look like i'm at least using the right cable

Thanks 6 to 4 cable is what i think i'm using, but i will check - this is what i have used before and the same method, but i'm not sure why i'm getting the pixels and why imovies keeps shutting down ... I guess it's back to the drawing board !!!!

Ok ... Before we start, i know my questions will sound dumb to those that regularly edit video but go easy with the flaming !!!! I have been very happy with imovies on my old mac and have just decided to bite the bullet and upgrade my computer and camera. So i've just bought a 2GHz Macbook Pro and a Sony HC3 HDV camcorder (UK version if it makes a difference) and i'm trying to hook it up. The first problem is that the mac doesn't seem to recognise the camera with the USB cable supplied so off i head and get a i-link to firewire 400 cable. This seems better as the camera is recognised, however imovies HD now seems to have a fit and keeps shutting down. When it doesn't just shut down it takes my old (non-HD) footage and imports it but as soon as i try to edit the footage it brings up black or pixellated screens where the images should be. So my really stupid questions are 1 Which is the best method for connecting the two bits of equipment? 2 Do i need to alter any of the default settings to make the two pieces of equipment speak to each other properly? 3 Any advice for general settings when using this camera set up? 4 What sort of wide-angle lens would you reccomend for this set up? Any good places where they would help me get to grips with my new system (again i'm uk based but i am looking to visit z-hills shortly)... Thanks for all the answers ... And yes it is sad - i've become one of those "all the gear and no idea" guys but i really get very little time away from work and would love to have this system ready for my states trip .... James

Thanks I'll be able to make loads of money selling instruction in the fine art of wingsuiting with a cool patch like that In fact, that's why back in the poor suburbs of the UK they tell us "in Z-hills the grass is paved with Rich BMI's " who ride around in their Benz's dropping $100 bills like they're out of date ....

Thanks to all who have pm'd or answered so far. This will be my only skydiving of 2006 and i am keen not to repeat the mistake that i made when i visited SDC just after a major event and found myself one of only about 6 people on the DZ all week. so if anyone else has any suggestions, then please drop me a reply or pm. I will be away for almost two days with work but will read all replies when i'm back. Regards James

Congrats Donk and Cali The only difference from now on is that the lack of sleep won't be party related .... sorry i won't make BD this year ... But I hear it's ok to PCA a minor so long as they are family and are wearing a Donk and Bones Shirt James

Hi there I've got a bit of time on my hands BEFORE XMAS and was wanting to find a place to flock. My thoughts was Z-Hills My current situation is that i'm out of practice (skydiving), my licence needs renewal (easy i know) and i don't want to wait until next year. My girlfriend doesn't skydive and can't take time off from work. So i'm looking at a 10 day trip in December BEFORE XMAS (got to spend it with the GF). My likely trip dates are 7th - 18th Dec. My needs:- It's got to be warmer than the UK It's got to be cheaper than the UK It's got to have reasonable planes It's got to be friendly .... There's got to be loads going during the week as well as the weekends And preferably somewhere cheap to stay. A local object would be nice ... I can get a reasonable flight to Spain / Florida and wanted to know people's opinions. I have been thinking of Z-Hills as they seem to have a lot of stuff going on year round and i know DZ's pre or post season can be like deserts where you sit waiting for loads .... I was thinking of spain but recent reviews of the Madrid DZ's (Lillo and Ocana have made me think again - lack of planes / facilities etc) So if you've got any ideas or if you know of a good place to visit let me know ....

Just don't let ERIC rig the pendulator eh Tom ?????

Thanks Yuri for sending it so promptly .... Lika the DVD was great ... I was supposed to be preparing my end of contract review with my boss and i couldn't stop watching ... A great DVD in a different vein to all the "BASE ROX" Metal type DVDs (not that there's anything wrong with that type either) but it was great to watch something different ... I would love to go and flik some of those objects they look great ... Maybe i'll have to book some flights !!!!

Try posting on the UK board ... In fact i'll copy your message across for you ... Mentors are pretty hard to find and it's always a good idea to try and find one before doing your FJC ... Sounds like you've found a nice object, but doing solo's without groundcrew whilst packing from a manual isn't really the best way .... I'm glad you're ok after the jump but it would be a really good idea to find someone to GC for you or show you the ropes .... There should be someone around at Langar or Hib who can help you ... Have you asked around to see if there's anyone who can help you whilst you're learning ???? Be prepared for it to take a while and for people to accept you slowly ... Until you have proven your commitment or unless someone who knows you is willing to take you on as a student. Mentoring a student takes a lot of time and is a big commitment for an experienced jumper ... Perhaps talking to some of the guys on the UK board and offering to GC for them will help .... It could be worth doing especially as there has been another recent graduate of a FJC who decided to do this the hard way recently and is currently rigless and is pretty much without any friends here in the UK ... I was up in the NE last week and was looking at a couple of cranes which have sprouted up PM me with the location if you have time ... Regards James

Don't forget Spitting Image on the list of cult funny shows (and i think the best of's on tonight on sky) - definately one to watch .... But it's great to live in a country where you can get a fantastic curry in almost any town / village washed down with some proper beer. Although this recent american style flags on cars has got me worried ....

lol ... don't worry about the follow through - everyone does at some point !!!! As for my errors - i think i'm a perfect case of why it would have helped to have some sort of system .... As for stirring it ... lol ... life would be boring if people didn't stir it up... Hope all's well with you ... James

Exactly ... I am one of the people who trained originally by doing a FJC without someone to mentor me afterwards ... I am also human and have made a few mistakes ... I take it you have never made a mistake then ??? I also am not sure what mentioning my past errors has to do with helping sort out the future situation ???? My post is more aimed at how things might improve rather than kicking over past mistakes ... Perhaps you have the solution then george ????