NovaTTT

Nothing about falling from an aircraft has anything to do with your packing skills. The jump and the pack are two separate events. Jump numbers and packing skill are not directly related. If you're feeling uncertain about packing get together with your rigger with a 12-pack and have a refresher. .02 "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Buy your son a copy of the SIM (Skydiver's Information Manual) and direct him to Sections 5-3 and 5-4. The manual and this information specifically will be useful to him throughout his skydiving life. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I'm out the other day and a guy about my age just walks up to me and says, "So, you hunt grizzly bears?" I have no frame of reference to understand what he's just said and my mental wheels are turning trying to comprehend it. So I'm just looking at him and he points to my neck and says, "So, you hunt grizzly bears?" O. It's my closing pin necklace. Maybe he thinks bears have stainless steel claws or it's a stylized bear claw that marks me as a veteran grizzly hunter. Who knows? I told him, "No - I don't hunt bears. It's a skydiving thing." Now he's confused and just stands there looking baffled. I left him to his thoughts. Anyone else lately have a weird encounter with a whuffo? "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

If you're going to hate them at least hate them accurately. The band is "Eagles", not "The Eagles". On a side note: Do you know what the band members who make music for art rather than money say to me? Do you want fries with that? "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I've lost friends to the sport. It sucks and it hurts but there is something within, and one accepts the possibility of dying in our sport. I guess that provides a point from which to contemplate and heal. So in accepting Death as a participant in skydiving, one perhaps has a mechanism established for handling it if it happens. In the non-skydiving world, however, I find that I don't have that same mechanism and it's more of a challenge to get a handle on death. I've lost a few from my non-skydiving world and my feelings are more poignant, as if the whuffo (for lack of a better term) wasn't really living enough. Do you have similar experiences? Different? The backstory here is that a guy I used to work closely with, a true whuffo, but a guy I respected professionally and personally, died at the age of 41 from cancer. Shitty way to go, and very young. I'll raise a glass to the memory of MJT tonight. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

My prayers are with you, Handsome Dave. Good luck with the procedures and get well soon! Thanks for the news, Jen. Please tell Dave we're keeping him in our prayers. Nova "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

They easily could have picked a better photograph for their gateway page. The tandem exit photo they use is lousy. FWIW "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

If it's fake it's darned good fake. Despite the improbability of it, it doesn't *look* fake to me. The lighting is consistent throughout (including shadows) and the timing of events is natural. Improbability happens; for example, if the odds are 1,000,000:1, then it can happen. It's a matter of probability, not certainty. I want it to be real. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

One of the greatest all-time understatements. Wow. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I should have complained - you had one "O" showing and one missing. If you'd have already bought a vowel both would be showing. Complain about it? That's magically d cktal c ous. (edited to spell "dicktalicious) "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I always wear gloves (the hand kind!). I like the certain grip they give against the aircraft, the insulation against the cool air at altitude. And they protect against the minor abrasions and scrapes that happen inside the plane and hanging on outside. Wilson wide-receiver football gloves are thin, have good grip-traction and look good after the "W" logo is removed. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Unless you're personal friends with the guy narrating the show (The Works) it's a complete waste of time. They stretched three facts and a few bits of baloney over the duration of the program. Looking for good video? You're not going to find it - unless you like seeing the same 10-second vanilla clip 30+ times. You're better served dusting off your old McGowan tapes. .02 "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

If anyone has ever wondered, Shropshire (Tony) is one cool guy. Tony helped me with a package from England, no questions asked, just being a friend to another skydiver. Thanks, Tony. You're a great mate and I appreciate what you did. Nova "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Thanks for the heads-up, Jen. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Get a bridle extension (your rigger can make you one in about 15 minutes) and psycho pack it. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Possibly - we've not decided yet (meaning my .5 hasn't given the green light for a week away just after X-mas). I'll PM by mid-November to let you know if I'm going. If I am, consider me interested in splitting a room. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

HIM! "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Given that a significant number of skydivers don't care about packing, it seems erroneous to believe that whuffos will give more than a bitter shit about how to pack a parachute. Perhaps "How to survive a parachute jump" or some other whuffo-understandable concept will be easier to construct? It's likely impossible to get a real figure as to what %-age of Americans say they would want to skydive and that's just considering them sober. I would recommend polling. Try a shopping mall, where you might get a large and diverse poll-group. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

I knew Harry only here on DZ.com. He was a good guy and I'll miss him. I'll probably think of him sometimes when walking back from a long landing, as I have before: "Harry, why did you land all the way out there?" Black Death comes suddenly, from out of nowhere. My condolences to his family, friends and mates who are mouring their sudden loss. N "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Thanks for the background. Will you post if and when you receive more information? Blue ones. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

It was mentioned to me that USPA posted to its Group Members that it has pulled Billy Rhodes' ratings and revoked his membership. Does anyone know about this? "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

"Going in" is a phrase that refers to the sport death of a skydiver. Avoid using it when discussing skydiving, when at the DZ, when around skydivers, and probably on DZdotcom. .02 (edited to add emoticon) "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Sounds like you should make some more "Scary Story" NSTIW posts in SH&T. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

What?? "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73

Two jumpers hold tightly to each other and exit together. Sluggo quickly deploys and Mr. Bill hangs on and tries not to fall away. If he succeeds, Sluggo flies around for a while and then Mr. Bill drops away, experiencing the sensation of the pull of gravity. Sometimes Mr. Bill will climb onto Sluggo's shoulders and stand there while they fly around before dropping away. Obviously there are many risks involved, including entanglement with gear, damage to gear, unintentional reserve deployment, injury, etc. "Even in a world where perfection is unattainable, there's still a difference between excellence and mediocrity." Gary73