wolfriverjoe

Doh. Was thinking that if my groundspeed was lower than actual windspeed. But Im still going relative to the wind so I will always feel the wind against my face. And yes, I see that would stall the canopy.. Dont know actually. Wouldnt it move faster? My extremely limited knowledge about hot air balloons says that they cant steer and only move with the wind. Wouldnt a larger area then mean more speed? Or is the balloon always travelling at the same speed as the wind around it? A balloon has zero airspeed. It is always moving with the wind (presumung a steady-state wind). All that would happen if you put out a sail is that the sail would hang there, motionless. And don't worry about the "Doh." Being willing to admit that you don't know, or that what you think about something is not correct is the foundation of learning. Like I said in post 12, this is an area that is very, very often misunderstood. Pops mentioned that there are AFFIs out there that don't get it. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

How would you feel the realtive wind on your back? Aren't you still going forward through the air? If you could feel the wind at your back, the canopy would stall. Let me ask this: Would it help a hot air balloon to deploy some sort of sail? Would this affect it's ground speed at all? "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Number One, most important. I'm not ripping on you. This is a very common misconception. Probably second only to the 45 degree rule. And the only way you learn things is to ask these kinds of questions. The wind doesn't "see" anything. And it doesn't really "push" either. You are in the airmass. You are moving along with it. Your airspeed in the air is completely independent of your ground speed. You can compare a boat in a river current to get the idea. Any speed the boat goes by powering the boat (motor or oars) will be relative to the water, not the shore. The speed relative to the shore will be a combination of the waterspeed and the current speed. Think basic trig. If you have a headwind of 20 mph and a forward airspeed of 20 mph then your ground speed is zero. If you take a 45 degree angle, then your 20 mph forward airspeed is still there. But your groundspeed will be a function of the angles. Into the wind will now be 14 mph (or backwards 6) and sideways will be 14 (since it's perpendicular to the wind, it will be sideways 14). Did these same instructors warn you about making sharp turns while travelling downwind because the tailwind might make your canopy collapse? "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Something like this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jU3JH6jE7GY "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

What?!?!? Turning 45 to the wind will make you go sideways, and less forward. You are in the air. You are part of the airmass. You can't "tack" like a sailboat because you have nothing to anchor you to the ground, "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Apparently they found something similar to what the Viking lander found back in the 70s. And they still aren't sure what, if anything, it means. http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/12/the-first-signs-of-ancient-life-.html?ref=em#.UL6K9bOR5BA.facebook Nerdgirl put it up on Facebook. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Yes. Careful, repeated astronomical observation (mulitple lifetimes worth) and basic "string and pin" surveying. Levers, rollers, inclined planes (you know, the basic machines) and unlimited human labor. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Yeah, but what a tragic waste. All that HP could have been used for going really, really fast. +1 Fast is fun.

It also fairly recent. Partly the 90-91 Gulf War, more after the 2001 attacks on New York and Washington DC. We (overall US citizens) treated the veterans returning from Viet Nam very badly. We basically blamed the poor bastards who survived being drafted and sent over there for the mistakes and stupidity of the politicians. So when we had another war, and this time sent a lot of National Guard and Reserve units over, we understood that they weren't the ones making the decision to go. It helped a lot that the units were usually composed of people from a fairly small geographic area. There were 2 units sent from my town. They had mostly people from within 20 or 30 miles of the city. I personally knew 5 or 6 that went over. It made it a lot easier to care about the soldiers when it happened that way. And it was easy to go from caring about the soldiers I knew personally to caring about all of them. And a lot of people didn't realize how dangerous of a job being a firefighter or a cop was until a whole lot of them died on Sept 11. The good old "when everyone else was running out, they ran in" thing. It was also pretty common to "hate the pigs" in the same timeframe of hating veterans returning from Viet Nam. Again, blaming the street cop for the policy decisions of the politicians (although it's fair to say that there were abuses by both cops and soldiers). So hero worship of the soldiers, cops and firefighters became fashionable. The NFL players and coaches wearing "FDNY" and "NYPD" hats on the sidelines right after the attacks was just the start of it. I have a lot of respect for what they do, and the sacrafices they make, but I don't worship them. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

This is because Mercury doesn't rotate. The same side always faces the sun. Kind of like that Hot Side, Cold Side sandwich McDonald's used to sell. I hated it when they dropped that burger from the menu. What does ice on Mercury mean? It means people could GO there. If you have water, you have it all...oxygen, the ability to grow food, something to drink, the very keys to survival on a hostile planet. Science fiction writers will come out of the woodwork with this one, guaranteed. Umm... No. http://cseligman.com/text/planets/mercuryrot.htm Isaac Asimov wrote the "Lucky Starr" books back before this was discovered. When I read the re-released versions in the seventies, the one about Mercury had a preface that basically said "The orbital information is incorrect. But becuase it was so central to the story, I couldn't fix it without destroying the whole thing. Sorry, enjoy it anyway." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Starr_and_the_Big_Sun_of_Mercury "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

"When we said Obama should stop illegal immigration, we didn't mean for him to make the country suck so bad that they'd want to leave." I've been waiting to use that quote for a while now. Not totally appropriate, but it fits. Jobs are going away, costs are going up, conditions are deteriorating. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

The road isn't private though. For the lawyers out there, are you aware of any case law involving someone being drunk and driving a registered vehicle but on private property and getting in trouble for it? Not a lawyer, and no cases to cite, but a number of years back, someone at my old DZ had driven a car out onto the runway to provide lights for the plane. A county cop saw the car on the runway and drove out to check. The driver had been drinking, and was arrested for OWI. After a few court dates (and a lot of cash), the case was dismissed because it happened on private property (the airport is a private airport). My understanding is that on private property held open for public use (like a parking lot at the mall) they can cite you, but not on private property that isn't open to the public. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

That was the original intent. So that "known bad guys" who were legal to own guns (no felony record) but were known to the locals to be gangsters or otherwise bad people who shouldn't have that kind of firepower could be prevented from getting it. But it is total control, with no appeal process or any sort of check on it. If the chief "doesn't want those sorts of guns in his town" or "doesn't think ordinary people should have those kinds of guns" or "doesn't want his officers to have to face one of those" then he can refuse to sign. And there's nothing that can be done about it. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Correct. There is no license. As I wrote above, you have to fill out a form in duplicate originals. You get one back. It also includes duel fingerprint cards and passport photos to attach, but it really isn't too bad. It's about the same as the form you filled out to own the weapon. And, as much as I disapprove of the existance of the organization, the people at BATF were polite and helpful. I don't want anyone dissuaded if they want an automatic weapon or silencer. Join the fun. You also have to get a signature from the local police chief or sheriff. While the "Trust Route" works for silencers and short barrels, it no longer works for full auto. So if you live in an area where the chief or sheriff won't sign, or will only sign for his buddies, or only if you support his re-election campaign (sheriffs are elected) then you are out of luck. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Got a cite for #2? I think you are mistaken. He didn't sign on to a "Friend of the Court" brief, and supported banning both pistols and CCW permits. http://davekopel.org/2A/Mags/when-obama-wrestles-with-heller.htm And there is no license required to own full auto. There are a bunch of hoops to jump through, signatures to get and taxes to pay. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

No fear, he's unlikely to take the Shotguns away... Really? http://www.wnd.com/2011/02/258513/ "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

You are both confusing the terms "assault rifle" and "assault weapon" One is a technical term, based on function, capabilities and intended use. The other is a generic term promoted by anti-gunners and defined by politicians and bureacrats. It's based on emotion and primarily addressed cosmetic features, not actual function. They took rifles that look scary and gave them a scary name. And, like often happens in advertising, they used a name that is similar, but not the same as the correct name for something they want the public to mistake for what they are promoting. And the useful idiots fell for it (not surprising). "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

While we're at it, where's RevJim?? Edit to add (from his profile): Registered: Sep 10, 2002, 4:27 PM Last Login: Mar 19, 2012, 7:12 AM Posts: 9004 (2.4 per day) Local Time: Nov 28, 2012, 7:30 PM Not here, I guess. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

But Jimmy, you are a truly nice guy. You seem to make a point not to antagonize anyone. I can't see anyone sending you a nasty PM. Unlike some that are on here. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

I know about eight people that at one time did lot's of bigs ways that have stopped but still jump. Others, like myself are selecting events. Someone made the point about age/money relationship. I guess I can afford it easier now but the relationship between the organizers and my GOALS have changed. These that know me know I chased the 400 like a fool. I achieved that goal and will always treasure that BUT for me the attitude of the some organizers has driven me away. It just isn't worth the time and to a degree expense to be subjected to the "attitude". Most of the people that I mention above quit for the same reasons. For myself it isn't the money - you charge what the market will pay - it's the idea that after being on over 342 +100 way jumps, the world record that I've climb that mountain and didn't fall off, I've seen the view but not sure I want to climb it again. If the 10 years of big ways hasn't proved that I can perform than I'm not motivated enough to keep trying to prove I deserve a slot. I go to big ways now to see my friends that I wouldn't see otherwise. Just curious, but have the events/organizers changed? Or is it your perception of them, and what you are willing to put up with/pay for what has changed? This isn't an attack, but a real question. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

1 - Because it's really, really, really fun. Human flight realized. Admittedly, it's straight down. More of a plummet than actual flight, but I can't tell the difference. 2 - Not really all that much. It's defintely there, more of an endorphin buzz after the jump, but it certainly isn't my primary focus. 3 - I strive for improvement, but my schedule doesn't really allow me to jump enough to make any major strides. But I try to do better and try more, while being aware of my limitations and operating within (or only a little bit beyond) them. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Someone (Rafflers IIRC) had a sigline that went something like "If you want to see the true nature of people, log onto an internet forum." The douchebags have free reign to be douchebags without real consequences. Especially in PMs. Personally, I don't respond to the trolls or douchebags. PM or open forum. If everyone ignored the trolls, maybe they'd get bored and go away. I absolutely love to watch a troll post go sinking down the page with no responses. But too many people bite at the bait, so they keep getting fed. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

When they did the local news segment, they mentioned that anything over 0.38 is usually fatal. 0.50 is somewhat off the charts. JerryBaumchen PS) His photo on the news the next day showed him only with a black eye; no one mentioned how he got it. Well the news is not quite right. Any time they talk about a "toxic dose" of anything, they use the term "LD-50." That stands for "Lethal Dose for 50%" of the people that take it. Because of the wide variety in people's ability to tolerate poisons, due to their own immune system/consitiution or an aquired tolerance due to exposure, you can't really say "X" amount will be lethal. For a lot of industrial chemicals, the MSDS will list "LD-50 in rats" to give an idea of the toxicity of the substance. An ER nurse I know has told me that the local "record" is somewhere around 0.75 BAC. The woman was actually concious and walking, but passed out in a grocery store parking lot. According to WIKI, there have been a number of cases where recorded BAC was over 1.0 (yes, one point zero). Now that's tolerance. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Maybe, but there are non-jump related Incidents that jump planes were involved in that stayed in incidents. THIS is one. There are a lot of others. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

It depends. On a freefall jump they don't happen too often. On IAD or static line they happen more. On a Direct Bag Static Line they happen a lot. With rare exception, they aren't a major issue during student jumps. You should be high enough when you open that you have plenty of altitude to kick out of them and student canopies are big and docile. You won't go into a diving spin because of them like you would under a small, high performance canopy. Getting out of them is not a big deal either. You kick and twist your body, along with reaching up and pushing the risers together and you will spin right out of them. Make sure you discuss this with your instructors so that they can answer any questions or concerns you have. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo