wolfriverjoe

I guess you'd have to define "manage". Certain risks in this sport are not "managable". There are things I have no control over, things I have limited control over and things I can control. I can manage some of those uncontrollable risks to a certain degree. I can jump at a DZ with qualified pilots and a proper maintenance program. I can refuse to jump with others who have unsafe equipment, or who are unsafe in freefall or under canopy. I can sit on the ground in questionable weather (or stay in the plane if it changes on the way up) I can choose equipment appropriate for my skill level, and choose not to attempt things I am not qualified to do (swooping is on top of that list). I can mantain my equipment and make sure it is packed properly (I have a rigger ticket so I am responsible for my own reserve). Despite all those precautions, I realize that each time I go out the door, it may well be the last thing I do. Despite the reliablity of modern equipment, it isn't 100%. And even if it was, I'm liable to make a mistake. And others might too, somthing I have zero control over. And because this activity takes place well above the ground, any problems can easily and very quickly become fatal unless proper action is taken quickly enough. Unfortunately, there are situations where the approprate action either can't be taken, or takes too much time to happen. Which is the "inherent risk". I don't dwell on it, nor do I revel in it. But I also don't forget 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

You're welcome. And I wrote it backwards. I've never used or packed a pull out. Duh "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 think it's mostly #1. While modern equipment is very reliable, I can't think of any other activity where a faliure (of either the equipment or operator) is just about guaranteed to cause death. For example, if your gear fails while: SCUBA diving, you should have a dive partner you can buddy breathe with. Freeriding (bicycle, like skyrider's kid) you will probably survive the crash, unless you are in a very precarious position. Motorcycle racing has crashes on a very regular basis, very few are fatal. Also, there isn't any way to "partway" skydive. You are going to be going full terminal velocity if you freefall out of the plane. And a freefall impact will be fatal. You can learn to SCUBA in a pool, where if the gear fails, you can simply go to the surface without it. Motorcycles can be ridden slowly, as can skis. Jumps on a motorcycle or bicycle can start small, and go higher and longer as skill increases. ALSO - There is the very basic fact that skydiving is uninsurable. Oddly enough, I think that the insurance companies could make money on skydiving insurance (Liability for the DZ), based on the very small number of accidents (although the payout on any of them would be huge). I'm not an actuary, and I'm actually kind of glad that the cost of jumping doesn't include an insurance premium. I don't want to even think about how much a jump ticket would cost then. That lack of insurance in and of itself makes skydiving very different from just about every other commercial recreational activity. I made a post in the "17 Year Old Turns In At Start" thread about how insurance companies act as a "cushion" between the plaintiffs and defendants in a lawsuit (post 101). Can you name another activity where one of the major manufacturers has the word "Uninsured" in it's name? Edit to add: Riggerpaul noted freeclimbing. I agree that while a fall from enough height would be fatal, you can freeclimb 5-10 feet up, going horizontal across a face. A simple PLF will save you if you aren't very high up. "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 boy also has a 600hp AWD car. And a very generous tire sponsor. I'm not dissing his skills, he is a great driver. "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

Don't try to build your own manual. It's already been done. If you want stuff to study over the winter, try the owner's manual for the rig your DZ uses as student gear. It's available for free on the manufacturer's website. For more general info on the gear and packing, try the FAA Rigger Handbook. While a lot of it is about reserves, repair procedures and materials, there's a reasonable amount of general info about the components and how they work, and how to pack a main. (and if you are as much of a detail weenie as you sound, you'll enjoy the reserve, materials and repair procedures as well). Davelepka was right (as usual) about learning over the internet. Unless you have a rig in front of you, most of this won't make any sense. But because I'm bored... PC kill line length - The tapes inside the PC should be tight when the PC is cocked. If the kill line is tight and the tapes are loose, then either the PC isn't fully cocked, or the kill line is too short (shrunk). Cocking the PC - Stretch the bridle tight (I stand on it with my legs spread) and pull on the handle. The D-bag will be pulled toward (but not quite up to) the link on top of the main canopy. If the grommet on the D-bag is tight against the link on the main, check to see if the kill line is too short. Bridle routing (BTW-bonus points for spelling it correctly in the OP) - Different rigs have slightly different routings, RTFM. Make sure there is slack between the pin and where it comes out from the main pack tray (off the D-bag). THere have been a few incidents recently where the bridle was tight "above" the pin and either couldn't pull the pin or shoved the pin through the bridle and locked it. Riggerrob is doing some tests to replicate it and see exactly what is happening. Bridle exposure - As little as possible, follow mfg instructions on routing and you should be ok. "Freefly Friendly" rigs should have a completely covered bridle path. My personal rig used to have a short length exposed between the side flap and the BOC pouch. When I had the BOC pouch replaced last year, I also had a "flap mod" done that gives me a small pocket on the bottom flap to tuck that little bit of bridle into. Pull out vs Throw out - That has been discussed to death. I've never packed a pull out, let alone used one so... Search is your friend Trying to extract the pin on a throw out - I presume you mean having a PC-In-Tow situation and reaching around behind to pull the bridle/pin loose. Short answer - I wouldn't. Slightly longer answer - During a high-speed mal, such as PC in tow, you burn altitude really fast. Doing something like trying to reach all the way around your back to try and find the bridle or pin and then trying to pull it (you have really bad leverage) is going to use a lot of time (and altitude). It would be way too easy to spend just a little too much time on that. The standard "Try twice and go silver" doesn't take into account the "I've almost got it, I'll have it in just a seco..Thud" mentality that would come into effect while reaching around behind you. "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

Moose meat. You can take the girl out of Canada, but you can't take the Canada out of the girl. It does sound delicious though, I'd love to give it a try. Multiple meats, slow cooked (really sloooooow cooked) along with the veggies and spices built in. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

My understanding is that many of the founding fathers were Deist (believed in God, but not a particular religion), not necessarily Christian. And the 1st Amendment to the Bill of Rights makes it pretty clear that they didn't want the state to show preference to any religion over another. And (most importantly) they made it very clear, both in outside writings and in the composition of the government (particulalky the Senate) that they were very concerned about the majority trampling the rights of the minority. "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 have 2 possibilities that aren't mutually exclusive. 1 - If it isn't considered self defense, then the homeowner could face charges. Those charges usually are in the area of voluntary manslaughter or 2nd degree murder depending on the laws of the state. There are certain requirements for it to be considered self defense. The general rule (again, it varies by jurisdiction) are Immediate, Unavoidable, Threat of death or great bodily injury, Defending someone you legally can (yourself always, others "depends") Defending against someone you legally can (it's almost impossible to claim self defense against a cop). 2 - The rest of the perpetrators would probably face "Felony Murder" charges. Anytime someone dies during the commission of a crime, the perpetrators can be charged with murder, even if the deceased is one of the perpetrators. There have been numerous cases of the criminals being charged with this when one of them is killed by the target of their crime. So it's possible for everyone to be charged with somewhat different "murder" charges for the scenario you describe, although the surviving perps would probably face charges whether or not the claim of self defense stood up. And off to SC we go "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

We have a symbol? God damn it, I missed another meeting...Jesus Christ, why does this keep happening? Here in Wisconsin, the state used to allow private groups to set up displays in the Capitol Building rotunda. I say used to because a few years ago an anti-religion group wanted to put up a banner reading something to the effect of "Church and State - Keep them seperate" (I don't remember the name of the group or the exact wording). While the powers in charge were fine with Christian, Jewish, Muslim, whatever religion Kwanza falls under, even the Wiccans; they wouldn't allow the antis to place their banner. They used some lame-ass excuse about how it would make the place look like a "Hockey Rink". So it went to court. And IIRC, there are no more holiday displays in the Capitol rotunda anymore. And this is all from memory, so if someone wishes to do the research and tell me I got this fact or that fact wrong, go right ahead, I welcome any correction. "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'm really glad to see you are staying positive. Congrats on your daughter's engagement. I really like Lucky's "Skymamma of the Bride" title. The rest of it just sucks, and I'm really sad to hear you are going through it. DO NOT FORGET that you have a ton of friends (both in real life and among this group of weirdos I am honored to consider my "online friends") who really do care about you. You have support available, use it!!! Go out to the DZ as much as you can. I know how much you respect and value Shah's advice , but his comment about the healing powers of the folks at the DZ is spot on. The house thing sucks, but keep in mind you aren't alone. Lots and lots of folks are taking serious hits selling in this market. Do your best to "take the high road" with your soon to be ex (I don't doubt that you will, but I want to include this just in case). As tempting as it is to let loose and unload on him, the apologies necessary after such an incident aren't worth the temporary happiness/catharsis you get from the blasting (and yes, I had to learn this one the hard way). "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

Unfortunately, the will of the majority shouldn't trump the rights of the minorities. (Think Prop 8). While I'm not in favor of tearing down existing monuments/exhibits/memorials, I don't like the idea of using my taxes to show preference of one belief system over another. I don't mind so much privately funded things on public property, thngs such as creche or menorah (sp?) or similar, as long as no preference is shown for one over another (to include atheism). "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

Until he feels our feet in his ass. Then he's leaving the plane. On a similar note, when I'm flying the plane I give a preflight briefing, mainly about if anything goes wrong, sit still and don't do anything unless I say. I always include the statement "If I yell 'GET OUT NOW!!' don't ask why or say 'What?' because there won't be anybody in the plane to answer" "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

Ok, that was funny. It says in the comments that the set and stuff was built for a game simulation and the chatroulette was just a test run. I gotta agree though, 2 cute girls in low cut tops bending over toward the camera and the dude cuts off. WTF? "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

Guns? I though money was the root of all evil. If you have no money you are poor. If you have no guns you are ____? Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. 377 "You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig." "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 did you come to this conclusion ? Are you saying there is a specific minimum age for a contract in the US ? This may be a bit off topic, but how do you see everyday life contracts such as a kid going to a grocery store to buy some milk ? Basicly, when the kid hands out the money, there is a contract between the kid and the grocery store. Do you think this contract is null and void ? Because there isn't anything but full freefall. And the old cliche "You are dead unless you pull" is really true. You can put a skier on a "bunny hill" where they can't go fast. You can put restrictors on motors so a go-kart or motorcycle can't go as fast. You can put more pads on the floor for gymnasts. But there is nothing you can do to make skydiving "safer". And yes, there is a minimum legal age to sign a legally binding agreement (contract). You can't be legally bound to an agreement until you reach 18 in the US. Most countries have an "age of majority" that has similar restrtictons. The age just differs in different countries. What contracts do you sign when you buy a litre of milk? It's a bit more involved for a house or a car (or the loans involved in their purchase) or other major purchase. "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

Normal approach path is a 3 degree glideslope. Basic Trig puts the plane around 2700 feet at 10 miles out. And before anybody says that that's way too low, keep in mind at an approach speed of 180 mph or so (around the speed of flight 305 with gear and flaps out) that's about 3 1/2 minutes from touchdown. And there wouldn't have been any light coming out the open rear airstair door. Cooper had the cabin lights out (Didn't he?) And did anybody else notice that this thread is now well over 20.000 posts? WOW "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

Do you have the A-License progression card? Is it filled out? Can you do all the things that are required for an A-License? The new DZ may require you to demonstrate everything necessary for the A. If you have decent skills you could probably do it in a fairly small number of jumps. First stuff? A good logbook if you don't already have one. A good altimiter. I prefer a mechanical analog on my wrist, but that's purely a personal choice. The electronic, digital ones (some have jump logging capability) are nice, but spendy. A good helmet. "Good" doesn't have to mean expensive. The Benny and the Pro-Tec provide beter protection than the more expensive ones, but don't look as cool. "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's just a jump to the left... And then a step to the right... I listened until the narrator said "FAA records confirm there were no planes in the area at the time." It's LA, one of the most heavily trafficked airspaces in the US, if not the world. "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

Jamie, do you have any pictures of your father from the late 60s or early 70s? I know a few guys who have led very hard, outdoor lives and looked well into their 40s before they reached 30. Look at any meth addict and you see the same thing. It isn't impossible for the witnesses to have made that serious of a mistake, but it is rather unlikely, unless you can provide some evidence (photo) of him looking much older than he really was. In case you haven't noticed, the serious contributors to this thread (Sluggo, 377, georger if he wasn't currently banned and a few others) are certainly willing to listen to your claims, but they require supporting evidence. You have made some pretty spectacular claims, you need to provide something to back those claims up if you wish to be taken seriously 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

Nicely written. Good points made. No apologies necessary. My personal annoyance is the "Don't Speculate". I've learned more from the incorrect speculations than the actual correct causes. The "If it was this, then that is how to handle it". Even when it turned out this wasn't the cause for the accident, I was still able to take the that and apply 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

But how much do you enjoy chili now?

One of my ex-wife's favorite movies was "Fried Green Tomatoes". I actually enjoyed 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

I can't speak for JohnRich, but pot is illegal. The first ad you linked is from South Carolina, US. Private transfer of firearms is legal there. I looked in both the rules and the classified guidelines. Neither mentioned guns or trading skydiving equipment for non. So, as far as I can tell, no laws are being broken. No rules are being broken. What is the problem? "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

Interesting photos. Clicky fixed. For those who aren't aware, this forum doen't make links automatically. Click on the "Quote" button to see how it's done. "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

Well, based on numerous Cockpit Voice Recorder transcripts, the last thought is usually "Oh Shit." "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