kevin922

I sat down with my rigger and came up with a wingtip stiffener for the wings. We took a cutaway cable and created a pocket that houses it. This was sewn on the leading edge on the top of the wing. I will try jumping it tomorrow, let me know what you think. Looks very good! Wing 1 Wing 2 Wing 3

First of all let me express my feelings towards jump numbers, requirements, etc. I personally feel every skydiver progresses differently, i feel going STRICTLY by jump numbers is not only stupid, but a hinderance for skydivers in their progression. Jump numbers give a good baseline but other than that, they are just numbers. Every discipline in skydiving should be carefully considered before taking up. Research (such as your questions) should be done, experts should be talked to, etc. YOU should evaluate the risk against your experience. Others such as people you jump with most often, and your instructors have a good idea what your experience level is but you yourself should know for sure where your experience level is. Don't jump into something you're not sure you're ready for. Now with that being said, here is how I got into birdman. I emailed Jari @ Birdman and gave him a heads up I was going to be in FL one summer and wanted to go through the first jump course, I told him my jump numbers were a little low by birdman standards and asked him for his advice. He told me about what to do as far as practicing (see below) and so I started doing that. Unbeknown to me he showed up @ my DZ before I made it down there.. he and I talked some more, I did a few more non-birdman pratice jumps and then went though the course. I was around jump # 150 when he took me up. I admit the first 5 jumps were scary.. and at one point I second guessed myself as to if I should be doing this or not. (Mainly during the deployment sequence -- which IMHO is the most difficult of the jump, the exit would be the 2nd.) I continued on and by jump 10 I was very confident in myself. I now have 30 something birdman jumps and i'm no expert by any stretch of imagination but I'm safe. I started @ around 150 jumps with instruction from Jari himself. I feel I've progressed quickly during my skydiving carrer, but there is still a lot to learn. Tracking dives. Jari had me doing a lot of them and the big thing was going through the deployment / waveoff procedure. (Specifically putting both your hands behind your back and deploying symmetrically) as well as doing the wave off with your legs. I jump an older mirage (not a g3, has the velcrow riser covers) with a standard bridle, BOC. Collapsable pilot chute. No mods on the rig for birdman and it works just fine. If you're wanting to spec out a rig specifically with birdman in mind check out the Wings container..

Did you try http://www.photo.net?

Lemme guess, you fainted then ?

Here check out the description!! (you daredevil you) :) Kevin

Here Breaking News: Chase Comes To End, SWAT Team On Scene Andrew Pulskamp, Staff Writer Posted: 11:32 a.m. EST January 31, 2003 Updated: 1:44 p.m. EST January 31, 2003 MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. -- Police chased a reportedly armed supsect in a postal truck through the streets of Miami-Dade and Broward counties for nearly two hours today, but that truck has stopped, and the vehicle is surrounded by police who now have a hostage situation on their hands. The truck stopped at 183rd Street and 27th Avenue (pictured) in Miami-Dade County, and SWAT teams could be seen closing in. The mail carrier was also seen moving to the back of the truck with a man after a tire blew out. "(Police are) feverishly trying to develop a plan on the ground there to bring this thing to an end," said former Miami-Dade County police spokesman and current Channel 10 News police consultant Ed Munn. Munn also said officers may evacuate a three-to-four-block area around the scene and a hostage negotiator will probably be brought in. Traffic in the area is being diverted and 48 schools have also been locked down. (Go to the bottom of this article for a list of schools affected.) Shortly after the truck stopped, Channel 10 News' helicopter left the immediate area after police directed it to leave. Police say one shot was fired from the postal vehicle during the chase, which made its way for more than an hour in a roughly circular pattern around a large area, including Miami Gardens Drive, 183rd Street, Red Road, the Palmetto Expressway and streets near Pro Player Stadium. Around 12:45 p.m., the driver broke that pattern and headed into Broward County on University Drive, neared Miramar Parkway, then turned around and drove back to Miami-Dade County. More than an hour into the chase, police became more aggressive, attempting to block the vehicle's escape at several intersections and moving closer with cars from the rear (pictured, right). The driver took evasive measures, crossing the median, making u-turns and turning in complete circles. "The police are being very careful ... to make sure this doesn't result in some sort of injury to a passerby or one of the officers," said Munn. There are at least two people in the truck. A female letter carrier was driving and someone else was apparently holding her hostage. "We may have someone inside who is armed, who is forcing (her) to drive away ... That mail carrier is obviously scared to death ... (She) probably thinks if she doesn't do what that guy tells (her), he's probably going to shoot (her,)" Munn said. "We don't know what (the suspect) has on his mind." At one point the truck stopped and the letter carrier asked another motorist, Rev. Mark Cooper, for his phone. "I rolled down my window to ask if she was alright, and she said, 'Please can I have your phone, please can I have your phone,'" said Cooper, who quickly gave his cell phone to the woman. Cooper said he didn't see a weapon in the suspect's hand and that he seemed very calm. Channel 10 News reporter Connie Hicks is in the area and saw the truck drive by several times. Hicks reports that she saw the gunman, saying he is a black male with a black knit cap. "He looks very intense, very serious," Hicks said. As for the driver, Hicks confirmed that the mail carrier is a woman and that, "She looks terrified and has her hands clenched on the steering wheel." Hicks added that it was very dark inside the vehicle and she could not see a weapon. Nearly 20 police cruisers were part of the chase, including a vehicle carrying the SWAT team. Munn said that the suspect may have been looking for a familiar place to bail out of the car. If the driver did bail out, Munn said he would still be covered from the air by the department's chopper, which is monitoring developments. The postal truck, which has been identified by it's number of 3312063, stopped numerous times, even to talk to pedestrians on nearly 10 different occassions. Each time the truck stopped, it started again, continuing to lead officers on a slow speed chase until the tire blew out. The chase affected traffic in large parts of the area in northwest Miami-Dade County as police closed down intersections to clear way for the chase. Police advised drivers to steer clear of the area and are still directing them to stay away from the scene at 183rd Street and 27th Ave. They're also urging onlookers to stay away. Small crowds of people have been seen gathered at certain street corners to watch the pursuit as it goes by. "If you're not involved in this thing, please stay out of the police's way," Munn said. Police have also said that they will release no further details about this chase until it has come to an end. Schools Locked Down Several northwest Miami-Dade County schools have been locked down. No one will be allowed in or out of the following schools: Rainbow Park Elementary Miami Gardens Elementary Wyche Elementary North Dade Middle School American High School (and all elementary and middle feeder schools) Norland High School (and all elementary and middle feeder schools) North Miami High School (and all elementary and middle feeder schools) Krop High School (and all elementary and middle feeder schools) Carol City High School (and all elementary and middle feeder schools) Munn said that children at those schools are not in any danger. Officials are just taking all possible precautions. Officials say afternoon pickup times for the above-mentioned schools could be affected.

The one I go to work on every day costs 75 cents one way (that is 2 toll booths).. however if you get down to the lsat toll it's 2.25!!! Such a stupid way of doing things, they charge based on the toll booth you're going through so you could get on right before the last toll booth and pay 2.25 or get on 5 toll booths back and still pay 2.25.. nuts. NJ does it right, they charge based on how far you go. Kevin

Yes, obviously a tail wheel is going to be a much bigger deal for taxi, takeoff and landings. Narrow mains on a tricycle arrangement, however, aren't going to be the answer. Ya really, really want to have wide and beefy mains for a skydive operation just to make it a land-o-matic and ensure they hold up with repeated over use. I'll tell ya, DeHavilland got it right when they built the landing gear for the Twin Otter -- build 'em like you're going to use 'em on dirt strips. I've often sat in the front section of a Twin Otter and thought how cool it would be to bail out of the middle emergency exits just under the wing. However, looking out and seeing those huge wheels sitting there has quickly squashed that idea. Maybe you could design a slide that would attach to the emergency exit.. just hop on and slide right over the wheels :) Kevin

Well mine actually means nothing. My name is Kevin.. a long long time ago I needed a userid kevin was already taken.. this was back when I registered my first domain name, networksolutions assigned a handle of "ko922" .. the 922 was a randomly generated number I believe.. anyway so that I wouldn't forget my network solutions handle I just tacked on the 922 to kevin so that I have "kevin922" it has nothing to do with my birthday (which is in may) or anything else. It just so happens that I am 22 though, until may that is :) Kevin

You can't sell firearms on ebay can you ?

I don't think any laser will work with the distances you're talking about. (i.e. from the ground to 6000 feet) - at least not to hit a small spec (a person) at that distance) Plus it would be measuring the speed at which the person is falling towards the ground, not forward speed.

Well just got the call... He's alive. Crazy dog. He said the food sucks in the hospital and the beds are hard but he's recovering just fine. Pick him up tomorrow!

He doesn't have to wear one of those!! whew! I don't think i could be seen with him in public if he wore one of those.. such a fashion fopah.

Yes.. an 80 LB german shepherd.. the actual procedure is 280 bucks but then you throw in the anestisia, medicine, plus when it rains it pours he's due for all his shots (rabies, lyme, bordatello, etc) so i was like "sure!" :) bleh

My son and dog are one in the same.. I don't need any real kids, I have enough to deal with as it is with the 4 legged one :)

Funny, he asked about you the other day.. was wondering when you were coming to see him. He's scheduled to be groomed in 3 weeks so he'll be all pretty for ya ;)

Not me! I'll be in orange during our heatwave of 50. :)

Well Tank has really done a doozey on himself this time. Somehow he got an ear infection and scratched at his ear so much that he tore the front from the back causing a pocket which filled with blood (hemotoma). They are having to operate which requires putting him under... cutting open the ear, draining it, and stiching it.. the estimate is over $860 bucks :( ughs! (yes I know, i know... how many jumps is that??) well the things I do for my son. Send some good vibes this way for him. Kevin

they legally have her, or just have her? If they don't have her legally it seems to me it would be a clear cut case of kidnapping. Kevin

Holy crap! Wow.. was that a southwest directive or an FAA one? I wonder if united airlines has it (the people on the phone are of no help) Kevin

Not quite Humm. pupu? :)

Aren't these people coool??

oo jari's first post on dz.com! :) my rigger is helping me with a wingtip stiffener design.. i'm really stoked about it, it uses a cutaway cable housed in a flap that flips up a small amount. I'll post pics.. i'm interested in how the stiffener is made on this new suit. any pics?

Man.. that reminds me of lethal weapon when mel gibson gets out of the straight jacket by dislocating something. :)

I was thinking abotu the same thing.. when I recovered my bright orange freebag it kinda got me tthinking "Maybe the bridle should be bright orange as well" :)