WFFC

My DZ has that and we're all supposed to sign in before starting for the day...Called my dad (retired insurance guy) to get his thoughts. Didn't think that an independent contrator sheet would totally remove the DZ from liability as the contractor was still using the DZs gear (i.e. plane, Tandem rig possibly). It would really depend on the malfunction on whose happy smile would end up in court. ----- ~~~Michael

I, at last count, have 27 bastard love children that I flat out refuse to pay child support for. How's that? ----- ~~~Michael

What it primarily does is helps the business owner remove themselves from a possible liability issue before it happens. People for the most part really don't like drugs and the "stereotypical" bad things that follow them and if something happens when someone is under the influence of something, they blame the entire fault on the substance and the user. ----- ~~~Michael

Sorry...Thought more about it after I hit the post button... ----- ~~~Michael

Anytime...A friend of mine was actually involved in the lawsuit so I knew a bit more about it than I cared to. Bluez~~~ ----- ~~~Michael

Found this below from here http://www.pdxnorml.org/980521.html: Drug Tests Urged For Skydiving Instructors ('Sacramento Bee' Says The Local Federal Aviation Administration Will Recommend That All Tandem Skydiving Instructors In The United States Be Required To Undergo Mandatory Urine Tests - The Cause Of The April 16 Accident Precipitating The FAA Recommendation Is Unknown, But The Instructor Was Found To Have Alcohol In His Blood And Cannabis Metabolites - The Parents Of 26-Year-Old Jump Student Stephanie Ann Cotter Have Vowed To 'Commit The Rest Of Their Lives To Increasing Governmental Oversight Of Skydiving') Date: Thu, 21 May 1998 22:21:55 -0700 To: mapnews@mapinc.org From: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org (MAPNews) Subject: MN: US CA: Drug Tests Urged for Skydiving Instructors Sender: owner-mapnews@mapinc.org Newshawk: Joel W. Johnson (jwjohnson@mapinc.org) Source: Sacramento Bee (CA) Contact: opinion@sacbee.com Website: http://www.sacbee.com/ Pubdate: Thu, 21 May 1998 Author: Pamela Martineau Bee Staff Writer DRUG TESTS URGED FOR SKYDIVING INSTRUCTORS In the aftermath of the skydiving deaths last month of Sacramento woman and her tandem jumping instructor, investigators with the local Federal Aviation Administration are recommending that all tandem skydiving instructors in the United States be required to undergo mandatory drug tests. The recommendation is part of an official FAA report on the deaths April 18 of Stephanie Ann Cotter, 26, and her skydiving instructor Seth Blake, 28. They died while jumping in tandem from an airplane at 9,000 feet after their parachute -- for unknown reasons -- failed to open. Deaths are not extraordinarily rare in skydiving, but the accident last month at the SkyDance SkyDiving Company in Yolo County has become controversial since Blake's autopsy report revealed he had traces of marijuana in his blood and a 0.04 percent blood alcohol level. FAA regulations -- the only governmental oversight of skydiving -- forbid alcohol or drug use by skydivers or their instructors. But the FAA does not require drug testing of the jumpers or their teachers. At high altitudes, alcohol and drugs can severely hinder reflex responses. "I feel very strongly that this should be mandatory and regulated," said Robert Cotter, Stephanie's father who has said he and his wife, Edith, will commit the rest of their lives to increasing governmental oversight of skydiving. "It took my kid's death to do this," Cotter said. Tim Pile, a spokesman for the FAA's Western region, cautioned that recommendations in official investigations must travel through many channels before being adopted -- and many don't make it. "Something like this would be controversial. There would be opposition," said Pile. If officials in Washington chose to pursue the change, he said, they must solicit comment across the country. Managers at SkyDance SkyDiving adamantly maintained that Blake was neither intoxicated nor high the morning of his fatal jump. "We have a very clear rule that we don't tolerate that here," said Ray Ferrell, co-director of Sky- Dance SkyDiving. "Seth had been on duty since 8 o'clock that morning and there was no alcohol apparent." Owners of the skydiving company speculated that Blake's allergy medication could have triggered a positive reading for alcohol, a contention that officials at the Yolo County Coroner's Office have declined to comment on. Cotter filed suit earlier this month against SkyDance SkyDiving and its parent company Prestar, charging that the owners and managers of the company were negligent in allowing his daughter to jump with an instructor who was under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The FAA investigative report on the deaths of Cotter and Blake has not yet been made public, but investigators within the Sacramento office of the FAA said Wednesday that the final report will include the mandatory drug testing recommendation. Cotter said he hopes the proposed rule will be adopted sooner, rather than later. "Clerks at the hardware store where my wife and I shop have to be drug tested before being hired," he said. Ferrell said SkyDance SkyDiving is looking into adopting a company policy of drug testing employees. Copyright 1998 The Sacramento Bee

I've used priceline.com for airfare, hotels and cars. If you are ok with not knowing your schedule to fly and are ok with flying at goofy times, priceline is the way to go. If not, try the other other travel sites www.travelocity.com, expedia.com, cheapseats.com, orbitz.com and sometimes even the specific airline sites have better deals than these. For cars, shop before bidding and start by cutting your bid in half of the best rate found. If it doesn't get accepted, up it a few dollars and this should do it. As for hotel rooms, best deal I ever got was a 2 bedroom courtyard by marriott for 35$ per night for 3 nights. ----- ~~~Michael

Wing loading was 1.46:1 - Sabre 150 Wing loading now 1.29:1 - Spectre 170 Field elevation 5050' or there abouts... ----- ~~~Michael

31...Feel 21 though...Old enough to be legal for just about everything... ----- ~~~Michael

Not a clue on ideas. I'm a network admin as well and have been debating a change. Not a clue what yet though... Michael ----- ~~~Michael

Mi llamo es Arano Rodriguez... ----- ~~~Michael

Here's what I did. figured out what vehicle I wanted on the net, then sent emails to all of the dealerships within a 90 minute drive with the terms of the deal (and options) that I wanted. I included in the emails that I do not pay D&H so to hide it somewhere else that I don't see. One dealer said everyone pays D&H - My reply back said I don't and have a nice day. Two dealers agreed to my number including not paying D&H. Picked the nearest one and asked them when the vehicle would be ready. Drove down two days later, signed and drove away. Total time spent at the dealership was about 30 minutes and 3-4 hours doing the research before hand. Braincells lost - 0. ----- ~~~Michael

Today is an quiet day at the office. My company's corporate offices were in 2 World Trade on the 31st through 37th floors. Was talking to my NY counterpart when the 2nd plane hit. Bad day for all and the last person, my counterpart, was accounted for 2 days later. She was apparently running out of the building as it started to collapse. She still works there and took the day off to relect. Bluez and peace to all~~~ Michael ----- ~~~Michael

Here's another way...Remember being a kid and standing at the end of the highdive at the pool for the first time? Quiet...You're by yourself...And everyone is waiting for you to go... ----- ~~~Michael

Well, Jeff has gotten a new engine, only problem is it won't be in this weekend...Bummer...Not sure on this so check it out - Calhan's Caravan went to the nationals, but Brush will have their King Air flying all weekend... Bluez~~~ Michael ----- ~~~Michael

Well, I'm extremely bored too...Unfortunately, I'm still stuck at work...Will be out shortly though... Bluez~~~ ----- ~~~Michael

Flew out to Oregon to visit an old flame from highschool. She met me at the airport with her best friend. Long story short, she had gotten better looking from the last time I saw her. Her friend, also a looker, could get in the most contorted positions I have ever seen in the handicapped stall of the ladies restroom in the airport. Got introduced to another of her friends the next day. Visiting a friend in Alabama and was going to go with her on her first tandem. She picked me up in Atlanta (Hartsfield) and in her long flowing dress with no panties underneath, mounted up right at the gate while the plane was still unloading. Round 2, same night, leaning outside of a Cracker Barrel restaurant on the drive to her place. Round 3, just before we went into her house to go to bed - on the front lawn. Hey, it was a full moon. Next day, round 1 in the shower before driving to Pell City. She did her tandem and we didn't make it too far off the airport before she wanted more. If anyone would have left, they would have seen us on top of the car. Round 3 was cruising down the highway. Topped off the evening at her parents place in the hot tub. Yes, the parents in the tub and her riding on my lap... Ahh, the good days...Less than 6 weeks till the wedding... Bluez~~~ ----- ~~~Michael

It can be, but I'll never tell. Experience it for yourself and make your own determinations. From the story description, it sounds like it was the 99 convention. Bluez~~~ Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

None yet. Haven't had time to call the DZ for an update...Some silly twit is making my life hell at work this week...They delete files, I restore and they delete them again...Friggin id10T ----- ~~~Michael

The real funny thing, and the purpose of the wrongmont.com website, is that he threatened a pilot (aka the webmaster I believe) and farmer mcnasty's property isn't even in the city. The airport belongs to the city, not the county and the city has been bending over backwards to try to make sure he's happy. Enough is enough and we'll see what happens from here. Here's an idea...Offer to buy the land to expand the airport. He refuses, get a judge to condemn the land and then the city gets to buy it dirt cheap and expand the airport. Problem solved. There's only one other neighbor that I know of that has a problem with the airport. Other than that, people had a clue when they moved in that they were living next to an airport and to expect some noise. ----- ~~~Michael

on the topic of Farmer McNasty-Enjoy the reading here: http://www.wrongmont.com/noise.html - Tom Zweck is our farmer mcnasty... ----- ~~~Michael

Sign me up...That's an exotic I don't get to jump out of much... Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ----- ~~~Michael

This was posted on the Freefall.com message board and is being reposted here for your info. Bluez~~~ Michael Webmaster Michael@Freefall.com ***** Hello Y'all: My name is Scott Schwarz and I was to be the Captain on the B-727 doing drops at the 2002 WFFC. I wuz just cruisin' and thought I would look at the message board to see what I missed... There seems to be som mis-information circulating on this board. I am the Standards Captain for the B-727 at Kalitta Air and the guy who did most of the work on performance capabilities at Rantoul, as well as much of the interface with the FAA and Don. We were all set to go and had a verbal committment from the insurance underwriters that we would be covered for the event. Three days before we were to leave for Rantoul, the *&%%ing underwriters informed us that they were withdrawing coverage for the event. SHIT! We did a mad scramble to try and find other coverage, but there just was not enough time to pull it off. Hopefully, we can get something sorted out for next year. Sounds like I missed one hell of a party. In response to some of the naysayers about the ability of the B-727 to operate in and out of Rantoul, you just don't know what your talking about. With the larger, -15 powerred, engines on the plane we could takeoff at 142,800 pounds on a 94 degree day at Rantoul. The airplane weighs about 92,000 pounds and we need about 9,000 pounds of fuel for one complete circuit (two 45 second jump passes). That leaves 41,800 pounds for skydivers and 'chutes. My high school math says that is enough weight to carry about 220 skydivers with clothing and about 235 naked. Either way, that is more than we can fit inside the plane, with only 180 seatbelts. Hope to see you all next year... Scott L10FR8DOG@aol.com **** ----- ~~~Michael

Don't you love anonymous profiles that are out to pick on a DZ they don't like and with no substance to their remarks. Funny thing is, they jump there anyway. ----- ~~~Michael

In Colorado, we call it smoke from the forest fires. ----- ~~~Michael