skydance1954

Yeah, I've had that too. Usually from guys that are looking to pick a fight. Or from people wearing big grins thinking it's cool to insult me, my friends and my sport in front of their posse. Naturally, to date, I've always been alone in the crowd when this happens. I try to find a reason to leave as quickly as possible. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Not at the same DZ, I would hope....... But, yeah, the stats are about that. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Of course we all want people to see our cool stuff. The three biggest egos on the planet are brain surgeons, test pilots and skydivers. And not neccessarily in that order. During year end video time I deluge my family, friends and co-workers with the video, or segments of it. At skydive parties, we all bring our videos out for people to see. I sometimes like to bring out old stuff, partly to show how funny things used to be, and partly to prove I've not always been 300 years old. But really, have fun with it. Yes, whatever discipline we enjoy, we want people to see our cool stuff and acknowledge it. Back in the day, it was stand up landings. (Hey! I stood it up, didja see that? Didja, Didja, didja???!!!!!) Now it's cool, long swoops. Same stuff, different technology. When I see a young 'un do something cool, I'll give him credit & pat him on the back. On the other hand, if I didn't, well, is it on video? It's not? - too bad, didn't happen. -Mike Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I completely agree with you on that one. It can be argued that we've swung too far into the "pro" mindset. That could be a factor in our inability to make the sport grow today as it has in the past. However, back to the point at hand - the public does not understand the rules of skydiving - regardless of discipline. They DO understand football, baseball, hockey, basketball, skiing, golf and racing. (Be it cars or something else) Why? Because for the most part, most people have participated in those sports when growing up, or they've picked it up from mom and dad and grew into it. Other sports, like figure skating they learn when they grow up because they find it visually attractive. But even then, it's pretty much restricted to the world level competitions. Does the public find competititve skydiving interesting? Yes, when they can get up close to see it. But even then, they can't watch 4 or 8 way very long without their eyes glazing over. They can watch accuracy if it's live because it's entertaining to see the competitors crash in, and as mentioned in a previous post - they get an immediate result. Everyone understands zero is good, and 1 meter is bad. Canopy swooping might be close to that, but the rules are not as easily understood. Freefly? Forget it - way too esoteric for the wuffo to understand. Looks very cool and a lot of fun - but how the heck do you judge that? And you're suggesting that we charge people to see this? A race or a sporting game lasts 2 - 4 hours. The public can stay focused on the game for that long, and the result is known when they leave. Our meets take all day, sometimes 2 days, and the results take time after that. That's like trying to watch a cricket match. Anyone here ever try that? We don't know the rules, it takes days to play, and we don't understand how to win. To those that know the sport, and are passionate about it, sure, they'll pay to watch, but when was the last time you saw a major cricket match in the US? Before you point out that cricket is not popular here - you have to ask why? Is it because it's originally British, or because it does not appeal to the basic American sense of what a sporting event is supposed to be? People pay to get into these sporting events because they became wildly popular and in the grand enterprenurial spirit of America, they organized into professional leagues and so they grew into what we have today. Early sports - all of them - started with individuals playing the game. So - back to swooping. Right now it's a niche activity performed by a very few people in the world, and very few people find it interesting to watch. How many top notch swoopers are there world wide? Now, how many of them actually get the opportunity to strut their stuff at competitions? Make it wildly popular first. Then start charging admission. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Once upon a time I wanted very badly for our sport to become "mainstream". After some life experience in other sports, and simply watching the evolution of ours and others, I've been convinced that I really DON'T want us to be mainstream anymore. If we go mainstream, it'll be corporate businesses running the show, not skydivers. And quire frankly, I don't want that. While the arguments for charging to see top-notch athletes battle it out are valid in the sense of that's what other sports do, we all have to remember that we constantly need new blood. Right now we're in a slump. Far fewer people are taking up the sport now than have in the past. Since those of us who have been here more than 5 years knows how fast the turnover is, That means it's not going to take very long for the small DZs to die, and the large DZs to have serious cash flow issues. So - that said, we need to keep the spectator area a free area so that we can appear before the largest crowds possible. Market the event, yes, but draw the money in other ways. T-shirts, concessions, contests, whatever. But no entry fees. -My 2cents.. -M Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I'm also an old timer who grew up with no packers except for student gear, so we were on our own. When we were taught to pack our B4's or whatever front mounted pretzel that we bought for $100 (complete), our riggers would insist that we get to know our gear intimately. "Know every grommet, every packing band, and every stitch. This gear will either save you or kill you." Damn good advice back then, considering the horrible level of technology compared to today. The end result was that I learned the lesson and have taken very good care of my gear ever since. Including packing for myself. Always. Is that an insult to the packers out there today? Nope. Would I use one? Yes, but only if circumstances warrent it, and if I knew and trusted the packer's work. I've seen it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. But the main reason today that I don't use packers is economic. It's expensive to do this stuff, and I can't really afford adding yet another $30 - $40 per day to an already expensive habbit. That said, it must be known that both my kids are packers (one retired after 10 years), and I'm very grateful to the many people that have provided them with employment all this time. Not just for the money, but for the self confidence, maturity and respect they've gained from doing it. -Mike Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Amax and Samaurai are both correct. Team dynamics are very complicated, and NOTHING like regular (read: recreational) skydives. Here is a situation where performance is all. If you've got a teammate who is very intense and is expecting more from everyone, and it's not happening immediately, stress results. Definitely keep all comments to yourself until after the video is watched. Even if the critisism is valid, focus on the positive, and work towards improvment. 4-way is a very long journey. Not a destination. Even if, in your wildest dreams, you win the world meet, then what? You don't stop, there's the Malevesky Cup, the world cup, the next nationals and so on. Local meet, regional meet, nationals, world meet, it's all the same - you're on top for ONE DAY, and one day only. You savor the victory, then you get back in the saddle and start work again. Why? Because there's always another team right behind you that want's to win. On any given day, on any given skydive - you too can suck. That rule applies to your teammate, too. Way back in the day we had an 8-way team that had these two guys on it who could do no wrong. They were a royal pain because they were always blaming others for various problems on the dives. Then came video. During our second year of training, we had air to air video - what an incredible eye openener! Come to find out, 90% of our problems were being caused by these two idiots. By the end of the year, they were off the team. Two years later they both hung up the sport because they became "bored". Really, it was simply that they couldn't be top dogs in our little DZ, so they simply quit. My point to this little fable is that you might not be the problem. The video will tell. And the coach should point out what the problems are, and more importantly, tell you how to fix them. If you're the problem, fine, fix it. If not, then the other person, or people, need to fix their shortcomings. Either way - 4-way has no room for big egos - you can't have them and expect to improve. Because no one is that good until after you win the world meet. If you haven't, then sit down and see what you can learn - all of you. Don't get involved in emotional quagmires during this journey. It's a distraction none of you need. If there's a dispute over what happened, check the video and keep a third party on hand for an unbiased point of view. If this individual continues with this sort of behaviour, and IF the video evidence belies what he's saying, then either he needs to be replaced, or have a very serious talk with the coach. if the video evidence does agree with what he's saying, he still needs to have a serious talk with the coach because his actions are having a negative impact on the team, and that's not acceptable. This is supposed to be fun. Everyone needs to be on the same page, and the only way to do that is through communication. What are you all trying to achieve? What are your goals? What are the team goals? What are the goals of your teammates? Have you discussed this? 4-way, when it works, rocks beyond any other skydiving I've done. I was first hooked on it in 1975, and I've not looked back. Yes, there have been "speed bumps", but I still love it, and I hope you will too when you get to my point. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Thanks, dude. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I have to agree with Marks, jump with a team first before you start doing video, even if it's just for fun for one month of weekends. I've been a 4-way and 8-way competitor, and both tandem and 4-way videographer. Performing video on a 4-way can help doing tandems a lot, but the flying techniques are completely different. On 4-way, you're above the formation, and it moves in random directions in three dimensions, depending on how well the team flies and the formations they are executing. On tandems, the subject generally does not move much, and you're filming either on level, or slightly below. 4-way videographers don't just show up at the plane take the video and leave. Depending on the team, your tasks are going to be many. You're part of the team and you have a direct result in how they are scored. They do the points, and you make sure the judges can see them. Technically, you have to be able to exit with the team, and each team is just a little different in how they execute an exit. You have to have an intimate knowledge of the dive pool, and how the various blocks and formations fly. Each one has its own flying charactaristics, and you must anticipate the formations just the same way the team does so that you're not always in reaction mode. You have to fly WITH the team. On this same thread, you have to know how the team flies the formations out the door, and how to get the shots on each of these exits. Again, this requires a working knowledge of the pool, and the team itself. When they do the teamspeak thing, you've got to understand what they are talking about. Attend the dirt dives, know what they are going to do on this dive. Keep all members of the team in frame as much as possible. What that means is if they are turning two pieces of an interim, and they get far apart, you've got to "go up" to keep both parts in frame, while you stare at a point mid-way between them, and when the parts come together, you drop back down to a close position as they take grips. Don't focus on one group while the other flies off of the frame. Be on time, don't make the team wait for you. The best videographers reduce the stress on the team. Take care of tickets and manifest, let the team focus on the dirt dives and debriefs. Do not comment on the dives unless asked. Especially if you have limited or no competitive 4-way experience. Be invisible. By that I mean you take care of your duties, and be at the plane when the team is boarding, without them having to check for you. Land and go directly to the debriefing area and have the video ready for them. You walk out, hand the remote to the team captain and pack. When they are done, retrieve your equipment and make ready for the next dive. Be professional. At the end of the season, make sure you have a "team tape" of all their skydives available for each team member. A general copy in your own archives is a good idea should any of the team members lose their tape or DVD. Also, by invisible, I mean that the video has to be steady, in frame and centered, with the entire team taking up as much of the frame as possible. And on a constant heading. This way, the team has an accurate view of what is going on, and their focus is entirely on their performance. If the video is shaky, out of frame, you're orbiting, or too far away, then there are discussions on how to improve the video quality. These discussions are a distraction to the team, and then you're not invisible. In the air - don't orbit. Pick a heading and stay there, preferably with the sun behind you. Stay close, almost in the burble. Stay high, don't ever get on level. Be advised that the best way to find the exact point that you need to be at is by falling on the team at least once. Most experienced teams know this, and they should cut you some slack. Just don't do it during a meet. Don't use an overly wide angle lens. .42 is almost too much, unless you can get REALLY close, or you zoom in a bit. I personally find that .65 is ideal for 4-way, and I keep the .42 for tandems. Monitor your battery life. Be fully charged when you arrive in the morning and be ready for the whole day. Don't use the battery for power during debriefs unless it's the end of the day. Finally, if the team asks you to take on additional duties to help them along - try to be as accomodating as possible. They are paying you for a service, and it's just not the flying part. And be aware that you won't be sitting still. Your flying will be challenged even on a good team. Also, have a game plan with the team for exits, and for breakoff. If one of the team has a cutaway, you'll be in the best position to go after either the freebag or the canopy. Don't ignore them and land at the target, help a buddy out and land with one or the other. Sorry if this sounds a bit rambling, but I'm at work and multitasking. Comments and feedback are welcome.

There has not been any changes for a couple of years. And with the controversy over Zipper-Star, there seems to be an acknowledgement that changes are overdue. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

not bad, dude. A good start. Keep it up. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I am currently using film, and due to many financial constraints (mortgage, cars, kids in school, etc.) I find it very hard to keep the still camera on my helmet unless there's a paying customer willing to take the shots. The predictable result of this is that I see lots of really neat things that, if I had the camera on board, I might be able to capture. Of course, as every film photographer knows, you'll shoot 1,000 pictures before you get that one gem. So, instead of spending the money on extra rolls of film, I'm saving it for the digital. I agree that you can't get the warmth of film that the really dedicated pro's use. But hey, NONE of us are Ansel Adams when we are in the sky. We take a different kind of picture. I think that I could significantly increase my potential market with a digital, but by doing it, hopefully smarter, by only releasing the gems without having the expense of printing all those rejects. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

The correct theoretical answer is: when someone goes low on a formation, they should esure that they do not go directly underneath anyone in the formation. That way, no one gets stuck in the burble and lands on their back. It's mostly about prevention. Since your jump numbers are below 100, I'm running the assumption that you're not doing large (12+) skydives. As such, in small, randsom get togethers, the rule is always that the fastest faller of the group sets the pace for all the others. He or she should be either in the center, or close to it. When they start to fall below the general group, then everyone else needs to compensate and pick up speed. On the other hand, if that person dives at the formation and overshoots, or if they are on the outside and drop out, they will be below a semi-completed formation, struggling to get back up. Again, the formation needs to pick up speed to help out our struggling friend. But if this friend then drifts under someone, and they get caught in the burble, then there is very little that the higher person can do except brace themselves for impact. If there is any chance at all at gaining some air, use it to try to slip to the left or right. Usually, once you're in it, the only place you're going is down. It is possible to "burble hop" in RW, but this is a planned manoever that can be done only because you've got enough inertia to come out the other side. Once again, it's mainly prevention. The low person has a responsibility to stay out of the airspace directly under the formation. If you're having a consistent problem with an individual going low, get him or her a larger jumpsuit, AND put them in the center AND adjust your fall rate to match his or hers. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I would also recomend that once you get a replacement for that Falcon, that you learn to pack it yourself. And by learning to pack, I mean, learning to pack for the camera. With a bunch of weight on your head, you want consistent, soft openings. Talk to the local packers, if you have any, and your local riggers, to determine how to develop the kind of openings that you want. And pack it yourself everytime. The chances of having a mal are, in my opinion, significantly reduced when you're taking care of your own gear. And when flying camera, cutaways are really not fun. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

You might want to contact USPA directly to double check. I've not heard any such rule. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Yeah, I was there for that meet. They called it the "Dream Machine" It was black and white only, and by today's standards, the resolution sucked, but it was a great improvement over the previous system with the telemeters. It worked great in Claresholm because the weather was primarily dry, but in Victoriaville 8 years later, it sucked because of the predominance of clouds. Thank God for air to air. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

So far, all the camera steps I've used have been more than large enough to accomodate two people. Peeling off IMMEDIATELY after the person sharing the step has proved effective for me. They are about 1 body width below on exit, and i'm able to focus on the base without worries of interference from them. Additionally, the wings put me above the mass of people in/and coming out of the door pretty quickly. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Must be nice. I notice that your profile says you're in Eloy. So what team are you working for? Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

If I'm doing a "Woody-way" or a fun jump of some kind, I'm happy to just go for slot and beer. Team jumps are slot and $10. Since I rarely allow anyone else to pack my gear, the pack job is never an issue. Call me old school, but I really don't like other people touching my stuff. On the other hand, I haven't had a malfunction on any of my last three canopies in 18 years and almost 3000 jumps. Of course, I've probably just jinxed myself. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I've always been a numbers freak, and so I've always kept my logbooks as up to date as possible. I'm certain that my freefall time is most definitly an estimation as my first 2500 jumps or so were done without the benefit of such things as pro-dytters and video. Today, though, the vast majority of my jumps are recorded by one or the other, so the time is much more accurate. Even so, I'll bet that I'm not more than an hour out one way or another. To deal with such things as the always-problematic keeping the signatures up to date, I have a personal tradition of taking the logbook to the restaurant on Saturday and Sunday evenings and running it around the table for everyone to sign. Do I really need licensed jumpers to sign each one? Nah. At this point it's also a diary of people I've met and had fun with on this journey. It's really cool to go back 15 - 20 years and read the signatures (that are readable), and remember some great times and jumps I've had with that person. I intend to keep logging until my ash dive. Which, I suppose will have to be filled out by someone else. Good logging also helps me to remember really cool dives that I otherwise would forget. If you do this for 30 - 40 years and thousands of jumps, you're not going to remember them all. Lots of jumpers say they stop at some point because it's too much trouble. But after a few years, those same jumpers then regret not having logged. Don't be one of them. Besides, as you go through your career, you're joining an even more exclusive club. Not many people on this earth do what we do. Even fewer make it to 10,000 jumps and 170 hours of freefall. This does not mean you're the best skydiver on the planet, but it does mean you've achieved something significant, if only to yourself. But you'll never know what you achieve if you don't keep a record of it. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Only because you tried to stand it up instead of doing a PLF as you were advised to do. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

If you've already looked at the dive pool, then you would have seen that it's broken into two categories. Randoms and block sequences. In terms of Randoms, a single formation is a point. Such as the Unipod. To earn that point, you have to correctly build the Unipod as shown. In terms of Block Sequences, you have a formation, then a required interim movement, and another formation. The block is worth two points. To earn both points you have to correctly build the first one, correctly perform the interim as shown in the pool, and finally build the second point as shown. In competition, these items are placed into a hat and drawn out in whatever order they come out. A single skydive can consist of 5 or 6 "points" if you are competing in the Open category. Less if you are in a different category, such as Intermediate. If you complete the sequence, you then return to the first point and do it all again. A competition skydive is done on the clock. The timer starts as soon as the first person leaves the aircraft and stops 35 seconds later. The team with the most number of points correctly done in the time alloted wins. Most meets consist of 6 skydives, all different. National level and World level meets generally consist of 10. Again, every skydive is completely different from the others. And you don't know what the order of the points will be until the night before the competition starts because that's when the draw is performed. One beauty of 4-way (there are so many), is that every competition is completely different from the last because the draw is going to be different. Some draws are going to be "fast" and others "slow". Meaning that a fast draw is a series of points that are easy to do very quickly and with little movement. A slow draw would be the opposite. But I digress. 4-way is just ONE version of RW. It is probably the most organized and popular of all the forms, but it isn't the only way to go. On the other hand, I've been involved in 4-way since 1976 and I can't stop . It is an excellent training ground, and good 4-way people can do just about anything else. It has challenges at both the mental and physical level that can take a lifetime to master. But what a ride! Enjoy! Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I'm using a TRV-27, but it's not listed here. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

I keep everything that I tape. And I've got a huge library by now. You never know when a tandem student will contact you years later because his/her significant other used the first jump video to tape the latest episode of "Friends", or whatever. And some day I'll do a 10 year retrospective, which would give a completely different feel to a year end video. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666

Welcome to the dark side, my friend. You will like your Mac. I agree with Quade that most of the student videos can be done with iMovie and iDVD. Even with the limited range of graphics and special effects, they are two excellent tools that can produce a professional video. If you become an iDisk member, you'll also have access to music you can use legally with the videos. For the more involved videos, such as professional projects, or year end DZ productions, Final Cut Express or Pro are superb. With practice you'll be turning out stuff that'll blow your mind. Mike Ashley D-18460 Canadian A-666