chuckakers

Ah, I see. I'm still not sure that at freefall speeds the indicator would give a noticeable reading but it is an interesting concept. I would be more trusting of a good coach. A coach can typically look at body positions and relative movement to figure things out. I do like the idea of chasing better ways of getting results, though. It doesn't cost anything to explore. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Unlike a yaw string or something similar that is useful in forms of flight where minor relative wind differences can make a noticeable impact on efficiencies, that doesn't exist for us. First, I think focusing your attention on a string/ribbon/whatever during and after exits will do nothing more than draw your attention away from where it needs to be - the center and your relative position to the rest of the team. Second, I don't think the information such a piece of gear would provide is really applicable to the task at hand. If a jumper is so far out of whack that the indicator could be easily read and deciphered, the jumper's own position and movement would easily do the same thing. I think if you just stay focused on flying as a group, use video, and get some solid coaching, you will surpass the skill level at which a relative wind indicator could be of any value pretty quickly. It's a 10 pound solution to a 10 ounce problem. 2 cents Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Nothing could be further from the truth. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I am a former AFF/I and former DZO, and have worked with a lot of training programs over the years. Spaceland's STP program is - by far - the best program I have ever seen. These days I am a load organizer at Spaceland Houston, and am consistently amazed at the abilities of the kids coming out of the program, most of them with no tunnel time. The Houston location graduates twice as many students to the A license than any other DZ in the country, and their graduates are best prepared newbies I have experienced anywhere. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Chuck, I think we probably need to make a mental note to tell them to include an expiration date. Let's say that a member went to an event on a Saturday, and checked in with a valid membership, but 1. that Saturday was the end of the month, and 2. the member expired at the end of that month. They would then be at the event, and expired on Sunday. This would not happen too often, but is a possibility. Valid point. I'll drop a line to HQ and mention that. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Go to https://thesigma.com/ and scroll down the main page until you see the link that says "Individual Users get started". It will guide you from there. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Randy was a great guy, a talented skydiver, and a friend to all who knew him. He will be missed dearly. BSBD Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

This is why I think it should be part of uspa. The competitions are very similar. Also, as a newer skydiver I am continually told to go to the tunnel to work on things. I can go in there and take things to the sky to help me out and vice versa. If they were so different then that would not be common advice. I am not saying they should be on the same level or that tunnel time replaces jump count. There are differences but I think it should be embraced especially the youth who are spending time in the tunnel. They can be the future of the sport. I think it could also streamline both sports from a governing and administration point of view. I would see a smaller basic membership and then smaller fees to add skydiving or tunnel licensing. You would essentially remain the same fees if you just skydive. Then if you want to progress in the tunnel its a small addition. Without the tunnel, I'm not sure I would have made it through AFF. Now that I have an A license and just a few jumps from my B license, the tunnel is teaching me to freefly safely. I can understand the wariness of the old guard but as a newer skydiver I like the idea and can see ways the addition would have little impact on the pure skydiver. You are correct that tunnels contribute to skydiving, and as an activity they are embraced by just about everyone. The issue here is not whether tunnels contribute to skydiving. It's whether the governance of tunnel competitions and records should be administered by USPA. IMO, the governance of tunnel flying as a sport should belong to an independent entity dedicated to tunnel stuff. USPA was established to promote skydiving - real jump out of airplanes and save yer ass kind of skydiving. USPA was handed tunnel flying by the IPC (International Parachuting Commission) which adopted tunnel flying as a part of sport parachuting under the guise of "indoor skydiving", which it is not. It is body flight and if the powers to be in the tunnel world want recognition by the FAI they should lobby FAI to give it it's own category and world governing body. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Are you sure it was PIA? I don't know anything about that. He means IPC. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

or tell them they don't have the skill to be on the jump. break it down into smaller groups if you feel that they must be included somehow Someone messaged me a similar thing and I have to say there are exceptions to the rule. I wouldn't just put a new jumper on something big with a bunch of people and say it's OK, as I said above, that's the wrong thing to do. I've seen and been on 8-ways where the remainder of the group is made up of instructors and led by someone with 18,000 jumps. Most have that new jumper tracking, some pulling in place. I routinely organize SCR's and similar size jumps for newly licensed jumpers, but there are several important safety considerations that I follow. First I NEVER have the newbie pull in place. Planning a pull in place risks a collision in the event that someone is not in the formation when the newbie deploys (of course no one should be steep enough to risk that, but we know it happens). In fact, it's entirely possible to have a scenario like the one in the video on this thread by having a jumper pull in place. The newbie goes low and since the plan was for him/her to pull in place (often higher than anyone else), that's exactly what they will do - potentially right under the formation or under someone who is tracking away. If a jumper can't be trusted to track away properly they should not be on the jump. Second - the newbie must be able to track straight and clear their air properly. It's not so important that they have a strong track, but it must be straight and remain on the correct heading. If the track is weak, the other jumpers will simply out track them, but a crooked or looping track could be a disaster. It's important that everyone else on the load be competent. Having multiple people of questionable skill is a shit show waiting to happen. Way too many uncontrollable variables to deal with. The most important thing is to clearly communicate the plan and for everyone to stick to it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I wouldn't bet on that. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I disagree. When someone goes low, the responsibilities of the entire group become divided. The responsibility of the low jumper is to try - all the way to breakoff if necessary - to get back up, while monitoring the position of the group to avoid getting directly under them (which in this case he/she obviously did as evidenced by the trajectory of the opening parachute). The low jumper should NOT track away until the designated breakoff altitude. Tracking away early will cause the jumper to become visually lost to the other jumpers who may unwittingly track toward that jumper. When the low jumper reaches deployment altitude he/she will deploy while the tracking jumpers are above and still tracking. That is a recipe for disaster. The responsibility of the jumpers still in the formation is to focus on their jobs and trust (yep, I said it) the low jumper to do the right thing. Yes, it's good if they see the low jumper and monitor his/her position, but their responsibility is to focus on keeping with the plan first and foremost. The only thing worse than having a jumper go low is having a jumper go low and for the rest of the skydive to turn into a shit show. Having a jumper go low should not be a problem and isn't when everyone does their job. The cause of this close call was the failure of the low jumper to track away at the designated altitude, plain and simple. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

You don't need dates to prove validity. If a rating or membership expires, the display will automatically be updated to reflect only your valid merits. Yes, there is a mobile app available for apple and android. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

1. He only needed to "start climbing out earlier" if he was going to climb out. If he was just diving out the door that wouldn't be necessary. 2. Back off of the guy. At 56 jumps I wouldn't say he's an idiot for using a technique he's obviously been taught. To the OP, you're not an idiot for using the 45 degree rule if it was taught to you, but it is bogus. Go tell the person who told you to use it that they are an idiot, but before you do educate yourself on why the 45 degree rule doesn't work so you can defend your position. Also, work the plan and ignore the jackasses. You spoke to an instructor in the plane and agreed on a safe separation time. You executed the plan. That should have been the end of it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I knew Robin and Pud well. Robin was looking for a change of scenery when we were opening Skydive USA in Wharton, Texas in 1997, so he came to work for me. Robin brought Pud on the first load we flew the day before our official opening. We built a 12 or 14-way round and Robin & Pud flew to the formation in a sit - Robin with his camera set-up, of course. My wife and I docked on Robin's feet for a few seconds and then he continued to the center of the big round and turned circles filming everyone! What a memorable way to open a drop zone! Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Runways are not considered obstacles but etiquette concerning crossing or landing on the runway will differ at each drop zone. Of course even if your DZ allows crossing the runway at a low altitude or landing on it you still have to be aware of and avoid aircraft. Even if you have the right of way over an aircraft you will still lose that conflict. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

This information should be covered by your instructor. Standard patterns differ from one drop zone to the next so there is no good answer to be had here. In almost every case, your first stop should be the instructors at your DZ. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

The ones I participated in worked as follows: Jump run was perpendicular to tracking direction about 3/4 mile from the DZ (we used the runway as our guide - plane flew parallel to runway 3/4 mile offset) Jumpers exit 6 to 8 seconds apart and track directly toward the runway. Judges were stationed on the ground along the line of the trackers at the end of the planned jump run (to see trackers from a perpendicular angle) to judge who made it farthest. Deployment altitude determined prior to start. We used an honor system but today you could use digitals. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Absolutely not. It is never better to be lower than you expected. It may be the lesser of two evils when it's necessary, but it is never good. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

"only" 3 inches may or may not be a good choice of words. Making even small changes in slider dimensions could have disastrous results depending on variables we know nothing about. Some canopy types may be very accepting of changes while others may not. My go-to is always to call the manufacturer. They designed and built the canopy and they know what parameters are safe to change and which are not. Call PD and explain what the problem is. Chances are they will have several ideas for you. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Use the super secret trick the experienced jumpers use. What we do is inhale and then....exhale. Relax. You can breath in freefall. Think less, fly more. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Something worth mentioning - when it's time to break off, just break the hell off and GO...quickly! Every second a jumper spends not turning and burning is a second on the other end of the track - when horizontal speed is greatest - that separation is not being gained. I see jumpers do everything from sit in position and watch others leave or stare at their altimeters to look around and wave their arms signalling the break off to others. Those precious seconds are lost and the hundreds of feet those seconds could buy in the final seconds of a solid track are lost as well. I teach young jumpers that regardless of what triggers their recognition that the break off altitude has arrived, the best thing they can do is simply turn and go. Turn and go like they're already late. Turn and go with the sense of urgency in deserves. Don't wave goodbye, don't wait to see others leave. Just go. Often the jumper who achieves the greatest separation is the one who leaves first. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Some people insist on fixing things until they break. If it's flying leave it that way. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Point of information. The holder of a C license has met all the requirements of the A, B, and C licenses, which includes passing written exams for each, even if the person chooses not to apply for the lower licenses. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I'll throw TK a bone here and say there isn't much he doesn't pick up on. I assume this guy started jumping there so my guess is TK would recognize him as a newbie. I also bet the regulars there would notice and pass the word. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX