chuckakers

You mean the 90 year old guy doing a tight demo jump & landing damn near downwind...didn't STAND IT UP?! Twardo doesn't miss a beat. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Yeah, but I think that increases the media frenzy, not decreases it. People don't watch news for news nowadays. They watch news for blown-out-of-proportion drama... If that was the case skydivers would be on the news every night. They do like drama, but they like it with the broadest possible audience. Hollywood, politics, etc. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I seriously doubt criminal charges would ever be filed in a case like this even if the victim filed a criminal report. Even if they did prosecute, what would the charge be? Stupid or not, this was an accident so unless someone dies or sustains debilitating injuries there wouldn't be much interest on the part of the prosecutors. As for the media, they couldn't give a rat's butt about a tiny membership organization's soap opera antics. Hell, they think we're all loons anyway. No time bomb here. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

A Skyhook is no different than an RSL when it comes to a cutaway. You are correct that with EITHER a Skyhook or RSL, the reserve will be (or should be) deployed after a cutaway regardless of whether the main is free or entangled. However, it is possible to disengage the Skyhook by releasing the RSL shackle just as you can a traditional RSL for jumps where entanglements are a risk such as CRW, camera jumps, and jumps with special rigging. The entanglement argument continues, but statistically the odds are better for a jumper with an RSL or Skyhook than without it. Even some camera flyers with full-size set-ups are going to RSL's and Skyhooks. As for the "getting stable before deploying" argument, the stats are against that as well. The number of incidents that could have been prevented with an RSL or Skyhook FAR outpace the incidents caused by them. In fact, in my 30 years in the sport I have never personally known a single jumper who had a reserve deployment problem because of an unstable deployment from one of these devices. I jumped for years without an RSL, early on because they weren't offered and later because I did a lot of camera work. Last summer one of my best skydiving buddies went in after chopping a highly-loaded, fast spinning main. I believe his demise may have been severe disorientation and partial or complete incapacitation from the spin. Had he been using an RSL he would likely be alive today. I have 11 reserve rides - 10 after chops. Various situations and various body positions on each reserve opening. They all worked just fine. Stop worrying about stability after chopping. Wasting time after a cutaway is a much bigger risk than being unstable. Ever seen a drop test dummy leave an airplane stable? Me neither, yet the reserves still deploy just fine. I got a new rig recently. It has an RSL and if a MARD is offered I'm sending it in for a retrofit. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

If I remember correctly the original story was that the girl that got hit pushed a spectator out of the way just before being struck. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Why? Half the people on here haven't. ............................................................................. Half the people here are lazy. Completing your profile reduces the risk of being treated like a troll. And so you make that same request on threads from everyone without a profile??? I must have missed that. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

RI released their semi-stowless for orders yesterday! I have one on the way and will share my experience after a few hops. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Jump a stowless for a while and you may change your mind. Beyond being easier and faster to pack after getting familiar with it, a stowless bag give better, more consistent openings. One advantage - line twists are sometimes caused by a d-bag that rotates as the rubber bands release the stows unevenly. A stowless bag releases the lines smoothly from the center of the bag, virtually eliminating that possibility. Chances are good you already jump a stowless bag - on your reserve. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Why? Half the people on here haven't. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

A bit of research turned up this. http://www.parachutesaustralia.com/s2/SB/PASB9502.pdf Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Looks more like simple poor flying more than any lack of knowledge. Understanding the dangers of getting in the burble isn't the same as having the skills to stay out of it. Also looks like the "dive" was unintentional. Tunnels can be dangerous. Sign the waiver and take your chances. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Nothing unsafe and nothing illegal. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Good observation, Wendy. I see a lot of folks stab pretty hard at the very bottom after the first 3/4 of the flare fails to stop their descent. Then they get that "late hard flare" pop up. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Perhaps some of us that have jumped a number of canopies of various designs and sizes might think that the design difference in a Triathlon and Spectre is slight, but I think the Spectre is the first slightly elliptical canopy that he has jumped. And mainly, he admitted that he did not study up on the differences, no matter how small they might be. As far as I know, Dave has no vision issues. Peek makes good points. I'll add that the Spectre has a flare that can be a bit tough to time. The power in the flare is particularly short-lived, so if it is timed improperly or is performed too slowly or quickly it can result in a "positive" landing. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

"...yell at me [JP] at the top of your voice that I don't know what I'm talking about as an instructor in front of staff and customers..." It is not clear to me at all. Chuck, did you really do that? If not, why would he say that you did? I have never known JP to BS. I didn't say he was BS'ing. I said he demonstrated (in his post) my point about egos. This is a serious thread hijack, too. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Pot, meet kettle. Wow, JP. I've always had more respect for you than that. Coming from you I take that as an unnecessary insult and don't feel it was deserved. Oh well. Then think before you yell at me at the top of your voice that I don't know what I'm talking about as an instructor in front of staff and customers, when maybe, just maybe your experience wad a bit more dated than mine. Perfect. You've succeeded in demonstrating my point quite clearly. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Early 2012 (June at the latest) The manager saw a video of the grab and told the TM to never do it again or he'd be all done. The reason I don't have an exact date is because it happened verbally, in front of whoever was hanging out in the area. The TM came back with something like "Yeah, I'd like to see that lawsuit make it to court." Sorry, the details aren't firm on that. March 27, 2013: The day of or after the 2 Icelanders went in at Z-Hills I had a discussion with the TM over e-mail discussing my concerns, told him I'd rather have him hate me in person for the next 20 years than attend his funeral before the end of the next season. You've seen his reply. March 20, 2014: My report to the USPA. March 25, 2014: I get fired. March 26, 2014 : My report to the USPA. March 30, 2014: Tandem student is called by the DZ and made aware of the potential grabbage. April 15, 2014: Student files her complaints with the DZ and USPA. You're getting started early this morning. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Pot, meet kettle. Wow, JP. I've always had more respect for you than that. Coming from you I take that as an unnecessary insult and don't feel it was deserved. Oh well. Chuck... I read sarcasm into that post? Not an ounce. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Well stated. Best post in the thread. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Pot, meet kettle. Wow, JP. I've always had more respect for you than that. Coming from you I take that as an unnecessary insult and don't feel it was deserved. Oh well. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Tunnel crashes? Exactly what could go wrong at a tunnel that would endanger flyers? Honest question. I've seen multiple broken/dislocated arms/legs, know of several serious neck injuries, and have heard of one fatality in Europe. I never doubted that and know of many injuries. I was referring to tunnel mals that injure jumpers. As I understand it modern tunnels are designed to greatly minimize the possibility of a flyer being adversely affected by things like catastrophic equipment failures. But of course anything is possible. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I will be glad to call but don't take my last post as a slam against Delmarva. My points were about safety in general, not about your DZ in any way. As I have said in numerous posts here, I believe the OP doesn't have a valid argument. He is full of rants and accusations but shorter than short on substantiated facts. I'll give you a shout tomorrow. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

It's not what you know, it's who you know. I suspect that's a relevant quote in this sport. That statement shows your ignorance, your arrogance, or both. I've been doing this stuff for 3 decades at all levels of the sport and the business and have never seen a pattern of people or companies choosing favorites over safety. In fact I have seen quite the opposite. In case after case I have seen ratings pulled, memberships revoked (individual and group), jumpers kicked off DZ's, etc. because of safety issues. Now you're being biased because you don't like the OP... We see people get away with shit FAR more than we see them called on it in this sport. See the recent incident of the swooper hitting a spectator in the picnic area for example... I've only got a decade so it follows you've probably seen 3 times as much as I have... and staff usually get away with more. Penalties for misbehaviour / safety violations are the exception, rather than the rule. I agree with most of your posts, but believe we as a sport are awful at regulating ourselves on a day to day basis. The rest of the post is spot on. I'd like to see more evidence. I'd also like to understand the timeline better. When were the initial discussions with the DZ? When was the complaint made to the USPA and Strong? When was the vidiot fired. etc etc. A couple points. I do not dislike the OP. I don't know the OP, so I don't have any feelings toward him. Any bias I have against him comes only from what I consider his ridiculous position after reviewing the evidence he presented. I think that's a pretty objective way to do things. Next, I think you and I have had very different experiences. I do know there are places that operate the way you explained, but it doesn't happen in my world. The culture at the drop zones I have spent the bulk of my time on have been contrary to the pattern you cited. Maybe that's because I and others won't tolerate any shit when it comes to safety and we openly condemn unsafe behavior. Peer pressure is very effective but it has to be applied to get a result. I guess I'm fortunate to have had quite a bit of influence in my area over the years and have always tried to cultivate a culture of safety. I spent years as a staffer, instructor, DZ manager, DZ owner, and now as a load organizer at one of the largest and most professionally operated DZ's in the country. Trust me when I say I have never had a problem calling people out when they bust the safety side of things (especially intentionally) and have generally had the backing of those above me in the chain of command when I do. To say I can and will go off on people when they deserve it would be a monumental understatement and I would probably even be surprised myself at the problems I have saved jumpers from who refrained from a particular behavior simply because they didn't want to be seen getting a face full of me. Sometimes that's the only thing that works. I suggest others become as serious about safety as that too. I have walked off of drop zones when safety infractions were allowed to go unchecked and encourage others to do the same. When we walk the walk that we talk things change even if only incrementally. As for the swooper you referred to, that is a problem. The guy is the DZO (not to mention a USPA Director and head of the S&T committee) so there isn't anyone at the DZ level to deal with him. According to reports antics like his were (hopefully not "are") commonplace, and that gets back to the culture I was referring to. If customers keep paying to jump and staffers continue to work at a DZ where stupid shit is tolerated they only have themselves to blame when shit goes bad. USPA will only intervene when there is a clearly established and well documented pattern of BSR/FAR violations, and on occasion they have. However, beyond the most egregious situations they won't and for good reason. They are a membership organization, not skycops. The organization's job is to advocate safe practices and facilitate them through education and technical assistance. None of us would like it if the S&TA become the Safety Nazi. Safety must be a local endeavor. YOU have more influence than anyone else. If you don't like the way things are happening bring it forward. If you don't like the result, vote with your wallet and your feet and encourage others to follow you - politely. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Funny, you just pretty much recited rule #1 at Skydive USA - "no stupid shit". As for what is stupid shit, I don't know about you but I know it when I see it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX