chuckakers

I've never understood the need to splatter food all over someone who just reached a significant milestone. Seems to me like a sincere congratulation might be the more respectful move. I know it's tradition. I just don't get it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Nueman tackified gloves and anti-slip tape on the inner part of the brake loops. If you need more than that you need a Para-foil. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Good point Andy. Strawberry rhubarb is pretty awesome. Stains really well too. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Whipped cream does have one nasty side effect. If it's left in clothing for more than a few minutes, it creates a funk you can never get out. My favorite is any pie the DZ dog will clean up so we don't have to. Avoid pie with real chocolate for that reason - unless of course you don't like the DZ dog. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Good point, TK. I hadn't thought about that. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Is there some reason why you don't like me and wish me to quit the sport? Not at all. Like you, I just get my jabs in where I can and your "I'm quitting" post presented a carrot too tasty to resist. I'm harmless, brother Boogers. We're good. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

"claimed" Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Which canopy? The invisible man that jumped out after him? The two wingsuits were last out. Nothing above them but sky And the plane they jumped from. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

That's old news. ALL rating holders should do ALL those things on ALL jumps. Those techniques are no different than when I got my ratings more than 25 years ago. My point wasn't that rating holders should rely on video for their own recall. My point was that students - or anyone for that matter - learn far better seeing their actions as they actually happened through the use of video debrief than without it. While we're on the subject, it is also helpful for the rating holder to review the video after his/her own so-called brain tickle, but before the brain tickle and video review with the student. Doing so let's the rating holder privately review his/her own recall capabilities so they know what to work on and then present the true picture to the student rather than tell the student things based on recall and then back-pedal when the video doesn't precisely match the footage. It's good to test ourselves but there's no need to test ourselves in the presence of our students. Recall is obviously important to the rating holder and I never suggested that video be used in place of recall for that purpose. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

There were only 7 short messages prior to your comment. Gosh, that's a whole lot of bother to read to get up to speed on the discussion before jumping in with your own comments. And being April 1st, of course one should take everything at absolute face value. I saw the first line and asked a question. I thought you were quitting. I was "quitting", in an April 1st message. You didn't get the gist of that one either. Actually I did get it. I was just hoping you weren't kidding. Besides, if you can't top the Sidd Finch bit you shouldn't bother. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

There were only 7 short messages prior to your comment. Gosh, that's a whole lot of bother to read to get up to speed on the discussion before jumping in with your own comments. And being April 1st, of course one should take everything at absolute face value. I saw the first line and asked a question. I thought you were quitting. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

What the heck are 45 degree line twists. Seems to me your lines can't be "twisted" until they reach at least 180 degrees. Do you mean your have a 45 degree turn during deployment? pwnd. Ah yes. Canadians. Nothing better to do. If I had read the entire post I would have known better. I've never seen a Dactyl get line twists. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

What the heck are 45 degree line twists. Seems to me your lines can't be "twisted" until they reach at least 180 degrees. Do you mean your have a 45 degree turn during deployment? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

See ya. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Are you joking? A surprising number of "coaches" use a camera as a substitute for the ability to observe and remember what happened on the skydive. The camera is a great tool, but if the coach can't remember what happened on the jump without watching the video they just shot, then they aren't qualified to be a coach. That's a separate subject and not altogether true either. I don't know a single instructor (let alone coach) that sees everything on every jump or even everything on most jumps, and a jump with video debrief is as effective for the student as several without. Let's not forget that a coach rating is an entry level rating. They can't and shouldn't be expected to see or recall everything that occurs. A coach should have a fairly good recall of his/her jumps but any rating holder's debrief will be more accurate and detailed after video review and a student's learning curve will almost always be steeper with the use of it. Besides, the coach had to demonstrate some ability to recall details to get the rating in the first place. If a coach doesn't have at least adequate recall then the problem isn't with the coach, it's with the trainer that approved the person to hold the ticket. If we have a consistent problem with unqualified coaches we need to take a serious look at the ratings process. I agree with everything in your last post. I agree that cameras are an extremely valuable instruction tool and encourage their use. I don't expect every coach (or instructor, or 20k jump world champion, or whoever) to see and remember every tiny detail of every skydive. The thing I disagreed with was where you said "are you joking" in response to "if you need a camera to debrief, maybe coaching is not for you." I expect a coach to be able to give their student their money's worth in the debrief even if the camera failed. There are coaches (and instructors) who can't do that. I guess we agree on all points. I would add that any rating holder that doesn't have the recall to debrief with a fair amount of accuracy needs to be removed from the instructional program. Further, if you personally know of someone that meets that description I suggest you lobby the DZO, Chief Instructor, or S&TA to address it. Silence is advocacy. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Are you joking? A surprising number of "coaches" use a camera as a substitute for the ability to observe and remember what happened on the skydive. The camera is a great tool, but if the coach can't remember what happened on the jump without watching the video they just shot, then they aren't qualified to be a coach. That's a separate subject and not altogether true either. I don't know a single instructor (let alone coach) that sees everything on every jump or even everything on most jumps, and a jump with video debrief is as effective for the student as several without. Let's not forget that a coach rating is an entry level rating. They can't and shouldn't be expected to see or recall everything that occurs. A coach should have a fairly good recall of his/her jumps but any rating holder's debrief will be more accurate and detailed after video review and a student's learning curve will almost always be steeper with the use of it. Besides, the coach had to demonstrate some ability to recall details to get the rating in the first place. If a coach doesn't have at least adequate recall then the problem isn't with the coach, it's with the trainer that approved the person to hold the ticket. If we have a consistent problem with unqualified coaches we need to take a serious look at the ratings process. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I like that idea. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Are you joking? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

KISS won't always work with the cutaway strategy. There are a variety of ways the main and reserve can interact during a 2-out main cutaway, many that would prove fatal. Back in the days when jumpers avoided square reserves over fears that things would go to sh*t in the event of a 2-out scenario, the Knights conducted a bunch of test jumps in which they intentionally fired square reserves with and into mains. In nearly every case the canopies worked themselves into bi-planes that were easily steered and safely landed. My money is on landing a bi-plane unless the canopies aren't getting along. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

A flag jump IS a demo jump. Where are you jumping and landing? A flag jump isn't necessarily a demo jump. A demo is a demo. A flag jump is a flag jump. Sometimes they are the same, sometimes not. If one jumps a flag at the DZ for practice for example it would not be a demo. Not that the difference really matters in the context of this thread, but I hate to see blatantly incorrect information spread.My point was that anytime you jump with a flag it's not a normal skydive. Whether you're landing at the airport or landing in a private back yard, a flag jump has to be treated differently than a skydive. I've got a number of flag jumps, with little and with really big, and I treat even the practice ones like a real demo. Where I exit, how I fly, where I fly, how I land. I don't have a problem with your logic, just the terminology you used. There are many new jumpers who look to these forums for information so it's important to discern between language used to get a point across and the literal use of terms. I wouldn't want someone to believe that because a person is jumping a flag that they are therefore performing a demo jump by definition. Probably better to simply call any jump that is out of the ordinary an "extraordinary" jump. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

A flag jump IS a demo jump. Where are you jumping and landing? A flag jump isn't necessarily a demo jump. A demo is a demo. A flag jump is a flag jump. Sometimes they are the same, sometimes not. If one jumps a flag at the DZ for practice for example it would not be a demo. Not that the difference really matters in the context of this thread, but I hate to see blatantly incorrect information spread. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

If memory serves me correctly, the Aussies had a pull out reserve system for a while years ago. The pud was on mounted on the front of the left shoulder or mudflap area and was deployed by pulling a straight pin up and tossing the p/c. Not sure how well it worked or what ever became if it. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I consider a freak accident something that couldn't be predicted like a tree falling over just as a car goes by rather than a moment before or a moment after. I'm a news anchor and we typically only use the term when a situation is truly "freakish" - something that comes out of left field that no one could have predicted. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Obviously everyone has some valid points on this, but maybe no one has covered this one... The real issue on altitude isn't the time to get stable and deploy. From 4K you'll have plenty of time for that. The real issue is the time it takes to deal with a problem with your main should you have one. Don't worry about that. If you can identify a malfunction and perform emergency procedures within a safe time frame at one altitude you can do it at a lower altitude as well. Relax, arch, get stable, and deploy. If you get your main out quickly enough you'll even get to enjoy the very cool sensation of your canopy deploying behind you rather than above you. That's one of my favorites in skydiving. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

would you have been happier if she'd said "break a leg? " Jeez, tough audience. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX