chuckakers

7 people died in Germany in a ten year period playing table tennis? Wtf? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Thanks John. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

For the record and as mentioned in my initial post, Chad has no choice but to upsize if he plans to continue to jump at Spaceland. Management politely explained that he is welcome to jump the Velo - just not there. He was jumping a Stiletto 135 @ 1.5 or 1.6:1 before the Velo. At less than 300 jumps I believe that is still too much performance, but what do I know? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Really? Which one are you? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

As usual, DB.... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_threaded;post=4304710;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC; Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Thank you so much for saying something! On any other message board on the internet, with the exception of Internet slums like 4Chan, a lot of these post would have gotten the poster banned. But then I read on to see moderators not only allowing this behavior but encouraging it? I'm seriously amazed. Good Lord people, butch up. There is no lynch mob here and no bullying either. What IS happening here are people posting their opinions on an issue, and a damned important one at that. And in the process maybe some people are learning a few things. The PC crowd really chaps my ass. It's gotten to the point where expressing your views with any degree of honesty is considered bullying if it might hurt some pansy's feelings. Bullying? Really? F*cking get over yourselves. Real bullying occurs when a person can't defend themselves. This is a stinking forum where anyone who is the target of negative comments can respond with just as much power and influence as everyone else. And in case you haven't noticed, the so-called victim of this "witch hunt" has posted as well. He is welcome to join the fray in his defense or even express his views about what the "lynch mob" has to say - which he has done. That is his choice just as it is your choice to stay off the thread if you don't like what others have to say. My bet is that Chad has learned a lot from this thread, even if he had to sift through some colorful and pointed language to get at it. Hopefully the sharp-edged comments will help him realize how seriously some of us take this issue. Bullying? Some of you people watch too much network TV. Bet you thought the Swine flu was gonna kill us all too. BTW, Chad - if you want to make a hop or two you know where to find me. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Yes, that's right. Curly was one of the good guys and always ready to help the noobs. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Blue skies, brother. Thanks for your long and sincere contribution to our passion. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Old school works. Wish I could get that through the heads of the new school types. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Yes it does and I for his sake I couldn't be happier. Who knows, maybe we'll see him on the podium someday at the swoop nationals. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Thank you, Chad. That's the best move you could have made. I appreciate your candor and I'm sure everyone else does too. We are all about helping people progress, and sometimes that includes the need to say some things that people don't want to hear. Learn, take logical steps, and most importantly build a solid skill set for high performance canopy flight and you will be surprised how quickly you can be safe under a cross-braced canopy. Thanks for butching up. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

We did. That's how management found out about it. Talking to him had two purposes. First, if enough people "in the know" express their opinions - like the half dozen accomplished swoopers who ranted on him - he may begin to realize that stupid isn't cool, it's just stupid. Second and more important, hearing those same people rant against his stupidity has an effect on other not-so bold jumpers who might be inclined to progress quicker than they should but don't want to find themselves catching the same crap he did from those they want to emulate. Peer pressure is often more effective than regulation from above, especially when delivered in the presence of those the offender was hoping to impress. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

An unqualified idiot flying a hotrod canopy in the sky with other jumpers is EVERYONE'S issue. You're either trolling for a thread hijack or just another one of "those". Either way your opinions are irrelevant to those of us who take safety seriously and h.p. canopy pilots - myself included - who understand performance flying and how it effects the rest of our community. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

So you think augering in, putting another stain (figuratively and literally) on the sport, causing further restrictions on qualified h.p. pilots, shutting down a DZ for the day, and the untold other negative impacts - pun intended - wouldn't be hurting anyone else? Attitudes like yours is one reason we're having trouble keeping unqualified idiots off h.p. canopies. It's fun around the keg until YOU can't jump the following day because DZ management is busy conducting yet another fatal swoop crash. I get your point. Individual freedom. But that ends when you are on a DZ with other jumpers, one or more of whom this dumbass might take out while he flies a canopy he clearly isn't qualified to. Dr. Dumbass has the right to jump a 12 square foot bed sheet if he wants to. He does not have a right to do it on an established DZ where his actions can cause harm or put the DZ in a bad legal position. Wake up, man. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

In all fairness, he didn't lie about jumping a Velo. He just got on the load with it. Of course it's kind of hard to lie about what you're jumping when you're seen downwinding it with a 20 mph tailwind. He was also asked who sold it to him and he said he "forgot". Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

8 whacks in 5,000 jumps over 27 years. 1. Horseshoe after pulling p/c through a camera wing. 2. Multiple broken lines on an Excalibur. 3. Spinning, line twisted Stiletto. 4. Rigging error of mounted flag. 5. Cut away by another jumper during freefall (stupid shit didn't even hang on to the handle). 6, 7, & 8. Spinning, line twisted Velo. Yeah, I know - body position. Guess I'm getting lazy in my old age. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Of course I would, however please re-read my initial post where I said that he had time to make the turn over the landing area BEFORE getting too low to pull it off. And between the time he could have turned and the time it was too low, there was quite a bit of time that he could have made a braking turn, except he didn't have the skills to do that either. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

His response was something like "Oh, I'm ok with it." Said he had made 30 jumps on it already. Said he "knew the risks". It was explained to him that the fact that he was 2:1 on a Velo at less than 300 jumps clearly meant that he either didn't understand the risks or simply didn't care. His overall attitude was that of the bulletproof type. He wasn't a smart ass or rude, just bulletproof. Acted like he had heard it all before (which he probably had) and that everyone around him just didn't understand his mad skillz. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

yep. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Might be true, but it takes a very long time for the pocket to wear out and it's not overly expensive to have a fresh one put on. Sounds like it's not wort the hassle. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Watched a load come in yesterday in 20 mph winds. One guy is heading downwind over a perfectly landable area of the DZ, but instead of turning into the wind, he keeps coming downwind until he is too low to pull it off without renting a hospital bed or purchasing a cemetery plot. He twitched a toggle like he was getting ready to make the turn, then went for the down-winder instead. So we all watch as Dr. Dumbass attempts a buttslide at 40 mph, catches a foot in some high grass, flips forward, and faceplants. Fortunately he gets up uninjured. As he walks past us to go into the packing area, he gets a sarcastic golf clap from the dozen or so of us, including several staffers. That’s when I recognize him as a not-so experienced jumper who is relatively new on the DZ. Conversation follows… Me: Hey man, what canopy you jumping? Him: Velocity 111. Me: How much you weigh? Him: 190. Me: How many jumps do you have? Him: 280. Me: You’re gonna die. I later learned that he had been jumping something bigger in the past and had showed up with this canopy unannounced. DZ management made him put it away and gave him some sound advice on smart canopy progression, training possibilities, etc. I don’t think it did any good. DZO’s, if a guy named Chad Jennings shows up on your DZ he will probably have a padded logbook by then to match his Velo. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Or maybe the other way around. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Blues skies, Rob! Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

I'll answer your question with a question. Why do you want to downsize? Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX

Good post, JP. I just downsized from a Velo 111 to a Velo 103. I must admit that at 51-years old I was considering a move in the other direction. I won't pull punches. I like to swoop. I don't knock out 720's like my swoop comp kid, or even 540's, but I do typically make 180-270 degree turns to final down the beer line. For the record I think it's important to understand the risks from both sides of the coin.... On one side, I took more than 20 years, 5,000+ jumps, and 6 high performance canopy changes to get where I am today in canopy choice at 2.1:1. I credit my conservative progression to the fact that I have never come close to a biff, let alone an injury. On the other side, I recognize that my injury or death is always one jump away. Whether because I fuck up or because I smack a chunk of turbulent air while in a steep dive at 200 feet, there is always the possibility that I may put a dent in the ground on any skydive. JP, you have my ear. Up-size? Maybe, but let's also talk about set-ups. It doesn't do us any good to increase square footage if it will only result in radical performance set-ups closer to the ground to accommodate hot swoops. Much respect for opening the dialog. Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX