"Ball Master"

[Deleted 0]

I was listening to some some freeflyer's talk the other day. They mentioned they wanted to find a "ball master" so they could get some ball jumping going. I assume a "ball master" is a person, but wasn't sure what they were talking about. Didn't get a chance to ask them before they ran off somewhere.
So, what the heck is a "ball master"?

[PalmettoTiger 1]

A ball master is a guy who spends most of his time wanking. Or a female known for her oral fixation.
j/k
Blues, squares,
PTiger

[PalmettoTiger 1]

Actually a "Ball Master" is someone who has a lot of experience jumping with skyballs (tennis balls, etc. weighted and/or tailed to match a skydiver's fall rate). I don't know that there are any regulations on skyball jumping, but finding a ball master before trying it yourself is a good idea considering that if you can't catch the ball at pull time, it is very likely to irritate the DZ's neighbors. There was a pretty serious discussion (i.e. flame war) on rec.skydiving last year about ball jumping - some thought it should be controlled by the community before someone dropped one on a schoolyard. The figured that event would probably result in ball jumping being banned or heavily regulated by USPA or FAA.
Blues, squares,
PTiger

[huffermoose 0]

did you know that ball jumping's not allowed in the u.k?
and i'm pretty sure it is allowed everywhere else
ttfn Allan

[cdunham 0]

I've got a couple of balls that tend to match my fall rate pretty well. I'm fairly choosy about who I let use them, but if you are interested, let me know.
Carl
---
Doing what I can to increase the overall entropy of the universe.

[Cacophony 0]

That was a good rec.skydiving discussion wasn't it. Ahhhhh! Memories. It just got annoying after a while. I would recommend searching for skyballs on rec.skydive, and for god's sake, do not post this question or all hell might break loose again.
Safe landings,
Alex D-23912

[skreamer 1]

LMFAO
Carl you must have bloody big balls at that!
Dude, that was funny!
/s

[cdunham 0]

Well, it's not so much the size as the pressure inside. You know, with the right cross-section to weight ratio, anything is possible!
I have noticed that they expand a bit at altitude, and shrink as the ground gets closer. Landings can be a little tough on them.
Sorry Alex, I think you are going to have to suffer through this again .
Carl
---
Wait, did someone say something about a teather?

[huffermoose 0]

well it's like they say
"it's twice the angle of dangle
in relation to the heat of the meat
which has diverse affects to the throb of the knob"
ttfn Allan

[Albatross 0]

I don't know about where everyone else is, but I was told that the RW balls are illegal in California. They are affraid of exactly what someone mentioned, not recovering at deployment.
Fly Free, Fly fast, Fly together
Albatross

[FreeFlyFreaky 0]

Check out Skydive America After the intro click on the link for FreeFly Circus. There is all sorts of info on the Atmosphere Dolphin (an unsanctioned freefly license) requirements and they all involve the use of a Space Ball.
Of course, a tennis ball filled with lead shot poses a huge danger to anyone on the ground, so the rules at this dropzone are ball jumps are only done by AD licensed flyers and we have to wait for the winds to come from the west so that any ball jumps can be made over the lake (Okeechobee) where we're less likely to boink a sugar cane farmer.
When you think about it, what better way to measure ones skills with an object that flys perfectly straight down and at a constant speed @170 mph. IT AIN'T EASY!
Whit

[PLFXpert 0]

A "ball master", I believe, is someone considered a very experienced space ball jumper and who you should be jumping with when you're learning so that he/she can make sure that if you don't recover the ball, they do. From what I hear it can be tricky b/c there is a burbble between your hand and the ball that can actually push the ball away from your hand as you try to grab it. I know of a couple skydivers who regualarly jump with them but I'm not sure what area you jump in.
If the phone company decides to turn back on my boyfriend's phone line then I will ask him to respond as to the requirements for Atmospheric Dolphin, space balls, ext.
Much love and blue skies,
Carrie http://www.geocities.com/skydivegrl20/

[mattb 0]

A flame war on wreck.skydiving? ? ? Never. I don't believe it.
;)
-mob

[skyhawk 2]

nup i dont believe it either ive heard about but i reakon its a lie. all the ppl on wreck.skydiving r SOOOO friendly to eachother :-)
ANON
talk to some experienced freeflyers at your dz and they should be able to point u to the right direction