vonSanta 0 #26 August 25, 2003 Very well written and thought out billvon - spells it out good with clear distinctions. I'd argue that the amount of control a good skydiver has in the air separates him or her from a rock that falls purely ballistically. A tracking dive can cover a great deal more distance - controlled - than can a rock thrown out of a plane. Whether to call it flying or controlled falling is indeed the question. Webster's revised unabridged dictionary (1913) have a few definitions which suggest that one can call it flight: 2. To move through the air or before the wind; esp., to pass or be driven rapidly through the air by any impulse. The impulse being the combination of gravity and the manipulation of relative wind? Maybe stretching it. OTOH, this can be said about a rock too; impulse being just gravity. Wordnet then: n : an instance of traveling by air; "flying was still an exciting adventure for him" [syn: flight] Not much help there - by this definition a rock would be 'flying' as much as a skydiver. The same goes for most of the other definitions I've seen. I gather it is, as you say, just a matter of semantics. The good bit is that those of us who wish to call it flight can do so and use the semantics bit as a (weak) defense Santa Von GrossenArsch I only come in one flavour ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chronistin 0 #27 August 25, 2003 Over here in Austria, I've heard pilots calling the task of bringing skydivers to altitude "Deppenwerfen" which would roughly translate into "throwing out the idiots". gree'z chronistin Chronistin (Home @ http://www.fallschirmspringer.net/) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 74 #28 August 25, 2003 At our club in Holland the pilot is often refered to as 'mongolen strooier' which roughly translates to 'idiot dumper'JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bergh 0 #29 August 25, 2003 If sitting in a boat is swimming then sitting in a plain is flying._______________________________________ You are unique, just like everybody else ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #30 August 25, 2003 nobody calls sitting in a boat swimming. I think you've got that backwards. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeffGordon 0 #31 August 25, 2003 Being a rank amateur in this sport, yes mostly I just fall. But as with some of the more talented people I've seen there is no other word for it. It's flying. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #32 August 25, 2003 Meatbomb - that's rich throwing out the idiots You ever notice that most of those jokes people make have a little nervous giggle in there somewhere? ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tailwheel 0 #33 August 31, 2003 Those other pilots are just jealous you guys are going up while they're on the ground. As far as nicknames for jumpers i've read the term "dirt darts" being used by Air Traffic Control for jumpers. My video guy got a big laugh out of that one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Erroll 80 #34 September 1, 2003 "gilder's club " Hmmmm.... seems to me you can't complain too much. Calling them members of the Dutch stock exchange, or a clique of goldsmiths perhaps? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
