TIJ

What everyone missed, is that I layed an end-cell down in that freezing hell hole of a pond.

------------------------------------------------------------ Quote from skybytch (to Craddock): What I have is a historical perspective. Unlike many debating this issue, I was a skydiver ten years ago. It's fairly obvious to me that, in my experience, more jumpers are getting hurt or dying under perfectly good canopies today than were getting hurt under perfectly good canopies in 1993. ----------------------------------------------------------- What are we arguing about here? No one (Skybytch or Craddock) has said they are against changing things in order to make a safer skydiving environment. Just different approaches to the same problem. Some people like Craddock who make a minumum of 300 jumps a year and who perhaps has more ability than others to land a canopy, are naturally going to be opposed to strict restictions that limit the progression of people that have the passion, time, and dedication to learn. This is not a spectator sport and time in sport, if you're sitting on the ground, doesn't carry a whole lot of weight in my book. Less than a hundred jumps a year is not something I would be proud of, maybe your time would be better spent making jumps at the dz and trying to help people make these desicions. I came a cross a student the other day that had 20 jumps over three years, and I offered to take him up and waive all instructor fees for the year if he promised he'd make 50 jumps this year. Needless to say he didn't jump and I haven't seen him since, and unless his motivation to jump changes I don't really care to see him again. ------------------------------------------------------------ Quote from jceman (to Craddock): I only have one question for you, sir: would you please make me your beneficiary? Oh and a request, too: as a sponsor of the PST, please do not try to enter competitions with your know it all attitude. I hate cleaning up messes. You have people with a whole lot more knowledge and experience saying one thing and you saying things to the contrary -- who is most likely right? ------------------------------------------------------------ jceman, there's a difference between knowledge (time in sport) and experience. Some of my fellow jumpers kids have many years of time in the sport sitting around on the ground, but have never made a jump. These kids are pretty knowledgeable and could probably teach a FJC. Point is you're trying to put down someone that doesn't come to the dz to sit on the ground and give others advice, but jumps with students and coaches them with a hands-on approach. (You don't learn to fly your body or land a canopy by reading a book or sitting on the ground and talking about it.) Nor do you change policies by making posts here, you get out there and jump while helping young jumpers make the right desicions. Anyway, let's talk about attitude. How many years do you have in the sport? With 600 jumps I hope you say 2, if it's anything more than 4, I would bet you're one of those that go to the dz, to sit on the ground and talk about skydiving, meanwhile you're throwing some money at the PST for your sponser so you can look important. If I'm wrong and your time in the sport is less than 4 years, I'll recant the last sentence. -TIJ Remember this next time you're at the dz: "Eat when it's dark, sleep when you're dead."

Dan(raymod2), I'm still looking to find you a girlfriend.

All good information here. Pushing your current canopy to the limit, before you downsize is the best advice given. You never know when you may have to abort a landing or make that low turn close to ground to avoid something. That's why people should practicing more flat turns up high. I've seen a lot of jumpers set up on final, and that's it. People should keep in mind that there will be a day when you have to turn close to the ground. Anyway, as far as this debate goes I feel there's an element that everyone is overlooking and it's called talent or innate ability, some people are able to pick up on canopy fight quicker than others. Before we bad mouth people for their downsizing decsions, perhaps we should at least give them the benefit of the doubt to be familiar with their ability. I've seen this guy land a canopy and while not being stupid he does push the canopy. Downwind, cross-wind, aborted landings to be safe, the majority all stand-ups. In addition, currency is not everything, but 500 jumps in one year does speak volumes for the level of commitment and dedication to the sport. While your decision to downsize is an aggressive one and probably too much for others with similar experience, I don' t think it's outside of your ability.