zoobrothertom

Nice one Brian. Thanks! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Peace Stu. The last time I saw Stu I think he was flying for you, Chuck. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Hell Yes! Airborne! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Hey, TK. Your situation was different from, for example, my wife. All of your required home country documents were probably already in English. The hassle starts when your required documents have to be translated to 'their' standards. Even if you speak English as a native speaker, you're not allowed to translate your own documents. Now you have to pay a 'professional' translator who often does worse than I do. Our solution was to translate them ourselves and find a translator to approve and rubber stamp them. Things like birth certificates are not universal. In S. Korea, for example, your birth certificate is your father registering your birth on a form that does not require your father to include your mothers name. You can bet that goes over well with immigration! Because a registered attorney with INS officially certifies that the documents are correct to the best of his knowledge, it goes much faster. If there is a problem, the letter of requested clarification or correction goes to an English speaking registered attorney. It sucks! Welcome to America if your spouse's language isn't English and you have money! BTW, I have a law degree but do not practice law. I can fill out the forms quickly, but the delays remain the same unless you're registered as an attorney with immigration. Cheers ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Hey, Cliff! I was back online today to do some reading and respond to your offer of jumping and saw this post first. All I can say is Thanks for the Offer! & You're maybe getting your own airport!? I definitely gotta figure out a way to get to PA. I haven't turned wrenches on an aircraft in a while but I'm still an A&P. As for our mutual cutaway a few years ago, I'm glad I took a delay and tracked a bit. I remember hearing & seeing you go by. BTW, thanks again for finding my main. I jumped that Fury until 1999 before losing it on a 6 man intentional cutaway reserve load. CYA ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Thanks for chipping in! I'm really curious about the switch from back to external reserve pins. When I bought my Mirage in 12/83, I just assumed it was with backside reserve pins. Surprised, but not upset. My 4 reserve rides on it were clean. Can you fill us in on the design change? Regardless, like Wendy said, it is absolutely the most comfortable harness I've ever owned. After opening, I always slid the legstraps down to more of a saddle. Wide and comfortable! Cheers, rdufokker! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Reply to Wndy also. I had the same experience with my Mirage in 2001. "Where'd ya get that antique?" "Heck if I know, it was new when I got it!" I swear I'm going to get it inspected and repacked with something one of these days. I'm in Sugar Land and only about 25 minutes from Spaceland. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Back 'n the middle 80's, my Texas Star was just a 20 way over Space Land. 'Star' originally was a round formation. It morphed later into anything that was roundish. My Texas XX built from a 4 way outward and was sort of slot specific but generally roundish. Any other thoughts/opinions guys & gals? On a side note, it was fun as hell diving last out of an Otter or DC3. Best way in an Otter, stay in the door and count to 10/1000 before exiting and dive like a mother fo! Exit at 13' and dock around 7.5! My logbook shows a Texas Star in 1985 with Mark Rolsten and many others. Blue Skies! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

RIP Sounds like he was a classy guy. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Mine was version 2 where they move the reserve pins to the outside. Were your reserve pins on the inside like a Racer? ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

I recognize your Mirage because I still have mine. Production date 12/83. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Just responding in general. Has anyone ever tried out-tracking a high break-off just for fun? Here's what I mean. For example, you're on a 4 way with low time AFF Grad jumpers that want to break a 4 way at 4500-5000'. You humor them and agree to break off high. No, ... seriously, you're really going to break and leave at the agreed altitude, sort of... The caveat is that I'm going vertical instead of horizontal! I did this for the first time in the late 90's. As we break, I do a rotating stand up and look up for the person with the flattest track. I then slam my hands to the bottom of my container and go head down in an instant. I dive straight down for about 2-3 seconds and then pull out into a 'climbing' track flying slightly left or right of my victim. Their 'track' is usually so poor that you can actually fly underneath them and climb past them as they reach to deploy! A true Master Card moment as they make eye contact with you!

Hi, Wendy. I' m with you. Every landing is a PLF Until proven otherwise! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

79 jumps on a 32 way attempt that built to about 25 at the Freak Brothers convention in '83. I made in around 22nd. Totally safe ...... ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Nice one! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Nice picture. Is that a pistol in hand at far right? ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

I was living and working in Korea when I read of his accident here. The updates were many and support from his friends and family was overwhelming. Alas, Paul moved on and left us all with sadness and cherished memories. Blue Skies my friend. I think of you often... ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

The 'most' I've seen are two mains out in the cabin. While on the 82nd demo team in the early 80's, we were doing a demo into the Charlotte 500. We were at about 10.5' and just about to call doors open when Paul Jackson's main bag drops to the floor in front of me! No problem! He flopped onto his belly and I whipped out my pullup cord. I reclosed his main and all was well.... .....for about 2 seconds....when I felt a gentle pop and my main dropped onto my legs! Rinse, repeat, pin checks all around, open doors and exit. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

The DZ doesn't feel as kid friendly as she describes it as having been, so I have no idea what will happen with our kids. Not that it was a place for kids, but people were just I dunno - more cool with it and the world was different then. ------------------------------------------------------------------ I'm hoping the smaller DZs, especially clubs, still have that kid friendly atmosphere. I remember how everybody kept an eye on the kids. Kinda like having a few dozen big brothers and sisters around you. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Dan, you gotta post a link to that one!

Worth the revival!

Only 8 times many years ago. However, I've tried to keep up with it. I've lurked but rarely post over at base jumper.com for a decade. There's a huge thread about it over there. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

If I interpreted it right, in Dreamlines at 3:14 a group enters the line from above diving to the left. The 3 jumpers that perished would have been in the pastures you see below unable to enter because they were too low. ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!!

Germany works for me!

So that's how you play Jenga!