scrublink

Send pics and money, we could get married in no time.

I don't really get to choose where I work. If we are lucky enough to get a job in my area I go. A "close" job is anything less that 60 miles away. Since I am an electrician needing to carry my own tools and such a bicycle isn't really an option. Wish it was. For the last 5 years I have been looking for a job and/or a new place to live but haven't had much luck. All the places I want to live don't seem to have the capacity to provide me with a way to make a living. I would settle for living closer to the DZ as that is 100 miles in the opposite direction of the area that supplies most of our work. Even though I do whine about this, it could be a lot worse. I do have a job and I live in a nice area. I have a dream though, that someday I will find a job within five miles of home.

"work ou at least 4 times a week...." When would you get a chance to go to work? I don't have any time in my schedule to work out. I leave my house at 5am and get back after 6pm during the work week. And thats if its just a straight 40 hour week with no overtime. How does anyone find the time to work out that much? I am starting to envy people with spare time.

I demo'd a hybrid version (about 10 jumps). I found it to be one of the few canopies that does what they say it will do. I put five jumps on one loaded about 1.1:1 and about five jumps on another loaded at 1.5:1. They can act wild or mild and the hybrids are easy to pack right from the start.

Some people need a little guidance, som more so. Persnal responsibility doesn't exist for some people. These are the people we need to watch out for. Not so much for them, but for the rest of us. Every time that some one dies under a HP canopy, whether it is due to too quick a progression or just basic lack of skill, puts a black mark on skydiving. The accumulation of black marks invites further scrutiny and regulation. People need to take resposibility for their actions, but we need to police ourselves so that the people with defectice reasoning and decision making skills don't screw it up for the rest of us.

And just when you think there are way too many assholes. I have to agree. Safety officers used to kick ass and take names. Now at some DZs they are among the least experienced jumpers. Some just have a coaches rating. My theory is that they tend to go along with the owners wishes easier. This is not the type of activity where being a "yes-man" will turn out to just be an annoyance. I have seen a swooper almost swoop into a spinning prop. Told the S&TA to talk to him. The S&TA saw the swoop and thought it was cool, told me I was jealous. When I was still just a tadpole, an experienced S&TA got in my face about opening low. I denied it vehemently (almost everybody opened low and denied it at that place and time). I was told to get my shit and get out. I could only jump the next weekend or later and after I talked to him personally. Swallowed my pride and lies and got back in the air the next weekend. His words to me were "Just because everybody is an idiot, doesn't mean you have the experience to be an idiot too." He made sure I got the message and was backed up by the DZO. This doesn't happen much anymore. Maybe at the smaller DZs, but at the larger ones I see all sorts of scary things. People jumping canopies way too advanced for them, instructors thinking that they are so good they don't have to even think about the next jump, you name it. We are going to continue to see people hurt and dead due to stupidity for a long time to come unless the people in charge start to grow a set of balls and take safety more seriously than making money. S&TA's and DZO's aren't what they used to be IMO.

I would have to say that the FAA doesn't really care how old you are if you jump out of an airplane. But I could've missed that section of the book I don't tend to remember things that don't pertain to situations that I don't expect to be in.

I belive it to be 14, but I can't find my copy of the FAR's for verification.

unless you're into that sort of thing.

In the states there are DZ's and DZO's that will take terminall ill passengers that fall below the minimum age. I have been present and witnessed quite a few. In these cases the DZO and Instructor contact the manufacturer and they get lawyers involved to make sure it is legitimate. Make a Wish usually is the group that will contact you about this. They do happen for the right reasons. Not wanting to wait until you are 18 is not the right reason and just proves the individuals immaturity. A good question to ask the father would have been if he allows his daughter to have consentual sex. The age of consent in most states is 18. Might have thrown the guy a little off balance. Sometimes I wish I got questions like this but see above post for reason.

These things wouldn't happen to you if you would walk around with a permanent scowl like I do. No one ever stops me and asks me for anything. Being old and crusty has some advantages.

Giving them baack group membership during the appeal process is a good way for USPA to avoid a countersuit if the appeal is won. Or at least maybe deflect a countersuit. (I am not a lawyer but this seems to make sense to me.)

17 way at 4500 feet. chunked. 4 way off a chopper at 2500 feet, no jumpsuits, freeflew the exit and got two points. I have never left below 1800-1900 feet.

How much you got?

Overcharged? Our regular prices in the Northeast are $225 and $90. This isn't in defense of skyride, but we get these prices every day and not once did I ever think we were overchargins anyone. Is it that much cheaper to jump in Georgia? What is the usual rate down there?

"Icarus" has a much better ring to it than "Dedalus"

I really hope it was Fast Eddie's students that were naked and not him. He is a great guy and all, but......

Several flating reserve handles. Seems to happen to short and chunky type people most often. Handle must get loose in harness or something during initial and continued plane packing (otherwise known as boarding and the ride to altitude).

Yep, sorry.

Non jump planes? If it flies, you can figure out a way to jump it. I once saw a three way taken off the wing of a PA-28. Thats the four seat Cherokee. And their was a guy who jumped out of the hopper (clean and unused) of a Pipe Pawnee.

I am a New England jumper and know people who are close to this guy. The "short story" is he stopped his regular treatment and kinda just fell off the wagon so to speak. His friends that weren't with him at the time had no way of knowing about his worsening condition. For the record, I am not condoning what he did. Just letting people know a little more information. It would be really easy to hate this guy (from what his friends tell me) if this is all you know about him. Mental illness is a strange thing, a lot of people take their meds for a while, then they think that since things are going fine they don't have to take them anymore. Then things like this happen. I agree with Chuck that he is lucky that he got caught by the people that figured this out. There are a lot of people (myself included) that are more inclined to shoot first and to hell with any questions. I hope he gets the treatment he needs. Another issure that I am unqualified to speak on would be his continued jumping. If this can happen, lord only knows what could happen on a skydive. Please remember that the above info is "third hand".

One of the first things that people are warned about when briefed on the caravan is about not getting floaty or high on exit. Tail is pointed out to people at this time to emphasize the point. Did you ever receive a briefing on caravans? I have several "climbing pass" type exits from them and have never had a problem.

They pay their money, they take their chances.

I can teach you either method. I am at Pepperell most weekend days. As long as they don't need me to haul meat. I will be up on Sunday the 18th.

Well didja break wind, I mean ground yet?