wildblue

"This Place Sucks" - Skydive Chicago's motto Like Lew said, cool place (except the showers smells) I wouldn't want it as a home DZ, I'm much happier with our 'little' DZ, grass strip and all. The only thing that smells there is Bobo Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

This place sucks. And the showers smell funny... Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

'cause her name is Erica, and she lives in Florida. Anyway... I think he's now officially my hero. Tell him I'm naming my first-born son after him. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Hmm... first post just happens to be on this thread? Conincidence? I think not. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

http://www.ottawadailytimes.com/news/story.php?storyid=2852 DAYTON TOWNSHIP - Two people, including an Ottawa woman, plunged to their deaths Saturday morning in a skydiving mishap north of Ottawa. Deborah Luhmann, 27, of Ottawa, formerly of Lake in the Hills, and Steven Smith, 44, of Ohio, Ill., were pronounced dead at 10 a.m. Saturday in the emergency room at Community Hospital of Ottawa, said La Salle County Coroner Jody Bernard. Bernard said witnesses reported Luhmann's and Smith's parachutes became entangled about 75 to 100 feet above the ground, causing the chutes to deflate. Luhmann and Smith landed on Skydive Chicago property, north of the hangar. The two victims were were part of a 20-person team practicing for a national competition to be held in a few weeks. Local weather conditions Saturday were sunny, temperatures were in the mid-50s and winds were up to 20 mph. Autopsies were performed Sunday, but the results will not be available for some time. The La Salle County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident. Luhmann was an experienced, certified skydiver with 200 jumps, according to her brother, Paul Luhmann, of Chicago. She started skydiving last year and usually jumped every weekend. "It was a very freak thing," Paul Luhmann said. "My sister was very responsible. Skydiving wasn't a stupid thrill for her. Strangely enough, for a skydiver she wasn't a risk taker. She was very responsible and logical." Luhmann was engaged to marry Donovan Bartlett, of Ottawa, formerly of Barrington, on June 22, 2002. She worked as a systems program manager for Hewitt Associates in Lincolnshire. Skydiving was the latest manifestation of Luhmann's passion for athletics, according to her brother. She was an All-America swimmer at Denison University in Ohio and later a swimming coach for the Palatine Park District. Paul Luhmann said that although his sister's time was cut short, she packed a lot of experiences into her life. "She had so much ahead of her, but had already lived so much." With the deaths of Luhmann and Smith, 10 people have died in accidents at Skydive Chicago since the facility opened near Ottawa in 1993. The most recent previous victim was a Pennsylvania woman who was killed July 9 when her chute failed to inflate. ------------------------ Note: They were part of a 10-way team, not 20. Thoughts and prayers to their friends and loved ones. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

beware the power of the... III Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

good christ! sounds like you're lucky no one ended up dead, or even worse! Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Tarzan was king of the jungle and lord over all the apes But he could hardly string together four words "I Tarzan, you Jane" Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Agreed. There's a reason they call it being on the Bleeding Edge. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Q1: The helmet is curved and the box is flat. It just doesn't look like it will sit there cleanly. Is it worthwhile to try and get some kind of foam in order to shim it or would that just be a waste of time? Wouldn't worry about foam. A few washers maybe, but that's it. Q2: Is it necessary to drill a hole in the bottom in order to fasten the camera with a tripod mounting screw? Yes Q3: my wide angle lens is a nice size but the padding doesn't make a "seal" around the lens. Should I try to get some more foam padding in order to hold it in place and keep the wind (and particulate matter) out? I wouldn't worry about it. My wide angle doesn't either, and a lot of times I don't have my wide angle on. Q4: what's the general feeling regarding mounting the camera facing up or down? Is it possible with the PC9 to invert the image during playback? Don't know enough about the PC9 to help you here. It doesn't sound like with your setup you'd be able to mount the camera very well upside down though. As far as aiming: You probably have 3 screws holding the box on. Leave the bottom one as a pivot, and make the holes for the other two a little longer and you can adjust how far up or down your camera looks. Jeanie from Bonehead posted this awhile back. It's a little dated I think, but it still gives you some good ideas and a place to start. --------------------- Prior to beginning, recruit a friend. It will make things much easier, quicker, & accurate. Let’s begin… 1. Remove the screws from the box. 2. Look at the side of the helmet. The body of the camera box should come just about as far forward as it can, where the lens is over the edge. Looking under the lens, you can still see the trim of the helmet. It should go as far down so the bottom RIGHT corner of the box is just above the trim. 3. Put on the helmet and have your assistant hold the camera in the box. Turn the camera on to ‘camera’ mode. Hold the camera in place with the bungee and have your assistant point the camera at the object that you are looking at. 4. Put some masking tape on the side of the helmet where the edge of the box will be so you can clearly mark the position/angle of the box as well as behind the box where the screw holes will be drilled. 5. Center the box on the helmet in this location and eyeball it so the top of the camera is parallel with the top plate. 6. Mark the hole for the top front mounting screw. Put the camera in a bag or away from the work area where you will be drilling to prevent any carbon fiber dust from contaminating the electronics of you camera. After drilling, be sure and remove any dust before putting the camera back in the box. 7. After drilling this first mounting hole, attach the box to the helmet at only this location using one of the slab (flat) fastener. Be sure and tighten the screw down well enough so the box does not pivot. 8. Place the camera in the box, secure it with the bungee, but leave the lid off. Open the view screen, put the camera in camera/stand-by mode & put the helmet on. 9. RELAX & look at a few different objects (pictures, light switches, etc…) on walls, up and down. Make sure you are trying to feel (rotate your head) naturally & not just moving your eyes. After each ‘LOOK’, have your assistant adjust the camera box and center the object VERTICALLY. The object may not be centered from left to right, but we’ll deal with that later. At this stage, concentrate on the vertical (up & down) direction. 10. When satisfied with the setting, have your assistant mark the outside of the box on the masking tape, which was placed on the helmet earlier. Remove the camera, take the helmet off and drill the other two holes. (Remember: Be sure to isolate your camera during the drilling and clean up any dust before putting your camera back in the box.) 11. The other two fasteners, top rear & bottom one, should be a ‘T’ type. If this is NOT done, and a ‘T’ type is place at the top front loation, the fastener will not tighten down properly and there may be unwanted play or slop at the front mounting location. To adjust the horizontal (left-right) angle, just add washers between the box and the helmet. 12. If the up & down angle needs some fine tuning, you can elongate the two top holes on the inside of the box, using the third hole on the bottom as a pivot. This way you can film tandems at an angle and keep Freeflying at 0 degrees. Thanks & Safe Filming Chris & Jeanie Thank you for purchasing a Bonehead Mindwarp skydiving helmet. We pride ourselves on making a quality product which evolves/changes as the needs of our customers does. Included you will find some frequently asked questions as well as some instructions/guidelines on mounting chin cups & camera boxes to your helmet. CUSTOM FORMING DIRECTIONS: 1. Pre-heat your oven to 200 deg F. 2. Place your helmet on a baking sheet in the center of the oven. 3. Close the door & TURN THE OVEN OFF. 4. Wait 10-15 minutes for the shell to heat up and resin to become flexible. 5. Remove the helmet from the oven and place on your head. 6. Place pressure on the outside of the shell in such a way that it provides a snug, comfortable fit. 7. Keep applying pressure until the helmet cools. You now have a helmet formed to YOUR head. 8. This process may be repeated, just be sure and allow the helmet to cool COMPLETELY after each trial. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 1. Previously, the Mindwarp had a Velcro locking strap that provided a snugger fit; why doesn’t my new helmet have this? If properly sized, the shape and design of the new shell will provide a better more comfortable fit without the need for additional fastening straps. 2. I’ve purchased a DBox for my camera and the finish of the inner housing doesn’t have a smooth carbon fiber finish, but looks like it’s coated with tar. Why is this? When the DBox is made, the mold has a positive and negative side. One of these sides has a smooth carbon fiber surface and one does not. Since the outer cover of the DBox is the side/surface that is primarily seen, it’s been made with the smooth finished look. The inner shell half, that fits against the helmet, was left smooth on the inside, providing a clean, solid surface to attach the foam to which protects your camera. Because of this, the outer surface was left with the ‘tar’ appearance. It could have been sanded & smoothed down, but to improve the value & minimize the cost to the customer, it was left as is. 3. I’m mounting my DBox and one of the fasteners is different than the other two. Did you just run out or give me the wrong one? The flat/slab fastener was included with your DBox on purpose. Due to the close fit to the helmet at the forward most mounting screw, a flat mounting screw is needed to provide ample clamping force so that the box doesn’t move around at that location. MOUNTING A CHIN-CUP: 1. Locate the washer that is below the velvet of the standard chin strap. 2. Go UP/BACK about a ½” from that and drill a hole large enough to fit the mounting screws. 3. Peal back the foam padding inside the helmet, attach & tighten the screws and you are ready to go! NOTE: if the cup does not fit comfortably on your chin, you can place it in the oven with your helmet when you are heating it up. Leave the chin cup in the oven while you are forming your helmet. After you are finished with the helmet, take the chin cup out. Using your hands, apply pressure to the sides of the cup to spread or compress it to the desired level of comfort. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~Bonehead Composites is not responsible for accidents or injuries occuring while using our products. The wearer uses our products at their own risk with full knowledge of the risks involved in their activities. At the moment of purchase the user accepts all risks and responsibility for their own well being and property. --------------- And GravityMaster posted this little bit: -------------- Make sure you use plenty of gaffers tape to position the D box. Put the camera in it without the outer shell and have someone site it. If you plan on using a ring site, this would also be a good time to install it so you can make sure everything lines up correctly. Once you have the camera positioned right, take the camera out and tape the box up real well with the gaffers tape. Mark the hole with fingernail polish. Use clear fingernail polish in the hole to insure the carbon fibre is sealed up. (it is a good idea to take the camera in another room while you are drilling B/C if any of the fibers get into the heads of the camera, you are gonna ruin them.Take your time drilling the hole on at a time, sealing the hole with nail polish and rechecking the siteing. Tighted down all screws and there you are. Hope this helps --------------------------- Hope I didn't flood you with too much Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

You choose to jump out of an airplane. There's a good chance you could die because of it. Some people choose to hook it There's a good chance they could die because of it. We've had a rash of camera related deaths this year, should we strike those from the record because those people knew they were taking an additional risk? If you want to mentally remove those for your own statistical purposes then go ahead. Just don't fool yourself into thinking this is a safe sport. You can do everything right and still die. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

I thought about that... and I wondered how close they look at the expiration date on the card ;) I dunno... I don't really like being forced to join an organization to participate in this sport, but, if no one was forced I'll bet they'd lose a majority of their members. That'd be an interesting poll.... "If it wasn't required, would you join/renew the USPA" ... do you think they've earned your money? Tiga - what I meant by non-bias was kinda what Phreezone said. Skydiving mag covers all things skydiving. Parachutist covers all things good USPA. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Another cool thing about Protecs - they have probably the best impact protection of any helmet out there (except of course for the face-area impact) ... unless you're still jumping with an old motorcycle helmet. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

9 jumps, lots of beer.... lots of good beer (gotta love a place with good food and it's own brewery).. lots of good jumps too Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Probably Taylor, but they're only going to 10,5 I got my renewal notice in the mail a few weeks ago. I really didn't have any intention of renewing. I'd much rather spend the $50 on a non-bias magazine, like Skydiving. The events of the last few weeks has changed my mind a little. I'm sure the USPA had a little to do with it, but the AOPA probably had more to do with us getting back in the air. Maybe we should just all join them... the AOPA doesn't seem to be such a "Good 'ol Boys Club" - But like I said, the USPA helped a little, I might renew my membership after all. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

try uploading it to your site again... don't think the whole thing is there. if you still can't get it, I'll give you another site to try to send it to Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

I thought it was: "How is arguing like running the special olympics?" "Even if you win you're still retarded" (ya, I know, insensitive, cold, mean, un-PC.... get over it) Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Yes, I already volunteered. (Phree - I'll bring the firewire cable) Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

I don't know.. I think Post Naked Should at least be in the running.. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

so anyway... back to freaksis and sunshine getting naked... (don't worry guys, I'll get video) Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

Clay's girl: "I'm sorry, we can't see each other anymore" Clay: "What?! Why not!?" Clay's girl: "I heard you were a pedophile" Clay: "Pedophile!! That's an awful big word comin' from a 10 year old!" Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

I only lost 1 tank, and that was right away 'cause I wasn't hitting the right buttons. Ended up getting 120. How do you get higher? edit: oh, I see. Shoot all of them but one, then let that one hit you, they all come back. I just got 140, I guess I screwed it up somewhere... A-HA! Score of 166!

That was you in that white truck!? Geeze man, give some people some privacy next time! Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'

And that would do what exactly for them? They could track for the white house?! I'd like to know where she heard that.. probably just the media screwing things up. Roger Nelson said something (in his "Weekly Update") about the FBI talking to him about his training the United Arab Emirates air force something-or-others... someone in the media might have grabbed that and ran the wrong direction with it. Then, I saw these two guys swoopin across the pond, and I was like 'weeeeeee!!!!'