Danl

I met Bob in Nicaragua and he was a highlight of the trip for me. He never let on about his illness, but took everything with equanimity. His terrible poker playing was entertaining for opponents and spectators alike. I hoped and expected to see him again, and will miss him. Blue skies, Bob. Dan'l

Perris has load organizers who are very welcoming of low number jumpers. Mark, Darryld, Bob, Dave, Jeanine, and Grace. Just ask manifest whose LO'ing, and they will point them out to you. There are also many experienced jumpers who feel gratitude for the help they got when they were new, and are happy to show it by jumping with newbies. I'm one. I'm still learning. Hang around long enough and you occasionally find yourself to be a fount of wisdom and experience to newcomers. We are happy to help you learn, so we can have more friends to play with. Blue skies, Dan'l

Congrats on your recovery! I am preventing my first heart attack, by eating only fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and beans, with no added oils. It has made me much healthier, given me a lower wing loading, and improved my flying skills. Are you on statins?

I don't have pics, and the repairs seem pretty minor to me, but they do involve sewing. For the purpose of this inquiry, let's just stipulate that I want a master rigger, even though a senior rigger might be enough. Dan'l

I have a rigger who is terrific for I&R of my reserve. However, my Reflex is showing its age. It needs some stitches. My old Sabre 170 could use some stitches also, and possibly a small patch or two. My rigger is not equipped for this kind of thing. My experience with the loft at Perris left me unimpressed with their service, although the quality of their work was fine. In the spirit of a free market, I seek another source for my needed maintenance work. I live in Monrovia, and will consider anyone within a hour's drive. I'd prefer to hear from riggers interested in this work, rather than everyone just telling me who their rigger is. PMs are good. Thanks in advance. Dan'l member Nicaraguan synchronized swimming team

Here are my pics from the trip, the ones that survived the bottle of rum breaking in my luggage. Dan'l http://photobucket.com/Danl_Skydive_Nicaragua_2012?albumview=slideshow&track=share_email_album_view_click

I recommend you read Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America by Robert Whitaker.

We have 15 signed up. Spaces are filling fast. Even if you can't join us this time, check out the link to Big Way Basics http://40ishways.com/BWBasics.html. It has a lot of valuable info. Dan'l

Join us for formation loads at Perris. The organizers are Mark and Darryld. They will appreciate you doing them the courtesy of signing up in advance. We always have a great time in a low pressure atmosphere. If you want to ease gently into big ways, this is the way to do it. You get to learn all slots over time and receive personal feedback in a constructive way. We are limited to 45 jumpers, so don't put it off. Here is the link with all the details. http://www.40ishways.com/

Join us for formation loads at Perris next Sunday. The organizers are Mark and Darryld. They will appreciate you doing them the courtesy of signing up in advance. We always have a great time in a low pressure atmosphere. If you want to ease gently into big ways, this is way to do it. Here is the link with all the details. http://www.40ishways.com/

I will miss Pat. He coached me early on, and was still teaching to the end. Such a great, dedicated skydiver, Pat was certainly among the last one would expect to have such a tragic accident. Deepest condolences to Blue and the children. Dan'l

Harry was one of a kind and I miss him already. Warm thoughts and best wishes to Janna. Dan'l

Yes indeed. Another of Heinlein's inventions is finally being made. This was described in Starship Troopers.

I'm not a lawyer, but this cries out for me to invent a highly contrived hypothetical situation. I am against lawsuits within Skydiving, but suppose I am a skydiver, who happens to be drinking a home-brew in his own family room, 45 miles from the nearest known drop zone, at midnight during a new moon, with zero visibility due to heavy clouds and thunderstorms, with winds gusting up to 75 mph, when my good rec.skydiving buddy ??, after imbibing a few too many cheap clear-bottled lite macro beers, decides to pay me a friendly call. Suppose he hires ?? to fly him over my house, which is near Corona airport, in a beat-up old rattletrap C-152 leaking oil, in exchange for a jug of moonshine and half a key of primo flake. As he leans out the door to drop his wind drift indicator--a watermelon tied to an auto safety flare--his FXC Astra malfunctions, firing his Raven reserve. Much to his chagrin, ?? discovers that a C-152 doing 90mph with a 75mph tailwind, overloaded at 1.75 lbs/sqft, and ejected over the right rudder fin, exceeds the rated capacity of his reserve. The whole mess spirals down in a fiery bloody shrieking clarion of Armageddon, ruining my petunias and waking my dog, which in distress eats my daughter's homework and causes a blemish on her academic record, preventing her from winning a scholarship to the Citadel, defending this great country, and caring for me in my old age. Luckily, both ?? and ?? survive, but both complain loudly about the noise the ambulance siren makes on its way to take them to the hospital. As I said, I am against lawsuits within Skydiving, but in this case, I would make an exception. Blues skies and home brews, Dan'l

My first jump was a surprise 40th birthday present from my wife. I don't think she expected me to keep jumping. She gives me a long leash, though.

Why not set a goal and reach a deal? Something like, "Darling, when I stand up 5 in a row on the old rag, will I be ready for the tangerine flake streamline baby? Blue skies and home brews, Dan'l

Nice speech! If you ever run for office, I'm sure you'll win. As for me, I don't believe any statement of the form "We as a society...". Anyway, I'm glad I didn't completely kill the thread. Dan'l

Paul, I respectfully disagree. Although you benefit from other people being educated, you should not be forced to pay for it. It simply does not follow. Should the existence of the benefit inspire you to voluntarily contribute, I'll lead the applause. Dan'l

Easy question. Zero. Government-run school teacher opinions notwithstanding. Dan'l

The Student by Dan'l Leviton (to the tune of "The Gambler", performed by Kenny Rogers) On a warm summer morning, he walked up without warning And said, "That looks like fun and I would really like to learn." I glanced up from my log book and gave the kid a hard look. He hadn't asked me anything, so I stayed taciturn. He cleared his throat and stuttered, "Excuse me, but I'm new here. I understand there are two ways to learn how to skydive. If you don't mind the question, please give me a suggestion. Will static line or AFF be my best chance to thrive?" I said, "Either one will thrill you. Either one could kill you. Both will suck you in and take your time, your friends, your wealth. Give either one a try, and then if you don't die You can try the other and judge it for yourself." Chorus: You've got to know how to exit Know how to flex it Know where to pull what And certainly know when Always look around you Don't screw up or we'll ground you There'll be time for an accounting At the skydive's end Certain things you must know, you can only learn by doing But listen to your teachers, they'll save you lots of pain. My only advise is not to depend on devices Think for yourself and stay out of the rain. (Repeat chorus) Every parachutist knows the secret of survival Is mostly being ready for whatever comes your way It helps to just be lucky, 'cause sometimes shit just happens It's all part of the risk you take when you decide to play (Repeat chorus ad nauseum)

Here's a template for a simpler progression that would still improve safety. You can only downsize one size at a time, and you have to have X jumps at each size before downsizing. Switching make/model/planform must be done at a comparable size to what you jump before switching. The Square One demo program actually makes this easy and practical. It is what I did. For me, X was about 10, and I stopped at a 1.3 loading on a rectangular canopy. But with this template, all we have to argue about is X. For the purpose of this discussion, maybe 20 or 25? Blue skies and home brews, Dan'l

So, Chief, what do you think of these proposals? (Couldn't resist calling you "Chief" )

Does NM mean nautical miles or nanometers?

Hey Chris! I've never had an LO I didn't like. (Probably the ones I wouldn't like wouldn't have me on their loads. ) I have 498 jumps, almost all with LOs. I have had two kinds of LOs. I really admire the ones who take pretty much anyone who wants on the load. They have to be mentors for low-counts, stress safety, gracefully add or remove a body or two at the last moment, and keep it fun for everyone. This generally means giving everyone their desired slot to the extent possible. I also really admire the other kind of LOs, who run camps, record attempts, and other invitation-only events. They have to manage larger numbers of jumpers, stress safety, and give everyone what they bargained for in a professional manner. It is a thrill to be on a load with people you know are the very best in the world at this sport! As far as the program goes: I have more fun when the dive works, even if the plan is less ambitious. I'm not picky about who I jump with, because I'm grateful anyone is willing to jump with me. I really appreciate when the DZ gives us a free video slot for LO groups of 8 or more. Some rules I've learned from LOs: Number 1: Don't kill the organizer! Number 2: If you don't want to go low, don't fly there! Number 3: If something went wrong, it's Dan's fault! (Perris inside joke) Number 4: Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast. Number 5: The grip is not the goal, it's the reward. Blue skies and home brews, Dan'l

I'm not a rigger, but it looks to me that in the bottom ring case, you have a good chance to cut away successfully. However, you have zero chance of the RSL pulling the reserve. Blue skies and home brews, Dan'l