WFFC

I just got back to the hotel and trying to figure out which pocket I left it in. Anyway, dinner was good. Getting an RFP in the morning for a potential new client - cool, my life will be complete. A new client will take away all of the hours I have available now for sleeping. Let me type it up and resize a couple pictures and I'll post it. Yeah, it is after midnight here and I seriously just got back. ----- ~~~Michael

DOH! I knew it was some sort of American hops concoction. Miller is it, heya, Miller is my favorite beer. ----- ~~~Michael

Mary - The WFFC team in the background is still there, I'm just organizing the online public dissemination of information and being the information manager. Ellen, Judy, Beth, and everyone else in the office are still there and doing an excellent job of getting me answers to everything. It's a great bunch and it's good to be back. P.S. I'll call you tonight when I get back to the hotel. ----- ~~~Michael

For a 'limited' engagement (have it for a day), it really isn't out of the question. I haven't even asked if one is in the works or not for this year - I'll add that to my list. Hmmm I wonder if Budweiser has a blimp. Aren't they a sponsor? ----- ~~~Michael

Exactly how the WFFC started as I recall. Hey, there's always something in the works. Some come through, some don't. There are a few in the works that are really cool, there are several that haven't been to the WFFC in a while. There are others that are longshots - I'm not sure the runway in Rantoul can handle an AN-225 . ----- ~~~Michael

QuoteThe confirmed aircraft has not been jumped by civilians in the US as far as I know and the aircraft is considered 'experimental' by the FAA. Quote I stand corrected...It has last jumped by civilians in the US in 1994 - and was only available for 'limited jumping'. Can you guess where? I'm still at a client's site and then have to schmooze another potential new one tonight. Will post the info tonight when I get back to the hotel. Can you feel it? ----- ~~~Michael

I have another Aircraft announcement in my other hip pocket. This will be coming at some point Tuesday evening with pictures. The confirmed aircraft has not been jumped by civilians in the US as far as I know and the aircraft is considered 'experimental' by the FAA. Interest peaked yet? ----- ~~~Michael

Send me the details and we'll get it up there. ----- ~~~Michael

Bigway - As Mary has said, i'm just getting back into the game - Last Thursday evening to be exact. I spent most of the weekend getting up to speed and I've got much more to get up to speed on as well. I will have the vendors posted by the end of the week that are confirmed to be there. They will also be back online on the WFFC website (www.freefall.com) as well by then. Seriously, if there's anything that anyone wants to know, ask it here or send me a PM. I'll get you an answer as quick as I can. ----- ~~~Michael

I was asked to call you about being a LO again. I should be driving out as I'm taking my two wheeled toy for onsite transport but who knows where I'll be just before and after due to my current travel schedule. Lemme know what your plans are. ----- ~~~Michael

Well, here's announcement #1. Now, what I want you to do first, is look at the attached graphic and then continue reading. OK? (imagine hold music here while reader looks at the attachment) Hey, I said look at the attachment first. Cool. Now you know what we're all working with. The Perris Jet was approved on Friday (June 9) for deviation from part 125 which will allow the aircraft to to participate in jump operations. The next step will be for flights to occur with the airstair removed (This might include test drops - dummies, not jumpers) and then compare the flight data from the only existing 727 report that Don Kirlin has had under a glass case since it was found years ago. Perris Valley, Don Kirlin and the Springfield, IL FAA branch have been working continuously towards this goal since the conclusion of the 2005 WFFC. This same team from the WFFC that has brought to the skydiving community the Boeing 727, Super Connie, Carvair, Martin 404, Tri-motor, B-17, B-24 and many other unique jump ships previously at the WFFC. Needless to say, the Perris jet is completely on track to drop it's first jumpers over the skies of Rantoul!!! To make sure we're all involved with what's going on, as each step in the process is completed I will be posting updates so we're all in the know and what the next step is. A quick chat with Ben Conaster had him saying "It's definitely on track to fly jumpers in Rantoul." Ben did note that one other thing that the jumpmasters would need to complete is flight attendent training in the event of any emergencies, similar to any other carrier as the jumpers are passengers and not cargo. So, what do you think of announcement #1? ----- ~~~Michael

I'm like a bad penny dude. I keep coming back. Now which pocket did I have that announcement in...oh, there it is.

Cute girl teasing me? kick ass. Tease away. ----- ~~~Michael

This thread is kind of like THE Hotel in Vegas. (well, without the snobbiness) ----- ~~~Michael

Yes. I will have this here by the end of the week, if not sooner. ----- ~~~Michael

Generally in the past, no. The vendors that are going should have gear to demo - I'm checking on what they will have available to you. Give me till Tuesday to get an answer for this one. I'm also going to check to see if the AFF vendor will bring rigs for hire. ----- ~~~Michael

Nah. Not this one. It was there before I came back on board. ----- ~~~Michael

Hi all. For those that don't recognize the goofy hat, I'm Michael. I was the webmaster for the WFFC for several years and managed the onsite internet cafe and webcams along with the rest of my team. Unfortunately due to some other committments last year, I was not able to continue beyond April of last year. Anyway, I'm back. So what's my role now? Well, I will not be maintaining the day to day maintenance on Freefall.com but I will be managing all of the content that ultimately gets posted up there. As some will recall from before, nothing ever went up on the website unless it was 100%, the ink is dry, confirmed. Why break with tradition? That rule is going to stay in effect under my eyes. So what else do you want to know? Hotel or restaurant recommendation? Ask me. If I don't know, I will get an answer for you - and I'll tell you when you're going to have it. Looking for a tail number on a confirmed plane? I'll get it. So, what do I have now? Well, I've got two things in my hip pocket that I'll be announcing this week. I need to chat with one person (I'll say an aircraft owner) to get through some 'pilot speak' then I'll lay the cards on the table. Oh, vendors. I'll get those back online this week too. What else? Fire away - good or bad. Recommendations that I can pass along to the senior staff? Send 'em. The biggest skydiving family reunion begins soon. Got your tickets yet? ----- ~~~Michael

Which ID am I posting under? Get your chin up off the floor dude. The girls are looking at you funny. ----- ~~~Michael

I guess you can add me to the list. And yes, my reprisal means that I've got lots of information coming everyone's way.

software code create the site...new look (not mine) should be forth coming.

see http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=1607145#1607145

must come to an end. Effective immediately, I have resigned the duties of maintaining the online presence for the World Free Fall Convention. I took over support of Freefall.com in 2000 and injected the site with a life that it had never seen. Building a team to bring the onsite presense to what the community had asked for - a way to communicate with the outside world (or work wirelessly so the boss would never know one was gone). Anyway, it was a good ride and I would like to thank the team that I worked with over the last several years: Ed 'Cajones Rodriguez' Dickinson John 'Chango R.' Kirby and Eric 'Pabellon Nazito R.' Boerger And thank you to Don Kirlin and Bernice E. for giving a small web development company the opportunity to 'wow' them over and over again each year. I'll still be around, but this ID will be retiring along with my code. A new version of Freefall.com is apparently on the horizon as my code will be retired. Thanks for the ride~~~ Michael President Gravitational Pull, LTD Web Development provider to the World Free Fall Convention

That'll work too. Send it over and I'll add it when I get a moment.