JohnMitchell 14 #1 September 29, 2012 My son Brett and I made 5 jumps today at Kapowsin Air Sports to finish up his A license. Although he made a tandem years ago and did AFF in two days, it's taken about 2 months to get the next 19 jumps. He can dive and dock great, turn points and track to the horizon and back. He's got almost all standup landings, quite a few in the peas. He's on his way to being a good, safe jumper. The last two jumps today he even coached me on my sit flying. Says I'm not doing too badly. Next month he leaves for Oklahoma City for 3 months training in his new job with the FAA as an air traffic controller. Then he'll be stationed in Salt Lake City. To say we'll miss him is an understatement. Those of you on DZ.com that know him know exactly what I mean. So Oklahoma and SLC, look for a lanky new guy showing up at your DZ. Make sure he gets a pin check, okay? Thanks, everyone. Here he is last summer with Mom and me before his AFF I. He was smiling like that in the air, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites airtwardo 6 #2 September 29, 2012 ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites quade 3 #3 September 29, 2012 That's pretty awesome.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Amazon 7 #4 September 29, 2012 Good Stuff John..!!!! Congrats to Brett.. well done Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PLFKING 3 #5 September 29, 2012 Quote turn points and track to the horizon and back. On the one hand, there's a father's pride in his son. On the other hand, there's out-and-out blatant exaggeration. I'm not exactly sure how far away the horizon is, but....Good for him....and good on you and V. Don"When in doubt I whip it out, I got me a rock-and-roll band. It's a free-for-all." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites rmsmith 1 #6 September 29, 2012 Brett is lucky to have cool parents! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites davelepka 4 #7 September 29, 2012 Quote Quote turn points and track to the horizon and back. On the one hand, there's a father's pride in his son. On the other hand, there's out-and-out blatant exaggeration. I'm not exactly sure how far away the horizon is, but....Good for him....and good on you and V. Don Check the pic. The kid is several inches taller than dad, and several (many) pounds lighter. He's built to track, and from John's bowling-ball point of view it might as well the horizon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites airdvr 197 #8 September 29, 2012 Gotta be proud. Good Job.Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SEREJumper 1 #9 September 29, 2012 Nohing better than family jumping together! Congrats to you guys!We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jimmytavino 16 #10 September 29, 2012 now THAT'S a nice post !!! continued success in all His endeavors.. and congrats to the fine role models and parents. jmy a 3914 d 12122 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skymama 35 #11 September 29, 2012 Congrats to him and I know you must be so proud! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites pincheck 0 #12 September 29, 2012 nice one mate Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnMitchell 14 #13 September 29, 2012 Quote Check the pic. The kid is several inches taller than dad, and several (many) pounds lighter. He's built to track, and from John's bowling-ball point of view it might as well the horizon. At least 3" taller and almost 15 pounds lighter, yep, he's built to track. It took a few jumps for him to get it right, though. He kept bending too much at the waist and wanting to go head down. Tracking is one of the few things they can't teach in the tunnel. But he sure dialed it in on one of his jumps yesterday. I have video of me head up trying to keep up with him after he got a head start. The best part is that he's grown up packing and being around the sport. He's comfortable jumping but seems to have respect for it. I'm thinking he's not a candidate for becoming too complacent. He's already experienced a stuck altimeter and handled it just fine. If I hear him talking about downsizing and swooping I'll sic Mom on him. Bowling ball? Come on guys, I'm only 15 pounds over my high school weight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites drdive 0 #14 September 29, 2012 Great post, John. And not only will he make a great skydiver, he will be a great ATC like Dad. You and V did good with him (and the girls too) Doc"We saved your gear. Now you can sell it when you get out of the hospital and upsize!!" "K-Dub" " Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Remster 24 #15 September 29, 2012 FAA ATC? Doesn't he know only nerds and geek do that? ;-) Congrats for his A ! You guys must be super proud!Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BillyVance 34 #16 September 29, 2012 Looks like an All-American family to me. You guys rock. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites shah269 0 #17 September 29, 2012 Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LuckyMcSwervy 0 #18 September 29, 2012 That is so awesome!! Family activities rock!! And a great picture!! Parachutist?? Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites muff528 3 #19 September 29, 2012 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnMitchell 14 #20 September 30, 2012 Quote Great post, John. And not only will he make a great skydiver, he will be a great ATC like Dad. You and V did good with him (and the girls too) Thanks Doc. Like I said, the people like you that know Brett so well know how much we're gonna miss him. Hope you guys had a good day jumping. We had to play Dodge Cloud all day long. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnMitchell 14 #21 September 30, 2012 Quote FAA ATC? Doesn't he know only nerds and geek do that? ;-) Naw, still a bunch of egotistical macho alcoholics doin' it. Quote Congrats for his A ! You guys must be super proud! Thanks. We've been proud of him for years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites vskydiver 0 #22 September 30, 2012 Here is the pic of the three of us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jumpwally 0 #23 September 30, 2012 Sweet pic ! smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LuckyMcSwervy 0 #24 September 30, 2012 Quote Here is the pic of the three of us. PRICELESS!! Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites JohnMitchell 14 #25 September 30, 2012 Thanks for the pic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 1 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
airtwardo 6 #2 September 29, 2012 ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 3 #3 September 29, 2012 That's pretty awesome.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #4 September 29, 2012 Good Stuff John..!!!! Congrats to Brett.. well done Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PLFKING 3 #5 September 29, 2012 Quote turn points and track to the horizon and back. On the one hand, there's a father's pride in his son. On the other hand, there's out-and-out blatant exaggeration. I'm not exactly sure how far away the horizon is, but....Good for him....and good on you and V. Don"When in doubt I whip it out, I got me a rock-and-roll band. It's a free-for-all." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rmsmith 1 #6 September 29, 2012 Brett is lucky to have cool parents! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #7 September 29, 2012 Quote Quote turn points and track to the horizon and back. On the one hand, there's a father's pride in his son. On the other hand, there's out-and-out blatant exaggeration. I'm not exactly sure how far away the horizon is, but....Good for him....and good on you and V. Don Check the pic. The kid is several inches taller than dad, and several (many) pounds lighter. He's built to track, and from John's bowling-ball point of view it might as well the horizon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdvr 197 #8 September 29, 2012 Gotta be proud. Good Job.Please don't dent the planet. Destinations by Roxanne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SEREJumper 1 #9 September 29, 2012 Nohing better than family jumping together! Congrats to you guys!We're not fucking flying airplanes are we, no we're flying a glorified kite with no power and it should be flown like one! - Stratostar Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmytavino 16 #10 September 29, 2012 now THAT'S a nice post !!! continued success in all His endeavors.. and congrats to the fine role models and parents. jmy a 3914 d 12122 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #11 September 29, 2012 Congrats to him and I know you must be so proud! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pincheck 0 #12 September 29, 2012 nice one mate Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #13 September 29, 2012 Quote Check the pic. The kid is several inches taller than dad, and several (many) pounds lighter. He's built to track, and from John's bowling-ball point of view it might as well the horizon. At least 3" taller and almost 15 pounds lighter, yep, he's built to track. It took a few jumps for him to get it right, though. He kept bending too much at the waist and wanting to go head down. Tracking is one of the few things they can't teach in the tunnel. But he sure dialed it in on one of his jumps yesterday. I have video of me head up trying to keep up with him after he got a head start. The best part is that he's grown up packing and being around the sport. He's comfortable jumping but seems to have respect for it. I'm thinking he's not a candidate for becoming too complacent. He's already experienced a stuck altimeter and handled it just fine. If I hear him talking about downsizing and swooping I'll sic Mom on him. Bowling ball? Come on guys, I'm only 15 pounds over my high school weight. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
drdive 0 #14 September 29, 2012 Great post, John. And not only will he make a great skydiver, he will be a great ATC like Dad. You and V did good with him (and the girls too) Doc"We saved your gear. Now you can sell it when you get out of the hospital and upsize!!" "K-Dub" " Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 24 #15 September 29, 2012 FAA ATC? Doesn't he know only nerds and geek do that? ;-) Congrats for his A ! You guys must be super proud!Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #16 September 29, 2012 Looks like an All-American family to me. You guys rock. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #17 September 29, 2012 Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #18 September 29, 2012 That is so awesome!! Family activities rock!! And a great picture!! Parachutist?? Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #20 September 30, 2012 Quote Great post, John. And not only will he make a great skydiver, he will be a great ATC like Dad. You and V did good with him (and the girls too) Thanks Doc. Like I said, the people like you that know Brett so well know how much we're gonna miss him. Hope you guys had a good day jumping. We had to play Dodge Cloud all day long. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #21 September 30, 2012 Quote FAA ATC? Doesn't he know only nerds and geek do that? ;-) Naw, still a bunch of egotistical macho alcoholics doin' it. Quote Congrats for his A ! You guys must be super proud! Thanks. We've been proud of him for years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vskydiver 0 #22 September 30, 2012 Here is the pic of the three of us. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumpwally 0 #23 September 30, 2012 Sweet pic ! smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LuckyMcSwervy 0 #24 September 30, 2012 Quote Here is the pic of the three of us. PRICELESS!! Always be kinder than you feel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #25 September 30, 2012 Thanks for the pic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites