Beautiful skydiving column

[canopycandy 0]

My co-worker wrote a really, truly fabulous column about skydiving, a recent incident and the memorial jump, http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050807/SPT/508070409/-1/CINCI

Honestly -- it's the best thing I've ever seen from a non-jumper. Actually, it could be the best thing I've read about skydiving at all.

(Full disclosure: I'm not just saying this because my boyfriend, Jason, is a part of the story. It's just that good.)

[mnealtx 0]

Fixed clicky

What a great story!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[wildblue 4]

Your 'fixed clicky' is broken

A couple Dayton stations did a little news bit on the tribute jump - nicely done.

it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality

[livendive 8]

Quote

My co-worker wrote a really, truly fabulous column about skydiving, a recent incident and the memorial jump, http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050807/SPT/508070409/-1/CINCI

Honestly -- it's the best thing I've ever seen from a non-jumper. Actually, it could be the best thing I've read about skydiving at all.

What she said. That's definitely the best "whuffo" article I've read, and I can't think of an article in Parachutist or Skydiving that was as engrossing. Kudo's to your co-worker, nice job.

Blues,
Dave

"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

[alanab 0]

wow... that was very nicely written. i have tears in my eyes now from reading it

[wmw999 2,121]

Quote

wow... that was very nicely written. i have tears in my eyes now from reading it

I couldn't have said it better myself. That was an awesome article.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[flighty 0]

I saw that the other day and emailed the author thanking him for the great piece. It may be worth sending a note to him or better yet, his boss.

It was nice to see a well researched article after so many with quotes like this "he may have experienced what is called a spinning malfunction. That's when a skydiver spins at a high rate of speed, becomes unaware of the altitude and deploys the chutes too late. "

~Cindy~
Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
Spelling and grammar errors are left as an exercise for the reader.

[airtwardo 6]

I'm not just saying this because my boyfriend, Jason, is a part of the story. It's just that good.

***

Very VERY well written...

The person that authored that article may be what some consider a Wuffo...but they're definitely
"One Of Us" in how they see our sport!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[riddler 0]

A well written article.

Question for camerapersons. The article describes the collision occuring because after wave-off, the cameraman went "above and to one side" above the opening tandem canopy. I don't think I've ever seen cameramen intentionally go above a tandem pair - even if above and to one side. Usually, they stay in front of, and slightly below the tandem pair, especially during opening.

Is it a common practice to show the opening from above? In light of this accident, it does seem like a bad idea. The article later states "How was it that the tandem chute that is supposed to take 10 to 15 seconds to open fully instead billowed in 1.7 seconds?" I don't film tandems, but I'm not sure I would trust a slow opening canopy enough to get above it.

Maybe the author didn't fully understand what caused the accident, and didn't report it accurately?

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[canopycandy 0]

I don't think it was inaccurate, because he spoke to so many people who described it in great detail -- including quite a few folks who saw the video.

I'm not a videographer. But I have seen many tandem videos that show the bag coming out of the container -- which would have been shot above the pair. But that's something that has already been discussed at great length in the incidents forum.

[Pia 0]

Got goosebumps!

**Those who refuse to live and learn simply exist**

[mdrejhon 8]

It's a very good article, and very clearly carefully written -- I think this should be textbook study material for journalists wanting to properly report on skydiving.