Reckless TM

[theforkguy 0]

I have 1250 jumps, a coach and tandem rating. I sat on the DZ for two years and listened to other qualified Strong TMs talk about how the only thing that is going to make a difference to the TM in question is a hard impact with the ground.
Outside of this forum I have spoken about it with several other TMs and DZOs who have agreed.
I don't expect to get my job back. My sole motivation is that I know he is not only inappropriate but also unsafe and I want to prevent him from killing or severely injuring someone.

[dragon2 0]

kcjen24

Some stranger rides me like that in freefall

You mean the legs down in the video? I put that down as 'video flyer needs some help as he is too low'. I have had a couple of TMs do that for me too, when I was filming little kids and had some trouble staying up with the tandem. Sticking their legs down speeds the tandem pair up.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[theforkguy 0]

I'm 6 feet tall and weigh 150 pounds. I do up like (insert 'your mother' joke here) and didn't need the help. I did at least 600 tandem videos and never once needed to refund.

[craddock 0]

theforkguy

It seems that most people agree and one does not. Par for the course.

Huh? That is not the way it looks to me at all. Not the dz, the USPA, many on this thread... What am I missing?

My view of the grabbing is that it is more of a bad habit than any sort of sexual gratification. My Physical therapist gets more contact of my arm in her bosom than that during shoulder rehab but it never got me all hot and bothered or anything. I just don't see sexual intent at all in those pictures. And it wouldn't matter if it were my daughter. How prudish can we be?

Pretty reaching. It reminds me of a Janis Joplin interview I recently watched when she said when she reads a media critique that many times you are really reading about the writer themselves. What they like, dislike, what there mother was like...... It is all about them

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[theforkguy 0]

Why do I feel like you made up your D license number?

[dragon2 0]

theforkguy

I'm 6 feet tall and weigh 150 pounds. I do up like (insert 'your mother' joke here) and didn't need the help. I did at least 600 tandem videos and never once needed to refund.

Eh, sorry, but you did seem to screw up a bit on Claudia's video, regardless of the TM's exit, and the TM did you a favor by coming down to you so quick. @:031 you're in position for the first time (even if it is facing the sun), so you've got just a few seconds of good enough video (IMO) before you back away for opening. The earlier part was unstable (feet in frame), way too far away and then some 'carving' towards the sun (why?).
Just saying.

ciel bleu,
Saskia

[theforkguy 0]

Look, I'm not the best video guy in the world and I use GoPros. I may need help, but not with up.

[craddock 0]

theforkguy

Why do I feel like you made up your D license number?

You can not seriously think I am trying to fool anyone with that number. When I registered I didn't know what it was so I made one up that would obviously not be someone else's. My god.

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[theforkguy 0]

Why don't you just post your real number? Anonymity? Perfect. That explains why I haven't filled out my dz.com profile. It means nothing.
The reason why I was facing the sun is because the TM in question can't be relied upon to face into it.

[theforkguy 0]

I asked for feedback. Contrary to popular opinion, I wanted it. Now, let me ask a different question.
If you had the choice (which most of you do), would you let this guy take your daughter (if you have one), mother (if you have one) or sister (blah blah blah blah) on a tandem?
My complaints aren't just that he grabs the boobmeat. Mainly they're safety related, which was implied by the heading on the OP.
--------
Also, I started jumping video in 2012 with 400 jumps. I got better. Some of the people they replaced me with aren't even legal to jump with tandems in the first place. Or at least to do RW with them.

[craddock 0]

theforkguy

Why don't you just post your real number? Anonymity? Perfect. That explains why I haven't filled out my dz.com profile. It means nothing.
The reason why I was facing the sun is because the TM in question can't be relied upon to face away from it.

Fixed D just for you Sparky. Anonymity? You haven't filled out your profile because you want anonymity? Omg. Your THAT guy! The guy that got fired from Delmarva for acting like you are right now. Most people reading this can find out who your are with a phone call.

Anonymity.........? Do you think you get along well among your peers? (rhetorical)

That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

[theforkguy 0]

I don't have much of a DZ.com profile because I mainly lurked. I'm interested in what goes on in the skydiving community.
I got along with the bulk of the other jumpers I have encountered since my first jump in 2006. The ones I didn't get along with were putting the others at risk.
Terrible, right?

[gowlerk 1,912]

I've been watching this thread develop and deteriorate since this morning. I can just imagine what we'll have by evening.

There is likely two very different problems here. One is a questionable TM who possibly has some bad habits and attitudes that need to change. The other is a bitter man who saw the problem and dealt with it very poorly and is looking for some validation among his online peers.

It is likely that DZ management had to make a choice to back one person here. For better or worse you are the one who was judged expendable.

There is nothing for you to do now but move on. You can only damage yourself further by continuing to badmouth both the DZ and the TM. You've made your case. Most of us don't know you or him, those that you wanted to speak to have heard the message. Time to let it go, it's no longer your problem.

Good luck

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[Fast 0]

People on here are going to be about as friendly to you as at your home DZ. Generally no one likes this kind of stuff called out in public and such. I mean, I get what you're doing but it's the wrong way to go about it.

Most of the time someone has to do something soo beyond the line before the general skydiving public will turn on them, certainly before USPA does stuff about it. Honestly the person most at risk here is the pilot if the guy really is jumping drunk, I hope someone told him. (Outside of the student strapped to the front of the guy)

So,... talk to people who can do something about it, not the internet. That's my advice. Baring that, move on, find a new dz before people just hate you.

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[theforkguy 0]

What most of you don't realize is that there are lurkers out there who have been in contact with me via PM. The pressure to stand up in a world where everyone wants you to sit down is rarely bearable.
The LCD is a big fan of speaking up. If only the rest were.

[tigra 0]

Honestly, most of us know the difference between incidental contact and a deliberate grope. Still, there is so much going on during that first tandem that most women would probably dismiss it. We really don't want to believe that the person we've entrusted our lives to would be douchy enough to cop a cheap feel in freefall! Of course, if we stay in the sport long enough, we will encounter more than a few creepy douchy types and realize just how naive we were when we were newbies ........ (Anyway, the boob grab on opening reminds me of an old Friends episode with Joey's tailor getting a little too friendly when he was measuring inseems ...."That's how they do pants!")

Taking the time to report the incident tells me that the woman felt very strongly that the contact was inappropriate.

Just curious- how did you know about the complaint and the USPA's response to it? Do you know for a fact that they used the phrase "blowing it out of proportion"? Or was that just her/ your interpretation of their response?

Not taking sides because I don't know any of the parties involved. You wouldn't be the first "whistle blower" to be fired nor would you be the first disgruntled ex employee to trash a former employer ......

[Andy9o8 0]

rtroup

Have any deployment pictures of when the student is male? See if there is a difference in hand placement.

Well, this may or may not be helpful. I found a pic of one of his student dirt-dives HERE.

[theforkguy 0]

Dude, that's funny.

The reason I am aware of the outcome is because the student who filed the complaint is my girlfriend's sister.
When I initially filed my complaint the USPA asked me to please involve her. I refused, as she had a good time on her skydive and the reputation of the sport is more important to me than my need to get this guy away from future students.
The DZ contacted my girlfriend's sister (I assume because they thought she had filed the initial complaint). She had no idea that anything untoward had happened until that phone call.
After she hung up, she contacted her sister, who told her the whole situation. At that point she reviewed her video, saw the inappropriate groping and was not happy. Neither were her father and husband. She filed her own complaint and yes, I've been in the loop since then.

[billvon 2,400]

>On another occasion he grabbed a staff members mamba 109 (or 119) off of the
>rack (he normally jumps a 200+sqft canopy) without permission and damn near
>killed himself with it.

You think that's bad? Another instructor once grabbed my rig off the rack, jumped with it, biffed the landing - and never even noticed it wasn't his canopy. (He had a 170, I had a 135, totally different color.)

[billvon 2,400]

>My view of the grabbing is that it is more of a bad habit than any sort of sexual gratification.

Probably pretty likely. It reminds me of the TM's who have grabbed the student during opening because they were afraid they were going to "fall out" or something. Needless to say it doesn't work and it reveals some larger problems with the TM if he does it regularly.

[theforkguy 0]

Downsizing from a 170 to a 135 is bad, but not nearly as bad as going from a 200+ square canopy to a 119 elliptical. Both bad.

Grabbing the student may be a bad habit. When the manager addressed it (but never followed up) his exact words were "Yeah, I'd like to see that lawsuit happen." When I addressed it 1 to 1 with him, he agreed.
The issue isn't that he did it. The issue is that he did it, was told more than once to stop it and kept doing what he was doing. His mentality is that he can do no wrong, damn the procedures.
What was it that we learned in the Strong rating course? Every tandem incident in tandem history has been the result of human error.
Again, show of hands. Who would let him jump their daughter, sister, wife or mother?

[chuckakers 370]

You wanted opinions so here's one for ya.

I think you're a disgruntled former staffer with a D-cup sized chip on your shoulder that can't stand not winning a fight over silly shit.

I think nearly any TI could be made to look bad from some carefully selected vid caps of less then perfect drogue tosses.

I think your behavior here - and likely everywhere - will make it harder or maybe impossible for you to get another job at any reputable DZ for fear that you will stir up shit, especially in light of your very public way of doing it.

I think if there were truly safety issues with the TI in question there would be at least a few other people voicing concerns and/or backing you up.

Let's face it Mr. "I didn't fill out my profile because I mainly lurk" - worst excuse ever BTW - if Johnny Mammergrabber really wanted to get his jollies he could just restrict his handy hijinks to jumps without video.

If you have valid safety issues pass them along to HQ and STFU. You're making yourself look like an ass - or maybe just proving it.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[billvon 2,400]

> Who would let him jump their daughter, sister, wife or mother?

I'd let my wife jump with him because she can take care of herself. For a non-skydiver family member I probably wouldn't let them jump with this guy OR you - just because I don't know either one of you, and there are TM's out there who are closer and who I know would do a good job.

[theforkguy 0]

Yeah, I probably should have just not said anything and waited for the incident report.
Sorry, the news report, since this DZ doesn't file incident reports.

[riggerrob 558]

I don't understand his right hand position. It would make far more sense to keep both arms wide for stability during opening.