Reckless TM

[theforkguy 0]

Quote

Why don't you also now tell everyone here Allen - What the USPA and Strong Enterprises found, when they tried to confirm the ORIGINAL complaint(s) filed with them -in the name/persona of the female tandem passenger - ...who rather instead - it was all actually "authored" by, Allen?

Here is a word-for-word copy of my original complaint filed to the USPA:
"Hi there,
I'm a videographer and have witnessed one of 'our' tandem masters basically molesting his female students. The DZ manager has instructed the TM to stop it, but he thinks he's bulletproof due to the waiver.
What is the correct course of action to take in this situation to protect my DZ and tandem skydiving in general?"

And the original complaint sent to Strong:
"Over the past two summer seasons I have done several videos of (Name of TM), Tandem master at Skydive Delmarva in Laurel, DE.
In that time I have watched him be reckless and irresponsible. Everything from seat belting his students to the lowers (while the lowers are merely hooked to their keeper on the back of the student harness), freefly a tandem, leaving his students leg straps loose until just before boarding the plane, get onto the plane to do a tandem while intoxicated and I have watched him inappropriately fondle over 80% of his female students.
The manager of the DZ, was aware of the fondling and had spoken with (Name of TM) towards the beginning of the season. However, there was no follow-up and (Name of TM) continued to grope his students.
I notified the USPA about this TM and have been 'let go' from my position at Delmarva as a result. As far as I know (Name of TM) will be allowed to continue jeopardizing his students and the sport itself."

As you can see, there is no indication that I tried to pass myself off as the female student, who sent a signed and certified letter to the DZO. And yes, her signature on that letter matches her signature on her initial waiver.
It was assumed by the DZ management that I had filed that initial complaint as if I were the student. Since my e-mails were confidential, they had no way of knowing how the initial complaints were worded and their assumptions led them to contact the student, who was unaware of any complaints at that time. As I stated before in this thread, it was the DZ manager who contacted her initially, presumably to try and call my bluff.
When the USPA and Strong asked me to please have my GF's sister come forward with a complaint, I refused. She had no idea that she had been handled in this way until the phone call she received from the DZ. I did not wish for her to have bad memories of her jump, even if it would strengthen my case against the TM.
Once the DZ informed her that something had gone awry, she got involved.

[JohnnyMarko 1]

GINGERS DO HAVE SOULS

[normiss 622]

Were you doing the vidiot slot as a full-time job or just weekends?

[theforkguy 0]

Full time.

A couple of responses to some of the other comments:
If I was so terrible at my job, why didn't I ever have to refund a customer? Not once. Some of the other 'vidiots' did, repeatedly.
Okay, full disclosure. One time I dozed off watching Netflix while on a long cloud hold and I missed the announcement. While on the plane the AFF student I was supposed to be with asked "Well, who is going to shoot the video?" She got a refund.
Also, I had an AFF student call and complain that I didn't open at the same time as them and fly around with them to get footage of their canopy ride. I am sure that you know why it was/is standard practice to not pull in the students face. No refund.

Those who requested other pictures of the drogue throws: One of you stated that anyone can get a frame capture of what looks like a bad drogue throw. For you I will spend part of my day tomorrow putting together a highlight reel so you can watch the unstable drogue throws and resulting 'twang.'

[mjosparky 3]

theforkguy

Quote

Why don't you also now tell everyone here Allen - What the USPA and Strong Enterprises found, when they tried to confirm the ORIGINAL complaint(s) filed with them -in the name/persona of the female tandem passenger - ...who rather instead - it was all actually "authored" by, Allen?

Not only is that not true, but the video I posted here is not my girlfriend's sister. Claudia jumped in 2012, my GF's sister in 2013.

I do not know what you are saying about who authored what. I had long conversations with both Strong and the USPA under my own name before my Gf's sister got involved (after the DZ manager informed her of the grab, not me.)
You say that my evidence is convoluted, where's yours?

You say this happened in 2012 and 2013. Then you had a long conversation with Ted Strong.
Ted Strong died in Oct. 2011.

Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[DougH 270]

Did he say Ted Strong? Because the quotes you posted say Strong only, which is how many Strong Enterprise tandem instructors refer to the legal entity as, Strong.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[theforkguy 0]

Yeah, not Ted Strong. Strong Enterprises. Thanks.
Also, not Bill USPA. I meant THE UPSA.

[normiss 622]

You should realize at some point that all the effort you are putting into your vendetta, should be spent on finding a new happy place.
You're clearly having diminishing affects to that endeavor the more effort you expend this way.

Good luck...I think you're going to need it more than the TI you hate.
Did he bang your girlfriend's sister or something?

[theforkguy 0]

I wouldn't care if he had. Though I would have lost a lot of faith in her sister's ability to make decent decisions.

[theforkguy 0]

For the record, I developed my dislike for this guy a long time ago. From time to time I thought I'd be able to get through to him on a personal level (and once I thought I had) but the time came where I just had to take the issue to a higher authority before someone got hurt or (at the very least) we got sued and had to shut down.

[normiss 622]

At what point will you ever realize that maybe you're wrong?

Given those that have disagreed with you....yet here you are...still attacking, bashing, and reporting.

How's the state and national authorities responding?

[theforkguy 0]

One step at a time...

[billvon 2,400]

>At what point will you ever realize that maybe you're wrong?

While he is going about this the wrong way, I am glad that there are people who are willing to speak up about what they perceive to be safety issues - even if they are attacked and belittled by people who don't want to hear about them. No one is helped by "keeping your damn piehole shut" when you see something you think is unsafe.

[normiss 622]

Fully agreed. But how many "over exaggerated" responses does it take to understand you're wrong?

If they would just fix the sewer lines would he then stop?

[peek 20]

billvon

While he is going about this the wrong way, I am glad that there are people who are willing to speak up about what they perceive to be safety issues - even if they are attacked and belittled by people who don't want to hear about them. No one is helped by "keeping your damn piehole shut" when you see something you think is unsafe.

I'm glad you mentioned that. I would like to point out [to everyone] that most complaintants, when they have weak accusations or evidence, quit posting here rather quickly. The fact that "theforkguy" continues to explain as much as he can to us tells me that he is serious, and perhaps has legitimate complaints, (whether they have been presented well or not).

Personally, I am going to continue to read, and to try to not place judgement. I encourage him to continue explaining, (and also to try to "clean up" or modify some of his early descriptions of his complaints.)

Modifying his descriptions of what happened will of course be considered as "changing his story" to many, but that's the way it goes. Again, I'm listening.

[chuckakers 370]

billvon

>At what point will you ever realize that maybe you're wrong?

While he is going about this the wrong way, I am glad that there are people who are willing to speak up about what they perceive to be safety issues - even if they are attacked and belittled by people who don't want to hear about them. No one is helped by "keeping your damn piehole shut" when you see something you think is unsafe.

Bill, I agree with you in spirit. I'm a no-bullshit guy like you are and I appreciate folks who call out stupid shit.

However so far this guy hasn't shown me any evidence that the TI in question is dangerous. He's claimed a lot of things but the only evidence he has presented are some vid caps that - as I mentioned earlier - could be a select few drogue pitches with less than perfect form. I don't know a single TI that hasn't done that at least a few times. Beyond that he showed us video of the guy screwing around doing a quasi stand-up with the drogue out (which I don't personally think is some kind of sport death) and supposed breast gropes...with a closed fist, no less.

As you know, I managed DZ's and ran my own for several years. I have seen this before - many times, in fact. This sport is loaded with big egos and when they get stepped on things get rough. This appears to me to be a case of a guy who had issues with the TI, some possibly valid, and decided he was going to make it his mission to force the guy out of the operation. He complained to the DZO who apparently didn't see enough evidence to take action and got the same result with USPA and Strong. I have trouble believing this guy is right and everyone around him is wrong.

His relentless defense of his position clarifies a lot for me. IMO, it's just like the situation in general. He has made up his mind that he is righteous in his view and no amount of opinions, objective and disconnected to the issue in the case of this thread, is going to change that. Most guys like him eventually fade away and go on to pull the same crap in a different arena.

I might shift my opinion somewhat if he produces the video showing repeated unsafe performance on the part of the TI as he promised in a previous post. He'll have to show me a whole lot more evidence that the TI is unsafe and if he could do that I wonder why he couldn't show the folks at Strong and USPA the same thing.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[chuckakers 370]

peek

***While he is going about this the wrong way, I am glad that there are people who are willing to speak up about what they perceive to be safety issues - even if they are attacked and belittled by people who don't want to hear about them. No one is helped by "keeping your damn piehole shut" when you see something you think is unsafe.

I'm glad you mentioned that. I would like to point out [to everyone] that most complaintants, when they have weak accusations or evidence, quit posting here rather quickly. The fact that "theforkguy" continues to explain as much as he can to us tells me that he is serious, and perhaps has legitimate complaints, (whether they have been presented well or not).

Personally, I am going to continue to read, and to try to not place judgement. I encourage him to continue explaining, (and also to try to "clean up" or modify some of his early descriptions of his complaints.)

Modifying his descriptions of what happened will of course be considered as "changing his story" to many, but that's the way it goes. Again, I'm listening.

This guy's relentless pursuit is in no way evidence of the validity of his accusations. That's the same as repeating a lie often and long enough that it becomes the truth - which of course it does not. It's completely possible that he simply won't take no for an answer, just as he has done after communicating with every authoritative entity in the loop on this.

I too want to hear more. Maybe he's right. However we know so far the DZO, Strong, USPA, and most here who have heard his so-called evidence disagree. That should be a pretty good indicator.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[chuckakers 370]

theforkguy

Those who requested other pictures of the drogue throws: One of you stated that anyone can get a frame capture of what looks like a bad drogue throw. For you I will spend part of my day tomorrow putting together a highlight reel so you can watch the unstable drogue throws and resulting 'twang.'

That was me. Yes, videos please.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[Quagmirian 40]

chuckakers

...His relentless defense of his position clarifies a lot for me...

And if he backs down he's equally guilty I suppose. Heh heh. Let's all piss on the sacked vidiot, there must be something wrong with him or he wouldn't have been fired!

[chuckakers 370]

Quagmirian

***...His relentless defense of his position clarifies a lot for me...

And if he backs down he's equally guilty I suppose. Heh heh. Let's all piss on the sacked vidiot, there must be something wrong with him or he wouldn't have been fired!

You omitted the vast majority of my points in your reply.

What do you think about his expressing the same argument (and presumably presenting the same evidence) to the DZO, the rig manufacturer, and especially USPA with all three turning his complaint away as unfounded?

All three of those entities have a vested interest in halting any unsafe practices yet all declined to take action. Says a lot doesn't it?

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[mjosparky 3]

Quagmirian

***...His relentless defense of his position clarifies a lot for me...

And if he backs down he's equally guilty I suppose. Heh heh. Let's all piss on the sacked vidiot, there must be something wrong with him or he wouldn't have been fired!

He doesn’t have to back down, just produce evidence besides his word. That’s the way it’s done in this country. If this TI is a bad as he says I find it hard to believe the DZO would just let it slide.

If all he is concerned about is safety why would he lodge a complaint about the outdoor showers?

There’s more to this than is being admitted to.

Sparky

“Don’t ever doubt my ability to find shit out.” unknown

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[Di0 1]

theforkguy

Also, this is the kind of stuff he'd been posting to his twitter account. Both the USPA and Strong have seen it.
What does a TM have to do to get drug tested? Do they have to break someone first?
(See attached photo)

Seriously? 3 years old tweets? I won't take any part since I don't know you, I don't know him and even more so, I don't know the facts, but honestly: 3 years old tweets, including his first tweet ever, and one complaining that nobody follows him on twitter, really don't prove somebody's behavior. If you go on my FB over the year, you'll find all sort of stupid stuff posted and drunk bragging, most of it is just that, it might suggest that the guy is a bit douchy and maybe an attention whore, ok, I'll give you that, but from here to build a case about somebody behaviors based on a couple of old tweets, of which one is pretty much a "let's see what happens when I post" kind of tweet, c'mon.

As for the pictures, I'm no TI, I'm not even a good or expert skydiver, so I honestly won't say anything, but that is my 2c about social networks stereotypes and bragging and forcing themselves to look cool and act like rebels, something I will admit I have done. It really doesn't prove anything, it doesn't disprove it either, but let's say I am not surprised that people would not act based solely on a few ancient tweet dug out from the bowels of internet (and, frankly, I am happy for that).

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[megamalfunction 1]

Greatest dz.com post of all time! Yeeeeeeehaw

[crapflinger2000 1]

I am out of the sport for a few years now and am posting cuz its either this or do work, and I don't want to do work at the moment.

I never had a tandem rating, but flew a crap-ton of tandem video and was THE rigger for the DZ I worked at for most of my professional skydiving career (so I always had a eye on how "my rigs" were being used/treated by the TMs).

Main point, IMO nothing you have posted in terms of photos or videos points to a dangerous or pervert TM.

We had some (usually weekend warrior fill-in type) TMs who DID clearly grope tandems from time to time. When it happens it is obvious. While the hand placement is odd, doesn't seem "gropey" to me.

Also saw my fair share of "throw yourself stable" guys as well... your pics don't demonstrate any of that. Show us some pics of the bridle actually touching some part of the tandem pair... or the relative wind blowing the drogue back past them because the TM tossed it while back to the relative wind on exit...

My personal opinion of the TM based only on what has been presented in this thread (mainly the twitter stuff and the legs down position in the video)... he's an immature twit with a dash of "I want the video to be about ME ME ME" but that's about all I can infer. On that basis I'd not want anyone I cared about to do a tandem with him, but the overall picture you are painting of the guy just isn't supported by the evidence you present.

I don't know, never flew with the guy, you have, he could be a total spud, but it just does not leap out at me that he's about to leave a 2 person sized crater somewhere.

__________________________________________________
What would Vic Mackey do?

[theforkguy 0]

Quote

He doesn’t have to back down, just produce evidence besides his word. That’s the way it’s done in this country. If this TI is a bad as he says I find it hard to believe the DZO would just let it slide.

First, the DZO doesn't come around often enough to really know what is going on. He relies on the words of the manager, and it is in the manager's best interest to show evidence that nothing is wrong and everything is being managed just fine.
Second, the attached picture is the DZ manager. Is safety at the top of his agenda? Is he aware that canopies/lines conduct electricity and does he know that the cable is not 'hot'?
Third, what is your honest opinion of the jumper I mentioned earlier who had most of the staff and a lot of the funjumpers 'filing' complainting about him to the manager? No/misrouted chest strap three times (that I caught), goggles on upside-down (not a safety risk but if he didn't notice that his flexvision goggles were on upside-down...), obscured reserve/cutaway handles, grabbing a staff rig instead of a rental rig (adding up to a unplanned downsize of at least 80 square feet and platform switch), sweeping S-turns on final plus taking off his seatbelt 200 feet after takeoff (which I failed to mention earlier) and no reaction from the management, ending in the accident that eventually had him barred from the DZ and another jumpers being airlifted and hospitalized. What would you have done in that situation and how much faith would you have had in the management of your DZ after that?
Fourth, I'll go work on the video that I promised.
Fifth, I love(d) the outside showers. There's no roof and on sunny mornings you can see rainbows in the atomized water droplets that bounce off of your shoulders while getting ready for a grueling day of trying to make the customers happy.
-------------
I'll be back with the video.