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chutem

Are you "This Guy" at the DZ?

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Great post.

I am trying to be...one of these days maybe someone will actually think so.



Me too. I lack the skills to be a skygod anyway, so I might as well help the newbies have some fun.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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This may need to be in the "THAT GUY" thread but....

I'm not "THIS GUY" all the time, some of the time I called "Mr. M.F."

You know the "Mr. M.F." at the dz. He or she is the one that says nicely but firmly "No you can't be on this jump"

Be fair think about it, if you've been jumping awhile you've probably thanked "Mr. M.F." for keeping some jumpers off the jump. (not out load but to yourself) Nobody wants to do it, but sometime it has be done for a quality skydive.

So here's to all the "M.F.'ers" out there that from time to time tell some people "nope" Most of the time they don't like it and if you look close you'll catch them jumping with low timers at other times.

But really that was a real nice post :P
Kevin Keenan is my hero, a double FUP, he does so much with so little

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Nobody wants to do it, but sometime it has be done for a quality skydive.



Sometimes it has to be done for a safer skydive, too. I have seen some newer jumpers in over their head because what started out as a two- or three-way has grown to a five- or six- or ten-way, and no one's willing to tell the newer person "hey, maybe this isn't the right jump for you any more" or to split the group back into smaller jumps. The newbie either doesn't know better or thinks "well, if no one's saying anything it must be okay" or "I'm sure I can handle it."

It can be a tough conversation to have, but I've seen some people have it quite gracefully.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

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Sometimes it has to be done for a safer skydive, too. I have seen some newer jumpers in over their head because what started out as a two- or three-way has grown to a five- or six- or ten-way, and no one's willing to tell the newer person "hey, maybe this isn't the right jump for you any more" or to split the group back into smaller jumps. The newbie either doesn't know better or thinks "well, if no one's saying anything it must be okay" or "I'm sure I can handle it."



That is a GREAT point...

-
Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

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I couldn't agree more. It was greatly due to K-Bob's enthusiasm in my AFF first-jump course that convinced me to come back for the second jump, and I'm not surprised that he was the one to talk me into signing up for the coach rating course next week. And yeah, I think he was more excited than I was when I nailed my A license check dive with him! It's been awesome to have that kind of positive encouragement and inspiration through my learning thus far.

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I had inspiring coaches that were so much fun to jump with on the way to getting my "A". I can still remember how K-Bob's face lit up when we nailed a jump, because I had a grin on my face and was hopping up and down like a school kid. I got my coach rating so I could enjoy/relive through my "students" the feeling I felt after having that type of successful dive. Heck, I learn something new every time I jump with a "student".

Thanks for a wonderful post.

I need to buy K-Bob a beer when I see him this weekend.

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Me too. I lack the skills to be a skygod anyway, so I might as well help the newbies have some fun.


***

In 'your' eyes maybe...in a nOOb's eyes you ARE a skygodess!:)
And anyway, what 'skills' are we talking about...as was mentioned earlier, EVERYONE has something to teach.

If every now and then, people would seek out a low timer that could use a little help in some area that you know you're proficient in, you 'both' get to have some fun!

...like 'popsjumper' I'm an old guy! [:/]

Personally I got burned out on the competition part of skydiving a long time ago...I would rather just look around at the smiling F.F. Faces than stress over not getting that last point on the 20 way.

Call me boring, but I kinda liked being a docking target for so many people getting their SCR / SCS awards during skyfest...THAT'S what skydiving is about for me.:)










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

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I know a "this guy", and he makes skydiving worth it, seriously, somebody i aspire to be.
(Ed)now i think about it i've only really heard stories of malfunctions and idiots.:|
the story of "this guy" should be told more often

Great thread chutem:)

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First let me say that "this guy" you all talk about, is seldom seen these days in the sport, yes their still out there, but just not as many as in the past. IMHO.

I replyed to NWflyer, because she brings up a great point.
At this years Richmond boogie, I had a student who came up through the program and was ready for the coach jumps.
After I JM'ed his low solo, I told him to he needed to look up one of the low timer LO's and get on a skill building 2 or 3 way MAX!, And to go have some fun,
I sent him on his way to the manifest tent where the lowtimer LO's were, and off he went.

Now the only reason I didn't take him up myself, is because I was on a dive already foe someones 500th jump flying video & stills.

So we dirt dive and head out to the loading/manifest
tent about 20 minutes later (after talking to student)
when we get to the tent and are dirt diving the last time, I look over and see "the student" in a dirt dive
with 8 others and their dirt diving multi points.

About the same time the S&TA of the dz sees it too, and came over to ask me about him. (student)
Well I had to walk over to the group and tell them, sorry but this guy has no business being on a 9 way mulit point dive and in no way was I going to let this guy go with them on the dive.
However if someone was an "I" and wanted to take him on a 2 or 3 way that ways fine, but 9 way multi point dive, NO WAY!

Well everyone on the dive was cool, and I think glad to have someone step up to the plate and tell them how it was. While the new guy on the other hand, was, well let just say " I rained on his parade".
He wasn't a dick about it ,but not happy as well.

If anyone here knows "naked larry" he can tell you it happened, he was LO'ing the dive.
No one wants to be the dickhead, but sometimes you have to put your foot down and look out for others around you, who may not know or don't know any better.

I hated to have to walk up and tell 9 skydivers the dive they worked out is out of the question and not going to happen as planed.
But sometimes doing the right thing is hard to do, but it must be done.
No one gave me any shit for it, the up jumpers thanked me and understood, in the end it all worked out, the "student" made a simple two way and the rest of them did their thing, just two less then before.

"That guy" today is still around in the sport, but you have to look a little harded to find them today.
Too many of todays jumpers are all about them selfs and what they want to do and don't have the time to spend taking the time to work with the young ones, unless you have a rating then that is all you do for the most part. (read busy)

I see a lot of people get their "A" and then do solo after solo, because no one will jump with them, or two or three of them get together and try something with out knowing what their really doing.

So people if we want to grow this sport and keep people jumping more of us need to step up and be
"THAT GUY"!

Because "that guy" can't do it by him self, it takes a village to raise an idiot, and "that guy" may be getting tired of carring the load, so step up to the plate and take a turn a bat folks, it takes everyone to make this sport grow and remain as safe/fun as it can be.

stay safe out there.
you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

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Im not sure what the past was in skydiving. And it would surprise me if "This guy" existed more so then , than it does now.

I have met "this guy" at every DZ I have been to. "This guy" has always been more so then "that guy" since I have only met two "that guys" yet almost every thing Ive learned and every jump ive been on has been because of either "this guy" or his advice.

Ive also met many "this guy" on here, who I may never jump with, but I learn from. "that guy" is talked about more often then "this guy" but it does not mean that he is all thats around anymore.
Sudsy Fist: i don't think i'd ever say this
Sudsy Fist: but you're looking damn sudsydoable in this

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Sparky,
I wish like all hell you were still jumping, still jumping out of the King, and jumping at my DZ.
I learn a lot from your posts, and have heard so much about you from one guy in particular...I'd probably be a much better skydiver in a much shorter time.
Patience isn't my strong suit.

On the other side...As much as I'd like to be This Guy in the air, I'm not qualified, IMO. I'm hoping that I'm This Guy on the ground, helping with packing training, teaching exits, helping newbies meet experienced, and generally doing what I can around the DZ when needed. But I think all smaller DZ's probably have quite a few of This Guy.

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I didn't say he wasn't around, just laying low these days. Also I seen have more of the wannabee "this guy" crawl out from under a rock as soon a pretty face sets foot on a DZ, becareful and don't be fool by a wannabee "this guy" who is really "that guy" and only trying to get in your shorts.
you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

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From your profile I have no way of telling what your experience level is. But I can tell from your avatar that you were not around when almost every jumper with the time and the numbers spent time being “This Guy”. It was what they learned from the “This Guys” that taught them.

Some of my mentors, the cool in word used today, were National and a World Champions. But they still took the time to help some dip shit who was having trouble figuring it all out. The newer generation of jumpers seems to be all about “what’s in it for me”.

Like SS said if you were an ugly guy with 2 days growth of beard and a plug in your lip you wouldn’t get the time of day on a new DZ. Its sad but true.
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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I wish like all hell you were still jumping, still jumping out of the King, and jumping at my DZ.



Thank you. That does put a smile on my face. Keep looking over your shoulder, you never know when I might get the urge to jump out of a damn good King Air.

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and have heard so much about you from one guy in particular



This “one guy in particular” wouldn't some Bozo that used to live in Nevada would it?:)
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

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I see a lot of people get their "A" and then do solo after solo, because no one will jump with them...



I did this and felt I had to. There are only around 30-40 up-jumpers at my DZ and it gets really old asking over and over again and getting turned down. Not to mention, discouraging. Although I have gotten some help twice now, I am not holding my hopes really high yet. I could still see leaving the sport because of boredom. I am sure I am not the only person who has ever felt this way.

David

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Great post.

I am trying to be...one of these days maybe someone will actually think so.



Andy... you and several others are the people I was referring to in my other post, above... you're definitely one of the "This Guy (or Gal)" club!
Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

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