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quade

Random wacky-assed skydive press clips

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Here's one from a first jump tandem college student that must not have learned much about the physics involved because she -still- thinks the parachute pulls us back up in the air on deployment. BTW, the DZ in the article doesn't seem to be doing much to improve the typical skydiver stereotype either! In the article, the reporter makes it sound like the airplane and DZ out of Fandango.

Oh yeah, one more thing -- anybody know what a "AAA Safety Rating" is or where to get one? I'm thinking the Auto Club? ;)

http://www.orion-online.net/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/10/23/3db5edfe095bc

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Jumping our of a plane... on purpose
Reporter Mary R. St. John takes the plunge, skydiving in Paradise with an instructor and a chute strapped to her back
Mary R. St.John
Staff Writer
October 23, 2002

It's better than sex. First, there was a nervous flutter in my stomach. Then an anxious excitement crept through my body; perma-grin took over. Then it was time to take the leap. Timid, terrified and then soaring. I was in Paradise - skydiving.
Deciding to jump out of a plane 9,000 feet in the air was a decision I made without telling my mom. But, when I pulled up to Skydive in Paradise Wednesday, I wondered if mom's advice about not jumping just because everyone else does was worth listening to. Torn couches cluttered the front of what looked like a deserted home. Inside the little green house was a jungle of dogs, lockers cluttered with stickers and piles of paperwork. There to greet me was a man with fresh scratches on his forehead.

"I took a tumble yesterday," he said in a loud matter-of-fact voice as I began to explore the office.

Looking closer, I saw walls plastered with pictures of people flying, equipment stacked and ready, and a man who has spent his life loving what he does.

James Schlernitzauer started jumping out of planes 19 years ago while in the Army. It was the thrill of flying that made him the owner of Skydive in Paradise, the only skydiving school north of Sacramento. Schlernitzauer met his wife when he took her on her first dive, and she now films for the company. She came to jump with us on her lunch break, breezing in with her blonde hair and a quick smile that made me forget I was about to step out of a plane and fall.

A sport that kills 30 people a year in the United States, skydiving is all about safety. Skydive in Paradise is the only school in Northern California with a AAA Safety Rating and is also a part of the United States Parachute Association.

Schlernitzauer ushered me into a room labeled "skydiving classroom." Sitting in a lawn chair, I watched as a man with a scraggly beard down to his waist explained the risk of diving out of planes.

With a black pen I promised to die quietly and signed a contract stating I would not take any legal action against anyone if anything went wrong.

As I squeezed into a bright-blue jumpsuit and Schlernitzauer strapped on my harness, I began to ask a flood of questions. The doubts began to fade as the excitement built.

Fifteen percent of Schlernitzauer's customers are college students, but he's jumped with people 18 to 88 years old. He's jumped with people who are deaf, blind and even paraplegic. Tandem jumping, jumping with an expert parachuter attached by a harness, is how first-time jumpers begin.

Schlernitzauer has jumped more than 8,000 times - I was No. 8,357.

Pilot Kevin Pregler, who said he is happy he gets paid to fly and not jump, steered the plane that had its insides strapped together with duct tape. Its sturdy wings took me into the blue sky within minutes.

The door of the plane was whipped back by the wind and the rush of the air shook the plane with noise. It was time to take the giant step out of the plane onto a thin metal step. I looked down - it was terrifying, and my heart began to pump with energy.

It was like I had been cruising to the music of "Top Gun" and somebody changed the channel to "Con Air."

With an ocean of air below me, and a stocky adrenaline junky strapped to my back, there was no better time to test out my wings. With one quick movement, we jumped. I was falling at 120 miles per hour toward the speckles of trees below.

Floating on the rush of air while falling pumped adrenaline through my blood and took words out of my mouth. So, I let out a steady scream. Forty seconds later my tandem partner pulled the 'chute. As the red and white parachute filled with air, it shot us toward the blue sky, jostling my body like it was rubber.

Four minutes of drifting toward the Earth's surface gave me time to absorb the scenery. The Paradise valley is framed with the canyons of Sutter Buttes, the green tint of Lake Oroville and the powder-dusted Mount Shasta on the horizon. The landing came too soon and after jumping around in excitement for a while, I was faced with an immediate desire to do it again. It's addicting.

Chico State senior Deidre Slagle dove for the first time in Paradise last September and plans to jump again.

"I don't think there's anything else in your life that will give you as much of a rush," Slagle said.

My day ended with hugs and high-fives. With the same signature I'd signed my life away hours earlier, I signed Schlernitzauer's book that all his jumpers sign. I had officially become one of the five million people each year who dare to dance with gravity.

"Some people get starry eyed. It's like a drug. You can spot the people who will do it again," pilot Pregler said as he flashed a smile my way.

Mary R. St. John can be reached at [email protected]


quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Skydive in Paradise is the only school in Northern California with a AAA Safety Rating and is also a part of the United States Parachute Association



AAA??? hell thats nothing ...OUr DZ has a AAAAA+++ rating!! I'd like to see anyone beat that!!:SB|

jason
Freedom of speech includes volume

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It's better than sex.



I laugh when people say that. Skydiving is cool, but if it's better than sex then someone's not holding up their end of the bargin. ;)

-
Jim
"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

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My day ended with hugs and high-fives. With the same signature I'd signed my life away hours earlier, I signed Schlernitzauer's book that all his jumpers sign. I had officially become one of the five million people each year who dare to dance with gravity.



Ugggh, flashbacks to working with college reporters.

One of which I used to be. :$
Skydiving is for cool people only

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the DZ in the
article doesn't seem to be doing much to improve the typical skydiver stereo-type either!



Quade,

Could you elaborate on this a little more. I've been to drop zones that come close to fitting the description the author gave (shack, lockers, duct tape plane, etc...) but in no way did I feel they were contributing to the "typical skydiver stereo-type'. Rather, the people at the DZ were all there to have fun and share in something special. Perhaps they don't have the resources of some of the larger DZs but I don't understand how they (this case) would contribute to a stereo-type that we're all "crazy nutzos or something". (present company excluded, of course;), you all are freaks)

Thanks.:)
J
YSD#0009

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OK, fess up. Who was spotting?

Also, if somebody knows Mayor Thea Unhoch of Newton, tell her she's a bitch for me will ya?

http://www.njherald.com/news/newspro/viewnews.cgi?newsid1035293699,30115,

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Wayward parachutists concern Newton

Posted Tuesday, October 22, 2002 by Webmaster

By KATE BREX
Herald Staff Writer

Five parachutists from Sky’s the Limit Skydiving School blew over Newton, causing worry and concern, police said Monday.

Residents of the Merriam Avenue section of Newton were alarmed when they witnessed five off-course parachutists float over their neighborhood at roughly 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Sean Creedon of Denville, David Smith of Florida, Carolyn Wertley of Jersey City, Brian Smith of Flanders and Jennifer Kirsh of Jerico, N.Y. told police that the off-course skydive was due to a high wind that pushed them into Newton.

According to police, three sets of parachutists, two tandem and one single jumper landed safely in Newton. One single jumper landed near the St. Paul’s Abbey section of Andover Township.

“This is not the first time that parachutists have landed within the town of Newton,” said the police report. “In January of this year, Richard DeMarco of Leonia, was blown off course and was injured when he landed on rocks in a wooded area behind a residence located on Jersey Place.” DeMarco was seriously hurt in the incident.

Jumpers who miss their intended targets have been a source of contention between those who live near the Newton Airport and The Sky’s The Limit skydiving center, which operates there. Andover Township has attempted unsuccessfully on several occasions, both legally through the courts and through written contact with state regulatory agencies, to shut the skydiving center down. Sky’s the Limit is owned and operated by Jeffrey Root and located at Jump Airport on Stickles Pond Road in Andover Township.

Mayor Thea Unhoch was shocked and dismayed at what she called extraordinarily irresponsible behavior by thrill-seekers. “The impact of a parachutist’s accident could seriously injure a child or anyone else,” said Unhoch angrily. “These skydivers came down very near the Merriam Avenue School. They have no regard for others and are just thinking of themselves and their own self-gratification.”

Roughly a year ago, the Newton Town Council discussed the issue of sky jumpers, she said. Township Manager Camille Furgiuele said Monday a resolution was passed by the council supporting Andover Township’s position objecting to the skydiving school. Furgiuele is concerned that these numerous incidents will stress the already overburdened town resources such as the police, fire department and ambulance squad. “This is not fair to our police, fire and first aid squads,” she said. “This is caused by human beings and is controllable. It has become cumbersome and the skydiving center is not being run in a responsible manner.”

Furgiuele said she has received many complaints from Newton residents about low-flying planes and off-course jumpers and intends to bring the matter up with the Town Council and the police department.
Numerous parachuting accidents have occurred within the last two years, said Newton Police.

In May, June, August and October of this year, the police received countless reports of parachutists falling from the sky without parachutes opening. Further police investigation indicated that the parachutists primary chutes did not deploy and the jumpers had opened secondary chutes. Police said parachutists have landed on the baseball field at Merriam Avenue School and the football field at Newton High School.

Attempts to reach Root were unsuccessful.


quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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Coho --

That's why they call it a stereotype.

There -are- DZs out there that do NOT fit the stereo-type. I've been to at least a couple of DZs where the planes and hanger were so clean you could have eaten off the floor and put the planes back in commuter service.
quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

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“This is not fair to our police, fire and first aid squads,” she said.
"the police received countless reports of parachutists falling from the sky without parachutes opening. Further police investigation indicated that the parachutists primary chutes did not deploy and the jumpers had opened secondary chutes."




ROTFL, well maybe if the townfolk didn't freak out and took the time to learn a little about the sport they wouldn't have this problem.;)
J
YSD#0009

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ROTFL, well maybe if the townfolk didn't freak out and took the time to learn a little about the sport they wouldn't have this problem.



On the other hand, maybe if the DZ invested some time and money in educating the townspeople they wouldn't have this problem.

CrossKeys works the fire department, ambulance squad, and police throughout the year. I'm positive that this is 99% of the reason we get along so well with the emergency service providers in Williamstown, it's important, it really is.

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Jim
"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

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...steered the plane that had its insides strapped together with duct tape.



Our C-182 is 46 years old. It has some thin carpet glued on for an 'interior'. Duct tape? I wish. The engine is fresh - who cares about the bloody interior...

Well, I guess I did. One day I said 'enough already' to the shoddy service HutchAir was providing on my round trip flights from Gimli to Fraserwood (no seats, inflight entertainment, beverage cart, or pretty stewardesses) so I just got out mid flight. I think maybe others have done this before, too . :D

...OK so the physics were a bit off it sure sounded genuine to me (Hey c'mon the DZ in Dropzone was no hell either B|B|)


Life is very short and there's no time for fussing and fighting my friend (Lennon/McCartney)

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ROTFL, well maybe if the townfolk didn't freak out and took the time to learn a little about the sport they wouldn't have this problem.



On the other hand, maybe if the DZ invested some time and money in educating the townspeople they wouldn't have this problem.
-
Jim


Or if the old grandmas would stop calling police every time they see someone under canopy , they wouldnt have this problem... B|

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But the question is which one would you give up for which?

Would you give up jumping for sex?
Would you give up sex for jumping?

Me, personally I'd give up either one, temporarily, in order to get the one I haven't had in longer. B|

witty subliminal message
Guard your honor, let your reputation fall where it will, and outlast the bastards.
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