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howardwhite

PIA Symposium 2011

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Information about and registration for the 2011 PIA Symposium and Expo is now online here.

The event will be held at the Silver Legacy in Reno, NV. Among the floor events -- a "Riggers' Rodeo," where riggers will compete for the fastest pack job.;)

The newly-elected USPA Board will have its first meeting, and there will be a DZO conference.

HW (wearing PIA hat)

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Bump... reminder that the early (save $100 on full registration) registration window is scheduled to end on Monday. I just registered today (the problem with online registration has been fixed).

BTW, I very much appreciated the e-mail receipt from the "PARACHUTE INDUSTRY ASS." :D:D:D

"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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I was think about going to this but the website doesn't have a lot of details. Before I spend a few hundred bucks I'd like to know what type of seminars are going on or other things that will be of interest to me. Also I'm confused as to what the difference between full registration is and just a cheap floor pass. Any info would be helpful.
thanks.

Also http://www.pia.com/2011/info.htm says that the discount enrollment goes until the 15th.

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Also http://www.pia.com/2011/info.htm says that the discount enrollment goes until the 15th.



Ah, cool, looks like they just extended it (probably because of the problems they were having).

This will be my :D PIA, so I'll defer to those who've been before to talk about what to expect.
"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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I was think about going to this but the website doesn't have a lot of details. Before I spend a few hundred bucks I'd like to know what type of seminars are going on or other things that will be of interest to me.



The first time I went I could not schedule all the seminars I wanted. There simply was too much to see.



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Also I'm confused as to what the difference between full registration is and just a cheap floor pass. Any info would be helpful.
thanks.

Also http://www.pia.com/2011/info.htm says that the discount enrollment goes until the 15th.



You cannot attend any seminars with the floor pass. It is for the trade show only.

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The first time I went I could not schedule all the seminars I wanted. There simply was too much to see.



Thats great to know, but I think I'd still like to have an idea about what those things are. Maybe know for sure at least one or two things that I'd like to attend. It just seem strange that they have zero information up two weeks before tickets go up $100. Someone must be booked already.

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Maybe know for sure at least one or two things that I'd like to attend. It just seem strange that they have zero information up two weeks before tickets go up $100. Someone must be booked already.



Unfortunately, as the years have gone by, there are fewer and fewer people volunteering to give presentations, and many of those that do are rather tardy in committing, and in getting the information about their presentation to the speaker coordinator, who this Symposium is Terry Urban, "councilman24".

And the speaker list and all the information about it is changing right up until the last few days before the Symposium. Being the speaker coordinator is a tough job, like herding cats.

Most of the work that PIA does is volunteer work, and quite a few of them work very hard throughout the year to make the Symposium happen. It is a labor of love for sure.

As far as your knowing whether you want to go? You do if you have never been to one before. Especially if you are a rigger. Paying the full registration and having all of the presentations available to you is worth it if you have never been to one before. There are more presentations that you have time to go to.

If you have, perhaps the presentations will seem repetitive, and in some case they are. The rig manufacturers will have presentations on packing and maintenance of their individual rigs, and much of this is repeated from one Symposium to the next unless there is something new.

If you want to forgo the presentations, and just pay to get into the exhibit hall, that is great too. There is a lot to learn going to the manufacturer's booths and talking to them.

A lot of business and socializing goes on at the Symposium. You can even spend some quality time with Dan Poynter. (Who?)

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Look carefully at the info on the PIA web site, even though it's less than I would want to see there. You can get a "day pass" for both exhibits and seminars, and even cheaper passes just for the exhibit hall.
If you're a Group Member DZ, the DZO conference is helpful. Find out how DZs -- from megaDZs to one-Cessna operations -- promote their business, keep staff happy, and all that other stuff.
Without spending any money (except for hotel, eats and drinks) you can see your newly-elected USPA BOD in action.
As noted, Terry Urban is taking on the thankless task of rounding up speakers, previously done by the late Joe Andrzejewski. But last time, we had packed sessions by Tom Noonan on Mt. Everest jumps, Douglas Spotted Eagle on videos and on wingsuits, and many others. If you're a rigger, you can get close up and personal sessions on how to pack and fix just about anything on the market. And if you're a FAST rigger, you can enter the Rigger Rodeo.
I'd be happy to try to get answers to any questions, either here or by PM.

HW (wearing PIA hat)

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The first time I went I could not schedule all the seminars I wanted. There simply was too much to see.



Thats great to know, but I think I'd still like to have an idea about what those things are. Maybe know for sure at least one or two things that I'd like to attend. It just seem strange that they have zero information up two weeks before tickets go up $100. Someone must be booked already.



I have been to 2 symposiums, '99 and '03. I can't remember which one I attended which talk but I remember going to a seminar by Brian Germaine on canopy dynamics, Ian Bobo and Shannon Pilcher gave one on swooping, Omar on structured learning for free-flyers, a couple of french physicists on alternating forces between shoulders during a spinning malfunction, Rob Warner on re-lining a canopy, Roger Nelson on Training methods for canopy training and on BoC throw outs rather than rip-cords for AFF. AAD introduced the Vigil, Bill Booth the Sky-hook and magnetic riser covers, PD the Navigator Canopy, all in the lecture halls. John LeBlanc gave a trio of lectures on canopy Flight. there was a guy talking about Aircraft financials, another about press relations. John Sherman gave a rambling lecture about some new things in the industry (I remember reserve pins were topical that year). I am not a rigger so I didn't attend any of the "how to sew this" or "how to pack that" talks although there were many.
Hope this helps.

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I'm not PIA, but having spoken at two symposiums, had a booth at one, and attended three...
It's well worth the time and cost. Although the show is imbalanced in favor of military vs sport parachuting, most of the sport folks are there with new gear, ready to answer questions about the gear, and in many cases quite happy to talk shop at length.
Plus you'll see many industry "heavies" walking around.
The sessions are well worth the effort and expense, IMO, and catching the new BOD will be very valuable, especially if we see any major changes in the lineup.
The "How-to" sessions are awesome. Last year the sessions on "Wingsuits On the Dropzone; What DZO's NEED to Know" was jam-packed as was the session on "Maximizing Video Profits On the DZ". These ain't your CEO's PowerPoints; they're filled with video, handouts, discussion, and solid information on the subjects. I'll have a presentation on what's new, what's coming, and how to harness the power of new media on your DZ, in addition to a session related to the wingsuiting world and wingsuit safety.

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These ain't your CEO's PowerPoints; they're filled with video, handouts, discussion, and solid information on the subjects.

YESSS that's what I want to hear. LIVELY and INSTRUCTIVE presentations, combining media sources and keeping the interest of all by different approaches.
scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

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A little late, but I just made it official today. Plane tickets booked, room reserved, and event ticket bought. Anything else I need to do before ariving?


looking forward to seeing everyone there..
There are no pessimists in skydiving.

My Advice: It's worth what you pay for it, and I'm an expert at it.

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