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MikeFB2764

Good Idea? Bad Idea?

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But the sad thing is some other "expert" will feel the same way, but his job is at "Hughs and Coleman, legal fighter for the wronged".

Jacko stepped over the line, he got punished and hope fully learned his lesson. Time for us to move on.

Matt
An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

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So are you saying that putting some poor innocent person's life in jeopardy for their pathetic ego is okay? Mike Hoogesteeden, who used to jump at Z-Hills, had his Vector tandem rating permanently revoked for doing this with a newswoman and having it aired on the 6:00 news. Thank God Bill Booth has integrity...so much for burned bridges.

K

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Mike Hoogesteeden, who used to jump at Z-Hills, had his Vector tandem rating permanently revoked for doing this



Now I got some questions. I hate to do it anonymously, but I want to be able to jump in peace. I'm curious where everything stands on this Jacko thing. I hear and read things that seem crazy. I'm trying not to ask questions out loud because you know how DZs work. I'm certainly not going to ask Doug about this because that's like asking Bush about Iraq.

It sounds like Jacko got everything back which doesn't seem right. The manufacturer laid down the law last year after those tandem fatalites. This was long before Jacko got busted so he knew what was up. Why does he get a tandem rating back? There's also USPA and manufacturet ratings, right? Which one did he get back or did he get both?

Doug is listing himself again as an S&TA. Did he get that back to?

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Seems like a bunch of people who didn't know what the fuck they were talking about decided to get vigilante on someone else.

At least that's what I got out of all this.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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Seems like a bunch of people who didn't know what the fuck they were talking about decided to get vigilante on someone else.

At least that's what I got out of all this.



There were an awful lot of TMs who condemned his actions, including myself. One need not have tried those stunts to see the obvious additional risk he was intentionally exposing his tandem students to for no reason other than goofy video. If USPA has already given him his tandem rating back, shame on them. I've not heard one single defense that included an explanation of how his gimmicks were as safe for the students as any normal tandem and provided them a better overall experience.

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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I've not heard one argument accurately defended of how they were "unsafe".

I don't think they were necessary, and I'm not much interested in doing them myself, but show how the student was ever placed in danger.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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I've not heard one argument accurately defended of how they were "unsafe".



I'll try two.

A - The potential for a student to fall through "the hole" of the harness increases as the instructor gets farther away from them. I'm not positive of this, but I'm pretty sure.

B - An instructor's ability to regain control of a whacked student is decreased by reduced leverage. How much tougher would it be for you to control a fucked up AFF student if your grips were a foot away from his body?

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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I'll not defend the actions but point out, that...

a) the instructor's body should NEVER substitute for the protection of the harness. EVER.

b) I'll just bet that over the course of multiple 1000's of tandem skydives this instructor could make a somewhat informed desision as to which students to try this with.

Smart? Probably not. But the guy has been spanked, and taken his lumps. Time to let him get on with redeeming himself.
----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

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I'll not defend the actions but point out, that...

a) the instructor's body should NEVER substitute for the protection of the harness. EVER.



Agreed, but neither should the design of the harness be compromised by the instructor's poor judgement.

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b) I'll just bet that over the course of multiple 1000's of tandem skydives this instructor could make a somewhat informed desision as to which students to try this with.



I'm sure you're right, and so is he at least 90% of the time. Should the other X% be chocked up as "shit happens, skydiving's not a perfectly safe sport"?

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Smart? Probably not. But the guy has been spanked, and taken his lumps. Time to let him get on with redeeming himself.



Not knowing the guy or what he's been through, I can't say for sure, but I'd have gone for at least a year on the tandem rating. I'd be ok with reinstating his other ratings if he's managed a demonstrable change of attitude. It'd be easy for him to go out & do tandems without doing this kind of shenanigans, but the question (in my mind) would be whether he'll put his students' safety above his own enjoyment of their jump.

Blues,
Dave
"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!"
(drink Mountain Dew)

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If the manufacturers say "don't do it, it's not safe", then it's pretty simple.

He's already taken his lumps.
I assume he's committed to not flying like this anymore.
Let him go back to work at a DZ that'll take him.

If it happens again, then he'd be in serious shit. (I doubt it will, but I don't know him)

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

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Matt,

I'd have to say that all "Jacko" got was a little slap on the knuckles. The USPA stated that he was losing his ratings and membership for life and returned it some 8 months later. How's that being punished. It's like a drunk driver having their license revoked for life and getting it back in 6 months because someone thinks he's been punished enough; and afterall, he was just driving drunk, he didn't hurt anyone.

What he (and several other TMs) did was extremely negligent. I don't see any real punishment.

Life means life...WTF!

K

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Life means life...WTF!



USPA's unofficial motto is; "What is good for DZO's is good for skydivers"

DZO's want cheap labor. Revoking ratings takes away from that cheap labor pool. Same reason they lowered the AFFI course standards when there was an Instructor shortage.

Derek

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