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Very well said Mike!
And for those who may not know him, Mike speaks the truth on how he conducts himself.
Matt
And for those who may not know him, Mike speaks the truth on how he conducts himself.
Matt
An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!
So, start being safe, first!!!
where did all the sky "surfers" go? .... oh well, i guess i could learn "style"
base jumping, wing suit style anyone??
i cant believe what im reading in this thread!
"break a leg"
base jumping, wing suit style anyone??
i cant believe what im reading in this thread!
"break a leg"
QuoteIn Reply To
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It's fucking jumping out of a plane, society as a whole could care less how many points you can turn, you make no major contributions to society, like a cure for cancer or AIDS. If asked to drop a student @ 3.5 k to help the dz out you reply " I have to concentrate" and then get pissed when someone dose a woohoo on take take off and spend the whole ride taking invisable grips and giving the evil eye to those who are having fun and bitch about the camera men who are in back filming tandems. Got news for you, no one gives a fuck about your special needs other then those DZO's who kiss your ass and stroke your ego
That is perfect....no wait...thats ME!!
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Sh*t that's everyone I know! (Are there loads out there where this doesn't occur? What do you do on the way to altitude without your invisible grips???)
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Emma, you perfectly fit into this description ... just trying to imagine you and your teammates going for a ride to altitude with mean expression on your faces ... poor fun jumpers should be terrified ...
Why, thank you
But I have to disagree, between each load I actually HAVE been looking for a cure for cancer (and AIDS), 
but I keep finding those pesky test-tubes make a bloody mess when I stuff them down my jumpsuit to make the back-up, and I can't get the camera-flyer to hold the microscope for me during freefall... (Some BS about "needing both hands free in case he has a mal"...primadonna team types eh?)
Greene 0
Nope, belly flying is not dead, and it will not ever die!
Back to the good ole' days for us!
Flying three Cessna RW formations again, making planned formations and the skydivers are loving it
To the "naysayers", they, "never were" and will "never be"
They are just laying around and wondering, "what if"?
Great post Mike A
Skies blue,
Why, thank you
But I have to disagree, between each load I actually HAVE been looking for a cure for cancer (and AIDS), but I keep finding those pesky test-tubes make a bloody mess when I stuff them down my jumpsuit to make the back-up, and I can't get the camera-flyer to hold the microscope for me during freefall... (Some BS about "needing both hands free in case he has a mal"...primadonna team types eh?) Yeah, sorry about that. We are SUCH whiners about things like that. However, I've got a Flat Top Pro with lots of real estate on the top, perhaps we could mount the microscope on that and you could ride my back while working the focus while I do some team video?
You're on your own with the slides, though.
Mike Ashley
D-18460
Canadian A-666
D-18460
Canadian A-666
Quote...the general mentality that belly flying is nothing more than a necessary transition to freeflying...
That's just something freefliers say. But seriously, you're at Cross Keys, right? I thought there were a couple of 4-way teams there that routinely go to the Nationals?? ... and you thing RW is dead? That's just crazy talk!
Anyway, there's room for all of us in the Otter... RW, Freefly, AFF-Students, Tandems, Birds...
QuoteI see you jump @ CK. Have you checked out the event page, participated in 4-way scrambles (coming May 16 or 17th 2008), jumped with Steve Love, mingled with the 3 4-way teams or the 8 way team? Jumped on RW Mondays? Missed the RW happy hour this winter? Particpated in last years RW camps? Fiesta Boogie in August...loads of RW organizing! Tunnel camps??
You may want to increase your exposure to some events or find out who the RW jumpers are at the DZ.
looks like someone took it a little personal...
The answer is YES...RW is dead if you're under 30 and an up-and-comer in skydiving. Everyone agree?
billvon 2,395
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>RW is dead if you're under 30 and an up-and-comer in skydiving.
>Everyone agree?
I can think of a good many 20something people (a few of whom just took home a gold at the world meet) who might disagree.
Pretty much every time someone declares something in skydiving "dead" they get proven wrong spectacularly. I remember freak flying, and the pronouncement that it was dead because it was too dangerous and bizarre. (And besides, Roger was in jail.) REAL skydivers did RW. Heck, years ago the wingsuit era was declared over; they were death on a stick.
>Everyone agree?
I can think of a good many 20something people (a few of whom just took home a gold at the world meet) who might disagree.
Pretty much every time someone declares something in skydiving "dead" they get proven wrong spectacularly. I remember freak flying, and the pronouncement that it was dead because it was too dangerous and bizarre. (And besides, Roger was in jail.) REAL skydivers did RW. Heck, years ago the wingsuit era was declared over; they were death on a stick.
rehmwa 2
400 jumps and trolling the RW forum. It's cute, he thinks he's people.
Once he's done with the next 100 jumps of backsliding in a sit on 2-ways and sticking his tongue out at cameras and wondering why he doesn't get invited on anything cool in either RW or FF, then we can talk to him about how the disciplines (RW, FF, etc) are really doing for the serious folk.
...
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
Once he's done with the next 100 jumps of backsliding in a sit on 2-ways and sticking his tongue out at cameras and wondering why he doesn't get invited on anything cool in either RW or FF, then we can talk to him about how the disciplines (RW, FF, etc) are really doing for the serious folk.
...
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
QuoteQuoteI see you jump @ CK. Have you checked out the event page, participated in 4-way scrambles (coming May 16 or 17th 2008), jumped with Steve Love, mingled with the 3 4-way teams or the 8 way team? Jumped on RW Mondays? Missed the RW happy hour this winter? Particpated in last years RW camps? Fiesta Boogie in August...loads of RW organizing! Tunnel camps??
You may want to increase your exposure to some events or find out who the RW jumpers are at the DZ.
looks like someone took it a little personal...
The answer is YES...RW is dead if you're under 30 and an up-and-comer in skydiving. Everyone agree?
Not going to waste too much of my time on this, but why don't you check around and see how many under 30 jumpers were participating in P3 big way events? Then you will be able to make an educated guess...
mdrejhon 8
Here at P3 where I am at, there were lots of under-30 ladies in the bigway camp training for JFTC.Quote
Not going to waste too much of my time on this, but why don't you check around and see how many under 30 jumpers were participating in P3 big way events? Then you will be able to make an educated guess...
In my two consecutive completed 52-ways this last weekend, I think half of my plane out of three were 20 to 35 years old skydivers. And I got accepted in the 100-way. Can't wait!
If I nail that one, Project 500 -- The 500 Way World Record -- officially becomes my new skydiving goal!
QuoteHere at P3 where I am at, there were lots of under-30 ladies in the bigway camp training for JFTC.
Oh, Mark...you're so nice!! Just 'cause I look like I'm sub-30 doesn't mean it's true!
QuoteIn my two consecutive completed 52-ways this last weekend, I think half of my plane out of three were 20 to 35 years old skydivers.
There ya go! Way to cover your ass with the 20-35 range!
That plane was interesting, the wife leading things, the husband translating for the Russians, and trying to make sure you knew what was going on. Left trail rocked!!!
QuoteIn my two consecutive completed 52-ways this last weekend, I think half of my plane out of three were 20 to 35 years old skydivers.
There ya go! Way to cover your ass with the 20-35 range!
Wow, I'm only 37. How on earth did I get lumped into the "old crowd"?
Oh well, 40 is the new 30, right? Plus, there are just a few more years to go, and I can participate in the POPS record jumps. Woohoo!!!
Btw, I was on those successful 52-ways last weekend, and I am participating in the 100-ways over the next 4 days. RW is not dead at Perris. Hallelujah!!!
but you look 24, at most 
mdrejhon 8
Wednesday, the day before the 100way camp, was the craziest and scariest skydiving day I've ever had.
Wrote about it in the Perris P3 Bigway September 2008 Roll Call Thread.
Wrote about it in the Perris P3 Bigway September 2008 Roll Call Thread.
rhys 0
QuoteI can think of a good many 20something people (a few of whom just took home a gold at the world meet) who might disagree.
True that! there are some amazing belly flyers there and it is quite inspirational to watch them, especially when the last rounds are being shown on the big screens.
VRW4 will however overshadow 4 way sequential in up coming events, not initially perhaps but the skills involved are much more developed and thanks to wind tunnes the progression of VRW4 has been alot faster than 4 way sequential belly.
It will be interesting to see freeflyers in the formation skydiving world championships, even now many freefly competators don't realise that the formation skydiving world champs are actually a different event to the artistic world champs, even though they are held at the same time at the same location.
I know some that plan on competing in both freefly and VRW but as the rules stand, that is against the rules.
VRW4 will really shake up the formation skydiving scene at world level and many artistic competatoors will be switching to formation skydiving through vrw4
It is going ot be really interesting!
"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix
MajorDad 0
RW is certainly alive at Perris. One group completed a 100 way and the other completed a 63 way.
Tomorrow the groups get mixed around and we go at it again.
The Bombshelter is pretty active tonight
Blue ones
Major Dad
CSPA D-579
Tomorrow the groups get mixed around and we go at it again.
The Bombshelter is pretty active tonight
Blue ones
Major Dad
CSPA D-579
Yeah, an "educated guess" would be polling the people that everyone could agree on as an "up and comer." This would be defined as a certain number of jumps within a certain period of time. I don't think using participants of a big-way competition is an accurate measure of "up an comers." Usually these participants are much more experienced, and not considered "up an comers" that are new to skydiving.
My thought is that freeflying is much like short-board surfing. It is much more attractive to a younger demographic because it is much more aggressive and faster.
obviously, I could be wrong. And I never meant that RW was dead, but like surfing, I feel as though less and less people entering skydiving are picking up a long-board to ride the waves in the sky. And by no means do I dislike RW or people that do RW. I love to surf, but I always ride a short-board. If someone asked me to go long-boarding, I'd go, but it's just not my thing. This is leading me into another discussion, and I think what I find really funny is that people are so afraid to admit not enjoying a different style of skydiving (RW vs. freeflying), but really it's just a matter of whether you like to ride a long-board or a short-board; it's all still skydiving.
My thought is that freeflying is much like short-board surfing. It is much more attractive to a younger demographic because it is much more aggressive and faster.
obviously, I could be wrong. And I never meant that RW was dead, but like surfing, I feel as though less and less people entering skydiving are picking up a long-board to ride the waves in the sky. And by no means do I dislike RW or people that do RW. I love to surf, but I always ride a short-board. If someone asked me to go long-boarding, I'd go, but it's just not my thing. This is leading me into another discussion, and I think what I find really funny is that people are so afraid to admit not enjoying a different style of skydiving (RW vs. freeflying), but really it's just a matter of whether you like to ride a long-board or a short-board; it's all still skydiving.
Well, we're not a mega-center DZ, and with the weather we were blessed with this past weekend, we had plenty of belly flyers show up and self-organize some very good 6/8 and 12 ways that worked out very well, especially so early in the year. Some of the people on those loads were low timers (defined as less than 200 jumps). Not only did they enjoy the success of the skydives, the good vibes, the social atmosphere in the evenings, they all learned new skills that they can apply to future belly dives.
A minority of those people sometimes do the team thing - but infrequently. They all looked like they were having fun to me. At least that's what I guessed from all the smiles.
So far, any belly flyer who shows up is welcome to join in, provided they are safe flyers. (Cannon balls are not really a good idea.) I don't see this philosophy changing anytime soon.
We also have a small, but growing, cadre of freeflyers who enjoy doing the same thing - vertically.
You don't want to do the team thing? OK, that's fine, but don't make fun of those who do. Personally, I don't like competitive swooping, but I have respect for those who do. I'm also not all that keen on BASE, but again, they deserve respect. We're all skydivers here, and regardless of discipline, we should recognize that everyone brings their own flavor to the table, and we should rejoice in the variety.
As already mentioned, there are asshats in every discipline. I saw it back in the day when there were only 3, Style, Accuracy and RW. I still see it. So what? I hang with the people that have good vibes and a good attitude, and try to project same back. And I'm always trying to learn to be better. There was a time that jumping out and geeking the camera for 7,000 feet was enough. I grew beyond that. Does that make me a bad person? Does it also make me bad that I try to help young jumpers see that there's more to life than just an air bath? If that's all they want, they'll tell me so. I'll say, "cool" and drop it. But it's up to them to find people of like mind and jump with them. Just as it's up to me to find people who want to do what I do and get something going.
Now - you state that you're having trouble finding people to have fun jumps with. Well, sir, if you're spitting as much venom and poison at the DZ as you do on this forum, it's no wonder. It's got nothing to do with your flyings skills, or lack thereof, it's your attitude. Quite frankly, if you spoke to me in those tones while I'm trying to put together a load, I certainly would have very little incentive to include you. No one wants to deal with that kind of nastyness when they're at their happy place trying to have fun after dealing with a week's worth of badness at work.
Small wonder you have to travel 700 miles. And after that DZ has had enough of you, then you'll have to travel 900. Change your tone. Instead of looking for all the bad around you, try looking for the good. Better yet, turn it around and make some good. The old adage about making lemonade from lemons rings true. I have had reason to be bitter in the past. I choose not to. Working for positive change is more rewarding. Even if there is apparently nothing in it for me.
D-18460
Canadian A-666
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