Taz 0 #51 October 24, 2009 Starbucks just became an official sponsor. Coffee for everyone, every morning starting Sunday!It's the Year of the Dragon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #52 October 24, 2009 QuoteStarbucks just became an official sponsor. Coffee for everyone, every morning starting Sunday! Bran muffins too?... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taz 0 #53 October 24, 2009 Quote In Reply To Starbucks just became an official sponsor. Coffee for everyone, every morning starting Sunday! Bran muffins too? Breakfast will be served daily, too. I'm not guaranteeing bran muffins, but your selection has been noted It's the Year of the Dragon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #54 October 24, 2009 Quote Quote In Reply To Starbucks just became an official sponsor. Coffee for everyone, every morning starting Sunday! Bran muffins too? Breakfast will be served daily, too. I'm not guaranteeing bran muffins, but your selection has been noted Be careful - we may be in the same plane.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnDeere 0 #55 October 25, 2009 Quote Quote So far, looks like you have enough people to re-do last years formation and make it official... But that is so "Last Year". As is your opinion But some ignorant fucks keep listening.Nothing opens like a Deere! You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gstarnet 0 #56 October 26, 2009 Quote Quote *** In Reply To Starbucks just became an official sponsor. Coffee for everyone, every morning starting Sunday! Bran muffins too? Breakfast will be served daily, too. I'm not guaranteeing bran muffins, but your selection has been noted Quote They also have a good selection of breakfast sandwiches. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kdsosso 0 #57 October 26, 2009 So a three girl rodeo? I might be in for that Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #58 October 30, 2009 AT the recent RW big ways in Perris they posted the following Swine Flu precautions. So I thought I'd link to them here for the folks going to Elsinore next weekend.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #59 November 3, 2009 Quote AT the recent RW big ways in Perris they posted the following Swine Flu precautions. So I thought I'd link to them here for the folks going to Elsinore next weekend. Probably a good idea, especially considering the number of sniffles heard at the local Walmart today. I'm here, BTW. If anyone is coming in early I'd appreciate the opportunity to fly with you. A three way and a couple two ways today...not much happening here yet. Weather is gorgeous but don't be fooled. Mornings are cool/cold. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peggs82 0 #60 November 4, 2009 Some good jumps are already underway!! Come out and have fun with us! Come out and see stupid phil tricks!!! -Chowing in the pond.. -Cut-a-ways.. -what else can i do?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #61 November 4, 2009 The chow in the pond was spectacular. Thanks for organizing a few loads today. Jonathan Tagle was here jumping with Tim, James, Simon, Phil, and myself, and the sunset was yet another amazing sight over the Ortegas, reflecting off the ocean. Gonna be fun down here. Even if you're not flying...it'll be a great time. Can't wait to see old friends and new ones here in s'nore. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taz 0 #62 November 4, 2009 Hi - Mark Harris arrived tonight too, so both Phil and Mark will be on hand for organizing loads. I'll be in and out all week, getting stuff ready for participants' arrival The official event blog launches Friday on www.raisethesky.org and we will be constantly updating our twitter and facebook pages, www.twitter.com/raisethesky and www.facebook.com/raisethesky. We've got lots of press interest in the record, so look out for media at the event, including a Japanese television show filming participant Shinichi Ito throughout the week. Eli Bolotin, a Raise the Sky board member, skydiver, and novice wingsuiter, will be running ground crew, helping out press and spectators, and putting out fires throughout the event. He arrives at Elsinore on Thursday night and will be your best friend if you need anything from Advil to random advice or emergency errands. He also happens to be trained as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), which we hope we won't need but doesn't suck to have around just in case. The Casino hotel is now fully booked (a team briefing has gone out to participants with more info) but there are still plenty of places to stay for others who want to come say hi and cheer us on. The USPA judging is lined up and everyone is getting really excited. It's going to be great. On Thursday afternoon some of us are going to an elementary school in South LA to see and film the work that City Year is doing - and meet the kids who will benefit from our charitable donation and the attention we're bringing to City Year's tutoring and mentoring work (www.cityyear.org/losangeles). Our event video will feature footage from the school, and hopefully a message of encouragement from lots of our jumpers. Many kids in the Los Angeles schools are at risk of dropping out and worse. What we're doing seems impossible to most people, just as graduating and succeeding in life seems impossible to some of these kids. We're going to inspire them by setting a record, and that to me is one of the most exciting things about this event See you soon! -T It's the Year of the Dragon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zeemax 0 #63 November 4, 2009 Sounds like it's coming together and is in no way making me jealous as i sit here in the freezing cold at my desk in the dreary UK. What's the final tally for jumpers? Do you have the needed 100 attending? How's the free coffee going down? Phoenix Fly - High performance wingsuits for skydiving and BASE Performance Designs - Simply brilliant canopies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #64 November 4, 2009 Quote Sounds like it's coming together and is in no way making me jealous as i sit here in the freezing cold at my desk in the dreary UK. What's the final tally for jumpers? Do you have the needed 100 attending? How's the free coffee going down? It's dreary and cold in Chicago too, but one of those airplane thingies will have me in Elsinore by Friday night!... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Taz 0 #65 November 5, 2009 Things are coming together really well. We have 75 registered participants, all of whom will be given a slot to fly this weekend while we warm up in four individual teams. Everyone has been qualified by a Team Captain according to our skills checklist (if anyone is curious and hasn't seen it, it's available for pdf download at www.raisethesky.org/wingsuit). USPA Judges are lined up for Wednesday and Thursday. We had a great meeting at City Year yesterday, and they are coordinating a national twitter campaign with us at all their offices (will keep you guys posted on this). Some of their volunteers are coming out to be with us next week, and I think at least one is going to do a tandem jump to wish us luck. There has been a good amount of press and TV interest after all of our press releases went out in the last few days, and we are also coordinating with both local and national City Year communication teams. I got a call from NBC yesterday and it seems they might run some of our footage next week. That press release is on the front page of www.raisethesky.org for anyone interested. We'll keep updating everyone on what's up, and our press releases and media alerts will be on the site. Today five of us are going to visit an elementary school in South LA to meet some City Year volunteers and kids and shoot footage to show all the participants and put into our event video. They really loved the idea that "If we can fly, you can graduate", and I think it will be fun. In the meantime, participants are starting to arrive at Elsinore, the weather is beautiful, and I'm getting excited! Free coffee starts Sunday morning It's the Year of the Dragon. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 0 #66 November 6, 2009 A little bit of motivation for everyone. See attached. www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buried 0 #67 November 6, 2009 aww come on matt, if you move the that grid to the left and down a little you can get at least 3-4 more people 'in'. Nothing says you need to center it on the base or even have them fully 'in'. it's better to use last year's tag line - "f$#@ the grid" Where is my fizzy-lifting drink? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #68 November 6, 2009 Play nice. All large communities have gridlock until a new freeway is built. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The111 0 #69 November 6, 2009 Quote Play nice. All large communities have gridlock until a new freeway is built. All in good fun. I hope to see this year's formation fitting even better!www.WingsuitPhotos.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #70 November 6, 2009 you said "form fitting" (in my best Beavis voice). Does this wingsuit make my ass look phat? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
parachutist 1 #71 November 6, 2009 I got to visit Elsinore for only one day (yesterday), but it was a blast. I owe some beer... it was my 9th WS jump and finally I got in a couple docks! Thanks Marco and Spot for flying right there with me. Good luck on the next several days. I wish I could be there Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mccordia 73 #72 November 6, 2009 DSE, your ass doesnt look fat, but there is something screwy going on there JC FlyLikeBrick I'm an Athlete? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stoney3434 0 #73 November 7, 2009 First,..Thanks Matt, for posting 2009's 71 way photo with this year's grid and with the Base/"Leader"/Jeff's helmet positoned dead center in the middle of the lead diamond on the overall formation. Second, my best wishes for fun and another beautiful formation for 2010. Even though specific sized boxes, not scalable diamonds were the first attempt at a measuring grid year, (then changed to diamonds after the event),... this picture you have posted is the best, most visually pleasing combination of grid and photo I have yet seen. It truely reflects what was actually accomplished as compared to what was intended last year ( and was a very beautiful bigway) Your combination of grid and photo has at least a "visual feel (sense) of symmetry by having Jeff centered horizontally in the lead diamond (what would have been the lead box back then) But BURIED... I have to object to your suggestion in your response to Matt's combination photo/grid posting when you say that he "could just move the grid to the left and down a little" to get 3 or 4 people 'in' and also say that "nothing says it needs to be centered on the base/"leader" ............ My mind and eye rebel when I hear that and I recently addressed this one issue of th4 base/"leader" being centered on another winsuit forum thread about the record setting criteria being approved. ( I'm reposting part of that below but in essence what I'm saying is that moving the grid so that the formation leader is 'anywhere' except "dead center" in the "lead' triangle, box, circle, or whatever shape is being used in whatever kind of grid is used, is the major fundamental weakness I see in the "best fit" judging criteria I have been reading and watched being used since last year's post-Elsinore and approved by the USPA this past summer. It's especially bad to any sense of visual symmetry when the grid is moved left or right, but even when the grid is moved up and down to get as many people "in" as possible. (the " best fit" ) ,..there is ' no way ' I can understand to not say that doing so is anything other than the manipulation of outcome photos with the grid and when compared to the actual intentions of each individual flyer and the intended spacing of all the flyers ( the declared goal) of the overall formation. I don't understand why you can say otherwise ,..so please read my past posting here below and help me follow 'your' thought process. I understand that there is some group doing some additional refinement of the judging criteria and it is going on now ( probably at Elsinore) but I simply can't understand how not having the leader's body midpoint ( not his helmet- as with Matt's posted photo) placed dead center on the "leading grid diamond" Here's part of what I wrote a couple weeks back: ( and what I have thought ( and said to many) ever since last year's Elsinore grid was changed ( in the weeks after the event ) from boxes of a certain size to enlarged scalable diamonds and then moved around for the "best fit" (the 'everyone in' reverse-engineered desired result) : xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx from my earlier post on the other thread... This suggestion I am making "IS" a concept taken "from formation aircraft flying itself,... and utilized by The Thunderbirds, The Blue Angels, and every formation team of pilots I have seen and talked with... ( 3 of my demo pilot associates over the years were ex T-Birds and One was the team leader in 1964---and yes I know I am real old !) I was with this pilot in Vegas the day after the T-birds followed their "leader" into the ground because of this very fundamental rule of formation flying. AND My SUGGESTION IS YOU ASK???? It 'is' that the ''LEADER''( lead aircraft-pilot) is always POSITIONED and headed PERFECTLY and that everyone else is to try execute their very best with their skills to fly off the "leader's" wingtips and behind his tail in whatever position and at whatever distance off the leader's assumed perfect position they have been assigned to fly......All pilots following the leader fly off of him/her or by reference to other aircraft flying directly or indirectly off the leader's assumed to be perfect position in the intended formation. So ,....in placing ANY type of grid and grid shapes as an overlay on any photo of an overall formation, ... the "leader" ( "lead aircraft" /lead pilot is ( and always the most steady, stable, reliable pilot in terms of heading, horizontal and vertical speeds as well as constant situational awareness) MUST BE PLACED AND ASSUMMED TO BE IN THE " DEAD CENTER" of the VERY FRONT MOST AND CENTER BOX OR DIAMOND OF THAT GRID BEING USED..... The ""LEADER"" "is the one sole flyer" who is NOT following anything,.. but rather is BEING FOLLOWED by wingmen, stinger ( trail aircraft) and every other pilot in any formation and "the leader is the one pilot that is in no way flying by visual reference to his or her wingmen or any other flyers. The "leaders sole intent" is to fly "on heading, stable" at a predetermind speed to a predetermined spot over the ground" and their ongoing accomplishment of that intent HAS to be assumed to be perfect in any photo's momentary judgement of the following pilots or judgement of the entire overall formation. So,...ANY GRID should be placed not as "a BEST FIT" over a formation ---....BUT "only" with the leader's body in the photo put "DEAD CENTER" in the front and center box or diamond of whatever Grid is used. If the leader is flying a formation that has a straight front line,...or an angled line intent ,..the Grid can be declared to be angled to "best fit" all the flyers in that line,... BUT it should never move the "leader"'s body out of the Dead Center Position in the Center front box or center front diamond... ( or at most within a foot or so of Dead Center to allow for one brief moment of minor turbulence) The leader does not have to deal with any burbles ( except maybe Scotty passing below ---LOL ) and the leader sets- up within the first 15 seconds or so after leaving the aircraft on a best heading and pre-determined speed to take the formation to the opening point and to allow the formation to build behind them. Their resposibility is to remain stable and to only hold their heading and speeds to allow the followers to enter their specific slots .... Therefore, they should not in any way be moved inside any grid over their photo from left to right or forward or back in their box or diamond ... Essentially they really should have NO BOX space or diamond space AT ALL ---only a POINT in the dead center of the lead and or center Grid box, diamond, circle,.. or whatever is being attempted. Try this with the grid on the 71 way from last year's Elsinore ( Matt?), the recent Chicago record formation and the August Pepperrall record formation and you will see why I suggest this one improvement and also suggest and hope this one change be applied in Elsinore this year,.... You will easily see where I am coming from and why doing this one thing will materially contribute to make whatever size formation record results from such a concept of "always following the perfect leader" be MUCH MORE REFLECTIVE of what is actually intended in the mind of each of the flyers and what is actually being attempted by each of flyers. That being done the actual resulting "outcome" in terms of "we did it" or "we came close but didn't" as a team formation, will be more reflective of the actual execution skill in the accomplishment of each indivdual ,...but also the overall "team"...ie the collective skills of the flyers,...AND BE A MORE SPECIAL THING and "not easily repeated" ( the thoughts put forth by Zach ) It also will not be as easily played with OR QUESTIONED by the organizers and /or Judges who might naturally get caught up emotionally in the enthusiasm of any record attempting event ( to lean toward producing the desired outcome)...AND the outcome will always be based on the merit of the positions of both those flyers who can see the leader at all times during the flight....and how well those who can't see the leader can fly off those who can...... ISN"T THAT what the whole thing is about,..in addition to mainly being safe and having fun!? I was sorta sad to see what I knew were some of the very best positioned flyers ( ie the most skillful pilots) in last year's record attempt be made to look less skillful by cahnging and moving the grid around to accomplish the desired overall "everyone in" ..."we did it" result ... THAT wasn't fair to those "most skillful pilots looking at their implied performance on the grid overlying the photoreleased ,..and it isn't fair to everyone who was made to feel they did something they really didn't do as per the original stated intentions and the actual thing they were trying to accomplish on each jump. ( BUT I also agree that the whole thing WAS a record of sorts in that it was majestic, beautiful and "almost accomplished ----this year shoud be the year of no questions ---and I wish everyone that... I wish I could be there with you ) I have been away from all of you great flyers for awhile... But,.. I hope to be healed and back flying this winter down in Sebastian and to be trying to qualify for a Florida record out over the beach and for the world record attempt when it goes to 100 ( if not this year) ... Good luck out there. Rick,..you can fly 'for me" this year ,..OK my friend?...... Wish everyone a safe and fun time.... Enjoy !!! Stoney -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Life is what happens while we are making other plans.Life is what happens while we are making other plans. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buried 0 #74 November 9, 2009 Quote your suggestion It's not really a suggestion, it's perfectly within the rules. Yes the best fit is a major flaw along with many others. Scaling and/or how to scale is also one. If you used the 4 way diamond base as a measurement for centering, spacing and scaling you'd see an improvement. Removing the 13.5% overlap on all sides, which effectively increases the allowed area by 62%. given it fitted to a 6' person, that isn't horrible. fitted to a 10'+ grid it's a big difference. just a few of the various problems. eitherway, it is what it is right now, it's not going to show much true talent, but should make something pretty Where is my fizzy-lifting drink? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,623 #75 November 9, 2009 QuoteQuote your suggestion It's not really a suggestion, it's perfectly within the rules. Yes the best fit is a major flaw along with many others. Scaling and/or how to scale is also one. If you used the 4 way diamond base as a measurement for centering, spacing and scaling you'd see an improvement. Removing the 13.5% overlap on all sides, which effectively increases the allowed area by 62%. given it fitted to a 6' person, that isn't horrible. fitted to a 10'+ grid it's a big difference. just a few of the various problems. eitherway, it is what it is right now, it's not going to show much true talent, but should make something pretty Your statement is flawed. As the formation size gets larger the "grid" becomes more and more difficult to fly. The current formation has 10 boxes down the main diagonals. That means that each 45 degree line has to be flown accurate to plus or minus (about) 3 degrees with no measuring device available except the eyeballs of the flyers. While the grid may not be good for determining short range order, it is very good at determining the long range order of a large formation.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
