tommy

Most of us at our DZ rotate to the right side to catch the ripcord pull then follow (on knees, back, head down, whatever) the tandem open. We all use audible's which helps you know when to expect a pull, but you never really know when the student will pull, so you just have to keep one eye open looking for the unexpected. -Tommy

Hey... I used to jump (over 4 yrs ago) a JVC DVX camera. I had quite a bit of problems with it. It would constantly cut off due to moisture - and everyone w/ sony's would be fine. I finally got rid of it and got a PC1, and I never had that problem again. If you don't NEED the camera to work on every jump (ie: not videoing tandems, aff, etc), I guess the JVC is fine. But I needed it to work everytime, and I'm glad I've got a sony now. (But to be honest, we've had some folks lately @ the DZ who's sony's have had moisture probs.. none of us with the PC models - only the TRV models.) Blue Skies! -Tommy

Hey there.... I've jumped Sidewinders for over 4 yrs. My 1st setup was a Sidewinder and a JVC DVX. Then I sold that and bought a Sidewinder O2 (same as a sidewinder, just with a flipup lens) and a PC1. The PC1 died last year, and I replaced it with a PC9, which is my current camera. (Still using the Sidewinder 02.) I've never had a problem with the 'camera box' door popping open. I did have my flipup visor get torn off 2 weeks ago during a sitfly jump (never had that happen before). Lotsa fun trying to keep the eyes open JUST ENOUGH to see, yet keep the contact lenses IN. :) Don't be afraid to use a dremel... the dremel is your friend!! Any specific questions, just ask! -Tommy

dz = skydive virginia. # of students vary. it's been slllllooowwww as hell the last few months. it's 'usually' 45-50+ tandems per weekend day + a handfull of aff's. lately it's been 10-15 tandems per weekend day and a handfull of aff's. we average between 50-75% or so student video's per day. right now, there are 2 to 3 of us there on a regular basis. we're hurting for vid folks, so when it's busy, we vid folks are doing back to back to back loads, then having to come down, dub, pack, etc... we get burnout quickly. we all have 2 or more rigs, and it always seems as though one is unpacked and there's some dubbing to be done. it's a releif for me to jump in on a 4way or video a group of experienced jumpers. :) blue skies. -tommy

Just some random thoughts... I'll be honest.... I'd much rather shoot 4-way (or 6, or 8 or whatever) than Tandem's and Aff's. The student vids get too repatetive.. boring. I never thought I'd say that, but it sure does get boring. :) At least with the RW groups, I'm hanging w/ my friends and basically having a good time, less 'pressure'. More often than not, I pay my own slot too. (I get $$ from doing the student vids, which pays for my fun jumps, so it's not *really* costing me.) Every few months we host a 'scrambles' 4-way meet, and the video folks get their slot paid for, and that's it. Most of us fight to video the scrambles instead of doing student videos. Blue Skies! -Tommy

Just wanted to comment on the long hair thing. I've got hair down to the middle of my back. I jump a sidewinder O2 helmet... I tuck my hair up inside of the helmet and make sure it's super tight before I leave the plane, and I've never had a problem with the helmet trying to come off. I realize that this has nothing to do with the fellow who lost his helmet, but I wanted to address the long hair thing. :) -Tommy

I shot a video of this earlier this year. There were 3 guys holding the flag. I wasn't prepared for how fast they fell... the flag pulled their upper bodies upward (from standard boxman) and it was more like they were kneeling after a bit. I just kept my distance. :) We're going to do it again soon, now that we all know what to expect. Here's a 'crappy still' I nabbed from the jump. The guy on the left is USMC, guy on right is Army Special Ops, center guy is his dad. -Tommy

I jumped one for about 2 yrs.. then sold it and bought a Sidewinder O2 (flipup lens.) I've had my Sidewinder O2 for 3 yrs now. I loved my old sidewinder and I love my current O2. Works well for shooting tandem,aff, rw, freefly... I like the fact that the camera is enclosed in the clam shell and protected. If you stick a piece of tape on the lens, you have your sight - so no ringsight to get snagged by a line. I don't know if SkySystems makes them anymore. Everyone seems to have freefly helmets with camera's on them these days. Blue Skies! -Tommy

I don't know if anyone else has seen this, but at my home DZ (Skydive Virginia), probably 50% or more of the staff is left handed (me included). Just seems to be more lefties skydiving than in any other activity I've been involved with. Another thing - for anyone who has small kids - in the 'Bear in the Big Blue House' - all characters are lefties.. same thing with 'Blues Clues'. My wife (rightie) says 'how the hell did you notice that??' - it's not like I'm looking for it, it just jumps out at me when I see someone else using thier left hand (cartoon or otherwise). Blue skies fellow lefties (and even you lowly righties) -Tommy

Kris, Thanks for the info. That's the place I was looking for. Another guy at my home dz bought a line set from them after being referred by Big Air Sportz. Blue Skies! -Tommy

Hey folks... I know I've seen this posted before but I can't find it with the search engine... Can someone tell me the contact for buying Jedei line sets (I've got 2 136's). I know the company is supposed to be next to Big Air Sportz. Thanks & Blue Skies! -Tommy

hey n2skdvn, what do you do in the music biz? i'm an artist relations mgr (you can see my name in the tommy lee album, under marty's thanks.) i know of 2 other music biz skydivers here in VA that work for a universal records. i'll be seeing tommy lee next sunday. i'm off to a big radio show today with my friends in p.o.d. headlining. they're shooting a video for 'satelite' during their set... so i get to be in the mtv vid (unless i get cut out..haha) blue skies! -tommyQuote

I jumped a PC1 for about 2 yrs, and then it suddenly died - so I bought a PC9 to replace it. The battery life on the PC9 is exponentially better than the PC1. With the PC1 (s series batts), I had 3 medium size batts which I'd have to switch out every other jump (one on camera, 2 charging). Quite a pain when doing back to back tandem vids. I can jump pretty much jump all day on one medium PC9 (m series) battery. PC1 is much more of a 'friendly' skydiving cam than the PC9. A/V ports, LANC, etc are in the front. Hard buttons for fade,etc. Unless you get a KILLER deal on the PC1, I'd pass and get a newer camera with the M series batts - it's worth it alone (to me anywayz) to have the peace of mind. Blue Skies! -Tommy

I've got one of the 'old' Cam-Eye II's. I bought it when they first came out on the market for use with my PC1. It does not control (on/off/standby,etc) my PC9. It only works as a record/standby indicator light (which is fine by me, since I can switch the PC9 on and off very easily). The new Cam-Eye II's will work with the PC9's (software revision.) If you've got an old Cam-Eye, that's likely your problem. -Tommy

I removed my cam-eye from the plastic housing. The guts of the cam-eye are hot-glued inside of the clam shell on my helmet, with only the button pushing through. I extened both the LED and plug wires as well. -Tommy

Here's how I set up the cam-eye II on my sidewinder. only the little red button is exposed. -tommy

We get those requests all the time. Most people want it on a CD so they can play it on their computer. I've been thinking about getting one of these for the DZ & for home: http://www.terapintech.com/fea_cdaudio.html Looks simple enough. I've seen them on ebay (new) go for less than $200. -Tommy

They used to stock the PC9's. I bought mine in July 2001. On Sony's website, they still list Sears as a PC9 seller. Give your local Sears a buzz and check. A non-skydiving friend was looking for a minidv, and I told him about this 'trick' , and he bought one at a Sears on Long Island 2 months ago without any problem. -Tommy

I did the sears thing as well. Found a super cheap grey market PC9 online and they matched the price. It was on their shelf for 1299.00, and I got it for less than 800.00. -Tommy

We jump a King Air. I leave rear float a second before the tandem goes (usually on Set....). I try to get just below the passenger looking upwards at maybe 20 degree angle - about 2 feet away. It's more challenging when the passenger is looking DOWN instead of ahead - in that case I slide back a foot or two and sink a bit more and look upwards to try and capture their face (but there is a limit to how high you can tilt your head up :) ). I fly camera on my belly with a Bev suit with the LARGE wings that clip in the front and booties. I use this suit to sit sometimes as well (not during tandems.) As far as deployment, I do it 2 ways... I either follow them up, raising to my knees, or go head down (like tracking at a very steep angle on my back) and look upwards, keeping them in frame. Both look pretty cool. -Tommy

I jump a Sidewinder O2, which I love (I had a reg sidewinder as well, but wanted the flip up visor, so I got the O2). I don't know if Sky Systems even makes them anymore - I don't see them listed on their site, or advertised anymore. As far as I know, the Sidewinder's are the only full face camera helmets. One other option is the Sky Systems X-Jacket, which they say attaches to any helmet. I toyed with that idea many years back (when it was called the Sidewinder Sportz) with my Factory Diver, but I didn't like the fact that there was a gap between the camera mount and the helmet. Too much room for lines, etc to snag. -Tommy

I was shooting a 4 way last year and someone's chest mount ALTI II came off and almost nailed me. I was able to slide away as well. Pretty cool to see on the vid... would've hurt if it had hit me. :) -Tommy

I mounted my Cam-Eye on my sidewinder like this...with only the button sticking out. (I had to remove the cam-eye from it's plastic housing to do so.) If this photo attach thing works, I'll upload a pic of my setup. -Tommy