slotperfect

[warning] Personal attacks are not permitted in the forums. [/warning] Arrive Safely John

About Page lists scuba diving as subject of website. Someone needs another pot of coffee! http://www.dropzone.com/about/ Arrive Safely John

USPA/UPT Sigma Tandem Course 2-4 November 2012 @ Raeford Parachute Center, NC. $280 per student plus $75 USPA & UPT Rating and admin fees plus 11 jump slots for 5 training jumps & rig rentals ($499). Prerequisites: D License, USPA Coach rating or higher (does not need to be current), 500 ram-air jumps, 3 years in the sport, FAA Class 3 Medical Certificate or military/foreign equivalent. I will also ask your DZO/Chief Instructor for a personal reference. Pre-course requirements: original hard copy USPA SIM & IRM (no older than 2 years), complete USPA & UPT exams and pre-course USPA Tandem Instructor Proficiency Card requirements. Course is three long days, $140 non-refundable deposit is required to hold a slot. PM me for more information. Arrive Safely John

The Email hyperlink is missing from the dark blue task bar at the top of the Forms page. Calendar is the last one on the right now - there was always an Email link there before (like the Home page). Arrive Safely John

You may find some helpful information here: http://forum.altimaster.com/forumdisplay.php?227-Altimaster-N3Audio Arrive Safely John

Gene Paul Thacker was laid to rest this afternoon with a large group of family and friends there to see him off and pay their respects. Gene Paul was buried with full military honors by a detail from Ft. Bragg. The Golden Knights Commander, Sergeant Major and accompanying current team mates - along with a long list of former team members - were in attendance as well. The group relocated to PK Airpark (home of Raeford Parachute Center) for catching up with old friends and making some new ones. Raeford Aviation's aircraft paid a well executed tribute to D-167 just before the feast prepared by our very own "Executive Chef." The heavens smiled upon us today, bringing us unseasonably cool temperatures and the first blue sky Saturday without a threat of rain since June. Apparently we were not alone in thinking that Gene Paul earned a special send-off. ----------------------- A Celebration of Life has been scheduled for 20 October at PK Airpark for the greater skydiving community, extended family, and friends. More to follow as details become available. Arrive Safely John

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4364745;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed; Arrive Safely John

1) Loosen the side attachment straps - disconnect, loosen, re-attach. 2) Loosen their chest strap. For women, I have already briefed them on the ground that the chest strap moving up and tightening up will be uncomfortable so I loosen it up once we are under canopy. If they know it's coming, any incidental contact is no big deal. For well endowed women, built such that I can't see the chest strap, I ask them to put my hands on it. They usually appreciate the effort and like the more comfortable result. Don't loosen it up to far or it will interfere with their arms. 3) If necessary, I have them stand on my feet and slide the leg pads down under the meaty part of their thighs. I used to do this on every jump with the old Vector II harness; it's not needed that often with the Sigma harness. 4) Put their goggles on their forehead (our students wear frap hats), unless they wear contacts or it's really cold, in which case I leave them on until we're in the landing pattern. 5) Guide them through clearing their ears using the valsalva technique. Arrive Safely John

This is a great learning post - thanks for sharing it here. Well done, Martin. There was only one point of no return, and you stopped short of it. Arrive Safely John

That was a very informative post, Mike. Many thanks. Arrive Safely John

I think May is the start for most people, maybe April in others. Northern U.S. skydivers - what month starts the season at your DZ? Arrive Safely John

3 weeks until the course. Sign up now so I can send you a download link to the materials you will need to complete required pre-course tasks and exams. Arrive Safely John

USPA Coach Course October 5th - 7th. Min course size is 4; max is 8. $150/student plus $35 USPA Rating Fee and four jump slots for eval jumps ($96). Prerequisites: B license, 100 jumps. Pre-course requirements: obtain an original hard copy SIM and IRM (no older than 2 years), complete the Coach exam, complete item #2 on the Coach Proficiency Card. Course is three full days (10+ hours), $75 non-refundable deposit is required to hold a slot. Message me for more information. Arrive Safely John

Course Examiner - John Hawke USPA/UPT Sigma Tandem Course 10-12 August 2012 @ Raeford Parachute Center, Raeford, NC. Min course size is 2; max is 4. $280 per student plus $75 USPA & UPT Rating and admin fees plus 11 jump slots for 5 training jumps & rig rentals ($499). Prerequisites: D License, USPA Coach rating or higher (does not need to be current), 500 ram-air jumps, 3 years in the sport, FAA Class 3 Medical Certificate or military equivalent. I will also ask your DZO/Chief Instructor for a personal reference. Pre-course requirements: obtain an original hard copy USPA SIM & IRM (no older than 2 years), complete USPA & UPT exams and pre-course USPA Tandem Instructor Proficiency Card requirements. Course is three long days, $140 non-refundable deposit is required to hold a slot. PM me for more information. Arrive Safely John

Interesting. Can you share the by-name list of canopies considered "semi-elliptical" vs. "elliptical?" Specifically, I would like to know which category the Stiletto falls into. Arrive Safely John

I sure hope you guys have good weather for this event. You picked a perfect weekend for it. I believe there are a couple of Raefordites heading your way . . . Arrive Safely John

The way we are able to cull replies within a thread has changed since then. We now have two options, and the one you spoke of is the better of the two and more commonly used. Arrive Safely John

Standard. 25" risers and WL 2.27 Arrive Safely John

Updated SB . . . compliance is now before the next jump http://www.uspa.org/Portals/0/News/product_%20service_bulletin__april_25_2012.pdf Arrive Safely John

Things that are personal are passed off to other Moderators by request. You don't see it, because the conversations happen in private. It happens all the time - it happened this week as a matter of fact. Arrive Safely John

All of us are volunteers. All of us have real lives (careers, families, hobbies, community involvement, etc.). There is no way there are going to be Moderator eyes on every post in every thread at all hours. We rely on other responsible folks to point out to us that there is trouble happening in a particular thread. There are a lot of you that are a big help . . . we even help each other between Moderators (Moderators do not have privileges in all forums). Forums are not moderated the same, and that is by design. While the Forum Rules (very few) are enforced in all forums, some require more detail and quicker action. An example is the Incidents Forum, which is moderated a bit differently - hence the "Before You Post Here" banner that pops up when you start a thread. In my opinion there are three main problems that lead to the sort of difficulties referred to in this thread: -People don't read the Forum Rules -People don't care about the Forum Rules -People forget that this is privately owned space and not a public street corner. They think they have a "right" to say or do things outside of the rules because [insert justification here]. There are two other major factors . . . people in these forums are either: -Very like they are in person OR -Somebody totally different (usually in a negative way) because there is no real life accountability for what they say or the way they act. The way I look at it . . . I treat this site as if I were a guest in the owner's house. If his rules are remove your shoes before entering and don't put your feet on the furniture, I respect those rules because I am a guest in his house - regardless of what I do in my own house or what I think of those particular rules. As long as I find value in the experience of being in his privately owned space, I will keep coming back (and even help maintain the place a bit). If the rules become more than I can stomach, I will choose to hang out someplace else. Arrive Safely John

One slot left . . . Arrive Safely John

At the 2007 PIA Symposium in Reno I put out an invitation in the Bonfire for DZ.commers at the event to meet for an early breakfast at the coffee shop. Howard was the first one there. I had conversed with him numerous times in the forums prior to that and it was great to finally meet him in person. I ran into him countless times after that in Reno, at that event and the next two, in his capacity as symposium photographer. At the 2008 Barcelona event, he made a remark about his taxpayer's dollars sending me to Spain . . . I told him "mine too" which raised a smile. His efforts as a parachuting historian were invaluable, especially on the subject of skydiving aircraft. He was a frequent contributor to the History & Trivia Forum and I was always impressed with just how consistently involved he had been in our sport for so many years. Rest easy, Howard. Arrive Safely John

Alpha November - Dos! Arrive Safely John

USPA Coach Course 13-15 April @ Raeford Parachute Center. Min course size is 3; max is 6. I am the Course Examiner. $150/Candidate (future Raeford Staff receive a 50% discount) plus $35 USPA Rating Fee and four jump slots for eval jumps ($96). Prerequisites: B license, 100 jumps. Pre-course requirements: obtain an original hard copy SIM and IRM (no older than 2 years), complete the Coach exam, complete item #2 on the Coach Proficiency Card. Course is three full days, $75 non-refundable deposit is required to hold a slot. PM me for more information or email [email protected]. Arrive Safely John