sarge

I feel I need to take two steps back to make one step forward here... I sat, watched, read, researched, joined, and even posted on the most coolest forum on the i-net before even checking-in. I apologize. part of the reason is I had a lot going on over the years to get involved... I'm doug, I love to jump, free-fly and swoop. I hope I don't piss anybody off...(too badly) you would be best advised to take me with a grain of salt or a shot, whichever comes first. Ya know, I've always wondered... if our sky wasn't blue what color would it be? -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

LOL!!! after everything I've bought for her, I will glad to get my daughter out this summer for her 1st jump after she turns 21 so she can buy me, her first case of beer! Wait??? that would be two firsts would'nt it? HUH? .... well, then two cases of beer!!! I love the smell of jetA in the morning... It's the fart smell I think I could live well without! -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

well, I don't know your whole situation? But rest assured you are under the microscope brother. These crash vetrans have always had a good message for me (and I am not the best listener) . I had 250+ jumps on my Monarch 150 before I started jumping my Stiletto 120. I've got about 200 jumps on that wing. I just down-sized; to a Crossfire 2 119, Yup! cut a whole (1) sq ft outta that equation!!! Actually, last srping, my first choice was a Velocity. But I've tried some other non-X canopies, Jedei, Samurai, Crossfire and geez! They work just fine for me. It ain't no competition til you're in competition! Hell, for example, the VX is marketed as a special use canopy anyway, (if my memory serves correct). whatever... besides ask Jason Peters about the swoop on the Crossfire... Point is, (for me) Cause after you are lucky enough to land that Crossfire (or any1.5 +) under your circumstances , (which 1.6 Crossfire is fast as hell !!! comapred to the Stiletto at 1.6, BTW, It does dive a lot faster!) say 50 or so times, you are a likely candidate for developing that false sense of security. (just my opinion) I was to yet down-size again before I thought better of it. and I've never broken anything yet...(sprains, dislocations count?)Hmmm? I like to do a lot of solos, for canopy work, but since I'm goin last near or last anyway in those situations, There's no good reason (not to open a debate) for pulling a bit higher than 2500!!! Man, altitude, thats the time! Thats where I learned 90-360s and everything that preceeds those, like turning out of those same manuevers-- on both sides! before I tried them for final. Good luck, keep the grass off your ass, or the snow outta your hole. Hey look! Is that guy really going to turn his rabbit into a hat? -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

Thanks, I realize that took some time to post, but its a keeper, I'm printing it for my office. and just in case I land about 53.7 miles out, I would like to know the general wind patterns.... Hey!! what the hell are you doing with that! don't you know you could put an eye out with that thing!!! -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

... USMC... but I've got pics at least as geeky as that... no spurs (no offense) they look like fun I know, I'll show her my tattoo; that'll impress her... -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

Hilarious!!!!! are those real spurs? lol!!!! You've gotta ride her till she bucks ya... then .... -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

I've seen some of your recent posts... I wasn't thinking they were anything weird? were you? I am usually guaranteed to plant foot-in-mouth under those circumstances!! But I'm usually tougher on myself than others are... (generally speaking) I can't find my pants.... I can't go to work without my pants!!!! -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

Hey boss, I',m just wondering... I was gonna send a PM to skymonkeyone with regard to the Steel guy. thought better of it, but any way? I just wondering if what happened was my imagination...? did all that correspondence really occur? even before the deleted post(s), I just don't understand what happened to that total next thread that got opened up? was I seeing things, is it gone? was it ever really there? I woke up thinking I had just been intimate with Alice? man was I just dreaming... why is my underwear wet...? -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

well it sure got me thinking.... "maybe I should wear a shirt to begin with".... nah! what he heck, My charm usually lasts until I open my mouth anyway lol! I'm thinking maybe I should just jump her? wait... she's bigger than me, and she'll probably kick my ass! .... whoah, bad idea! -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

HMMMMMM? ..... Nothing short of covering the costs of extensive legal fees, (to avoid prison), and enough to cover a healthy retirement (since the measly pension I woulda had is now gone), and enough to buy my own DZ since I'd never get anyone to ever hire me again, and maybe a few rigs to keep on hand at vairious other DZs... Wayyy to much for the average violator to afford. I'd definately call out a dog!!!! However, you show me your USPA card... "have a nice day," ...and fly safe.... Ya know, I'm thinking I'd like to flip-off a cop... lets do it??? huh? -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

Yup!!! No problem, I didn't have a aad card/manual at that time... I do now! LOL!! It's just my 'rap, I'm not saying its a panacea and I would also like to comment that after all that I would like to remark that the "letter head" approach is very appropriate. are you feeling funky...? I wanna go wake a snow-angel. -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

hey Andy Man, Schitt!! (i still haven't figued out this 'quote' stuff) but, whats up w/us N. Illinoisians anyway...? do we just like pissing people off??? Can we blame the TSA, or are we supposed to know intuitively how to handle these (conscientious) wage-earners? or the airline officials or our fellow jumpers... (geez I wish they'd let me talk to the captain directly...) My point, is that, Dude, we will all do what we think is the right thing at the time,I was still learning the system. This includes bagging your rig or not... I prefer to bag mine, No dis to anybody! It's just that I would prefer to be inconspicuous... whatever? Another thing, I had a chip on my shoulder and it nearly got me arrested/grounded? I wish I coulda asked for a 1st class ticket... (Does Southweast even have 1st class?) I was just glad to schmooze, get the ride and put it behind me... where do you like to drink? I'm thirsty -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

Hlarious!!! I bought a motorhome after 911 (sick of tents/bunkhouses/commuting) but none-the-less love to fly, lots faster in and out, and even before 911 I almost walked from a ride out to PHX because they wouldn't let me carry-on (ORD)... now I carry my AAD card, Uspa card and...well, "it's a sport parachute", "oh that?" well thats just a spring to release the reserve parachute... and that box thing ? "oh yeah" thats a, " altititude awareness computer that lets the reserve parachute know when to release itself" no big deal... really... hey whats the in-flight movie by the way???? Don't carry on any wieghts, put your audible in the basket w/your cell phone, keys, switch-blade... etc... and I make my mind up which rig I'm taking before I go, so I don't have to check shit! They'll only cover like $2,000 in a loss anyway? And I sure don't trust my homeowners policy to cover it! Hey, BTW?? where you like to eat? I'm hungry... -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

Thanks bro, there's no doubt, rears are the way to get in in / plf withstanding. I guess I just have my own little gremlin that haunts me about it happening in the 190 of my 270.. ya know? -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

yea of course, but, the fact is I'm concerned about that moment in recovery arc when if I even blink, every thing gets verrrrrry wierd.... do you you know what I mean??? -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

7. On the normal main you jump, a steering line breaks on opening? At 1,500 ft? At 1,000 ft? At 500 ft? 10. On short final, you see another canopy coming directly at you. You neither of you do anything you will collide at about 30 ft. *** Turn a lot flat right... Ok, so the spot isn't where I intended but it's all good... just a longer walk back to the hanger,; if i make it... been there @ about 75-100???. $.02 good questions.... try nyquil, it'll help you sleep! -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

*** We had a guest coming in, he had 900 jumps and had never packed his own chute...:) LOL!!!!! Yup! truth be told.... if I'd spent all the money on jumps instead of packers, two things: >I woulnd't have jumped as much >I woulda had more beer money.... -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

Good question, well lets see... there is a progression of course. For me it kinda went like this: began about 8yrs old packing my GI Joes canopies; those went well. Then about 12yrs old I began packing for my little brother. I was unsuccessful at defending my pack-job by blaming "over wing-loading" when he got busted up after jumping off the garage roof with my super man bed sheet?? But never-the-less, what I really needed was some proper instruction and that came many years later in the form a class that lasted a couple hours or so; pack-re-pack, then pack again... Anyway, my tactile skills are not the greatest, so my first deployment was multiple line twists. Yeah, I jumped my own pack job, got my A but, the real learning for me came over much time and practice, and I'm still not that fast. Big soft canopies seem just as tough to bag as small slippery ones,(has been my experience anyway) so maybe the myth about "size doesn't matter" is resolved? - just remember; thats why we jump, so we can pack -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

*** can anyone give me advice on helping to ease my nervousness? yes..... would you you like to jump on me.... I mean I'll jump on on you. NO. thats not what I meant.... if you're still there.... stay with it , it all comes together if you stay on top of the ride be mindful of your karma. -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

"life is short, fly fast" Roy LoPresti -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

thanks man.... important safety tip!!!! i got a hard copy just in case for Daytona -- I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!