rgoper

Dave: your exactly right on this one bro. no matter what your occupation is, it isn't a "hobby" that's for sure. "Show Me The Money!" everyone pays for "preferred service" whether they know it or not is an entirely different matter. be home the 11th, in the air soon after, we'll fly that new Cobalt Comp. 170^2!

Yes. i have one or two i really do appreciate, and they know i appreciate them when the days jumping is done. i just tell them "keep me flying"

i'm horribly slow, and don't have the patience it takes to be a proffesional packer, i hate that slippery fabric, and just how many times is this stinking thing going to re-inflate on me? i fly a HeatWave 170^2 and my usaul packing time is ten minutes, i spend a lot of time checking my brake lines, setting & stowing them etc, i'm too anal about that part but i hate it when brake lines get twisted up! this is the reason i always pay a packer, but it must be someone i trust, and to touch on another topic in this subjuct that was posted elsewhere, i generally pay a really good packer $10.00 per pack job, no problems yet, oh well, maybe some odd line twists from time to time.

who "pulled the triggers" won't be known for quite some time. but it was definitely a concerted effort starting with J. Edgar Hoover and Lyndon Baines Johnson with mob support. (not to mention Castro was pissed after he found out JFK was planning a hit on him, there were strong ties to the mob in cuba) Joe Kennedy went to his sons after the election and begged JFK & RFK to stop giving the mob a hard time, he also advised them that if they didn't their fate would be desolate. evidently, they didn't listen to the old man. Joe was the one that spun the wheels, had the connections and got both of the imbiciles in the white house, they just forgot "who" it was that got them there. it was mob money that financed their campaign, short memories can be lethal i guess. ultimately it was JFK's vanity that caused and assissted in his own demise. (riding in an open topped motorcade at his own behest, not smart) Lee Harvey Osawald had about as much to do with the shooting of JFK as we did. whatever it was that he knew, he never got to tell it and it will be a mystery forever. i guess this whole affair could be written off as a reminder to not "bite the hand that feeds you" in my extensive hunting experience throughout the years, it has been my observation during the many viewings of the zapruder film that the lethal shot was definitely fired fron the front of the motorcade, not the rear. it doesn't take a rocket scientists to make a simple visual observation to know which direction matter/mass travels when it is struck from the front, or the rear. good thing is this incident will be in the world history books infinitely, and presidents now a days are more mindful of their constituents and finianceers. hard lesson learned, too bad it had to destroy "Camelot" --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i've steered clear of this one until now. all i have to add is i think there's a bunch of sky diver's that need to "check the ego" at the door. there are many differing methods of canopy control, and although they may be different in style, or termonology they all can work. but, what do i know? i've got over 500 sky dives with out so much as a scratch, but i can wind up in the "incidents" forums just as quickly as any here. Edited to add: i don't need any advice or sky diving class to make me aware of my last statement, that much i'm sure of myself. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Phil & Deb Chappell Of Skydive San Marcos Definitely Todd Spillers Of Skydive AggieLand, Look for more good things here! Cindy Gibson Of Lexington is very kewel as well. one DZO in particular i look forward to meeting, and jumping at his facility is Roger Nelson of Skydive Chicago, this is where the "mecca" of skydiving facilities is! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i purchased this same helmet for the same reasons you've stated. it's quite in freefall, and i don't care who thinks it's ugly! it's a good strong durable helmet and has 2 internal and external audible ports. that said, if i had just a smidgen of complaint, it would be that it does inhibit me from looking up when i collapse my slider sometimes, but vision is decent and not limited to an extreme that it can't be quickly acclaimated to. good luck. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

all of them bro!

clear and pulls i've done were out of a super otter and i believe the prop blast alone inflated the canopy before the 2 stage design had a chance to develop. all of the above. my Cobalt 170^2 was the most missbehaved canopy i've ever owned, but that said, in Atair's defense, they took the canopy back, and are building me a brand new Competition 170^2, i will have it soon. i originally bought the Cobalt because of the softer 2 stage opening, but was soon disgruntled. i've since bought and successfully fly a HeatWave 170^2 without incident, each sky dive a "kick in the ass!" but i can't wait to see how this Cobalt Comp 170^2 will open and fly, when i get it i'm going to SkyDive AggieLand, and AggieDave and i are going to try our best to "put it through the paces" we'll see if it's all good, or all bad!?!? --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

hasn't happened to me yet, but it could. my plan is to go directly to my reserve at 1000" AGL if this situation ever does occur, and i'm not immune to making mistakes. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

the 300 X 20 X 4 is what i've seen Dave, you've seen SkyDiveSpacelands, to the best of my recollection, that is the deminsions of that swoop ditch. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

first of all, congrats on making a proper asessment, and initiating proper emergency procedures, in a timely manner! it feels good to get that thought out of your head: "will this be the day?" if you don't mind me asking, what line was it that was over the top of your canopy? what size was your canopy, and what wingload? last, but not least, do you utilize a RSL, and an AAD? again, congrats! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Norman: i previewed your profile, and with your jump numbers already being on a Sabre2 even at a 1.1:1 is going to an extreme. i'm not saying you cant do it. the Sabre2 wants to glide flat, while the canopy you were flying wanted to "sink" in. check out your landing area, whereever you plan to land and make sure it's clear of any debris, and if on a bigger dropzone, make sure you don't do this around a whole heard of already landed sky divers. on your final coming into the ground, don't look down, keep your eyes looking forward, and lift one foot under your tail, and have one leg sticking out, when you finish you glide (more brakes equates into more "bottom end") and feel the grass/turf finish your flair, and just surf out the landing until your low and slow enough to bring your canopy to a complete stop with you still standing up. once i come in, i do the same thing, i just fly the canopy, i don't let the canopy fly me. i just "ski" right on in! it's a blast. bear in mind, i'm just now getting into the "surfing" game, and there are plenty of others here who can help: ie: hooknswoop-AggieDave-ChuckBlue and gang. good luck. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

you got that right. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i have the same canopy with the same wing, only i don't lose but about 300'. but i imigine AggieDave is way more advanced than i in front riser snaps, i plan on taking some notes this weekend. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

ordered it while still on student status. had my own gear by jump # 35. why? because i couldn't see the humour in renting gear, that's if it wasn't being utilized by AFP students. in the DZO of SkyDive SpaceLand's defense, he cut me a HUGE break on rental, thanks Steve, i haven't forgotten it, never will. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

1800' AGL is my "Hard Deck" i've pulled at 1900' AGL before, but not on purpose, what am i saying? of course it was on purpose, i lost altitude awareness, and didn't pay any attention to my audibles. was in the saddle by 1300'-1400' AGL, so it was all good, thank god i didn't have a mal! --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

this is killing me, but i gotta go with Quade on this one. the 09/11 incident was planned and organized strictly to slap Wyatt Sr. in the face through Wyatt Jr. i've heard too much "scuttlebutt" overseas to believe otherwise. let's be honest with each other, it doesn't take 2 years to conjure up a plan of this type, it could have been carried out at any time, under any administration. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Jim Cazer 589 East Lake Hill Drive Talladega, Alabama 35160 256-268-9843 (Business Phone) 256-268-0675 (Fax) Jim's the best there is, he'll custom build to your specs and ship it lightning fast! expect to pay between $75.00 for the equipment, and $20.00 for shipping. (this could be lower, i had mine fed-exed overnight.) good luck. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Pro-Trac & Time Out --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

Go Here for anything your little heart desires. ask fo Roy, he's a straight dealer with great prices and will have anything you need. good luck. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

no, he won't. because he figures he's done just enough to win the next election, and judging by the political tempetures in this forum alone the silly bastad will win. ol' Wyatt's day is coming, and it's coming soon. we'll wait another 12 years or another world trade center travasty before we do anything again, why? because we can. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

you just intimidate the shit out of me, now you done went and got me all shook up. crawl back in your hole, go add to your jump numbers, do sometrhing. now, run along and play with your little friends. bye now. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

i don't recall you being summoned at all. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

well, judging by the amount of crying and whining that went on this last weekend, ah, nevermind. --Richard-- "We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"