Ron

Ok, I'll try this again: The FAA does not give a damn about TI's having a medical - THEY DONT CARE. Only the USPA cares. If the USPA dropped it, the FAA would not even notice. The only group making the TI/DUI correlation is the USPA. Then let me throw this out: 1. Don't hide your experience. There is ZERO reason to hide your experience and it just looks like you are trying to sound like an expert. 2. Don't give your opinion as fact. Let's look at the thread recently. A guy asks about how to get current and you gave several comments that you tried to push as fact that were not grounded in the SIM and you were arguing with several AFFI's. So instead of saying something like "At a minimum this person needs to start at Cat A, no exceptions and any other opinion is dangerous".... You could of said something like, "I am a jumper that has had to get current more often than I'd like to admit. I found that I did better when after a year off I started with a Cat A jump". Statement 1 is full of fail. You are arguing with rated instructors (one that has worked the EXACT program the jumper in question was in) AGAINST what the SIM states. It is easy to prove you wrong, but instead of admitting it, you doubled down on the bad advice. Statement 2 is an opinion and your background makes you pretty damn qualified to speak from the students perspective. So, Statement 1 is acting like an Instructor when you had a 'B' license. Statement 2 was an opinion and based on personal experience. See the difference? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

It IS about the content. You claimed that a student had to go back to Cat A. You said 'at a minimum' and that it was fact. And that was pure unadulterated bullshit. I provided the link to the SIM that proved you wrong. But that was not enough. You continued down the path of acting like an expert. But the FACT is that you have a B license and not a single USPA instructional rating to INCLUDE coach. Yet you continued to give 'expert' opinions on the student program. You also have given bad advice about rigging. You and your advice are dangerous. If you loved the sport as much as you claim you would stop spouting your opinion as fact. The only reason I am on this forum is to protect new people from people like you. Maybe YOU should take a long hard look in the mirror and ask yourself why a guy with only a 'B' license is trying to sound like an expert. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Correct, since the LSA category there has been ZERO accidents related to a medical issue. You might want to take the time to point out that medical related incidents across all categories over a long period of time are low, comparatively. Not having a medical exam is in fact correlated with aviation incidents and has been since the 20s'. That's why we have it. C Provide your data. The FACT is that not a SINGLE accident in LSA has been attributed to a medical issue. Provide your data. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That was recently my cryptonite. Why I didn't do it when I was younger and my Dad had the plane, I'll never know. Kicking myself now. You can also do light sport without a medical. It, in theory, only requires 20 hours. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Correct, since the LSA category there has been ZERO accidents related to a medical issue. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Chris Donovan has a "B" license from the USPA. He earned it while in the NorthEastern region. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The SES was EASY.... I am doing Inst now, and yeah, I hate myself "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

I looked into it as a BFR. (If you have a pilots license every two years you either have to take a review flight with an instructor, or if you get another rating it covers this). Requirements: FOR INITIAL FAA RATING * Minimum of 20 Instructional flights * Minimum of 10 Solo flights * Pass FAA Knowledge Test * Pass FAA Check ride Approximate cost $5,000.00 For me it would of been about half of that since I have a pilots license. I instead went and got a sea plane rating in two days for about half of the glider rating. But the glider rating is on my list after I get my Inst, commercial and multi. But I have had several people tell me the glider rating is one of the most fun and will make me a better pilot. These folks seem to be in the SD area http://www.agcsc.org "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Mods... Is there a way we can tag this guy so new people will not listen to his dangerous 'advice'? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Yes, you claimed the FAA has asked for a TI's medical. I said the FAA only cares about the medical because the USPA does. You tried to tell me the FAA does not get pushed around... But the fact is that the FAA does not in and of itself care about the medical. They only care because the USPA cares. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Glad you brought that up.... Do you have an AFF rating? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

For example, ChrisD offered some astonishing suggestions about closing loops and washers in this thread: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4517569 Mark What peaked my interest was ChrisD's expert opinion on this thread http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4572580#4572580 Notice he gives an 'expert' opinion on what a student should be required to do. So authoritative: "Lets get one thing clear, at a minimum he starts with a Cat A jump" So 'knowledgeable' on the rules: "It is been over a year and he / she is required to repeat a Cat A at this point" And so forceful: "This isn't really debatable" Never mind that his authoritative, knowledgable, and forceful comments are 100% wrong. If it is found that ChrisD was a student tandem in 2012..... Well, I will not be surprised. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Then please find me the FAR that requires a TI have a current medical. The FAA is just using the USPA regulations since we are supposed to be 'self governing" But like I asked, please show me where the FAR that requires a TI to have a current medical. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

And what are the dangers of an unqualified person giving advice? Like giving bad advice and acting like an expert when in fact you did a tandem jump as a student in Sept 2012? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Only because the USPA requires it. The FAA does not care since the rules changed years ago and it no longer was a test program. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

His point is that by reading your comments we all thought something was wrong. When we asked you about it, you tried to hide your lack of experience and that was a second red flag. Now we find out what we all pretty much suspected... That you are not as experienced as you tried to fool others into thinking. Having few jumps (which you may not actually have) is not an issue. Having few jumps and acting like an expert giving out advice is an issue. But I will ask, is this a pretty accurate description of your experience level? http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=4575876;page=3;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; 1. You signed up years ago to learn, but never finished the program. 2. You did a tandem in 2012. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynvuaydTebI 3. You signed up here on September 2, 2012 and posted "I'm glad for this thread...I'm a newbi renting gear" So I ask.... Is this accurate? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Simply put, if you have the credentials to back up your words you would not be afraid of showing them. *I* am not worried about you giving *me* bad advice. I know enough about skydiving to know if your opinion is valid or not. This is not about me, this is about the low timer that does not have the bullshit filter that I have learned from 20 years and 6k jumps. Again... If you have the credentials you should not be afraid to show them. You can hem and haw about it all day long, but that is a basic fact. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Of course not. But which question... The currency question, or the hiding and trying to act like an expert question? The currency question is actually pretty simple. I have seen people who lack experience only available through time in sport make mistakes that they would of known better if they had more time in the sport. As for me being bothered by people who hide behind anonymity yet give what they consider to be 'expert' opinions... This is even easier. There is zero reason to give an opinion and not give your credentials if asked. People often lack the credentials yet think they should be considered an expert so they hide their credentials. Everyone can have an opinion, but only people with qualifications to back the opinion up should be paid attention to. A whuffo can claim that three parachutes makes us safer, Bill Booth might have the opposite opinion. Based on the EXPERIENCE between the two, I'd listen to Booth over some Whuffo. This has nothing to do with a regulation or a wikipedia article (Which BTW, I would not accept a wiki article as factual anyway). It has to do to see if the person offering his opinion is someone that should be ignored, or listened to... Again a whuffo's opinion on equipment vs Booths for example. Another example might be a guy that watched Dropzone 14 times vs a TI that actually has 14k tandem jumps. Nope, but a persons experience should be a factor in if you listen to them or not. A person with nothing to hide - Will not hide. Lets use that example... Should you take advice from me about landing a Pitts, or from Budd Davisson? Me, I'd be a terrible choice to teach you to land a Pitts, most likely kill us both. I'd listen to Budd Davisson - He has the credentials to back it up (39 years of instruction and 5K hours teaching in the Pitts line). And you can bet your ass that Davisson is not going to hide his identity if asked. Bill Finagin will not be afraid to give you his credentials if you ask either. So if I was acting like a Pitts expert (which I have not) and you asked me, "How many hours in a Pitts do you have?" And I answered: "That does not matter!!!! Only my opinion matters!" You would have every right to think I was hiding something. But if you asked Bill, Budd, and myself how to best launch block 6 in 4way.... I'd listen to me and not them. I'd bet they would be smart enough to not give a suggestion (just like I am smart enough not to try and teach someone to land a Pitts). Qualifications matter. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Try https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQc20bEuO8E&list=TL5bPkZLAu8R0mNEYwhmC_9AJcDkT1zvob And if you are nice, I'll let you buy the pilot a beer "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

The forces that actually control our sport (The FAA) already know a medical is not needed to be a TI.... Or to teach people to fly a balloon, or to teach people to fly a glider, or to teach people to fly light sport aircraft. All the USPA is doing by requiring it is telling the FAA that they should look at skydiving more because skydivers seem to have a drinking problem so bad that we have to require things the FAA does not require. So you can blame the USPA for both the un-needed higher standard AND making the FAA wonder if skydiving should be closer regulated due to drinking problems. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

When you present your opinion, you should be ready to back up your qualifications to validate that opinion - This is not a difficult concept and anyone should not feel offended that they were asked to back up their opinion. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

So with your 10 years and 1500 jumps (according to your profile). Is the 500 in a year jumper better than you now? Does he know as much? Does he a greater interest in the sport? "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

A student pilot certificate holder does not require a medical, a student only needs the medical to solo. Unless it's a balloon, glider or LSA category airplane. you can solo a glider with a denied medical EDIT: I see what you mean, yea you only need medical to solo powered aircraft. FALSE. You can fly a powered light sport aircraft without a medical. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Not a bird myself.... So I can't say for sure. I *think* homestead has a ban on them. You would have to call them to verify. I know Clewiston has a few, but they are not always out. I have no idea about Sebastian. I heard they were pretty active at one time, but since I am not a WSer I don't know. For bird specific info, I'd ask in the WS forum. Sorry "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Except the FAA does not care about the medical for TI's. It is pure USPA. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334