ripcords

Do you remember how much? Was it something you could buy at the dz?

I am visiting Verona, Italy for a wedding and I would like to get a fun jump in. I was told I need USPA membership, my log to prove currency, my medical, proof of insurance. I had everything with me including my medical insurance card. Now they want proof that it covers skydiving and also the $ amount of my coverage. Is this required at all dz’s in Italy?

https://www.tunnelflight.com/ is free to join and tunnel fliers can get signed off for each skill as they demonstrate proficiency in it.

http://uspa.org/FAA-USPA/DZO-and-Pilot-Resources

Nice article Larry. We are finding an increase in jumpers just like you and this is a good article for them.

What a fun, friendly and safety conscious environment for jumpers of all experience levels. From the moment we walked through the door, Pearce made us feel right at home and showed us the beautiful Cessna tail wheels they use for lifts. Brian took the time to make sure I was thoroughly briefed. Sophie signed me in and Lee put a lift together so I could get in the New Zealand skies. Brian organized a skydive that was appropriate for all of the levels of sport jumpers that were on the lift. It was obvious that they all have a passion for the sport that gives this place a great vibe. Having been jumping for over 33 years I have been to many skydiving centers, and this is one that I would gladly return to. Cheers and thank you for a fabulous time. My only regret is that I didn't have time to stay and make more skydives.

On the subject of hop and pops. Our dz has the novices practice the hop and pop exit during a full altitude coach jump. They do this repeatedly until they demonstrate the subterminal skill for this exit. This gives them both the confidence and skill to perform this very useful technique from a normal hop and pop altitude.

Thanks for the mod to my NEX. It was such a quick turn around time. Nice job! I can't wait to start using it. What settings do you use with your NEX when filming skydiving in standard sunny conditions?

No need to apologize. I appreciate the information and guidance you have provided.

How about the digital still cameras at CES, anything new and cool with them?

What do you think about the Balanced Optical Steadyshot Image Stabilization with active mode (BOS) on the higher end prosumer version camcorders Sony just announced at CES like the HDR PJ710V? http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/838312-REG/Sony_HDR_PJ710V_HDR_PJ710V_High_Definition_Handycam.html

The way the doctors explained it to me was that replacements only last so long (currently 10-15 years typically). They can do a second replacement when the first wears out, but to do so they have to remove the previous replacement and you lose a lot of your femur in the process. So there is a limit as to how many times they can replace your hip. Hence most doctors encourage you to hold off for as long as you can stand it. I made about 10,000 jumps on a painfully arthritic hip. I just had the replacement done last year. The first thing I noticed was the lack of pain. I did not realize how much pain I had been living with until it was no longer there. I had a total hip replacement, but first looked into getting my hip resurfaced. The good thing about a resurfacing is after a resurfacing wears out, you can get a hip replacement. So however many years you get on the resurfaced hip are "bonus" years in my mind. Unfortunately my hip was not eligible for a resurfacing. Although I currently believe hip surgery to be life changing in a positive way, I would definitely weigh all of your options before moving forward with it.

We just saw Kevin's memorial jump picture in Parachutist magazine and our hearts sank. What an incredible loss! Kevin and my husband, Don Kellner, made their 1000th jump together and worked on the Molly McGuire's movie back in the 60's. Kevin made the jump with his leg in a cast and the crew caught him when he landed. I have attached a picture of that jump. Don has never stopped telling the wonderful stories of the good times they had together while making that movie. I had the honor to meet Kevin when we traveled to California on vacation. He was larger than life and a genuinely down to Earth awesome person. I am so honored to have known him if even briefly. Our sincere condolences.

Unfortunately, I don't believe that to be true. A friend of mine runs the stock car racing experience and told me Slyrides was selling racing certificates under a different name, and they were doing it despite the fact that no racing company in the U.S. accepted their certificates and they did not have their own race track either. Slyrides are back in full force in PA. Check out their supposed "network of skydiving centers in the state of Pennsylvania" http://www.pennsylvania-skydiving.com/skydive/index.php?zip_value=18944 I believe the list was only 279 long this afternoon, but it grew to 555 by this evening. Yet when I called them to ask them where I could go, they only had one center in PA. How confusing!

Any pictures from Ripcords past are welcome.

In celebration of 50 years of good times and fun skydiving, the Northeast Pennsylvania Ripcords is having a get together after jumping on Saturday, June 18, 2011 at the clubhouse. All current and former members are welcome. Please get in touch with anyone you know who may not see this and let them know right away! If you have any pictures that you would be willing to share, e-mail them to me. I am putting together a slideshow from what Don has accumulated over the years, but would be glad for any additional pictures you could provide. If you would like hotel accommodations contact the dz and we will get you a skydiver's discounted rate. Congratulations to Don Kellner on his 50th anniversary of his first jump on June 14, Flag day. Blue Skies...look forward to seeing you this Saturday. Darlene

New World Record Set: Kellner tops 40,000 skydives Don Kellner made his 40,000th skydive, on Saturday, May 21st, 2011. The skydive was made from 12,000 feet over the Hazleton Municipal Airport. Kellner has been working towards this goal since 1961. Family and friends from all over the country came in to join him on the jump. Three planes flew aloft for the momentous occasion and 16 skydivers joined Kellner in the sky for his jump. Each plane blossoming it’s own celebration of colored parachutes, banners and flags. Kellner took his daughter Barbara on a tandem skydive while his other daughter Tammy joined hands with them and gave the thumbs up signal to the freefall videographers. Kellner’s wife, Darlene, also an avid skydiver organized the jump for maximum safety of all participants. The Kellner’s got married in freefall and have a combined total of 55,555 skydives. Kellner and his partner, Dave Price, run the skydiving school in Hazleton, PA, the Above the Poconos Skydivers. This lifetime accomplishment will be verified by the United States Parachute Association and then submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records. When asked what he is going to do next Don said “40,001.” http://www.wgal.com/video/28002252/detail.html http://pahomepage.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=185587 http://www.dkellner.info/ Attached is a photograph of Don and his daughters upon landing.

Don't know. We never guesstimate, because you never know what the future holds. 1 jump at a time...

Over 11,000 of Don Kellner's skydives were tandems.

We were so disappointed. Lake Wales used to be a top notch skydiving center, but the focus is solely on tandems now.

I have thought about that but never actively pursued it.

According to the Jump for the Cause website http://www.jumpforthecause.com/participant_main_page.html, Wendy Smith has 17,700 skydives, so it is possible she passed Cheryl Stearns. I am not sure exactly how many jumps Cheryl has beyond 17,000. Cheryl is the one currently officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the woman with the most sport parachute descents. According to the Jump for the Cause info, Carolyn Clay has over 16,292. Next I think is Mary Bauer, according to this website, she just made her 15,000th jump this year. Congratulations! I was hoping to make my 15,000th last year, but instead I had reconstructive shoulder surgery, which limited my jumping tremendously. I am back jumping full force this year, but remember what Don has always told me... you can only make one jump at a time. Not sure beyond that about any other female jumpers, but the jump for the cause website is a great source of information about some experienced female skydivers around the world.

Don Kellner's logs are also done in longhand and include all of the information you contain within your logs and additionally include the names of each person who was on the lift with him (he runs a Cessna dropzone, so it is not that many names per lift). We also invite anyone to come round and pour through logbook after logbook from his first static-line 48 years ago on the 14th of June to the ones he made yesterday. He does indeed have over 38,000 skydives. He was the first person in the United States to make 10,000 jumps and the second in the world. Roch Charmet was the first. He has 1936 round parachute jumps with no malfunctions. His first square jump was his first malfunction. He was a pioneer in the sport. He has made over 11,000 tandems, thousands of AFF's, jumpmastered thousands of static-line and IAD students (he was one of the originators of the IAD program in the U.S.), participated in big way RW world record attempts and even tried a bit of headdown with me, along with his signature hop-n-pops. He loves cross country jumps and canopy flight and he loves to keep his jumpers in the air, but he is not a licensed pilot, I am. He worked full time as a general construction superintendent along with running a dropzone on weekends in the Northeast. 48 years later he is still out there jumping anytime it is jumpable. See the attached picture of the kiss pass we did on the jump that made our combined total number of jumps 50,000. Snow on the ground, freezing temperatures don't stop him. He is the definition of hardcore in my book. http://www.dkellner.info

They don't shut us down due to increased traffic, but we anticipate it and work with the controllers to keep the airspace as safe as possible. We try not to plan too busy of a day during known peak traffic times. Sometimes we keep ourselves to hop n pops which are below the outgoing traffic routes. We do this for safety and out of courtesy to the controllers who are working very hard during the high traffic time. A little good will goes a long way.