mx757

Edit: Forgot to add that I know Mike B personally (he's deaf as well). Nothing wrong doing on his part but I know that on one occasion the grappling hook on his prosthesis got tangled with a fellow bellyflyer's suit sleeve as they docked together. Couldn't shake apart so the bellyflyer opted to deploy with the suit sleeve still twisted in the hook. Thankfully the sleeve gave away and they all had uneventful deployment and landing. There's a photo but you'll have to ask Mike. yes that happened at Cuba Mo Dec 1984 me & Steve Eggers... had a two way.. Larry Thorne landed on my back causing us to Z every time I was stable steve would upset it and every time steve was stable I'd upset it keeping it Z-ing.. Steve knew I could lip read... I was hooked on sleeve of his throw out arm.... he shook me said " relax" when I get stable I'm going to pull my reserve... soon as he reached for the handle it tore and was free... Gary Peek took the photo... I have it still will have to look for it..

You're also right about losing a prosthesis. I lost my arm on a jump in 2008. I get my prosthetic work from the VA, so it was free, but I think insurance might have a problem with replacing one. I think Mike B. (mx757 here) used to jump with a prosthesis, but didn't use one in his regular life, so it can be done, but if you're not used to using one, you can probably get along without it. yes I have a SOS system I sold my Racer to Tommy (compuerdoc) but still have my other two rigs... I'm out of the sport for awhile now... need lose some weight, and been flying my irplane a lot now too... yes as Dan G said for a new jumper one arm SOS is the way to go! I know Wendy at skydive Temple... maybe I'll fly my Cessna down some weekend... I'm in Ft. Worth.. mike

just looked held on by 4 bolts 2 on each side at top & bottom..

that was NOT a landing gear door from a 767....the main landing gear doors on the 767 are much bigger and much heavier. its just a panel bolted to outboard side of the main landing gear. Its held on with two bolts one at top one at bottom.. whole panel is very light....

yea, bad news... heal fast Jennifer.. looking forward to seeing your duck cartoon of this incident... hope you will be back in the sky soon..

skydive Dallas is mostly a tandem mill too..

Tommy.. hope my Racer with SOS set up is working well for you.. I still feel bad that I sold that rig.. Mike

I've had Colonel Joe Kittinger sign mine..

Mike, Sorry, but that's fucked up. There is absolutely no way the DZOs I know would turn this guy away because he's black. I already said I doubted they would turn him away because he's deaf. In fact, Jim Crouch, in the other thread about this in the Instructors forum, asked for Billy to put the guy in touch with him. Seems to me like he wasn't actually turned away from all the Virginia DZs in the first place, since Jim is one of the DZOs. hope is is just a bad case of miscommunication. I think this whole situation sounds (no pun intended) like a lot of miscommunication. Yep, there you go again: "He has contacted every DZ in Virginia, and every one of them turned him down!" Billy, Have him call us again at Virginia Skydiving Center and we will take care of him. 804-466-0215. Jim"

No, he hasn't. The OP refered to him as a "sort of" pilot. You're assuming a lot. Again, assuming. We don't know if they excluded him because of his hearing or not. I'd be surprised, knowing most of the people involved, if that were the case. Gosh, you're right! The glasses analogy really made it click for me. The almost 500 jumps I made with a prosthetic limb didn't help me understand disabilities at all. Like I said, skydiving is not for everyone. If a severely retarded man showed up at the DZ and wanted to do a static line, would you protest if the DZ turned him away? How about someone with uncontrolled epilepsy? Maybe there's something else going on with the guy mentioned in the OP, all we have to go on is the fact that at least 3 DZs turned him away. Do you think maybe they know something we don't? Dan G. .. I know the guy Billy Vance is talking about, yes he IS a DEAF Private pilot like me. I've flew with him an other deaf pilots on cross country flights in St. Louis back in 2005...we (group of deaf pilots) flew several aircraft to several city's in Missouri / Illinois. you want MY opinion why the dropzone won't train him? he is deaf & black.

that was couple of months ago.. old news now..

I have a 5 year old Racer set up as a SOS i'm left arm amputee. now retired from the sport for awhile.. the sky will always be there. sent you a PM.

Holy crap look at all the junk he wears on his head… He’s got like 12 still cameras, 8 video cameras, a slide projector, VCR and Beta machine, laser beam, missiles, and a perfectly groomed Magnum P.I. mustache! Impressive to say the least. And with all that he's still a regular joe just like the rest of us. A great guy with personality to match. ltdiver I second that.. Tom is a great Guy..

my Favorite beer is "The Next One"

could of drive to SPI got on flight out of there..

Damn... how bad? My 172 is based at Gainseville I don't think this is the same DC-3 and Fat Annie is parked next to the DC-3 too

nice to see you back...

I second that.. used to live there...

Get a VW Jetta TDI Diesel you'll get 45 mpg easy... you'll get 38-40 mpg in town close to 50 on highway they run smoothly have lots power and if you didn't know it was a diesel, you'd think it was gasoline powered car...

that sounds like Mike Morley..

Maybe i can fly with both arms and then put both controls in my right hand for the landing? It's not as easy as it sounds... you might look into something like a loop you can add / hook to left steering toggle and your stump and fly it like that... you'll need to advoid other canopy traffic as you get more jumps.. you'll be "hooked" to canopy if you should need to "cut away" after a canopy wrap... just something to consider... if you can get loop made to fit your stump and besure your not going to have it slip off in flare etc. you can do it... might take you a bit to set up / hook up soon as canopy opens... another thing you should consider.... lets say you have to cutaway your main, and use your reserve on a SOS system... but by the time you make decesion to cutaway, do it and it opens... chances are your going to be low... little or no time to set up / hook up a toggle... you'll need to be picking a spot to land, etc not time to set up hook / toggle system or what ever you come up with.. I'd just leave brakes set and steer with risers turns to go into wind and do best PLF ever..

putting both toggles in right hand you risk doing hook turn on landing...you could modify the steering toggle.... longer reach to fit your stump.. but you have to besure it won't come off durning flare.. and that you can get full toggle input...deep brakes... I just found it easier to wear the prostheic arm... but soon as I landed I took it right off... hate them, still do..

photo of me and my rig wih a SOS set up.... http://www.armdynamics.com/home.html

I'm a left BE amputee too.. I'm a private pilot too..I hate wear the prosthetic limbs. I use it for skydiving, but not for flying the aircraft. Mike Morley is a big strong guy..he can get away with jumping one handed I use a prosthetic arm for skydive.. not really needed for freefall but after canopy opens its good to steer / flare for landing.. soon as I land I ditch the prosthetic limb... hate them... I spent my first 20 years in sport with convention cut-away / reserve handles with RSL. but I now jump a Racer than Nancy at jumpshack set up for me as a SOS rig. with one hand it's much safer set up.. I should have went to SOS setup when I started jumping... you can fly canopy one handed.. releasing brakes going be problem as it'll want to start to spin when you release one brake... you WILL get tired flying canopy with one hand...I've done it 2 or 3 times just as "what if" in case prosthetic arm came off in freefall.. (funnel etc) It quickly takes up all your strength... I'd suggest you use a prosthetic arm for your jumps... (yea I know you're like me you hate them too)