mfrese

Two things: 1) Is the bruise happening near where the friction adapter rests when your legstraps are tight? I have a tendency to occasionally bruise there as well, it just tends to happen when steel and flesh get together. 2) Most people have different size legs, depending on whether you're right or left-handed, what sports you play, and many other factors. I don't know if container manufacturers account for this when making a custom rig (after all, they should have the measurements), but if not, you may actually be over-tightening the straps on that side. I bought my Mirage off the rack a few years ago, and finally had to measure my leg to realize my right upper thigh is almost an inch bigger than my left. I now adjust the legstraps accordingly, and seldom get these bruises. Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Jesus, we finally get rid of you, and where are you ending up? In the state I plan to move to...God hates me. J/K Vinnie...we're gonna miss you, even the nasty re-processed tequila aroma in the plane on Sunday mornings. Take care, and have a great time before you head to FL! Mike and Lynn Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

OK, going back a LONG way here....one of my favorite pissed off, hilarious break-up songs: Tonio K - "Hatred" (opening just acoustic guitar, sung in laid-back 70s singer-songwriter mode) Now I know it's not unusual There's nothing so unique There's probably hundreds of wonderful love affairs, that go bad in this town every week (it's a big town) But all of them others, those sad-hearted lovers can cry in their beer, what the hey It didn't concern me, was none of my business, I never had nothing to say But suddenty darling, your table has turned, you have left me for somebody new, and now it's hard to express the resentment I feel for the years that I've wasted on you But lemme, kinda, put this another way...OK? (Heavy, feedback-laden punk song starts here) Eins, Zwei, Drei, Vier! I know it's not unusual, there's nothing so unique There's probably hundreds of wonderful love affairs, that go bad in this town every week But all of them others, those sad-hearted lovers can cry in their beer, what the hey It didn't concern me, was none of my business, I never had nothing to say But suddenly darling, your table has turned, you have left me for somebody new and now it's hard to express the resentment I feel for the years that I've pissed away on you, I'm so full of... H-A-T-R-E-D I'm bitter, I'm malign, You've got me P-I-S-S-E-D off I'm angry most of the time Why don't you G-O-T-O-H-E-double L You tramp, you philandering bitch, I'm going to K-I-L-L one of us baby, When I'm sober I'll decide on which. I know I'm acting immatuuuure I'm acting like a child, I should display some self-control Instead of gong wild like this and I guess I should accept all this as simply life which includes pain! And act upon the actual fact that NOBODY'S to blame Ah yes I wish I was as mellow, As, for instance, Jaskson Browne, But "Fountain of Sorrow" my ass, motherfucker, I hope you wind up in the ground, I'm so full of... H-A-T-R-E-D I'm bitter, I'm malign You've got me P-I-S-S-E-D off I'm angry most of the time Why don't you G-O-T-O-H-E-double L You tramp, you bitch, I'm going to K-I-L-L one if us baby, When I'm sober I'll decide on which. (Note to Jackson Browne fans: he was actually a part of the session team that made this song, so I'm pretty sure he was OK with the reference ) Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

DOH! You got me...of course, since that's the first time you've duped me with a date, you owe beer for that, too. Bring it to Vinnie's going away party this Saturday, OK?

"You're sitting on my kitty"! PLEASE don't go back there...I don't think I could stand laughing that hard again. Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Nooo...we're hiding all the driveable and "boomable" fun this time around...Vinnie is destined to head into space one day soon, and we need to keep him in one piece until then. Of course, we can probably get a pretty good game of Flaming Footie going with a little effort... Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Happy Birthday, Matt! And you are SOOO lying about Hollister last Sunday... Mike Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

The "feel" of the recovery arc was my main concern about jumping the Velo. The longer pullout was my biggest concern going to the Vengeance, and all my friends who have gone from the Stiletto to the Velo have gotten psyched out a little by the lighter riser pressure and longer pullout arc. I've been hoping the Vengence and Velocity were similar, glad to hear that it sounds like they are. The starting altitudes are in line with what I've experienced so far as well, thanks for the input! Mike Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Let's see...we need a checklist for Vinnie's going away party: During jumping day: - at least one jump ticket, so I can take Vinnie head down one more time... - paper towels, to wipe Vinnie's drool off of my goggles from huge, shit-eating grin he'll have during head-down jump. - DV tape, which I'll happily buy for someone to video all of Vinnie's exit counts Post-jumping activities: - beer - food - tequila (like we don't already know which brands...) - more tequila - more tequila - even more tequila (so Pop has something to drink, too) - more food (to soak up alcohol for second round) - an RV for Vinnie to dance on - a hose (last-ditch method for getting Vinnie off of the RV) - gaffer's tape (in case the hose doesn't work) - extra fire extinguisher (for when Andy decides enough is enough and it's time to get some sleep...) This may not be a complete checklist; feel free to use this as a baseline and add to it as necessary... Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

So, I'm going to try out a Velocity 120 in the next couple weeks (unless Kolla breaks my heart again ), and I'm looking for input on flight characteristics and performance from you experienced cross-braced pilots out there. Here's some info on my experience level: Current canopy: Vengeance 135, loaded at about 1.8, about 300 jumps, probably 250+ swoop landings. Previous canopy: Stiletto 150, loaded about 1.6, over 500 jumps, 400+ swoops. PD has great comparison info for the Stiletto vs. the Velocity, but nothing for the Vengeance vs. Velocity. I know the pull-out arc is much longer for the Velocity, and I plan to be extremely conservative with the front riser input under 1000 ft, but any other useful input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance! Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

I've jumped Nardi's King Air, I'm hoping to jump Mullins' King Air while it's still in Taft, I've jumped the "Rocket" Skyvan at Deland, and while I don't think any of them really care who's the fastest, all I know is they're all freakin' FAST, and that's a really good thing for whoever is jumpin' out of 'em. Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

The last one. Looks good, all the passes the ladies make will keep your hubbie on his toes, and it's one less thing to worry about when you're doing all those tandems this summer! Good luck! Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Uh oh..."money shot"?! As long as you're above me, no tissues required! Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Jumping sounds so good, We'll all be optimistic, That clouds stay away Though Kolla hurt me (no Velocity for me!) I will still have fun The tandems will rock while r2hubert tries hard to keep up with me! Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Why do I hear Eddie Murphy saying "We're not fallin' for no banana in the tailpipe"? Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

That's pretty amazing...of course, if you got him to spend time at the drop zone, eventually all he'd be able to say is "Dirt dive", "swoop", "fuck", "shit", and "BEER"! And possibly "Crown" (or if Vinnie's around, "Patron"...) Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

From the GWB speech: See, he doesn't always lie. Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

First...Glad you're OK! Second...boy do I have a knack for picking weekends to take off. I miss all the excitement! Third...what was the problem with your pilot chute? Who found it? How were the openings prior to this? Fourth...If these things are happening, TALK TO US, GIRL! We're pretty casual around H-town, but maybe we need to start having a quick debrief of all the lower-time people to make sure things are working OK. Maybe a gear seminar to make sure things are working properly...besides just safety day. Maybe if we can get your gear up to speed, we can make you feel a little more confident in the air! Come out this weekend and we'll talk...I'm probably going to be there both days, and probably going to be fun jumping the whole time...maybe we'll jump together, after we check your gear over Take care, Mike Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

So, the real question...did the whale die under suspicious circumstances? A bob-by shooting by the mainland Chinese, perhaps? From my long ago memories of Tainan City, this must have hit a LOT of shops... Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Booties are awesome for tandems, for the same reason they're awesome for RW: they give you extra control and power. On tandems, your legs are the primary control surfaces; arms are only there to throw the drogue, pull, and control fall rate if necessary (and to give a big thumbs-up on the video ). That being said, I've only used them a few times, mainly because they're a pain in the ass in certain aircraft (for instance King Airs). Two things that vary a lot from DZ to DZ for a TM are aircraft and workload. When you start, remember that at MINIMUM, you'll need to have the following with you at all times: - goggles for you - goggles for your student - altimeter (for you) Depending on the DZ, student, and time of year, you may be dealing with these as well: - jumpsuits for students - altimeter for students - oxygen masks (for you and students) - over-glass goggles - gloves (you and students, male and female, so two sizes) - helmet/frap hat (for you and students) - pay envelope This all adds up to a lot of crap you have to keep track of when you're starting out, and (getting back to the point) adding putting on and taking off booties to the mix was more than I wanted to deal with. My summer suit (bearing in mind that I'm 5'10" and around 212, so speeding up fall rate is seldom a concern) is a pair of cargo pants with a big'ol cordura patch on the butt and a long sleeved T-shirt ($20 for the pants, $2 for the cordura, and they're going on three years now). For winter, the thickest Tony suit I've ever seen, bought from a friend who wanted the slowest fall-rate they could build in a hybrid RW/freefly suit. The suit actually sucks for RW AND freeflying, but works great for tandems. As for your questions, there is no such thing as too much control when you're talking about tandems. You'll learn as you go what works best for you as far as arch, arm and leg position, and controlling exits. So, booties are definitely a good idea, depends on your own techniques whether they're right for you. Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Well Robin, since you've decided to become a tandem instructor, we already know you're insane, so we can start from there Seriously, after reading through the rest of the responses, and with my 500 jumps experience on Vector II and Eclipse systems (with a Sigma passenger harness), here are my tips: - Learn to read your student. Having some insight into their frame of mind during training and the ride to altitude can pay huge dividends in the air. - Spend 10 seconds in the minute prior to exit telling your student to take a few deep, calming breaths and get ready to skydive. The breathing helps them calm down, and gives then enough O2 to get them through the first 30 seconds of freefall in case they forget to breath - Little people are the worst, big people are better. I have taken a range of people from 4'10", 90 lbs to 6'7" and 250 lbs, and the 4'10" woman was the one I had to work hardest at out of 500 tandems. Larger people who perform well are the best; larger people who brain-lock or drop knees are hard to control. - If you feel the relative wind in your face, THROW THE DROGUE! Can't speak for the rest of the folks here, but when you watch the sidespin video, look for the points where the TMs should have thrown the drogue but didn't...very sobering experience. You'll feel more comfortable with this as you get more experience, but don't wait too long to get the drogue out. - Set your personal limits, and explain them to the DZO. If you do this for a while, and at different places, your limits may cost you some jumps...big deal. NEVER let a DZO pressure you into making a jump you're not comfortable with, and the reasons may be too windy, SUI (Student Under the Influence), tired from the heat and too many jumps, not enough water, whatever. If you don't feel comfortable with yourself, the student, or the conditions, SAY NO! - Be prepared to land by yourself. I personally have never let a student help me flare, and probably never will. (One DZ I work at doesn't even allow the option...they have single toggles on the main and flare toggles.) You never know when people are going to freeze on you, but I imagine having it happen at 20 feet in mid-flare would really suck... - As AggieDave pointed out, it never hurts to train for tandems. Lat pulldowns or chinups, general shoulder training (particularly rotator cuff exercises) to keep them in shape, and tricep pressdowns are a good start. They'll all help you flare better, no matter the size of your student. - Be confident, and more importantly, SOUND confident. I've been in really hairy off-DZ landing with tandems three times, and every time the student said they weren't worried, because I sounded "so confident they didn't think there was anything to worry about". I sounded like this while the inner me was screaming "AAAHHHHH!!! WHAT THE FUCK AM I GONNA DO!!!", which is why you've got to sound good, too. - Lastly...HAVE FUN! Tandems are serious business, but like we tell the students, it IS OK to have fun. The best jumps I've ever had were when the student, the videographer and I all had so much fun in the air it just soaked into the video AND the stills. That's probably why you'll end up sticking with tandems (or not)...the fun, not the money (which of course is marginal under the best of circumstances). Sorry to be so long-winded, hope it helps, good luck with the tandems! Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Mainly depends on the DZ. I work at two different DZs, and the training time mainly depends on the workload for the day. (These are all "fun" tandems, as neither does IAF.) I try to train a small group in about 15 minutes, taking that long mainly because they're told to expect 20-30 minutes of training, so I try to give them their money's worth. Exit procedures, arch, what to do in freefall, how we'll steer the canopy, how and when to get their legs up for landing, that's pretty much it unless they're particularly nervous and need some extra attention. Of course, I've also met my student on the plane, given them the same basic info in about 3 minutes, and had them perform as well or better than people I've spent 40 minutes with...so it mainly comes down to their ability and presence of mind, anyway. Or put another way, you can't polish a turd. Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Only good thing my formerly-drug-addled sister did regarding raising her daughter was picking her name - Tavara Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

I have a friend who is extremely excited about the progress made in virtual reality software and hardware. We were talking about this once, and he was basically saying how great it would be to experience the top of Everest, bungee jumping, or a skydive without leaving the comfort of your home. My question was basically "Why bother"? If you don't want to make the effort to really understand and commit yourself to the experience, is it really worth doing as anything more than an amusement park ride? We've covered the "are tandems really skydivers" topic ad nauseum here before, but I'd have to say yes to that. If you're willing to really put your ass on the line to experience something that you can really experience no other way, then I think you deserve the title. If you haven't stood in the doorway with the wind in your face and two or three miles of empty space between you and the ground, you'll never really understand what we do, no matter your level of empathy or imagination. Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash

Ain't no work, I'm fun jumping all day, so people better BE THERE! Doctor I ain't gonna die, Just write me an alibi! ---- Lemmy/Slash