gjhdiver

Nonsense. Just follow me around for a while. We'll get that extra 5% there for you.

61% for me. I'm surprised it's that low really.

Wings are about to roll out a new low profile metal ripcord handle that should address the concerns of free flyers who want a metal rather than a soft reserve handle.

Nonsense. I've cut away from at least 5 spinning malfunctions on small elliptical canopies with an RSL. Stable every time, and no twists on the reserve. Also, twists on a docile 7 cell are a much easier thing to deal with should you have them.

I'm surprised it's that long

He had sex with your tent ?

I understand your problem. There are so few of us left.

I was expecting a little more from this A/C. It's not really good for tandems, it's hard to get a tight exit on a 14 way or bigger because of the cramped low conditions, and whilst the door is perfect for four way, it's dimensions and prop blast would make make it unusable for a serious team to consider practicing from it. If they had considered raising the upper dimension of the door by extending it into the roof 8-10 inches, then a lot of complaints about it would go away, and it would be a serious contender. I hope that any future variants will look into this once they start getting feedback from the world skydiving community. On the good side, it's a new aircraft coming into a small niche that badly needs replacements for it's fleet of aging piston aircraft. It's got great views, a nice step, and climbs reasonably well. I expect a lot of drop zones will look at this plane who are busy enough to have outgrown their Cessnas, but are not busy enough to justify a Twin Otter. In it's current configuration though, it will be beaten hands down for function by a Twin Otter. It's heading into that market currently filled with King Airs, Porters, Beavers, Caravan's or Single Otters IMHO. A single Otter with a Dash 34 up front would be a better choice if available though IMHO. Bottom line for me, I'll be happy to jump one when it turns up, but I wouldn't choose a DZ based solely on it being there. I expect if it's profiatble enough, future variants of the type may address some of the issues with the door. I do wish Ray every success with it. He deserves a break for taking the time and effort to get this all done and type rated.

Felt it briefly in the office here in San Francisco.

I got Henri from Wings at my place in CA right now. He can't get back there until tomorrow as his flights wee cancelled. His own house is without power right now, although most of the subdivision he lives in has power now. He should find out about the factory later today. The issues are more about power than damage right now though it seems.

Speak for yourself sparky. I make about 10K a year from AFF and tandems, and I have a real job too. I lived the skydiving "lifestyle" 24/7 for 10 years straight. It was exceedingly dull, I'll have you know, interspersed with short bursts of predicatble excitement. It's more fun to actually just have a real life and jump on the weekends these days. I still get paid to travel the world organizing, and all my gear is sponsored, so I guess I get the best of both worlds.

Well if that is the criteria, then Tony Danza also requires enshrining in the Smithsonian. It's part of popular culture, but whether it forms part of the greater culture will take years to find out. I somehow doubt it, because although I didn't dislike Star Wars as a movie, it was fairly lightweight fluff, and if the new prequels were any more wooden, you could make bookcases from them. As far as Lucas's work goes, if you want a better piece of science fiction, get his recently remastered and re-released THX1138. If you are looking for a trilogy that reflects US culture and stands more of a chance of longevity, consider the Godfather series.

If Star Wars qualifies as high art, then I produced some great art of a similar caliber this morning. Just wish I hadn't flushed it away now. If Star Wars is getting described as part of America's "cultural history", we're more shallow than even I imagined.

This is true. It is a lesson that I have taken well. The student can now teach the master. Trust me.

In no particular order. Fawtly Towers Monty Pyhton The Office

Oh it's sweet now. The bastard won't be so sweet when it and it's friends come into your garden and eat all your fucking roses. I'd bang the damn thing upside the head with a shovel, but I'm a sentimental old fool like that.

My personality.

It was good to see you there. I just wish i'd had alittle more time to spend jumping with you. The firat weekend we had lots of AFF, few instructors, and low winds. Next time though.

It must have been a fucking big insect to break your leg.

The Ramones are responsible for almost single-handledly kick starting the music business in a direction that all of today's rock and punk bands hail from, whether they know it or not. Criminally underated in the US, they at least got recognition in the UK, Europe, and South America. Once without a doubt, one the of greatest bands ever, and now in the space of three years all but one has gone. Go buy the first four albums now, and be thankful that there was a Ramones. Then go get sedated.

Serves you right then you big dope. Actually, keep it up, because it's your helmet that I borrow when I'm doing them. The plane noise isn't so bad these days in a turbine. Spending 40 minutes going to altitude in a piston Islander with no door 700 odd times. That was a bit on the loud side.

Make me a moderator. I'll sort it all out for you. Trust me.

This morning at 8:30 a.m. No. Wait a minute. That was a motion. Sorry.

1. Money. 2. Money. 3. Money.

Hmmm. You could almost replace "Bush" for "Putin" in that sentence and not have it lose any veracity. Really... If you are going to make a statement like that then BACK it UP!!!!! . I'm refering to the loss of habeus corpus in the new anti-terrorism statues, the appointment of federal judges that allow unconstitutional attemps to redraw congessional districts to favor Republicans, and the wholesale management of the news and casualty statistics for forces and civilians in Iraq, along with the shutting down of press outlets critical of US forces in Iraq. That should be enough to get you going. Enough for you ? By the way, the argument that Bush=Hitler is your strawman argument, not mine. Right, I'm off now to a more sane forum. Please feel free to rant in bold text further and have the last word. I know you're dying to.