freeflyguy

I have been to FAA mountian flying/unimproved strip seminars. They also have some that inlcude a CFI, andare even free, just provide a plane. If you want to fly in Idaho, there is another mountain seminar they do there every year. So, I think the problem isn't enough programs, it is what he said, moneyed pilots with not enough experience and education. Lack of education is a choice. The other factors involve pride, and lack of judgement. So in all, yeah very good paralel to skydiving. Very similar choices and mistakes being made. At Brian Burkes seminar he did at Eloy, he was actully quite reluctant to blame the errors on just small canopies. He is right, that isn't the only problem. I think training is very important, but experience and an individual that are capable are also very very important. ---------------------------- bzzzz

I have had a VAIO notebook for over a year, and am very happy with it. It may be a comprimise from a desktop. But, it does have everything built in for edit duties. A desktop would smoke it, but that isn't what you asked. For the money, they do what they advertise, and do it well. ---------------------------- bzzzz

Thanks. Dead air launches. Trippy, I was very happy with how it came off. It is so easy to screw it up. We left from 5k, then landed out in the desert. So, not the jump for super inexperienced. I think they require a "B" license, but I am not sure. Do it when you can, sort of a leagle, 2 parachute base jump. Very cool. Hi Randy, sorry you couldn't make it, haven't seen you in a while. ---------------------------- bzzzz

I just got back from Eloy. Fun. But cold. Just to let you know were some of your normal PW's are, and how they are doing, here is our Balloon jump from Sunday. http://northwindrigging.com/storage/BalloonEloy.wmv Enjoy! ---------------------------- bzzzz

If you know the facts, this is comical too. I am one of those overpaid westcoast longshoreman. I have spent over three years of checking in, standing at the longshore hall, not getting work to finally get a little over 100 hours of actuall work, and my "card". For what? to make $25 to $30 standing under a crain, hopeing a lashing bar or cone doesn't crush your skull? Makeing sure you keep your butt out of the way of fast moving machinery. To say it isn't dangerous is laughable. Tell that to the maimed and dead people out of Tacoma I have heard about in the last 3 years. Fact is yes, a lot of longshore make the money that it lists in the article, but most, as in at least 80% of the guys that go down there make less than 40k a year and get none of the union benefits. It takes forever to actually get to where you make that money and are taken care of by the union. But look at it this way too, this is America, where else in the world can ANY person go on to make money like that? You don't need rich parents, a college degree or anything like that. A taxi cab driver, if he puts in the ten years or time waiting, and working, to finally be accepted, can make that money. Land of opportunity, that is a good thing. Besides that, the majority of West Coast longshoreman, myself included, are not considered longshoreman, in the stats of the article. The ones that do the real labor are casuales, or unidentified casuals. Huh? Where is the crime in keeping what you have, and not asking for more? But again, the majority of west coast longshore labor is not "in the union" and doesn't get any health or union benefits. Oh, PMA, gosh who are they? Oh, the employeer, the one that Locked Out the Longshoremen that were willing to work??? True, but as demonstrated in the last lockout, the longshoreman were willig to work until the contract was settled, it was the PMA that locked them out. the PMA has the same monopoly, and work very hard to keep it that way. That said, I don't think the system really works that well. I don't do it for the money. I only work once in a while, and really, for fun. Working on ships, driving brand new cars off of ships, heftying giant lash bars and chains around a wet and dark ship, and yes, I even drove a locomotive for an evening.

I didn't really spend any time with her, but last year, Christmas day, this was the PM I got, from Holly, or Freeflyhol An amazing person, no doubt, I wish the best... __________________________________________________ ---------------------------- bzzzz

I got some sort of Military tear gas once. We were sitting at an outdoor restaurant at a state fair. My eyes started burning, I thought it was the onions they were cooking. When I looked up Everybody was running panic like. It got worse in throat, eyes, nose etc. But mostly went away, after an hour or so. I was outside, 200 yards from were the dumb soldier, that had stolen the canister, set it off. I wouldn't have wanted to be any closer. He was busted, from serial numbers on the canister. ---------------------------- bzzzz

If you have a digital vid cam, put the vhs signal in through the A/V port and now you have digital video. ---------------------------- bzzzz

Hey, What about the 737 (I think, Boeing for sure) Becoming a convertable in Hawaii. That was a bonus for the first classs passengers. It landed without incident, except for a missing flight attentdant or two. Cool Vid. Aircraft amaze me, engineering up the ying yang. edit to add link http://www.disastercity.com/flt243/index.htm ---------------------------- bzzzz

Make Money. ---------------------------- bzzzz

If it is in the morning, I can make it. I do have my 'Full size motor home', after al. ---------------------------- bzzzz

Me too! I'll bring harness, shoes and bag. Will be there thurs-mon morn. ---------------------------- bzzzz

I should chime in to say, all of the above. That coupled with an obvious appeal and a not so obvious wild side. ---------------------------- bzzzz

Alien FIB's, no doubt ---------------------------- bzzzz

I have a Kenko .42. Forget the model number, but it is one with I think 42mm threads that is stepped to 37, than 30 on my pc 101. It is a much larger diameter lense than the average Kenko you see at the DZ. The point of this, is that one day I compared it with a diamond .3 and the viewable area was almost identical. That and the fact that you can zoom it, without the disortion you get with the diamond are pluses. The size may be a minus, but it may help your sit. ---------------------------- bzzzz

For a number of reasons, I am getting a bit tired of seeing people post about a high speed stall with toggles. It just doesn't happen. Yes, Hooknswoop, at a wing loading of 3.0 it is a concern, but for 95% or the readers of these forums, it is not a concern. If somebody, during a panic situation that is about to smash them into the ground, has it in their mind that they may stall the canopy on toggles, they may not flair enough to save themselves. Your best panic model is the simplest. You are too late for a flat turn, too late to plan your landing better, too late for anything else, just stab. So what, if it stalls?It will dump you on your back, who cares, a broken back is better than massive head injuries. Regardless. Go Try stabbing yourself out of a turn at altitude. Just practice it. Then make up your own mind. ---------------------------- bzzzz

Quote Arrive 12/25 1:22pm United Fl. 6933. reply] Change of plans, I rented a car. So if anybody needs a ride... ---------------------------- bzzzz

Ok, i caved. I'm coming too. I need a ride. Arrive 12/25 1:22pm United Fl. 6933. Oh, I am not psycho, and I smell good. ---------------------------- bzzzz

Anybody seen this on Yahoo! yet? http://northwindrigging.com/storage/%7b286839AF-CBDC-48FD-8321-9F77417D78EF%7d%5b1%5d.swf ---------------------------- bzzzz

Here is my worst turn. I turned at what seemed like a normal height. But it wasn't. It was probably a combination of a little low, and turning over a very hot road, that bordered green grass. It was a 180. I still walk fine because... I buried the toggles. People talk about stalling, but in real life, on toggles, I haven't found that they stall that quick. Knees together and slightly off to the side. Legs bent a bit. When I hit, first with my left toe/ankle, still flying the canopy, then hard on my left calve. Since my knees weren't directly in front of me, it pushed them off to the side. That may have saved a femur. At that point the canopy decided to pick me up. So I bounced good, and kept flying it to a scary stand up. My calve was sore for over a month. That ground in grass stain on my jumpsuit is still there, after two years. Lessons, I don't care what you all say, once I was in that position, If I hadn't stabbed out of it, and held the toggles down, it would have been worse. Had my knees been directly in front of me, and no bend at the knee, probably broken femur, pelvis, and If I quit flying the canopy, head injury. We have all read that accident report. I was loaded at about 1.5 then, by the way. So, in spite of turning low, I walk just fine. Hope that helps. ---------------------------- bzzzz

From what you said, it sounds like he did it mid swoop. That hurts, but isn't as deadly as doing it trying to pull out of the corner. What kills is when someone does it trying to pull out to the corner. It dumps you the same, but you are not allready planed out. So straight down. Thump ---------------------------- bzzzz

I have seen some of the new snow-ski helmets on some loads recently. They seem to have better protection, light, and room to put in a dyter, with a little dremel time. ---------------------------- bzzzz

If you know Paul, he jumped with us last summer, he has been bugging me to get him the video of if. So here it is, if any that know him have interest in seeing him waggle his tounge over Kapowsin Sorry for the quality, I am just learning digital edit. www.northwindrigging.com/storage/streampaul.rm ---------------------------- bzzzz

Thx to both, problem solved. Which format, and settings seem to work best for the web then? ---------------------------- bzzzz

The Microsoft guys were out with one of their very epensive toys one day. About $20k for a mini harddrive, that was connected to 5 mini cameras, facing 4 directions and up. 'Worn by a sit flyer. We flocked around him. The video, w/ some fancy software was meant to be played in a dome screen room, so everywhere you looked, you had video 360 degrees. VEry cool tech. However, the mini harddrive had fear of heights, and didn't work once we got out the door. They did get some vid with 5 mini dv's connected to it though. I never saw the result. Would be rad, for sure. ---------------------------- bzzzz