kjarv

Quote Can you explain how you practice on an escalator. ---------------------------------------- Sure! Get on the 'down' escalator, and imagine you are comin' down under canopy. Granted it is a TON slower but the glideslope is almost perfect and it gives a great 'sight picture' of what the ground looks like 'coming up' at you. You can practice the accuracy technique (find the point that neither rises or sinks in your view). Since you are on an escalator you KNOW where you're going to end up on the ground so you know if you've done the accuracy technique as well. You can also 'mark' the point on the escalator that should be a normal 'flair height' so again you can get a good picture of what that looks like above the ground. Basically all this practice does is get you familiar with visuals on what an approach slope should look like. It worked for me/really helped me get the flair height/sight picture down when I was starting out....but then again I'm not doing any cool swoops either...no ones designed an escalator with a hook turn in it

My favorite trick to practicing landings: Go find an escalator--- the approach for a landing on an escalator is surprisingly good! You can also practice your 'accuracy technique' and develop a good sight picture for what the approach should look like and flare height It's really easy to measure what 12 ft above the ground is so you know what ground should 'look like' at `12 ft'. All of this, nice, slow and added bonus - escalators are free! Nothing like getting to practice skydiving while on shopping trip to the mall... Big drawback - if you fall, people are gonna laugh--alot

Dude, it costs like 50 cents per bottle-- throw the year old stuff away and get more

"You can't drop bombs without comms" okay, yeah, I'll keep telling myself that and hope that someday comms is cooler than flying fighters I LOVED my F-16 ride!!!

No offense taken...Naples takes a lot of getting used too! Agreed---Time in Sorrento/Amalfi coast is better spent than in Naples.

I LIVE in Naples!!! Been here for 1.5 years. You should base your time in Pompeii based on how big of a history fan you are. It's a HUGE site bring water and good walking shoes. However, to the historically challenged it can be just a big giant boring place. Best bet is to get a guide or do a ton of homework before you go so the place can come alive for you. I haven't visited Herculaneum, I've heard it's smaller/easier to deal with. Be very aware of pickpockets/thieves for your visit- You don't have to worry about your safety but they are great at snatching your stuff. Naples has the BEST pizza in the world---forget about the american version of Pizza, the stuff they have here is almost a totally different food! Have a Pizza Margherita (fresh mozzarella, fresh tomato sauce, and a bit of basil)--reportedly invented in naples to honor the queen with the colors of italy (red white and green)---the pizza alone is worth a trip to naples area. Mozzarella di bufala is also a neopolitan specialty. Yup, buffalo cheese! Water Buffalo to be exact. It's unforgettably good. You can get it at most restaurants as a 'primi' (first course) most likely it'll be Prosciutto Mozzarella (a plate of thinly sliced ham and the Mozzarella cheese) Lastly, you gotta have cafe here. their espresso's are amazing as well as the cappucino. Naples isn't much for sightseeing, it's got it's own character but it's tough to appreciate as a tourist-- not much in the way of 'must see' tourist attractions. Be prepared for 'complex' travel. There is no train from the airport, there is a train from Naples to Pompeii. Train and bus schedules are more of a suggestion than schedule Welcome to Bella Napoli! Hope you have a great visit! -kjarv

Trust me, the cadets at camp USAFA are paying for those jumps in a currency other than dollars

Just wasting time watching MSN news video...there was a story that Airport screeners are going to be looking closely at wristwatches with altimeters in them. They didn't have any information as to whether they are banned or will be denied, and did say that there is no regulation restricting altimeters on aircraft. The alert was triggered by intel that the evil terrorists were trying to get altimeters to trigger bombs. sigh Guess I'll have to leave my Suunto at home. Hope they don't notice my audibles, or normal altimeter, or my GPS with baro altimeter .... I so love jump aircraft---they let us bring Parachutes on board, never ask us what's in them, and then let us open the door and jump

Safe freefall will probably come right back to you... I had a 10 month layoff at around 21 jumps and safe stable, belly freefall was easy. plenty of anxiety on that jump though, expect jitters, and landing will be thrilling... During the layoff I practiced landings using any 'down' escalator i could find to try to stay up on height/sight picture for landings-- If you have your own equipment, put it on and practice EP's--- if no equiment, mentally practice EP's.

Glad to make the sacrifice to let it clear up for you guys---ya'll owe me one

jeezus, that wind sucked... only four jumps, gave up and returned to Italy for NY's eve--- that plus a 54 euro registration fee---well, let's just say I wish I had gone to eloy. hope the wind cleared up for y'all.

I'll be in a white/light blue Da'Kine Freefly suit...Hope to see y'all there! -kjarv

I think I'm too late, you're already here--- Reggio Emilia has been the best DZ I've found in italy sofar (lived here for almost 2 years). I'm not sure if it's open now though, and I hear it's frikkin cold in norhern italy... hell, it's cold here in NAples now!

Hiya! I 'grew up' at Pacific Skydiving (jumps 20-120 ish) Pacific Skydiving had (has?) a better airplane--super king air, really fast to altitude... I usually used their airplane until they were done with tandems and shutdown, then bebopped over to Skydive Hawaii if the winds were still okay. The winds are a challenge there-- as the day goes on they usually get worse. The nice thing is though, they are usually steady winds...you gotta really watch out for gusty days. I was looking at Skydive Hawaii's website and it looks like they cut down the evil trees that created nasty rotors in the primary landing area so you've got that going for ya.

Can I play too?

If a is an element in set A, and the statement is made that "Members of A possess the attribute P", then that implies that a has attribute P. ========== I hear the old voice of my symbolic logic teacher haunting me... I think you'd have to say "ALL members of A possess attribute P" in order to imply that a has attribute P But, I'm just saying that to feel better about having had to take that symbolic logic class Please don't make me do a proof by induction

I've never seen the game outside military circles---for that matter, I've not seen it much outsite the military pilot community. I'd bet that in the civilian world, crud would quickly devolve into a bar fight. I think the only thing keeping rampaging brawls happening at the O-Club is those guys in bags don't wanna end up with any alcohol related career enders. The civilian world doesn't have that artificial restraint. That, plus alcohol, plus people pushing each other around a pool table would almost be a recipe for a fight. Which, in turn, would almost certainly lead to a lawsuit for the bar or dz owner who had a crud table... But then again---maybe there's a whole crud universe out there I'm unaware of :) -kjarv

What were the test--I assume they were benign and didn't turn you into a canopy test pilot. Could these test be used for 'everyday' stuff (after a reline perhaps?)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Reply To -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ps really I meant this reply to be friendly picking on ya, I'll buy you a beer sometime if I really offended! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You would have to wait until you are old enough to buy beer. *** HAHAHA... 34, old enough to buy beer and be grouchy

WAHOOO, Christmas boogie in Empuria-- I love it there, GREAT excuse for a trip and leaves my honor intact THANKS!

As I said before, it is Americans with your attitude that make the rest of the world dislike all Americans. Quote An interesting position-- I would submit that someone who uses threats of force e.g. "Call my CO" versus simple appeasement "Sending me 140 euro" would be more akin to the attitude that europeans don't like

Do you have access to a rigger on base? Someone who does ejection seat repacks, PJ rigger, etc? Sounds like you may just need a US seal. For what it is worth, US military bases and consulates are often considered to be "US soil." Quote YAY! A good way out. I knew the forums would digup a more reasonable solution--- off to find a rigger in life support. THANKS

It doesn't really matter what you think about their law. It's there law and their country. This is one reason Americans have such a bad reputation around the world, we think we are above other countries petty little laws. Would you try a pull that crap in the US? Quote Oddly enough, why yes, I think we all pull that crap in the US--- do you comply with all laws you think are silly? Do you always follow our silly speed limits or do you do a risk vs benefit--- 59 in a 55 perhaps? who's gonna pull you over for 4 mph? I apply my silly law rule to all countries equally. If a rule is silly, weigh the risks then ignore it or find a way around it--- or if risk is too great, then comply and complain

I just read your profile. You are not only an American living in Italy, you are a member of the Military service. We are paying you to represent us to the rest of the world. Do it right. Quote Send me 140 euro's and I'll be happy to It's so much easier to be virtuous when it doesn't cost anything

There seems to be confusion--- I'm not skipping repack cycles, I've been faithful to both mine and their cycles (120 days). If I just have to have my rig repacked in a country OTHER than italy, I'd go for it, but it was explained to me that I must return the rig to the USA for at least one repack every 2 years