sburkart

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About sburkart

  • Birthday 09/18/1953

Gear

  • Main Canopy Size
    190
  • Reserve Canopy Size
    176
  • AAD
    Cypres

Jump Profile

  • License
    Student
  • Licensing Organization
    USPA
  • Number of Jumps
    12
  • Freefall Photographer
    No

Ratings and Rigging

  • USPA Coach
    No
  • Pro Rating
    No
  • Wingsuit Instructor
    No
  1. Huh, well it's running now. I just saw this thread last night and went to the site and installed it, maybe you have to re-install? The skydiving aint all that, maybe I need coaching. Jumping rounds in Battlefield Vietnam is a bit more challenging/realistic than this.
  2. Just played in there tonight...
  3. Where you got me is the tandem canopy, is that real or Photoshoped?
  4. Fuel. They leak until they get to altitude; something about leaving room for heat expansion?
  5. Maybe there are people who would rather be- or more able to afford to be- parachutists than skydivers. For instance, I know that unless I hit the Power Ball I'll never be able to afford much more than 60 or 70 skydives a year, a number I know wont ever lead me to be attain great skydiving skills- but maybe in time I'll be a decent accuracy pilot, and maybe that alone will be enough to keep me in the game. The industry doesn't cater to that scenario at this time, but I think there's business being lost by focusing exclusively on marketing to the public the thrill of freefall and the extreme nature of the sport. Most people would NOT engage in extreme sports or activities, so why is it that the industry portrays itself as such? Freefall, CRW, swooping etc. is extreme, no question, but canopy flight (sans hook turns and collisions of course) can be a peaceful, pleasant experience that doesn't -have- to start with going to 13.5 and falling for 60 seconds every time. When I was a kid and skateboards first came out, I would spend hours just running a slalom of pine cones on a quiet street. A deacde or so later, SOME kids (with much better boards) were building ramps and getting extreme and doing all sorts of stunts, but the other side of it is that for the most part the majority of skateboarders to this day are pretty much content to do the equivalent of running a slalom of pine cones in the street, just as most BMX bike riders dont practice stunts, they just ride around their neigborhoods. If there is a real problem with retention (is it true the average skydiver is in the sport for an average of three years?) maybe the industry would benefit from rethinking its marketing strategy, and adjust its operations accordingly. It's a big sky, it might make sense to be more inclusive. Just a thought.
  6. A guy at work asked me to take him to my home DZ so he could do a skydive, but "I don't want to do no tandem." Fine, I'll check that out for you... This morning I learned that my DZ will not do anything BUT tandems for first-timers (or second or third-timers) for "safety reasons." Pbbbbtt. I called the DZ closer to us (not my fav) and they are more than happy to put this guy thru class starting at 8 AM and put him out with two jumpmasters that same afternoon. Hmmm... Besides not wanting to jump "with some guy on my back," I believe my co-worker understands a tandem is not as much of a skydiving experience as some would like him to think, and he wants the responsibilty of flying the canopy and landing on his own. As a 12 jump wonder I should let others editorialize on this, and I sure don't want to offend anyone at my big-time big-bird full service totally rockin' home DZ, but it can't hurt to put a second one in here: Pbbbbtt! You guys are letting that so-called tandem-mill across the river show you up for "safety reasons." WTF are waivers for?
  7. I know 4 people killed skydiving, 0 killed on the road. I couldn't tell you how many times I've witnessed soccer moms on cell phones doing 50 MPH on undivided highways, but somehow the vast majority of them are getting away with it. Makes me think of maybe getting a Nascar harness and fire extinguishers for my car, yes. Makes me think driving is more dangerous? Those 4 skydivers make me say no.
  8. My bad, the manual says: PD PR176, serial #029110 I hadn't looked at that since new.
  9. I'll take 2 of the BSBD; the other one I'd like to see first.
  10. Articulated Vector 3M w/hard housings Lotus 190 PD189R Cypres 2 26.3 lbs (hospital scale) Funny, it doesn't feel that light...
  11. Not exactly, considering the reaction to (Pittsburgh Steelers QB) Ben Roethlisberger recent bike accident.
  12. Sub-terminal is exactly what I was thinking, something to slow my old aint-jumped-but-11-times-five-years-ago butt down to something my back can better handle on opening. (I'm doing some jumps next week and have a Bev suit for my re-currency leap.) My rig is a not-small Vector V3 M Series w/a Lotus 190 and PD 189R stuffed in it, so you think maybe this Thunderbolt thingy might work with it? Thanks!