skylord

AggieDave, Thanks, and while the drinking I'm sure will help, I think water defeats the purpose since that would cool the helmet to the point I would have to repeat the entire exercise again. Plus I don't have a tub close to the oven. Thanks for the suggestion though!! Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

All, I bought a Bonehead open face helmet awhile back, that had the instructions regarding how to cook the helmet in your oven and shape it to your head. Well, I am really in a quandry here. I follow the instructions to the tee. I put it on, and heat up the oven to the 200 degrees they say, but my head gets sooooo hot that the sweat blinds me, or I get dizzy. Sometimes I pass out for a second or two, my cheek touches the oven rack and next thing you know I've got these burn marks on my face. By the time I wake up, the helmet has cooled to the point that I can't shape it anymore so I have to try and do the process all over again. I'm not making any progress, are there any suggestions out there? I know this is an equipment issue, but I thought I'd post here for better exposure and a faster answer.... Bob Marks Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

True, I'll be there recuperating from ACL surgery. Back in the air in late May/early June...... Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Mike, I cannot tell you how much I have appreciated your friendship, guidance, counsel, and encouragement. I feel incredibly blessed to have met you and known you personally. I will never, ever, EVER, forget the time you took to do my 100th jump with me. I will always remember landing next to you as you came over to congratulate me. Of course, I was trying to get my reserve out at 80 feet, but I digress. You are a legend, as I told you when JudyJ introduced us. I read all your posts, and I look forward to you being at the dropzone after I heal up after doing all the stuff you warned me about!!!! All kidding aside, take care of yourself, I pray every day for your health, and look forward to getting checked out as an instructor so I can do your re-currency jump!! Sorry, kidding again. We'll talk soon.... Bob Marks Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

ATC says : "Squawk 7500". I am taking control of this thread. Whining about my shoulder?? We went to the doctor today who did my surgery a couple days ago. He marveled at my strength, my resolve, my ability to just be a, well, true man's man. Combination ripped rotator cuff and labrum. Did I mention one word of complaint to anyone? Anyone? I suffered in silence until finally surgical intervention was necessary. Very Chuck-Norris like, I did it without anesthetic, and I did it myself. I bit a bullet, and shot an intruder with it, too, while doing the self surgery. Whining? Ha! How about that, JudyJ???? Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Krisanne, Now you've done it! When I wake up with Dura Cells where they never existed heretofore, or attached by my nipples to a Die Hard with jumper cables, I'll send you a thank you note!! Judy will post pics! Surgery on the arm is done, knee in a couple months and then I'm back in the air, probably with a higher voltage rating, too. Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Luscious Boobies. Now we're back on track. Number One Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

All the advice is excellent. I don't want to tie up needless time, but do a search on my posts over fear and jumping. If I can overcome it, so can you. I wrote much of this over real time, so feel free to call or PM me. Search "skylord", and enjoy!! Bob 760-458-2153 (cell) Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

JP, Thanks. This really means a lot to me, I deeply respect you, and I appreciate any comments you have. Are you in a new location? Let me know, and I am honored to have jumped with you once, and had you save me from myself in the tunnel several times!! Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Thanks, Sparky. Now that I've had a reserve ride, I'm really interested in the details of how the reserve actually works. Why the freebag type arrangement? How come there is a square hole in the slider? Why don't they put on the underside of the canopy "If you can read this, you're alive!" Why do they use a straight pin for the reserve instead of the curved pin? Thanks again for your support and friendship. Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Thanks, bro! Great to meet you too. We'll jump next time! Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Thanks. I forgot to mention I had a Cypress, but I always told myself that the only way I'll ever have one fire is if I am incapacitated. Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

The straps were tight when I got on the airplane. Only the right side was loose on landing. That makes me think it was the door bump on exit that did it. I felt flapping on my right side, and when I tried to check it out at the top of the dive, my visor was a little fogged up. I thought my strap stow had come undone, and didn't really give it anymore thought. The strap was loose enough that my right hand passed through it on the way to the handle. When I couldn't find the handle, I reached harder and felt the strap around my hand as I found the PC. I tried to look over my shoulder and see, and my body position shifted to where there was now tension on the strap to the point my hand was now stuck. Hope this clears up any questions...... Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

NWFlyer, Skylord never refers to himself in the third person when live and in color! And you are right, typo on my part, it was suppposed to be ABOVE 3,500. Skylord is ashamed. Good to meet you, sorry you had a bit of a rough landing. Next time we'll do a jump together! Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

I got there late Christmas evening, left the 2nd, and had 15 jumps, including two with Beth!! Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

All, Jump 113 at Eloy was a HALO jump for me, my first. I was well rested, not rushed, and alert. It was the first jump of the morning for me. I geared up, and got on the plane with no problems. Oxygen started on cue, and all on the load were very engaged in watching each other for signs of hypoxia. There were two groups that exited before me, I was the first solo. I watched people get blown out the door rather radically, so I lined up towards the front of the door, and went. I hit my right hip and leg on exit but didn't think a whole lot about it. Nice long freefall, stable, with some turns. The rule at Eloy is no pulling below 3,500 unless you have a problem. I waved at 3,500 and reached. I couldn't find the BOC handle. I thought maybe the rig shifted on me, so I kept reaching HARD. I found it several inches off my back. I tried to see what was going on and I think I went head up, because I settled into my now loose right leg strap on top of my hand. I could not move my hand or arm. I was stunned this was happening to me. I tried to release my hand and let go of the handle too. I figured out my hand was through my leg strap and I was now out of time to fix it. I was hung up trying to get my arm out when my Pro Track started that ungodly wail telling me I was below my hard deck. Look up, nothing there. My training kicked in. Screw the main, it's reserve time now, baby. My left arm was free, so I looked silver (I knew that the main PC had NOT been disturbed), found it where I was not expecting it (much further around my chest than I expected), and I pulled. I pulled, hard. As hard as I could. I dropped the handle at opening "shock", which is an understatement. In what seemed less than half a second, I had the most beautiful bright yellow canopy over my head while feeling like I got kicked in the balls by my leg strap. I watched the freebag and PC drift away, and did a rear riser turn to follow them. I made a mistake, since I started to troubleshoot what happened to the main and BOC handle. I felt them on my back, and kept reanalyzing what had just happened. Dumb move. Plenty of time for that on the ground. Then I noticed I was much, much lower than I expected, and was coming down very quickly. Only then did I release the brakes and do a quick control check. Everything ok, and I hit the desert pretty softly. I rolled over on my back on purpose and just looked at the sky. My next emotion was embarrassment. I felt ashamed. I pulled my reserve, which I equated with failure. I started going through how I could have fixed this in freefall, and somehow I should have known what was wrong, and fixed it. The fact that I had to use my reserve automatically indicated a defect in my knowledge, experience, and actions. The Eloy organizers had their act together on this. I had barely landed when the van came up to me at warp speed, asking if I was OK. (I landed out aways). The driver told me they saw me struggling in freefall, and asked what happened. I told him, and he shook his head and asked me if I knew what could have happened to me had I pulled the BOC PC through the leg strap. I did realize that, and that was why I didn't do it. The whole ride in was not the Walk of Shame I expected. EVERYONE was supportive, and wanted to learn from my experience. Even at the Loft where I dropped the rig for a reserve repack. My packer was very observant, and noticed I came back to the packing area without a rig. That made him curious. I told the story, and again got nothing but support for the action I took. So, here is what I learned from this experience: -in this situation, I thought about the fatality at Perris last March with our sister themitchyone, and decided to pull silver when I went through about 2,200. Fuck it all, I'm getting a parachute over my balding head. NOW. -reserves work. POP, FWOOP!!! There it is! -if you need it, use it. No one ever second guessed my decision, except me. -I will work on getting over my feeling of automatic "failure". I am alive, and got to see Judy J, her kids, and mine again. -don't troubleshoot the failure in the air, fly the canopy over your head. Be more disciplined. So that is what I learned. I didn't post this in "Incidents" since I didn't get hurt, but I hope someone can learn something from this. Technical details: Talon container, Solo 230 main, PD 218 Reserve. Pro Track recorded deployment at 1,394 feet. Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

no but came within 6 grips tonight~~ stable base exit and very solid formation...ran out of time for the last few to get on. tomorrow they will get it! Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Air traffic control, for the FAA. Great job, we're all retiring, lots of openings in the next 5 years. Our employer sucks at the way they're treating us right now, but that will change. Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

OK, but is that based on radar returns or the report from the pilot that jumpers were away? Was it "Traffic, 11 o,clock, less than a mile, a jumper in freefall" or "Jumpers in your vicinity"? We can't see individual jumpers, and as to balloons, we don't see them either unless we are told in advance where they are. Even then we don't "see" them, we rely on NOTAMs or PIREPs. Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

No, maybe a big way, but not individual divers. Even with a big way, once the primary target is detected, the software logic will prevent the display of the digitized symbol since the ground speed will usually be below 30 mph (I think that's the parameter.) We pick up trucks and cars as they go by the radar site with a high enough cross section to return a detectable echo. For birds, it would have to be a good sized flock, gaggle, etc...... Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

OK, I'm at 95, I am officially announcing sunset load, Saturday, December 10th at Elsinore for my little event. Anyone that can make it, let me know. Maybe I'll bring my tandem and AFF-1 video to show. Beth, can you be there? What about Frenchy?? Shark? Sparky? The Century Man Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

please,,, ,, how would I know what you like?? wish you were all about fun right now!! OOps~~ who said that??? You did!!! So you're there, right??? Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Don't mean to bump this again, but I'm at 92 as of today. December 10th is looking good. Frenchy, can you make it??? Judy, I'm all about fun as you know!! So anyone who can join me for my 100th jump, it looks like sometime late morning/early afternoon December 10th. Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Excellent...... Bob Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman

Sorry. I'm drunk too and I lust you, Frenchy!! Bob Marks "-when you leave the airplane its all wrong til it goes right, its a whole different mindset, this is why you have system redundancy." Mattaman