kallen

*** Let this be taken as a hint. Keep the paint away!*** Quote I'm with you. I'll never forget the "sad" day I saw him being prepared for new paint. Even the owner cringed. But higher powers prevailed. Maybe we can hide the red rudder for a while. Just for old times' sake.

Our demo team has a big demo next weekend and we need some help with smoke cannisters. First, we recently lost our military smoke cannister connection so for this demo we ordered "skydiving" smoke cannisters from an otherwise reputable skydiving gear dealer but today we had some serious problems with it. During a practice jump with the new cannisters, one of our team members had 2 cannisters rigged on a foot bracket and on first pull, neither cannister deployed smoke. The pull was so hard that it funneled the formation. After this jumper got under canopy, he tried the pull again. The detonation wire on one of the cannisters extracted completely but did not ignite (no smoke) and the round ring on the other cannister pulled right off the detonation wire. Can someone (maybe airtwardo, mjosparky or anyone) help us with a dependable smoke cannister solution? Thanks, Keith

While our hearts are still with our friends at Lake Wales as they get back on their feet, I did want to give some good news: Woo Hoo! Frankenotter is once again flying jumpers after the damage incurred from the hangar collapse (due to Hurricane Charley). Today at Carolina Skysports our demo team did 2 practice jumps out of Frankenotter to get ready for a big demo that we have next weekend and he is fine as ever. In true Frankenotter fashion, he is sportin’ a brand new (to him) rudder that is “fire engine” red and 4 band-aid type sheet metal patches on the leading edge of the wings; 1 on the starboard side and 3 on the port side. The sides of the fuselage have a couple of new dings and small dents from falling debris but the engines are as strong as ever and he is otherwise unscathed. For those that knew him before the new paint job, he’s looking just like old times.

My skydiving wife (Shari) turns 40 this Sunday March 28. Would you DZ.com folks be so kind as to wish her a Happy Birthday so I can print them out and give them to her? Hey, its a PW opportunity. Thanks a bunch. Keith

Yep, I agree. I am a former tanq fan but since I was introduced to saphire, the worm has definitely turned for me.

Bombay Saphire, nectar of the gods.

We are out of town this weekend but I promise that we will get down there soon. Helicopter and beach jumps are the coolest. I can't wait to get back down there.

Hey Portia, is the new hangar/packing area finished yet?

My wife and I will be there, of course we're always there. I look forward to the skyposium, I bought a new main there last year. BirdMan suit, Huhmmmm...??

Again, as long as everything goes right, see Murphy's Law post above. I have a 7 stitch scar in the top of my foot and a forever numb big toe from a Teva landing that didn't go right. Underline correction.

Wasn't that the "Aunt Jemima treatment"?

Dah-um, looks like you win the swimming part. I too swim to keep the fat off, but I only logged 116 miles in 2003, about 2 miles per week.

Dah-um I guess you win so far.

Uh huh. Me too. Seems like all you gotta do is get a dress that you gotta tape on to your body and you are in. Nicole Kidman, put some clothes on girl.

I'm at 10,762,500 ft. 2038 miles. But I did have that low pull one time.

Congrats Arama! Heck, it took me 6 years to get to 100 jumps. You hang in there. Love the avatar.

I made my 300th jump at Skydive Mexico onto Playa del Carmen in 1998. Besides the First Flight demo, it is my most memorable jump. The guy running the place at the time was Michel Alvarez G. Their phone number including country code was 52 (987) 3-01-092. What a blast. We took a taxi from Cancun to the location in Quintana Roo (about 30 miles south of Cancun). Our taxi driver had never heard of the place but he stopped and asked and we there in no time. The dz was basically a store front located in the Plaza Marina, Local #32. As stated above, we walked to the 182 wide body, landed on the beach and were driven back to the dz to pack. I found the locals to be very accommodating, very friendly and very happy that we were there. I actually fell in love with the place and hope that I get to go back at some time in my life. The jump was indescribable. Awesome doesn't come close. In freefall you can see Playa del Carmen (translated this means "beach of Carmen", playa = beach) and the island of Cosumel. Beautiful. Then you get to land on a topless beach. Too cool. Hope you have a blast. Let us know how it goes. Cielo Azul (blue skies)!

Congrats Dude. I'm kinda an older fart with a 13yo and an 8yo. Having children will change your life for sure but I think that there is nothing more rewarding in life. They kinda treat you like you wish your wife would, they meet you at the end of a rough day by running up and jumping on you and telling you how much they missed you. Unmeasurable. You get to be a hero everyday. Enjoy

Seems so. I used to have a reoccuring dream where I would be so involved in freefall that I would forget to pull and ultimately bounce. After getting up the only thing that bothered me was that I knew the DZO was gonna yell at me for not pulling. Weird.

118. 15 were demos. Weather sucked 1st quarter of the year.

Having grown up in the mountains of NC, I have a double dose of Southern. Here are a few of my favorites: Colder than a Mother In-laws love. Hornier than a two peckered goat in the sheep herd. Hotter than a match. They're so ugly my butt would make them a Sunday face. Deader than 4 o'clock. He's so dumb he don't know if he's winding his ass or scratching his watch. He: Hey babe, I shore would like a little pussy. She: Me too, mine's bigger than a bucket. If that's true, my ass is a book binding machine. Hey man, gotta match? Yep, your breath and a bull fart.

I agree. I've put about 700 jumps on an old model one (just audible, no visual) that I bought in '99. I met George the inventor in Quincy that year. Simple to use, accurate and reliable.

Thanks a bunch Airtwardo, I was really curious who the 100 were but I haven't had time to find them printed anywhere. 14 of the 100? That's awesome! All I got was a thumbs-up from Sen. John Glenn when he was leaving First Flight. OK, you gotta tell us, which 14?

Oh sure Mikkey, rub it in to the rest of us above the equator. Nah, enjoy dude! I wish I was there. Merry Christmas everyone!

Woo Hoo. Look out 12/17/2103 Aw shucks. You guys are the greatest. I'm glad you got to experience some of our Carolina hospitality and I'm glad you enjoyed our little soiree. Honestly though, the honor truly was ours. If you guys schedule something in Texas or Calif, keep us east coast PROs in mind. Merry Christmas y'all and have a wonderful New Year!