klingeme

There is a "this certificate was awarded to" field on the certificate that the "awarder" is SUPPOSED to fill out, but rarely do. It is kind of an "honesty policy" in the same way your logbook is. A skydiver could "pencil jump" enough jumps to get a rating, but that doesn't make it right. If you sell them locally, I'd be willing to bet that you'd never get "caught" but putting them up on DZ.com or Ebay (where we do check) is pretty dumb.

By the "letter of the law" non-transferable means you can not exchange them, and the reason is what I stated above. That being said, if they are given away or "traded" for a 6 pack of beer or a couple pack jobs (things of little or no value) we do not have a problem with an exchange. Another example would be you won a UPT certificate, but have a brand new container, and someone else won a Vigil Certificate, but already has an AAD. It this case a trade would be completely acceptable. UPT's stance on the certificates is we do not want you profiting from the sale (acting as a dealer who is doing nothing) but we would like the certificates to be used by someone looking to purchase a container. Mark Klingelhoefer United Parachute Technologies

UPT's certificates clearly state at the bottom of the certificate that they are non-transferable. Our dealers make a profit selling our product because they provide a service (to you and for us). You, by selling the certificate, are acting as a dealer (making a profit off of our product) but not actually providing any service to the customer or to UPT. We have to process the order in house, which makes it a more "expensive" rig for us to produce. When I see certificates for sale on DZ.com, I message the seller and inform them that they are not allowed to sell (read the bottom of the certificate) it and ask them to delete their classified ad. Mark Klingelhoefer United Parachute Technologies

Instead, they'll take that attitude that "I'm what's wrong with social media" because manifest had to deal with a pissed off land owner.....

https://www.facebook.com/Fleefry/posts/10150609533086520 if you'd like to follow along.

I have landed out several times, and I know what's going through my mind when I did it... That was a fun jump, damn I didn't make it back to the DZ, I hope the land owner is not home or is "cool" with me being here. Here is a Facebook post from one of my Wuffo friends today. Let's not forget that you need to be VERY considerate when you've landed somewhere other than the dropzone. Mark Klingelhoefer

This is one of the many scenarios the SkyHook was originally designed to avoid. With a standard RSL, your pin is pulled as your risers leave your body and your Freebag comes off of your reserve in 1.5-2 seconds regardless of your body position. It is possible that you are on your back and your Freebag deploys through your legs with the possibility of the bridle wrapping around your leg/foot. Because the SkyHook puts your reserve where your main was, with a SkyHook deployment, it is very unlikely to become entangled with the cutaway canopy, Freebag, or deploying reserve. Mark Klingelhoefer United Parachute Technologies Edited to add picture that was bigger than 250 kb

Here's a picture of Bill and Ted in the early days of Tandem Development.

I would assume the policy has lost us a few (4 or 5 maybe) rig sales in the past, but we support our dealers and the job they do for us, so if we need to lose a container sale or two to "prove" that we support them, we are defiantly willing to do that. Good discussion here and, while you may not 100% agree, I'm glad we could have it civilly. Thanks for the compliments on the Sigma and we'll keep on innovating to supply the skydiving world with the best containers available. Mark Klingelhoefer

It's pretty simple. We put "non-transferable" on the certificate, so if it is "transferred" you are "breaking our rules".

I'm not talking about whether or not selling the certificate is screwing over the intent you had when you wrote "non-transferrable" on the certificate, I'm talking about whether it's screwing over the intent you had when you gave the certificate to the event organizer. Is it that you want to give out more certificates to advertise more broadly and you put non-transferrable on there to limit the number that actually get redeemed because not everyone who wins one wants a Vector? (or any new rig for that matter?) The purpose of the certificates is to help organizers draw people to their events. This often gets our company logo on advertising. It also offers someone a chance to get a good deal on a container. Our intent is not to have someone who knows very little about our company the opportunity to act as a "dealer" to sell one of our containers. We research people who want to sell our containers pretty thoroughly before we offer them a dealership. They need to be able to answer questions and help guide the person they are selling to through the process of purchasing a container. Someone who spends $1 for a raffle ticket at a boogie does not automatically meet these criteria. Mark Klingelhoefer

The intent of the certificate is for it to be used by the person who wins it. If you happen to give it to a friend of yours who is looking to buy a rig, we would probably never hear anything about it. If you advertise it on EBay or DZ.com for $300-$400, you are actually more working as a "Dealer", except you are not actually helping the "customer" out at all. Our Dealers make a profit selling our rigs because they actually help the customer through the process. A person selling the certificate is just out to make a quick buck, and that is the reason the certificates are "non-transferable". It does not matter if you agree with the policy or not, it is written right on the certificate. If you buy the rig, jump it for a while, and then sell it because you are downsizing or getting out of the sport or whatever, verses selling a certificate.....Same thing, REALLY? Like I said before, if you sell a certificate locally (or trade it for a case of beer or something), chances are you will never get "caught", but if you are advertising it on the internet and selling it for a couple hundred bucks, don't be surprised when you get contacted by the person you sold it to and find out that it has been VOIDED because it was sold. I have done this on a few occasions. Mark Klingelhoefer

You are probably right. We probably did put it on the bottom of the certificate by mistake. Actually, we send he certificates out to help boogie organizers, but they piss our dealers off, because they lose potential sales. UPTs certificates are non-transferable (as stated on the certificate) and you can ask anyone who has tried to sell one here on DZ.com. They have gotten a message from me to remove the classified ad. Mark Klingelhoefer United Parachute Technologies

The certificate may not be transferable but the rig is. And you'd almost certainly get away with it...... But then there is the Karma thing and a little bit of "screwing over the intent of the manufacturer", but then again, you'd get a good deal on a rig.....

Does the certificate say "This certificate is non-transferable and does not apply to students or tandem Vectors." If so, it can not be sold.

If I moved back up north, Mountain Biking, Kayaking and Whitewater rafting in the Spring, Summer and Fall, and Snow Skiing in the winter.

Found a copy of all three. Thanks.

I moved here from Pennsylvania, and shortly before that West Virginia, where my activities were Snow Skiing, Mountain Biking, Whitewater Kayaking, and Whitewater Rafting. I moved to Florida and asked myself "What do people do around here for a good time?" First I looked into Scuba, but could not do that because of a medical condition. Skydiving came to my mind next. That same day, I scheduled my first tandem. I did IAF Level 1 because I knew I'd be hooked, and as soon as I landed, I laid the $1,100 on the counter for the rest of the training. Ground School was the next day and the rest was history. Mark Klingelhoefer

It's a great video. Different style of freeflying than what is going on today, but GREAT video.

Try having Klingelhoefer as a last name...... Impossible to go Incognito.

When I worked as a corporate trainer for SunTrust, they were going to buy me SunTrust logo'd gear and have me do demos into bank openings. My current employer (UPT) wishes I jumped more. Mark Klingelhoefer

The only way I saw them was a bootlegged copy that had all 3 on one tape.

I was just reading the "Blue Skies" article "South Park, Skydiving, Strippers, and Sublime" and after reading it, felt the urge to watch Chronicles I, II, and III. I went to Square1 and Para-Gear's websites and could not find them. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever seen a DVD copy of them. The ones I watched were VHS. Do DVD Copies exist? If so, where can I buy them? Mark Klingelhoefer

For the student freefall rigs, they are of the style with a main ripcord, like old style US AFF. The mods are to add an FXC to the main container. Also, the ripcord handle will be in the BOC location - not sure off hand if that is an option or a custom mod. (The DZ has had other rigs since about 2003 set up that way too. Those will still be used. They were also custom modified for main AAD's, but with the design & installation done by me at the DZ when I was a staff rigger.) Anyway, it shows Aerodyne is willing to work with DZ's even for fairly unusual requests, rather than taking a take it or leave it attitude. UPT's student containers are also available with FXC Setup and spring loaded pilot chutes with the ripcord in the BOC position. SkyHook is standard on the SE. We also have a few demo student containers we send out upon request. We however, do not manufacture canopies. We try to work with DZOs on any "special requests" they may need. Mark Klingelhoefer United Parachute Technologies

I gave up on them and canceled my membership 4-5 years ago.