Liemberg

Did several of them. With 20/20 hindsight: When you are completely blind you either develop excellent 'spatial' muscle memory or you keep bumping into things / spill drinks etcetera. No exceptions - they all did excellent (we are talking about climbing and jumping out of a C182) So 'don't worry, be happy'

It is a well known psychological fact that most drivers think they are above average in skill, quickness of response etcetera. It is well known statistical fact that that is impossible. Is this different for skydivers? I think not... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

I think he could have gotten away with it but since he didn't he was indeed in the wrong place @ the wrong time. It must have been one of my brighter moments when I decided that I needed an extra paragraph in my business terms and conditions that gave me and every individual TI working for me the leeway to refuse service to anyone without an obligation to explain our reasons. Saved my day a couple of times, even while disappointing a customer. Of course such a decision is not taken lightly and there is money involved. However, if you get it wrong there can be a lot more money involved! "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

From the position of the camera we can conclude that he never went back to full flight out of the turn prior to landing. Not a wise thing to do with an extremely overweight passenger. Edited to add: What is most unprofessional in this day and age is allowing this sort of footage leave the premises. Just refund the jump (or the camerafee) Don't get caught with your pants down on youtube "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

At least 2 of my former tandem 'passengers' possess medals won at national skydiving championships. I call them my students, therefore. The best argument however is the legal slippery slope that comes from getting into the business of areal passenger transport - as someone above me already mentioned. "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Seems pretty obvious to me: If the 'open end' is pointed @ the relative wind while throwing: (possible) Trouble. If the closed end (back if you will) is pointed @ relative wind: clean deployment / Home Free. YMMV

Actually, several years ago in the Netherlands near the airport of Zestienhoven (Rotterdam) it was found out that a group of complainers used the 'teletext' announcement of scheduled flights to file a complaint. This happened when a scheduled flight of a DC9 was cancelled in the last instant because of some technical difficulty. The complainers had learned that that particular airline used a DC9 and had also learned that a DC9 is a rather loud airplane. Therefore, they always filed an official complaint - not after actually hearing the plane fly overhead but from learning about its departure by means of 'teletext' (= text messages system on Tv-screens). Needles to say that they lost a lot of influence after being caught doing this (complaining with aircraft registration when in fact said aircraft was still on the tarmac in Zestienhoven) So it is not only a fun idea - it might actually work.

Since nowadays we are saving the planet from climate change and all I like to think of it as 'recycled stupidity' It's the green thing to do man - can't be helped

Things I did with an Android today (actually: 2 Androids) I phoned! I sent and received text messages. I listened to music. I got the one Android on the 3g network connecting with the internet and mimic a WiFi hotspot, while the other Android (7 inch multi-touch screen and a leather case with a usable keyboard built into it) connected to 'the phone WiFi' - enabled me to write email, update Facebook and all the other things where on the phone you usually by the third sentence start thinking 'I wish I had midgets fingers'... I spoke to one of the gadgets, gave up a destination and then it started directing me through traffic, by earphone. I spoke to the other gadget and it responded with the internet-page I was looking for. I sold a car to I complete stranger who responded to an add on-line and I checked my bank-account on the spot whether he had indeed transferred the money to my account. He had. Hot tip however - don't do to much of this stuff when you plan on doing more of this stuff outside your car / away from 'battery power' - just as I was going to ask the direction to the bus-station two hours later it wanted to be plugged to a wall socket or something - I ended up having to ask the natives my whereabouts. But other than that, these machines are brilliant! The guy buying my car had an Iphone. Making payments with that device is do-able, but my checking process went a lot smoother. And now for the ultimate skydivers argument: How many jumps from full altitude can be made from the price-difference between my HTC Desire + Chinese 'DropadA8' tablet or running around with an Iphone / Ipad combination? Do the math.

Not as often as awfully likely things - like him making it up...

Probably not, for lack of volunteers. But the known results of cutting away with the lowers already undone don't look promising so far... The theory that just one connector is enough to hold you is a sound one however when the maximum payload is calculated and compared with load-test results in which connectors were torn apart. So it *might* cause a malfunction - but the good news is that you still will be attached to it.

And HAS in the past, resulting in at least one documented fatality... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Though I was going to get Shutter home with Lutz and bring all his fellow cameraflyers too, only to find out that they were supposed to graze Lutz's lawn the missus kept complaining about ever since our yuppie lawyer started to spend all his weekends at the Dropzone, for the right fee we can have the keen legal mind drive a BMW and give away a Big Mac of course! That's the beauty of a good reality soap - you never know where the collective process of creative writing will lead the story line. We might even make it past season one. "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

scene one: Lutz, the yuppie lawyer throws his brand new gear bag in his hybrid SUV as he spots a character in a rather worn looking jumpsuit who appears to be grazing the small patch of grass next to the large hangar - as the camera zooms in we recognise Shutter, the camera guy that just broke up with Jillian. 'What are you doing there?' Lutz asks him. 'Well you see dude, camera flying has been kind of slow lately with everybody jumping GoPro's and Contours and al the TI's carrying one on the back of their hand - a fellow HAS to eat, now doesn't he?' Shutter replies. Lutz looks puzzled and says: "O No - this is unethical! I can't bear the thought that any of my new found skydiving friends has to eat the grass of the DZ in order to sustain!- Come, jump into my car and drive home with me' IMHO you can't have a believable reality show called "As the Dropzone Turns" without at least one token lawyer

Seeing the video and the plane that was used during this 'once in a lifetime' TV program, one might even doubt 14000ft agl. That said, there's a whole lot more going on in the world to get all worked up about than this 'black men don't jump' episode. Though the writer exaggerated (Hey, since 'Point Break we all know that in free-fall you can have an ongoing scene of more than a minute from 1000ft on) he somehow grasped the 'do-or-die' aspect of the whole endeavour pretty accurate and there IS a distinction between a tandem 'carnival ride' and AFF level one where indeed you are on your own, once deployment is initiated and can be on your own if your larger-than-life AFF-instructor is having an off day. (this possibility was clearly mentioned to the hero of the story when his instructor told him 'whatever happens to you, I'll be OK') So all-in-all, the guy jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplane and lived to tell the tale. If that sends swarms of African Americans to my or any other DZ, I'm sure we are all going to smile as we take their money.

Beat me to it

Sad to hear this news. Personally, I was saved by one of his products already six times since he passed away - they worked as flawlessly as that 26ft Strong Lopo that saved me many, many years ago. BSBD Mr. Strong "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Even on a tandem. let alone if the participants each have a parachute of their own, it is probably a better idea to pull out when you are pulling. OMG - multitasking. Is the male brain really capable of it?

The uncensored video can be found through a dutch website (hey, where else?). http://tinyurl.com/3wdyqtf Of course I would trust Dave on his blue eyes and maybe some mentioning of his mothers impecable memory but still after seeing the (NSFW) video I have a hard time believing he had no prior notice.

But if I pointed you in the direction of my youtube and vimeo footage also, would that change the verdict? "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Moi, je compris die Sprache Luxembourg, je pense - aber sicher bin Ich da nicht. Cést sicherlich pas Hollandais, je vous asure.

We can even make things clicky! (just push button, even if you don't speak Norwegian) (Of course, we have this amazing ability and mad computer skillz because we compulsory click on things - like the 'Get Markup Help' above our little reply window. We even know how to scroll all the way down on a page!) If only we were a bit more modest and sensitive...

Voted. Or change your signature line so that it gives the voting link - we are guys, we can find buttons.

One would think female skydivers by now would have figured out that launching a pilotchute is different from dropping a handkerchief. "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...

Then it seems imperative to follow the towing line vigerously - as in steering the canopy. Towing against a steady wind seems feasible and would make ascending possible. At least you wont have to combine running with canopy control. I used to experiment with Manta's together with students when it was to windy to jump. Just had them hooked to the ground with two lines @ 60 degree angles. Pulling the toggles would lift you of the ground and + two meters scared the beehives out of you - luckily, releasing the toggles brought you back down. Well, that way we only got bruised a bit, not broken. Funny thing was, a group of visiting jumpers thought it a good idea to try it with a 'serious' rope - + 15 meters. And the '2 ropes at an angle' trick was also a no-no for the more serious adventurers. First guy that tried it broke his femur. And he had well over sixty jumps on his Strato cloud. Ground didn't seem to care about his experience... Soooo - proceed at your own peril - YMMV... "Whoever in discussion adduces authority uses not intellect but memory." - Leonardo da Vinci A thousand words...