MarkBolton

I did it above the cascades back in the day. It was available in the Para Gear catalog once. Couldn't tell any difference in the openings. It might protect the lines somewhat but it also picked up dirt and turned my slider grommets black.

nigel i tried the Day Inn several times. The price is right. Now I stay down the road from there at the Econo Lodge for another $25-30 bucks a night. I never slept through the night at the Days Inn. They have thin walls and there were several unfortunate and fairly serious incidents, such as a dispute between an underage girl, her mom and a much older man. Also, meth being cooked all night long with the television and radio being blared to cover up noise next door. The innkeeper would try to get me in a room with no one on either side but in the end he just wasn't strong enough to keep things in line there.

You are right, they are about the same. My memory was it took a bit longer to make the dz in the mornings from Cedartown.

I have stayed at all the local motels mentioned on the Farm's website. I wouldn't recommend the Holiday Inn Express only because it is a longer drive. I would recommend the Econo Lodge first (678) 757-1107. I would highly NOT recommend you taking your wife to any other motel in the area. Filth, paper thin walls, the smell of meth, all-night parties, late-night fights and the list goes on and on and on.

Oh, Pete. You were a man who could stick to his guns in a way few ever could.

Bye, bro.

Sparky, people are gonna die every year in skydiving from something. When we were younger men it was almost always "reserve line stretch at impact." People would look up and try to shake those big ole 220s open until they saw the horizon come into their peripheral and when they reached for their cutaway handle it was too late. Every couple of years someone would die from a water or tree landing and it was quiet an oddity when someone died after getting a canopy open. I used to tell kids back then that if they had a slow opening they needed to look at the ground and their altimeter rather than up. Many of them would look at me as if I were a space alien, the same look I get today if I talk to a kid about his canopy choice. Swoopers are here to stay and we can't close the barn door on that one. The good ones are an absolute gas to watch. I don't get their mindset, but I love watching what they do. But many of those will be staff members who will swoop after exiting at altitude, not on a low pass. They will stay up late at night and then make 10 jumps a day in the heat of summer. That swoop at the end of the jump is their reward and sometimes they will make it even if all factors are screaming ABORT! Many will be sweet kids who made gear choices highly experienced jumpers begged them not to make. It always breaks my heart to see one those bust themselves up. I've bought into a lot of activities with increased risk in this sport, but I've never bought into someone taking me out due to foolhardy behavior. As it is now, I have a dz one hour from my house and another two hours from my house that have modern procedures in place for separating traffic. In my part of the country that is a very fortunate thing to have good dzs that close In the sport now, we have a minority of jumpers controlling the dialogue on an important issue. How many really believe they can safely crank it through crowded skies and how many believe its acceptable to risk taking me out so they can have their fun I just don't know. Obviously there are too many of each. Overall in the industry - and there will be glowing exceptions - I don't expect to see much improvement in education. I don't expect to see some drop zones clamp down except for a short period of time after an accident. I am 52 now and down to 100 jumps a year or less. I have had my 30 years of fun. It's a tipping point now for me. I accepted overloaded airplanes and a lot of other things but I don't accept the idea of getting taken out by a fool. I may have a few years left or I may be one incident away from quitting. It's very geographical for me - I am not getting on a plane to go somewhere to jump out of one. Thanks to Sparky and all those who fight the good fight. See you in the sky or maybe on the porch.

I don't think the FAA as a whole cares that much about us. But... Between 1982 and 1992, we managed to kill 96 jumpers in aircraft crashes. That was, stunningly enough, about one out of every four skydiving fatalities during that time period. I seem to remember all were overloaded or out of balance. That resulted in the feds putting their boots on some people's necks. I don't doubt some in the government may see canopy fatalities over the past 10 years as have reached the same epidemic proportions. So, Airtwardo's analysis may be very spot on.

What's the point in reading it? All canopy collisions are murder-suicides. How can I say this? I have talked to enough hotshots, pirates and mad skills people to know that it is absolutely safe to mix any type of canopy pattern and landing direction in the same space. All you have to do is look before you do it. So, there really is no problem here.

Please check back in and let us know who lets you demo this canopy.

Well, are you any good at it? What are you jumping?

There were a couple of guys (the Kockelman brothers from an infamous Nike vs. Reebok ad) that were working on the idea of dissipating water. Maybe you can reach them. Either way please do keep us informed.

I have always flat packed. My canopy opens the same as it does when pro packed. I have never had a malfunction under modern gear. I had 3 my first year with packing straps and ropes and rings.

I did some big ways with Gary in a couple of places. He was such a nice guy. Kinda weird that he was born in Rantoul!

It has been my experience big people break things, like lines, risers and soft links. You are really, really pushing things. While you may be able to fly in a tunnel with your instructor, that might not equate to real life. Many young jumpers inexplicably dump while still in a steep track, or get unstable and head down when they just can't find that boc. I don't know that you or your gear will survive that unscathed at your weight.

I found it curious that the cameras cut away from the landings and also the jet fly-by. Almost makes me wonder if ABC has a policy on this.

I have always used them for the convenience.

I had a real large time on those jumps.

I am pleasantly surprised to see this many people making sensible choices.

That is an interesting statement from the flight attendant. I would be interested to know the same answers as you if any out there actually knows.

By far the best postal service option for this type of material is Media Mail. There are a lot of online options for printing labels and postage that will keep you from physically having to go to the post office.

Nick: I don't believe there are any dz on the three ABC islands - Aruba, Bonaire or Curacao. I have been to Aruba a couple of times and wind conditions are at best marginal most of the time. It's 20 miles from Venezuela but whether you would want to travel there at this time is a different story.

Count me in.

Some altimeters do lag at higher altitudes.

$20 jumps and no registration fee? Hans is such a gentleman, always trying to think of ways to make it a little easier for us to stay in the air during hard economic times. I had a blast there last year and I will be back this weekend.