raff

Each year, at this time, I imagine that THIS will be the year. It is so very possible, that I find it hard to believe that it hasn’t ever happened in the 33 years I’ve been skydiving. No fatalities this coming year. Why not? If it were possible to interview any of the folks who have died skydiving, or more accurately in recent years, parachuting, most would say a) their death was not intentional, and b) they’d said it would “never happen to me.” Must it ever be so? I continue to hope.

I’ve done 3500 jumps, mostly tandem since having a knee replaced. It has never been a factor, and my birthday coincides with the cooling of the earth’s crust.

...being ignored. Your choice.

I have two rigs; one with a Stiletto 150 and the other with a brand new Saber 1 - 170, and I'm 235# out the door. Both can be capricious. I put pocket sliders (ask your rigger) on both and they open like dreams.

It's futile, I know, but every year around this time, I start to fantasize about a year with -0- skydiving fatalities. To paraphrase Bill Booth, "People are dying because of decisions they make before they get in the plane." Must it ever be so? If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

Most of us can add two more if you include: The State of Confusion The State of Disarray Just sayin' If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

I'd like to say that my wing loading is 3.1416, but that would be Pi in the sky. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

"That part about me having to always be right is absolutely wrong!" I've actually heard this comment. Great article. Glad I found it.

"This website does not accurately represent the culture of skydiving." I agree. I was referring to the skydiving culture. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

You were not there, not knowing me, but you're pretty sure that I have exhibited bad judgement in the past. WOW!I can guarantee you've exhibited bad judgement before. You are coming here to solicit support against the person/persons who have disciplined you at your home DZ. That speaks volumes about your judgement. You have a lot to learn about getting along in the culture; this one and/or any other. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

I don't know where you jumped or with whom you jumped, but I can think of several JM-related reasons you might have had this experience. They have to do with harnessing and harness adjustment before the jump, and, more importantly, after opening. PM to follow. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

This IS the term for having the container "flipped through" the lines, either above or below the slider, causing the risers to be twisted. This term has been in use for the thirty years I've been jumping. (This problem may or may NOT evidence itself during a gear check.) If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

Every day I hear a tandem say "I'm glad I did a tandem. I could never have gone alone." Naturally they would say this, given the very limited amount of training they get preparatory to their jump. You, on the other hand, will be given all the information necessary to so a safe AFF skydive, and you will love it. Relax. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

Two types of DZOs: 1. "Hit 'em as hard as you can once." 2. "Get them to come back as many times as possible." I've worked for both. I don't have to explain which was the more enjoyable environment. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

You are right on with the regular exercise suggestion. I would also suggest lots of sun and in the absence of same, a light box. I tend toward SAD and it certainly helps me. Good of you to be sensitive to this person's needs. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

I couldn't agree more. Also a Vietnam vet, but I didn't fight for my country. I fought for a small country in SE Asia. Had I fought for my country, I'm guessing that I wouldn't have been spit at upon my return to the USA. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

A lot of sanctimonious stuff herein. In the early days of AFF, many student rigs were equipped with cable handles which when pulled, released a spring loaded pilot chute. These had the tendency to bounce around in the student's burble now and then. The remedy was to teach "Arch, Look, Reach, Pull, Check, Check [during which the student was to rotate his/her upper body somewhat to wash the pilot out from behind.]". Additionally, the MS JM was to release providing an asymmetric airflow across the formation. Almost everyone, I'm guessing, has now progressed to BOC throwouts rendering the MS release unnecessary, as well as the "Look" portion of the pull sequence. I kind of like the idea of the MS being there for the occasion which anyone with any experience has seen (If you haven't seen this, you will.): Student holding onto the throwout! YAY! While I'm at it, we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Ken Coleman, while I'm at it. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

A load of tandems should be like a mountain climbing expedition, in that there should be an implied veto power of one, no questions asked. Imagine what might happen if a student got hurt on a load where one TM (with good judgement) had stood down. I hope to be reincarnated as a lawyer under those circumstances. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

I have a little over 14,000. I suspect there are a lot more TMs than you might think who have exceeded 10K TM jumps. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

I must agree. I have huge respect for both Luke and the technology on display for the event. It's just that I have a problem with what I call junk-made-for-TV-sport of any kind. It simply does not convey to the public what we are about. That said, I'm certainly glad that the outcome was successful. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

Starting two separate threads, repeatedly asking the same questions, ignoring answers you don't like, etc. all seem very much to indicate that this is simply about getting lots of attention. Time for you to grow up, take charge of your life, accept the consequences of your decisions, and look up Histrionic Personality Disorder. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

I'm sure there are numerous doctors on staff at the above DZs. See previous post. Please do not solicit input from the skydiving community. No matter how well-meaning, nobody here is qualified to give you advice. This includes any of the MDs who also skydive. Only YOUR doctor should advise you on this matter. Best wishes for a full recovery, no matter how long that takes, and for a fulfillment of all of your bucket items. raff If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

There's two kinds of drivers I hate. Tailgaters and guys who won't move over when you get right on their ass! If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

Well, I, for one, think you should ABSOLUTELY NOT be allowed to do tandems. Unless, of course, you can exit stable, throw a drogue, deploy, and land safely. In that case, you go until your damned good and ready to give it up. raff If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.

In 1972, after the GOP swept nearly everything, Bob Dole, the chairman of the RNC, I believe, was caught on camera smugly saying "You don't get a George McGovern coming along every election year." This is exactly what the thrilled-to-death Dems must be thinking right now. I cannot believe that any sentient voter, no matter what the results of the GOP primaries and the subsequent convention, could possibly vote for this bombastic buffoon. I have been a Repub for the fifty years that I have been a voter, and I would vote for a ham sandwich before this jerk. I am so embarrassed. Imagine what other countries think of our "political" process. If you leave the plane without a parachute, you will be fine for the rest of your life.