chrisgr

Wherever it came from, congrats on the new Porter. Perris has a nice mix of aircraft. The Iowa jumpers will be stuck on the ground if they keep selling their airplanes.

Looks like the same DZ that sold you the Porter is now selling a Caravan... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/detail_page.cgi?ID=61435;d=1 Perris can have a small fleet of planes from Iowa. What will they fly in Paradise?

Nice response. I have read the SIM and understand it very well. It is another example of the USPA avoiding the issue. I certainly won't sue them and that is really not the concern. What does concern me is that they won't step up to the plate. Do you wish to wait and 'see what happens'. Perhaps someone else will step in. Do you want that?

It is currently very difficult to ensure that everyone gets the training they need. Voluntary CC coaching will not reach everyone. One problem that I see from comments made by other jumpers is that they are not trying to swoop or execute high-performance landings, so they do not think that CC courses are necessary for them. They do not understand the value of basic CC coaching and education. Many jumpers also do not understand just how much ‘they do not know’. A structured program that is mandated (e.g. tied to USPA licensing) could get jumpers started at the early stages of their skydiving careers and ensure that jumpers are exposed to the knowledge that they need to survive. The irony to Needles commentary is that it was published in a magazine entitled ‘Parachutist’. The commentary is really lame and the USPA needs to buck up and enforce mandatory CC education and certification. They have certainly received plenty of input from various sources – including these forums. There are some very good programs on the table(s). I think that their current practices present a certain amount of liability. This organization has identified and documented a problem such as canopy landing accidents that has led to the deaths of some of its members and injured many more. The USPA has stated that it is aware of the problem, but that it cannot or will not do anything about it other than make recommendations. Well said.

Where do you usually jump? What type of response would you expect from the DZ?

She taxied down to one end and burned the grass at the other. Perhaps not the 'safest' jumpship, but a great ride!

Is he still there?

Lady Luck used every inch of that runway when I was there.

It appears that someone has other issues to deal with; otherwise he would have just let the one liner jab slide. Sigh … flame away, Dorkie!

Done. Good luck on your speech.

Well said. Know when to say no. How would you ensure that more jumpers learn this lesson before they break themselves?

Thank you for taking the time to describe your CC work. I do not doubt that you worked on CC skills. However, I question how well you understood the performance characteristics of your Stiletto when you were injured. How many jumps did you have (total and on the Stiletto) when this happened? Why were you pursuing 270 degree approaches with your w/l on such a canopy? Do you remember one of the golden rules … ‘Know Thy Altitude’. This pertains to swooping just as much as freefall. As we gain knowledge through education and experience we need to apply this knowledge to all aspects of skydiving. This process takes time and patience. Perhaps attaining the 'perfect 270' is not the right objective.

From Zenister's post ... I doubt that in 4 jumps he actually demonstrated complete proficiency in any ‘recommended checklist’. What had he done prior to progressing to the Stiletto? What criteria did he use to determine that the Stiletto was the best choice at his experience level? At 500 jumps and 2 years in the sport, he may just now have enough knowledge and experience to really get to know his canopy. Hopefully, he can demonstrate (prove) his skills to a canopy coach/instructor. He must have considered other possibilities when he chose the Stiletto. What criteria did he use? Some of the jumpers who have been injured and killed were flying canopies that were not appropriate for their experience level. They may not have used the same criteria and judgment when selecting a canopy. They may not have even known what criteria to use to select a canopy. Another advantage of a w/l restriction is that it would give jumpers time to gain the knowledge and experience that you used to safely select an appropriate canopy I bet you have enough experience to make an informed decision about a canopy and explain your reasons. I bet that you also took the time to really understand the performance of your canopy. With your experience (1600 jumps) and time in the sport, you can effectively describe the performance characteristics of your canopy and make an even more informed decision about another. There are too many hotshots on HP canopies who can’t explain the real advantages (and dangers) of their wing, so they certainly can't explain why they chose such a canopy. Some may even rush through their own checklist of skills and never know what they don’t know.

Great post. Perhaps they're not that intelligent.

Why are you still jumping a Stiletto 150 @ 1.37 lbs/ft?