freakyrat

Here are some more from Southwest. I was on one of their flights to New Orleans a couple years back that made a hard landing in foggy conditions. The flight attendant quipped "that landing was not the Captain's fault, It was not the co-pilots fault, it was the ashphalt. The other one I heard was this. Smoke detectors are installed in each lavatory. If anyone is caught smoking in the lavatory or disabling the smoke detector were going to ask you to kindly step outside then were going to sing you a chorus of gone with the wind.

The TFR Notam for Houston will shut down Spaceland for jumping on Saturday during the time it is in effect Chris

Blue Oyster Cult Chris

Tarek You are restricted to one carry on item plus a small personal item. What flights are you taking and what airline and day. I'm flying out of Terminal A on the 5th. I'll be happy to vouch for you if they give you any static about your business name on your rigs. I would take one on board (the one with your best canopy) and check the other rig in a hard case such as a Samsonite (Travelpro Style like the Flight Attendants use) or one of those plastic scuba gear cases on wheels. I can't remember the name of them but Hutch uses them all the time to travel. See you at the DZ Saturday.

MY best wishes to Todd for a speedy recovery. Chris Skydive Houston

Hey Aliveboy Keep up that great spirit and attitude. I'll look forward to the jump with you. Chris

Hey Viking I got bit at work over a year ago by some kind of animal, probably a spider, and maybe it was a brown-recluse. The bite site (Under my left thigh) got real purpleish and I got a staph infection (MRSA) from it. My doctor cleaned and drained it and gave me a prescription of Cipro for it. It bled for about a week. I only lost a bit of outer skin and it healed up. The most painful thing about it was all the shots that I was given around the wound site to deaden it so he could drain it. I still don't know what kind of spider it was and my doctor said it could have been any kind but wasn't a Black Widow. Chris

I had a very bad bout with it last year. I went to a Chiropractor here in The Woodlands who is board certified etc and woks here at Sadler Clinic. it took about 13 sessions but he fixed it. I had no ruptured discs but a x-ray showed I did not have the proper space between L4 and L5. Heat and stretching it out on his table fixed it. There are stretching exercises for it that Physical Therapists, DO's, MD's that specialize in Sports Medicine and Chiroprators can give you that help releive this. Chris Skydive Houston

Saw Paul at Twilo club in NYC a couple years back. The atmosphere back then was just like you described in your post. A couple of us from the DZ went to see Digweed a couple of months ago when he was in Houston and it was pretty cool. We danced our asses off. Chris Skydive Houston

Funny, Just like the Frontier spoof. Do they allow rigs onboard? Chris

I think this is funny, I want to see page 16 Chris

Hey Aliveboy Did you get your numbers out of order? Great that you decided to continue to do tandems and are keeping a POSITIVE attitude. Chris

The Otters have a Suplemental Type Certificate for operations with the door off as does the Cessna 182 Chris

I took my Cypres equiiped rig on Southwest from Houston Hobby to Ontario, Ca in January without any problems whatsoever I had it in a gearbag with my helmet w/two audibles and also had an rw suit and a freefly suit packed in there. I had all the TSA paperwork and also a new Cypres card that shows what a rig looks like. This same picture is in the TSA training manual for screeners. On the way back fro Ontario the screener knew what it the rig was and asked for a supervisor to do the little wipedown test. The supervisor just wiped down the outside of my kitbag. He put the littloe paper in the EDS machine. My rig passed and he gave me back my kitbag with my rig inside and said "Have a nice flight". So easy and simple. If you are given any hassle just ask for an EDS wipedown. Your rig should pass and you should be on your way to your gate. There is no need to even open the rig period. A lot has been posted in this forum on this whole subject. Do a search for it. Chris

DJ Tiesto, In Search Of Sunrise, Panama Chris

Diverdriver Thanks for the link I found the pictures. The jet looks pretty nice. Chris Skydive Houston

Southwest has a blurb about the Cypres AAD in their Ops manual and is available in their computers. Next time you're at the airport ask one of their ticket counter supervisors to get a copy for you. It is listed under Baggage-Parachutes. Chris Skydive Houston

Hey Diverdriver When do you get the new paint on "barbiejet" you drive for a living? Chris

Slappie I also live in Houston and hate the radio sattions here. They really suck. It seems that Clear Channels Stations in Dallas have a better variety of formats. Chris

Scott You said the most accurate and positive thing in regard to this subject. Chris

Cypres is not an IED. It's a completely sealed accelerator. It was deemed completely safe by the FAA/DOT after extensive testing at NAFEC in Atlantic City. The amount of activation material in the Cypres cutter is way below the amount that would fit the definition of Hazmat under IATA regulations. The amount of Lithium in the Cypres batteries is also under the weight limit that would be considered hazardous under IATA regulations also. It really is no big deal taking a rig through. I agree with you in regards to the screeners. I recently traveled through Ontario, CA with my Cypres equipped rig. They knew the procedures exactly . The TSA superviser on duty just wiped the rig down with that special paper and put it in the machine. The rig passed and he gave me back my rig in my gearbag and told me to have a nice flight. The new Cypres card helps because it matches the pictures in your manual. I also carry all the TSA documentation with me along with the letter I sent the FSD for Palm Springs, CA when I had some problems two years ago. Haven't had any problems since. Actually if you just remain calm, ask for an EDS wipedown (which the rig will pass) you'll be on your way to your flight with your rig etc. Hope this helps everyone. Chris

Every airport has a TSA Federal Security Director. The name of the Federal Security Director for the Columbus, Ohio airport is Mr. Thomas Rice. Write him a letter with your complaint along with a copy to Ed Scott. Send Mr. Rice all your documentation including the TSA and Cypres letters in regards to parachutes. Also give him information of your background in skydiving or avaition or both. I did this when I had problems in Palm Springs and it ended up being a 13 page letter with pictures of my gear and all documentation etc. It worked real well I even mentioned how Cypres was approved etc with the help of the Safety Director of Southwest Airlines etc. The outcome from all this was very good as the screeners at Palm Springs are now trained better in regard to parachutes/Cypres etc. Hope this helps. Chris

CherryAir, The company that flew the one at WFFC. Chris

I flew Airtran with my rig several times with no problems. Chris

Hey Kris I fractured my large right toe on Superbowl Sunday in a minor accident here at home. It's getting better after about a week but it will be middle March before I can jump again I guess. I'm looking at the weekend of March 20th. or so. It seems like walking funny with the toe taped I seem to be putting a lot of stress on my knee and back. Be very careful out there and really give the foot time to heal. I've broken my right ankle and right heal and when you can run on it it should be strong enough to jump on it at least that is what has always worked for me. Blue Skies Chris Skydive Houston