jimmytavino

1.Family Man (Father, Husband, Son, Brother, Brother-in-Law) 2.Skydiver, (for over 60 % of my life) 3.Safe Skydiver (for over 99% of my skydiving career, we can't ALL be perfect!!) 4. Loyal friend (you can ask my buddies) 5. Small Business Owner....("you don't work,,, you don't play")

The Sony Hi-8 format was and probably still is a decent(though not the best) format for use in skydiving...I shot many many hours of Hi-8 footage..... However you will be limited in terms of playback features. You will NOT be able to get slow motion , or a good pause frame...and may only have a fade to/from black, or maybe mosaic fade.... you won't get any overlap, or wipe, while in camera mode..... As mentioned in another post,,, mini dv is better.....but more$$$$$. You may try looking for a SONY "Digital 8" which is less costly than mini dv but more than Hi-8.....because the digital8 camera uses the 8 mm cassettes, which are a bit less to buy,,, and because you can do some slo motion and freeze frame pauses with the Dig8 which you can't do with the Hi8. Hi 8 was state of the art back around 1994 1995 and they were costly then,,,,over a grand......the picture quality available today in mini dv may be a bit more $$$$ but may be worth it.... Explore the cost and availability of at least the dig.8 ... to get the features which you would be happy with. I can go out and buy an F-111 PD 190 for example,, and maybe get a good price on it,,,, but would I be happy while I'm using it????? In light of what else is now out there and the current state of the art of camcorders, a few dollars more, invested now, may be worth it........jt

I suppose that the expansion of SkyVenture to other parts of the country is good, and probably inevitable. I just hope that the new locations do a MUCH better job of having some CONCERN for their clientele. My buddy (who is a gem of a guy), and an accomplished skydiver, was injured last Dec, at the Orlando Location. He apparently slid head first into the wall, and collapsed. His girlfriend was on the scene and thank God she intervened.... The staff was like,,, "well, let's get him out of the tunnel, the next group is ready", "c'mon c'mon he's OK."... Well he wasn't Ok. He broke the 2nd and 3rd vertebrae in his neck, and but for his girls' insistance that he not be moved 'til he could be properly immobilized, he could have had serious neurological complications...... Ok Ok you might say, they didn't know how bad his injury was.........but you know something,,,,,,I was told that NO One from the tunnel, ever followed up,,, called the hospital, called the girlfriend, offered any indication of concern,,,,,or contacted my buddy to check on his progress.......WTF???... He needed 3 surgeries, wore a Halo frame for about 3 months, is still in a slow recovery (6 months later) may not jump for a while and has Still not heard from the "tunnel heads"... Maybe it was an oversight,,,,maybe it was unintentional, but that kind of treatment is wrong.....and unacceptable. Potential new operators should take heed.....Treat your tunnel flyers like that, and they just might find the way to prove you NEGLIGENT.... then you will have plenty of other worries,,,, besides paying your utility bills! A little consideration goes a long ways.... especially when dealing with a fellow skydiver....(who gets hurt in YOUR facility)...what ever happened to "the brotherhood of jumpers"..??!!........

I work in the health care industry. I own and operate a small business which sells, services and installs wheelchair lifts, and stairway chair lifts,,, builds ramps and installs safety bars and railings.(The Safety & Access Company Inc.)... I often say that I run a "not for profit" business,,,,,,,, it isn't supposed to be "not for profit", but sometimes is. I am also a Father of two, husband of one, and brother of 4..... (but my REAL job is shooting videos at the drop zone,,,,as often as I can..)

Yes. Absolutely!!!!!.The same people who would vacation at a tourist destination and spend 3 dollars for a softdrink,,, or 5 dollars for a burger,or 50 dollars for admission,,,, no problem,,,,, certainly ought to be considerate of the people who put the room back into shape while they are away.... a couple of bucks a day.... minimum. Lets not give anyone the chance to say that skydivers are cheapskates......

Regarding Car W.. back in the mid 70's, it was a cloudy day at the DZ so a bunch of us went to lunch, riding in 2 Jeep C J 7's. The CJ 7 had an open cockpit, with rollbar, and while heading down the highway at around 50 miles an hour, side by side, I decided that i wanted to ride in the OTHER Jeep. so I "walked" across from one vehicle to the other.. The drivers were cool and I figured, just don't let go of the 1st jeep, til I had a good grip on the 2nd one...it worked out good.... but let me tell you about the mid winter bumper skiing fun which we had later on.... It was an ice covered road, and I was like Marty McFligh in Back to the Future,,, only without the skateboard.......Morale of THAT story is.... If you think you can trust your pals to look out for you,,,,, think again!!! The driver was having so much fun,,, watching my face in the rear view mirror,,,, that he got to accelerating big time...... I bailed, at about 45 m.p.h. stayed on my feet for about 5 meters, then tumbled... I was glad for my PLF training,,,, but it would have been better if I had a helmet....Luckily,,, no brain damage,,, everything still works just fine,,, and I never aygb jlitc.8nsgvx evoha.iugtwc ymk bss any problems. hahaha

since Joan has already overdone it on the face lifts,,,, maybe she should try a Brain Lift.....her sense of humor is way off base.

Ratio of over 100 (one hundred) jumps to posts. I have enjoyed every one of 2570 jumps, over 29 1/2 years. Counting this one, I have 22 posts. The Forum is excellent, every jumper should check it out from time to time. Keep learning....keep sharing what you've learned.

That sounds Great !! jt

Re: Ive lived here most of my life. hello MarshMan1....well, if you were born any time after 1972. then I have been JUMPING here all of YOUR life......and Upstate/Western. New York has a fine and varied history. From Akron to Seneca Falls, from Wyoming County to West Bloomfield, from Gift of Wings to Frontier Skydivers,,,,jumping has always been great. If your taste of this area is simply from the C182 drop zone at Rochester Skydivers then maybe I can understand your feelings about this area. In my humble opinion they should be called the Roch. "I-Diving" center, cause they are mostly about I, I, I, me, me, me, and could use some mprovement in customer relations......The next time you visit your hometown, look me up in the phone book,,,,,I will give you directions to a DZ where you will find good people,capable Instructors, a pleasant competent staff, a beautiful private airfield, with little transient air traffic, and a Twin Otter which will take you to 14 Grand, quicker than you can say "I'm goin' to Florida"........J T ps. that really wasn't an earthquake,,,, It was all the Upstaters jumpin' out of bed at the same time to go attend the local DZ's Safety Day.......

Not always!!. Real Upstate New York, is a fine place to skydive. We never have tornados, we never have hurricanes, we never have floods, we never have landslides, earthquakes or wild fires. It might be cold from time to time, but in the spring and in the fall the air is crisp cool and sunny.....In the Summer we never have stretches of weather where it is in the 90's and with high humidity for weeks upon weeks upon weeks, (Last year our temps only topped 90 about a half a dozen times, total.) True enough, the winters can be tough but that only helps to make the jumping season more precious and appreciated. Come visit the Real Upstate NY and we'll fly you right over Niagara Falls, as we take you to 14 Grand.........www.frontierskydivers.com

Yahoo!!!.. our sport continues to amuse and amaze me ...Downsizing???? try Upsizing.... 30 jumps on 28 foot 7 TU 1050 jumps on a round French Papillon 250 on a Para Flite Strato cloud 220 sq. ft. 90 jumps on a Para Flite "LITE CLOUD" 220 sq. ft. 1135 jumps on an RWChallenger 240 sq. ft. and now....... 70 jumps and counting, on a .........Performance Designs... Spectre 210..........(my First Downsize Ever hahaha) wing load always right around 1.0.....Upsize, Downsize, I'll stick with the Right size............jt

Andyman,,,Yes I videoed one or two, and recognized that everyone really enjoyed the experience, especially because the student jumper was a dropzone friend. However I neither endorsed nor discouraged the jump,,,,because it wasn't MY call to make.. I wasn't the B.O.D. or the Tandem Master, or the Pilot or the parent/legal quardian of the minor. A good skydive is a good skydive...and if I'm asked to join the dive I generally will ! ! ! . In fact I was considering having our daughter enjoy her first jump the summer before she started college.(she was only 17) but at the 2001 safety day, the subject of valid and non-valid waivers......potential exposure to litigation..etc. etc. was brought up and dicussed. The BOD, the Safety and Training Advisor and the tandem Instructors came to a mutual agreement to resist allowing youngsters to jump.....So we wait...waiting is Ok. We may not be happy about it, but when the Main players in the creation of Tandem, ask us to consider their point of view, then I feel we must... (ps andyman, I frequently enjoy watching the video of the skydive which we, and 8 others shared over Western NY some time ago now, in celebration of your 100th jump! (Continued successes in our Sport) jt

Right on the button Opie!!!!!! Patrick 101loves his sport, wants to share it with his son,,,,, who I am willing to believe MAY be capable,,,,,,,however there is the bigger picture... The March 2002 issue of Parachutist mag. contained an important letter to the editor on this subject. It was written by Mr. Bill Booth... He can be credited, (along with Mr. Ted Strong) for envisioning, and creating the gear and techniques for Tandem skydiving, as we've come to know it.... Please remember that a great deal of time and work was needed, to address the concerns of the FAA, and to create the agreement by which Tandem became "legal", And this work was done by Mr. Booth, Mr. Strong, and their collegues. So their imput is worthy of consideration and respect. For our overseas friends, who may not recieve the parachutist magazine, I will provide you now with his letter......verbatim. If you are a responsible skydiver, you should adhere to his recommendation. (my daughter has been waiting for 6 years now, to make her first skydive,(we'll enjoy it this season) JT From March 2002 Parachutist Letters to the Editor. Too Great A Risk Every drop zone I've been to requires each and every person who boards an aircraft to sign an "Assumption of Risk Agreement". We do this because experience has taught us that these waivers are often the only protection we have in case of a lawsuit.Simply put, they are the only reason we can still skydive in the U.S. However there is a growing group of DZ operators who have determined that they are no longer going to make everyone who jumps sign a valid waiver. I am of course talking about those operators who are planning to take up under-age students on tandem jumps on a commmercial basis.(Having the under-age student, both parents and grandparents and all other living relatives sign a waiver will not make it valid). Some of these operators have told me that it is a risk they are willing to take. Good for them!. The problem is that the risk they take is not theirs alone. If anything goes wrong, many other people and organizations will also be sued. And I don't feel anyone has a right to risk my business-or PD's or USPA's, for that matter. For instance, a single lawsuit involving a USPA tandem instructor jumping a Cypres-equipped Vector tandem with a PD reserve and a Strong main with no valid waiver would most likely result in the end of Relative Workshop, PD, Strong Enterprises, Airtec and USPA-plus, of course, the foolish drop zone that was willing to take the risk. If you haven't been sued for $10 million, then you don't have the right to say this is unrealistic.It is not only realistic, it is a near certainty. Think what would happen to our sport with all those companies gone. And then there's the problem of the cute, giggling 16-year-old-girl, who after her jump reports to mommy, " That big, ugly man touched my breasts". Behavior that might be overlooked as simple flirting with an adult student now becomes a felony. Add children to the close physical contact necessary to make a atndem jump, and there is little doubt that this situation will result. But won't I pass up a lot of money by not taking kids on tandems?. In the long run, the answer is no. Face it-most people make only one jump in their lifetimes. whether they make it at 16 or 18 doesn't make you any more money. Besides, very few children can afford to keep jumping anyway. And one single lawsuit will cost you more that the profit gained from a lifetime of taking children on tandem jumps. The risk is simply much greater than the reward. Fight the temptation, and please make the right decision for all of us. Bill Booth, D-3546 President, the Relative Workshop Deland, Florida

thanks marc.... if you're not asking, you're not hearing. if you're not hearing, you're not learning. if you're not learning, you're not growing. if you're not growing,,,,, you stop asking... jimmy

Very sad to see article re: aircraft collision G. Knights jumpship. USPA web site says aircraft was a "UV-20 single engine turbo prop". I thought the pilatus porter is designated PC-6. so either this was a different type of plane, or maybe the UV-20 is a military designation for the porter???? can anyone clarify this for me. Thanx... jt

June 15th,1953 gemini ..... 1st jump...9-16-72 age 19yrs.3mos.

Nice exit shot.... Fantastic looking jumpship!

1,775 jumps. I had been skydiving for 22 years when I started video. I now have almost 800 camera jumps.(since March of 1995) You need to have very good awareness, (on the ground , in the aircraft, and while in freefall) good altitude discipline, and a very good understanding of your parachute gear and of emergency procedures, before you think you can introduce the complexity of camera gear/operation to the equation, and not become a hazard to yourself or others. "let's be careful out there"

Camera flyers need to be aware of, and on guard against, "tunnel vision" . Stay on the shot, by not moving your head, whereby the lens of the camera, is solid on the subject, but at the same time, you CAN let your EYES move........scanning the area around and below, for the unusual....someone going low, or poor flying techniques which can result in a collision, or say, a 10 way dive, where only 5 or 6 people dock...........meaning WHERE THE HELL ARE THE OTHERS????????......scan below, with your eyes,,,,anticipate the chance that the unusual may/will occur and move FAST if it does.....A side slide (done immediately), utilizing one extended wing, and one retracted wing can be the difference between a face full of d bag, or canopy, and a near miss.... this evasive move can be quicker, than trying to 180 and initiate a conventional track.

2,571 total jumps,, no tandems, no AFF, no IAF, 5 static lines 35 jumps on a "cheapo", over 1000 jumps on a French Papillon ( ask someone at the DZ who has lots of grey hairs, what a French Pap is) (if they know) 4 reserve rides,(all under a 26' navy conical reserve) including 1 cutaway on shot and a halves, (w/chest mount reserve) 1 total, 1 pilot chute in tow (twisted bellyband)(both using a reserve 'blast handle' ) and 1 cutaway with 3 rings....(wonderhog). 1125 jumps on an Eiff RW challenger 240 ,( nary a malfunction with it) This Sept 16, (2002) will mark 30 continuous years of skydiving, not bad for a youngster of only 48 years of age ....... Skydive Hard,,,,,,,Skydive Often.... Skydive with Friends.....

Frontier Skydivers Club is a Drop Zone that has been successful for over 30 years, due in part to the fact that there is NO Drop Zone Operator. This member run Center draws skydivers from a 100 plus miles radius. The B O D has been successful in arranging for turbine jump planes to visit on a regular basis. Otters, Caravans, Super Otters Turbine Westwinds, and an occasional Skyvan, have been made available to members and students alike, usually at least a couple weekends each month. Constant improvements to the facilities, the training programs, and the club owned student gear, assure regulars and visitors as well, of a safe and fun experience, every time. Tandem, AFF, freeflying and relative work dives, are each important parts of the program. A collective experience level among the staff to rival many DZ's Nationwide, a positive and productive attitude, and an enviable safety record, are all factors which rank Frontier Skydivers, located in western New York State (within 15 miles of Niagara Falls) as a certain Drop Zone at which to log a few jumps, whenever a skydiver is in the area. Come out and see for yourself....... check it out at www.frontierskydivers.com and see for yourself....... reviewer:Jimmy Tavino USPA # 9452 A 3914 D12122