dob

A FREE movie with skydivers but not about....... Just spreading the word about a film, as seen in June 2007 Parachutist being shown this Saturday at Sun-n-Fun Museum, Lakeland, FL. 4 shows; 10am, 11:30am, 1pm & 2:30pm...FREE http://www.sun-n-fun.org/content/events/details.asp?eventid=140§ion=yearround&body=events http://lastflighthome.org/ some of the skydiving folks that help make this project happen as team members and film makers: Bob Holler Val Thal-Slocum Jennifer Powers Flip Colmer Clem Major Peter Galli Mike McGowan Dan (dob) O'Brien Blue Skies & Peace.

Thank you everyone for participating in this very important issue of education and safety concerning canopies and flying in the pattern, where-ever. 9 fatalities a year under fully open parachutes needs to be addressed. Now WE jumpers are addressing it. The thread to see the results of being pro-active and making a difference is: General Discussions: Results of USPA meeting re: pattern separation - billvon Bluest Skies & Peace, dob

Thanks to everyone who voiced an opinion on this subject. We gave the USPA Board all the comments, pro & con. Remember that you have to stand up for what you believe and follow thru. You can make a difference. Just talk to jumpers not being safe or showing common sense under canopy. The chatter is now at General Discussions, "Results of USPA meeting re: pattern separation"- Bill Von Bluest Skies & Peace, dob

a very productive weekend at the USPA Board of Directors meeting!! Thank you everyone who posted to these threads and read them!! Keep up the awareness and issues of canopy safety. We all have to work hard to reduce the 9 fatalities a year under fully open parachutes. The new thread in General Skydiving Discussions is entitled "Results of USPA meeting." http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2886862;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unreadhttp://

ppsssstttt....Flip...the thread about hot swoop pics...2003...

Yo, here is the thing I just don't get...I look at the Forums: Skydiving: General Skydiving Discussions main page and see the number of folks that have viewed and replied : such as the following threads by subject /views/ replies: - Poll:How should we deal with pattern collisions? 1498 / 51 - BSR proposal for canopy patterns 9095 / 285 - Petition to support a BSR change to reduce canopy fatalities 6680 / 332 - Post your Hot Swoop Pic(s) 72792 / 682 Pictures win hands down...go figure... Ok, if just half the folks viewing voted their feelings on the poll we might have some meaningful data for skydivers and the USPA Board to get a feel for what folks are thinking.... come on just try it, only 4 choices and no pass-fail... if ya vote we will send ya pictures..... Bluest Skies & Peace, dob http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2826117;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread[url]

wow, 1123 views, 37 replies and 166 votes. Based on those numbers it should be easy to make whatever BSRs we can think up pass at USPA Board meetings..... Get obsessed, stay obsessed....participate in your sport. Voice your opinion on landing area issues to the USPA Directors, your DZO..... http://uspa.org/contact/bod.htm

glad to be of service.... what an incredible crossroads of intersections created by the magic land that was the Z-Hills of Hooper....

Has everybody that has read these threads or participated in these threads (2 very distinct crowds judging by the views & replies numbers) (and I mean landing BSR and swooping is not a crime threads) contacted their respective S&TA, DZO, Regional Director or National Director and voiced their opinion??? All the talk here on DZ.com is great and it gives those that like to shout or talk or discuss a venue to do so. But where the hook-turn hits the road is with the rules-masters. Get involved, get it in the open, make it safer by being proactive.

Thanks Todd. Will there be a time limit on the BSR proposal presentation to the S&T Committee? If other jumpers show to speak up, pro or con, will a time limit be set on each person or group?? ***There is no amount of regulation that USPA can institute without it being enforced on a local level. The enforcement must be done by the DZO's, DZM's, S&TA's, Instructors, jumpers, and you. Completely in agreement on the "no amount of regulation " comment. WE ALL have to become VERY PROACTIVE on landing area issues!!!

Yo, just trying to be "politically correct" and trying to cover all aspects of what a non-standard landing might be. You and our original proposal are more correct in defining a "high performance landing area". Similar to an aircraft "aerobatic box" being declared and active. Trying to encompass all non-standard landings is a whole other can of worms. What we want is a defined "standard landing pattern". How and when that occurs is in our outlined Options 1-3. thanks for keeping the discussion moving.

I posted in haste late last night and what I really meant to say was: Thanks for making this thread become a discussion on canopy landing area issues a good one. We have considered updating the Options to reflect "being politically correct", trying not to single out “swoopers”, “accuracy”, “erratic flyers”, etc. and adding a Option 4. But that will be the job of USPA, Safety & Training Committee and the Board. With input from all skydivers willing to voice their opinion. So please contact your Director. Our goal continues to be: adding a BSR concerning canopy safety in the landing area. Bluest Skies & Peace, dob edited by request

I'm glad another thread of debate has been started by this BSR proposal for safe canopy flight by all. I think the other recent thread from Bryan Burke at Skydive Arizona is a very good one. http://dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2772931;page=1;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;mh=25; As one of the authors of this working document for a BSR, the feedback and discussions are raising some of the issues that will help make canopy flight into a landing area safer for all. The principle of education and enforcement has to start from 1 person before it can spread to others. Take responsibility for yourself first, am I safe in the landing area, that means a hard look in the mirror. Then take it to others that are not so observant of safety in the landing area. Peer pressure is a great tool. BSRs, let us count the Basic Safety Requirements, not FAA regs/FARs, that pertain to most skydivers, read experienced - C & D license, 1 BSR, that be ONE BSR. "Thou shalt not have container opening below 2,000 feet AGL (above ground level)".Period end of USPA regulations for most experienced jumpers. Two reasons this is self enforcing is that AADs (and the cost of rearming) and slower opening parachutes have kept the habitual violators in check. It just seems like common sense to open at a reasonable altitude. Seatbelts were almost never used 16+ years ago in jump aircraft. A lot of fatalities changed that attitude. Along with a very very aggressive education campaign by USPA for 2 years. It just seems like common sense to put a seatbelt on before takeoff in a jump aircraft. That is all we are asking of this BSR proposal. Make it seem like common sense to land everybody safely in a landing area. The crafting of the words needs to be broad enough for all BUT the education and common sense part needs to be a very very very aggressive campaign by ALL skydivers and USPA. My good friend Bob Holler lived by a creed for 30 years; "These things I do, that others may live." We want to carry on his creed and tradition in his name for a sport he loved dearly, to death. http://www.andthereiwas.com/bobholler/

Hello, I am one of the authors of the BSR proposal. "dob" Dan O'Brien. 31 years "o my gawd" 31 years of skydiving. mostly competition belly flying. few hundred wingsuit jumps. few hundred headdown. except for 25 round jumps and an A license under reserves, almost all high wing loaded canopy landings. so, yes, i guess i'm a swooper. Canopy flight education is great, if everybody groks it/understands it. Many do not. So, everybody must become involved in "enforcement". Everybody must bear responsibility for theirs and others canopy control. Speak up, make a difference. The 6 fatailies in 4 months from canopy collisions has caused this knee to jerk. Along with the accumulation over the past 20+ years of perfectly good canopies being flown into other skydivers and the Earth. SKYDIVING HISTORY -less than 100 skydives in last year, not so current as I used to be as a DZO, 500 a year. -last skydive, releasing Bob Holler's ashes in freefall 23 March 2007. -canopy wing loading for past 10 years; 2.1 - 1.7. -landing pattern, aggressive, 180 or greater to final BUT will follow rules, mostly. -number of friends buried or in wheelchairs from canopy collisions; 11 and climbing. -2007 31 years skydiving; 9,9998 Skydives; 170+ hours of freefall; former DZO. past ratings: PRO Rating, JM, S/L, AFF, Tandem; 10 years as Coordinator for High Altitude (30,000 ft.) skydives. -2006 World Team ‘06: FAI Official World’s largest skydiving formation (400 skydivers, 30 nations): Assistant Aerial Director and Participant. -2004 World Team ‘04: FAI Official World’s largest skydiving formation (357 skydivers, 28 nations): Assistant Aerial Director and Participant. -2002 Airspeed 300: FAI Official World’s largest skydiving formation (300 skydivers, 12 nations): Alpha-Team Captain. -2000 1986-2000 DZO SkyDance SkyDiving Davis, CA -1999 World Team ’99: FAI Official World’s largest skydiving formation (282 skydivers, 32 nations): Assistant Aerial Director and Participant. -1997 3rd Blade Running Championships; Squaw Valley, California, USA: Event Manager, Site Coordinator and Assistant Technical Organizer. -1996 World Team ’96: World’s largest skydiving formation (297 skydivers, 24 nations): Assistant Aerial Director and Participant. -1996 2ND Blade Running Championships; Squaw Valley, California, USA: Event Manager, Site Coordinator and Assistant Technical Organizer. -1994 World Team ’94: World’s largest skydiving formation (216 skydivers, 26 nations): Co-captain, Participant. -1992 World Record 200-person skydiving formation: Co-captain and Participant. -1991 Boogie in Bali II: Assistant Festival Director & Technical Organizer. -1991 9TH World Parachuting Championship, Formation Skydiving; Czechoslovakia: US Team Leader. -1991 Friendship ’91: team member, trained and competed at USSR National Championships. -1990 Jakarta Air Show, Indonesia: Demo Team Coordinator. -1989 Indonesian Int. Skydiving Championship, Bali: Assistant Festival Director & Technical Organizer (750 participants, 29 nations). -1988 24TH Olympiad, Olympic Opening Ceremonies; Seoul, Republic of Korea: Assistant Co-Organizer, Choreographer and Performer. Seoul Olympic Skydiving Exhibition Team (100 members); Deputy Director: Olympic Rings Freefall Exhibition. -1987 World Cup of Champions, Seoul, Republic of Korea: Team Captain for concept of 1988 Olympic skydive. -1986 FAI Official World Record 100-person skydiving formation: Participant. -1982 World Cup Parachuting Championships, Formation Skydiving; Austria: US Team Captain, competitor. World Champion 8way and 4way and Bronze Medal 4way. -1980 FAI Official World Record 40-person skydiving formation: Participant.