wuffo

I usually try to keep my mouth shut and just "grin and bear it" when I read so many assinine posts on dz.com, but Jeez, dude, you didn't EVEN begin to address this guy's question! There was nothing hard to understand about what information was requested, yet you went in a completely different direction and off on some sort of tangent about the way canopies are measured Why is it that so many people just want to make a post just to hear themselves talk (so to speak) ? If more people would (1) read questions carefully, (2) answer the question only if they have knowledge of the subject, and (3) not stray from the subject matter so as to create all this prevelant thread drift that happens in these forums, then... Maybe this website could be more of what was intended; that is, a concise, easy to search and use, source of information about skydiving and related issues.

Hey, I thought there was some sort of mandate out there about... schlomo no mo

Actually there really is not anything even similar about the two. 800 skydive is a telephone network that, based on the location of the originating call, is directed straight to the closest member drop zone. So there is no "booking agent" or service involved. The founders of the 800 skydive network invited all drop zones to join, but only takes one affiliate in each geographic region. I actually think the idea behind that was brilliant.

Dude, you're really the pot calling the kettle black. You sit there saying that dzo's are a bunch of whiners when they complain about skyride... and if I remember right not long ago YOU were the big whiner all bent out of shape about those mean people at Space Center. Get over yourself

The mayor of Houston Texas was very worried about a plague of pigeons in Houston. The mayor could not remove the pigeons from the city. All of Houston was full of pigeon poop. The people of Houston couldn't walk on the sidewalks or drive on the roads. It was costing a fortune to try to keep the streets and sidewalks clean. One day a man came to City Hall and offered the Mayor a proposition. "I can rid your beautiful city of its plague of pigeons without cost to the city. But, you must promise not to ask me any questions. Or, you can pay me five million dollars and ask one question." The mayor considered the offer briefly and accepted the free proposition. The next day the man climbed to the top of City Hall, opened his coat, and released a red pigeon. The red pigeon circled in the air and flew up into the bright blue Texas sky. All the pigeons in Houston saw the red pigeon. They gathered up behind the red pigeon. The Houston pigeons followed the red pigeon as she flew eastward out of the city. The next day the red pigeon returned completely alone to the man atop City Hall. The Mayor was very impressed. He thought the man and the red pigeon had performed a wonderful miraculous feat to rid Houston of the plague of pigeons. Even though the man with the pigeon had charged nothing, the mayor presented him with a check for 5 million dollars and told the man that, indeed, he did have a question to ask and even though they had agreed to no fee and the man had rid the city of pigeons, he decided to pay the 5 million just to get to ask ONE question. The man accepted the money and told the mayor to ask his question. The mayor asked: "Do you have any red Mexicans?"

I think there are a lot of people who would not agree with that description of their Sabre2 openings.

How about buh-TUGG-ly

Hey everybody, Chris, Dave, Ian, all you guys. I really wasn't trying to "slam" pd here. I didn't mean to get all the hair standing up on the back of everyone's neck here. My point was simply, and I'll restate it and then let's please drop this, my point is that I think the right thing to do if you really want to show outstanding cust. service, is to give the poor guy who got a defective canopy a new parachute. Take a demo of equal age out of the demo fleet and send it to the guy. Make it right, and not just sell a replacement. Over and out, sorry to have gotten a bunch of people pissed, that wasn't my intention. mmmkay?

This is where you are absolutely wrong. A company's comittment to standing behind the integrity and longevity of a product has NOTHING to do with the ownership, or transfer of ownership of that product. A Katana with 280 jumps is just that. It matters not if it is owned by the original purchaser or if it has changed hands 6 times. You make no point with that statement. You are sponsored by PD, you have an obligation to defend them and certainly are not expected to bite the hand that feeds you. I don't want to hear from sponsored athletes or gear sales people about this. You guys all have a vested interest in upholding PD's reputation. Let's see, didn't I already mention something about Lemmings? Although Ian since you don't jump in DeLand, I'll drop that part here. :-)

No, don't pat pd on the back "this incident aside". What if YOU had a canopy that had 280 jumps, and the manufacturer grounded it. Then, with lots of KY lube they try to sell you a replacement. I don't know about you, but I just don't think I'd be quite so anxious to bend over, KY or not! My attitude would be "ok, your little senoras in Honduras messed this one up, no problem; replacement is fine. Wait, wait, you said you want to "CHARGE ME?" Now, Dave forget putting this incident aside. I'm talking about THIS INCIDENT, nothing else. What would you see as the right thing for the mfr. to do?

Dude, you're missing my point. I am in no way saying that PD isn't a good equipment maker or a good company from a customer service standpoint. That's not it at all. What I was getting at is that the REASON they made the "good deal" for replacement was NOT what was indicated to the owner of the Katana. He was told they wanted to "keep it for R&D" or some such thing. BULL F#%*$NG SHIT! They want that canopy off the street. Period. They either have improper seam allowances, used poor fabric, loops attached poorly, whatever. And my point is that when a company builds a canopy (or whatever) that is deemed unairworthy at 280 jumps, the right thing to do is to replace it, not give somebody a line of crap and SELL them another one. Damn DeLand Lemmings, Jesus H Christ!

I call bullshit on that. Any skydiving equipment maker that discovered that they screwed up on manufacturing a product would do whatever it takes to keep that product from getting back out in circulation. PERIOD! And the natural response to the customer is to smooth it over and make it as though you're doing them a great big favor by cutting them a "deal" on a replacement. Instead of what PD has done, I'd venture to say that some manufacturers would have sent a replacement at NO CHARGE! Dude, you believe what you want, but I know better than to buy into this.

Sometimes people are so friggin' naive. Geez, they gave you a good deal on a new one for the simple reason that they built a bad canopy and wanted to get it out of circulation before it hurt somebody. That's nothing to do with customer service, it is everything to do with good business. good grief!

For those of you who are not aware, North Dakota and southwestern Montana got hit with their first blizzard of the season a couple of weeks ago. This text is from county emergency manager out in the western part of North Dakota state after the storm. WEATHER BULLETIN Up here in the Northern Plains we just recovered from a Historic event --- may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical Proportions" --- with a historic blizzard of up to 24" inches of snow and winds to 50 MPH that broke trees in half, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed all roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10's of thousands. George Bush did not come.... FEMA staged nothing.... No one howled for the government... No one even uttered an expletive on TV... Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards..... No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.... No news anchors moved in. We just melted snow for water, sent out caravans to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars, fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Aladdin lamps and put on an extra layer of clothes. Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has never fallen this early...we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves. Everybody is fine.

What the hell are you talking about? That is his reserve ripcord. Last time I checked, I pulled the reserve with my LEFT hand!

The "bad fabric" cop out is just that...an absolute cop out. There isn't anything wrong with the fabric, your canopy was damaged from brutal openings. Any fabric would have failed in such a circumstance. As to mixing fabrics for a repair, it can be done with no consequences, they simply don't want to fool with your canopy.

Not bad, except you obviously don't know "B" and "C", because you've kind of depicted "B" as the scam artist, but clearly in reality "C" is the mastermind behind the wrongdoings

A Twin Bonanza is nicknamed a "twin bo" or a "t bone"; Bobby wouldn't want you gettin' that wrong

That's not a bad idea; I know some kids in the neighborhood that would love to earn a little extra money.

I ran this through urban legend and spam services and found nothing to contradict anything in it. On the other hand, I heard an interview of a business lady in Atlanta who pooled her resources to find shelter to the displaced NO folks in the Atlanta area and ran into similar experiences. Account from Houston volunteer- very upsetting ______________________________________________ Here is some good reading on the way the volunteers ar being treated by the grateful people of New Orleans.[exception:Cuss words have been removed.] Thought I might inform friends on my recent traumatic experience. I am going to tell it straight, blunt, raw, and I don't give *. Long read, I know but please do read!!! I went to volunteer onSaturday at the George R. Brown convention for two reasons. A: I wanted to help people to get a warm fuzzy. B: Curiosity. I've been watching the news lately and have seen scenes that have made me want to vomit. And no it wasn't dead bodies, the city under water, or the sludge everywhere. It was PEOPLE"S BEHAVIOR. The people on T.V. (99% being Black) where DEMANDING help. They were not asking nicely but demanding as if society owed these people something. Well the honest truth is WE DON'T. Help should be asked for in a kind manner and then appreciated. This is not what the press (FOX in particular) was showing, what I was seeing was a group of people who are yelling, demanding, looting, killing, raping and SHOOTING back at the demanded help!!!!! So I'm thinking this can't possibly be true can it???? So I decide to submit to the DEMAND for help out of SHOCK. I couldn't believe this to be true of the majority of the people who are the weakest of society. So I went to volunteer and help folks out and see the truth. So I will tell the following story and you decide: I arrived at the astrodome only to find out that there are too many volunteers and that volunteers where needed at the George R. Brown Convention Center. As I was walking up to the Convention Center I noticed a line of cars that wrapped around blocks filled with donations. These where ordinary Houstonians coming with truckloads and trunks full of water, diapers, clothes, blankets, food, all types of good stuff. And lots of it was NEW. I felt that warm fuzzy while helping unload these vehicles of these wonderful human beings. I then went inside the building and noticed approximately 100,000 sq. ft. of clothes, shoes, jackets, toys and all types of goodies all organized and ready for the people in need. I signed up, received a name badge and was on my merry way excited to be useful. I toured the place to get familiar with my surrounding; the entire place is probably around 2 million sq. ft. I noticed rows as far as the eye can see of mattresses, not cots, BLOW UP MATTRESSES!!! All of which had nice pillows and plenty of blankets. 2 to 3 bottles of water lay on every bed. These full size to queen size beds by the way where comfortable, I laid in one to see for myself. I went to look at the medical area. I couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing!!! A makeshift hospital created in 24 hours!!! It was unbelievable, they even had a pharmacy. I also noticed that they created showers, which would also have hot water. I went upstairs to the third floor to find a HUGE cafeteria created in under 24 hours! Rows of tables, chairs and food everywhere - enough to feed an army! I'm not talking about crap food either. They had jason's deli food, apples, oranges, coke, diet coke, lemonade, orange juice, cookies, all types of chips and sandwiches. All the beverages by the way was put on ice and chilled!!!! In a matter of about 24 hours or less an entire mini-city was erected by volunteers for the poor evacuees. This was not your rundown shelter, it was BUM HEAVEN. So that was the layout: great food, comfy beds, clean showers, free medical help, by the way there was a library, and a theatre room I forgot to mention. Great stuff right???? Well here is what happened on my journey - I started by handing out COLD water bottles to evacuees as they got off the bus. Many would take them and only 20% or less said thank you. Lots of them would shake their heads and ask for sodas! So this went on for about 20-30 minutes until I was sick of being an unappreciated servant. I figured certainly these folks would appreciate some food!!! So I went upstairs to serve these beloved evacuees some GOOD food that I wish I could have at the moment! ***The following statements are graphic, truthful, and discuss UNRATIONAL behavior*** Evacuees come slowly to receive this mountain of food that is worth serving to a king! I tell them that we have 2 types of great deli sandwiches to choose from - ham and turkey. Many look at the food in disgust and DEMAND burgers, pizza, and even McDonalds!!!! Jason's deli is better than McDonalds!! Only 1 out of ten people who took something would say "thank you" the rest took items as if it was their God giveen right to be served without a shred of appreciation!!! They would ask for Beer and liquor. They complained that we didn't have good enough food. They refused food and laughed at us. They treated us volunteers as if we were SLAVES. No not all of them of course.but 70% did!!!!!! 20% were appreciative, 10% took the food without any comment and the other 70% had some disgusting comment to say. Some had the nerve to laugh at us. And when I snapped back at them for being mean, they would curse at me!!! Needless to say I was in utter shock. They would eat their food and leave their mess on the table. some would pick up their stuff many would leave it for the volunteers to pick up. I left that real quick to go down and help set up some more beds. I saw many young ladies carrying mattresses and I helped for a while. Then I realized something.their where hundreds of able bodied young men who could help!! I asked a group of young evacuees in their teens and early twenties to help. I got cursed at for asking them to help!!! One said "We just lost our ****homes and you want us to work!!" The next said "Ya Cracker, you got a home we don't" I looked at them in disbelief. Here are women walking by carrying THEIR BEDS and they can't lift a finger and help themselves!! I waved them off and turned away and was laughed at and more "white boy jokes" where made at me. I felt no need to waste my breath on a bunch of pitiful losers. I went to a nearby restroom where I noticed a man shaving. I used the restroom, washed my hands and saw this man throw his razor towards the trash can...he missed. he walked out leaving his disgusting razor on the floor for some other "cracker" to pick up. Even the little kids where demanding. I saw only ONE white family and only TWO Hispanic families. The rest where blacks.sorry 20% to 30% decent blacks. and 70% LOSERS!!!!! I would call them N*****S, but the actual definition of a n*****r is one who is ignorant, these people were not ignorant..they were ARROGANT *******. The majority of which are thugs and lifetime lazy ass welfare recipients. We are inviting the lowest of the low to Houston. And like idiots we are serving the people who will soon steal our cars, rape, murder, and destroy our city while stealing from our pockets on a daily basis through the welfare checks they take. We will fund our own destruction. By "US" I don't mean a specific race, I mean the people who work hard, work smart, have values and morals. Only people who want to help themselves should be helped, the others should be allowed to destroy themselves. I do not want to work hard, give the government close to half the money I earn so they can in turn give it to a bunch of losers. I don't believe in being poor for life. My family immigrated here, we came here poor, and now thank God, and due to HARD WORK we are doing fine. If immigrants, who come here, don't know the language can work and become successful... WHY CAN'T THE MAJORITY OF THE HOMEGROWN DO IT!!! If we continue to reward these losers then we will soon destroy our great country. I just witnessed selfish, arrogant, unappreciative behavior by the very people who need help the most. Now these same people who cursed me, refused my citiy's generosity, who refuse to help themselves are DEMANDING handouts on their own terms!!!!!!! They prance around as if they are owed something, and when they do receive a handout, they say it's not good enough!

Let's see, profile of Gladdan says "medical" for occupation...can someone see how medical professionals might be a little sensitive to people getting a hard time about things like charging too much for services rendered? hmmmm...

No, quite amusing, actually! I'd love to see those guys have to sit in the corner and do a little "time out" for their bad behavior.

I see a lot of skydivers and even riggers that, from watching them go about the simplest of tasks like putting a canopy on risers and/or checking to see if a canopy is on risers correctly to trying to figure out how to straighten out a canopy with a step-through, etc., that simply don't know what they're even looking at! It's all about seeing "the picture" and it's not rocket science. I think many times people try to make something hard out of something easy! The idea of jumping out of an airplane and not understanding how the gear works or knowing with first-hand knowledge that your gear is assembled properly and in good working order to me is not even comprehensible! Folks, every skydiver should understand these things or take up friggin' bowling.

I know that the original configuration of the Precision Tandem Reserve was rigged with Dacron lines, and it packed so big nobody could get it into a Vector container. Many of those canopies were re-lined with Vectran to reduce pack volume and that helped quite a bit. So, the lineset of the reserve in question is important. About getting data from Precision, that's like pulling teeth. George Galloway is not the best when it comes to that sort of thing. He's more of a "sew it and sell it" business person. Hell, they don't even have owner's manuals for their main canopies! As far as I know, the old Raven and Falcon (both TSO'd for reserve use) are the only canopies they ever made a manual for, back in the 80's!

See, that's what I mean. You must first recognize that there's something wrong before you can take the next step.