scottygofast

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Posts posted by scottygofast


  1. About 20 Freak's and Swifts arrived today, with the other 80 or so suits showing up in the next 2 weeks.

    Again, THANKS to Mike and Matt over at Squirrel, well, for being themselves and the best company in the skydiving industry, in my humble opinion. I don't know anyone else that could make me 100 suits like this..YOU GUYS ROCK!!!

    Fly Squirrel Baby!!

    Come check us out at www.flyteskool.ws !!

    Scotty
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  2. Tried the code to rent a freak for a month starting Jan 5, said the code is not valid?

    Sorry bout that. I didn't have the right button pushed, however we will not be shipping suits out until late January, likely why it told you it's not available yet. We are expecting to start receiving suits, starting with a number of freaks as early as the end of this week, with the balance of suits here by mid Jan. If you put in the code and try to rent it for Feb 1, that should work fine. As Suits become available, we will ship them out, so you will likely get your first months rental for longer than 1 month. Get 'em while their hot kids!!

    Sorry I screwed up on the coupon code, it should work now. Im not that much of a computer guy, but Im figuring it all out.

    Thanks again for all your support, and sign up and become members!! Rentals get a lot cheaper when you become a monthly member, and you even get free online coaching included with your monthly membership.

    Blues!!!

    Any problems you guys have with the site or signing up just let me know and we'll get it resolved quickly. Growing pains, but it's all workin out well!


    Thanks again to my feathered friends!!

    Scotty

    www.flyteskool.ws
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  3. Sam!

    So as you were the first to reply, here's your Christmas Present. Here's a 50% off coupon for your first month suit rental, starting in February, just like you asked Santa for last night. :)

    Since it's Christmas, I'm going to offer you, and all the other DZ.Commer's out there 10 of these coupons. Sign up, and get a suit on order and in the checkout put the Code:

    "FlyteSkoolXmasHatching"

    And YOU will be the first person to fart in the suit, at 50% off! For everyone else, well, become a member and you'll get a great discount on just about everything, and you will still (most likely) be the first person to fart in the suit anyways, just not with a 50% off coupon.

    Thank you all for your support, and I look forward to hooking you all up in the near future. Popcorn's cookin'. :P

    Caw Caw!

    Merry ChrisMaHannaQuanzika!!

    Scotty
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  4. If I don't have it, We'll talk and work out a deal & we will make it for you. That simple. And of course I have big boy suits! Have you seen me?? :)

    Look under Robust, Plus, or Scotty Sizes :)
    http://www.flyteskool.ws/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=69&Itemid=108&lang=en

    We'll get you hooked up! Thanks Keith!


    Oh and here's another FlyteSkool Original~

    So How Big's Your Suit??? Ya'll should find out. :)
    http://www.flyteskool.ws/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=530&lang=en
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  5. Sam! Yes, I will hook you up as responder number 0000001 to this!! :)

    Thank you for your kind words. This has been a long time coming, but its really all about the right people, timing, and companies that look at things the same way I do, as this is serious shit. I look forward to getting an order from ya! Our Sumos will be arriving here next week sometime and the balance of all the fun toys will be here mid Jan, so we are currently expecting to begin National Rentals in Feburary, while local rentals here at Skydive DeLand will begin here in Jan.

    I too, am looking forward to all the interesting words we shall be seeing. I don't come here very often because I don't have time for BS. I will say this much to all the haters out there however.

    BRING IT> I remember more than most would like me to. I will tell it like it is. There is lots more truth you all will be hearing from me in the future that is not going to make certain people very happy. I simply do not care.

    It's time to either Lead, Follow, or get the fudge outta my way. I'll tell you this much, I damn sure aren't following anyone, and I'm not waiting for anyone to create any standard whatever they think is ok bs requirements.

    Ive set my own. Find someone that knows better, and let them write something better than I have. I challenge you, and hope someone actually does it. I do what I do because I want to see the overall safety of our sport increase, even half as quickly as performance increases. If someone can even get 10% of what I put together, I'll congratulate them.

    Make me some popcorn too. This is going to be fun, but I likely wont check this very often, because I simply just don't give enough of a shit about some dumbasses opinion from half a world away with 8000 hours reading dz.com and 12 skydives. But when I do, It'll be quite entertaining.


    Oh did I mention, Starting in Jan FlyteSkool will be hosting a live webshow? Lots more on that later, and that'll make everyone happy, and piss a few off too along the way... :)

    Blues, and thank you for all your support. Love my wingsuit family. And tired of seeing my friends dying left and right, so yall help me do something about that, that's the whole reason Im doing this anyways!

    Caw Caw!

    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  6. Hey everyone! It's been a long time. I avoid this place because it's a sucker of time. But on that note, Id like to announce that I have something I think you all will like.

    Check out my new website, I just purchased 100 new various model Squirrel Suits and am starting a National Rental Business, Weather the winter season is slow here at Flyteskool at Skydive DeLand. Also, moving into a few thousand square feet for our new training facility here on the DZ, and also offering Rig Rental packages as well. Come rent the BEST SUITS ON THE PLANET, They've only won every race they've been in recently, so why would you want to be in second place?

    Come see us at www.flyteskool.ws and see what we can do for you!! Sign up! Become a Member! It has it's privileges!

    Between the best Gear on the planet, and the best Coaching and Instructional Products available in the universe, all new and written, by me. Check it out and hope to fly with you all soon! Stay tuned for upcoming events and special offers!

    CAW CAW!

    Fly Squirrel Baby!!


    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  7. pgpilot1

    There is a lot of misinformation in this thread, posted anonymously.

    Zips:
    We skydive our wingsuits much more than we BASE jump them, and after tens of thousands of jumps on the innie-outie system we have never experienced an actual issue in flight or had one reported to us. While in the plane, in a seated position or while hunched over, yes the zippers may spread apart. Checking your handles prior to exit is a mandatory part of your pre-flight procedures. While in flight or while under canopy, when it matters, the zippers on a properly-fitted suit will always align and leave the handles exposed. Therefore, if you pre-flight and your suit fits then the system will work for you the way it works for us, which is quite well. If you are a customer and you are not experiencing this, then we will modify or replace your suit immediately, as always. It’s that simple! If you want to change your innie-outie system for whatever reason, then there are permanent mods which guarantee that zippers do not move out of position.




    Can't agree with Matt more here.. Ive put alot of jumps on my various squirrels over the last year or so, and can say that I have never had a problem. I run a wingsuit school, and train people every week about flying wingsuits, and do most of my first flights in my Aura, flat spinning and carving around students learning to fly, and get myself in some pretty interesting situations. I have had multiple cutaways in not just my funk and aura, but also in just about every other manufacturers suit. If you CHECK YOUR GEAR, and your gear FITS you properly, and you have set it up correctly, then you will not have a problem. Most of you skinny guys won't see this problem at all, but as a guy a little rounder around the waist than most, I can see a how when having the suit fully zipped up you may think that it could swallow a handle, but it wont. I Check my gear before I get on the plane, including how the zippers fit around the MLW, I check them again when I sit down in the aircraft, I get up and start getting ready around 10-11K, and check them again when I tighten my chest strap and zip up my suit, reminding others on the aircraft to check their gear, check my students gear, then sit back down, checking all my handles again, then as its almost our turn in the door ill go back to it and check my handles again one last time before I climb out. Do you see the trend here? Check your gear! Honestly I feel far more comfortable with the squirrel setup over a cable setup for multiple reasons, and we wont even get into moving the handles off the MLW, that's a whole other conversation I don't have time for typing on the internet, and by the way, get out and jump more so you have less time to bitch on DZ. com, and that goes for all of ya! :P

    I prefer the "Floating Zipper" setup over the Cable setup for these reasons:

    When I sit, move turn, or prepare for exit, the zippers move around the harness, rather than the harness moving around
    the zips or cables.

    On opening, there is no chance of the suit causing a handle to become dislodged or accidently cause your reserve to be pulled due to the snatch force of the opening as on some designs of the past.

    I will say that before I got used to the suit, I was a little concerned about this new system that I had not used before, but as I have done hundreds of jumps on a number of different squirrel suits using this system I have seen the benefits of this design, and why its better than many previous ones used in the past by various manufacturers. I have one suit that I only jumped a few dozen times (from another manufacturer) that I actually raced in, and test jumped other versions of the suit pre production, but would only fly it in certain fashions due to its ability to make bad things happen. The system designed by Squirrel works flawlessly, just CHECK YOUR GEAR. Once there is tension on the suit, i.e. Kneeling in the door to check the spot, or standing up, the zips go right where they should be, but just for shits and giggles check em and make sure. I've done it on every wingsuit jump ive done in the last 10 years, why aren't you?

    As far as the conversation being started by others in this thread about who designed what first and who should get credit, Give it up man.. That has nothing to do with this. NOONE will tell you Jeff was the MAN more than I will. We all owe most of where wingsuiting has gotten in the last 10 years to Jeff. Without Jeff, We would still be now, maybe where we were 5 years ago. Jeff was the Divinci of wingsuits and noone is arguing that.

    For the Thumbloops on the Funk, they help add tension from the bottom of the legwing to the edge of the armwing, which is useful in many phases of flight. they also help when unzipping your armwings, and have found that its really a nice change of pace to fly a suit with no grippers, you can even use your hands to make small changes in your flight just like your hand out the car window, its pretty nifty, or Funky, whatever's clever.

    As far as flying the Funk, gotta say I love that damn suit! Ive gotten to put a couple dozen jumps on it so far and have more people asking to borrow it than I can shake a stick at. Amazing range on its belly, and my fat ass can actually backfly it at a very decent fall rate! (now that is a small miracle to be honest) Probably the most fun to fly suit I've ever flown, and Ive had a chop in it and didn't worry about finding the handles once~ :)


    If you have any questions, ask someone who knows rather than some anonymous person on DZ.com, as you can see by many of the people with questions they got their answers within minutes of even knowing they have a question~ if that's not the best customer service in the entire skydiving industry, I don't know what is. If you don't like to talk to cool people, then just check this out~ http://www.squirrel.ws/zipperstuff

    Go find a nice puffy :)

    Scotty Burns

    FlyteSkool @ Skydive University

    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  8. Ok Boomer, I'll clarify for you... When I said beginner, I was referring to a ws student, or FFC. Im not going to argue over semantics with you. This suit is not a student suit. A beginner wingsuiter means someone who has already learned how to fly a wingsuit, so they have a few jumps already. If you are very talented and fly well quickly, you will fly well in this suit more quickly than someone with less talent/skill/ability. It's limits are not limited to the beginner flyer because it is a very high performance suit for its size, hence the need for more talent/skill for the beginner flyer to fly it properly. I hope that clears it up~

    Steve here was back flying my swift today, on his 3rd back fly attempt, and he was one of my students late last year, and he didn't seem to have any problem. Steve Hubbard has around 150 ws jumps, and really steals my swift more often than I get to fly it these days! Its just something you have to go learn to fly, just like any other suit, just faster :)

    Scotty
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  9. Ladies, Gentlemen, Boys, Girls, and Others... I HATE DZ.com, but for this Ive got to throw my 2 cents in.

    Spot~

    There are a few things that you are 100% Correct about in your post, however the general direction of it leads to a few things I'd like to address. First, let's talk about the things that you hit the nail right on the head on.

    Firstly, If the coach sucks, than the coach sucks and the results are the proof in the pudding. Watching the videos, Which honestly have NOTHING to do with whatever suit they were wearing, has far more to do with the skill (or obvious lack thereof) of the pilot/coach and their ability to stay relative to their student in the air. I Cannot agree with you more, that the person in your video saying they were "Coaching" Should refund their students money, hang up the suit, and go find a corner of a room to curl up in a ball over, because I wouldn't let my pet snail be trained by them. They offer nothing to their student. However, blaming the coaches, and student's performance on the suit the coach was flying is a lot like blaming Henry Ford for your DUI, and is simply not true. The Coach Obviously SUCKED, and should give it up. Very curious as to who the self appointed "Coach" in the video was..

    Secondly~

    Your right, the Swift is NOT suitable for a Beginner. Nor was it ever intended to be. The Swift is an Advanced Intermediate level suit. I wouldn't take an FFC or new coaching student up in a Swift, even if they showed up with one in a bag. I train all my students on TS Intros, PF Prodigies, or an occasional T-Bird or Phantom if they are an odd shape and Kino drills go well on the ground. I would require them to show stability and navigation before letting them take their swift up on their maiden flight, because it simply is a higher performance, small wing design.

    Like both the Colugo and Aura before it, it takes a little getting used to, and is a very different suit to fly than anything else out there. PF suits fly a certain way, Tony's fly another.. Aliens are very different, so why should a Squirrel not have its own "feel"? I've flown just about everything out there. Flew PF's for years, and Tony's for almost the length of my child's life, and have been flying Squirrels now for a year or so. It took me a while to get used to them, very different flying styles than I had been used to in the past, and am still learning. I now have around 15 or 20ish jumps on my Swift, and I will say that it took me 3 or 4 jumps to start to get the hang of it, and was immediately surprised by its range for it's size. It's a very comfortable suit and easy to fly once you relax in it. Very, Very fast. Flies very stably at slow speeds, flat spins great, backflies very easily, and is very agile. TONS of lift - once you figure out how. It does however, require a bit more Finesse than the other suits that you listed, from Ibirds to Rbirds, Phantoms and Ghosts, and with that finesse, you can leave those suits listed well below and behind you. This suit, in my humble opinion, is just a little bit cleaner and raises the bar for skill required and performance on a smaller wing platform. I've got a few Swifts around my dz these days, and these guys are loving them! They definitely take a bit more to figure out than the suits you listed, but I don't think anyone wants to buy their first suit and outgrow it in 20 jumps, I mean, thats why there's an entire wingsuit rental business, and why we have so many suits hanging up in our team rooms for our students to progress with. I honestly have a hard time flying my Swift because my former students keep Hi-Jacking it from me!

    So lets sum up what we are in agreement about...

    The un-named "Coach" in the video shown in your links SUCKED and should have their ass handed to them in a hat and they should pay someone else to re-train every student they've coached if that's the product they were offering.

    The Swift is not a beginner/trainer suit. Nor should it be looked at as one.

    Stick with an Into/Ibird/prodigy/phantom for your FFC, and if your coach suggests otherwise, seek instruction elsewhere.

    The Swift is a VERY well made suit, and is not suitable for beginner wingsuiters.

    Thats where we stop being in agreement.

    The Swift is a very high performance intermediate level suit, which performs incredibly well in every position Ive put it in so far, actually quite impressively in my honest opinion. Everyone who flies one, loves it and says it's a little different, and they want to do more jumps to get used to it. Even at 230 before gear, in a Swift, I could climb on people in larger suits. No up/down issues here. Lighter people have a harder time DIVING down to the people in other suits because the Swift is Fast and Floaty, so put them out first and let them practice chasing it down.. The suit is actually very well balanced, and is a lot of fun to fly, ya just gotta figure it out. :)

    The consensus My message is this~

    To drag a specific companies suit into this conversation and blame a coaches performance on that suit, when it takes a pilot to fly the suit in the first place, is just wrong. It's one thing to bust the coaches balls, but quite another to go after a companies new product due to an individuals performance (or lack thereof). I can't say that Ive always been the most professional, however, to grab some random video clip that shows where this video should have wound up (on an example of a bad ws coach video), is mainly a demonstration of piss poor coaching, doesn't prove anything about the Swift itself, only that the coach sucked.


    On that note, Id like to announce to you all out there in Wingsuit Land that there is now a new choice for Wingsuit Coach Training.

    Over the last 6 months or so, I have been working with Rob Laidlaw and Skydive University (who basically created the USPA Coaching and AFF Programs), to create a new wingsuit training program from the ground up. From Wingsuit Flight Progression through Coaching & Coach Training, we can get you where you want to go here at Skydive Deland. Our progression program, to be honest, is incredible. Rob is Amazing, and having the opportunity to create this training program with him has been not only an honor, but very productive and something I'm very proud of. More info to come on that note in the near future as the website comes up etc. but you can contact me someplace other than DZ.com for more info. WS Coach minimum requirements are 200 wingsuit jumps and a USPA Coach rating, SDU preferred. Will also be offering a conversion course for manufacturer rated instructors to help get them up to speed.

    Hell I bet we could even teach the coach in that video how to not suck as badly, I mean, more work is always good, and they need a lot of it. :)

    At some point soon I'll post a nice little Swift Flock photo, just to show~ :)

    Also~ Im not affiliated with any one Wingsuit Manufacturer. I have relationships with just about every manufacturer out there, and if I think a certain suit will work for you better than another, regardless of the manufacturer, I'll tell you that. I don't care what kind of suit you fly or want to buy, as long as your flying wingsuit I'm happy. My motivations in training as well as in suit choices for others come from a unilateral position. I just want my students to straighten up, and fly right.

    It just so happens I like BadAss stuff.. That's why Im flying Squirrels these days~ :)

    FYI~ I never come to DZ.com. I may or may not look at any responses left in this forum. I likely will not post on this again because I have far more important things to be focused on than this in life, and I'll be coaching for the next 5 days straight~

    Blue Skies

    Scotty Burns

    FlyteSkool @ Skydive University
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  10. First, only here to stir the pot a bit. butt seriously... Congrats to all.. on becoming Wicked Wingsuits Coaches!

    Simon~ Tired to call ya a couple times, so turn ur ringer on already!

    Would love to see what you guys came up with~ Surprised you didn't want any outside opinions of those that have trained, well, Most all of you though.

    Theres alot of Drama, lies, and BULLSHIT flying around in the wingsuit community about all sorts of crap these days, the important thing is to figure out the people whom have been around long enough to know what the real Truth of these matters are. Id love to help you all put all of those lies and in-accuries around the entire community to bed, if possible. So let's see whatcha got! Im interested, Ive trained all tony's students for about the last 8 years, and even after I helped WW get into Zhills, only to deal with the outcome alone. Im not throwing any Stones Simon, You know I love you, Id just like to ensure that the quality of instruction Ive given my students over the years that continue to come to your new location, for me, is at least commensurate with what MY expectations of training are. Over 2000 hours of Flight time, and 200ish hours of freefall time, with more students trained under my belt than I could possibly remember, Id imagine you might want to ask about experiences over the last 8 or 9 years, as well as the reasons why your location has the students coming to it that it has. And its not because of its location, Its because of the people whom have been there over the many years they have been traveling there.

    You said you would make these materials public. Well, I'd like to see them! I know, Because I personally had a hand in writing some of the original instruction methodologies to be used in the PFC course with others involved for more than a couple years. Not to mention, 60% of your new coaches, are former FFC students of mine, within the last year or two. Oh, and even Tony was my FFC student back in 2005 Just as Jeff started helping him make suits, after I was already a PFI. I personally know how long something like this takes to put together. As well as, the incredibly specific knowledge required to do so. I have a very hard time believing that those who participated in another manufacturers proprietary instruction program, just weeks before creating their "own" program, who has set the standard since before any of you even knew what a wingsuit was, actually has much of an original program at all. Sorry guys, But cliffs notes don't really do the trick. Shit like this is why I think FAR part 103 may be something needed. Of course we want more people flying wingsuits, but we don't need wal mart training and selling the biggest air mattress to any asshole and their brother... We self-regulate, kinda like in base, cause we know more than most of the rest of skydiving about what we are doing, are supposed to be a big family, and this is one slippery step down that rabbit hole... Remember where you all came from before you put your foots in your mouths with a response to this.

    I have nothing but the greatest respect for Ben Lowe, after working alongside of him for years, I know how amazing of a guy/instructor he is. ( Would love a book for skyla and Jr. by the way) I have little doubt that what he put together is fantastic, but why not share it? I remember many of you being against standardized instruction for YEARS, now the sudden change of heart? I'd just like to be able to tell those that ask me, what my opinion of what you guys are doing is!

    I have my own training methodology that fits into everyone else's "lesson Plans" However adds many of my own experiences and accounts.

    I stand for safety. I don't think anyone here can argue that. I also stand for proper instruction. I know the people I've taught how to fly have gotten the best instruction, and most information than anywhere else their going to go.

    On another note, The business plan I gave to TK to help with a video concession only had a couple words changed in it and it became their plan, not my plan, regardless if it was or not. Lets see what you kids put together, and put this BS to rest!

    Congrats to all involved, now lets see what they learned! Im Curious! Would much rather see what you made, find it to be original and amazing, and I'll tell em all that it is!

    Oh ya, And do I have to now get trained by one of my former students to be a tony suit wingsuit coach? Im really looking forward to that answer... :)

    Oh, and sorry to say kids, bur Flock and Dock, Will just never be the same again... FYI :) Stay tuned for lots more fun.. :)


    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  11. Is that a logbook on the table and pencil in the dudes hand? :)

    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  12. Quote

    Good lord, as an aerospace guy this makes my brain hurt :|




    I didnt read half of this, But god I cant agree more... here you kids go... Tear it up. I'll let yall get started on it, then maybe I'll put in my 2 cents when I get a minute. and damn kids, cant ya'll just get along? Stop spendin so much damn time behind the computer, get off your butts and go jump! B|

    http://www.paralog.net/ppc/showImage.php?trackid=13318&filename=Chart.png

    http://www.paralog.net/ppc/showImage.php?trackid=13396&filename=Chart.png

    Scotty
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  13. When was it ever NOT a Cool name? I think the Y really ads a good punch to it... :P

    Still not calling you Scott tho John.. :P

    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  14. John, Here it is one more time, since it didn't sink in the first time around.. Heres your precious evidence.. As I said in my previous post :

    Your evidence, you so desperately require, are contacts of friends that are in my phone that are dead that I cannot delete. They are also in the hundreds of students I have trained out there throughout the years. My opinion, which was in part formed by the numerous FAA ratings that I held even before skydiving at the age of 18, and the amount of standardized instruction Id received, and given since then, and for 5 years before that teaching scuba, from a standardized format. So pretty much from the time I was a teenager, I've been teaching a standardized course of some kind for something that could kill you. My evidence is in my experience, knowledge, and opinion based on those things. It's not guesswork. Id like to continue flying my wingsuit for years to come, and I've done my part by teaching people well. Why be so against something that is to help those coming up? from which we learned through experience? thats just plain stupid, and thats surprising because your a smart guy...

    Would you now like a slice of my brain or to sinc with my smartphone to give you what your looking for?


    And to Floormonkey and Lee Schlichtemeier,

    How many wingsuit FFC's have you taught? How many people have started skydiving to come learn to fly a wingsuit with you? have you ever had to deal with phone calls from people who are ready to start flying a wingsuit but have never even heard of a dropzone? ever had to wonder how you could keep bad things from happening to your friends? Id like to think I stand for something, ask any of my students what they thought of the instruction they received. Id say I've got a clue what Im talking about.

    I dont have time, nor the willingness to cut out my own brain, just to satisfy your need to know something that you should already know, but so many of us, that do this so much more than those Im replying to, have known, and been doing something about for quite some time. Id like to think my experience, knowledge, and opinion would be admissible in court as an expert witness, wouldn't you agree? So Id like to think that it might be something worth listening to. you may hover over your computer awaiting the next response on dz.com, But im not. As you can see, I havent posted on here much, just when its actually about something important.


    oh, and are you really tellin me that poop covered toilet paper in the toilet isn't actually evidence of poop, if theres no physical turd in the bowl? Im pretty sure you could smell it walking into the room, but you have to see it too?

    Wake up and smell the birds#it. the FFC i got in 05 was about 4 mins long, and consisted of "pull with both hands". Im pretty sure we've come a long way since then, and it sure sounds like your all listening to the wrong damn people.


    Just so we're clear~ you cant have a piece of my brain as evidence, but you can come sit on my phone to sinc with it.


    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  15. Quote

    Quote

    Quote

    i think there should be a program for wingsuits that is similar to AFF. I know there will be extra costs for it but how do you put a price on safety and your life. Just my .02 cents



    If someone, ANYONE, had presented some evidence that this proposal would fix the apparent issues, then I'd agree.

    However, that hasn't been done. We simply don't know that safety will improve, but we do know that costs will increase.

    Following your logic, we should have special USPA rated intructors for ALL disciplines beyond basic 2-way belly flying: camera, head-down, sit, swooping, CRW, bigways... since all of these have produced fatalities.




    There was no standardized flight training for pilots in the USA, and no evidence standardized flight training would create safer pilots/fewer incidents either. But the Army Air Service felt the need to standardize flight training due to budgets and damaged/destroyed aircraft and oddly enough...there were fewer incidents once standard training began at Ft. Sill.

    Spend some time on ERIC and read the hundreds of papers on standardized training systems in the civilian and military world, and the value of standards are overwhelmingly evident.
    In our sport, we cannot have standards without a body maintaining those standards. USPA is that body. With (now 5) separate groups providing wingsuit "ratings" and only one of them having any USPA background, it's no wonder we're in a messy spot. Choose the person that will give you your "rating" because he's easier/cheaper/more of a cool dude" and you have the letters. It's like getting your PhD over the internet. Anyone can do it. Of all people, it would seem an educated person would comprehend the value.

    You demand evidence in a vacuum because it's an easy argument. It's a weak argument to look backwards and say "doing this wouldn't have prevented that." However, empirical data from several sports proves the value of standardized training and behavior, administered by a communal body (Snowboarding is perhaps the best recent example). Snowboarders were banned from mountains for years until a governing body was created, best practices standardized, promised, and adhered to. Now, it's grown to be one of the biggest winter sports. Historically, standards have caused activities to significantly grow.

    No other discipline can exit the aircraft at least a minute after tandems and open up 3-4 miles away from the exit point, up to 4 minutes after the exit. No other discipline can zoom past a tandem at 100 mph. No other discipline uses different deployment techniques, has instability potential, nor tail strike potential like wingsuiting does.

    No other discipline is being eyeballed by FAA or insurance companies, either.
    Please provide historical evidence that any insurance company has ever written a letter regarding any skydiving discipline and potential pushback on insuring aircraft.





    Oh, forgot to add, +10 Dse

    :)


    now to everyone with more than 5 times the amount of posts as they have jumps~ SHUT the hell up and go jump.

    That is all. Good day~ :)
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  16. Quote

    Quote

    Quote

    Quote

    i think there should be a program for wingsuits that is similar to AFF. I know there will be extra costs for it but how do you put a price on safety and your life. Just my .02 cents



    If someone, ANYONE, had presented some evidence that this proposal would fix the apparent issues, then I'd agree.

    However, that hasn't been done. We simply don't know that safety will improve, but we do know that costs will increase.

    Following your logic, we should have special USPA rated intructors for ALL disciplines beyond basic 2-way belly flying: camera, head-down, sit, swooping, CRW, bigways... since all of these have produced fatalities.



    For someone who is involved in education, your lack of faith in education in raising standards surprises me.



    Current educational practice, enforced by all accreditation agencies, requires EVIDENCE BASED continuous improvement. Not guesswork.






    Heres my 2 cents Kallend. Just for you.

    you have roughly 15 times the amount of posts as you do jumps. you seem to talk about this a lot more than most, so its surprising you still dont get it. Im going to say this once for you.

    Take your evidence and shove it directly where the sun doesn't shine.

    Your evidence, you so desperately require, are contacts of friends that are in my phone that are dead that I cannot delete. They are also in the hundreds of students I have trained out there throughout the years. My opinion, which was in part formed by the numerous FAA ratings that I held even before skydiving at the age of 18, and the amount of standardized instruction Id received, and given since then, and for 5 years before that teaching scuba, from a standardized format. So pretty much from the time I was a teenager, I've been teaching a standardized course of some kind for something that could kill you. My evidence is in my experience, knowledge, and opinion based on those things. It's not guesswork. Id like to continue flying my wingsuit for years to come, and I've done my part by teaching people well. Why be so against something that is to help those coming up? from which we learned through experience? thats just plain stupid, and thats surprising because your a smart guy...

    Evolution is unstoppable, and through what many of us have learned, we have found a way to put out safer students than maybe how we were once taught. Not all have the same experience.

    Stop being the problem, get your head out of your ass, and help solve it.

    Still love ya tho John


    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  17. to Eli:
    In Reply To

    "When our DZO forwarded me (an S&TA) these e-mails, he was looking for a solution today, right now. What we came up with goes beyond the scope of what a wingsuit coach would be able to do when training newbies, as it also involves the pilot."

    If I understand you clearly, you're saying that a proper FFC doesn't involve training/communication with the pilot on the part of the WS student and instructor?

    (Im a pilot, and I know I discuss what's happening with the pilot every jump I make, as I teach my students to do)

    How many people died doing wingsuit jumps with fewer than 200 skydives before 2010? At least 5. One of witch was told NO by myself and Chuck Blue, due to his lack of experience, but went and died anyways someplace else.

    How many people died doing wingsuit jumps with fewer than 200 skydives after 2010? None.

    That was the year of the BSR about wingsuits.

    Did the BSR save lives? Maybe. But from an insurance company view, it absolutely did stop fatalities, and proves that standards from USPA are at least having some effect, and that instructional standards would be most likely to have the same effect on the problem we currently see with tail strikes.

    Regardless of what anyone wants to believe, the situation is real, and is verified by DZO's on this thread, as well as a direct statement from the company responsible for brokering most all policies for turbine aircraft in the US. If their request for action isn't heeded, there will be no need for this conversation to continue, we just simply wont be able to fly wingsuits in the US anymore. if the insurance company says "NO", DZO's have no choice.

    Scotty Burns
    --
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  18. I vaguely recalled seeing that someplace before, so I looked for you. Here you go. :)

    http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_attachment;postatt_id=132656;


    Obviously, with as many blogs, posts, and bs about why we dont need to anything, there's a reason this has come to the attention of fortunately the insurance companies instead of the FAA first. They pay the repair bills. They are giving us a heads up, and the opportunity to fix it before they do. The FAA wouldn't. I think we should.
    B|

    If the information provided thus far isn't enough to make anyone realize the scope of this situation, remember, NASA faked the moon landings too...

    Scotty Burns

    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  19. The FAA and Insurance companies will be more amenable if they see standardization efforts occurring. This is very similar to aviation flight schools that ignored the FAA FITS system and TAA training. Eventually the FAA persuaded schools to "see the light" and standardize with the rest of the country, and they became eligible for federal $$ again. (or in this case, able to continue flying wingsuits out of insured aircraft). Any ban on wingsuiting from anyone other than a DZO, will destroy the WS industry, from manufacturing, sales, training, jump tickets bought (and even rentals too).

    Gobble Gobble hits it on the head up there. Dont think I could have put it much better myself, on either post. only thing to add ~

    We can do something, or we can do nothing. If we do nothing, we might be able to jump out of balloons, but that'll be about it. 3 more drop zones since this email went out have banned wingsuiting. Insurance companies don't negotiate. They will, however, see standardization as a means of mitigating risk.

    if this is not proof positive to anyone who has not seen this to be a threat to all of our ability to fly a wingsuit out of an aircraft if we so choose, then you must be drunk with Elvis right now. If these events continue, no-one but a few of us will notice if wingsuiting in the US disappears. And that would just suck.


    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  20. 1. How many of these alleged strikes involved newbies?

    Does it matter?

    2. Of the alleged strikes that involved newbies, how many had received no exit instruction?

    Does it matter?

    3. Why does it take a USPA rating to be able to tell a newbie to keep his/her wings closed on exit until the tail has passed by?

    Does it matter? The wingsuit community has been asking for standardized instruction for 4 years. 82% of wingsuiters want it (according to uspa) Why can't people see that standardized training reaches a long way past the first wingsuit jump??? How many times did you practice E/P's in AFF before your first jump? would it not be good to establish a similar training protocol for WS students rather than someone on the internet or a sign saying "just keep your wings closed for one second"?

    4. How come this insurance guy suddenly gets wind of the same set of alleged tail strike data as was presented to the USPA board?

    You don't think that 1000 posts on FB, hundreds of tweets, a blog broadcast doesn't get attention? Maybe of the wrong people? I mean, It's not like they have to pay the bills for aircraft damage or anything.

    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  21. Quote

    Great links lurch any explanation for why your best distance and speed results have come from your sbird keeping in mind that no matter how holier than thau you and your friends think you are, you are still bound by the same laws of physics as the rest of us mere mortals.



    Just felt the need to add my 2 cents when I smelled BS..

    Yes, we are all bound by the same laws of physics, and suggesting that others think their not, is also silly, Kinda like you taking Matt's comment of "what planet are you from" and literally explain to us that Australia was, in fact on planet earth. No one here thinks they are "Holier than Thou", we are all mere mortals, only here for a short time. In that short time we have, there are many of us that enjoy, and are passionate about sharing what knowledge we have acquired over time, and do it for the love of the evolution of human flight, and for others that share a similar passion and desire to learn. If you'd like a short fat guy who's a pilot and has a very firm grasp on aerodynamics & the different factors that loading on a wingsuit produce, and performance differences for different people due to this, Sorry, im not going to waste my time further than I currently have to share with those whom dont care to listen.

    Its hard to imagine, that the space of this thread, one can find a way to attempt to insult so many people who have been a huge part of the history in this sport, even if some of us came up together thru the "toddler years" of wingsuiting, seeing suits becoming more of an airfoil than not a hell of a lot more than a camera suit with a tailwing, does not mean anyone you reference thinks they are better than anyone else.

    Instead of mocking, or suggesting that many of us dont understand a basic level of physics, why not realize that maybe there are things to learn from what is being shared, even for those outside the "bubble", by someone who's character, ability, or experience have never been questioned. Maybe some difference in terminology, but him having taken the time to attempt to explain something that is on the cutting edge of performance of our discipline says a lot about what kinda guy Lurch is. And if you dont personally know him, I'll tell you he's one of the finest, true to earth, yet oddest guys you'll meet. Im glad to call him my friend, and I'd be your wingman anytime Lurch~
    B|

    The one thing I have come to realize, is trolls suck. Nothing ever positive comes from any of their input, hence, why a vast majority of those with experience or lives, avoid this place like the plague, and rightly should. To take the time to try to share your experience and opinions, then to have to defend yourself against those who just enjoy causing trouble, just takes more effort than its worth, and simply takes information out of the hands of future wingsuiters who may actually be able to learn something from one of these opinions.

    Its unfortunate that the value of this forum is mainly for comedic release these days, and has become the type of environment where being honest and sharing experience is merely fodder for those with nothing better to do than find something to bitch about, whatever it may be.

    Hope you enjoy jumping your wingsuit in Australia, us rednecks in the US have been completely oblivious to anything regarding wingsuiting, which must appear obvious to everyone outside the bubble... but the good news is, It appears your live outside the bubble. So if you dont like it so much why try to be in it so badly? I believe you would do yourself, as well as the rest of us, a great justice to stay outside the bubble. We mere mortals care to live without Trolls anyways. There's enough BS drama in our sport at the moment without any added help. Attacking the character of good people has got to stop, from many parties; and I believe we're all about done wasting what little time we have on this planet, (which Australia is located on) trying to explain aerodynamic theory, and much more obvious things in this and plenty of other threads, dealing with trolls and dishonest individuals. Cant people just grow up? I know I've got my own kids to raise, and students to teach, and I've wasted more than enough time on people of this nature. Just not worth it. Lots more positive things to focus energy on.

    Keep on Killin it Lurch~ Don't pay the toll of the troll~ its hard sometimes, but they do show themselves to be, what they are before you know it. Just do the right thing, and no one can say you didn't. :)

    That is all. Have a nice day :)

    Blue Skies & Big Puffy Clouds

    Scotty Burns
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography

  22. Quote

    If you have to bend your legs AT ALL up front in a big suit, then your's wasting your time. I'd MUCH rather stick my legs out in a smaller suit and kick the shit out of the perpetrators in air mattresses. I'd like to jump a Rebel, Lurch, but only with people who can actually skydive.




    Mine will fit ya chuck, if you put a pillow in your shirt~ :)
    Z Flock #11; Muff #1909; PFI #15, USPA Lifer
    Commercial Multi-Inst. Airplane/Rotory
    www.flyteskool.ws Aerial Photography