boxingrrl

Welcome to the area. I'd be happy to get you acquainted at Skydive Greene County. Feel free to PM here, or join our Yahoo Group-- SGCjumpers to receive e-mail updates re:aircraft and events. Blue skies, Robin

I try to do what I can to help new jumpers out. I'm often too busy on the weekends with tandems, but if I'm not, I'll jump with them. Sometimes, it's to work on their license requirements, otherwise, just skills (and confidence) building. It's great to have my slot covered, but I don't worry about it. Others have said it already: I prefer to think of it as giving back. Getting through the student program is expensive enough without me trying to make a buck. Our DZ normally charges $65 for a coach jump, plus gear rental for the day is $35.

Found a few at a motorcycle shop that work on my skydiving helmet: "It only seems kinky the first time." (Particulary since I'm a TI) and "Get your own sticker and stop reading mine."

As if their shows weren't cool enough... there are skydivers among them! When they were in Columbus, the artistic director and several of the crew did tandems. One of the light guys is an experienced jumper, as well. I was fortunate enough to take the artistic director on his first skydive... Great people.

I filmed a POPS team that called themselves "Viagra Falls"

I think that it was fairly well explained above, but: I saw the low jumper cutaway and deploy his reserve. At that point, it looked-- from a distance-- as if his main was mainly tangled around the higher jumper's legs. She could have had more material in her face, obstructing her vision, etc. Again, it appeared that she had a fully inflated, flying canopy and would likely end up landing with the other jumpers main around her legs. Once she cutaway, her body (belly to earth) and the other jumper's main went horizontal. She began to propeller around. The inflation really seemed minimal from where I stood. But, others closer to her landing, indicated that her descent rate really had slowed-- some guessed to 25-35 mph. So, she was flat-spinning horizontally, rather than the vertical cork-screw/streamer scenario one might imagine at landing. The impact still looked as if it would have been fatal. Perhaps the propeller action gave her lift-- maybe it was just the right orientation and a glancing hit upon initial impact that saved her. The only thing I didn't see was the giant hand of grace/luck/God-- whatever you happen to believe in--that reached up and laid her gently down in that cornfield. I never imagined that we would find a person, conscious, alert and basically unharmed.

I'm wondering if this might benefit more jumpers if it was posted in the incidents or general skydiving forums. Not being a CRW-dog, I don't often frequent this forum. Having witnessed the incident, I had hoped that someone more experienced could comment on the lessons to be learned. I came in just to see if a post had been made about it yet. Perhaps one of the other forums might reach that broader audience of skydivers tempted to try CRW without the proper training, or on high performance canopies with little experience. Of course, you're the moderator!!! Blues, Robin

Since you have the pics to prove your whereabouts, we'll consider it an excused absence from the DZ this past weekend. (Just don't try to use the whole graduation story again anytime soon.) Congratulations, skysista'!

I had a similar experience to weegegirl's. Jumped a Sabre 2 120 over Labor Day weekend to check it out and maybe purchase. I thought it broke my neck. Luckily, just severe whiplash that put me out of work for 6 weeks, with some lingering discomfort. Last year, I demo'd a Sabre 2 135, and loved it-- perfect, soft openings every time. The 120 had been packed by paid packers from parts unknown. I won't be making that mistake again.

I thought I had the world's weakest ankles! I have tendonitis as well, and if my ankles can turn, they will. So, I wear Active Ankle braces when I do tandems. They're not cheap, but they last a long time. You can still move your foot up and down, but not side to side-- making it virtually impossible to roll your ankle. A lot of college volleyball teams require all of their players to wear them. You can find them at sporting good stores. They will help you prevent sprains/strains, but they won't minimize any kind of impact on your heels if you land hard... Good luck!

If you've ever been to Skydive Greene County-- or even thought about Skydive Greene County-- you're invited to join the Old Timers Reunion over Labor Day Weekend: Friday, 9/3 through Monday, 9/6/04. The Boogie includes $22 (or $21 cash price) CASA jumps from 13.5-- with NO Registration Fees! On-site camping available. RW organizing and all around great people and good times. Bring your memories and make some more at the oldest continuously run civilian skydiving center in the US! www.skydiveohio.com or 937-372-0700

Lew, I'm pretty sure you remember little Terri-- she has one on her Vector, as well. While the Vector is tiny and fits her very well, I think that the bellyband addresses "bodytype" as well as size issues-- particularly when sit/freeflying. I've seen the ad in question and I think that you're right to raise the issue... It's like one of those ads for the "Grapefruit 45 Diet Plan". No belly band is going to make a properly fitting rig out of one that's just plain wrong.

I think that if you call the Sony Service #, they have you send it to the one closest to you, and (hopefully) the pricing and repair policies are consistent across the county. (1-800-222-SONY) Just for the record, though, mine went to Sony Service Center, 1501 Grundy Lane, Bristol, PA 19007. If I'm looking at the paperwork correctly, their # should be 1800-282-2848. Either way, I think that you have to call first so that they put you in the system and give you an "E-number". The grand total for flat rate repairs was $286.99-- that included everything except what I spent to send my camera to them. Good luck!

Over three years! That's more like 10 jumps experience, 3 times over. Exactly. Which is why I posted the jumper's #'s. This was not an experienced jumper by any means. I feel that his inexperience definitely contributed to his not recognizing that his slider was still at half-mast and taking corrective action. I also believe that his inexperience should have kept him in the aircraft riding it down with some other jumpers and the tandem students. He is a naturally high-anxiety kind of person. His inexperience, the fact that he was jumping an unfamiliar canopy, and then he elected to get out low rather than ride the plane down definitely created the domino (or avalanche) effect that creates so many incidents. Fortunately, he seems to be very sore, but basically OK today. One can only hope that he will make better choices next time.

Dang, Lew-- $1200? How long ago? I recently sent my PC110 into Sony for repairs. They told me it would be flat rate of $289 (or something close to that) for any and all repairs that my camera needed in order to bring it back to factory specs. I sent it in because the remote sensor died (again.) They fixed that, replaced another circuit board, gave it a good clean and lube, and even replaced the door on my LCD screen that got bashed in by a riser strike last season. Granted, it wasn't water damaged...but they had it back to me in less than 2 weeks. To the original poster, you might want to atleast check out the flat-rate repair. $300 for a repair is still cheaper than a new camera... Maybe they cover water damage differently?

The jumper in question has somewhere around 30 skydives in the past three years. Current, but not very experienced. Also, probably had high anxiety over the unexpected hop n' pop due to incoming weather.

Sign up at Manifest for all of the above, plus high speed CASA passes and speed stars. Think of a fun dive, and we'll get some folks on it--- The big weekend is almost here....

*jumping up and down waving wildly* Pick me! Pick me! I just put a sign up sheet at Manifest for Raft Dive(s). I want to be on at least one! (And the more rafts, the greater the odds we'll get to do more than one) Can't believe it's only a day away.... can I get a WOOHOO!?!?!?!?

Hmmmm.... you forgot to mention taking out the formation, or atleast a team member or two Some cameras have a backlight button on the back that really messes up the footage if you hit that on the way out the door. Lew had it right when she suggested that you develop a routine, especially now that you have your Cameye. I always have the camera on with the Cameye hooked up and double check the viewfinder to be sure that the focus and sports mode are set, and that it's not zoomed in. Then I put the helmet on and use the Cameye to control the power. Good luck!

*bump again* I just like talking to myself, I guess... did I mention that we'll have Birdman flyers? Hit, chug, and limbo? Great times all around?

Oh no, Alana! Sorry to hear about your ankle! Ice and rest and advil or whatever so you can be up and jumping next weekend!!! Take care, girl!

Nice job on the webpage, Alana! If/when you're going to include gear sales, please mention that Skydive Greene County is a dealer for Sunrise Rigging (Wings), PD, Flitesuit, Bevsuit, Altico, Relative Workshop (Vectors) and Square One. We also have Airrage Outfitters www.airrageoutfitters.com on location in Xenia. Kip can get you anything under the sun!

Tickets will be $20 to 13.5K out of the CASA all weekend. Get 'em while they're hot. It's a Beach Boogie theme-- bring the bathing suit and a blanket-- be sure to sign up for the hit, chug and limbo. I think that Phree is bringing the beach tunes. Can't wait to see everyone there!

Why, yes, he did, at our neighbors' in Richmond, Indiana. Nothing quite like skydivers who travel 'round, fixing stuff and cooking for the locals. We are blessed!

So, Bill Cole has come to Skydive Greene County in Xenia, OH for a visit. Not only is he the nicest guy you'll ever meet, but he fixed our stove this morning! Thanks, Bill!!!!