jumpervali

"For the things that I have any bit of say-so or control over, I am working to make even better." Thanks Mike, I just got off the phone with a student who was interested in purchasing two gift certificates for Christmas presents. They said that they had inquired about getting jumps certificates for skydiving in Rome through Skyride, and were informed by them that we do not accept their program. They were referred to the proper channels to make their jump where requested. I am sure that this is true and I just want to say thank you! If anything has been accomplished by this thread it is an awareness that the past conduct of Skyride is not in the interest of the sport, and the group members have had enough of their tactics. Now I only hope they can keep the momentem and get the rest of the issues resolved before this gets messy. jumpervali

"At the same time, since Sandor seems so ready to tout his bad experience with ASC, I would like to share numerous bad experiences with Sandor's Georgia Skydiving Center over the past two years...and I am hard pressed to feel comfortable sending anyone there to skydive. This includes skydives sold as Accelerated Freefall student training jumps done with unrated skydivers. We've had several such instances where we had to help the unsuspecting skydiver through REAL AFF jumps later on after making numerous illegal AFF jumps in Rome." Now I'm going to let the public in on this one, hope your ready because you opened the can of worms. After the demise of Atlanta Airsportz it was discovered that many finical obligations were not meet on the part of outstanding rents, fuel, aircraft payments, and gear sales. I in an effort to keep a skydiving center active in Rome approached the airport with an offer to establish Georgia Skydiving Center, Inc. As a soul owner I knew the accounts could be managed and payments made to all venders with a guarantee of "cash on the barrel head" to rebuild the attitude toward skydiving clubs in general after the last 2 failing and exiting the airport in arrears. We suffered through a long 12 months without approval of a clubhouse and amenities that make a center a home. Rome was alive, but barely had a pulse due to the conduct of previous businesses. The airport was quite frankly wanting to shut out skydiving all together and looking for any reason to do it. In late September not long after an airport council meeting that Cary Q. had attended, where I confronted him on the issue of using a website bearing the name of my incorporated business name I received a certified letter from the airport manager. It said that all jumping activities were to stop due to a report from an anonymous source that "I while intoxicated was conducting jump training, and allowing others to do the same." This resulted in a lose of 3 weeks worth of jumping and jeopardized the future of jumping in Rome forever. I responded with legal action against the county and airport. Though the airport did not reveal the "unnamed source" I feel I know to what extent some will go now to gain their market share no matter how small the competition. If they had named the source, trust that a suite would have been pressed there too. My intense response to this allegation of drinking and jumping was what some would call over zealous. I have not touched alcohol since 1995 and take my sobriety more serious than some would their religion. Due to the required steps I was forced and willing to take in this matter. I was not only allowed to proceed with jump activities again, but was given a 25 year lease at the best rate any center has ever been given in the history of the airport. An apology was delivered to me by the commission, and the chairman of the commission was denied his nomination for a 2nd term by the county. From that point on we have been allowed to enjoy our little center in peace. Mike I consider all you guys friends from way back, and I feel people like you make our sport what it needs to be. I hope this issue about the proliferation and deceptive tactics do get rectified, but trust in the fact that one little guy can make a difference and will step up if pushed far enough. jumpervali

The little Drummer Boy still chokes me up when his lamb gets ran over. I bet Clay gets really choked up too, But not in a good way jumpervali

I've had several people come by with their students and make jumps at my place. What we do is I charge 20 bucks plus lift tickets for the students that are brought out independently by other USPA instructors, and they charge what they will if anything for their instruction. I've had many friends come by and want to take their wives or friends on a jump and that is different, it's just lift tickets then. It's best to just talk with the manager and be up front with what's going on, it's all in fun anyway. jumpervali

When greed leads to corruption, corruption leads to fraud, and fraud leads to theft. And theft is what it is. On the part of the customer, related business, and subcontractors that fall victim to these practices. How do you get the point across to persons who have conducted themselves with the cavalier attitude that it's all in the name of free enterprise? You hit them in the wallet. Restitution and compensation is due and being sought. ASC and Skyride have dug themselves in deep on this one. jumpervali

"Does your DZ require a deposit? " No, never have never will. (So you are saying they 'probably' went to one of these sites: skydivecenter.com skydiverome.com georgiaskydiving.com or some other site that could easily be confused with your site of georgiaskdivingcenter.com and called the number on one of these SkyRide sites.) It would seem so. (Implicit in this is that the customer asked something equivalent to 'Is this Georgia Skydiving Center in Rome, GA?'. ) The phone operator says 'yes it is.' I myself have called their number asking "is this Georgia Skydiving Center in Rome" and the operator said "yes it is" I replied that's funny this is Sandor Vali and I own Georgia Skydiving Center in Rome now let me speak to Ben or Cary. Their reply was "their busy at the moment can they call you back." (So if a customer finds your DZ and wants to make a booking, do you require a deposit via a credit card? If you did, then this sort of mix-up (on the part of the customer) would be less likely.) I never require a card deposit, and even reject an offer of one if given. (Do you or have you ever accepted SkyRide gift certificates?) I've never been contacted by skyride to see if I want to be part of the program. It might have something to do with the call I made to Cary Q. and the way I acted when he admitted to having his sticker man put their stickers on my gate and clubhouse. (This is where I become confused again. If this was going on 24 times this summer, how did you get paid previously?) I had a group of 15 students from UGA call and book, 1 day before the jumps I called the organizer to confirm the total again. He said 15 and then I was told some have prepaid and I should have their names. I then told him just to inform the rest of his group and transfer their plans to ASC and I hope they enjoy their jumps because they will be with good instructors even though their bosses do this type of stuff. Then a group of 5,2 and 2 were even given directions to ASC by me after their arrival at my DZ, an example of this is Mr. Sparks. Why do I send them on their way to ASC? Because I don't want this sport to get the persona of a carnival where the customers opinion is that all the games are rigged and it's only about departing the patron from their money. jumpervali

The tandem pair book with us. Then 2 days before the jump date they called to check the weather conditions and confirm again the jump. They accidentally called one of the ASC numbers that are part of their ASC's Internet proliferation attempt. The phone operator said yes this is Georgia Skydiving Center in Rome. Then took their credit card information and processed the charge. We the students came to our DZ they were trained for the jump and transactions were begun. Then it was discovered that the charge had been made by ASC. The jump was not made due this problem and Mr. Sparks requested a refund from them at that point. Later he call me to give him a letter to verify the problem. I called the number he had been given to make his claim to and it was being held by Skyride. He called ASC by accident but Skyride had the funds they are now linked through this transaction. ASC has done this 24 times this summer. Not until now was it discovered that Skyride ultimately is the account processing these deceptively gained appointment funds. I hope this clears the mud. jumpervali

Here is a copy of a letter I had to write for a student who fell victim to their tactics. To Whom It May Concern: This letter is being written and placed on the behalf of **** Sparks. Mr. Sparks contacted Sandor Vali of Georgia Skydiving Center, Inc. located in Rome Georgia in the effort of booking 2 tandem skydives with video. Mr. Sparks was booked for his jumps to take place on 10/30/04. After reporting for the jumps that morning he and his girlfriend were trained. It was then found out that they had called to confirm their appointment just prior the date of the jump, and were mislead to believe that he had again contacted Georgia Skydiving Center. The phone contact person for ASC pressed Mr. Sparks for a credit card number and he in good faith submitted it. A charge was placed for the full cost of both skydives. I, Sandor Vali after being told of this called ASC. They did in fact have Mr. Sparks on their records as having a transaction and said that “he would have to contact billing to cancel the payment”. In my conversation with the operator at ASC she admitted to being vague or misleading when enquires ask “is this the skydiving center in Rome”. A call was received by me from Mr. Sparks requesting this letter because the matter is still unresolved. I placed a call to the billing manager Kelly who was the contact point for Mr. Sparks hoping I could speed this up for him. In a recorded conversation with Kelly (who refused to give her last name) I informed her of what had happened. She said Mr. Sparks will still need to send her a letter from me. It is known know that the billing office I had to contact is 1-800-skyride. Thought ASC, CASC and 1-800-skyride are different companies it seams that the transactions create a direct link between them in financial operations and accounting. ASC and CASC have on recorded enquiries clamed to be the operators for their competing centers in the state. This confusion on the part of the buyer is intended and perpetuated to the point of them paying in good faith for a service they believe is at the center they though they were contacting. With a proliferation of the internet and fraudulent booking personnel ASC, CASC and now 1-800-skyride is suspect in as many as 24 such accounts. A class action on the behalf of the patrons who were mislead into fraudulent bookings, Georgia Skydiving Center, Inc. and its subcontractors is being pursued. Respectfully Sandor Vali CEO Georgia Skydiving Center, Inc.

I guess I should have read closer, it only happens when the lights are on. If it was the pedal switch it would be doing it even in day time driving. You have a short causing your running lights to jump over to the break light circuit sending a false hi condition to the cruise control. I'd first check the attachment location of the hitch lights wiring harness to the car harness. Maybe some tape has unrolled or worn jumpering the circuit. jumpervali

I do believe marks is near the problem. If your brake pedal is thinking it's depressed it will cause the cruse to kick off. The switch on the back of the pedal linkage is adjustable. It may have simply became out of adjustment or is stuck in the closed position. This can happen very easily. jumpervali

Just keep it simple. You only need to land in a "large grassy area with a parachute over your head." The grassy part is easy we have 600 acres even though you want to ideally land in 10 of them you can use all 600 if you want. The parachute over your head part is reinforcing the no hard turns on final so you don't swing out from under your parachute. The more you fly the better you will get. We will cover your canopy pattern before the jump every time don't worry. Trust your intuition you will get an eye for it. jumpervali aff-i-04

The Griffin was made by Aero Glide. The canopy is a 9 cell with a 7 cell brother called the Gargoyle. Collis Griffin was the owner of Aero Glide and developed the canopy around 1997. After Collis passed away due to cancer his widow Mary who had worked at one time for Flight Concepts forwarded the templates to them. They produced a few Griffins for people who requested them. jumpervali

Get a Sanyo DVD/Video recorder model 1000. I found a new in the box unit on ebay for $199. Wal-mart has them for $370. It has RCA/Svideo/Firewire jacks on the front. You can use your 4 pin 1394 cable to go from cam to dvd/video deck direct. Jumpervali

here are the records on the "mingo" S/N: 564 Built: 1964 TSN: Registration Type Operator / Owner From To Remarks N187H PC-6/B-H2 Fairchild Hiller Corp. 1964-05 1964-06 prototype PC-6/B-H2, ff 2.5.64 N187H PC-6/B-H2 Data Corp. 1964-06-13 197x ops on floats N187H PC-6/B-H2 Mead Technology Labs Inc. 197x 1978-12 + cvt to B2-H2 N777XX PC-6/B2-H2 TAG Aviation Ltd 1986-08 1986-10 N17XX PC-6/B2-H2 Aviation Methods 1986-10 1989-02-24 Para, based Deland/FL F-GIXX PC-6/B2-H2 SARL Turbo Mingo Org. 1989-05-02 Current Para, named "Turbo Mingo" located: France jumpervali

Here is a link to my skydiving graphics site jumpervali

The 370 sqft 7 cell canopies I've seen were normally flat packed by the military jumpers using them. jumpervali

If altitude permits make up to 2 attempts to clear the P/C. If you are unsuccessful at clearing it cutaway and deploy the reserve canopy. jumpervali

Looks like smoking is going to kill me. At the ripe age of 80, so I still have 40 years to kick the habit. jumpervali

ROD STEWART LYRICS " I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT " LYRICS I can tell by your eyes that you’ve prob’bly been cryin’ forever, And the stars in the sky don’t mean nothin’ to you, they’re a mirror. I don’t want to talk about it, how you broke my heart. If I stay here just a little bit longer, If I stay here, won’t you listen to my heart, whoa, heart? If I stand all alone, will the shadow hide the color of my heart; Blue for the tears, black for the night’s fears. The star in the sky don’t mean nothin’ to you, they’re a mirror. I don’t want to talk about it, how you broke my heart. If I stay here just a little bit longer, If I stay here, won’t you listen to my heart, whoa, heart? I don’t want to talk about it, how you broke this ol’ heart. If I stay here just a little bit longer, If I stay here, won’t you listen to my heart, whoa, heart? My heart, whoa, heart. I guess that does it for me, love stinks! jumpervali

During and after my divorce some time ago this song really made me reflect. I don't know if it's just the lyrics or the melody that goes along with it. CANDLEBOX "FAR BEHIND" Now maybe I didn't mean to treat you bad But I did it anyway And now maybe Some would say your life was sad But you lived it anyway And so maybe Your friends they stand around they watch your crumble As you falter to the ground And then someday Your friends they stand beside as you were flying Oh you were flying oh so high But them someday people look at you for what they call their own They watch you suffer Yeah they hear you calling home But then some day we could take our time To brush the leaves aside so you can reach us But you left me far behind Now maybe I didn't mean to treat you oh so bad But I did it anyway Now maybe some would say you're left with what you had But you couldn't share the pain No, no, no Couldn't share the pain, they watch you suffer Now maybe I could have made my own mistakes But I live with what I've known And then maybe we might share in something great But won't you look at where we've grown Won't you look at where we've gone But then someday comes tomorrow holds a sense of what I feel for you in my mind As you trip the final line And that cold day when you lost control Shame you left my life so soon you should have told me But you left me far behind Now maybe I didn't mean to treat you oh so bad But I did it anyway Now maybe some would say you're left with what you had But you couldn't share the pain No, no, no Oh no Oh no no no no... Now maybe I didn't mean to treat you oh so bad But I did it anyway Now maybe some would say you're left with what you had But you couldn't share the pain I said times have changed your friends They come and watch you crumble to the ground They watch you suffer Yeah, they hold you down Hold you down Now maybe brother, maybe love I didn't mean to treat you bad But you left me far behind Left me far behind Left me far Behind I still like it alot jumpervali

After reviewing her logbook was she playing in an area beyond her skill level? Was she wearing a helmet? Was it her first game at a new court? Did she execute shallow turns only on her volley? jumpervali

If your using it in the US it's all about weight and balance. You will have 5 belt for the jumpers, but what size are they and how much fuel weight will you need to carry to be compliant with VFR operations. jumpervali

My home owners insurance covers personal items lost but not located in my house. Example: stolen out of car, lost in a hotel fire, stolen out of my beach bag. The coverage was "extra" on my policy. When I asked how much they said $3 dollars. I decided to add it. jumpervali

Yes, look left then lower the left arm as you raise the right one. jumpervali

They don't call it dope because it makes you smart. jumpervali