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You think USPA is going to offer an AARP discount?

Some of the events at Nationals sure seem like it.

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Ron

***Do you know how the Ches Judy award works? A DZ awards that without any input from USPA at all. If you'd like USPA staff to conduct research into the background and safety practices of every Ches Judy awardee your dues are going to be a lot higher than $55 a year. The point to the Ches Judy program is to allow DZs to locally recognize jumpers. It is not a nationally organized program. It's like local McDonalds franchises giving out employee of the month awards.

Or USPA could scrap the Ches Judy program, at which point you'd bitch that USPA doesn't do enough to promote safety.

I am well aware of how the award works. And there was no long process needed to vet Douse, he had JUST been fined by the FAA almost half a million dollars.

And my dues would not have to go up, raise the GM program fees.

As for getting rid of the award, an award that means nothing is a waste of time.

Let's get a few of the facts straight.

Dause, not Douse.

The FAA proposed a fine. Nothing has been paid by Mr. Dause except to his attorney.

At the time of his award, he was a member in good standing, and met all the criteria set forth for the award.

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peek

***Has USPA they checked to see if this guy may have authorized other things in that same time span? A licenses, B license canopy classes, etc, not just tandem grads. Most likely he was signing other stuff too.

I don't know, but an Instructor can sign off most things except instructional ratings, D licenses, and Pro ratings, (unless I'm forgetting something).

My understanding was ALL his ratings were suspended, not just his Tandem IE.

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peek

***One excuse I hear of feeding the racket is that deal sites like Groupon look for group membership. To that end, I've reached out to contacts at Groupon (and potential tandem tourists) to educate them about the charade of a faux-authority managed by non-current jumpers. It may or may not do any good but it's time to stop the charade of misinformation.

By all means, tell us more! I have never heard anything about that before. You would not think that companies like Groupon would be concerned about anything like that.

Hey Gary!

Has USPA they checked to see if this guy may have authorized other things in that same time span? A licenses, B license canopy classes, etc, not just tandem grads. Most likely he was signing other stuff too.

My answer: no one at HQ thought about it because they were too busy panicking over the tandem issue.

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jlmiracle

******

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The BSRs and FARs are written in blood

Great bumper sticker, now care to answer the question?

How is a GM DZ actually held to a higher standard? Does the USPA audit GM DZ's?

You think Lodi could sign a piece of paper and pay some money and become a GM?

And exactly where does the FAA require a DZ to be a GM?

If I don't take a Flight Review every 2 years does that make me a bad pilot? Maybe, maybe not, but it is indicative of attitude. See Section 2-5 of the following:

www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/media/pilot_handbook.pdf


I had an email exchange with Ed Scott regarding all this and still want him fired. His big thing was the GM DZ's pledge to adhere to the BSR's.

Does that mean that I don't need to be a member of the USPA if I jump at a GM DZ? They should have all that covered under their group membership right? Am I not expected, as a USPA member to adhere to the BSR's?

It is total BS.


Judy

Don't we as individual jumpers pledge to adhere to the BSR's already?

Only difference is, USPA will punish a member for violating them but not a Group Member.

I didn't hear Ed Scott praising Byron for being a Group Member while their King Air was having issues..... Oh wait, shhhhh......

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baronn

Student cutaway a line over. Did a great job and enjoyed the experience. Main landed next to the runway in a close to 150 acre open area with the tallest weeds maybe 3' tall. Mostly dry and dead. I saw the main come downand then got busy throwing it back together. left an experienced jumper and a couple helpers to chase it down. I have found every piece of trash out there (picked most of it up). I have spent 2 days out there and can't find it. Just tota;;y perplexed. You can literally look across the entire area from where he chopped to where the main landed. Anybody ever have a critter grab a FB?

It's in the one tree that is in the area.

My bet is it is closer to the cutaway point than where the main landed. The open canopy drifted with the breeze but the FB went spring down and bore a whole in space pretty much landing where the malfunction happened.

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jrodrod

Way to make a straw man argument. Sliding landing is not landing on your back.

Tandems do sliding landings often. Yea it's not possible to PLF with 2 people but mainly it's less injury prone and easier.

OP has already gotten hurt, like many others, trying feet first and PLF. Spouting the dated official line is what got him hurt. Good feet first landings early on are luck.

Beware internet advice that tells you to ignore something that the poster doesn't understand in the first place.

Talk to older TI's and find out how many of them have bad backs. They say its the trapdoor and openings, but many of us are coming to the conclusion that it is compression on landing by repeatedly butt sliding.

The legs are tremendous shock absorbers, designed by nature to do that while walking, jumping, or running. The lunar lander did not have seats, NASA saved the weight by having the astronauts stand up because the astronauts' legs were better than any lightweight system they could design.

The problem is students are taught what to do with their hands while flaring, but not the rests of their body. If you watch students and low time jumpers, they tend to fly with their legs wide apart and very stiff. They are super easy to spot compared to up jumpers for that reason. As they flare, they swing forward under the canopy and their legs swing in front of them, so there is no way that their weight is over their feet. They are essentially already in a butt slide position and are hoping to time getting their weight over their feet before they fall down. Most often times, they fail and land on their butts.

In my humble opinion, the best position for landing is a "slalom water ski" position. One leg in front of the other slightly and slightly apart, knees slightly bent. This allows you to absorb a foot or two of poor landing technique by moving your feet up if you have to (no way your spine is absorbing that much compression without an issue!), you can easily run from this position as you are already into your first step, and most importantly, you can "hip slide" rather than but slide if necessary. Watch Pro baseball players slide into a base feet first to see how its really done.

Having had serious discussions with orthopedic surgeons who are also jumpers, they all agree that they would rather break a hip than a back. By sliding on a hip with one leg bent and one straight, you provide some protection to your spine. Also, sliding on one hip tends to force your hands inside rather than out, so you decrease the chance of hurting a wrist.

Take some time in the landing area and study how people land, its very educational. Good landings are a matter of technique not equipment, shoes, curvature of the earth, gremlins, or a conspiracy theory.

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BTW, as landings improve, you are way safer in the pattern because you can focus more on things around you and less on your impending crash.

Jumpdude

***Funnily enough, a friend of mine works at Neon, which operates an otter out of the Boulder airport for atmospheric air sampling. They fly long hours in standard patterns around here, and some of the complaints in the suit about behaviors the Mile Hi pilots denied engaging in sound pretty similar to Neon's patterns. It would be funny if they were complaining about the wrong otter, all along.

This is a copy of the email Queen retard Kimmie sent out Sunday!
***The second email below the divider line is the previous email she sent out Saturday. The attachment is a screenshot of my inbox so y'all can see the timestamps of those emails.
So it appears that she's going to try to close the airport now! LMAO!!!!


Good Neighbor Mile-Hi Skydiving

Yes, GOOD NEIGHBOR Mile-Hi Skydiving is conducting night jumps yet again this evening.
It's 10:00 and they just rounded the corner headed for the airport.

Their conduct this weekend is unacceptable. Please take a moment to email city council and staff. Tell them to rein in Mile-Hi Skydiving, and if you are a city of Longmont resident please be sure to include your address in your email.

Longmont city official emails:
Harold Dominguez ;
Polly Christensen ;
Gabe Santos ;
Dennis Coombs ;
Bonnie Finley ;
Brian Bagley ;
Jeff Moore ;
Joan Peck ;
David Slayter ;

Many thanks,
Kimberly Gibbs
Chairman and Founder, Citizens For Quiet Skies
Boulder County, Colorado
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
***Email from Saturday***

It is 10:30 pm and Mile-Hi Skydiving is STILL Operating

So much for Mile-Hi Skydiving being a "good neighbor." After a full day of listening to the obnoxious purple Twin Otter, we are now being further subjected to a nighttime full of more skydiving noise. It is 10:30 pm and they are still going. Any bets on whether they go until midnight again?

This is unacceptable. Tell City Council that this is ENOUGH. If they can't fine a way to rein in Mile-Hi Skydiving then the airport must be closed.

Longmont city official emails:
Harold Dominguez ;
Polly Christensen ;
Gabe Santos ;
Dennis Coombs ;
Bonnie Finley ;
Brian Bagley ;
Jeff Moore ;
Joan Peck ;
David Slayter ;

Many thanks,
Kimberly Gibbs

Seems to me this is in direct violation of the judges order to get along.

Maybe someone should cc the judge.

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Jump more, post less!

JohnMitchell

So 24 years ago there was a bad Twin Otter crash at Perris. 16 people died. The investigation found that loose, flying helmets caused many of the injuries. Since then seatbelt regs have been more enforced and we've been trying to have everyone fasten their helmet securely. But I still see many people, mostly newer jumpers, that are ignoring that advice/requirement.

What's your style and why?

That accident has a lot of stories come out of it. I have heard this one a lot and have looked for its origins, but no where have I found a report that says "loose flying helmets added to the injuries sustained." There are all sorts of reports on restraint systems (and lack there of) for the jumpers, but nothing noted about their equipment creating injuries.

Some of the camera helmets back in the day probably could have been lethal, but that was back when you they wore an entire VCR with 1/2 inch tape on a motorcycle helmet with 1/4 inch steel brackets and a bazooka ringsite.

I think the real question is "How much of a bitch fit does someone in the plane justified in throwing if someone doesn't secure their helmet?" I'v seen more than my share of red-faced yelling at some poor newb who has his helmet in his hand when the plane rolls.

24 years later: is the pilot training better? Is fuel handling better? Are the restraint systems better? Are we just luckier?

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PS I am ambivalent about on or off or attached for other people.

And perhaps he could spend some time untwisting his brake lines.

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I love people that do this stuff!

Many times, I get to "unglue" your lip or cheek from your "filling." Not an easy task all the time, especially since behind my mask I am giggling to myself, its really hard to keep my hands steady....

Also, I get the task of drilling out some goo that melts/fuses/smells like barf as it comes apart. Often on more than the affected tooth.

The whole time I am working, I know the patient has more faith in what he (rarely is this a she, very rarely!) reads on the internet from anybody else than from a dedicated professional who knows what can be done properly.

Temporary fixes at the pharmacy are just that- A temporary fix for the weekend/holiday/overnight. They are not intended to replace dentistry or getting a real diagnosis/fix.

But what do I know....

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PS- and the number of people who call me after they have glued themselves to their dentures is staggering! With Krazy Glue!

ShortStack

Quote

mandatory operating adjustments, such as... requiring all jumpers to have a minimum of a USPA C license.

How are jumpers supposed to get a C license if they are forbidden to jump with an A or a B? This would mean no student program at the DZ, and only 200+ jump experienced jumpers allowed.

Of course, this is just a back door way of trying to shut down the DZ.

Clear violation of the judges order to "get along."

She is continuing to create issues for the airport and the DZ. Perhaps it is time for to go get a job and pay the legal fees she was ordered.

Maybe the DZ could tow a banner around her house asking for her to pay!

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obelixtim

****** As far as carrying hook knives goes, I always carry one

Why?
Are you affraid to overload your canopy?

Have at least two in my opinion.

But where would I put my machete?

And my seeing eye dog?

I think carrying a hook knife is good advice.

Better advice: Carry a hook knife and know how to get it out in a hurry, and make sure it is one worth having. Any plastic POS knife isn't going to cut it when you really need it and will most likely just turn into a waste of time and focus. ( I carry an combat cut-down knife, single piece steel.)

The real discussion focus needs to be on avoidance.

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rtroup

Its all body flight.

Then so is cliff diving.

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"critical thinking in stressful situations"

"able to get attention from students"

"understands the importance of thorough preparation"

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So, just seeing if I have this correct in my mind:

This device is sewn attached on the deployment bag and goes into active mode every time my bag separates from the container. It will stay in active mode until it is turned off by being repacked.

So, don't trunk pack.

Every unpacked canopy at the DZ will broadcast also while I am looking for mine. Is each one assigned a different frequency?

Again, I think its a great idea. Just trying to see how this will work on a busy Saturday.

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If you think something is foolproof, you are wrong. You just haven't met (or become) THAT fool yet.

Time is the one currency you can't get more, don't waste it. Also, don't let others waste it for you.

If you ever say, "what are the chances....?" the odds will instantly increase to 100%.

Gear wears out. It's never too early to fix something, but often too late.

Dirt dives are free.

Freebags aren't.

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Why is it that most of the women want a guy who is 5'10" or taller?
Was there some article in Cosmo that said guys have to be at least this tall to ride the ride?

I realize that at 5'8" some women would not want a guy that is shorter than them, but when I consistently see women who are barely five foot also putting that as a minimum height, I have to begin to wonder.

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councilman24

Cities can and do regulate the use of private property. Zoning regulations decide what can be built. Vehicles are benned from parking in the grass. Tent sales in parking lots may not be allowed. And fireworks are often banned, even on your own property.

Private property excuse gets you nowhere. But as an example cities in my state cannot ban adult book stores. They can be regulated but we must allow them somewhere. The qualifying properties may not be for sale or in undesirable locations but there has to be some place for a legal business. I would expect that a blanket ban might not be sustained. Regulation, such as the FAA congested area regs are allowed but blanket bans usually not. Especially since the FAA has regulations in place and trespass laws apply to unauthorized jumps. But some one will have to spend the money to fight it because the politicians aren't likely to.change their minds. And political judges get to make unreasonable decisions all the time.

Do ballons get to land in NYC? If so there on shaky ground banning parachutes and not ballons.

They can regulate the use of the property within a defined scope. Commercial, residential, etc. and the type of businesses. But the use of property for recreation by a private party when a Federal agency already has jurisdiction is very shaky.

The FAA should weigh in on this as it would be a way for other cities and counties to essentially ban skydiving at an airport without losing federal funding. "We don't ban skydiving, just the landing or parachutes in our county."

I don't see this having a huge impact on large numbers of jumpers, except those that wanted to do some demo within the city limits, but the precedent it sets is very dangerous.

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So, those little plastic army guys with parachutes are also banned?!?!

And if you own private property and have authorized jumpers to land on it, how can the council have any authority to prohibit jumpers?

The demo team should send a not-so-nice letter from an attorney threatening restraint of trade and lack of authority and demand compensation.

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I have almost 7500 jumps.

Most of them I have paid for

Lots of them are at Nationals and World Meets where the cost of getting there and the cost of jumping are both steep.

I try not to think about how much I have spent over the almost 30 years I have been jumping..... I would rather think of all the great people, great times, and laughs we had.

Instead of the bitchin' vacation home I could have.

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kkeenan

My point is that some folks who are fine thinkers and doers in life sometimes take on other activities and think their Mad Skilz will make it simple. Some activities have an error margin such that it may be too late by the time they realize they have overextended themselves.

Thanks Kevin!

Wise because I will walk away from a dirt dive, a plane loading, or ride the plane down. When it feels wrong it's probably gonna go wrong. If you are truly brave, you stand in the face of others when you feel they are risking your life, their life, and the lives of others unnecessarily.

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Great article. Good just change a few words and phrases and pass it around the dropzone.

But the people who would need to read it most would ignore it first.

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catfishhunter

Quote

There needs to be room to accept that making a mistake like that should not disqualify someone from a TI rating forever

there is a road to redemption. From what I remember this wasn't the TI's first.

The "road to redemption" is almost impossible for the average staff member to afford.

Funny how USPA says it wants to be self-policing except when it comes to this issue. How come USPA doesn't just come up with its own medical form that it requires of TI's? Forget the FAA or DOT or whatever. Then they could require it of all the foreign TI's that hold a USPA rating.

Oh, cuz USPA is just doing what UPT wants them to do....

Certainly Charlie will get my vote. I may not agree with everything he says or does, but at least he is his own man.

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Maybe we should require a Class 3 medical to be on the BOD!

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