Kelly

i was loading a spectre 170 at around .8:1 and doing hop and pops from altitude. To do a front riser turn/dive was almost impossible. Let me clarify, doing one with any amount of speed was almost impossible. My friend/coach (even though i didnt realize he was coaching me at the time) was off to my right. I tried to do a left front riser turn. I grabbed, pulled down and did a very slow turn, actually stoped the turn movement too. experiment with where you grab your front risers and shifting your weight in the harness. Going from the 170 to the 150 (both spectres) The change was very noticable. I was loading the 150 at .9:1. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

smurf, its good to offer first aid training but in todays world of suing everybody you cant made it policy to train staff in first aid because some people wont take that responsibility. (geeze, Run on sentance anyone?) just wanted to add that one in... http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

next time you witness that walk up to them and say : geezus, people like you are the reason why i am afriad to have kids.. I dont want their peers to be your offspring! grow up, treat your kids with a little respect and they'll turn out a lot better. it sorta leaves them standing there stunned and for a moment the parents anger is directed at someone other than their child (and usually stays that way) and that kid sees that its okay to stand up for your own rights.. esp. if its a stranger defending them.. Strangers have made some of the most landing impressions on me... http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

just saw this on the news.. a zoo wanted to practice in the event that a wild animal got loose during public operations.. so they had an employee dress up in a polar bear costume and run around 'knocking' people down until they were able to tranquilize the bear! My tv is on mute, so i look up and all i see is a person in a polar bear costume running around knocking people down. made me think a barney wannabe went crazy.. LMAO http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

you dont like "space ghost"? as in "adult swim" on comedy central? come on! its some funny ass shit!! you've got zorax, space ghost, all the guest stars, plus the other shows like the animal puppet show featuring "christmas cheer" (aka: spinal fluid). its great entertainment. makes me laugh my friggin ass off!! http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

taken from the RI website: CONTAINER SIZES VOLUME R/M V000 PD 106 reserve Sub 80 main 275/275 V00 Dash M 109 reserve/ Sub 100 Main 275/300 V0 PD113-120 reserve/107 Main 300/300 V1 PD126 reserve/120 Main 325/325 V2 PD126-135 reserve/135 Main 325/350 V3 PD143-150 reserve/150 Main 350/400 V4 PD 160-176 reserve/170 Main 450/450 i found this info @ http://www.rigginginnovations.com/voodoo/vnews.htm if it makes it easier, go to the URL above to see the actual chart. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

thanks for the disclaimer frank, i almost found myself in this thread.... .... wait a minute! where am i? whats that title say? "Re: Hockey GOLD!!! (for hockey fans only, of course)"?!?! doh! damnit, how the hell did i get in here? (muttering..) wtf? damn pain redufers.... making me crazEy and all....

free, first off, youre doing an amazing thing just by considering donating a kidney. second, youre doing an amazing thing just by saying yes to that consideration. third, you just do amazing things! recognize them! ackowledge them.. get help for the parts that arent that amazing.. It only takes one piece for the puzzle to start to make sense... after that you just need to figure out the rest of it, and it does get easier. kel http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

audra, let me just say, the comfort your letter gave to Chris family was immesurable. They read it during the mass service and you could just see how much it comforted his family. You spoke beutiful words, honest words, that expressed how we feel. Thankyou for such an honest, caring representation on behalf of the entire family out at xkeys. I feel like we've all been in different places these past 2 weeks. I want nothing more than to get out to the dz this weekend and be with all of you guys. I'll see you on saturday. kel http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

im looking to take a trip in march. seeing how i've missed the past 3 thursdays of classes, i gotta go when i have a day off. cant miss anymore school. But i really do need to get out there. I loved the girls at square 2, they were great but i sure did miss lou lou and mary while i was away.. They've still got my postcard hanging up in the store.. I absolutely adore those guys. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

hmmm... I thought all that money ive been spending at square3 went to cover overhead and make a little money for the buisness... now i know its going to pay employees to call eachother and go "ewww!!! ewww!!" at least its being spent on communication

andy, thanks for responding. its gives me a better idea of where you were coming from with that and also what you were trying to say. At 15 jumps i did some stupid shit, at 20 jumps i did some stupid shit. At 30 jumps i did some stupid shit. at 43 jumps i did some stupid shit.. the list goes on and on... all the idiotic things ive done have gradually added to my list. I've gotten hurt once because i didnt consider the factors. I rushed for a load, jumped during the weekend when i normally only jump during the week, no wind day-wasnt use to that. the list goes on and on. I ended up in a cast, unable to skydive for 7 weeks and faced with a whole new dz scene 2,500 miles away from home. I believe it had a lot to do with the fact i didnt do my normal routine. I was just so friggin anxious to get on that first load i could.. I didnt think that i was ready to start traveling yet, hell, not with only 43 jumps. not for myself. but i factored in other things such as currency (hard to maintain in NJ during the winter), having to 'get back on the horse', so many things that i decided traveling wouldnt be the worst idea i could come up with. I ended up out there for 5 1/2 weeks. I learned so much, alot of it b/c i sat on the ground still nursing my injuries for the first two weeks i got there. a lot of it has to do with me being a control freak. Ill be the first to admit i am a HUGE control freak. I like to have as many answers as possible. last season i worked 60-70 hrs w/k on the dz. didnt leave much time for jumping.. so all i had to do was learn ground knowledge. Still more ways i picked up what i did. And it taught me that i can handle being at a dz and not jumping. its okay for me. theres always another load. when you sit on the ground (and most times not by choice) you tend to see a lot that you miss from the boarding area to the landing area to the packing area and back to the boarding area.. I just consider myself very lucky that i got to work so much on the dz and my jumping was limited b/c i learned more than i would have by just simply jumping. Im feeling more confident now and will probably see some of these things diminish in time. but for right now, ive still got an ankle that wants to crap out on me at any moment.. I've still got a shoulder that aches occasionally, and a memory of a really screwed up landing (inherant fear).. thats why i do what i do. I need to feel as confident as possible. without it, im only going to get hurt again.. I havent been as lucky (as far as outs go) my home dz can be kinda hairy depending on where youre at, so from jump no. 1 i had to plan, plan, plan.. sorry that was so long.... http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

phil, this only applies to my specific situation, with that particular canopy, its particular pack job, the particular container etc etc involved during that ONE scenario but.. when i had a total i dumped my reserve. Total for me ='s 2 attempts, dump reserve be prepared to deal w/ 2 out. so i did that. once i was safely under a good reserve i pulled my cutaway handle. This way i didnt have to worry about the possiblility of a now loose main container opening with my main still attached to my harness. It was an after thought, an extra step that i didnt believe was necessary during the actual mal. when i landed i took my gear off. My PC had moved barely a couple of centimeters, my main was still tight, closing loop and closing pin still completely in place. again, so many factors (could have) effected this. I'm in no way saying that every total will lead to a clean reserve deployment and a main that stays in the container. Just letting ya know what i experienced. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

andyman: Number of Jumps: 300 Kelly: Number of Jumps: 67 I think thats explanation enough. I explained myself so that newer jumpers have a better understanding of why i do what i do.. hell, maybe ill mention something that somebody didnt think of before and just might save their ass one day. Next time ill just type incomplete sentances so i dont 'overkill' a topic. seriously reconsider saying this to a low low timer like myself. it might me the difference between them speaking up in the future or keeping their mouths shut. You do as you do, but like you said, some of these things can be done on the way to the plane, some can be found out by talking to friends before you get to a new dz. and the other stuff, well, i can walk the landing area while watching the windsocks, seeing what aircraft are coming in and out and watching landings. killing a few birds with one stone (missed load). It doesnt take more than a couple of loads to do what ive mentioned w/ the exception of sitting out normally the first day. But hey, thats my choice. i dont work outside of the dz, i can afford to go on vacations to dropzones for a week or so of vacation.. So my DZ time isnt as restricted as most peoples. I can take my time and really sort shit out. im done defending myself. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

since this is a new forum and this is only the introduction of what we hope to be a heavily debated subject, I think we should state the musts of CRW. from what ive been told (correct me if im wrong) ~disconnect any RSL's ~Carry at least one hook knife, 2 preferred. maybe a jack the ripper and a smaller one. the plastic ones suck ~establish a minimum break off altitude for all docking. ~long shirts and pants prefered. ~none of those boot hooks on shoes. ~confirm youre on the same page in case of a wrap. You should both have the same plan for the same emergencies. what else am i missing? can you guys copy the text and add on so we have one continuous growing list? this way were not searching thru 15 posts trying to put everything together. Sorry if i seem a little demanding, CRW is something im really interested in, I want to be a prepared as possible http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

first canopy i brought was a spectre 135 loaded at 1:1 I started jumping it on # 61 10 jumps on a Navigator 200 ( .70:1) 10 jumps on a spectre 190( .72:1) 7 jumps on a spectre 170 ( .8:1) 12 on a spectre 150 ( .9:1) got hurt... didnt jump for 7 weeks 12 jumps on a spectre 170 ( .8:1) 1 jump on a micro raven reserve 150

one mal, a total, jumper number 52 or 53, cant remember exactly. what i learned: jump gear properly sized for you. My rig was long and i didnt have much of an angle to my elbow when i reached back to pull. (picture my arm having to be bent at around a 160 degree angle to reach my hackey vs. the 90 degree angle or so i have no when i reach back to deploy). hackey was a little off center. ADJUSTED more to one one side than the center of the pouch. i say adjusted b/c even though a friend packed it, i adjusted it. it was my own fault.. but its always the jumpers responsibility anyway (at least i believe that) no matter who packs it cause youre choosing to have it packed by somebody else. I pulled on a slight angle (Because i didnt get much bend to my arm, i was a little 'shoulder low, elbow high' ) causing the hackey (which was off center anyway) to just slam into the side, not moving OUT at all. what do i think saved my ass? I had very recently watched several malfunction videos and the jump immediately before (like 30 minutes prior) i had done a solo handle dive. Just went out and touched all 3 handles in order, repeating until deployment time. Also, experience. I had a hard pull prior and in hinsight i was upset with myself b/c of the number of attempts i made (i ended up getting the hacky out) so i re thought my emergency procedures when faced with a total.. When i did have that mal it was so quick [pull-nothing, pull-nothing, dump reserve] that i didnt realize what i had done until after i was under my reserve, watching the freebag fall away below me. I wont ever forget that sight.. freebag drifting away.. i knew everything was okay. i didnt have to look for my reserve handle. My left hand immediately found it and got it out. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

When I get to a new dz to jump: ~~ I like to be some what familiar with the dz. Thats why i went to eloy when i still wasnt Completely ready to jump again~ i wanted to get comfortable. Same reason why i sat out on the first day of jumping that i was at zhills. ~~Watch landings, try to get a feel for how people fly. ~~ I walk the landing area to get a feel for its oddities, to see how big the obstacles actually are. ~~I ask about the best outs, the worst outs, the only outs. ~~I search for obstacles; locating powerlines, observing non dz air traffic, obstancles that might blend in. ~~I ask if there is set direction with no wind. ~~Whats the highest pull alti w/out informing manifest, pilot and other jumpers. ~~Exit order. ~~Usual time to altitude. will i be in a speed freak or slow ass plane? ~~elevation because it effects my landings. ~~I identify objects that will orient me to the dz such as construction sites near by etc etc. ~~I listen to the calls. do they give 20,10,5 minute calls? or... ~~Check out the wind socks see if any of them are squirrley (maybe due to turbulance or whatever) ~~where are the farmer mcnasties? ~~if i land out at X area, where should I wait for a ride? sometimes theres a little road or even a quick trail back to the dz so they usually dont pick ya up. ~~Minimum altitude for crossing the runway.. Do the planes set up higher patterns for longer runways? This might put my normal "no crossing" alti at risk for air traffic from planes. ~~what other aircraft are there? balloons? hangliders? no engine planes? aircraft (including parachutes) have a place in the "right of way" order... its in the SIMS somewhere i think. ~~In the boarding area i identify the Instructor, coach etc etc.. who will be in charge (besides the pilot) in case of an emergency? I want to know. ~~Areas known for squirrley wind conditions? (learned that when Lisa G. went in over a known turbulant area) ~~Check out arial photos. are they updated? anything new that isnt on that map? cross keys has a field to the north that is now a development.. dont want to plan on that out thinking its all clear area when its not anymore. ~~I also let manifest know that Im an emergency medical tech... you never know who's going to need help. Plus, its better for somebody to know that youre not running up to the person who biffed in b/c you want to get a look but cause you can actually provide adequate care to them.. i cant think of anymore but there are still some. Im still so knew that i try to find out everything I can possibly think of. i also do a solo for my first jump, pull high. funny story: jumping at eloy. pulling high so im the last out. we do 2 passes.. its my turn. i get in the door and the red light comes on. i go to sit back down & the pilot starts yelling "Exit! GO!" so i get the hell out.. he found me later and apologized. told me that with only one jumper still in the plane, plus the fact he knew i was pulling high anyway he didnt want to have to do a 3rd pass. NO worries. if im last out i can get out on a long spot.. cause i can comfortably pull higher than normal (not to high, but still higher). that ended up being one of the best sit exits ive ever had. i just jumped out, threw myself into a sit.. pretty sweet actually. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

ME! ME! ME!! (sangiro baby, picture all the girls in here jumping up and down, stuff bouncing, screaming excitedly 'ME! ME' . http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

0:0:0 I took one for the team this weekend (shut up clay, I was down south but no farm animals were involved

Friday morning I wake up at 3:30am.. in im the car by 4am picking up 2 friends.. an hour later were about 50 miles away, picked up another friend... 5 1/2 hours later we arrive in Pittsburg PA. I cant even begin to describe the funeral services to you guys.. it was so unbelievebly touching. Chris' family was amazing. They spoke so kindly of his skydiving, his BASE Jumping, his scuba diving and his rock climbing... They memorialized his life thru pictures and video, and shared that with his friends and family. They went out of their way to embrace his skydiving family.. Even described our arrival (during the Eulogy) as "a miracle, a blessing. a sign from Chris himself" because we got lost and and called another jumper friend who was at the funeral home at the same moment his dad found a gaurdian angel with wings pennant and was pinning it to chris' suit. His dad spoke words of kindness and love for us and for the support our presence gave. During the eulogy his dad said that when he was pinning that pennant on chris' jacket and JP ran in saying "4 more skydivers are on their way! their 5 minutes away!" he knew in his heart that we were ment to show up at the last minute, that it was a HUGE display of love on our part.. He spoke that it was destined that our arrival would occur right at one of the hardest parts of this whole ordeal..THat we were ment to be there for his family when they needed it most.. They took us in for the final viewing.. the one where the immediate family ONLY is in the room, right before they close the casket and head for the church/cemetary. They wanted us, his skydiving family there, with them, to say our final goodbyes with them, his immediate family. all the readings were about "being free. having wings. Flying thru the skies" The songs were also about flying free. They read a letter another skydiver wrote to them saying that she cant explain it, doesnt understand it herself, but skydiving does something for our soul that nothing else can.. that because of it skydivers become bonded and consider each other family.. They gave us their phone numbers and email addresses, took down our information and we made promises to each other to keep in contact.. They talked about a memorial jump and we told them we would organize it and also put together a video of chris skydiving, from various peoples footage. I will never forget the look in his dads eyes when he was crying and saying "you promise we can make a memorial jump? you promise right? promise??" oh my god, my heart broke at that very instant and i dont think that it will ever be the same. The desperation and hope in his voice will stay with me forever. Im sharing this because we always talk about how our families dont understand it, they dont accept it. What was different about Chris family is that he talked to them about it all the time, they came out to the dz and saw the look on his face.. they understood. For the first time in my life i ment non jumpers who had an idea of why we do what we do and it made me cry for a long time.. Chris' dad had done a tandem skydive and chris had geeked it. during the eulogy his dad said that in freefall they looked at each other and for the one and only time in his entire life he saw chris happier than he had ever been. He said that after that he Understood that his sons love for this sport went above and beyond all measures.. we told his family stories, shared our experiences with chris and found out things about him we didnt know before. His sister asked me how i can skydive after suffering a loss this great.. It was so hard to find the words to tell her that now its more important to me than ever to jump because giving up, quitting would mean that it just wasnt worth it and chris' death was for nothing. I told her now that when i skydive its not just for myself anymore, but for chris too.. I had to honor my friend and the only way to do that was to skydive in his memory.. I never imagined a family could be so strong, could love each other so much, or accept strangers into their hearts so rapidly and without question. The drive home was quiter.. We were exausted emotionally, mentally and physically. We all cried that day and the tears are still close at hand when i reflect on our experiences.. In the end we traveled 750 miles but went around the world in our understanding of a friend and the greatness of his family.. the four of us walked away from that long day with a new bond, stronger than most.. We learned things about each other that we wouldnt have found out any other way and saw sides of each other we could only have imagined existed before.. The four of us have shared something that words cant even begin to describe, even though ive tried in vain to do so with what ive written. We joined together and represented an entire dropzone of people, the four of us.. and leave now with a deeper understanding of this sport. Im so greatful for the 3 other people that i took this physical, emotional and spiritual journey with and im greatful for the family that opened their arms to us and allowed themselves to lean on us for support and to give us support too. They didnt have to accept us, they could have yelled at us to get out instead they took it as a sign and truely understood that skydivers are their own family too.. http://kel197.tripod.com/skydivefriendsTRIPOD/

youre dzo comment made me smile. Very true. Its like telling the teacher to 'piss off!' ya just dont do it

have you read the rest of my post...? just wonderin cause i address this in the following part.... Im trying to make a point that if people State what they mean by what they say in the original post then it might eliminate a lot of the arguments.... youre right that there will be people who just want to argue.. but they cant add fuel to the fire if there aint no damn fire!

alright, seems like there have been a lot of heated debates on here lately... Personally, I dont particularly care for it.. There are some things (one starts with a "B") that i have gotten tired of and just dont read anymore.. I dont want the same to happen with important issues regarding gear & safety. listen, this is a great site. and a great place to debate safety/training/ freefall issues. But lets do something to diminish the arguments. when youre posting a topic and you want to refer to something as something in particular; "safe" or "fail-safe" are 2 examples, define what you mean by that. Its something we all learned at one point in life. If youre going to try to make a point you have to FIRST define the terms youre discussing. SECOND you must cite evidence of what youre discussing. the death of lisa gallagher has been sited several times recently, this is an actual event.. maybe not completely accurate b/c lisa cant tell us what happened so we must speculate, but at least its something real that is relative to the topic at hand & not just "xyz canopies are made badly.. Use some supporting evidence with your posts.. this way its easier to thread out what is 'rumor' and what is fact, whats been tried and tested, and what hasnt. so lets start by defining what we mean when we use a certain word. lets then give examples. this will let all of us play nicely

jeezus. sorry dave. My little corner of the web.