christoofar

What an amazing photo... wonder if they were using ISO 1600 film (looks like it.. the plane is still mostly "intact" before that 0.002 second crush it's fixing to go through).

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Uh.....have we actually gotten to the point where Nathan is running out of things to post about?

Just teasing ya, Nathan. I'm sure I would like it if I saw it too.

You can see mine, anytime ya want.

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What's really odd is that a) I know plenty of deaf skydivers who do not/did not need interpreters and b) these people don't seem "kept out of skydiving" since they did manage to jump already.

Considering that San Marcos DZ was the home to the world's largest deaf-way, and we have several regulars who are deaf and they communicate with the hearing without difficulty, I would argue that an ASL interpreter is not needed.

It would be great if perhaps a coah on a DZ's staff could interpret ASL as it would encourage more business, but any kind of judgment for the plaintiff is going to die a quick death on appeal.

I'm even sure a blind person could probably become a skydiver if they wanted to, we have tandems and tunnels.

Paraplegic and quadraplegic individuals have also jumped before (tandem) and I'm sure paraplegics with use of their arms could perform a decent skydive (probably could do an awesome head-down, too) and use a round canopy or maybe even a square with some good forgiving F111's that are out there.

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I'm not real brushed up on my ADA research but my understanding is that it applies more to employee/employer relationships. I doubt that this deaf lady will win. However, it does still suck that she is making the DZ spend money to defend the lawsuit.

The client I am working for in TX is a medical equipment company, they deal specifically with ADA as well as HIPPA (Healthcare Industry Privacy Protection Act). They sell those power scooters that you see the elderly and the indigent scootin' around on.

ADA specifically deals with *access* to public places and places of commerce (which includes a skydiving business), and requires developers to include access in all aspects of building design and retrofit. This is where most ADA litigation comes into play.

A classic example of this kind of litigation is with the owners of a gentlemen's all-nude dance club in San Antonio, TX. Last month litigation was filed against the gentlemen's club citing ADA and the club's failure to comply with those rules. In dispute was a restricted area of the club's "private lounge" were lap dances were being performed. The only access to this area was via a winding staircase.

Because the club had recently undergone building modifications, this made the entire club subject to building code review, including the private lapdance area the complainant could not access. Most legal experts agree that if the case goes to trial, the plaintiff will win.

ADA has also been used in communication-related lawsuits pertaining to hearing and visually-impaired individuals. New court cases and recent amendments to ADA now require television broadcasters to provide CC on all their content by a certain deadline.

As it pertains to the skydiving business, ADA will probably not work out as legitimate claim against the dropzone owner due to the fact that communication was not denied to the student. Even though the dropzone was unwilling to pay for an interpreter for the deaf student when one was requested, the dropzone is under no legal requirement to do so because it already provides for two forms of communication: oral and written.

Like what has been said previously.. have you ever gone to a Burger King and try to order a Whopper with sign-language? Or how about a deaf-person trying to order a Whopper through the drive-thru window? Not going to happen. You can still get your Whopper, but you can't get it your way.

Hmm. This is interesting.

I wonder about those dropzones close by the border, like in El Paso, San Marcos, SPI, Eloy, Perris... will they be sued because they don't have Spanish-language Tandem and AFF courses? These students have no way of communicating with the DZ staff.

I doubt this case will succeed considering that the dropzone provided written materials to the student, which is sufficient communication, although it is not the type of communication that the student preferred.

I do wonder about the success of individuals who aren't able to speak English, since many of them, primarily Spanish-only speakers, have won numerous court cases over the nature and substance of contractual agreements. Is an English waiver signed by a student who only speaks Spanish valid? (answer: probably not).

This subject may or may not come up in your home town that often, but where I live (San Antonio), it's a daily occurrence.

Food for thought. (¡Comida por tu cabeza!)

Damn my spelling!

I'm pretty sure that uncocked CPCs in tow probably aren't going to get ya under your main without that much drag... and since most of us have CPCs it's probably best to go straight for the silver bullet.

PC-in-tow can quickly develop into really nasty mals (horseshoe, dual-squares, ball-o-shit, etc).

Gear check!

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In the plane. Everyone has seated down and buckled up:
JM: Hey, you don't have an altimeter, shall I run and get one for you?
Jumper: Nah, don't bother. No googles so it's gonna be blury anyway...
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If you squint really hard you can see. I usually don't wear anything on hop and pops... except sunglasses usually.

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thanks for the help. Regarding what you said above though, that article you just posted up said not to do this in case the bridle is/gets misrouted around the harness and then you cant cutaway into clean air, deploying into a mess behind you.

Actually, the site says there is a serious situation for PC-in-tow when the bridle is misrouted around the harness. This occurs with ROL systems, not BOC systems. If you have an ROL I would definately take their advice.

Either way, if you are low, it's time to pull.

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In freefall, if you are limber enough, you could reach back and yank on the bridle to clear a PC-in-tow mal

Just don't spend the rest of your life trying.

BMcD...

Just like most (but not all) other mals. Altitude awareness.

Here is an article that details PC in tow mals.

Another cause for PC in tow is improper routing of your bridle. On some rigs with the tongue closing flaps, like Racers, you can easily "lock" the bridle when you close the rig. When someone else is packing for you, check the bridle to ensure it's properly routed for your rig.

Most people with CPCs have a window on the bridle that indicates that the PC is cocked. If you haven't already, make sure you ink the kill line that is exposed through the window when the PC is cocked. This lets you check to make sure the PC is cocked after you've stuffed it in the BOC, since all you have to do is open the closing flap and check the window.

In freefall, if you are limber enough, you could reach back and yank on the bridle to clear a PC-in-tow mal, assuming you don't jump a huge rig. If you can't, do what the SIM says and pull silver.

When hair starts growing on your legs, your hair hasn't been combed in weeks, your ear piercings have closed up and lipstick now seems unfamiliar on your lips I would reckon you have let yourself go.

I have a couple of skydiving Tshirts.

However, most of mine are just plain 'ol dirty Tshirts I wear to piss off old people and church nazis.

My fav one is from tshirthell.com, it's got the Pizza Hut logo, but instead it says "Pizza Slut."

I also have another one that says "THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE FUCKING ON THE BACK OF THIS TSHIRT." And on the back it says "JUST KIDDING! JESUS LOVES YOU!"

PLF:

It's not how you work your schlong, it's how your work your tongue.

Same experience here. Your #1 altitude indicator is definately your eyes. If it "feels" low, you're probably low. Don't trust the alti to be infallable. Take a quick glance down every now and then.

I don't know if there have ever been any audible mals like the analogs do (although they are "digital," the pressure-reading instrument can still mal).

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Ok, Let me be more specific. A male skydiver that can make $$ outside of skydiving

Mmm... I'm single (as in not-married, but I have... ugh.. "acquaintances" ). I survived the "tech bubble," still clear quite a bit of dough, but I work like a dog. I also have have a new healthy respect for bicycles and drunk skydivers in golf carts thanks to WFFC***. I don't drive a "land yacht," just an '01 Mustang GT Conv (still gets whuffo chicks, for what they're worth).

Anybody want me? (p.s. I cook mega-cool Mexican food)

Photo of me

(***yes, I was *that* dude who was hauled off to the hospital... stitches were removed this past Sunday... put me out of skydiving for 24 hours. try saying this one 5 times really fast -> fresh flesh wounds feel phat in freefall!)

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You know, it's funny. I would probably make that same mistake b/c you NEVER hear anyone making corrections to go left or right in Deland. I think we're spoiled and our pilots are just that good, or something/

Just remember:

Spotting is always the skydiver's fault. Always. Even if it's not your fault, it's your fault. Always.

Do I sound like the Turkish Tow-Truck Man?

You know... I was there til Tuesday (damn). Was there any good nudieways? Or did everyone stay tame (clothed) as to not to offend the spectators? (Who knows, maybe the spectators would have wanted to pay to see that? )

Sabre2 120 should fit nicely in the J1 (which is what I fly), but... I'm stuffing a Sabre2 170 in mine.

Just make sure to adjust the closing loop after you swap out so your grommets line up nicely. Should be a perfect fit (plus makes it look a lot nicer).

If it was an emergency, I'd lift the door high enough to get the hell outta there!

Seriously, the Arizona skyvan was fun to jump out of while it was @ the WFFC... the exits were so much more fun to do than the Otter... at least it made the piroette exits much easier to do.

I was doing twist exits the whole convention, where you hug yourself into a twist which eventually goes into a headdown-spin. Then, just bring those arms out and your spin slows down to a neat little stop. Looks cool on video!

I wouldn't worry about the @#&* coming out if you're holding the d-bag in your lap as the plane is going down. You can always cut away if something bad happens (like it gets sucked out the door and starts inflating).

I would wanna bear-hug that dbag like a muffu&&@a!

For a comparison to other sports, check the table printed on page 13 of the April 1990 issue of Parachutist. Here is a comparison of the risks of participating in various activities. It was put together by the U.S. Hang Gliding Association using data collected from various air sports organizations and melding it with data from the National Safety Council and other sources.

Activity Participants Fatalities Rate per 100,000
per year participants
All accidents 230,000,000 96,000 42
Traffic Fatalities 162,850,000 46,000 28
Power Boat Racing 7,000 5 71
SCUBA 300,000 140 47
Mountaineering 60,000 30 50
Boxing 6,000 3 50

AIR VEHICLES:
Air Shows 1,000 5 500
Homebuilt 8,000 25 312
General Aviation 550,000 800 145
Sailplane 20,000 9 45
Balloon 4,500 3 67
Hang Gliding 25,000 10 40
SKYDIVING 110,000 28 25


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Now, this is old data... but 25 deaths per 100G is much nicer to digest than 40/100,000.

-C

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No jet? I bet Danhole is mad that he can't wet his pants! At least they got to jump the C-130 or did that not show up either?

The C-130 was there when I left.

Okay... I'm venting.

Why do whuffos think that hangliding is somehow safer than skydiving? I'm only asking this here because I've heard this crap for the third time this week.

Hangliding involves:
o) No reserve wing. You're stuck if the canvas for your wing tears.
o) Tough takeoffs and landings on steep terrain. Anyone successfully hanglide on a flat plain with a nice little runway?
o) Lot o' accidents. They aren't an eventuality like in skydiving, they are a certainty.
o) Lots of experience. I don't know anyone who hanglides that doesn't already have lots of hours in a glider. What makes these whuffos think they are going to know how to spot thermals and rise on them?

Since it's not completely over yet it's not yet judgement time. But for the first five days I was there everything seemed very behaved.

I'm sure everyone will go beserk and it will be a wild orgyfuck when the 727 arrives.