wildfan75

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Posts posted by wildfan75

  3. Skydivesg

    ***Maybe this should go to the General group, but it does relate to this incident. I am developing a pet peeve around the almost inevitable cryptic "BSBD" FB status updates that begin to appear shortly after sport fatalities lately.

    When you do this you are telling all your friends publicly that someone in our world has died. You aren't posting the name, because you know you aren't supposed to yet. But you want all the world to know that something bad has happened.

    Your friends, and worse yet, the family of your friends will know that the knock at the door by the authorities is coming shortly, but not where it will be. Is it my brother, sister, father, mother, son or daughter? Don't know but it might be.

    Why do people do this? Is it because they just don't think? Or is is it because they want to be the first?

    If you can't name the person, and if the info is not yet generally public, this is just plain cruel.

    Rant over.



    I must say, I agree with you.

    I've been concerned for some time that our society has lost much of it's personal relationship skills and has become desensitized due to the internet.

    In our need to feel important and relevant, our empathy and compassion is all too often reduced to that of a keyboard.

    My prayers go out to the family and friends of yet another of our lost brothers.

    I can't say ditto strongly enough to this! And this includes dzo's talking to the media and giving interviews. When my fiance went in, the news were airing interviews with his name and picture complete with the dzo talking about how much Todd loved skydiving before we could notify family, including his children, who were about thirty feet from finding out that their dad had died through the TV news. I cannot stress enough how important and valueable it is to allow family and very close friends to be notified in a caring and private manner. I'd say that also goes for the media too but we all know they don't give a rat's ass about doing the right and moral thing.

  4. I look at it more as I'm paying to go have a kick ass vacation. Between airfare, lodging, car rental, the cost of an event or camp, and food, I get to spend time having some awesome skydives, visiting with friends, improving my skill set, and I don't have to work manifest, pack for students, making sure the next load is meeting the airplane, answering the phone, etc. What does it cost to go on a cruise, or go to Disneyland, or spending a week on a beach someplace? IMO, one should not look at it as what's it cost per jump, but rather what would your vacations cost if you weren't a skydiver.

  5. I sprained my ankle pretty bad a few days before leaving for a state record. I was on crutches putting very little weight on it until the day I left. A physical therapist that also skydives and knew how important this event was for me that I consulted told me to keep doing the ABC's with my foot, and then for jumping to "tape the fuck out of it". I wasn't going to miss a state record because of "little" ankle sprain. I sucked it up for exit, slid in most of my landings and was sure footed walking forward and backwards for dirt diving. I iced and elevated it every night, and babied it when I could. I told myself that if it kept getting worse I would throw in the towel, but it got better over the course of the week, and we got the record!

    Tape the fuck out of it, and if it gets worse, well, then you have a decision to make. Good luck!

  6. In past years my dz shut down so we could all go to Couch Freaks. At first it was a given because of the NPSL meet. And then it was a weekend for us all not to have to work while we jump. The last two or so years, attendance was down but yet there was long waits to get on a plane (land and go right to manifest to get a 80 minute call), even though there were plenty of aircraft tied down. And the belly LO's were either non-existent or limited.

    This year, a lot of us decided to stay home (we would have rather made 10 Cessna jumps than 5 turbine jumps), and our dz stayed open, but closed down for one day to go visit the neighboring turbine dz.

    It was the first Couch Freaks that's missed me since I started skydiving. I definitely missed seeing those that I saw only one time a year at Couch, but I didn't really miss the Couch. And I definitely didn't miss trying to manage a few hours of sleep with music blasted (yes, I am getting old).

    Maybe it's time for another attempt at the Iowa State Record. Maybe do a 4 way money meet?

  7. Amen! Except, more accurately, "Dija c me?!?! I was awesome!" :)
    It blows my mind that it's been five years. Seems like just yesterday we were screaming for the C182 window because Todd dropped ass in the plane so bad he could taste it, but seems like an eternity since I last heard him laugh or felt his arms around me.

    I had the chance to get a few skydives in today at the dz that Todd had his accident. Seemed like a fitting thing to do. As I was driving there, all I could think of was that horrible, horrible drive five years ago. And then I got to the dz and all seemed right again.

    Skydiving is an amazing sport. It gives so much, and sometimes it takes away. But after every time it takes away, it'll go back to giving. Thanks to my skydiving family for getting me through the last five years! Have fun, be safe and see ya at the dz!

  8. You bought it in 2000, but year was it made?

    Strong puts a 18 year (I believe) year life span on their tandem rigs no matter what condition they are in (I believe, you'll probably want to confirm with Strong). So regardless of the condition, the life span is going to be less than 5 year or so.

    The 18 year life span is ridiculous. I'm from a small Cessna dropzone in the midwest. We jump in grass, and only do tandems during the "warm" months. We just retired one of our Strong rig because of the life span in FAR better condition than the used one we purchased to replace (although it is still airworthy and safe).

    Edited to include:

    From the Strong website:
    1.2 Operational Limitations
    The Strong Enterprises Dual Hawk Tandem System is specifically designed for two people with
    total loads of up to 500 lbs and opening speeds up to 175 knots IAS. The use of unapproved parts
    and components is prohibited and a violation of both Service Bulletin #22 (Appendix A) and FAA
    FAR 65.129 (Appendix F).
    All Dual Hawk Tandem Systems are authorized to use for eight years from date of manufacture
    (+/- 6 months), at which point they must be returned to Strong Enterprises or an authorized Strong
    Enterprises Recertification Center for required updating and recertification. After inspection, and if
    necessary reconditioning of the system, it may be placed back into service for five more years. At the
    13th year from date of manufacture (+/- 6 months) the system must again be sent in for necessary
    reconditioning/recertification and may be returned to service for an additional five years. At the 18th
    year from date of manufacture the container/harness, risers and student harness will be taken out
    of service, however the Master reserve canopy may be recertified one more time for an additional 5
    years after which it will be taken out of service.
    COMPLETE SERvICE LIFE OF HARNESS/ CONTAINER & STuDENT HARNESS: 18 yEARS
    COMPLETE SERvICE LIFE OF MASTER RESERvE CANOPy: (23) 18

    http://www.strongparachutes.com/docs/Tandem/DHT_2012.pdf

  12. Quote

    wrestling-type gym mats (i.e. rubber-coated fairly dense foam)

    Wendy P.



    Ditto this. We have three 182s and the most comfortable mat is the one we got from a high school that was replacing their gym floor mat and we picked up their old one. The second best one is the similar to this one, and the most uncomfortable one is basically cheap foam with a nylon cover.

  14. Thanks for that link but not what I was thinking of. My memory may be failing me, but I seem to recall an incident or two when the white loop that the cutaway cable goes through broke, releasing the riser on that side, causing a very low malfunction where the jumper didn't have time to cutaway and deploy the reserve in time.

  15. Can anyone help me find info on incident(s) that were or may have been caused by the cutaway loop (the loop on the risers that the cutaway cable goes through) breaking? My brain has me thinking that it was with an Infinity rig? I tried to use the search function but must not be coming up with the right string of words. I'm not looking to stir anything up but just looking for info for research and learning purposes. Any help will be appreciated!!!

  16. Quote

    That Rook Nelson explained thing's quite nicely :]



    It was nice to hear an another analogy to how he can jump after losing his dad to the sport. People are always floored when they find out that I still skydive after losing my fiance to the sport. I've always responded with "Do you think Dale Earnhardt wife gave up driving a car because he died driving a car?"

    Best quote was "I've never been upset in freefall. I'm always happy."

  17. I put about 800 jumps on my Sabre1 150. It was in brand new condition when I got it. I rolled the nose and did all the tricks when I got it and 4 out of 5 openings were brisk and the other 1 out of 5 was a slammer. I had my rigger put a pocket on the slider and I had fantastic opening everytime after that (didn't have to roll the nose or anything, packed like normal).

    I loved that canopy!

  21. It helps to be more specific about what you're looking for.

    Are you looking for a warm weather destination? Perris, Eloy, Z-Hills, Spaceland, etc are open all year 'round.

    Are you looking for someplace close to home? If so, where is home? If it is Chicago as listed in your profile, East Troy is open on the weekends during the winter.

    You could also call the dz's closest to you and ask them.

  23. This appears to be the one day of the year that I find absolutely nothing good about it. No matter how perfect the weather could ever be, it will always be overcast at 600', 40 gusting to 50mph winds, and with rain and sleet. That's right...just plain shitty.

    One of my favorite quotes is by a man named Theodor Geisel: "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Most days I feel incredible lucky to have found "the one" and to have him in my life for the time that I did. Some people go their entire lives never having found "the one".

    Maybe time would have proven Todd may not have been my "the one". But ignorance is bliss and if that ignorance makes my face smile and my heart laugh, I'm okay with that. Even though I would rather hate his guts but still be able to see him walk into a room with his chest held high because he's "Fuckin' Todd Jacobson".

    Todd - Lots of things have changed since you left. Jedei's a little more grey, and slowing down quite a bit. Your gear is gone and I took over your locker. I haven't had apple pie for quite awhile. The landing area is bigger, we have a new pop machine and the student room just got new windows. But we still laugh at your stories and the things that you did all the same as if you were here. We wish you were here. I wish you were here. I hope I make you proud.

  24. I know a rigger that has his official FAA seal on one side and "MBG" on the other. I going to assume that you just need your official seal on one side.

    "MBG" is Money Back Guarantee. If you're reserve fails to open, he'll give you your money back, guaranteed.:S

  25. Quote

    It's a very simple wave off, done with both hands, then you turn and track. This comes from a time before people had audibles and breakoffs were at lower altitudes than nowadays (typically 3500 ft, 4000 ft for bigger 16 Way size stuff, and 4500 for the truly big 30+ size formations).



    A wave off, to me means, I'm deploying. If you wave off before tracking, I shit my pants and get the fuck out of dodge because "you're deploying". If I see the soles of someone's feet tracking away from me, I know they are done skydiving and they've signaled their break off.

    To me, waving off is a waste of altitude. You could have used that two or three extra seconds tracking (or finishing the point) and we would have gotten more separation. The soles of your feet tracking away makes it very clear that you're done with the jump.

    I'm also a big fan of not checking your altimeter between tracking, waving off and deploying. Why are you checking your altimeter? Are you checking to see if you were low? If so, wouldn't you have liked that extra three-four seconds (~800 feet) to deploy higher?