Demar

If we have another no turbine weekend, is anyone interested in organizing a road trip over to OH? Send me an email.

I bought a new single pin container (Wings) but my old container is a 2 pin Vigil. Where do I go to buy a new single pin cutter?

We all get the inevitable "Why?" questions and regardless of what you say, they just can't get their arms around the concept. Here is how I answer them - usually the response is "Oh, okay." High Flight Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew - And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941

I live in Indiana, trained here and continue to jump at Greensburg. We've been shutdown because of clouds and rain but I don't recall excessive winds causing a stop but of course that could be just being lucky and not being at the DZ on those days. However, I jumped at Elsinore a few times and was surprised once when they called a suspension due to winds. To me, they winds were'nt heavy at all compared to what I was use to jumping in.

All right - I'm not originally FROM Indiana but have lived in Indianapolis for many years - by the way, I love it here. Best DZ around is Skydive Greensburg - to give you an idea of just how good of a DZ, it is one of Jay Stokes home DZ's. If Jay chooses it, I'm pretty sure you'd like it too.

I had similar issues with my daughter - she is pregnant with my 1st grandchild. She gave me "I want the baby to grow up knowing her grandpa" guilt trip. I sat down with her and explained the mechanics of skydiving, the training that is involved before you're allowed to on your own and the built in safety aspects ie; AAD's. While she said she understand all of that she still didn't understand WHY I want to skydive. Instead of trying to explain further I asked her to read my favorite poem, afterwards she said she still didn't like it but now understands why I dive. Here's the poem, for me it explains it all, perhaps it will help your girlfriend understand too. HIGH FLIGHT Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up the long delirious, burning blue, I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace Where never lark, or even eagle flew - And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod The high untresspassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God. Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee No 412 squadron, RCAF Killed 11 December 1941

220 exit.

Just bought my 1st complete rig from my DZO. Infinity container, 230 spectre, 193 reserve - no AAD. It has 10 jumps on it. $2400. Was this a good price?

Obviously the 1st timer has to be someone who is genuinely interested in the sport in the first place, not just reacting to peer pressure. Beyond that, they need to have the financial means to pursue the sport...lets face it, it is expensive. After that, the tandem instructor has a great deal of influence on a 1st timer continuing to pursue the sport. How they relate to the passenger, how well they explain the event about to take place. All of this builds confidence in the mind of the passenger and can relieve their anxiety. I was fortunate to have an instructor some of you may have heard of as my instructor...Jay Stokes. He took the time to get to know me a little, why was I doing this, how I was feeling, and then thoroughly explained the equipment, what the experience would be like, the safety factors built into the sport, what he would be doing, what I should expect at each point of the dive. After that 1st jump, I signed up for another tandem 2 weeks later and requested Jay as the instructor. He remembered me, recalled the dive and how it had gone. He explained the sport in depth and discussed what to expect if I continued on. Because of his enthusiasm and the level of confidence I had gained in him in a short period of time I signed up for AFF training and requested Jay as my instructor. The speed at which I progressed and obtained my license is a testament to his teaching abilities. So, to answer the question...The right tandem INSTRUCTOR helps the sport immensely - consequently, the wrong instructor could also hurt it. For all you tandem instructors out there, emulate Jay and the sport will grow.