VideoFly

While on the plane advise might not be better than advice given prior to boarding, it is better than condolences for a skydive gone bad. If he was concerned about what you said to the point of doubting that he was safe, all he had to do was seat belt the helmet to the plane and jump without it or if that was not an option, he could have landed with the plane. It is not too unusual to see horribly dangerous camera set-ups. Someone needs to speak up, no matter how inconvenient the timing is.

The last problem I had on my Mac was some kind of worm in the late 90's. I fixed it pretty easily.

Having filmed many tandem jumps, the above statement is absolutely correct. The numbers of variables which may affect the outcome of correcting problems, which may be inherent to tandem jumps, are innumerable. With the addition of equipment, an inexperienced student with unpredictable and untrained behaviors, varying aerodynamics, and a whole realm of responsibilities to be dealt with, there are few black and white decisions to be made in the event of an unsmooth and faulty skydive. I have witnessed such occurrences and oftentimes, as TI’s work to remedy one problem, new ones may rapidly arise. In essence, emergency procedures on tandem skydives often turn into chains of potentially dangerous events. Subsequently, decisions to be made by tandem instructors are plentiful, which is why their training and preparation is so stringent. While I may have chopped the problematic main in question if I was on a solo skydive, the decision to be made in this case was based solely on the judgment of the trained and licensed TI. Additionally, the student made a well-informed and deliberate decision to trust and jump with that TI. All-too-often we condemn tandem skydiving for being treated as an amusement park ride, placing little to no responsibility for that condition to students’ behaviors and choices. When I was a student, I viewed every jump with a sincere note of seriousness, knowing the potential dangers involved and I am not sure that some tandem skydiving environments always project that attitude. Perhaps, for the sake of conducting a focused and productive discussion, this thread should concentrate on whether or not the reader would have chopped the main in question rather than whether or not the TI in this instance used good judgment in not chopping it. The TI was in control of that skydive. He made a conscious and assumingly well informed decision, which fell within the realm of prudent and possible choices based on many variables we may not be aware of. He did not outright violate BSR’s and in the end, he and his student own the outcomes of that skydive.

Chesapeake, Virginia- No power, but running essentials on a generator (water pump, refrigerator, modem, lights, and phone charger). Flooding is bad and supposed to get much worse. Two B-vent leaks with holes in ceilings to let the water drip into buckets. Trees down in road and winds expected to pick up in a few hours. This will be a bad one, but probably not as bad as some others. In the past, we have gone three weeks without power.

Several years ago, I was diagnosed with a highly advanced viral count associated with Hepatitis C, genotype 1A and cirrhosis of the liver. I was told that there were no available approved treatments and that I should ensure that all of my paperwork was complete as I could expect to live perhaps six more months. However, I was informed of an experimental study that I was eligible to participate in, which involved regularly injecting double doses of interferon combined with double doses of riboviron. There was a somewhat large experimental study group even though we were informed that the side effects would be devastatingly significant. I participated in the study and experienced a high amount of weight loss, the destruction of my thyroid glands, hair loss, a lethargic lifestyle, psychotic episodes, an almost total loss of red blood cells, hearing problems, comas, and many other problems. Each week, as I was monitored by medical professionals, I was told of others either dying or being pulled from the study because of severe side effects. But I persisted as I was a single father of three and not ready to give up. During the one year study, I visited the DZ as often as I could and rested on a bench and suffered. Much of the time, I barely felt alive, but I pushed on and continued with the treatment. At about 30 weeks into the study, my viral count began to drop as the medication killed the rapid growing cells within my body along with the virus. Following that, I persisted, in spite of often going in and out of consciousness and reality. Finally, after one year, I was the last standing subject in my study group and I had a zero viral count. Following another year of recovery, I was still showing no virus. Now, with some significant damage to my organs, I live a somewhat normal lifestyle and I am still virus-free. In addition to spending a lot of time with my children, I spend as much time as I can with my three grandchildren. Life is good. While treatment of this type is a personal choice and not always successful, I am glad that I did it.

Studebaker Hawk is another great. You’ve got to love those foil wings!

I have seen Zappa about 30 times, went to his Baby Snakes film preview in a small theater in NYC with him there, I’ve hung with Flo and Eddie in the village, been to Zappa’s panty quilt exhibition in Denver, and still have about 35 old vinyl albums of his. I guess I’m a fan from long ago and one of my favorite songs is Mud Shark, but there are many others too.

Having a tandem student injured while landing a compromised reserve is in my opinion, more tolerable that if the injury occurred while landing under a compromised main. I know this may sound terrible, but I am just posing several questions. Might it be possible that in some instances, the decision to not chop a compromised, but possibly landable main, may involve thoughts of avoiding expenses of repacking a downed rig and the possible loss an expensive main canopy? Could an instructor fear ridicule for cutting a possibly landable main away? Might an instructor lack the experience and/or training to be comfortable cutting a compromised main canopy away?

Really? A line over on a reserve? I know things happen and a perfectly good pack job can open improperly due to many other variables, but as I watch my rigger meticulously pack my reserve, he often explains why and how he places the lines and fabric to specifically avoid a line over as well as other potential problems. While I can appreciate that the decision to cut a main canopy away may include thoughts of the reserve not performing properly, a tandem instructor must make a quick and deliberate decision without second-guessing a reserve’s performance. In the situation you described, I believe your friend made the correct decision. It was unfortunate that there was a problem with his reserve, but his good decision to cut away and the fact that the reserve “opened with a line over”, or should I say, may have been packed to open with a line over are two completely separate issues, which affected a single skydive. I have seen tandem instructors land compromised main canopies, usually with satisfactory results, but that gamble may also place students into an unsatisfactory situation.

Is it possible that in the case you presented, the questionable judgment was in the choice of rigger? I know there are many variables involved, but when I choose a rigger to pack my reserve, I do so with the expectation that I will have a good reserve overhead when needed.

That's great flying. You are an amazing skydiver.

+1 We've used my outside video to debrief students many times, for many years.

I recently participated in an experimental study to test a new camera, called the Pillcam, to test the effectiveness of images against those from a colonoscopy. I swallowed the camera and it took photos as it traveled through my digestive tract until it exited (gross – I know). The almost no-weight and practically indestructible camera runs on its own battery for about ten hours and sends images to a computer via a small receiver-sender that I wore on a belt pack. The unit has two cameras, one on the front and one on the back and each camera has four flashes surrounding the lens. The full-color images were incredibly detailed, albeit in close-up mode. The focal length can be changed with different lenses. Advantages over traditional colonoscopies include minimal evasiveness and imaging from mouth to exit, instead of just the lower end. The procedure involved no discomfort. I’m sending this post to explore ideas related to minimizing weight, bulk, and many of the potential hazards integral to jumping traditional skydiving video set-ups. On the other hand, it could make cameras even more accessible to jumpers unprepared to deal with the distractions inherent to camera flying. It appears that the future of skydiving videography will certainly remain in a state of rapid transition. Unfortunately, it will be too late for camera flyers like me, with titanium necks. Before you comment… Camera mounting options may be unlimited and no, you won’t have to shoot pictures from Cat position!

I had that dream in high school. I went to class and realized it was December and I hadn’t been to class since midway through September. The class was doing work and I didn’t have a clue what was going on. Oh wait…that really happened.

I’ve jumped over ten years after having S1-L4,5 removed with a double laminectomy and have been jumping with a C5,6, & 7 fused with a titanium plate. Although many doctors will tell you that you should never skydive regardless of your injury, my advice is still that you ask your doctor’s opinion.

As a middle school principal, I deal with loads of student fights which are initiated and exacerbated by Face Book bullying, threatening and gossiping by peers. As a result, violent incidents at school and at home have skyrocketed in recent years. Oftentimes, parents of students involved in fights defend their children by using negative Face Book communication as an excuse and justification for fighting. Sometimes parents of students in trouble ask me what they can do to protect their children from violence and when I suggest possibly suspending and/or monitoring their children’s Face Book communication, they act as if my ideas are preposterous. The decision to allow children to have Face Book accounts should be made by parents. Additionally, on-line communication can be beneficial or it can be detrimental to a child’s well being. I believe that determining factors are directly related to parental communication, monitoring, and the setting of good examples.

I saw it on Broadway a couple of years ago. It was great.

Instead of flying a rigid body with a shaky head; fly a rigid head with a shaky body. Relax while keeping your camera locked on the subject and fly your body instinctively. Use a magical videographer’s sensibility and awareness to stay safe. Equipment issues aside, the flying skills will hopefully come in time.

My daughter’s teeth were crooked at seven and straightened out beautifully on their own during high school. My son’s teeth were crooked and never straightened out. Now, after high school, he is using Invisaline and the process is working wonderfully with little to no impact on his appearance as you cannot notice that he is wearing them. I had braces as a child. I’m not sure it was worth it in the very long run as I have no teeth now anyway:( It can’t hurt to get several opinions and be somewhat conservative in your choices. Seven is still young.

I’ve had a bunch of great Tony Suits. I had three of them made for me and when they needed alteration, Tony did them perfectly for no charge. For me, it will always be Tony Suits. They are both functionally and aesthetically fantastic!

I started at 43.

I have films of loose goggles, goggles blowing off, no goggles, upside-down goggles, and goggles pulled down over the mouth. In my opinion, great instructors rarely have students with goggle problems because they help to ensure proper fit prior to exiting the plane. Additionally, I have on many occasions from outside on the camera step, stopped an exit to let the instructor know that there was a goggle problem.

I’ve been going through many disastrous scenarios with this picture. The bottom line is that the instructor threw a snag point into the dive. I am curious about the sequence of events and only hope the GoPro broke off prior to the main releasing. This is a truly messed up situation. Additionally, I have safely filmed hundreds of AFF jumps from outside camera position. It is very different than other types of filming with many potential hazards, most of which may be mitigated through excellent planning and communication with jumpmasters.

After about two years of jumping and a couple of hundred jumps, I went from a 170 Sabre I to a 150 Sabre I, to a 150 Cobalt, to a 139 Alpha, to a 120 Cobalt, in about 300 jumps. The downsize was easy because I was too cool, indestructible, and all the big boys were doing it. I put 400 jumps on the 120 with a wing loading of 2.1:1. One day I chopped the 120 during a line twisted (all the way to the slider) spinner. After that, I upsized back to my 150 Cobalt and have jumped it since. No horror stories here, but I was lucky.

Ten years ago- 1,100 feet as a new videographer filming a friend’s 100th jump and wanting to film him getting “sharked”. Fortunately, I was jumping a Sabre I, which opened quickly. I beat my Cypres and learned a big lesson about being distracted when filming.