jdfreefly

The problem with that theory is this: Let's say I open a DZ, and I decide I'm going to fix this by paying top dollar (base salary, benefits + good per jump rates) to my instructors and expecting them to uniformly perform at a high level. Someone else an hour or two away opens a competing dropzone and pays $20 a jump, standard industry contractor situation...no bennies, no base but we'll give you staff rates at manifest!!!! They also offer their AFF program for $300 less than mine and tandems are half the price of mine. Where do you think all the students in the area will go? How long will I be able to operate? Even if I'm independently wealthy and don't care about making money, it still doesn't stop the problem since none of the new students are coming through my operation. The instruction will only be as good as the people paying for it demand, and they aren't smart enough to give a shit. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Trying to avoid a canopy collision at 150 feet is a sure fire way to have one, and landing off won't necessarily make you any safer. All it takes is one more person with the same thought and one of you with a momentary lack of awareness to kill you and them. Start planning your pattern in the loading area. Adjust the plan to your spot the second you have a landable parachute over your head. Start counting canopies when you open. Look for outliers who don't seem to be following the rest of the herd. Stack the pattern so you're not all landing at the same time. Call out your friends when they compress the pattern. Evaluate close calls with a critical eye to your own actions first, and others second. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Since I haven't started a new job yet, I've got some time on my hands. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVFzjPbhkp8 Shot almost entirely with a gopro at the New Year's boogie in Puerto Escondido Mexico. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Thanks man. I couldn't figure out how to group them properly. Unfortunately, I want to speed them up over 400% and I don't think I can without pre-rendering at 400% and speeding it up again so I had to render anyway. I found ways to do it for 9 pro, but not platinum which is what I have. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I have multiple clips that I want to fast motion as one clip..in other words I want to treat all the clips/events as one event and speed it up at the same rate....really I have a set portion of the background music I want it to fill. Is there a way to do this without first rendering it to a single clip? Methane Freefly - got stink?

Yes, but as a good (ex)boyscout I will be building a pyramid style fire. The Koran will form the pillars, a bible will be on top and I will crumple the pages of a torrah for the fuel in the center. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Good catch, I miss-read the OP and thought it was a Sabre. That said, calling the manufacturer (In this case Aerodyne) and getting a slider from them would be a good idea. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I would argue that the root cause was the slider you are using has a snag hazard on it. I'd be interested to know where you got that thing, it certainly wasn't given to you by PD. Get rid of that slider and get one without that ridiculous snag hazard...or better yet order a new one from PD. Methane Freefly - got stink?

If you are that close, you should go to crosskeys with a case of beer and seek out: Dave Pankake Rob Stanley Mark Kruse That's a few names of people I learned from and would trust, but there are many others there. If Kruse suggests you move on to tequila, my advice is that you call it a night, that's more dangerous than you on a nitro 150. Offer to share your beer with them if they sit down and talk to you about what a sensible canopy progression looks like. Do very little talking and a lot of listening. trolls....I like to feed to them Methane Freefly - got stink?

I'm getting there...miss you guys Methane Freefly - got stink?

If you haven't already done so, take a trip to the Ranch in New York and check out there wall of pain. I wish they would scan all those pics and put them up on the web. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I did not buy a daiquiri, was that required? My BEER wingsuit jump was lots of fun. Thanks to Monkey for the very thorough ground school, always fun to go back to being a student! Need to find me a suit now. Methane Freefly - got stink?

The "not a distraction at all for others" part. Not necessarily directed at the OP: If you've got low jump numbers and think that you are somehow a more exceptional skydiver than all those that went before you to write these rules in blood you are just asking to write your own little bloody footnote on why these recommendations should be followed. You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are just like every other skydiver that came before you who was wholly convinced in their own mind that the rules should not apply to them. The chances are good that you will get lucky and get through the next 500 jumps without hurting yourself or others but that still won't mean you were right. Methane Freefly - got stink?

I think we've seen plenty of examples to say you are just plain wrong. We already had some jackass on these forums jumping a gopro with under 200 jumps bragging about how he had the presence of mind to muck with his camera helmet in the middle of dealing with a malfunction...the best part was that in the end he still didn't think it was a big deal. In the last year I've seen people with under 500 jumps jumping gopros go low and have a cypress fire, missroute a chest strap and viciously take someone out on a freefly jump. Methane Freefly - got stink?

You're just being a snooty sky god. Edit to add something useful: I think much of what people are saying here wrt gear checks is just common sense. You don't go start mucking with people's gear without asking them first, and you don't change something on their gear without asking them first. The only time I have ever manhandled someone was when they were walking back from the open door of a half empty otter and their pilot chute had stayed behind snagged on a cable used to hold up the seats. Every other time it's a gentle tap on the shoulder and then telling them what I see and asking if they want me to help fix it. I will usually follow that up with asking if they would like a full gear check because if I've seen one thing for concern who knows what else may be lurking. I try to respect the wishes of those who don't want gear checks, but I do think it sets a better example for newer jumpers to set the expectation that they should be comfortable receiving and giving a gear check and also how to do it properly. Methane Freefly - got stink?

To be clear, it's never a good idea to just start messing with someone's gear. I just don't like the attitude of not trusting other skydivers to check your gear. If I can't trust you to check my gear, I don't really want to be in the same plane as you. Edit to stop the highjack: Yes it's a fucking camera! Methane Freefly - got stink?

I'm going to assume that you are not being sarcastic, but if you are my apologies. While I completely understand this attitude, I really detest it. If you don't have confidence in the people you jump with to adequately and safely give you a gear check then spend some time with them on the ground reviewing it. When a newer jumper sees you refusing a gear check in the plane they will be that much more likely to do the same. It sets a very bad example. Also, I'm sure you think that you don't need one, but my experience is that you are wrong. A friend of mine (who was a jumpmaster) came down from a load once and threw his rig on the ground only to have his reserve pilot chute hit him in the face. He thinks the pin got pushed up in the plane and since he too was of the opinion that he didn't need a gear check it was not caught before exit. I've never seen him jump since without getting a gear check from someone else before exiting. Check your shit, check your friends shit and have your friends check your shit or one of you could be in a world of shit. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Why would we spend time checking each other's gear when we could spend that time high fiving each other prior to exit? Next you're going to expect a pin check. /sarcastic Methane Freefly - got stink?

A canopy will change it's recovery arc based on the wind. Methane Freefly - got stink?

The spot was 10 feet too low Methane Freefly - got stink?

Yeah, well everyone knows that he's just a mouthpiece for the right wingers... Methane Freefly - got stink?

Do you actually believe the bullshit that you post or are you the worlds most efficient troll? I haven't really figured it out yet but you've consistently posted some of the most idiotic advice. I'm tempted to travel to your home DZ just to meet you and figure it out once and for all. It's like you've taken 20 years of rules written in blood and re-written them in a way that is completely contrary to any thought for safety (or common sense). Methane Freefly - got stink?

Clearly there is more going on in this discussion than meets the eye, but right now, you just sound like an ass to the casual observer. Methane Freefly - got stink?

Bill, What type of plane and what type of door did the plane have in these cases? I'm curious if the seal of the door or the seal on the airplane itself may be playing a part in these events. Methane Freefly - got stink?

SUMMERFEST!!!!! This year with 50% less goats Methane Freefly - got stink?