Grubber

Hate to Hijack this thread but Todd Snyder wrote a song about DB Cooper: "DB Cooper was 43 When we first heard his name 47 miles away from Where he fell into his fame He told me that the hardest part Wasn't really jumping out of that plane It was spending the night Watching those lights Coming down through the pouring rain..." There are more verses but I recommend tracking down the actual song...he's the fellow that wrote: B double E double R U N BEER RUN! All we need is a ten and a fiver A car and a key and a sober driver B double E double R U N BEER RUN!

Do you have to make 200 regular tandem jumps prior to making your first tandem wingsuit?

+1 for Douggs' book also good are "Falling, How Our Greatest Fear Became Our Greatest Thrill" by Soden and "Birdmen, Batmen and Skyfliers" by Abrams awesome freakin' books to keep you stoked when the weather won't let you jump

Also be careful with your 3-ring/riser attachment. Some base canopies have reverse risers. Make sure your sky gear is compatible with your rings. If you ever need to chop, you want the attachment point high enough on the risers to ensure the canopy can completely separate prior to activating your reserve. God forbid you ever need to chop your BASE canopy away...that would be a bummer.

Try to get a few balloon or helicopter jumps so you know what a dead air exit feels like. Also being able to take your gear apart (supervised by a rigger so you don't mis-rig and die) is key, as you will be putting sliders on and taking them off and swapping out pilot chutes. Watch how a reserve gets packed. Get REAL good health insurance and read the riders, make sure "parachute" accidents are not excluded from your coverage.

You're gonna need a long ass closing loop; your base canopy likely has more square footage than your skydiving one.

You could always ask the TM the line from the movie "Airplane": "Nervous?" TM: "Yeah" "First time?" TM: "No, I've been nervous before."

Go for your Star Crest Recipient!

Hey THere donT bacK INto the WALL B sure to find YOur pilOT Shhoot sHould B OK! PuSsiES bIG

Dan-o was my AFF 1 ground instructor. He brought so many folks into the sport and he always had a smile on his face. Blue skies...

"Can I be on your ash dive?"

I’d read that article a little more carefully, or at least look at the pictures. Hank ain’t single.

What's the difference between a golfer and a skydiver? A golfer goes...whack! Shit! A skydiver goes...Shiiiiiiit!!! Whack!

At least Gordon knew to stay out of an airplane after too much *ahem* cough syrup? Denver's version of Darcy Farrow was bitchin', but I have to give it to Gordon Lightfoot.

Gary Busey