skygypsie

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Posts posted by skygypsie

  2. We actually took one, adding a bit of our own custom modifications to our preference, to a local metal fabricator & had 100 custom tooled from harder steel.

    *personally don't like round end & sharp groove edges sometimes catches cord, so had it modified enough to hold cord in place & these don't bend.

    Costs = just pennies !

    We have quite few cypress line (finger trapped), cords premade, so always have a few ready to go, for years to come & give to students we've taught to Pro Pack &/or other Staff Tandem Packers ;)

  5. JohnMitchell

    ***Power tools...absolutely a Packer's best friend !

    "For tandems, I lay them out for the professional packers." :DB|



    ...they always do, John... :P:)
    even hubby, has been known to just "drop" his off for me to pack...

    I do appreciate how you say you "lay" yours out...some have come back pretty gnarly :|:o

    So 2nd to a power tool being this Packer's best friend...

    is a respectful & grateful TI-turning hot loads or not B|;)

  7. I have an Original Pack Boy, with "Pack Boy" engraved on the steel.
    It was given to me by my instructor (now husband), when I learned to pack, 10 years ago.
    It was given to him by his good friend "Tony Rapasky", who died a short time later on a jump.
    It is the best 'power tool' I've ever used, but have retired it for sentimental reasons.

    ~BSBD Tony~

  8. Power tools...absolutely a Packer's best friend !
    I was a Lead Packer for 8 seasons (now only for hub, if dz falls behind, teach students).
    I've over 10,000 tandem packs (Strong & Vector/Sigma) & at least that many in student & up jumper packs.
    Vector Sigma Tandem rigs per mfg. reqs. closing can only be done w/ a power tool.
    Sport rigs or for those who would rather modify their closing loops; possibly jeopardizing their openings because they can't close with pull up cord or their own ability, a power tool will solve those issues...its also faster.
    They also lessen wear & friction on the closing loop.
    I (my hub, as well) teach Pro packing to new students, lending a power tool to them, to learn to use it properly.
    Once they have successfully packed & jumped their own pack, they receive their own congrats/grad, power tool....we then have to teach them how to finger trap cypress line to make their own cords.
    I have, but would rather close w/ one...& I do wear them around my neck.
    When Staff Packing up to 40 tandem rigs/day, w/ allowance for an occasional jump in between, it is much 'safer' & convenient keeping it around the neck, than lying on the floor to lose track of...more importantly to entangle or snag fabric or gear.
    You can't keep them in a pocket...beyond multiple contorted body positioning, using most appendages, needed to pack especially tandems, not real smart to keep a sharp steel object where your body meets fabric.
    I do Remove Before Flight, however !

    * they are also beneficial for removing tightly knotted, broken rubber bands...rather than some packers I've seen leaving a scissors or other cutting tool lying on the packing floor, or those who would rather just add a 'new' one around the broken one :|

  9. BIGUN


    Quote

    I'm now curious: "what was the trigger to quit" ?



    Not too disimiliar to yours.... except I had about 40 bikers behind me that convinced me that getting splattered with some chaw at 85 mph was getting irritating. :|


    :$
    B|

  10. BIGUN: Funny you say that "Who's stronger, me or you ?"

    There were a few times I opened that drawer & had a stare down with that unopened pack ;)

    I'm now curious: "what was the trigger to quit" ?

    Mine: riding Harley 70 mph & had the annoying 'tickle' (didn't have the smoker's cough yet).

    I couldn't clear my throat.

    You know how hard it is to cough into the wind 70mph ?

    Duh, that would be like attempting to cough in free fall -

  11. Good for you ;)

    I'm closing in on 4 months w/out a puff :)
    Never thought I'd ever be a smoker...didn't start till I was 50...who does that ? :S

    Coincidently, this was the same time I started skydiving & became a dz staffer :P

    I also never thought it would be a problem to quit [:/]

    *Quit tip that worked for me: kept a full pack & new lighter in a drawer for 1st 2 weeks.

    Every time I felt I HAD to light up, pulled out the pack, realizing if I opened it, I was all done.
    So would look at it, put it back in the drawer.
    After 2 weeks, got rid of them B|

  13. ...doing daily putzing & household chores; with the tv on, when news broke of 1st tower being hit & watched as 2nd tower was hit.
    I stayed glued to the news/tv the rest of the day as the rest of of the day's terror & horror unfolded...concerned for my son in law's safety, who worked for Chicago Board of Trade, wondering if Sears Tower would also be hit...


    'Hubby' had just completed 1st jump course the weekend before, held off dz.
    He was rigging up for his 1st jump-S/L when the skies were closed !

  16. I was bartending part time nights (Nursing-full time days), when a younger guy walks into the bar.
    He had an intriguing look about him I typically wasn't attracted to.
    He invited me home that night. I declined, but
    we 'hooked' up 2 nights later. He was 32. I was 49.
    He also became my skydiving instructor.
    That was 10/05/06. We married 07/01/10.
    We've been together everyday since that 1st night :)

  17. I hated every second living in Anchorage.

    Murder warnings/ alerts go across tv screen like wx alerts.

    Women were raped, killed leaving the Safeway store just going to their car.

    A brutal murder 3 blocks from my home occurred at the time I lived there: Charles Meach chased & murdered 4 teens camping in the park on Debarr St.

    I lived on Muldoon & Island Dr (7820 Island Dr. to be exact), at the time.

    * details given if P5 needs to check it out for validity

    The experiences I am aware of during the time I was there does not make me "an expert", but definitely occurred, giving me some self entitlement to participate & voice with knowledge...

    In my opinion, the outlying bush areas are absolutely amazing...in beauty & the wild, but that's the most positive I can say about those areas as far as the locals go...back in the early 80's, at least.

    I have no expertise, knowledge nor opinion since....

    * to keep with the thread...never heard Denali referred to in any other way the entire time I was there !

  18. Excellent article, excellent program.
    Thank you for pointing it out to me.

    No doubt modifications within the initial infrastructure of the applicable requirements have been necessary since the time I was working / living there.
    As in any program there must be a trial & error period to work out the "kinks", especially when the word is out free monies is being distributed.

    I would also like to add my father in law helped build the TransAlaskan Pipeline in 1974 to 1976 & continued working the pipeline with my 2 brother in laws, in Prudhoe Bay for many years.
    My father in law worked there until his death.

  19. promise5

    The baby has to have been born the year before.
    PFD's get paid for the previous year, its misinforming to say an unborn child gets a PFD. :P



    I have no clue what the requirements are now or since then, but the 1st year of the program, the requirement was 6 months residency & unborn 'fetus' at least 6 months to term.

    Where were you in '80-'83 ?

    I was there raising my family, paying taxes, working as a Federal Employee, living in Government Hill-off Elmendorf Air Force Base...& on occasion venturing out to outlying bush areas & vacations-hunting trips to Denali National Park :S

  20. Question for you: does that "politically incorrect" state" still offer the Alaskan Dividend payout to all residents who have established residency there for at least 6 months, to include woman who were at least 6 months pregnant?
    My 2nd year as a resident there was the 1st year they started the program. Each person who registered with the state; to include unborn children, received $1000 from this "politically incorrect state" due to excess in oil revenue.
    I resided in Anchorage (pop at the time 333,000).
    When the word got out to "the outside" (i.e. the lower 48), Anchorage alone had an influx of 1000/ week from "the outside" flocking to AK. to set up temporary residency to apply for, & receive the pay out. All that was needed was to provide a valid address, social security numbers, confirmation from a physician of pregnancy due date.
    It became so bad tent cities were set up as jobs & housing could not accommodate the influx.
    Anchorage then had the highest crime rate per capita in the nation.
    This "politically incorrect" state chose to make a decision any family or individual who could not secure housing or employment within 2 weeks of their arrival were flown back at the State's expense (i.e. taxpayer's of AK).
    That was a while back, but question your inference & description Alaska as a whole is "politically incorrect" ? [:/]

  21. normiss

    Isn't it in a National Park?
    :P



    ...& a beautiful NATIONAL Park at that.
    I've been there many times in 3 yrs I was a transient resident of Alaska, but never considered myself an "Alaskan"....;)

  23. Amazon

    ***As usual, the old, "so what you're saying is..." technique fails.

    I think it is obvious what I was saying, because I said it quite plainly. No spin required, thanks.



    Add the sailor to the list of the dead >:(

    I believe that at this point..... there needs to be a sidearm incorporated into the uniform of ALL service members. With this latest threat from ISIS to go after them here in the homeland... I think OPEN CARRY by our service members should be mandatory.... They are targets... let all of them be trained and act accordingly...[:/]

    +1

  24. https://www.eaa.org/en/airventure/eaa-airventure-schedule-of-events

    https://www.eaa.org/airventure/event/Eagles_Skydive_Post_Jump_With_Video?id=E9F057B9B74849B2888CE3BBC4496892

    https://www.eaa.org/airventure/event/Eagles_Skydive_Post_Jump_With_Video?id=CBEAED4C4D8942D5AF1DB0C649B17940

    -------------------------------------------------
    400Way Skydiving Record
    Tuesday, July 21 · 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
    Forum Stage 1

    Wednesday Air Show
    Wednesday, July 22 · 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM
    Flightline
    Eagles Skydive Post Jump With Video

    Wednesday, July 22 · 5:00 PM - 6:15 AM
    Forum Stage 7
    Wednesday Night Air Show

    Wednesday, July 22 · 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM
    Flightline
    Skydiving Pioneers

    Thursday, July 23 · 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
    Forum Stage 9

    Friday Air Show
    Friday, July 24 · 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM
    Flightline
    Eagles Skydive Post Jump With Video

    Friday, July 24 · 4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
    Forum Stage 7