cpoxon

peek

OK, I have been given some figures on how your dues are spent, in particular, Parachutist magazine.

About 25% of a domestic member's dues goes to providing a mailed paper copy of Parachutist. This includes payments to contributors ($10,000 per year) and to photographers ($14,000 per year). This doe not include staff salaries and overhead.

(Keep in mind that if an online version of Parachutist exists, that some of the costs will remain if the online version is identical to the paper version.)

So I would think that the question to members would be, would you be willing to forego a paper copy of Parachutist to help keep the costs of your dues from increasing?

Presumably the advertisements in Parachutist subsidise its production? Would the advertisers be happy to pay the same rates for advertising if it was purely online?

topdocker

I'm not surprised dues are going up, like taxes, they never go down.

BPA dues went down for the 2016-2017 membership year (although our rates are usually pegged to inflation). There was no increase this year either.

Also on the website.

obelixtim

To add:

Licences are issued by your national association (BPA, USPA etc) but the licence itself is a FAI licence, which makes it international, and valid everywhere, as long as it is current and you satisfy any local requirements (logbook check, local fees or whatever). So it is not necessary to change.

Whoever gave that advice doesn't know what they are talking about.

Actually, they aren't. Back in 2011, the BPA approached the FAI because we were reprinting our Certificates (as the Licences were known back then) and the FAI logo was out of date. The FAI said that we could no longer call them FAI certificates, because they launched their own International Certificates back in 2005 (which we issue on the FAI's behalf but nobody ever applies for one) so we renamed our certificates BPA National Parachute Licences. They are still broadly similar in terms or requirements so they should be accepted internationally though.

degeneration

Sorry, maybe I wasn't as clear as I could have been in my original statement. I said I don't think I need one. Maybe there's something I'm not realising/appreciating on the capabilities of this.

I don't need one as I already have devices that do what I want, but I wanted to know what makes this a better option to have than an Optima, as if I could be reasonably convinced on that one, I'd happily replace the optima. Also, maybe this has features that an Optima doesn't have, which could make this the better device to have?

I was really just looking for real-life usage reasons as to why my kit would be better for having one of these.

I think comparing an Optima and a Brilliant Pebble is slightly unfair. The price points are completely different for a start and the Optima has a display (replaced with an app for the Pebble). But here's one for you; the Optima has 3 selectable warning altitudes whereas the Pebble has 20. Whether that's a game changer for you or not, I don't know. I do know that L&B came out with the Quattro which has 4 selectable altitudes so they felt there was a need in the market. 20 might be overkill, but I'm reminded of my blind skydiving friend Dan "Flare When You Hear The Crickets" Rossi who had a special TimeOut!!! audible made by the Cool & Groovy Fridge company that beeped every 1,000 feet. This functionality can be reproduced with the Pebble as standard. A fairly edge case but maybe a bigway (record) organiser would like a count down of the altitude. Perhaps you'd like 3 or 4 freefall alarms and then the same number of alarms under canopy to help you stage your landing? I know you have an Optima, but the next comparable unit is a Neptune which has 3 freefall and 3 canopy alarms.

It's already been said, but size; the Pebble is smaller than the Optima overall (although I think the Optima is thinner).

But most of all, I think it's biggest feature, and one of the main features to me, is the potential, but that would appear to be a bit too intangible for you. The potential to develop the functionality of the audible by firmware and app updates and the potential of young Arthur to get a bit more capital to develop this and other interesting products. He kept the initial release basic to ensure a stable product. You can wait a while for him to develop features you need if you like, but I for one am supporting him so he has the resources to do so.

degeneration

******Right, sell it to me. I've already got a Pro-track and an Optima 2... why do I need one of these?

I *want* to buy one, as who doesn't want a new toy?! The price point is excellent, but I don't think I really *need* one. Unless you can convince me otherwise. I am open to being convinced, I just don't want to end up with something I won't use over what I've already got.

How about supporting British industry and innovation and helping fund future developments?

Sorry, but I want to be sold it as a product not as a feel good pat on the back.

You said you didn't need one so how can you be sold on one? The information is in this thread already. I'm only repeating it when I say smallest, cheapest audible on the market. Innovative with the app and future developments. Sorry if supporting a young local doesn't tip you over the edge.

degeneration

Right, sell it to me. I've already got a Pro-track and an Optima 2... why do I need one of these?

I *want* to buy one, as who doesn't want a new toy?! The price point is excellent, but I don't think I really *need* one. Unless you can convince me otherwise. I am open to being convinced, I just don't want to end up with something I won't use over what I've already got.

How about supporting British industry and innovation and helping fund future developments?

jcunniff

Right... that was a on a segment of SkydiveRadio.

© Steven Stump

http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/92223862/construction-of-ifly-queenstown-underway--nzs-only-skydiving-wind-tunnel

Quote

Construction of iFly Queenstown underway - NZ's only skydiving wind tunnel

Construction of New Zealand's only indoor skydiving simulator is underway with iFly Queenstown scheduled to open in 2018.

iFly Indoor Skydiving NZ managing director Emma Beyer said the idea for the $15 million wind tunnel was first mooted for New Zealand in 2011.

The Brecon St site was in the heart of Queenstown on the tourist trail to the Skyline Gondola, which was a "perfect fit", she said.

"Having it in that location ... it's just awesome [because] the trouble with building a wind tunnel like this is it's not like building a shop. You can't just pick it up and move it."

The first shipment of parts for the attraction was due in a fortnight with construction "on track".

iFly Queenstown is a project between SkyVenture International which manufactures iFly wind tunnels and Auckland couple Emma and Gary Beyer.

Emma Beyer was on the British skydiving team that won the 2006 world champs, while husband Gary is a former world champion and 18-time US champion.

She says being in the wind tunnel is exactly the same as the freefall sensation when skydivers jump from a plane.

"You won't be able to tell the difference."

Professional skydivers and military trained in them around the world as they were much less costly and time consuming than the 30 to 60 second freefall from a plane, which took about 30 minutes in planning.

The new sport of Body Flying had developed inside tunnels and international competitions were now held. It was possible demonstrations and competitions could be held at the Queenstown site also.

However, she anticipated most people using the facility would be first-timers. It was safe for people aged from 3-years-old to 103, she said.

The construction involves an 8 metre deep basement and wind turbines that sit in the top of the building. The turbines blow air around the building, into the basement and then project it up through the centre of the building to create a 'flight chamber'.

The wind tunnel and most of the technology for the project will come from the United States.

http://www.bendbulletin.com/localstate/5286106-151/sisters-skydiving-company-moves-to-madras-but-controversy

Quote

Sisters skydiving company moves to Madras, but controversy remains
Anti-skydiving group says it will continue to push to eliminate skydiving in Sisters
By Aaron West, The Bulletin
Published May 7, 2017 at 04:01PM / Updated May 7, 2017 at 08:37PM

Even though a controversial skydiving company in Sisters recently moved its headquarters to Madras Airport, the local group that wanted the business gone shouldn’t celebrate just yet.

Skydive Awesome! will be back at Sisters Eagle Airport, its owners say.

Cara Rosier, who owns Skydive Awesome! with three other people, said her skydiving operation only began to operate out of Madras Airport this month because it couldn’t get a necessary conditional use permit from Deschutes County in time for the 2017 season.

The pushback from more than 100 Sisters residents, who formed a group called Save Our Skies and have been working for nearly a year to stop skydiving from happening in Sisters, doesn’t have anything to do with it. Save Our Skies maintains that the air traffic and noise that skydiving brings to the area is disrupting their rural ambiance.

“We don’t call it a move so much as an expansion,” said Rosier, adding that her company can still operate in Sisters under certain conditions and plans to do so “a few times a week” this summer.

“I think it’s great in Sisters, and awesome in Madras as well,” she said. “We’re happy to have both locations.”

The reason for the move comes down to safety and what the county permit allows, Rosier explained. A conditional use permit from the county is required in order for Skydive Awesome! to land beginning skydivers outside of airport property, which Rosier has to do in Sisters because the city’s airport is too small for beginning jumpers.

More experienced skydivers can still land at the Sisters airport, Rosier said, but in Madras there’s plenty of room for participants of all skill levels to land on the airport property, which doesn’t require a permit.

“We still have our office in Sisters, but we also have gracious hosts at the Madras Airport,” she said. “We have a large hangar and we can easily land there.”

Dave Campbell, manager at Sisters Eagle Airport, confirmed that Skydive Awesome! would still perform jumps in Sisters, just “not to the extent that they had been.”

Pat Kearney, who’s on the Save Our Skies leadership committee, said the skydivers’ move to Madras is a step in the right direction, but that the group wants more.

“I wouldn’t say it meets any of our goals; I’d say it just gives us additional time,” Kearney said. “We’re still committed to negotiating an end to skydiving in Sisters, and we continue to be in the process of setting up mediation sessions. There seems to be a willingness to mediate.”

Rosier agrees that she and her business partners want to compromise civilly with Save Our Skies so that everyone’s happy, but she said she’s skeptical of the group’s true intentions. An email that was unintentionally sent from an SOS group member to Skydive Awesome! in March reveals the anti-skydiving group’s true objective, Rosier claims.

The email, sent from SOS group member and Sisters attorney Marcy Edwards, is in response to a different group member’s message that proposed a potential compromise — that Skydive Awesome! still use the Sisters airport but land its skydivers closer to Redmond.

“It is a good suggestion for later in the process if we are losing,” Edwards wrote. “I am not ready to give up on trying to eliminate skydiving entirely. Let’s see how far we get before offering compromises.”

Edwards, in an interview with The Bulletin on Friday, said she stands by what she wrote in her email.

“Everybody that negotiates goes in with a goal in mind,” she said. “I’m not saying we’re not willing to negotiate, but as a goal it’s not unfair to say we want to eliminate skydiving in Sisters. There’s nothing wrong with saying that’s our goal, but we’re willing to compromise. We would be happy if they move to Madras.”

Rosier, in an email to The Bulletin, said the expansion to Madras is great for the business, but Skydive Awesome! doesn’t plan to give up its territory in Sisters.

“We have put skydiving in Central Oregon on the map, and we are happy to call Central Oregon our home,” she wrote. “So for future summers, expect to see Skydive Awesome! parachutes flying freely over Central Oregon.”

Bizarrely, it's actually quite an affirming story (includes video).

https://www.sootoday.com/great-stories/skydiving-accident-leaves-dubreuilville-als-survivor-still-smiling-3-photos-605088

Quote

Dubreuilville’s Eddy Lefrançois has been bedridden in hospitals for the past two weeks after an indoor skydiving accident left him without use of his arms – it’s just one more item checked off his bucket list.

At 22, Lefrançois was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and his doctor gave him 3-5 years to live.

In April, the now 47 year-old man commemorated 25 years since that diagnosis.

Since then, Lefrançois has been going through his ‘bucket list’ of adventures.

He has travelled to the Swiss Alps, been to see the Edmonton Oilers, World Junior Championship, and NHL Stanley Cup Finals hockey games, conquered the Las Vegas strip, and, as of just a couple weeks ago, been skydiving.

The original plan was to have Lefrançois parachute from a plane but when he was told they couldn't accommodate him because of his disease, his buddies took him to an indoor skydiving location in Oakville.

Lefrançois' ALS has left him a quadriplegic — he can't move his arms or legs — so before the skydiving experience they agreed that if anything went wrong he would start blinking to the flight instructors.

Lefrançois’ condition also means that his arms don’t have any muscle resistance and as soon as he entered the wind tunnel the air current shot his arms straight back and he says within about seven seconds he fractured them both.

He had the vague impression something was wrong so he used the blinking signal but the fractures weren’t discovered until later in the day when the pain got worse and he was pulled in for X-rays.

The incident has left Lefrançois somehow even more immobile than before.

Regularly, Lefrançois is able to maneuver his hand within a two-inch radius to control a computer mouse.

He has now lost that ability and the fractures mean that his helpers can’t lift him in and out of his chair like they used to.

To solve this Lefrançois will soon be getting a mobility lift and he is lined up to get an Eyegaze eye-operated communication and control system which will give him computer access again.

Throughout all this Lefrançois has remained in good spirits, joking and speaking positively about the ordeal.

“Eddy’s like that. He says, ‘If you live in the past you’ll have stress, if you live in the future you’ll have anxiety, so you better live in the present and live your life to the fullest,” said his sister Lise Michaud, who spoke to SooToday on behalf Lefrançois who was beside her in a phone interview from Toronto General Hospital recently.

Lefrançois' doctors have told him it will take him 3-5 months to heal from the skydiving incident however he is already almost getting in and out of the chair after just a couple of weeks.

“It’s like when he was first diagnosed with ALS, the doctor said three-to-five and he said ‘Yeah right’,” said Michaud.

Lefrançois's personal catchphrase is ‘Let’s Roll’ - the phrase Todd Morgan Beamer uttered on Flight 93 before he and other passengers tried to reclaim the plane from 9-11 terrorists.

On his website, Lefrançois writes that the phrase ‘shows no matter how bad your day may be, someone out there is having a worse day.”

Well, the 'roll' also relates because he's in a wheelchair, he writes.

Lefrançois’ determination, spirit, and joviality are all the more impressive when weighed against his descriptions of what he is going through with ALS.

“It’s like being buried alive. Everyday you are standing in a hole and every day somebody puts a shovel of sand on top of you and it gets heavier and heavier and you can’t move. You see everything, you hear everything, but you can’t move. It’s like you are a prisoner of your body,” said Lefrançois recently to an ALS focus group.

From August 2016 – June 2017 Lefrançois is raising money for ALS awareness with his ‘25 for 25’ campaign.

The goal of the campaign was to raise $25,000 for the 25 years he’s been diagnosed with ALS however he's already accomplished more than that amount and expects to raise well over $30,000 before the campaign ends.

Lefrançois will celebrate the end of that campaign at the Walk for ALS in Sault Ste. Marie on June 3.

If you're wondering what’s next for Lefrançois, well, he still has items left on that bucket list.

The list, publicized on his website, states he wants to meet Stephen Hawking, Oprah, Catherine Middleton Duchess of Cambridge, and Ellen DeGeneres, watch hockey with Wayne Gretzky, go to Ireland, experience Zero-G, scuba dive, and it goes on.

However, his sister said, after the recent incident, physical activities like scuba diving might be out of the question.

http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-44112-abu-dhabi-indoor-skydiving-venue-50-complete/

Quote

Yas Island’s CLYMB venue, which will house the world’s widest flight chamber and tallest indoor climbing wall by 2018, is now 50% complete.

The new attraction, which was announced late last year, will include a flight chamber with a width of 9.75 metres and what will be the world’s tallest indoor climbing wall at a height of 43 metres.

CLYMB will also include retailers, food and beverage outlets, and a space to host parties. It will also be linked to other attractions on Yas Island.

Mohamed Abdullah Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, said: “The project is now 50% completed and is on track for a 2018 opening.


“It will include a very futuristic design and will be connected to Yas Mall and Ferrari World through an air-conditioned tunnel, creating a fully indoor experience.”

As part of its strategy to position Yas Island as a top 10 leisure destination by 2022, Al Zaabi explained that Miral aims to develop its attractions to be accessible all year round to provide comfort to visitors even during the hot summer months.

Miral also announced this week that its Warner Bros Abu Dhabi theme park is 60% complete and will feature six themed areas to be completed by 2018.

Doesn't indicate whether work on the wind tunnel has been started on not though.

From http://www.gazetteseries.co.uk/news/thornburynews/15208141.BREAKING__Indoor_skydiving_and_skiing_centre_at_Cribbs_Causeway_given_go_ahead/

Quote

PLANS for an indoor skydiving and ski centre in Cribbs Causeway have been given the green light by councillors today.

The proposed sports facility, which was submitted by The Mall owners developer Baylis Estates early last year, is set to be the first of its kind in the South West after South Gloucestershire Council’s development (west) committee voted in favour of the new attraction.

A new permanent indoor ice rink will also be housed in the complex, as well as a sports store, hotel, restaurant, coffee “drive thru” and a car showroom.

The developer had previously said that they had a great deal of backing at a public exhibition prior to submitting the plans, with more than 100 people writing letters of support.

This reflected in the decision by the councillors who voted unanimously in favour of the development going ahead.

But while the committee offered their support to the plans, which will be providing around 240 new jobs, both during construction and after doors open, concerns were raised regarding traffic and the proposed transport plan.

Cllr Eve Orpen said that while a plan had been put forward, it would be difficult to encourage people to use the bus when they have the convenience of their cars, adding that a showroom on site advocating the use of private motors wouldn’t help.

Cllr Keith Burchell also said that with planned developments going ahead for The Wave complex near Almondsbury as well as the proposed Mall expansion, the village could quite easily expect more traffic to fill their roads and said that the area should also be included in the travel plan.

The wait is now on for a decision by Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, who now has a 21-day window in which he may choose to bring the plans in for review.

David Mace, director of Bayliss Estates, said: "I am very pleased to have the support of South Gloucestershire Council in the endeavour. We just have to wait and see if it gets called in now.

“The investment proposed will have an enormously positive impact, not just in terms of an economic contribution to the region, but also job creation and establishing state of the art leisure facilities for this fast-evolving part of the South West.”

He added that subject to the decision by the Secretary of State, he hoped that construction could begin by summer, with doors opening by the end of next year.

NeoX

One thing about the £15k death and critical injury cover - this doesn't apply for me as it doesn't cover outside the UK "except at the BPA Affiliated Parachute Training Organisations on British bases in Germany and Cyprus" as per here.

NOW you start to do your own research!

NeoX

I guess the third-party insurance is irrelevant since both BPA and KNVvL provide it.

Well, not quite; £100k cover vs. €1.5m.

Quote

Also, if let my membership lapse and resumed it later, I would certainly have to demonstrate an ability (such as a coached jump) in the UK to get a grading if I have no formal Dutch sign-off to back it up.

It depends. It could be awarded with enough video evidence demonstrating the required skills.

Quote

This brings me onto another question. If, let's say, I allow my BPA membership to lapse, I still have my BPA Licence - can I get awarded gradings in my licence abroad while not a BPA member, or is this simply not allowed?

Currently, there is no link to BPA HQ when a grading is awarded. Technically, they shouldn't be awarded (them stickers cost money you know!) but practically I doubt anyone would refuse. This is changing though with the development of the new membership database where gradings will be recorded, so you'll need to be a current member (for the 2018-2019 membership year onwards).

Quote

Finally, for the sake of £100, I take cpoxon's point about the BPA magazine and supporting British skydiving. Both of these are pros for me.

That is good to hear :-) Also, I forgot to mention that the BPA's insurance policy includes £15K death and critical injury cover which is probably not very significant to a man of your means but every little helps.

shorehambeach

Cpoxon

Does our BPA insurance liability cover non BPA/BP affiliated DZs or is this one an affiliate? Thanks

Excluding the USA yes, £100k third party cover at non-affiliated DZs (£5M for affiliated ones).

As always, it depends.

Does the Dutch membership offer third party insurance? Is it greater than the £100k that BPA membership offers you? Do you want/need £100k of third party insurance? Do you value the BPA magazine (you also have the option of just taking out a magazine subscription)? I think I know the answer to this but do you have ratings (not gradings)? If you do (which I don't think you do), you can not renew them if your membership lapses; you will have to requalify. Do you like to continue supporting British Skydiving through your subscription?

You are correct in that a British (Advanced) Instructor overseas can award gradings, if you cross paths with one. I'm afraid I can't answer as to whether the KNVvL have equivalance for gradings. It is down to a CI in the UK as to whether they'll accept Dutch gradings and issue you with the equivalent British ones.

Since you are British, if you moved back to the UK now and were resident you'd be expected to have BPA membership.

GoHuskers

There would probably be restrictions on gopros so its look like freefliers are out!

You should listen to the interview with Klaus; he took his GoPro with him and brought back pictures/footage.

Interview with Klaus Renz about skydiving in North Korea is now available.

Nice rant, but all of those guys would be able to jump in the UK because of their previous parachute experience.

More onerous than that; the Chief Instructor

MikeJD

I don't know what the APF says, but in the UK the BPA has an upper age limit of 55 for first-time students, so there would be no question of a BPA dropzone training a 70-year old - they wouldn't be allowed to.

Section 11 (Medical) Para 2 (General) Sub-Para 2.1 of the BPA Operations Manual

Exceptions to the higher age limit may be permitted if the person has previous recorded parachute experience (not to include Student Tandem Parachutist descents).

councilman24

Last Hope Rope, and cone lock to go with it.

Almost posted Jesus string and realised it had already been covered.

RiggerLee

5. McElfish.

A gear store that closed in 84/85 (I had to Google that one)

Quote

6. Sentinel.

?????

http://parachutehistory.com/process/activation/sentinel.html

I've flown in the open air Aerodium tunnel in Latvia in December. It was barely above freezing and f$%king cold!