hparrish

Blue Skies Buddy.......I'll miss your style and intellect around the DZ. Glad you were on top of the world and happy, before you left us too soon.

The problem wasn't the trees, it was the approaching student. Nothing happened but what if that student had freaked out and made a last second turn to avoid them? I've been a high performance canopy pilot for awhile, but I know when to bail, and this would have been one of those times. We are not entitled to swoop on every jump.

So true...........In fact the very thing I miss the most. I miss the old days at Carolina Sky Sports (CSS), which is no more. Virtually none of the guys I learned how to freefly with are still jumping. In fact none of them are, and I miss them all. We had fun and we did some sick shit together.

No BASE and Speedflying are not area's of risk that I want to take on. I have a 3 yr old Daughter and a 6 year old Son. I'm already pushing the limits on my 2.4 JVX, thats enough risk for me.

Bryan I think we feel very much the same. Its a shame that the discipline has migrated to the very thing I was seeking to avoid back when RW was like this. Now my beloved Freeflying has turned into a bunch of elite sky gods. I'm walking away from them for sure. I remember precisely when I started feeling this way. It was last year during one of the Vertical World Record Camps. I was sitting next to one of the organizers talking to his buddies. He pointed out a guy that was trying out, and having a few problems, nothing severe in my opinion, but he wasnt flying well enough for an invite that year. He said, " That Guy will never get an invite, not this year, not any year". I turned to him and challenged him.........I said "Never, not even if he gets better and earns it"? He looked at me surprised and said, "Well I guess if he gets better, yeah". I was so disgusted with this branding and labeling. This Elitist attitude I keep referencing. This poor guy was coming to this camp in hopes of getting better, and trying hard for an invite. Not only was he not getting an invite, he was marked for the future too. That really sucked to hear. It was the very moment, that I said to myself, FUCK THESE BIG WAYS. Cause it wasn't about potential it was about how cool you are. Not sure if I'm ready to walk away from the hobby yet, but I'm on the fence. I have enjoyed jumping with up jumpers lately, maybe I'll start doing that again.

I think I'm at a cross roads with my skydiving. Its definitely been more frustrating than enjoyable for about the last year. I think it may be time to take a long break from it, or walk away. I'm torn because I still want to push the limits and at 43 if I walk away, there's probably no coming back at the level I'm at. On the other end no one ever commits to anything in the sport; and Freeflying especially has gotten a bit too elitist for my liking. What ever happened to showing up and having fun? Now a days everyone wants to be the big shit on campus, and wont jump if their not getting sponsored, slots covered, paid, getting an organizer slot. I see a lot of times when skydivers do get sponsored and don't end up meeting the commitments they made to a DZ or Vendor to earn that sponsorship. They either don't think about the impact of their actions or dont care. But the impact is that DZ or Vendor is not likely to sponsor the next person or team after they get burned. If none of those sponsorship stars align, and people are getting paid to jump with you, then the jumps are high level, and everyone on them is looking for perfection and being critical of even the slightest mistakes. Shit these jumps aren't even records and people get cut or worse yet not even invited. I have friends that show up to fly in the tunnel and never let me know they are in town, are they really friends??? There are local freefly events in the region and I'm not invited.......WTF ??? Not to sound arrogant, but I was one of the few that Fucking started the discipline of Freeflying in this area, and now I'm not invited to events ? I used to spend a considerable amount of time teaching people how to freefly. I don't do that much anymore for a few reasons. First is that I think it's more economical for them to learn in the tunnel. Second I think they will get better instruction in the tunnel. Third I spent so many years teaching others that I fell behind advancing my own skills. Lastly..........I saw a lot of folks take, take, take............and never give anything back to the sport. I've seen a a Lot of folks FORGET, where they came from in this sport and the opportunities that others gave them to become really good in skydiving; and never once pay it back. Some of those people who have bypassed me in skill level that wont let up jumpers on their jumps. They forget when they sucked and I invited them on their first big way. And now they're too good to give newbies the same chances they were given. Very Frustrated with Skydiving as a whole today......... To me.........It's just not FUN anymore. Its about who's the Big Dog, and everybody trying to be the Big Dog. Very Frustrated today.

It used to be quite the opposite.

I know exactly what you mean and agree with you. However I think that good freeflying is occurring in pockets where some committed folks are making it happen. Sebastian, Chicago, Eloy, Perris / Elsinore, Bay Area, Dallas all seem to have a strong presence and all have DZ backed Organizers. I think its alive and well at DZ's that are supporting it with LO's. I know Raeford is much like you are experiencing in Austin. A Ton of talented Freeflyers / Tunnel Rats that rarely jump. Its maddening., for me to have to travel to get in any advanced level of flying. The discipline is also getting a bit elitist and full of ego's. Go to any of the records / camps and you can see the big cock contests live. I think folks are so focused on perfection and execution that it has taken the fun out of it. Me personally, I'm ready to just walk away. It aint as fun as it used to be.

know when to bail.

Wow Big Bummer. This guy was Cool School. I remember him from WFFC days. just as much fun to drink with as to fly with.

I agree with this. Should be a slower transition from fronts to rears. This could be his problem.

Thanks for doing this review. Very good read for anyone in the market for a new camera. Didnt surprise me a bit, I've always gone the Sony Route, as they've always had superior image quality regarless of the platform. Any info on cost vs quality? Sometimes a budget forces folks to go with the lower cost solution.

Know when to bail. You don't HAVE to swoop on every landing. Another good one is - understand the difference between being in the corner and how to avoid it in the first place.

I have about 800 jumps on one of the original JVX Designs, manufactured in 2006 (all Zero-P), and 350 hma lines, and I'm very happy with it. I'm sure any newer releases will be as good or better (released canopies not Beta = Petra). By the way the original desing had no stabs, partially closed nose, 27 Cells, etc......I saw nothing in the earlier comments other than slider size and perhaps line trim changing, that would make it different from mine. Either way I'm extremely happy with my old JVX and the performance of the wing is still impressive to me even after 800 jumps. I'm not finding myself wanting or needing any more performance than I currently have. That being said I'm a beer line swooper with no interest in competing, I just love HP canopy flight. IF you always wait for the next best thing............you'll always be waiting. Try looking for a used JVX and save yourself some money. Which is what you have done.

wow he's fat.