Bertt

"The ripcord was just installed...". Was the ripcord from the manufacturer, TSO'd, original equipment, etc., or was it a substitute of some sort? At any rate, good catch. You don't have to outrun the bear.

If you're in BBQ heaven, I'm not sure where I am. Dreamland, Golden Rule, Miss Myra's, Pat James, and so many more I can't count them all. Alabama has a lot of good BBQ. You don't have to outrun the bear.

I might be off base here; I'm not a base jumper or a lawyer, but I thought I had heard of base jumpers training by jumping from a hot air balloon. A balloon is an aircraft, so wouldn't the same regulation apply? You don't have to outrun the bear.

I guess this is going to be something of a surprise, so maybe asking at the dropzone isn't such a good idea. Jumpers at his level typically use canopies like Sabre2, Safire2, Pilot, Spectre, Triathlon. Maybe you could get hold of a Para-gear or Square1 catalog and look at some of these. Best wishes for a long and happy marriage. You don't have to outrun the bear.

USPA issues licenses to skydive. FAA issues riggers' certificates. Two completely different qualifications. At our DZ, a 17 year old high school student worked weekends as a packer. When he turned 18, he went thru the AFF course in one weekend. Between jumps, he packed for himself and his AFF instructors - one of whom was a certified rigger. You don't have to outrun the bear.

Texans have a plan to deal with that. It's called "Global Warming". When the ice melts, you won't hear so much about Alaska anymore. You don't have to outrun the bear.

Be sure to call and ask her how the weather's going to be before you come down, so you don't waste a trip. You don't have to outrun the bear.

Financially it makes sense to buy your own gear. Bigun's point is that recommendations for size and type of canopy should come from instructors who have watched you land. You don't have to outrun the bear.

There have been a few problems with Cypress and Vigil. I think the British and French parachute associations have put out bulletins concerning older Vigils. Your local rigger should have details. In the long run, there is not really an advantage to buying an older AAD. Because their lifespan is limited to a certain number of years, your cost per year will be about the same whether you get a new one and keep it for many years, or get a used one and replace it sooner. The difference between buying a new AAD or a used one is more of a cash flow issue than a total cost issue. I really encourage you to talk to your local riggers about these issues before making a purchase. You don't have to outrun the bear.

The Wall. You don't have to outrun the bear.

There is a shelf life on AAD's. Cypress live 12 years; Vigil, 20 years. Check their websites for details. There should be doc about service performed - 4 year checks, batteries, etc. Some riggers won't pack a reserve more than 20 years old. There has been some discussion about this on these forums. Other than that, the condition of the reserve determines whether it is serviceable. Have it checked by a rigger before you purchase it. You don't have to outrun the bear.

Glad you cleared that up about the implements of husbandry. I thought they meant you could use BOB while driving. Ladies, is this common? You don't have to outrun the bear.

Sometimes I wonder about hospital business offices. Looks like your question has been answered, so I'll throw in a little humor. Several years ago, I got a bill for an ER visit for 242.06. I wrote a check for "two hundred forty two and 06/100 dollars". When the bank cashed it, they mistook 06 for 00 and paid 242 exactly. The hospital billed me for 6 cents. I sent them the cancelled check to show I had written the check correctly and told them to take it up with the bank. They sent me another bill and threatened collection proceedings. I sent a letter back asking them how many 34 cent stamps they were going to use to try to collect 6 cents. Never heard another word from them. You don't have to outrun the bear.

Between this and the guy who's about to send money to a yahoo email address for his first skydive, I need a beer. What kind of beer should I get? You don't have to outrun the bear.