Douggarr

He wasn't precise on the video. I'm quoting verbatim, but I do think he was referring to his main -- either pull or in the saddle. Senior jumpers have slower reaction times, so that may have something to do with it. He was definitely commenting on how much time/altitude you have when you have to commit to emergency procedures. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Excellent addendum. Booth, who most of us have a high regard for, basically said he'd like to see USPA raise minimum opening altitudes by 500 feet across the board. He himself said he had a hard deck of 3,000. Today's mains do open slower (and therefore take up more altitude), and when they don't open they're often spinning and eating up air faster. He talked about 1 second making a huge difference. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

The fatality rate was significantly lower last year; our sport deserved the pat on the back. In a modern 10 year period -- somewhere between '91-'01 the average was about 35 per year. Last year 21 jumpers died, 17 with good canopies (collisions with others or collapses or low turn syndrome). One was a suicide; only three were due to gear failure. Bill Booth made an excellent point during a video at the dealers' confab in Vegas. I think it's on the web somewhere. The equipment is better than ever and it works. Nothing new conceptually, but the gear is compensating for a lot of mistakes. The message is clear: don't fly canopies you're not capable of flying and keep your head on a swivel if you know there is at least one other canopy nearby. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Before every jump, I check not only the reserve pin but every moveable part on my rig -- reserve ripcord cable, cutaway cables under the three rings, main ripcord pin, main pull handle and excess pilot chute bridle, RSL, the AAD. This takes all of two or three minutes or less. At the beginning of every jump day I pull out the reserve ripcord handle and the pull out the cutaway handle from the Velcro. If you are in such a hurry to make the next load, and you don't have these two or three minutes, then you are in the wrong sport. This is an unforgiving sport. Whatever you can imagine can go wrong will eventually go wrong. Not to mention the things that go wrong that you can't possibly imagine. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Back when 20-way was a big way, we used to say a jumper was "double X rated." SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

I met Bob Sinclair at a reunion in Tampa in 2001, and I asked him about the Carson jump. I was fascinated because this guy practically invented AFF, and I figured Carson had to have a lot of faith to do what took most of us in that era a lot of jumps, not to mention the dope rope, to get to 12,500. Sinclair concluded the discussion by telling me it was the only jump he was still getting paid for -- referring to the residual check from The Tonight Show, which ran several times on repeats. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

It's bad form to go in without all of your handles pulled. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

The 20-way patch was very very hip too. Black with 2 white X's. The epitome of cool at the time. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Pat -- I still have my 16-way patch! Found it amid the detritus when I staged my comeback 2 years ago. It is very of its time -- black, red border, 16 yellow points, red background inside with a black 16 numeral in the middle. Very cool looking still. Got mine out of two planes in Z-hills way back. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Interesting to note that Muppet was a packer before he was a skydiver. One of the last conversations I had with him in November was about malfunctions. He had just got finished calculating his "work dives' for 2010 (900-plus something jumps) and I asked him how many reserve rides he had. 16. 8 tandems and 8 on his own rigs. BASE jumping, of course, is something completely different. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

I'm sure Bill Newell saw this post. I talked with Bill at length about the first eight-man for an article I did for Parachutist last year. Bill was happy at the time that all eight guys were still around, so I'm assuming Don was the first to pass away. Part of skydiving history, and that's a lot to be thankful for. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

During my comeback, Muppet was really encouraging. Great guy, great instructor, great skydiver. This is such a huge loss for our community. I last saw him at Jumptown in November, and he was just getting ready for his winter trek to Europe. With a snowboard and his rig, I kept thinking how much fun he was going to have. I hope we do some sort of memorial for him at Jumptown this spring. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Heh, heh. I remember when.... As a great skydiver once said to me after a similar jump, "you've just scratched the surface...." SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

I had a PC Mark 1, red and black, and Dave DeWolf shortlined it for me at a Deland big money accuracy meet. Everyone was chopping 36 inches, and I went for 48 inches. I started logging a lot more DCs because of the decreased oscillation (which was my bane at the time). It sunk like a rock in deep brakes. The Mark II, if I recall, was a dog that nobody bought. Pioneer discontinued it because of lack of sales. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

I've read through the threads pretty thoroughly and have this suggestion: There should be two canopy control courses; one basic, and one advanced. The basic one should be required and part of the licensing progression. Maybe the basic should include a practical text of one or two skydives? The advanced should be optional and offered for anyone who wants to take it -- like me, a returning skydiver over a long layoff who is constantly looking at high-performance canopies blazing the horizon. I was an accuracy competitor under rounds and eventually squares, and although i have plenty of 0.00s in my log books, I still would take an advanced course. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Here's my advice: If you want to mix music and skydiving, listen to either Van Halen's "Jump" or Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" while you're packing or before you get in the plane. Otherwise it's just another distraction in a sport that metes out heavy penalties for being distracted. I'm sure there will be someone soon who wonders whether it's okay to text in free fall. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

I mentioned this issue to USPA Safety and Training's Jim Crouch in an email just after the Russian went MIA at Perris. They are discussing it and plan on eventually issuing some sort of recommendation (I guess). The GPS chip is an intriguing suggestion, especially at busy DZs with several a/c turning at the same time. Don't they use some sort of similar device for runners in their sneakers when do mega-runner marathons? Could a similar device be cheap and convenient for skydivers? SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Chuck, you bring up good points all. I have noticed that at the last four DZs I've jumped there has not been enough of an effort to encourage or enforce the landing traffic pattern directions. I mean, what good is a sign in the bathroom stalls -- "Left Hand Pattern!" -- if skydivers ignore it. I'd like to know if canopy collision frequencies correlate with tandem factory DZs, two-plus turbo aircraft turning all the time, etc. Also, what time of day are these collisions occurring? Late sunset jumps on crystal clear days in summer and early fall make it sometimes difficult to see other canopies when you're beginning to concentrate on final at around 500 feet (for us non-swoopers). The "head on a swivel" seems to be only in effect at higher altitudes for many skydivers. More research needs to be done about these accidents. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Seven years ago my wife had a stroke that left her with a left side hemi-parisis. I was a retired skydiver then, but now I'm back and as an active caregiver of someone with a disability, the sport gives me much needed stress reduction. To give back, and I know my wife would like to as well, I'd like to organize a fundraiser skydive for the American Stroke Foundation, perhaps sometime next spring or summer. If anyone has any experience in doing this, please let me know how to get started. I am NYC-based, and appropriate drop zones could be SDLI, The Ranch, CPI, or even Orange, where I did recurrency training. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Just thought I'd add this to the mix: I'm sure audibles are excellent backups at various jump levels. I use a chest-mounted altimeter for FS. I have a hand-mount for uncomplicated or solo jumps. I came up via static line and rounds, and during the student phase, I was taught to eyeball the ground on the long rides up in Cessnas. That's where altitude awareness began for me. Trust your instruments only so far. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Welcome aboard. I, too, jump at SDLI. Over-analysis in skydiving is usually a good thing. Safety never sleeps. There are no stupid questions in this sport, so soak up everything you can. Experienced jumpers are usually flattered and happy to answer questions. Hang around a rigger, too. It's important to learn how your gear works. Mike Gocke at SDLI is usually in his trailer at the sewing machine, or watching canopies land, or supervising packers, and he's a great resource and always willing to help. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Craig, I started when I was 20 and the world of skydiving was round only. I made a lot of jumps and life got in the way when I was 32 and the gear stayed in the closet (by then a pretty hot square). At 59 with a grown son, I went through recurrency and bailed out again, ostensibly to finish a memoir, "Between Heaven and Earth: An Adventure in Free Fall." I found myself back in the sport after a 25 year layoff. My son is 23 and on his own, and my wife is disabled from a stroke she suffered 7 years ago. I can't get away every weekend the way I did when I was hard core. I don't rack them up, but I bought used gear and get out to the DZ whenever I can -- it's a stress reducer. No longer the sky god I once thought I was, and I certainly ain't swoopin' but I still enjoy an air bath with all the other old farts who are still doing it. Somehow this great sport stays with you.... SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

The aviation theory is the same. I started flying after I had a lot of jumps. Landing a parachute is a dead stick landing, basically. I took the stick of a friend's Beech Baron last month -- the first time I flew in many, many years -- and it was like riding a bike. Coordinated turns, holding a heading and altitude, scanning the instruments (a whole lot cooler, let me tell you), looking out for traffic, etc. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Read my book, "Between Heaven and Earth: An Adventure in Free Fall." Skratch Garrison, a sky god from the early days, put it simply: "We skydive to feel feelings. That's it." SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353

Did 5. 2 then 3 drcps, last one had to be done on the same day as your first FF. Howard has the protocol down correctly. SCR-442, SCS-202, CCR-870, SOS-1353