lowpull

I HAVE packed a line over on a 384.Sloppy packing and in a HUGE hurry! As to what Aggie Dave said, he is absolutely correct about the 6 grommet slider having a higher mal rate. (which is also why PD stopped using them. I went through the RWorkshop I/E course with Todd, great guy. He knows tons about this subject also. Hope this helps......... Ralph

the Sigma 370 is probably one of the best opening tandem canopies on the market. The EZs are still GREAT canopies but the malfunction rate is a bit higher than with most other tandem mains(line overs) As far as the 370 goes, wow. very light toggle pressure, fast turns, and a strong flare and recovery arc on landing. I have jumped a LOT of tandem mains and found the 370 to be the most predictable canopy that at the end of the day I can still use my arms after doing 10 or more tandems with the big boys.(which is who I usually take) The 370 is expensive but well worth the $ Just my $.02 Ralph Nichols

mine weighs in at a whopping 10.5 lbs. Love That power Racer

"my moms been fucking a dead guy for years. We call him dad" Randal from Clerks

Try Aerotech.com Terry Pike makes great bags, the prices are pretty good, and the nice thing is he will custom make stuff EXACTLY to your needs........... Peace Ralph

If I won the lottery? Simple,actually.I have some friends at the dropzone who would have VERY good x-mas. I would make all Winnies(dzo and the nicest woman to ever draw breath) money problems go away. And after all that, probably have almost enough left over for at least a case of Corona. Just a thought.......Ralph

" No matter how beautiful a woman is, how sexy she may be, somewhere, there is a man who is sick of her shit" Oh ladies,BTW, this also works well if you simply change the sex..........

Well, yeah, I thought that was a given.

The bunker was at the old Palatka Paracenter. The new dz is about 1/4 mile to the east and about 12 feet higher so we don't have the problem with a swamp atmosphere when it rains. The energy is VERY positive,the core group is super laid back and the place is clean(thanks Jeff!) Winnie Sunderland is noe the sole(and soul) owner, and you will be hard pressed to meet a nicer,easier to get along with lady. Every single weekend just gets better, and all the jumpers there are just super helpful and very safety minded. We have 10 Aff I's,8 Tandem I's and even one Tandem I/E. I promise if you come see us, you will be a part of the family in no time. We are 1 hour north of Deland and about 45 minutes south of Jax. If you make it out for the boogie, well,wow seems to be the most used word to describe the jumps and the party just gets a life of its own. Come visit soon Peace Ralph

Don't forget the drunken debauchery that always seem to rear it's beautiful head at these events. I seem to remember a few nights with a certain, ahem, PERSON passing out Kamikazes like Pez. Please, come play, jump your ass off, but be warmed, drinking with me is a dangerous sport best reserved for the tough........

"so, what's next? you gonna anally rape my mother while pouring sugar in my gas tank?" God, I love those movies!

CROSS COUNTRY

I am suprised no one has brought up Dylan Thomas "Do not Go Gentle into that goodnite" Do not go gentle into that goodnite old age should burn and rage at close of day Rage,Rage against the dying of the light Though wise men at their end know dark is right Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that goodnite Good men,the last wave by,crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green day Rage,rage against the dying of the light Wild men who caught the sun and sang in flight And learn,too late,they grieved it on its way Do not go gentle into that goodnite Grave men,near death,who see with blinding sight Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay Rage, rage against the dying of the light And you, my father,there on the sad height Curse,bless me now with your fierce tears ,I pray Do not go gently into that goodnite Rage, rage against the dying of the light I always get something new, everytime I read that poem Dude, great thread!!!! Ralph

3950 or so. Kinda lost track for a while.........

Skydive Palatka King Aire 3 182's

Some people might think of this as a sign of growing old in our sport, but it was absolutely thrilling today to watch a friend that I jumpmastered years ago going through the AFF course. In less than a week I will be doing level 1,2,and 3s with an old trusted friend laying right across from me. I have been lucky enough to jumpmaster with some of my favorite people. Billy Hallett. Known him for years,and we get along like brothers. Art Schaffer. Art was a god in this sport to me when I was flailing on static line jumps. John Wright. We started about the same time and have sort of grown up in the sport together. Tiffany Short. Just one or the coolest, most laid back ladies that has ever drawn breath. We get along so well. Sorry to get off on a rant here,but it seems there are too many times in life that we don't take time to realize skydivers, for all there faults and idiosyncracies, are the greatest people in (or above) the world. Peace, my brothers and sisters............Ralph

Unfortunately,lawsuits ARE a big part of our sport. (The Pappadato incident is still fresh in my mind). All RWS wants is to make sure their asses are covered on EVERY legal front pertaining to their gear, and how their systems are used. AND, since the exemption is gone, you can basically bastardize their gear and still expect them to defend themselves in a lawsuit.Mr Booth himself has said to me that every system they sell is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Sad, but true. Technically speaking, you can stick any main or reserve in a Tandem Vector and jump. Will it work? Maybe. Will the original parts and equiptment specifically designed and tested work better? Definitely! When you go putting a hodgepodge of gear together ,(and a lot of people do) you HAVE to expect RWS to do everything in their power to protect themselves. As far as the 4 week wait, I know for a fact that most of the staff has been gone recently to Rantoul.They need time off too. I am sure if you sign the agreement and have a problem with the drogue, the fine folks in Deland will make it right. Good luck,,,,,,, Ralph Nichols

3400 jumps 3 rides #1 with 38 jumps #2 Tandem cutaway 2700 jumps 650 tandems(line over) #3 non cocked pilot chute Velocity96

There are about a million things that go wrong on a NORMAL tandem jump as it is. I am almost dizzy thinking about how much danger this stunt could cause. And yes, there was an episode a few years ago where this same thing happened, and ALL ratings and if I remember right from my Tandem I/E course,USPA memberships were yanked. When we teach people to be tandem instructors, we teach about the "hourglass" above and below a tandem that is a definite no fly zone for ANYONE! I only hope that someone with little experience and NO judgment doesn't try this here in the states. I would pull Tandem ratings on the spot were I to see evidence of this kind of jump under one of the systems I am an I/E for. (RWorkshop and Jumpshack) Believe me, I am all for seeing how far we can push human flight, but, please, lets do it safely! Peace Ralph

Gale, I am sorry from all the "REAL" skydives out here.Sometimes politics do play a part of our sport, but I really really hope today was just bad luck and not truly how things happen at your dz. Keep your head up. After all, everyone knows 'good things come to those that wait. Peace Ralph

Wow, dissed by a kid with acne and no drivers license! ouch!

Tanqueray deserves at least a mention here too!

There is still some legal grey area as to the ability of minors to sign waivers legally. As far as S/L and AFF go, well that is sort of up in the air.I know for a fact that all 3 major Tandem Manuf. really, really do NOT want minors jumping their tandem systems. Mr Booth(who knows more about the legalitys than he would probably like) has made it VERY clear that he wants only 18 year olds (or older) to be a part of anything to do with Relative Workshop paperwork.

It is TOTALLY un professional to correct another I while they are working with a student. It is very easy to politely interrupt, discuss your issue with the instructor in private and move on. It makes the student nervous, therefore making it harder to learn. Let's remember, the student is above all else, a paying customer so we owe them the safest, most relaxed, professional learning environment possible. In response to the question of ratings, AFF/I Tandem I/E