wolfriverjoe

They both look like CGI to me. The landing only (OP) doesn't have any distortion/refraction/heat "shimmer" under the plane as it lands, and the shadows look "off" to me. The takeoff one (again) doesn't have any evidence of thrust as it lifts off, and the timing of the retraction of the vertical hardware as it flies off is suspicious. It completely retracts all the hardware, holds the hover for a time and then flies off. It doesn't happen that way in the real world. I could be wrong though. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

The sticky in the Photog forum has both the minimum recommendations and the reasons why. Very good info. There's also THIS THREAD that talks about why the GoPro isn't any different than a bigger camera setup. If you are interested in becoming a camera flier in the future, the best thing (IMO) to do is find one at your DZ who is willing to mentor you. Like the rest of skydiving, most folks are willing to share their knowledge and help the ones who want to learn and are willing to listen. There will be a few who might be afraid to teach a potential competitor, but many of those have such poor skills that they aren't worth learning from in the first place. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

I'm not a parent, so take this as you will. It's all Risk vs Reward. Is the risk worth the reward? One thing to remember is that there is risk everywhere in life. The only way to avoid all risk is to wrap yourself in bubble wrap and hide in the basement. Not really worth living that "life" IMO. Some quit when the kids arrive, some take a break until the kids are a bit older, some use the hanging harness (training tool) as a baby swing. I know a couple "DZ brats" who had a dozen or so jumps before they were born. Making sure the worst case scenario is covered (and you seem to have done so) is essential for all of us, not just parents who jump. I'm a firm believer that a DZ isn't home unless it has well behaved and well supervised kids and dogs around (Yes, that is my dog in the pilot's seat as my avatar pic). Others have different opinions. If you want to have your kid at the DZ, find a family friendly DZ. Some are, some aren't. That's just going to have to be one of the factors you use in choosing your home DZ. Again, this is from an "Observer" perspective, but (depending on DZ policies) bring your whole family out for the tandem. There should be a spectator area, and having them there to cheer you on is always fun. For the First Jump Course however, leave them home. It's a long and intense day for you, it will be a long and boring day for them. You need to focus completly on what you are learning, don't add in any unneccessary distractions. Later on, depending on the DZ and your situation, having them around may or may not be what you want. By then, you'll have a better handle on the situation. Keep in mind that there is equipment that is very expensive, that peoples lives depend on, and that is potentially dangerous (think spinning airplane prop). Small kids can do very costly damage, or get hurt badly in a heartbeat. At my DZ we explain on arrival, warn nicely once, and (if necessary) tell the parents that they are more than welcome to stay, but they are no longer allowed to enter the hangar. We've had some spectators leave angrily, but that's just too bad. Last - I'm on some forums where bringing up long dead threads is not appropriate, and doing so repeatedly is a bannable offense. It's not that way here. Just remember that the people who posted the thread from a couple years ago may not still be here. Some just aren't on the forum, some are gone forever "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Right. That makes the chances nearly 100% (nearly because there's always a chance of a misfire). Somehow I think that was the point "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Actually it does. haha. Hang on I'll look it up Yeah, it's on here somewhere, I just can't remember where. And as great as the story is, the pic adds immensly to it. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Yes it has been awesome so far! Beautiful day, rode the motorcycle out to lunch with a good friend. He had a pair of leather pants that he is now too fat for, and they fit me perfect!! Then a 3+ mile walk with the dog so even after pigging out at the buffet lunch, the pants will still fit "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Are you asking about collapsing the slider? That's when you pull the lines that run through it to make it smaller, and is what most of the answers are addressing. Nothing wrong with you doing that. Or are you referring to the swooper practice of tying it out of the way after it is collapsed? That's something the really high performance guys do, and depending on how they tie it off has risks (the ball and rubberband). They do that because it reduces the aerodynamic drag. Not by much, but at that level of performance, every little bit helps. That's why the serious swoopers use a RDS (Removable Deployment System) that actually disconnects the slider, pilot chute and D-bag to reduce drag as much as possible (not there is less drag than tied off) "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

This is very good advice. The radio procedures will be covered during the class. How fast to pull, how far to pull, what the commands will be. Different places use slightly different phrasing, and anything anyone says will only confuse you. Serious (if generic) advice - Stay hydrated and fed. It will be a long and intense day. You won't be able to do your best if you are hungry and thirsty. Dress appropriately. Warm, cool or somewhere in between depending on weather/location. Layers that you can add or remove is best. Make sure you understand what is being taught. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. Make sure you go before you get geared up. If you really want to annoy your instructor, wait until you are fully geared up, ready to get on the plane and then say "I gotta go" Most Important - Don't forget to have fun

The final official report was inconclusive. They couldn't make it "just blow" despite repeated tests. But (and this is why I believe he did nothing wrong), the button to blow the hatch had to be hit hard enough to leave a distinctive bruise on the astronaut's hand. Grissom's hand had no such bruise. The Mercury astronaut who really screwed the pooch was Scott Carpenter. He was so enthralled by being in orbit that he neglected to do several important tasks (like aligning the gyro platform). He also was so interested in looking at stuff that he burned up almost all of his manuvering fuel, and barely had enough for reentry. He never flew again. Read "Flight" by Chris Kraft for the story. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

#1 - If the original (the one and only) Skymamma doesn't have a problem with you having a similar name, then I wouldn't worry about it. And for those who may be wondering, yes - I will forever refer to Andrea that way. It's pretty clear that you and her are two different people. That's one of the nice things about the profile pics. (just don't use a pic of a guy's naked ass and all will be well) #2 Don't worry about the idiots pre-judging you. That's what they do. If you go into Speaker's Corner (do so with great caution) you will find out just how silly, childish and petulant we can be on here. You seem to be a reasonably civil, polite person. Continue to be yourself, and those who matter will treat you well. #3 Yes, searching can be a pain. Kind of like "How do you look up a word in the dictionary if you don't know how to spell it in the first place". That's why I answered your questions. #4 Don't put yourself on a self-imposed ban. Hang around here long enough and you will find out how to have the mods do it for you But, reading more and posting less is usually a good way to learn stuff. One thing you can learn is how not to behave. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

+1 Yes. He was on one of the so-called "serious" news networks a while back (Hannity maybe??) and was ripping on them for being idiots. They couldn't defend themselves, and complained that "this was supposed to be about you being funny", but Stewart wouldn't give up. Edit to add: Crossfire not Hannity "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Nothing to laugh at. Go where you are most comfortable. Period. Keep in mind the potential consequences for inadequate instruction in this sport (Note: I am not implying that the cheaper place is not offering adequate instruction) "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Deedy - Short version of my reply - Welcome, boy was that a long pos.. SOMETHING SHINY!!! You won't be mistaken for the original (one and only) Skymamma until you use Gonzo's naked ass as your avatar. Detailed answers to all the standard first timer questions because I didn't want to be a dick and say "Search is your friend".

Just to clarify, the proper way to cover the brake is not with the left foot, but to take the right foot off the accelerator pedal and use it to cover the brake pedal. That's the way we were taught in driver ed, and that's how I taught my own kids. I'm glad someone said that.. But I'm hoping he meant that he uses his left foot to change gears.. I think he's referring to a car, not a bike (left foot runs the clutch, right does brake and gas) "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Dude who doesnt sing along to that song??? Its fucking hilarious! I sing along with it too. The Bloodhound Gang is great. But that isn't something I would consider appropriate "first date" conversation material "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Holy Crap!! That's a long introduction. Welcome to the forums. Deedy is right, more than a couple paragraphs is going to make people skip your posts. Skydivers are notorious for short attent... OH LOOK, Something shiny!! Don't worry about your username. Until you use a picture of a guy's naked butt as a profile pic, make statements that are used as siglines on a regular basis and threaten to paddle everyone you will not be mistake for the original (the one and only) Skymamma. To answer some of your questions - A lot of places make students do a tandem first. It gets the "Holy Crap I just jumped out of a plane and am plummeting towards the ground!!" thing out of the way under more controlled circumstances. Your first jump will be more of an "experience" than a "lesson". There's a phenomon known as "sensory overload" that is pretty common on a first jump. You can still learn a lot on a tandem, if you make it clear to the instructor that you want to (that you aren't just there for a "ride"). You can learn a lot more about canopy control with the instructor right there behind you as opposed to on the ground talking into a radio. Fort A and 7 Hills are both good places. I know a couple people from each DZ and have only heard good things. Never been to either. SkyKnights (East Troy) and Midwest (Kenosha) may also be options. They both run turbines (Pac-750 and King Air respectively) and are bigger DZs. I've jumped those two and I will go back. Good people, good atmosphere. I live in the Appleton area, I jump at Shiocton mostly and Pulaski when our airport is under water. I would recommend staying local. If you are dedicated, there wouldn't be any problems getting your license in one season. You'll very quickly become part of the "family" as a serious student at a smaller DZ. You may also be able to find opportunities to work off your jump costs. There's lots of stuff that needs to be done, and if you make it known that you are willing to pitch in and help, good things will probably happen. Currency - as a student you should jump at least once every 30 days. As an A license, it's once every 60 days. If you get "uncurrent" (and you will every winter - Wisconsin sucks!) you just need to go up with an instructor to make sure you remember how to jump. More info on that (and a lot more) in the USPA SIM. Currency is sec 5.2. Gear - If you want to learn more about what the terms mean (with pictures and everything), you could look at the FAA Rigger Handbook. It's a fairly tedious manual designed for riggers (parachute mechanics more or less) but has some good info about the gear if you need something to look at (or read to put you to sleep). Many people get their first rig right around the time they get their "A". By then, you will be able to jump a canopy that you will want to jump for a while. Your first student canopy will be huge (bigger is slower and more forgiving). During your student progression you will downsize to something big enough to be safe (relatively) and small enough to be fun. I'd go used at first. You will probably not keep it more than a couple years, and (just like a car) new drops in value very fast at first and then levels out. Used gets that initial depreciation out of the way before you get it. New isn't necessarily safer. Well maintained gear can last a while. And keep in mind, you know used gear works. And that's another reason for staying local. You will develop relationships (friendships) with the local instructors and riggers, who will be essential in selcting and buying your first rig. There's a couple threads going on right now on that very subject. davelepka has some very good advice in them. Depending on how fancy you go, $3,000 is a good ballpark figure for all the gear you will need. You can spend less if you are diligent, more if you need it right now and want all the bells and whistles. That number also includes a fairly new AAD. (about 1,000 of the cost) Rig, helmet, jumpsuit, altimiter and goggles. Fitness - being flexible helps, but I know a lot of jumpers who mainly exercise their right arm with 12 oz curls. We have a guy at my DZ who keeps increasing his wingloading every year, but is still jumping the same canopy Insurance - READ THE POLICY. Most health insurance covers any injury. You end up in the hospital, the bills get paid. Disability Insurance is a different story. That's the one that replaces your income while off work. Some do, most don't. AFLAC used to not, but recently changed. Ok, that's enough. I've gotta go walk my dog. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Simple fantasies are human nature. That's not cheating. But cheating is a lot more than physical. For me at least, a solid relationship is based on intimacy. Physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual. I should be most intimate with my partner in those areas. If I start getting closer to another woman in any of those areas, it feels like cheating. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Cool. no offense meant. There have been more than a few folks trying to justify their unwise purchases. Read davelepka's sigline to get a taste of the attitude I'm talking about. You can learn a lot on here, but you have to be humble enough to listen to stuff you don't like hearing to get the most out of the knowledge here. Note that the opinions are unanimous against getting this particular rig. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Clicky fixed (click on the "Quote" button on my post to see how to do that). Seems like a nice deal, especially with the canopy downsize in the future, but why would you want to spend the money on new for your first rig? You probably won't be keeping it all that long, and you probably will be getting it biffed and stained while you perfect your landing technique. Just my $0.02 "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Because there are a lot better options out there. A rig that fits you, and will hold appropriate sized main and reserve canopies without being overstuffed would be the best option. Remember, that although you can squeeze a main and a reserve that's bigger than intended, it is a pain in the ass to pack, your rigger will not like it (the reserve is a pain to pack too) and it will put extra stress on the container. The flaps will be overstressed and the stitching may suffer. The stiffeners will be bent in ways they aren't supposed to and will break inside the flaps and need to be replaced sooner than they would otherwise. Why are you so set on getting this particular rig? Or did you already get it and are trying to figure out how to get it to work for you? "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Are you sure? I've heard you can get at least misdemeanors cleared off your record just by asking. I'm wondering if there isn't a way to do that with felonies too. I've also heard that you can be pardoned for felonies, thus clearing your record. Not sure who can do it, but the president did it in a case I heard of. Not to argue, for a change, just trying to get educated. Anyway, as for old stuff followed by years of no problems, I say forgive and forget. We all make mistakes, but not all of us get caught. Not that I'm aware of. A criminal record (even an arrest record) stays with you for life. There are exceptions. There are "deferred prosecution" agreements where the conviction isn't on your public record, but it is still there. Judges and prosecutors can still access the "removed" conviction, and the arrest never goes away. Pardons can be granted by the President and State Governors. The pardon doesn't remove it from your record, the conviction is still there, you just have the rights denied convicted felons restored. I know a couple guys that have had very old felonies pardoned so they could hunt again. It's a long, complicated and expensive process. And regarding the OP, I'm all for giving someone a second chance. Genuine remorse, honesty about the past, a clean record since "going straight" all merit forgiveness IMHO. But not everyone feels the way I do. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

He'll just drop it on his foot, break a toe, and sue you. Sorry, but this guy should take up cribbage. Bad idea. Paper cuts from the cards and you can put an eye out with those little pegs! Seriously, I think there is a difference between the release you sign for sending in a Video to America's Funniest Home Videos and being interviewed by a clip show. I could be wrong, maybe if all the shows were produced by the same company, and the interview was from a while back, and the release he signed back then gave all the rights away for the future. From the little I can find, the producers for the two shows are different. IIRC, though (and I admit my memory might be wrong) the interview from Max X and the one from World's Worst were different. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

I'm not sure which would be creepier for her. The fact that you turned "Bad Touch" up and sang along with it on a first date... Or the fact that you know enough of the words to sing along with it in the first place "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

With a bigger SUV figure 10-15 mpg realistically. Gas is currently running a bit under $3/gal. It will probably go up a bit over $3 during the summer. You could do better on gas with a more efficient vehicle. Minivans, crossovers and mid-sized sedans and station wagons will all burn less gas, but lose the "cool" factor (very imprtant for a Brit in Texas) The only toll roads in Texas are around Dallas/Ft Worth and Houston. They are more for convenience and there are good alternate routes (that will have more traffic on them). I'd go a bit higher for food if I were you. Unless the younger kids are willing to eat off the "Kid Menu", you'll be closer to $40/day each. Some hotels let the kids eat free with adult meal purchases, so you might do a bit better. Other hotels offer free breakfast, so that might help too. You can also eat cheaper by going with the "specials" at the smaller, local "family style" restaurants. The problem with those is that the quality varies quite a bit, and you lose the choice. There are usually only one or two items on special each day. Getting some trusted local advice on a good restaurant is useful. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

Very cute! (I hope he isn't offended by my calling him "cute") It's very cool of you to get a rescue dog too. "There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo