JJohnson

Well Blue Skies to this fine guy as well. Glad to hear Higgy is alright though. Thanks. JJ JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I'm really sorry for the late post to this, but I have not been jumping much the last few years....Please someone tell me is this Higgy? The coolest laid back cat I met at LP years ago? If so, I am saddened. Peace Bro. Blue Skies. I remember you and what you taught me. JJ JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Madjohn! Oh how I have missed you and wish I were back at LP. Some of the best times of my life happened on that sacred ground with some of the greatest folk over earth. How are you? Please say hi to everyone for me. JJ JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

First let me say that my hearts go out to the family and loved ones. I can assure you that at Clewiston Rick and Lisa run a pretty tight ship and safety is always enforced. It is my home DZ and I was not there. If anyone had done something unsafe believe they were warned the first time. Sometimes things happen cause people make mistakes. This is one of those times. The mistakes were made by the jumpers. Even on a no wind day Clewiston will pick a landing direction and pattern. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

One thing that sticks out on the original post is that he says the tandem spiraled down in front of the small canopy close to the ground.....Tis needs alot more definition. 1) No TI I know is going to be spiraling that low to the ground to pose a problem to another canopy...which is obvious as the other canopy had time to find a suitable out....as the original post also states no close calls....whole things sounds a bit like an ego contest to begin with. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Skydiving.....cause other hobbies just plain suck. I do like the T-shirt that reads: Your sport uses one ball, mine requires both. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I agree with you 100%. I truly do. Every situation has its own unique qualities. However the normal chances of a Tandem, exiting last and pulling at 4500 to 5000 is giving all the sport canopies a pretty fair head start. Should the TI be looking for traffic...of course. I have had to look out for an AFF student on a few occassions and give them wide berth. But I'd be pretty upset it I was flying a Tandem and a swooper engaged me in a dogfight for landing position. Reverse the situation and if I was free and clear setting up for my swoop and a Tandem suddenly spiraled in front of me I'd probably be pretty upset as well. Could the TI be an irresponsible dickhead and take horrible risks with his student..yes. Could you spiral a student down from opening to final? Yes...but not normally unless you have a passion for puke. But I'd wager to say 99.9% of the time these are not the circumstances. Bottom line here is common sense and courtesy apply. I also agree that at any busy DZ rules should be established and adhered to. Seperate landing areas, no turns over over so many degrees...whatever plan works....but work the plan. Ultimately we are responsible for our actions and we have to share the same airspace. The sport has enough risks without having to induce them on each other. Death or injury under a perfectly good canopy is just a bad idea. Peace. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Most of geeking the camera is done in the plane....Reading my "Parachute Instruction Manual" or Bible behind the student's back while looking afraid. I try to get the student to ham it up with me in the air. I'll try to get them flap their arms like their flying, or doing the breast stroke. I may join in with them or maybe cross myself and pray behind them. If they are haming it up, I lay back and do little. Really depends on the student. Make them look good. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

As a TI I have never...NEVER...been in danger of cutting off a fun jumper or swooper from the same load. I'd almost think it was near impossible for a tandem to overtake a sub 100 foot canopy unless the TI was still in drouge fall. However, Tandems have right of way....period. As a jumper with a HP canopy I better be able to land it safely and away from other traffic. Otherwise I'm a danger to any students, low time jumpers or fellow jumpers with larger more docile canopies. Larger canopies make cut into the pattern short on a windy day as they don't get the same penetration as a smaller canopy. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Night jumps rock...congratulations. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I was seriously considering the FTP, but I just couldn't think what else to put on it...that's a lot of real estate to cover. Putting a PC9 top mounted, I was leaning towards a roll cage to have access to the camera controls in the plane. I didn't much like the idea of just using the thumbscrew, didn't seem like much holding the camera. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I am looking at getting a Flat Top Narrow, mounting the still in front and a PC9 on top. Any mounting suggestions for the PC9? Any help at all is appreciated. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Tandem: Because I thought it would just be a cool wa to have skydiving pay for itself....turned out I just love doing it. Taking people on their first is just a rush, when they come back is even cooler. Video: Just starting this journey...I've got a little creative urge in me to try this. AFF: Going to try for this rating this year, I want to see what it's like to take students past the tandem level. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I am looking for any websites, book or articles that are good beginners material. I found one bobatkins.com which had some useful stuff, at least broke it down into terms I could cope with. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Please ignore my lens question, I found the answer looking through lots of old posts......... However if anyone can point me to some useful reading on lenses...... You can PM me to avoid cluttering up a new thread on stuff I'm sure has been beat to death. Thanks, JJ "Call me Darth Balls"