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"

Jump number #1, on my first tandem we had a misrouted steering line. Tandem instructor cut it. Later after AFF around jump number 15 or so, on my first unsupervised pack job I gave myself a mal and chopped it. One other on a tandem as the instructor, slider stuck up and nothing I could do would convince it to come down. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

To all youse guys and girls in the know. I am seriously thinking about flying video after 11 years in the sport. I've had a PC-9 for years just playing around while freeflying. If I were to start shooting tandems would this camera still be sufficient? Also, I'd really like to and obviously would have to start doing stills, which is something I have never done. Anyone got a good choice for a still camera? I assume the Rebel, as I see many people using it. BTW, I decided to order Norman's video to help. Thanks. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I have never given a student bridle rash but I have given it to myself. I had a tall lanky guy put me a touch head high and to the drogue side just as I was about to pitch it. Bridle snaked over my arm and I felt it brush my neck. I twisted my head out of the way as I released the drogue and the bridle left a nice burn on my neck. Not much I could have done to prevent it, but as rule I never rush a drogue throw, never lazily toss it and ensure I am as stable as can be. This is a good argument to not taking a tandem out the door spinning somersaults, you never know of that bridle is going to come out and anaconda your ass. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

All I can say is good job brother, good job. Well done in dealing with the problem and keeping the student sane and safe. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I love being a tandem instructor, it is as close to being a porn star as I'll ever get. What other job would I get paid for doing something all day long that I would gladly pay to do? I don't care if the student is big, little, tall, heavy...although I will admit I prefer the little women....it's all good. I love the expression on their faces going from fear to wonder, the macho ones going from defiant to terror......how can you be grumpy about doing tandems? If I lose the passion and the enjoyment it is time to quit doing it. And I am former military as well. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Today at the service we were sharing memories about Caleb. Mine were all the same....Me harrassing him and him bitching about me....Last words I spoke to him on Saturday was telling him his new shoes (rubber clogs) looked gay and all he needed was a dress. His dog Cubby is gonna be wreck, thankfully he will be going to live on a ranch with Caleb's brother. Caleb's wife is a sweetheart and is holding up well....all my best love. Sunday will be business as usual at the DZ, Caleb would have wanted nothing less or more. I'll miss you chief, we'll keep the place running for you. The shoes were pretty girlish. And I still hope my Bears beat up your Pats...if they both get to the Superbowl. Blue Skies Caleb. Jeff JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Thanks all for you input and discussion, which is all I really brought this up for...I pretty much knew how most of you would feel, it was a no brainer. But the argument has come up from time to time. Communication is key between the vid and TI and that improves as they become more experienced working with each other. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

If your concern is not doing something stupid then you are in luck...as you are in direct control of that. My two cents on the canopy choice....Samurai. Great canopy, I was very impressed by it. Great performance and the coolest openings. Fast but incredibly soft. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

Gear fear should never go away. Fearing that your system could fail you is what helps keep you alive when it does fail you. Anticipating the random unpredictible snafus helps you react. It is what makes you practice your emergency procedures. It is what prevents you from falling into that complacency that kills. Speaking from my own minor mishaps, it is the ones that hit me most unexpectedly that seemed to scar me the worst and longest. When I tend to remain focused, acknowlkedge what can go wrong and mentally prepare myself for it...and something does go wrong, I seem to be able to learn from it better and let it go. I'm a big believer in fear. It is healthy and a God given indicator for you to heed. Understand fear and let it be your friend. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"

I've got a VooDoo that was orignally holding a Safire 135, goign to a Cobalt 120 was a noticeable difference. A 105 looked bad in it. I'd had to of gotten a differnet rig to handle the 105. JJ "Call me Darth Balls"