withoutwings

I know this is years after the fact, but I was searching for similar issues and found yours. Wondering how your situation turned out.

I broke my T12, fused from T11-L1, and suffered a Schatzker level VI tibial plateau fracture. Haven't jumped since August 2010. I have two plates, 10+ screws, and wire in the leg. Also a bit knock-kneed now.

I have a unique healing story, though, because even though I suffered the worst TPF possible, I have almost full extension and 130 degrees of flexion. I shattered the leg in May 2011, and I still can't run or hop.

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cameras and wingsuits and handkerchief-sized canopies.

These three things require different amounts of respect and experience and have nothing to do with one another. I don't know if 890 jumps is enough experience to give advice on the subject, but it's cool.

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You wanted to make this into a finger-wagging . . . well there you go.

If you read my post and seriously thought "he wants to make this into finger-wagging" (whatever that is), you didn't understand what I wrote. If it became something to you, that's fine, but I didn't make it into anything but exactly what I wrote. The glasses line was an obvious (I thought) exaggeration.

Reading threads like this makes me scared to walk around the DZ with my glasses on because someone will call them a distraction.

Call me crazy, but drawing a parallel between a 4-ounce camera built specifically for sports in which attention to safety is paramount, and throwing a 720 hook turn into the ground seems a bit ridiculous. I also see an alarming number of D-licensees out there telling everyone with a jump number lower than his that they don't know anything about skydiving. In fact, I'd be willing to bet the dude that pulled that hook turn would tell someone from his bed in the ICU that wearing a camera before 200 jumps (because, apparently, that magic number is when you become all-knowing, and put everyone's concerns about your abilities to rest) is a dumb move.

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"That's the reason I didn't go. My friends and I were smart enough to figure out how many were going and do some simple math. Sorry you weren't able to do the same. "

You and your brilliant friends might want a refund on those math degrees, since 7-13 people over the course of 14 hours = more than 1 hour each. Did you mean you're psychic? Because nobody posted a final count on how many were registered. So what figures were you using for your simple math?

I was the first to register, my friend was #2. We drove from Massachusetts thinking we were getting something we didn't. I called before I donated and was told 6 days before the event that only 7 people were listed, so I did my research. My point for this post was not to start a fight (even though there's always one to kick it off), it was to help those who might be considering spending the $350 they're advertising now. I'm not picking on Kirk or XP. I'm picking on the campaign.

Also, I fully understand they didn't plan on 54 of us showing up, but they should have capped it, like they're doing this time around. They're just charging $100 more as well.

-Psychic no. Stupid enough to think that only 7-13 people we gonna show up for "unlimited tunnel time" - nope.

Hell, there were about 15 people from my DZ alone that thought about going. Figure that just from one DZ and yeah, doesn't take much intelligence to figure out there will be an overwhelming response.

Don't try to take a stab at me when you couldn't figure something that simple out. Sorry you came all that way for so little. Apparently Tim's campaign learned from the mistake and are capping this one.

ME take a stab? Coming from the person who doled out the initial and completely unprovoked intelligence insult? We get it - you guys figured it all out before even knowing how many people signed up. Amazing. I don't know why people like you feel the need to pick a fight with backhanded childish retorts rather than just be a grown-up and participate in the discussion, but keep it where your ego is worshiped - around your genius DZ.

I expect you have to have the last word, so let's get it over with so we can be done here.

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His issue is not with Paraclete XP's usual marketing, but just with the "Send a skydiver to congress" event they had in December.
http://www.paracletexp.com/node/108

Basically, there were a few variables that could affect how much flight time you would receive. How many people that showed up, and whatever time the first regular flight was at the next morning (which was 6:30am originally, but became 5:30am closer to the event). Most people got the headcount of attendees from Paracletes facebook page or website, which said 4 people at first, and then was later updated to 13 or 14. I'm pretty sure it was true at the time of posting, but the headcount was never updated after that, so attendance ballooned to 50 people since so many people thought they'd get insane amounts of tunnel time. The only way to find out the true headcount was to call the campaign headquarters, as they were the ones actually handling the reservations.

I was the 8th person to register and attended the event, and I felt sorry for the people I met who came from Ontario, CA, and Massachusetts, etc, expecting an incredible deal on tunnel time. At least for the second event they are running, it has a limit of 30 people and an actual start and ending time. I would just advise anyone trying to get an accurate headcount to contact the campaign headquarters, as opposed to Paraclete XP's front desk.

I actually think it's a decent deal if you want to go out there and do some belly flying with new people (or friends), and combine your times to get the most out of it. I wouldn't expect to find many freeflyers though, so those wanting to learn freefly and fly their times solo, you'll probably be flying 3 minutes every 90 minutes, if they keep the same structure of 10 flyers in every 30 minute block.

I totally agree, combined times works to everyone's advantage. Unfortunately I'm a freeflyer so I wasn't able to cash in on that. Either way, awesome tunnel, met some nice peeps.

"That's the reason I didn't go. My friends and I were smart enough to figure out how many were going and do some simple math. Sorry you weren't able to do the same. "

You and your brilliant friends might want a refund on those math degrees, since 7-13 people over the course of 14 hours = more than 1 hour each. Did you mean you're psychic? Because nobody posted a final count on how many were registered. So what figures were you using for your simple math?

I was the first to register, my friend was #2. We drove from Massachusetts thinking we were getting something we didn't. I called before I donated and was told 6 days before the event that only 7 people were listed, so I did my research. My point for this post was not to start a fight (even though there's always one to kick it off), it was to help those who might be considering spending the $350 they're advertising now. I'm not picking on Kirk or XP. I'm picking on the campaign.

Also, I fully understand they didn't plan on 54 of us showing up, but they should have capped it, like they're doing this time around. They're just charging $100 more as well.

This post isn't meant to bash Paraclete at all - great tunnel. But for those of you considering "sending a skydiver to Congress" and paying a flat rate for "unlimited tunnel time," best to stay away.

The last time they did this they upset over 50 fliers who paid a lot of money (and some drove thousands of miles) to fly for an advertised "unlimited" amount of time over the course of 14 hours.

1. 14 hours (something they even printed on shirts) was actually 11.5. The tunnel didn't operate for the advertised amount of time.

2. They limited everyone who showed up to a total of 15 minutes in the tunnel from 6:30PM to 6AM.

3. After donating $250 to the owner's campaign to fly for 15 minutes, we found that they only charge $237 for a 15 minute block.

Now they're offering the same deal ("unlimited") for $100 MORE than last time.

Like I said, not trying to speak ill of Paraclete XP, but pay the normal rate for your own block - don't think you're getting something extra by donating.

Blue skies, all.

I saw a full page ad for it but it doesn't list a manufacturer! Help!