howardwhite

Western Digital and Other World Computing also have big fast external Firewire drives. One thing to look for is the Oxford 911 chipset, which seems to be important in supporting the required transfer speeds. HW

No complaints here, either. I know a/the guy who raised the issue more than a year ago but I believe it was an isolated case. HW

"What company?" http://WWW.AEROSPACE.CO.NZ/ HW

This company has an ad in the March Parachutist. I showed it to a guy who owns several Otters and a Caravan and he said he woudn"t buy a jump plane with a tail so low, as Chris notes, as to risk deployment/tail strike problems. HW

A lot of the BP folks went to Jumptown, Orange MA last year and I expect many will this year. Free jump from 4 grand if you take suspended harness training. With three Otters parked 10 minutes away, it will be hard to avoid thinking about jumping if the weather's nice. Pepperell, MA Safety Day is at the end of March, when more full-time staff will be back, HW

a. That wasn't the question. b. Talk to Poynter about this. HW

Many highways also have "Attractions" signs near exits. They're not too expensive, and also include signs pointing to the DZ. HW

Yellow Pages can be remarkably effective but you have to be careful. Other Yellow Pages publishers, as well as books in cities you have ignored, will drive you *crazy* with calls "advertise in me." If you filter incoming calls about "how did you hear about us," and the answer is "Yellow Pages", be sure to ask which one. HW

The first DZ to use a Twin Otter was Pepperell, MA, in April 1972. Mark Schmidt, D-21, was the pilot. It was written up in Parachutist a few months later. If you don't believe this, I'll sic Ted Strong D-16 on you. He was a co-owner of the DZ. HW

I forgot to add in my reply to your quote about the BPA position on Cypri this additional quote from the same source. I can't imagine any similar language in a USPA manual. HW

It seems that the main objection here has been about liability. Did you folks discuss/get advice about this? HW

Same at this club, except that smaller canopies are available for lighter students. The Cypri would replace FXCs, which are expensive to maintain because we don't have the chamber. Another local DZ uses Skymaster 260s (and occasionally 230s) for even AF FJCs. You have them in Canada too HW

Yeah, that's mine. It's been updated (some might say sanitized) but I think is still in the USPA document mine. The basics haven't changed much. HW

Thanks, Craig. But the document to which you refer goes on to say: "At this time the BPA does not have any requirements to say whether or not it is permissible for an Expert CYPRES to be fitted to Student equipment. Some BPA Clubs do have Student equipment fitted with the Expert CYPRES. They have them fitted because the CCIs of those Clubs believe them to be safer for their particular operation." HW

Sorry, what does this mean? HW

Fair enough. The Cypres web sites describe the performance differences between expert and student. But how does one infer when a student should "graduate" to an expert? Is it canopy size? Number of jumps? License? What is the Ranch policy on this? HW

About 40 million years ago, I wrote a document for USPA on "What to do in case of a fatality." I believe it still exists in modified form in some USPA pub, perhaps the S&TA Handbook or some such. Though it deals only with fatalities, it probably contains some reasonable advice for other situations -- who handles gear, who deals with the authorities and the press, etc. A minimum is a list of phone numbers of people who need to be notified in what kind of event. You will probably have to bribe someone from USPA to get this. Some of this stuff is inevitably local; for instance at my club we are to call the local police in case of any cutaway, to deal with the inevitable whuffo calls about a skydiver dying. HW

I talked today with my (newly minted) master rigger. He is looking for used expert Cypres units to put in student rigs. He says it is increaingly common to put expert units in student rigs. Opinions? Experience? HW

Slammed L4 a bunch of years ago. Left leg paralyzed for three weeks, out of jumping for eight months, but have made several thousand jumps since. I'm guessing it depends on the location and severity of injury. HW

Wendy An ex-Turners Falls, MA jumper has just moved back from Austin to western MA. Course he (computer geek) and his wife run their own business from home, so that's not a factor. But they did choose to move back (it's ~ 20 and windy as I write.) Ideal: live in New England but have a spacious RV for whenever. HW

All gear is regional. New Englanders buy a lot of suits from Hanne, based in Lebanon, ME. Great workmanship, quick delivery, and great support. HW

Chet Poland was from central Massachusetts but travelled all over the place in his VW van with his little dog. He died about ten years ago. The other legendary DZ traveller of the time was "Smitty the Jumper." HW

Don't think the Relative Workshop made suits. You are probably thinking of the RW Shop of Brookline, NH, which made some huge suits. I know of one which probably used to be mine now used as a FF/hybred suit. Picky, picky.. HW

He's also flat out unemployed. HW

I've jumped out of a Beaver on floats (Moosehead Lake, ME). Very cool, with both side doors off, so you can have four or so "floaters" standing on each float. Coolest position is forward of the strut. They had a DC-3 on floats there too, but we didn't get to jump it. HW