Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!relay.nswc.navy.mil!oasys!mimsy!mobby.umiacs.umd.edu!jerrys From: jerrys@mobby.umiacs.umd.edu (Jerry Sobieski) Newsgroups: rec.skydiving Subject: Re: AFF training Message-ID: <33042@mimsy.umd.edu> Date: 16 Apr 91 13:52:24 GMT References: <32987@mimsy.umd.edu> <1991Apr15.231128.26617@umbc3.umbc.edu> Sender: news@mimsy.umd.edu Reply-To: jerrys@umiacs.umd.edu (Jerry Sobieski) Organization: UMIACS, Univ. of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742 Lines: 32 In article <1991Apr15.231128.26617@umbc3.umbc.edu> robie@umbc1.umbc.edu writes: >In article <32987@mimsy.umd.edu>, jerrys@mobby.umiacs.umd.edu (Jerry Sobieski) writes... >> >>1. AFF is much more expensive per jump than S/L thereby attracting >> first jumpers with much more discretionary money. Because >> of this, the sport has moved from bikers and ex-special forces >> types (basic nere-do wells) into the raquetball set with > ^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^ >> Jeeps and Air-Jordans. > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > >Gee, Jerry, why does this fail to make me feel better about the future of >the sport? :) YEah I agree. Personally, I think the sport has lost some of it's "uniqueness" now that we are seeing some savvy business people really pushing it. This trend does make the sport more mainstream (read: profitable) and is responsible for much innovation over the last 15 years. But in a way, I miss the days when the typical jumper was less "conventional"- When tree landings were a real possibility, when spotting was a carefully honed skill for *all* jumpers, downwind accuracy under a PC, bare-ass beacon rides, getting some unsuspecting female whuffo to trudge half a mile into the brush to "help me find my ripchord" (:- Ha HA What a Contry!)... Sun's shining...think I'll take an emergency vacation:-() Jerry -- Domain: jerrys@umiacs.umd.edu Jerry Sobieski UUCP: uunet!mimsy!jerrys UMIACS - Univ. of Maryland Phone: (301)405-6735 College Park, Md 20742