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From: gjh@krebs.acc.Virginia.EDU (Galen J. Hekhuis)
Newsgroups: rec.skydiving
Subject: For occasional use only...
Message-ID: <1991Apr30.145140.23439@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Date: 30 Apr 91 14:51:40 GMT
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Organization: University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
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Ireallyam: gjh


There are folks who gain altitude but choose other ways to return to earth
besides a parachute.  They tend to regard a 'chute as an emergency back-up
device rather than primary equipment.  

I know I felt a *lot* more comfortable about exactly what to expect a 
parachuting experience to be like after I made a s/l jump nearly 20
years ago in Alabama.  (I was in the air force at the time, and our
company commander put the jump zone "off limits" not because it was
a disgusting place or anything, but because he didn't want his troops
"in the air," so to speak.  Go figure...)  I know the sport has changed
quite a bit since then, and a lot of experience and wisdom has to have 
been gained.

So what would you folks recommend, given the above?  I know the FAA 
encourages a "pinch hitter" course for people who often accompany 
private pilots.  Is there something sort of like that for folks 
who might have occasion to use a parachute or might even find themselves
falling through the sky but don't intend to persue that as an 
avocation?  And assuming that such exists, is there someplace near
(within, say about 300mi of central Virginia) me that I could contact?

       hang gliding mailing list: hang-gliding-request@virginia.edu 
     Galen Hekhuis  UVa Health Sci Ctr (804)982-1646 gjh@virginia.edu
                 Shhh.   Just keep it under your cat.