Call Ralph!!!!!'s Reputation?
Erik V. Chmelar
I am planning on buying a complete rig from Ralph Hatley of Western
Parachute Sales, but I have heard some bad things about his sales
practices. Has anybody ever bought anything from Western Parachute Sales
and had any troubles or does Ralph offer good service to his customers?
DMSteven
I purchased a reserve and a few years later my second Javelin from Ralph. I've
had no problems whats so ever. He delivered what he said when he said and at a
really good price. I would have no problems buying from Ralph again.
Just my experience.
Dennis.
AFF JM98
Debra Spiro Allen and Mark W. Allen
IRA Pilot
I have known Ralph for 22 years. You cannot go wrong. When he says
"satisfaction guaranteed", he really means it! BUT,........if you don't pay
your bill.....you'll have hell to pay...
-Patti
!>I am planning on buying a complete rig from Ralph Hatley of Western
D7598
I have dealt with Ralph for nearly 14 years. He has an extremely high level of
personal integrity and means it when he says satisfaction guaranteed.
Sometimes he's very busy and hard to get a hold of, but that's because he
delivers what he says and his customers keep coming back. I live in Colorado
and have had all my dealings with him over the phone and met him once at a PIA
convention in Florida. I don't think you find anyone to beat this guys prices
and customer service.
John Morrison
D-7598/Mountain Region S&TA #2
Mach Bane
I recently purchased a new main, d-bag, risers, and pilot chute from
Ralph. They were very helpful and gave me a great deal. I'd have no problem
making another purchase from them.
I can also say the same for Action Air Parachutes, both place seem to know
their stuf and are willing to help you decide exactly what you need.
Michael Tablas
B-20720
Michael Tablas
B-20720
The sky's not the limit, the ground is.
Eric Matthew Rice
>I am planning on buying a complete rig from Ralph Hatley of Western
>Parachute Sales, but I have heard some bad things about his sales
>practices. Has anybody ever bought anything from Western Parachute Sales
>and had any troubles or does Ralph offer good service to his customers?
I bought a Dolphin D2 container, a pd170, firelite 175 reserve, and a
Astra AAD from him. He had a sell on used reserves for 100 less. He
said they were packed but never used. I took his word and took the
deal. I got it and jumped it for 4 months. I had the reserve
repacked and looked at the reserve. It was jumped alot and had a
manufacturers date of june 1989. Some sell huh! Then while I was in
Perris, I bought a new Sabre 135. It fit loose in the D2 so I decided
to buy a new container. I don't know why, but I decided to give Ralph
another try. I drove there and bought a Vector 3 V344. He assured me
that my new main would fit and I could downsize later. Well, when it
was new, it fit fairly loose but not bad at first. After a few weeks
and 10 jumps later, it started streching. The closing loop was about
maybe 1/2 inch long. The first two grommets lined up and the other
was about a 1/4 inch away. I called Ralph and asked if he could
exchange it for a size smaller. He said ship it back and he will put
a pad in it. I told him I didn't want to put a pad in a brand new
rig. Then he brought up the 1 year wait on the vector 3.
Hope this helps!
Eric
Skydive1st
We have just purchased several rigs through Ralph. He answered our questions
well, advised us on what manufacturers "real" delivery times were, and gave us
some good little pointers that we otherwise hadn't thought of.
Our gear was all new, so I can't comment on used prices or quality, but so far
we are very happy with his service and prices.
Michael B. Vederman
Ralph's got tons of used stuff, tons. Be careful, tho, because he
overvalues his used stuff probably by around 200-500 jumps from all the used
chutes bought from him that I have seen. I can't comment on the used gears.
Buy used gear sight unseen: caveat emptor
- mike
Jagermamma
I personally had a bad experience with Ralph.....
I called him up about a complete rig I had for sale. I only called him because
I wanted a quick turnaround on it (I had new gear on the way). He was very
friendly and told me to send it to him, then he would look at it and give me an
offer for it.
I sent the rig to him (via two-day air, which was quite expensive to do I might
add) and included a note, reminding him of our conversation. A week went by,
and no call from Ralph. I called him to find out what was going on, and he
wasn't available to answer my call, so I left a message. No call back. Two
days later, I called again, same deal, left another message. The person who
answered the phone told me he hadn't even looked at my rig yet. So much for
paying to send it two-day! I called over and over, to no avail.
Finally, after the ?'th call, I asked again if the rig had been looked at it,
and the woman told me it had not. She said they were just going to mail it
back to me!!!!! And that is exactly what they did. Nice customer service
they've got over there!
Ralph may have treated some of his other customers right, but i personally got
hosed on the whole deal. Square One has got my vote!
Gretchen
http://www.skygoddess.com
Afro-Man
UP RALPH'S WHOLE ASS!!!!!!
Ann Poblenz
I bought a Micro Raven from him last year.
I called all over the place and he had the lowest price..
I also got the lowes price (called loads of places) on the triathlon I
bought last Aug. (Its 4 sale!!!)
I never had a problem with him, and he has in my opinion been pretty
helpful on the phone..
...next...
Ann
Ssmdiver
I bought my first rig from him... I was told that the canopy had around 30
jumps on it. It had more like
300. It also had a bad turn in it. I called him about it. He told meI could
have it relined..... at my cost. He never called me back when I called with a
question. Make matters worse, I was told one price complete ,But when it
arrived, It was 400.00 more.
I would never use him again. Call Sunshine Factory.
Ron Hill
TPA
Josh
I called a few years ago, and the thing that struck me was that he KNEW
exactly what I needed without knowing a thing about me. So I had to
argue with him about what I was interested in before we could talk
price. Eventually he offered me a very good price on a Sabre, but by
then I was so put off that I was willing to pay more to get it somewhere
else.
So what are your priorities? There are lots of dealers out there that
want your business and will listen to you. I think that is worth a
little more.
-Josh
Budconner
I never delt with Ralph...heard stories tho...both good & bad. I guess every
one has friends & enemies. But since every one is giving alternitives try
calling Parachute Equipment Corp.
1-800-526-2822 they are a very good company (Biased opinoin!!)
Buddman
Dan Hallman
call john at the sunshine factory in zephyrhills, fl.-800-266-1883. he is
extremely knowledgeable and will help you decide on a rig that is right for
you.
dan
Budconner wrote in message
<199805111923...@ladder03.news.aol.com>...
Jack R. Ceman
I only have one thing to say -- try Tony at Sky Kat.
I have not purchased anything from Ralph, though I have talked with him
several times. I did purchase my rig from Tony -- I called everyone (and
I mean EVERYONE) and he did the best for me (FWIW, Ralph was not far
behind - less than $100 or so difference, but I've met and jumped with
Tony...)
--
Blue Skies,
Jack
D19212
Wildthing
On 11 May 1998 16:55:34 GMT, jager...@aol.com (Jagermamma) wrote:
>I personally had a bad experience with Ralph.....
I called Ralph about gear when I got off SS. He tried to sell me a rig
with a 17" MLW told me it'd fit fine. I checked around and found out
that that is WAY too big for me. I ended up buying different used
gear. When I got custom gear a couple years later my MLW measured out
at 13". I would not try Ralph but Square One rules!!!
--
\\\\|////
\\\|///
^ ^
@ @
|
\___/
WildThing
C-25010
Brent Middleton
I bought a complete rig and it showed up with a frayed reserve loop
which had to be repacked at my expense, and after MANY calls and letters
I have never been re-imbursed for the re-pack.
After that experience for some unknown reason (He quoted me the lowest
price) I bought a Reflex container and paid to have it 2nd day shipped,
after waiting 3 weeks I called to check on it and they said they would
call me back- 3 days in a row, after the third day I called Reflex
direct and was told that Ralph should have the rig by now, So I called
back and told THEM that my rig was there and it was finally shipped.
Moral to this story: I got screwed by paying for 2 day when it sat there
for days anyhow, And it showed up $100 more than the quote.
DONT BUY FROM WESTERN PARACHUTE.
Brent
Duksnarow
> try
>calling Parachute Equipment Corp.
>1-800-526-2822 they are a very good company (Biased opinoin!!)
>
>Buddman
gotta agree (unbiased opinion) I bought a complete rig from p.e.c. via bud.
there was a miscumunication but they were eagear to make it right with me, and
they did , very fast i might add. wouldnt hesitate to buy there again.
hows the leg brother?
( 10 or so more jumps and i can put that first jump on that sabre.....wooo
hooooo)
- Mark Elenbaas
DCraigmil
Has anybody tried the guy who is personal friends of Bob Pope?? Storrie
Parachute Works
I've bought lots of stuff from him and he seems to have the best prices I can
find!
He also has lots of non-skydiving related items. (just glad that he doesn't
deal with postal workers)
Dave Craigmile
"Convergence"
MMannel
>>>From: Brent Middleton ---Brent says "DONT BUY FROM WESTERN PARACHUTE."
Brent<<<
Just a comment. I have spent a few thousand with Ralph over the years on a
variety of rigs--used and new. I have been treated fairly on price on
average---but if you are looking for speed Ralph ain't it.
To get the best deal on the best system my experience has been LOTS OF LEAD
TIME. Ralph is not only the primary salesman, the rigger but he also runs a
drop zone.
Right or wrong, he does too much shit to fit in a 24 hour day--so if you're in
a hurry Ralph may not be first choice.
On the other hand--Ralph is more than fair when you trade in a rig, his prices
are more than competetive and he will take the time with low timers to find a
rig that should fit thier needs.
From my experience, if each day had 48 hours instead of 24 Ralph would rule
the world on eqiupment. Unfornuately there are only 24 hours-- so when you call
(or try to call) Ralph take a valium and expect a delay. If you need stuff
RIGHT NOW--unfortunately--Ralph may fall short of your expectations.
Also--be it right or be it wrong--Ralph is overwhelmed with stuff to do so
when you are told it may be certain way make sure you fax him to confirm what
is going on (503-630-5868).
And when all is said and and done we are back to the free enterprise system.
If you have the time and the follow up Ralph is a good deal--if you want it in
2 days you may need to go elsewhere.
Mike
Wildthing
Problem with this is that there are *plenty* of gear dealers that
don't require this hassle.They will go out of their way to make sure
you get what you need for your intersts and your experience level. In
addition they deliver it in a timely manner with excellent customer
service. I have dealt extensively with Square One and have never been
sorry.
I suppose it depends on what your priorities are. I place a high
priority on customer service, I have been screwed over by a
manufacturer once and received zero support from my dealer. Ever since
then I have dealt withSquare One. If I have to pay a few extra bucks,
so be it. It is worth the money to get the follow up service.
As I said in an earlier post Square One RULES when it comes to this.
TooyT
>From: wi...@sky.net (Wildthing)<BR>
>>From: Brent Middleton ---Brent says "DONT BUY FROM WESTERN PARACHUTE."
><BR>
>>Brent<<<<BR>
>Right or wrong, he does too much shit to fit in a 24 hour day--so if you're
>in<BR>
>>a hurry Ralph may not be first choice.<BR>
>> On the other hand--Ralph is more than fair when you trade in a rig, his
>prices<BR>
>>are more than competetive and
***************************************************
If the sheep skydivers wern't such ceap focks we wudn't have
to listen to all the crying. ;-P snuffy
Climbnjump
a few years back when i started jumping i wanted a rig asap
a friend told me to call ralph, tell him who referred me, and what i was
looking for......javelins were at 35 weeks then.....he had one on the
shelf.......i got it, brand new, a brand new reserve too, cheaper than
anywhere else, and in 2 days.......and he did wheel and deal...so i was
happy.......a year later, i referred my buddy, but he wouldnt wheel and deal
and seemed in a pissy mood......guess it depends when ya get a hold of
him.......
dmi...@panix.com
In article <355548E5...@mtu.edu>,
> and had any troubles or does Ralph offer good service to his customers?
>
My experience with Ralph was mixed.
I bought a complete rig from him in 1989, when I first got into the sport,
and was thoroughly satisfied. Great deal.
Then I ordered & paid for several accessories and had to wait and wait for
them to arrive, long after they should have been delivered. It was so long ago
I don't remember exactly how I resolved it. I think I was in the process of
asking USPA to mediate when the stuff arrived.
The following may or may not be relevent, but FWIW: Among the accessories was
an Altimaster... whatever the standard chest-mount size is. The needle got
stuck in freefall, so I returned it to him, and he did whatever he did and
returned it to me. Then the same thing happened again, so I returned it again
and asked him to replace it. He sent it back to me again without comment, so I
don't know whether he replaced all the guts and put back my altimeter's face,
or what. In any case the thing has been working its ass off for me ever since,
about 900 jumps.
David Mintz
a/k/a Archbishop Spazzmo, Holy Cretin Church of Skydiving
D-19730, CS-1
Check out the one and only fundamentalist pseudoreligion for
skydivers at
http://www.skydivers.org/CretinChurch
-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==-----
http://www.dejanews.com/ Now offering spam-free web-based newsreading
William
If you want to deal with Ralph ... here is some of my opinions....
First. Know exactly what you want. As a new person to the sport who doesnt
know that much about gear. You will probably get screwed. The canopy will
have about twice as many jumps as he says.. (personal experiance) If you
know exactly what you want you might get a good deal. or if you are buying
new you will be ok. but dont expect fast service or callbacks. You have to
keep calling him until you get him. If you are buying your first rig , try
some peoples on at the dropzone and find out what will fit you and then
tell whoever you are going to buy from what you want.
This has all come from personal experiance with Ralph. You can get a good
deal from Ralph.. But you can easily get screwed also....
Bilbo
Ann Poblenz <apob...@menudo.uh.edu> wrote in article
<35572B...@menudo.uh.edu>...
> I bought a Micro Raven from him last year.
> I called all over the place and he had the lowest price..
>
> I also got the lowes price (called loads of places) on the triathlon I
> bought last Aug. (Its 4 sale!!!)
>
> I never had a problem with him, and he has in my opinion been pretty
> helpful on the phone..
> ...next...
>
>
> Ann
> Erik V. Chmelar wrote:
> > I am planning on buying a complete rig from Ralph Hatley of Western
> > Parachute Sales, but I have heard some bad things about his sales
> > practices. Has anybody ever bought anything from Western Parachute
HatleyD394
Brent when your Reflex came in we left several messages on your phone as to how
you wanted your rig shipped and how the balance would be paid for. BTW your
UPS 2-day tracking # was 1Z 904 833 02 1000 397 3 and, of course, I paid for
it!
So...Brent, be honest, we had your custom rig in 3 weeks, the rest of the time
we waited for you to make the final payment arrangements....The $100 more was
the extras that you had added on after your deal was made...all at dealer cost!
Your "FLAME" is unjustified...especially after you expressed a total
satisfaction with EVERYTHING to me!
But...Thanks anyhow,
Ralph
Ssmdiver
What about the rest of us? Quoted one price, it showed up another. Canopy had a
bad turn, you said send it to the factory. Well?
Ron
TPA
TooyT
>From: hatle...@aol.com (HatleyD394) Wrote:
>So...Brent, be honest, we had your custom rig in 3 weeks, the rest of the
>time<BR>
>we waited for you to make the final payment arrangements....The $100 more
>was<BR>
>the extras that you had added on after your deal was made...all at dealer
>cost!<BR>
>Your "FLAME" is unjustified...especially after you expressed a total<BR>
>satisfaction with EVERYTHING to me!<BR>
>But...Thanks anyhow,<BR>
>Ralph
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////Hey man ewe been
around long enuff to know sheep are going to bleet just to hear
theirselves. You shuda humped him, sounds like he wuz trying
to hump ewe. Doan be too nice you draw weak sheep. ;-)snuffy
Jagermamma
>Re: Call Ralph!!!!!'s Reputation?
> ssmd...@aol.com (Ssmdiver) wrote:
>
>What about the rest of us? Well?
Yeah Ralph,
I dont see you answering to what I said about your shitty service!.......Gee, I
wonder why!
Maybe because it is 100% true????? Yeah, I thought so!
Gretchen@
http://www.skygoddess.com
Doug Nintzel
I bought my 1st (and only) rig from him....it was (and is) in good condition and
the service was fine. I would buy another rig from him if he had the best price.
Doug
TooyT
>From: jager...@aol.com (Jagermamma) wrote:
>What about the rest of us? Well?<BR>
>Yeah Ralph,<BR>
>I dont see you answering to what I said about your shitty service!.......Gee,
>I wonder why!<BR>
>maybe because it is 100% true????? Yeah, I thought so!<BR>
>Gretchen@<BR>
>http://www.skygoddess.com
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////
All this ego driven sklygodest web of yers Grutchen we all
know yer looking fer a lay. Ewe shud thank Ralph fer a fucking
probably yer last one seeings yer gonna bounce soon. P.S.
no dates wiff snuffypig ewe LEG BITCH! ;-*
QWeaver
I've bought lots of stuff from Ralph and have no complaints on service and the
prices have been the best I could find. The one item that I had to return
(just didn't want that model) was readily exchanged. He is a little hard to
reach sometimes but if you can't stand this, go pay someone else more money to
be instantly available.
Quinton
Lynn Beckhorn
QWeaver wrote:
I second all of the above! Lynn
CharlieSD
Gretchen -- I will respond to your message -- First of all you purchased gear
somewhere else and wanted us to purchase your used equipment (yesterday).
Unfortunately when your equipment arrived 2nd day air Ralph was out of town and
no one here was in a position to evaluate your equipment and forward payment to
you (for whatever it was worth). After many phone calls each day -- and I
might add some of them were getting verbally hostile on your part -- I saw no
other solution than to 2nd day air your equipment back to you to stop the 10-15
calls a day. Sorry it didn't work out -- I hope you were able to find a buyer
for your used gear.
Sincerely,
Cindy D1396
Jagermamma
>Subject: Re: Call Ralph!!!!!'s Reputation?
>From: char...@aol.com (CharlieSD) Wrote:
>Unfortunately when your equipment arrived 2nd day air Ralph was out of town
and
>no one here was in a position to evaluate your equipment and forward payment
to
>you (for whatever it was worth).
Yeah, when I talked to Ralph, he told me to ship it asap and that he would look
at it as soon as he got it. If he'd told me he was going out of town, I would
have sent it ground! BTW, I remember you telling me he WAS there, but too busy
to come to the phone. I understand that. What I don't understand is why he
couldn't have the courtesy to call me back, much less inspect the gear I sent
him 2nd day air per our telephone conversation!
>After many phone calls each day --
Oh, MANY phone calls, each day...you wouldn't be totally exaggerating, now
would you???
>and I
>might add some of them were getting verbally hostile on your part
Gee, go figure! I paid second day air to get this rig to him and he can't even
open the damn box it came in! He had this gear for more than two weeks, and
couldn't even bother to look at it.
>I saw no
>other solution than to 2nd day air your equipment back to you to stop the
10-15
>calls a day.
Yeah, I really called more than once per day, much less 10-15!....I'm so sure!
I guess you WOULD have to lie to defend yourself here.
>I hope you were able to find a buyer for your used gear.
Yes I did, no thanks to you! And I ended up eating the cost of second day air,
only to get the rig back in the same box I sent it in. The box hadn't even
been opened! I'm so glad to know your customers have such high priority with
you. BTW, I just ordered a br Rules!!!!
Gretchen
http://www.skygoddess.com
HatleyD394
Well Honey.....I'm sorry I couldn't satisfy you!....I'm probably not the first
man to try, but I was not available at the time. I happened to be out of town,
but when you're selling something...I think the prospective purchaser is the
customer. But whatever you're selling...I'm not buying!!.....According to my
ladies, Cindy & Nancy, your demeanor left alot to be desired. However, they
informed me that your husband [boyfriend] was very polite.
But, I understand, you were just having a bad week.
So, Blue Skies to you...and don't funnel the formation...SKY GODDESS......EFS!!
Ralph A. Hatley
D-394
MMannel
WARNING TO ALL FEMALES!! No matter what you think of Ralph and his service DO
NOT ask him to look at his South Dakota hat. It may cause you to either
slather or recoil depending on your personality.
Mike
HatleyD394
Thanks Doug....I do try to take care of all...and I mean ALL...skydivers. Just
like I have for the last 40 years. Anything that I sell I guarantee
satisfaction, my customer may return the item or items for a full refund or
replacement...even if the item was new to begin with. & sometimes I don't have
enough hours in the day to complete all of my tasks...But, I'll get it done
sooner or later...most of the time, sooner.
Anyhow, thanks again,
Ralph A. Hatley
D-394
HatleyD394
Howdy Thar...Quinton....How's that Triathlon treating your old bones?...Just
like K-Mart...Huh!...take yo' ticket..& wait in line...but no
popcorn!....Anyhow, thanks & I look forward to hearing from you
again......Remember, It's guys like you that are the stalwarts of our sport. Be
safe, & don't forget to pull!...That's a saying from the old school.
See Ya,
Ralph A. Hatley
D-394
HatleyD394
Gawd!....Me?...In a pissy mood?...Hmmn?....Must'a been that time of the
month...or I just got off the phone with a 40 jump wonderskygoddess wanting a
97 Stiletto, and telling me that I did'nt know what I was talking about!...Her
squeeze told her that she could handle it...and he has 178 jumps!...So...I
don't know....But Cindy & Nancy are still laughing about your posting!...Yep,
he's pissy alright they say...Gawd! what a poor man has to suffer!
Anyhow, Thanks again,
Ralph A. Hatley
D-394
HatleyD394
Well Ron, What canopy are you talking about? Let's get the details on this
problem....I replace canopies even before the Mfgs. do....so what's the deal?
Ralph A. Hatley
TooyT
>From: jager...@aol.com (Jagermamma) Wrote:
>Yeah, when I talked to Ralph, he told me to ship it asap and that he would
>look<BR>
>at it as soon as he got it. If he'd( SNip)
>Gretchen
>http://www.skygoddess.com
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
///////////////
Yada yada yada typical skygod bitch whine whine whine, if it
ain't the spot its the order of exit or altitude, yet they never want
to show titty fer more altitude. Focking LEG BITCH SHEEP
take up badmitten. ;-P snuffy
M.A. Lovinger
On Mon, 11 May 1998 02:15:59 -0700, Skeff <ske...@earthlink.net>
wrote:
> Call Ralph if you want....but I've called more than once and noone
>seems to care enough to have stock info on hand or to call me back at all. I
>may be unreasonable but I feel that when I inquire about the stock status of
>an item (like a new canopy or a ring sight for example) I'd like a call
>back.
> Call Square One and ask for Kate, Jackie, Jeanie, or anybody else and
>they'll give you the customer service you really need. It's just my
>opinion.......I could be wrong.
Hey, Skeff! Don't you work with Square One???
Be cool, bro.
Mark Lovinger
Tina Marie
In article <199805150108...@ladder03.news.aol.com>,
HatleyD394 <hatle...@aol.com> wrote:
>Gawd!....Me?...In a pissy mood?...Hmmn?....Must'a been that time of the
>month...or I just got off the phone with a 40 jump wonderskygoddess wanting a
>97 Stiletto, and telling me that I did'nt know what I was talking about!...Her
Is it just me, or does Ralph remind anyone else of Bill Hazlett?
Tina Marie
--
Love is...pretending you're the one who wanted to order dessert.
I refuse to give in to spammers - my return address is real!
skydiver - PP-ASEL - http://www.neosoft.com/~tina
Tina Marie
In article <6jhr2g$7ou$1...@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM>,
Tina Marie <ti...@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM> wrote:
>Is it just me, or does Ralph remind anyone else of Bill Hazlett?
I'm going to apologize, now, to both Ralph and Bill. Seems that
a few people took that as an insult, and it wasn't meant that way.
I was simply pointing out that, like Bill, Ralph seems to have
a "product" that most people are happy with, and a few aren't. And
this is turning into the same "let's bash Ralph" that we saw back
then, aimed at Hazlett.
I really didn't mean to insult either of them, and I'm sorry if
it came off that way...
TooyT
>ti...@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM (Tina Marie) Wrote:
>I'm going to apologize, now, to both Ralph and Bill. Seems
>I really didn't mean to insult either of them, and I'm sorry if<BR>
>it came off that way...<BR>
>Tina Marie
***************************************************
Yer sitting a bad example fer the young male novice's Ewe pussy
ass female. Its better not to say it then say ewe sorry. I see the
WALLER system sheeped you out Tina. ;-( snuffy
Thomas Kerler
TooyT wrote:
> I see the
> WALLER system sheeped you out Tina. ;-( snuffy
Hey, you sToopyT sheep-missionary,
bet next you gonna bitch about seat-belts in
Waller. I can see where this is going:
TooyT will write soon:
> Nows the windr of ower discontant
> Mud glurjies smmer bey this sun uff Yokk;
> An awel the cludds thad lour`pon ower house
> In the deep bosumm uff the ocean burrijd.
...etc
blue skies, Thomas
Bill Hazlett
Tina,
I remember meeting you in Quincy a couple of years ago and to the best of my memory
you were pleasant--and we had a good rapport. I can
recall no other contact since--certainly nothing of a negative sort.
I have noticed you taking a couple of unsolicited shots at me [and others]--and
wondered if maybe I have done something to you personally that we
need to talk about. I also wonder if you have ever personally met Ralph Hatley.
Ralph is a good man. I have known him very well for many years and therefore am
amply qualified to express an opinion.
In business, he is tough but fair--and with me, he has always been honorable. He
is a great friend, always a man of his word and never one to shy
away from giving an honest answer to a tough question. If you want someone to lie
to you and tell you something other than the way it really
is--he's not the man for the job. If, however, you prize a man for his courage and
unfailing loyalty, then Ralph is as good a friend as they come.
Ralph is arguably the single largest dealer of parachute equipment in the world.
He has earned that position through thousands of individual
transactions and an unbelievably grueling personal work schedule. If anything, he
should be thrilled at the responses to this thread--which have
been overwhelmingly supportive. Is he perfect? Probably not...but I know he cares
deeply about what he does and we should all be thankful he is
there.
The reason some people take shots at Ralph is because he is so successful. If you
mean by your comment to honor those qualities of Ralph by
comparing him to me, then by all means Thank-you!
If, on the other hand, you are implying something less--then perhaps you owe an
apology for being less than an honorable character yourself.
Tina, It is always easier to criticize than to compliment--a certain frailty of
human nature we all battle. I remember a while back when certain
individuals said some hurtful things about you on rec.skydiving--it was not too
fun, was it. Try to remember that whenever you decide to lash out
indiscriminately. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you...good advice
from the Big Guy.
Best regards,
Bill Hazlett
President
Aerodyne Research Corporation
PO Box 13424
Tampa, Florida 33681-3424
Voice: 813-837-1673
Fax: 813-835-0972
Email: aero...@ix.netcom.com
Web site: http://www.aerodyneusa.com
Tina Marie wrote:
> In article <199805150108...@ladder03.news.aol.com>,
> HatleyD394 <hatle...@aol.com> wrote:
> >Gawd!....Me?...In a pissy mood?...Hmmn?....Must'a been that time of the
> >month...or I just got off the phone with a 40 jump wonderskygoddess wanting a
> >97 Stiletto, and telling me that I did'nt know what I was talking about!...Her
>
> Is it just me, or does Ralph remind anyone else of Bill Hazlett?
>
Ken Taylor
Yes,
I live in Australia and have had dealings with Ralph for a number of years
and had no trouble. I too have heard some slanted remarks but took them as
the usual 'rumours'! I decided to find out for myself before making up my
mind and allways got the best price and really good service from Weatern
Parachute Sales and Cindy!! Last year I planned a visit, Ralph offered to
pick me up from Oakland Airport, accommodate me for the night and return me
to the Airport the next day. It turned out I couldn't take up the offer but
really appreciated the gesture.
Ken "Pieces of Eight" #10
Ann Poblenz wrote in message <35572B...@menudo.uh.edu>...
jix...@comcast.net
> I am planning on buying a complete rig from Ralph Hatley of Western
> Parachute Sales, but I have heard some bad things about his sales
> practices. Has anybody ever bought anything from Western Parachute Sales
> and had any troubles or does Ralph offer good service to his customers?
fang yu
> >ti...@Starbase.NeoSoft.COM (Tina Marie) Wrote:
>
> >I'm going to apologize, now, to both Ralph and Bill. Seems
>
> >I really didn't mean to insult either of them, and I'm sorry if<BR>
> >it came off that way...<BR>
> >Tina Marie
> ***************************************************
> Yer sitting a bad example fer the young male novice's Ewe pussy