New Guy

[1969912 0]

Hi folks. Did a couple static lines in ~'81 and a tandem a few years ago. Interested in making a real commitment to it. Currently, am just hanging out here reading about all the new thing going on; absorbing the safety info., etc. Long term goal is to learn wingsuit flight and BASE.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[skymama 37]

Welcome to the forums!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[Raefordite 0]

Sounds like you have a good plan to re-enter the sport! Welcome back!

Don't forget to add www.uspa.org to your list of good sources for safety tips and current education materials.

[1969912 0]

I just did the tandem because I was in the right place and bored one day. It was exactly like I thought it would be, no surprises (square canopy, though, was nothing like the 28' round from the SL's). Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems that tandems and AFF are really introductory or try-it-once things. The thing to do is find a good instructor(s) and go for it. With my interest in wingsuit/BASE, I hope to hook up with the right people early on and learn as much as possible while developing basic skills. Does this seem like a resonable approach? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[skymama 37]

AFF is the training that you need to be able to jump on your own, it's definitely not a one time thing. Some dz's allow tandems to be integrated into the training program.

To be able to do wingsuit, I believe you need to have at least 200 jumps. Get your training, your A license (and higher licenses), get good on your belly, learn canopy control and then think about wingsuit.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[1969912 0]

SkyMama,

Thanks for the advice!

I told you I had a lot to learn. It looks like S/L's leading to no delay pulls, then longer and longer delays, etc. is not the most common instruction method (bet there's some debate about that, though). I will go with a good local DZ do what they recommend. A question though: Exit, arch, and canopy control were "easy" for me and were scored well by my instrucor. Landings were scored well, but I never liked them (only two solo jumps though with round canopy). The square canopies, while clearly better for control, spook me a bit because I'd really hate to hose up the flare. Is it easy to learn? Which forum would a question about how to judge flare height, rate, etc. be best to use?

thanks again.

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[skymama 37]

Quote

The square canopies, while clearly better for control, spook me a bit because I'd really hate to hose up the flare. Is it easy to learn? Which forum would a question about how to judge flare height, rate, etc. be best to use?

It's not as bad as you think it is. There is a little trial and error on your first few jumps as you get used to it, but you'll be on a big student canopy, so it will really slow you down. You will also practice flares up high in the sky so you can get a feel for it before you get down to the ground.

There are many, many threads about landing all over the forums. Do a search before you ask the question again, I'm sure you'll find what you are looking for.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[Eule 0]

Quote

The square canopies, while clearly better for control, spook me a bit because I'd really hate to hose up the flare.

Caution: low jump number person here.

The DZ I jump at has radios for the students, and I understand radios are fairly common at many DZs. On
your first several jumps, as soon as you get under canopy, somebody on the ground starts talking to you,
and this continues until you get on the ground - they tell you when to flare. In my experience, for the first
few jumps, I was pretty much relying on the radio for the flare timing. I gradually got used to the idea
that I wasn't going to hit the ground hard and started planning ahead a little. I'd look at the wind and how
fast I was coming down and think "I bet they'll tell me to flare pretty high this time" or "I bet they'll wait
until I'm almost on the ground" and comparing that to what was said on the radio. As I got better at it, I'd
still jump with a radio, but they'd only talk to me if I was about to do something silly, and I got to do my
turns and time the flare without help. After some more jumps, I started doing it without a radio at all.
Besides, you remember how to do a PLF, right? :)

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.

[1969912 0]

Yea, I remember practicing PLF's off the deck stairs at my parent's house. Landing the old round canopies felt like jumping off the roof (may not have been that bad, but it felt like it). It is the potential for high forward velocity or stalling the thing too high with the modern canopies that bugs me, but people do it all the time. Its strange, but climbing out of the plane, exit, etc. was easy; the height didn't bug me. I'll deal with it.

thanks

"Once we got to the point where twenty/something's needed a place on the corner that changed the oil in their cars we were doomed . . ."
-NickDG

[Broke 0]

Once you are out the door it is all downhill so to speak

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192