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Joea

Wish I'd started at 19

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Hello everyone! A Canadian jumper here. Just did my first jump in October of 2007 and did number 2 later that day. Number three was a TRCP jump which I failed due to improper hand placement.:$ I'll nail the next two and get that first free fall. I'm on my way to be Certified... although my mom says I should be certified for jumping out of airplanes.

My DZ opens in February and I'm counting the days!

I'm officially hooked... I wish I had started sooner! Looking forward to chatting and learning about this most amazing sport
It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. - Clarence Worley from "True Romance"

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I'm on my way to be Certified... although my mom says I should be certified for jumping out of airplanes.


Well, my kids think I should be certified! But it's too much fun to stop. Have fun in the air when February gets here.B|
"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

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No worries.. Many students I know, including myself, have difficulties with the practice ripcord pulls.
It wasn't 'till my 11th jump that i made my first freefall, though I started prcps at #5..

Having a blast on every jump is more important than achieving a task in every jump ;)

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

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Having a blast on every jump is more important than achieving a task in every jump ;)



I'm loving the all the inspiring quotes I've been learning over the last few months as well.

Hmmm... think I'll start my first thread about that very topic!;)
It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. - Clarence Worley from "True Romance"

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Welcome to the forums! :)



I'm 39. I picked 19 because I just should have started this 20 (nice round number) years ago.:)
I've been sifting through the forum for a few hours off and on today, reading and absorbing, it's fantastic. I'm a moderator at a forum for another hobby I'm passionate about and I love the exchange of information and first hand experience that's available here, the same way new members are excited to find my forum!

I'm so jealous of some of you who have so many jumps and talk about the camaraderie and relationships, not to mention the ease with which you discuss jumps the way I would discuss my drive to work. I hope to be there someday...

However, I have a new concern that maybe you can help me with. I've been reading some of the discussions on accidents and fatalities and threads from some people who have lost some very dear friends. I suddenly have a bit of an uneasy feeling. I only have three jumps, but the reality of an unfortunate incident seems even more real to me now that I've read comments from those who've seen it happen. What do you say to a newbie who is now feeling a little nervous at the reality of what could happen?
It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. - Clarence Worley from "True Romance"

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However, I have a new concern that maybe you can help me with. I've been reading some of the discussions on accidents and fatalities and threads from some people who have lost some very dear friends. I suddenly have a bit of an uneasy feeling. I only have three jumps, but the reality of an unfortunate incident seems even more real to me now that I've read comments from those who've seen it happen. What do you say to a newbie who is now feeling a little nervous at the reality of what could happen?


Another newbie here. (5 jumps) I think i can understand what you're talking about. When I did my first jump (a tandem) I had no idea of the risks involved even though I watched the video and signed the waiver. It wasn't until after I decided I was going to learn to be a skydiver (decision made about 4 hours after landing), that I began to look at everything that is involved. It is a fact that there is a danger of dying or significant injury. It is something that you need to look at and decide if it is a risk you want to take. If you do, then you concentrate on learning to become the safest skydiver you can. I was pretty unhappy with my fourth dive. I didn't react anywhere near as well as I should have and thought I did a particularly crappy job. Ithink part of the problem was a lack of confidence in myself and not taking charge of the dive. Before my 5th dive, the instructor had a long talk with me about safety, mine and other divers. I think this is where I made a decision to do everything I can to be an aware, safe skydiver. ANd you know, that 5th jump was my best yet. I did the things I was supposed to do and did them safely. And the best part is, that let me have the most fun I have had yet. It still scared me to climb out of that 182, but one I did, I had a blast. :)
"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

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What do you say to a newbie who is now feeling a little nervous at the reality of what could happen?



Skydiving is wonderful and has changed my life in so many ways, but I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you. There is a chance that you may die or know someone who will die. This is a decision that only you can make for yourself as to if the benefits are worth the risk.

I've known more friends who have died than I wish to count. Earlier this year, I witnessed one of the worst incidents that our sport has had in a few years when a skydiver who was doing everything right was hit from behind from someone who was swooping and they both died. It took quite a bit of courage to jump after seeing that and I did take a few weeks off to think about what I'm doing.

The only upside to any incident is what you can learn from it, and you must learn from it. From that incident, many dropzones separated their landing areas and/or banned swoop rotations over 180 degrees. It was a reminder to me to keep my head on a swivel the entire canopy ride and I've decided to land farther out if I'm with people I know who are swoopers. But, that's just the decision that is right for me. Others are still swooping and are comfortable landing anywhere.

You need to think about and draw the line on what you are comfortable doing in order to stay safe. Once you are off student status, some questions you can ask yourself:

How large of a group are you comfortable jumping with?
At what wind speed will you sit yourself out, even if others are jumping?
How many new things will you try on a jump? (this includes where you're jumping, what you're jumping, who you're jumping with and what maneuvers you're trying)
Will you swoop?
What wingloading are you comfortable with?
And most important...will your ego allow you to take advice from more experienced people about your decisions?

As you do more jumps, those answers may change but you still need to keep those things in the back of your mind. Complacency kills. Never get complacent.
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

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Thank you for taking the time to type that out. Very well said.

Of course I know there are risks but I've never put faces to incidents until now, it just seemed to put a more human element on it than I expected.

I've told myself that every activity has risks. Driving to the DZ is more of a risk than the jump itself. I've done three jumps and all three times, when my feet touched the ground, I had this overwhelming feeling of accomplishment. I've yet to even do a freefall and that feeling of freedom and solitude when I step away from the plane is such a rush, that it's addictive. I'm in control of my own destiny, no one can help me if there's a problem, it's all up to me. That gives me a feeling of strength and confidence I have never experienced before. Not to mention it's just balls of fun!! If it's this much fun as a student, I would have to say that the benefits must be worth the risk.

As I continue to progress through, I'll remember what you said and what I'm learning here, from my instructors and on my own and never, ever let my ego think that I'm anything more than I am.

Damn... I wish I had started this when I was 19!!;)

It's better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. - Clarence Worley from "True Romance"

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You need to think about and draw the line on what you are comfortable doing in order to stay safe. Once you are off student status, some questions you can ask yourself:

How large of a group are you comfortable jumping with?
At what wind speed will you sit yourself out, even if others are jumping?
How many new things will you try on a jump? (this includes where you're jumping, what you're jumping, who you're jumping with and what maneuvers you're trying)
Will you swoop?
What wingloading are you comfortable with?
And most important...will your ego allow you to take advice from more experienced people about your decisions?

As you do more jumps, those answers may change but you still need to keep those things in the back of your mind. Complacency kills. Never get complacent.



If the weather ever lets up so I can get my license and off student status, it seems to me this is some of the best advice I've seen on DZ.com. I plan on keeping it in mind. Thanks, Pat
"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

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I'm 39. I picked 19 because I just should have started this 20 (nice round number) years ago.



Good enuf then!!! cause if you had said that you are 22 or 25, I was gonna take the next flight to the GreatWhaiteNorth and KICK yr lil young ARSE!! But since you didnt, then
WELCOME to the FAMILY!!!B|

WooHoo everyone we have a new baby brother...;)

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[I know how you feel Joea. I did my first dive ( a tandem ) last year with my daughter in Australia. It was one of those things I had to try once in this life.For my daughter it was probably a once in a lifetime thing but I couldn't stop thinking about it, I had to take it farther. I'm 54. I wondered if they would even let an old fart like me start an AFF. Glad they did because I'm hooked. I have been a up and down student for my instructors, atta boys one jump and then looking at me an shaking their heads the next.What a great bunch of people, I hope they know how much I appreciate them. I have more respect for their talent and love of the sport by the day. I was not at the drop zone the weekend one of the young guys had a real bad landing on a low swoop, lucky he wasn't killed. Really makes you stop and think when it's close to home and you know the person. The drop zone is a small operation which I think is good for a " newbie ", smaller groups in the air and lees traffic at the landing area. Lots of great regulars and plenty of one on one with the owner and instructors. Thanks to you vets out there for all the good advise. Blue Skies 39 It only gets better[

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couldn't stop thinking about it, I had to take it farther. I'm 54. I wondered if they would even let an old fart like me start an AFF. Glad they did because I'm hooked. I have been a up and down student for my instructors, atta boys one jump and then looking at me an shaking their heads the next.What a great bunch of people, I hope they know how much I appreciate them. I have more respect for their talent and love of the sport by the day.

Wow....Someone else like me, but I got ya' beat by there years, but you have three more jumps that me. I'm 57 and thoroughly hooked on skydiving. B|
"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

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It sounds like we have a lot in common. Your earlier post where you talked about your instructor talking to you after a dive you weren't happy with sounds like it could have been written by me word for word. Hey, maybe we could start a very small club. Skydivers who know who Danny Kaye is. Good quote, I like it

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I'm on my way to be Certified... although my mom says I should be certified for jumping out of airplanes.


Well, my kids think I should be certified! But it's too much fun to stop. Have fun in the air when February gets here.B|


B| My brother is "questioning my judgment". My friends think I just have to get something crazy out of my system. My mother thinks I'm nuts or "something worse". And we won't even get into my teenage son's opinion of how irresponsible this is...I just smile and nod.
"Analyze this!"
http://www.myspace.com/poppyfunk

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