New from Iowa

[chips26 4]

Hey yall,

New to skydiving from Ames Iowa, did a tandem a couple weeks ago before I graduated and it got me hooked. This coming saturday I have my first class down at Des Moines Skydivers in Winterset. Super stoaked about it and looking to finish my A by the end of the summer!

[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

[chips26 4]

Thank you!

Just had my FJC this past weekend and I'll be doing my first couple of jumps out of a Caravan this Sunday! If it werent for my buddy's wedding I wouldve made it a weekend ordeal

[Amazon 7]

chips26

Thank you!

Just had my FJC this past weekend and I'll be doing my first couple of jumps out of a Caravan this Sunday! If it werent for my buddy's wedding I wouldve made it a weekend ordeal

Take notice of any CORN fields near your DZ...... Knee High by the 4th of July turns into a very "interesting" place to land a square canopy by the time August rolls around and the ears are baseball bat size in diameter... :) Those fields can be a bit sporty as a place to land... think of the native americans gauntlet running

Avoid the CORN

[chips26 4]

Amazon

***Thank you!

Just had my FJC this past weekend and I'll be doing my first couple of jumps out of a Caravan this Sunday! If it werent for my buddy's wedding I wouldve made it a weekend ordeal

Take notice of any CORN fields near your DZ...... Knee High by the 4th of July turns into a very "interesting" place to land a square canopy by the time August rolls around and the ears are baseball bat size in diameter... :) Those fields can be a bit sporty as a place to land... think of the native americans gauntlet running

Avoid the CORN

Literally all of the outs to our DZ are all corn May have to invest in some pecker armor just in case

That being said, the part i'm most looking forward to and most scared of is canopy piloting. I've read and heard of enough horror stories in class of what not to do thats making me super nervous about it. Plus here in Iowa a calm day is a complete rarity. But it was also the best part of the first tandem I did.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

chips26

That being said, the part i'm most looking forward to and most scared of is canopy piloting. I've read and heard of enough horror stories in class of what not to do thats making me super nervous about it. Plus here in Iowa a calm day is a complete rarity. But it was also the best part of the first tandem I did.

Keep in mind 2 things about flying a canopy:

#1 - They put you under very large, slow & docile student canopies. They are pretty forgiving of the mistakes you will make.

#2 - It's not very hard to do at least "sort of ok", as in well enough to get to the ground safely. There's two toggles (fabric loops that are the handles) at the end of the "strings." Pull the left one, you go left. Pull the right one, you go right. Pull both and you slow your forward and downward speed (flare).

The "horror stories" are all very true. But they are the exception, rather than the rule.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[chips26 4]

wolfriverjoe

***
That being said, the part i'm most looking forward to and most scared of is canopy piloting. I've read and heard of enough horror stories in class of what not to do thats making me super nervous about it. Plus here in Iowa a calm day is a complete rarity. But it was also the best part of the first tandem I did.

Keep in mind 2 things about flying a canopy:

#1 - They put you under very large, slow & docile student canopies. They are pretty forgiving of the mistakes you will make.

#2 - It's not very hard to do at least "sort of ok", as in well enough to get to the ground safely. There's two toggles (fabric loops that are the handles) at the end of the "strings." Pull the left one, you go left. Pull the right one, you go right. Pull both and you slow your forward and downward speed (flare).

The "horror stories" are all very true. But they are the exception, rather than the rule.

Well I did my AFF cat A last weekend and had a blast, unfortunately I wasnt able to play under canopy at all due to a long spot, but I feel way more comfortable about it! I have read a little bit of the Canopy Pilots handbook and its made the flight make more sense to me now.