Flying fatman...

[Islandcool 0]

Hi Everyone...

I just started skydiving on jan 11 and I've put in 26 skydives and got my A license. Man do I have it bad. At this rate I should be broke in no time flat. I used to sit in my car on a hill above the DZ at Otay in San Diego wishing I could skydive. I had been pretty overweight most of my life and about 20 months ago I was 450 pounds. I know I had no business walking on to a dropzone at that weight. I swear the Tandem instructors would have probably had a heart attack. LOL. Anyway had to have a gastric bypass and now I'm 170 now and started skydiving and you know how it is. I don't really think of much else. Anyway I asked one of the instructors what I could try and he suggested trying some sit flying. So I did and I can't quite get it. I can get into this reclining position but start tumbling when I try to plant my feet. This day however I opened right above someone. She was not happy but forgiving as I apologized. I didn't know it but I guess I had drifted right over her in freefall somehow. I got together with some of the instructors and the gave me some basic freefly rules. In anycase I having a blast. Total newbie and always looking to learn. I've been at the dropzone every weekend. If you see me there and don't mind teaching a newbie a few things say hi. Take care and Cielos azules!

Ed

[Push 0]

Welcome to the sky, and the permanent brokeness

Perhaps this would be better in Introductions? Or General Skydiving Discussions? Just a thought.

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[AggieDave 6]

Congratulations on your tremendous life style change and weight improvement! That is truely an accomplishment, even with the surgery!
Welcome to the dark art of freeflying (FF). Try getting some FF coaching, that'll help you out a lot! Also, don't let your belly skills lack, either, I did that and had to relearn a lot so I could do belly stuff for the Coach Rating course.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Michele 1]

Heya, Ed!!!

A. You're not a flying fatman.
B. Being broke is normal.
C. Look up BillV and other Otayians (Keith, I think, and some others), and I'm sure they'll give you a hand.

Good to see you posting!

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[Islandcool 0]

Oops.... Sorry I'm a little inexperienced with message boards.

[Push 0]

If the moderators haven't changed it, then it's fine. Just a suggestion, it's your post. As a rule, you'd have to be a really bad llama to get forked. Just read the forum rules and you'll be safe from the hot pokers

-- Toggle Whippin' Yahoo
Skydiving is easy. All you have to do is relax while plummetting at 120 mph from 10,000' with nothing but some nylon and webbing to save you.

[wmw999 2,587]

I'm impressed. Even in SoCal, 26 jumps in your first month is pretty good.

As a by-the-by, TalkBack is where you post when you don't necessarily expect a thoughtful, accurate answer. You might get one, but that's gravy

Awesome on the weight loss -- from what I understand, the surgery is NOT the easy way out, so don't let anyone tell you otherwise. But doing something that you can't when you're a lot heavier is a really really good incentive to not gain any of it back.

Welcome in. But one question -- you posted cielos azules, and last I heard, Souza was a Portuguese or Brazilian name! Ceus azuis back to you

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[lippy 918]

Quote

At this rate I should be broke in no time flat.

You mean you're not broke yet??? You're not a real skydiver if you have money in your bank account Just kidding man, I did less jumps than you have in my first 5 months. Congrats and welcome!!!

I got nuthin

[SteveM 0]

All right Ed, way to go on the weight loss. I did the "lose 60 pounds" thing last year and started skydiving afterwards. Ed, it totally changes your life for the better. Welcome brother, your in for the ride of your life and you'll never want to go back to your old ways again.^..^

Steve M
>^..^for me -- SkyDiving is a life sentence -- for it has saved my life.

[Islandcool 0]

High School Spanish is about the best I can do. LOL Yep...Portuguese name but I was born and raised in Hawaii. (Mom is Hawaiian dad is Portuguese). I can't wait to jump in Hawaii.

[skymama 37]

Quote

If the moderators haven't changed it, then it's fine. Just a suggestion, it's your post.

You can post whatever you want in Talkback, as long as you follow the forum rules. It's here for so that we can keep the other forums topical. The Intros forum is good for those who are a little intimidated by all of you guys in here; it is a good place for them to dip their toes in the pool and get their feet wet. Plus, so many posts go through Talkback everyday, that newbie posts would get lost very quickly. I'm always very appreciative of those of you who take the time to come over to Intros to say hi to the newbies.

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

[happythoughts 0]

Welcome to the world of financial irresponsibility. Losing the weight is good from just a health perspective. Glad to hear it.

I used to jump with a guy name Big Pat. 350 lbs or so. He had a full-wing suit (like a camera suit) and a panel sewn in between his thighs. He didn't have much lateral motion, but could do turns ok. Skydiving is all about fun, just be safe.