ZoneRat 0 #26 December 15, 2003 A newly licenced skydiver's comfort level is typically mis-informed. They under-estimate the dangers and over-estimate their skills... without knowing it. I did. Please be careful.“There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophies.” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hooknswoop 19 #27 December 15, 2003 I was almost killed on a tracking dive. Right at break-off a 200-lb jumper brushed by me at a very high relative speed (I have video). Derek Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdgregory 0 #28 December 18, 2003 QuoteBooties? damn you yanks have to call everything by some gay name ..boosters sound so much better Um . . . it is not us YANKS who call cigarettes fags. . . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kramer 0 #29 December 18, 2003 QuoteI was almost killed on a tracking dive. Right at break-off a 200-lb jumper brushed by me at a very high relative speed (I have video). Derek Can I see? -Kramer The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymick 0 #30 December 18, 2003 QuoteUm . . . it is not us YANKS who call cigarettes fags. . . Hey you can't blame the aussies for that one... its those damn Pommies that came up with that one! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #31 December 18, 2003 Hey c'mon now... using "fag" to mean cigarette goes back ages stemming from the word "fagot" meaning a role or bundle of sticks you set fire to (think flaming torch)... see the connection to a cigarette now? As to why Amerenglish sees it fit to apply the word for homosexuals; well, you have me. But I think its clear who corrupted what. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanglesOZQld 0 #32 December 18, 2003 Much like GAY used to mean HAPPY and NOT the other version............ "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jasmin 0 #33 December 18, 2003 QuoteA newly licenced skydiver's comfort level is typically mis-informed. They under-estimate the dangers and over-estimate their skills... without knowing it. I did. Please be careful. Yep... the difference between an experienced skydiver and a newbie, is that an experienced skydiver knows the danger and blatantly ignores/forgets about it. They try to exceed their skill level, and the resulting situation is often the same. Over the past 10 years, the best stuff up's have all been the "experienced" skydivers. The newbies just tend to go "smack", the experienced tend to "thwack" then "thud" and bounce a few times, cursing the whole way!!! Seriously though, if you push the envelope without caution, you will one day push too far and the earth plays pretty damn hard. I've seen broken femurs, broken bodies, broken spines, broken hands and arms, torn ligaments, torn flesh. As Robby McMillan drilled into me one jump: "Respect. Lose it and this sport will either hurt you or kill you. Or even worse, you'll end up hurting someone else."xj "I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with the earth...but then I wouldn't recommend picking a fight with a car either, and that's having tried both." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jiggs 0 #34 December 19, 2003 QuoteA tracking dive is like any other skydive. If its planned very carefully and executed with care it is a very safe dive I would tend to disagree with this statement particularly in regards to lower time jumpers. With only 25 jumps body control is not going to be that good and not to mention limited tracking ability. With that level of skill it can be pretty easy to lose contact with base - having some try to track through you is not fun. Even less fun is having someone whipping by you in freefall when you are under canopy. (have video of a near miss - occupies 2 frames from a distance of a 2-3 metres). In regards to working out tracking - its a skill everyone should try to improve on, but I don't think that tracking dives are the best way to build upto a flat track as usually the base is not really going that fast. When you have a real top class back tracker the pace does pickup a bit but I am not convinced that it is necessarily the best way to learn. Do smaller jumps with good trackers - learn techniques and try to apply them. Did a 15way the other day - very good fun but by far and away I learnt more with a smaller 5 way tracking dive. The difference in speed was huge and I really had to push it. To my shame I was beaten by 1 freeflier on his guts, Ohh well more to learn I guess. Enjoy the Rel-suit and learn as much as you can, learn to fly on your stomach and to be safe before you try to pickup the pace. (edit to add - I mean before freefly)"Don't blame malice for what stupidity can explain." "In our sleep, pain that cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart and in our despair, against our will comes wisdom" - Aeschylus Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
samyueru 0 #35 December 19, 2003 Thanks for all the great advice. Ended up jumping again this weekend at skydive queensland for the first time (which is an AWESOME DZ!!!) I was more nervous today than ever before - no idea why, felt confident but knees were shaking. Probably combo of new DZ and not jumping for 2 weeks. Weird. I tracked alone for some jumps, keeping my eye on the ground this time, and _definately_ improved. I was able to track all the way from one end of the really long runway to the other. Awesome! Tried leg turns for a couple of seconds, got one down, but then I was too low to continue...next time. -Alex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sdgregory 0 #36 December 19, 2003 QuoteAs to why Amerenglish sees it fit to apply the word for homosexuals; well, you have me. But I think its clear who corrupted what. Well poop! I lost that argument . . .. On the bright side we invented Silly Putty! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
