freefly plan

[cutaway1 3]

how do u organize a group of freeflyers to follow a plan when they all want to grandstand and outdo each other at the expense of making the desired formation, and of safety.

as i sit with a needless broken hand

SCR-21

[Andrewnewell 0]

Use a process of selection to weed out the less skillfull / showboating types I guess?

Failing that there should allways be a member of the group who is respected by all the other members and who can lay down the law.

To come across the individuals that can control a group of freeflyers and manipulate people on a dive is a hard thing. It takes a very experianced person to do it well. Check out the load organizing and the caliber of flyers at the last X fest and you'll see what I mean.

[nacmacfeegle 0]

You can practise by first learning how to herd cats.

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He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[WrongWay 0]

Get freeflyers who actually want the dive to work.

Wrong Way
D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451
The wiser wolf prevails.

[fedykin 0]

arent you organising an event this year called
'OPERATION MAXIMUM PROXIMITY'?

[freeflybella 0]

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Use a process of selection to weed out the less skillfull / showboating types I guess?

Bears repeating.

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Failing that there should allways be a member of the group who is respected by all the other members and who can lay down the law.

I would say "in addition to" not "failing that" in the above sentence but the thought is right on.

Also, EVERY member of EVERY dive should be respected - and the organiser of the dive - whether a coach, a world champion or just a local fun-jumper - should make the rules and expect that you, by participating in the dive, will follow them.

If you find yourself in a situation where showboating happens, say something to those people (hopefully the organiser already has). Let them know it's unacceptable to trash the dive for everyone else and risk the safety of their friends. If it continues to happen, don't get on dives with either that organiser, or those people.

I know it sounds harsh, but if enough ff'ers emphasize safety and sticking to the plan, it will become less and less cool for them to show off and ruin your fun.

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To come across the individuals that can control a group of freeflyers and manipulate people on a dive is a hard thing.

That might be true. If you're on a small dz and there is no one skilled freeflyer taking the lead and paying it forward - it's even more essential that the jumpers learning at about the same skill level have an understanding that they respect each other and will do whatever necessary not to kill each other.

That means the organiser makes the rules. Everyone is honest about their skill level. Everyone takes resposibility for their own safety. (That means get off the sketchy jumps, stick to 2-ways if your dz doesn't have the skill level for big-ways, etc.)

**I don't mean to pick apart your post Andrewnewell. You made the important points, I just wanted to elaborate.
edited: sorry about your broken hand cutaway1. As someone who has kicked and been kicked by friends, zoomed through big-ways, been crashed into, etc., I don't jump with certain people on dives bigger than 3-ways. I don't say it - I just don't get on them.

Even if the dive sounds awesome and big and everyone is asking and the dirtdive looks cool - screw it. Nothing is fun with a broken hand or neck.

Just make sure when you're all watching the vid afterwards - and they're laughing about how 'Joe' corked and almost killed 'Bob', or 'Jim' zoomed through the formation while trying to orbit - that you silently congratulate yourself for your sound judgment.

And hopefully, if not you, there is someone respected enough to tactfully say "There is nothing funny about this".

Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi

[weegegirl 2]

I like "work" dives where we actually plan something out and try to make it work. But it usually seams that most freeflyers at the dz are more into soup-sandwich zoo dives. Those are the skydivers who haven't progressed since they learned how to sit stable. They are for the most part, dangerous dives. This year I plan on focusing on no more than 3way dives that are planned and executed. They're more fun, challenging, AND rewarding.

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[yardhippie 0]

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I like "work" dives where we actually plan something out and try to make it work. But it usually seams that most freeflyers at the dz are more into soup-sandwich zoo dives. Those are the skydivers who haven't progressed since they learned how to sit stable. They are for the most part, dangerous dives. This year I plan on focusing on no more than 3way dives that are planned and executed. They're more fun, challenging, AND rewarding.

yea man! I just got to where I can go on 3 and 4 way dives that are planned, many times we dont complete everything, but it gives us goals to work for, and it helps us focus on the skillz we need to make dives like that work.

Goddam dirty hippies piss me off! ~GFD
"What do I get for closing your rig?" ~ me
"Anything you want." ~ female skydiver
Mohoso Rodriguez #865

[jdfreefly 1]

I am spoiled. I jump at a dz where those people are basically shunned. Some of them learn and then work their ass off to regain the respect they lost for their behavior. Others never learn.

Mistakes are one thing, but a trend of poor decisions indicates something else. Hey, I once kicked freeflybella in the head.

Methane Freefly - got stink?

[GravityGirl 0]

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how do u organize a group of freeflyers to follow a plan when they all want to grandstand and outdo each other at the expense of making the desired formation, and of safety.

as i sit with a needless broken hand

Make sure they all have a fun and glorifying role on the skydive!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[rehmwa 2]

One thing that turns me off of freeflying is, in our area, most of them are just improvisation/geeking dives. This is under the title of "we just want to have fun". Much of the time it's just an excuse for people that aren't willing to invest to be better at whatever discipline they choose.

Edit: And smash into each other trying to geek the camera instead of building the first point we "said" we'd do

Well, fun for me is getting better and accomplishing a planned dive. That's what makes 4-way such a good fit.

I like FF a TON. And once we move to planned dives and learning cool moves, I'm doing a lot more of it. This post give me a more hope for that.

THANKS

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Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants