dthames

I would favor common sense over rules. 1. elliptical 2. semi-elliptical A. much experience on canopy X B. little experience on canopy X 1 & B might be a really bad idea where 2 & A be not so bad. On the specific question, some DZs have rules about what you can jump, not what you can't jump. What is acceptable seems to be a better rule than what is not acceptable. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

When the instructors tries to determine how to get you up to speed, you can bet they will ask you some questions to see where you are with your head knowledge as well as your experience and time off. Have you considered studying the SIM as if you were going to take your A and maybe your B license tests? If someone asked you 10 A and B license type test questions today, would you pass their "test"? Something to consider. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Thanks for the details. If someone is planning a small flock jump and the Caravan is the only option, that creates a requirement to address (directly) the many things you mentioned. I know that doesn't always happen :( Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

DSE, I have a question and don't consider this a challenge to the rule. I want to know the considerations that led up the rule on the Caravan exit, "Butt on floor or Knees on floor". I guess I am a bit surprised that outside poised exits are not allowed. I jump from a Caravan sometimes and just want to know more about the decision process and factors. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

1+ Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I am 57, not overweight, and not all that fit. If don't keep my core muscles toned, I can do several jumps in one day and it makes me sore. If I want to do 7 wingsuit jumps in one day, packing for myself, with little rest between jumps, I am getting tired at the end of the day and my performance suffers. Stamina and tone are what I need to do what I want to do. I have seen people younger than me that can't keep the pace, going hard all day. So it does take some stamina. If a person jumps 2 or 3 times per weekend, then fitness is less of an issue. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Corey, I did a few student jumps at Pegasus and I really liked the way Bob had students walk out the pattern over his little model turning points that he would lay out in front of the hanger. Walking it out helps the student demonstrate they understand the pattern concept. They can shake their head yes, but if they can’t walk it out and pull imaginary toggle for the turns, they have not “got it”. I agree with some of the comments about the radio being a training obstacle. It might be good as a fall back if things are going to pot, but as a student, I didn’t want someone to tell me what to do in the air, after they had taught me what to do before the jump. Just let me do it, please. I was lucky that most instructors that I had were very willing to let me fly the pattern on my own. I have seen a few students do dumb stuff because they were waiting for the radio to tell them to avoid the concrete and steer to stay over the grass. No one wants to tell the guy at 100 feet on final that he/she needs to steer away from less desirable landing spots, but once you train the student to listen to the radio, it is like their “life line” and they sometimes stop making their own decisions. I am not an instructor but you can just watch and see those things happen to students when no one tells them, “You do what you think best for you, because it is you will get hurt otherwise”. Thanks for the article.

I would suggest you talk to Tony at Tonysuits. He has some new Rbird based suits with much larger wings. If you could get a new Rbird that later could be modified with the large wing, that might be a way to go. You would have something somewhat reasonable to start with for maybe 1/3 of the cost of a new suit, make it larger. Maybe. At any rate, talking to Tony would hurt. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I have a friend that had a minor break and was back jumping in just a few months. Another person that I know, had a very major break, looks worse than yours, and after about 3 years, has not had proper healing and it still trying to get back to normal. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I can appreciate overcoming setbacks. Maybe not as much as you with that injury that you had. Anyway, Way to go! Good to stick with it and finish it. So, what is your next step? Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I know a guy that had one fire turning to Final in a normal landing pattern. There is a chance that the swoop had nothing to do with it. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

There is at least one other skydiver stationed there, a C-130 pilot. I jump with him down at Dallas once in a while. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Can you offer some suggestion? I've been doing my best to do exactly this. I have Skydiver's Handbook, Survival Guide, Jump, Above All Else (which is awesome) and ordered USPA's SIMS manual today. I have a small pile of DVDs, but I could really use some suggestions, please. And thanks. Yeah, unfortunately, that's been a bumpy road. I said she'd be "None too pleased" if I broke something before my A-license, but she's really none too pleased now. She's coming around though, as I explain how safe it is. Not really "safe". Take your wife to the DZ and help enlighten her as much as you can. "A Parachute And It's Pilot" is a good book. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

So will you be coming back to Jacksonville AFB after deployment? I am south of Fort Smith. Welcome. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I would encourage you to become a student of skydiving, instead of a student skydiver. What do I mean? Make it your goal in life to understand (as much as possible) what you are doing before you go out and do it. Not long ago I was visiting a DZ and heard someone ask for a gear check. The person giving the gear check asked a question about the RSL. The jumper could not explain what it was or when it might need to be disconnected. I don't know if the jumper was a solo practicing student or a newly licensed jumper. In either case, they should have known what the RSL was and how it might save them or kill/hurt them. If a person was equally ignorant about how to fly and land the canopy (as much as this one was about the RSL), the odds of such a person getting hurt would be much higher than the average. Don't be like that. Read books, ask instructors questions, watch other students land (and make mistakes), learn about their problems, and learn more than just enough to get by. Have fun. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I know what it is like to want to be in the air but have limited options. There is nothing wrong with starting at one DZ and continuing somewhere else. That is why the USPA has a standard training program. A Static line or IAD jump is more affordable ($55-$75 commonly) if you just want some way to get back into the sky. It is a training option that is often overlooked by many. If you are bent on doing AFF that is fine. But before AFF, you could do SL or IAD jumps, maybe one or two a month and practice canopy flying. You could have a little cake and eat a little too, between now an the time you get to where you can seriously pursue the sport. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

The O.P. said, What I was trying to communicate was that if suit progression was from 1 to 5, then buying a 1 or a 2 level suit would not be my choice. I put the R-Bird in the 3 level, aligning with what the manufacture describes it as. Each MFG describes their suits on their web site, as to how advanced they are. Often people's opinions vary. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Not if you really know how to fly them. I know many people that have several hundred WS jumps and keep on jumping suits in Phantom class and don't need anything bigger. I was not putting the Phantom in that group. I have a great respect for the Phantom 2 and 3. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I was a slow learner the first few jumps, rented an Ibird for 26 jumps, and went to an Rbird. For normal flocking that suit is as big as I need and I plan to wear it out. I have had it for almost 2 years and 200+ jumps on it, and still loving it. Those "just above beginner suits", to me, have little use. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

(in a WS) I have had great success if the canopy is inflated and stable but twisted up, to leave my arms zipped up and extend the correct arm perpendicular to the relative wind, so that the wind pushing on the armwing drives me around to untwist. Out with the left, in with the left, out with the right, in with the right, and so on. Very quickly you can get untwisted without any other tricks. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I suggest someone put a cat in a wing tunnel (in a friendly way) and found out. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I chuckle a bit at the statement above. Odds are an older student jumper will pay more attention to training and make better judgment calls if they have lived an active life (experienced the real world). I leave running into trees and landing downwind of stuff to those that can recover from being broken. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I started 3 years ago at age 54. One of the first things anyone told me was, stretch and get that arch (in your back/hips) going. I thought I was fairly okay in this area. Later I learned I had a shortcoming in this area. It was so difficult for me to arch well and hold it throughout the jump, which had a very negative impact when the instructors wanted to release me. I got a bit upset with myself and quit for a while. Fast forward 10 weeks and a lot of stretching....I started over on Static Line training and did just fine. Stretch, a lot. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I have noticed that many Windows PCs have a hard time playing back the 60 fps files, smoothly. I run mine at 30 fps and have much better playback results. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Pick your primary discipline first. Then create a plan. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”