dthames

I learned better and faster if I was left along. But if I was headed for an accident/injury the radio could have been used to get me back on track. I did a jump or two where the radio person thought I was a remote controlled device and I felt like I learned very little on those canopy flights. But for the most part, the radio help was kept to a few suggestive instructions. Some people need more help than others do. I have known some that were concerned about losing their radio “lifeline”. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

On one of my early jump debriefs the instructor told me, “Good hotel check and count. I like it that you use your man voice”. When you get to your AFF you can expect to give some sort of a count to cue the instructors for the exit. Someone in a previous reply suggested you might yell on exit. If you yell your exit count that the instructors tell you to do, you will be ready for a breath after exit. Spring is a long time to wait. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

At the level that I am at today, if I jump less than 2 times every 3 weeks, I feel like I am not jumping enough to be "current", in the way you asked the question. I jumped last Saturday after about a 5 week dry spell within only 1 jump during those 5 weeks. Weather was what kept me on the ground during that peroid, so it was not my choice. My first couple of jumps last Saturday showed I was out of practice in my freefall skills. Not bad, just a bit rough. Your milage may vary. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I know Wendy was polling experienced jumpers but I want to chime in because one year ago today I did my first jump. It is a good time to reflect. I had to work hard to learn basic stability, being stiff and older. So that was just above Sucks. Flying the pattern and landing the parachute has always been sort of a natural thing, but I am far from a great canopy pilot. I get safely onto the ground and watch out for others. As others have said about themselves, I have been good to come back and try again. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Saturday morning (on the way to the DZ) it was still dark and at full highway speed, there they were in both lanes. No way to stop but I got over to the shoulder and just missed them. Funny I got a bigger jolt of excitement from that than the jumps. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I have a Pilot 210 ZPX loaded at 0.9. Mine does not snivel as much as the OP described. I pack with the nose between my knees. After I let go with my knees, I can see the entire nose is sort of pushed in a bit. I did get a few long snivels and I started gently just pulling the nose out so it does not look to be tucked inside the pack job. I think this helps. But I only pull it out enough so it does not look hidden to the wind. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I have noticed with any hobby that I get attached to that I am often thinking about it when I need to be doing other things. If you are thinking about freefall while you are doing your professional pilot thing, that might be bad. Or trying to swoop your Astra thinking you would like to be under canopy. I have never had jump give me a "rush" like some people get. It is a time of intense focus on what you are doing. It may be similar to driving an old car at 120 MPH. As long as you don't hit your head while skydiving, I would not think your brain would suffer any. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

My 77 year old mother told me "If there is something you want to do, do it while you still feel up to it. I did 2 jumps and told her in a normal conversation a few days later. I was 54, last Oct when I started. I would suggest you do your best to calmly try to bring them over to some type of approval. As someone already said, if out are depending on them for money or housing, I would suggest you not go against their wishes. it is a matter of respect and courtesy. Sort of hard to expect them to treat you as an adult if you are a dependent. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

N/A

This appears to be a contolled output, turn on, turn off, turn on........EMP weapon, not the one shot EMP bombs what go off with a bang. http://www.sciencenewsdaily.org/engineering-news/cluster241292658/ Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Give some consideration to how fast you fall. If you are a bit slow or a bit fast, the fabric choice and suit options can be used to adjust your fall speed. In my old (purchased used) suit I was very slow and would float high on a small group dive. I went all slick and tight on my new suit. Jumping in a similar situation I fell below the group. WOW, that had not happened to me before, as I am tall and a bit thin. The suit does make a difference. Talk to the suit maker about your needs. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Somebody did not read the spec sheets. Go to your room. Lighter than air = sail (unless it is shaped like a pancake) No mention of how it will weather a storm. Check back in 5 years and see how they are doing with it. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

If you read about the large airships of the past, you will see that most were lost to wind. Trying to get them moored, in the hanger, out of the hanger, and some in flight storms destroyed most of them. The nature of the beast has not changed in the past 80 years, only the old farts that knew better have died off. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I felt like I was not ready for booties and did not really want them. But the cost of the suit is something I don't want to do again, so I went ahead and got the booties. Yes, you can tuck them inside the leg and put a tie around your ankle if you want to fly without them. My new Bev suit was designed to make me fall faster. I did my first couple of jumps with the booties tucked inside so I could get a feel for the suit in stages. Now I am trying to learn to use them as the tool that NWFlyer mentioned. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

I have used the FlySight for vertical speed. It is very helpful. There is a setup file you change to set it into Vertical mode and the range you want the tones to be spread across. Because of a small DZ and lots of tandems, I often do solo jumps. I look for things I can do solo to improve my skills. With just a couple of jumps i had improved a LOT. Borrow one from a friend, if possible. http://flysight.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Configuring_FlySight Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Marc, I looked at the data file you posted on this thread but the file on that web page downloaded as a ZIP with some XML files in it, that I was not sure what to do with. On your original file I clipped out the part before the Vertical speed was 10 m/sec and after 10 m/sec to be what I think of is the freefall part of the jump. I calculated you covered 2.1 miles over the ground. Nicely done. Did you use your Flysight audio feature during the jump? If yes, what mode were you set on? Was the dive part of the jump almost vertical? I have not dove for speed. I just listen in on the glide ratio mode and have been working in that area. The speed idea might be something to ease into. Thanks, Dan Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Wow, impressive! I have been doing some tracking jumps with a Flysight and I had one that was much faster than most. I assume I had a tailwind. I have been trying to think of ways that the wind would not offset my efforts, so I could better tell how I was doing. Tracking 90 degrees to an upwind jumprun might keep you from a tailwind or a headwind most of the time. But it also can get you into a more difficult spot to return from under canopy. Any thoughts in that area? Were you in a typical tracking body position? Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

Study the SIM, section 4 (for starters). This is your student program study guide. But no matter what you know, allow your instrutors to teach. http://www.uspa.org/SIM.aspx Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

While I don’t have thousands of jumps I have been married to the same woman for more than 35 years. I feel the primary thing destroying marriages and families today is selfishness. Is wanting to have fun selfish? Not specifically. The real glue in a marriage (my opinion) is selflessness…..giving up what you desire for the greater good. Had I tried to pursue jumping when our kids were little, I am sure my wife would have objected. Now, she understands there are risks but understands there are risks everywhere. Give your wife some time and maybe her outlook will change. Education about the sport might help her. Maybe some compromise of holding off for a while and during the mean time she can learn about the sport along the way. The selfless thing goes both ways. At some point she might decide you pursuing a dream is better for the greater good. I would not suggest trying to guilt her. I am talking about a love thing, on both sides, from both parties. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

aerodynamic drag. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

At one of the DZs that I visit, they sometimes to a downwind jump run. It is always good to pay attention to upwind or downwnd jump run as you consider your exit. With my light WL, I don't mind being a long, upwind, if it will help someone else out. So I am out right away if first out on a downwind run, and things look okay below. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

The Benny is also a low cost option with good range of vision. http://www.skysystemsusa.com/portfolio/benny/ Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

WooHoo for you. Now the really hard part, learning to wait on the weather. I am happy for you getting past that problem. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

You might have the chance to make a huge difference (for better or worse) in the child's life. I would go for "better". I might be able to turn my back on my kids if they were being stupid, but the child should not pay the price, if you can help. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

If you know you can get motions sickness, be sure to tell your TI to take it easy and why. Under canopy avoid radical turns and avoid looking down at the ground. Look out to the horizon more than down. Starting with my third jump I have used a prescription motion sickness medication. It is effective. Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”