CanuckInUSA

You're getting a Mirage right? I've heard good things about Mirage containers and I'd be very surprised if it came with velcro. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

See my post from above. Jumping to get the "D" is not as important as the desire to jump a fair amount to get better due to certain goals I have. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I would like to add that I've been jumping a fair amount not primarily because I want/need 200 jumps before September 2003. No I have been jumping a fair amount because I enjoy doing it, and consider myself some what addicted to the sport. I've also been invited on some jumps (mostly free flying) with some people who are more experienced than myself and at this time I have some work to do before I can close the gap and reliably and safely jump with them. But a goal that I have in the next year is to get better to the point where I can stay with them so that sometime down the road I can start flying a camera (because many of them already do) and this will just make the whole experience so much more enjoyable. I can film them, then can film me and we can all learn from our jumps. But I'm getting ahead of myself as I've got a lot of work to do before I can begin thinking of safely jumping a camera. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I know I've got plenty of jumping to do in the next 8 1/2 months (111 jumps to do before I reach 200) but if everything plans out at Eloy during the Christmas boogie the way I hope they do, I will be coming back 120-130 jumps. And based on the fact that I can jump 12 months of the year (maybe not every weekend) here in Colorado and my home DZ is rumored to be getting an Otter soon, getting 70-80 jumps in in an eight month period shouldn't be too difficult. Now as far as needing a "D" License, of course I don't need it at this time. But since the requirements are going up and there is a chance to get it before they go up, why not? Wouldn't you do the same? If I told you that I could sell you something now for X number of dollars, but in eight months it will more than double in price, would you choose to wait the eight months? Once again, it will be a long time before I consider myself an expert skydiver. So that's not what I'm getting at. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Hey if the Wings people recommend a certain sized PC for a specific sized/type of canopy, then that's a good enough answer for me. And until I actually jump this new canopy, I won't really know if there is an issue with it. Hook was jump commenting that the PC was as big (or maybe even bigger) than the PCs he's used for some base jumps. But then I weigh more than Hook and he flies much much smaller gear than I do. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Dave you bring up some interesting points which I would like to address. I recently picked up a brand spanking new PD 190 Sabre II canopy with it's own risers, dbag and PC. Now I have yet to jump this canopy as I've been still working with my current canopy but I plan on jumping my new canopy for the first (oops beer) time at Eloy next week once I get over 100 jumps under my belt. Ok I've blabbered on enough. Now I'm not the only one who has noticed this (when Hooknswoop rigged everything together he made the same comments). But the PC I got from the Wings people is huge (even bigger than the one hooked up to my Triathlon canopy) and the slider is also bigger than my current slider on the Tri. Now both canopies are known for their sniveling openings, but it's kind of bizzare that the PC and slider on my new setup are bigger than what I'm currently using. Time will tell as to whether or not I will notice anything or if I will get slammed, but I just thought it was different. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Would I be sturring the pot here in saying that I'm probably the sort of skydiver that you don't like because: 1) I'm new to the sport and have a decent number of jumps for the five short months that I have been jumping. 2) I am planning doing many more jumps before September 2003 so that I can obtain a "D" License before the requirements go up. Now before the flamming starts, I want you to know that I don't think of myself as an advanced skydiver or anything like. I still very much feel like a toddler in pre-school about to attend skydiving kindergarden for the first time (the Eloy Christmas boogie). I am much more experienced than I was a few short months ago, but I do realize that I am far from experienced. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

It wasn't that long ago that I too was just a baby "A" license and now I'm just a toddler. But we could try and do small formation jumps with our DZ peers. And of course, partying ... that's a whole different can of worms. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Kelli ... you're thinking of Loveland which ironically still has the parachutist icon shown on the Denver sectional chart. But to my knownledge there is no skydiving activing there anymore. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Leadville is actually listed at 9927 feet MSL and jumping there in the summer would likely be extremely difficult under a highly loaded canopy, but much more tolerable in the winter (if you didn't mind the cold). I have landed there for the first time in a Cessna 182, ironically almost one year ago to the day while I was getting my mountain checkout and it has a nice long/wide runway. I'm sure I would have need much more of the runway had I been on a summer time flight, but in the winter, it wasn't an issue. I've actually landed at Colorado 3rd hardest airport (Glenwood Springs known for it's short runway in a box canyon) and that was much more challenging than Leadville was. But as far as wearing oxygen, jumping at Leadville would be no different than the rest of us who jump at lower altitudes here in Colorado. In fact due to the Class "A" airspace above us, the jump plane can't go above 18000 feet MSL anyway unless it's on an IFR Flight Plan (which they never are) and we routinely climb to 17500 feet MSL at Longmont and elsewhere in Colorado without using oxygen. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I was one of those flies who was writhing (spelling?) on the floor after the boss tore one of my wings off. But I guess his concense got to him, and he picked me up and crazy glued my wing back on. So while I won't be at Eloy for the two weeks I had originally planned on being there for, I should be there for seven days of some of the best skydiving and partying I've ever done. See you all in little over a week. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Congrats ... I'm sure you can't wait to jump it ... Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

1:0:0 One wasted weekend thanks to working on Saturday and having a non-skydiving related injury (it's getting better though). No jumps ... No beer owed ... I'll likely have to work at least one day next weekend, but maybe I can sneak a few jumps in and Eloy isn't that far off. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Sorry to hear about the weather. But I'm not jumping either due to: 1) Being at work right now (it's better to pay my dues now at work so that I can have time off over the holidays). 2) Having a minor shoulder seperation injury I suffered playing hockey the other night. I figure even if I didn't have to work, jumping with a bad shoulder is not a wise decision. So you're not the only one who can't jump this weekend. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

It is not uncommon for people to fail AFF levels and most people start messing up on Level IV or Level V (I had to repeat my Level V jump once). So don't beat yourself up too much here. I'm sure you've heard this many times, and at first it's hard to comprehend what we're saying. But staying relaxed in the air is the key. Now I have a question for you. It sounds like your turns are a little too aggresive. How are you initiating your turn? Are you dropping your shoulders? Anything like that? Dropping the shoulders works, but if you're too aggresive you'll rotate like a man-man. Here's something to try the next time out. Instead of initiating your turn by dropping your shoulders, try bending your waist in the direction of the turn. You will turn slower, but still fast enough and you might find you're in more control. Now serious RW jumpers (which I am not) will actually turn with their legs, but at your level of experience this may just get you into trouble. Anyway, relax next time you jump and remember that many other people before you have had to repeat AFF levels (so you are not alone). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Woo-hoo!!! Christmas has come early for this camper and the boss has rescinded his "I want the engineering staff to work over the holidays" stance and I will be at Eloy. I still need to negotiate with him what days he'll let me have off. I'll be asking for my original Dec 21st through Jan 5th time frame, but I'll likely have to give up some days before Christmas and/or after New Years. But the important thing is that I'll be there. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

First off I am not a rigger. But my rigger has told me to do this and since your reserve will be out of date, it will need to be repacked by the time you want to jump it anyway. So here's what I've been told: Unpack both your main and your reserve canopies and place them into their own respective garbage bags. Next place the the rig into a nice cool dark place (away from insects) and make sure not to have anything on your reserve spring. Finally, since I've been told to release my main risers once a month and exercise the rings, it's also a good idea to just release the main canopy (using your cutaway handle) from the rig as well while you're storing everything. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Do I sense a Sebazz sucks thread coming on. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I agree with you Michele. I was really looking forward to this Eloy boogie, but got the lovely news from my employer the other day that to them work was more important than a vacation and this has nothing to do with chickening out. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Am I missing something here? Am I considered unsafe because I'm really not that nervous before I jump? To me, skydiving is a very dynamic sport. It's good to think about our safety and the safety of the people we jump with. But it's also not the sort of sport to be doing if you're scared. When you're 3000' AGL (come pull time) it's not the time to be worrying whether or not you are scared. It's time to act, act fast and do the right thing. Anyone who is skitish (spelling?) should not be jumping. I really don't want to come off as cocky. But come on folks. If you're scared, you should not be jumping. We need to have our brains operating rationally and clearly. Free fall is not the time, nor the place to be afraid. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I'm a licensed private pilot, so I'm aware of DA. But thanks for the info anyway. I just wonder how many other people like myself have never flown at sea level? Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I was about to reply to a post in the Incidents forum concerning a comment someone made about jumping at altitude, but then I decided to start a new thread here since my comments didn't really have anything to do with that specific ZHills incident. Anyway, the other poster was talking about jumping at 2500' MSL and then made a comment about wanting to do a balloon jump in Colorado. But after some thought he decided against it since the surface altitude was 7500' MSL. And then he asked about other skydivers who may have jumped at altitude. Well the funny thing about my skydiving experience is that I have never jumped at a DZ where the surface altitude was below 5000' MSL. So I have no idea as to what jumping at sea level is like. Now if you look at my profile, you'd see that I fly a large canopy partly due to the fact that I'm a relatively big guy and because I do jump in Colorado. But sometime in the not too distant future I will start flying a canopy which will give me a wing loading a little above 1.2 and I'm sure it will behave differently here than it would at sea level. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I have spent more than 11k since July 14th on my skydiving habit. This includes my initial Tandem jump, AFF training (I had to repeat my Level V jump), another 29 jumps using rental gear, 48 jumps using my own gear, my rig (cypres equiped), a 2nd Sabre 2 main complete with it's own risers PC and dbag (which I haven't jumped yet), one chest mount, one wrist mount altimeter, Pro Track, Bonehead Boomerang Helmet, one RW jumpsuit, one freefly jumpsuit (haven't taken deliver yet) and various skydiving books and videos. Yes it does add up. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

I saw a dude Monday morning who looked like Santa (driving a pickup truck) at a Louisville Post Office. Santa must live in Longmont (or somewhere in Boulder County). Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

Well if you've been to CBPotts, then maybe you've seen this cutie I talk of. Her name is Laura and she's in her mid 20s with mid-length blonde hair and an awesome smile. Apparently she's kind of a wild tom-boyish sort of girl, but she needs some encouragment/help to shed her whuffo skin. And as I said if I could get her up in the air on a scenic flight with me, then maybe I could bring her around. Lot's of ifs though. Anyway, I'm out of here (beauty sleep time) ... talk about hijacking this thread. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over