obelixtim

Yeah its great to lead them deeper and deeper into a trap with a bit of gentle encouragement and a look of awe on your face, even better with an audience. Then to finish them off with "you are full of shit"!!!, and watch them slink off. Great fun. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

The advantages of a freebag, and the steering and control a square reserve gives, plus the reduced training necessary, far outweigh anything a round reserve offers. The "roundie is OK for SL jumps" is an argument made by cheapskate DZO's. Are SL malfunctions somehow different???. Standard equipment, and TRAINING, for all jumps, SL or FF, are a key part of student operations. When square reserves first appeared on the scene, they were the first things I put in my student rigs. End of story. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

I didn't want to unload both barrels in one shot and come across as negative in answering his question. But you are correct, at 35 jumps, one should be focusing on other more important aspects of skydiving besides flying a logo canopy. Well seeing he won't be able to jump it on demos for a while he could send it to me and I'll break it in for him. New canopies need a hundred jumps or so on them to settle them into skydiving..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

We usually just use a normal plastic bag. The base man holds the bag, everybody flies in tight and grabs a piece of it, on the nod, pops out ito a normal formation, ripping the bag apart. Simple and easy.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

One tequila, Two tequila, Three tequila, Four...... Five tequila, Six tequila, Seven tequila, Floor....... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Tandems were invented by someone taking his young son for a skydive, so nothing new there. As I recall the boywas paralysed or somehow disabled. there is a picture of a RW formation, and you can see the kid strapped to his Dad. I'm sure someone will track the photo down. Plenty of animals have skydived as well, That goes back a long way, and I've seen search and rescue teams take dogs out with them... Booth took it from there..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Again...outstanding. Your "frog brain" is an instinctive thing that every human has. We are instinctively afraid two things, of fire, and of falling. Its completely natural, and normal. Your body is telling you that this is going to kill you. However your "higher" brain is telling you that you can survive this, having done so already. Thats why you are suddenly on to it once you are in FF. Your higher brain is dominating, because you are getting out of the plane. As time goes on your "frog brain" will receed into nothing, as your confidence and skill improves. Every jump you do will further this process. It can get to the stage that you are so confident and assured you start feeling bulletproof, and will do almost anything to get into the sky. This phase is typically when you have around 50 - 200 jumps, and is when you are in most danger. At that point it is time for "frog brain" to re enter the picture a little and tell you to calm down a little and not to take foolish risks. Go for it, but try not to let too much time pass between each jump. Again, the cartoons are outstanding. I can see these being downloaded and showing up on DZ's all over the planet, for AFF students to read and absorb. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

And then you learned to pack!!!. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Bowlers revenge for all the klutzes we send their way..... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Relax in Freefall. Conscious, calm thought is necessary during the FF. And awareness of your body....all bits of it. Focus on letting the wind blow your legs and arms back, rather like hair blowing in the wind. Think floppy arms and legs... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Yeah I've seen a few. but not side by side. It looked to me he pitched himself, very quick on the trigger. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Funeral in Cebu, Phillipines, Tuesday. Lots of broken hearted women around the world.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Feet together and forward was the position to adopt for a chop. With a centre pull reserve handle you had both hands on the handle and pulled straight up together to about your chin, this meant the forearms covered the capewells which would be hanging out after the cutaway. Often you would be left hanging backwards a little under the reserve, the drill was to push both arms between the reserve lines, and then cinch them back so the reserve lines travelled under your armpits, and you were then suspended by the lines emerging behind your shoulders, pulling you into an upright position for a good PLF on landing. If you want to go further back then we get into NOT cutting away, and hand deploying the non pilot chuted reserve. Of course when the PC came along this went out of fashion, simply because a malling PC usually spun out a bit more than an old cheapo would. This kind of spin was considered violent, so most people were not allowed to jump a PC untill they had quite a few jumps under their belt first. ( I was the first student to jump a PC on a first jump in NZ, apparently it created quite heated discussion at a national T & S meeting at the time). A PC was considered way too dangerous for a first jumper to handle. The old two shot and one shot capewells were more difficult to deal with as well. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Spoken like a skydiver. From a DZO's perspective it's a brilliant idea to maximize profits. Half the tandem master pay, half the rig depreciation, and 33% increase in lift capacity. What's not to like? And a bulk discount from the funeral director....... A cunning plan indeed. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

If you don't like the service it is best to leave a tip. 1 cent is appropriate. Just don't inadvertantly leave any valuables behind after walking out. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Forget about gear until you have 25 - 30 jumps at least. The operation you choose will have gear set up specifically for student jumps and you won't want to jump similar gear after you get your A license. Focus on learning to skydive first, and then you'll have a much better idea of what you want. If you buy it too early you'll find you'll want to change it to something better by the time you've clocked up a 100 or so jumps, and you'll lose money on the deal. It also gives you time to look at a variety of systems and options, of which there are many. Learn to walk before you try to run. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Cross connecters were a no no on a PC, could turn into neck breakers. Only on the reserve. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

That was a very fast drogue pitch. I'd be curious to know how experienced this TM is. Not really impressed with this TBH. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

The golden rule that has served skydiving well over 50 years is worth remembering. Deal with problems early, at altitude, and get yourself under a good parachute. It will always hold true. If you don't trust your reserve, don't get in the plane. Riding a problem is the quick route to the hospital or worse, cemetery. At low level turbulence will kill you if you have a canopy collapse. Doubly important on a Tandem. I'm surprised the question is even asked. As for the tension knot on the reserve....a hook knife on the offending line would solve the problem. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Well you need to get your DZ cats to toughen up for a start..... And if someone claims to be an instructor in those circumstances, ask him to teach you something skydive related, after all he's an instructor.... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Thats rubbish right there. If he had a couple of hundred jumps and was jumping with a camera, he had no business getting nervous just because you gave him a bit of free advice. If you see something that doesn't look right, you should always speak up. I've kicked quite a few jumpers out of the plane before takeoff when they've showed up with crap they want to take on the jump that they've designed and made themselves without reference to anyone who knows about these things. Remember, they could be endangering others besides themselves.... Flags, cameras, boards, all sorts of crap. I've seen it all. You name it, some numbskull will try it. It can be done safely and correctly, but some people just think its easy, but can't see the potential outcomes. Better to piss someone off, than to be looking at a smashed carcase and be thinking you should have piped up earlier. Don't sweat it. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Have a search for dropzones in Alaska. Then have a look at their site. That should answer a few questions. Best not to buy gear at this stage, spend the money on jumps, most DZ's will require you to jump their gear until A licence as its set up for student use. Once you have a licence you'll be able to start looking for suitable gear, the guys at the DZ will give you good advice. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Good one. The who, how and what you do on the jump, is up to your instructor at this stage, and you should refer to them for any questions or advice for as many more jumps as you like. Its your jump. You own every part of it. Make the decisions on that basis, and you can't go wrong, either way. You'll find your boyfriend will calm down a bit once he realises you are sticking to your guns. Go for it!. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Cool...... My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

Died of complications following a stroke, in Cebu, Phillipines....gone to the big DZ in the sky. 1st jump 1977 Bridge Pa. Original owner of Taupo Tandem Skydive, till 1997, then to the Phillipines via Australia. Father of Rhys, TI, currently in Holland, also Vanessa, Allanah and Amber. My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....