Luna

I really wanted to do this, but from what I've been able to determine, it is still closed since 9/11. Thanks for the great ideas everyone! I know I'm going to need a vacation from my vacation, seeing as it's so short and there is so much to see in that time, but I'm determined to get as much in as I possibly can! I had a few ideas, but you guys have given me some I had not thought of, which is what I was hoping for. Thanks again!

In 2 weeks I'm going to visit NYC for the first time (my 30th birthday present). Any advice on what I should do? I've got 2 nights and 3 days, and my evenings are already filled with 2 broadway shows and dinners. Other ideas on things I shouldn't miss would be greatly appreciated. And is there anyone who knows if the ice skating rink in Rockafeller Center will be open by then? Would love to do that if it is. Thanks! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Thanks to all for your words of encouragement. Thought I'd let you know how attempt number two went. I had a much better exit out of a King Air this time, being a bit unstable, but no inversions this time. While I was still not quite stable yet, I realized I was looking at the ground, picked my head up, and got stable instantly. That's the first time I've had a realization like that about my head being down. That was good. Making progress. The rest of the jump, I was very stable, good body position, but was not able to execute my turns. Turns out I was pushing my arms down instead of tilting my body. I knew how to do it, I just wasn't executing properly for whatever reason. But, all-in-all I feel really good about this jump. I made a lot of progress from the last one, and learned even more, and that is all I can ask for. Next time I'll pass this level! Thanks again for your encouragement! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

I'm having the same experience as you are. So far, out of 8 jumps, I've gone out of an Otter, a Super Otter, 2 different King Air's (one was MUCH faster than the other), and the Casa has been here twice. I also like the Casa best. Nice and roomy with an easy and fun exit. But normally we have an Otter. I think they try to get the King Air over the winter, but it's just what is available, and most times we get the Otter. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

I went for my sixth AFF jump on Saturday. It was a huge learning experience for me. This was my very first solo exit, and it was out of a tailgate plane (which I've been out of before, on a two-instructor harness-hold exit, though). The dive flow included getting stable within five seconds of exit, then performing 1-2 180 degree turns and 1-2 360 degree turns. As I was getting myself situated on the tailgate of the plane, I looked down and saw that my cameraman's heels were hanging off the edge of the tailgate. My instructor had told me not to hold onto the plane at all, and she was not holding onto me, so I didn't feel comfortable getting that close to the edge. As a result, I may not have been close enough to the edge. I gave my count and then jumped off the back of the plane. I hit my hands on the tailgate as I fell away, most likely as a result of not being close enough to the edge, combined with not jumping back far enough. As I fell away from the plane, I went into a complete de-arch, with arms and legs forward. This sent me onto my back, and then I starting tumbling over and over. Within about 8-10 seconds, I managed to make myself stable on my own. Once I got stable, I checked my altitude and looked for my instructor, who was still not there yet. I went ahead and did a practice pull, then started on my turns, even though my instructor was still not in my sight. I got confused, though, when I tried turning left but started turning right instead. This turn turned into a spin which my instructor stopped. After the spin was over, I realized that I was not going to pass to my next level, and I was down to about 8000 feet, so I just hung out and waited to pull on time. After reviewing the tape, we determined that the spin was a result of having a very flat arch, combined with my left leg being slightly out and my left knee being slightly down. A few things that I learned from this: I really have to focus on arching on exit. I've had trouble with it all along in my progression, but without an instructor hanging onto me, it has become an immediate problem. I know how to arch, I just have to do it immediately on exit. I can get stable after tumbling! On my own! That is a great feeling! Even when I think I'm arching, if something is not going right, I probably am not arching as much as I can, so I have to really over-accentuate the hips-down. A leg out or knee down will override what my arms are doing, and can cause a fast spin, so the best thing to do if I am spinning is to arch and check my legs. I'm learning and progressing, which is going to mean having some times when I need to try things over before I get them. I do learn from my mistakes, though, so I won't have to repeat them too many times! Just thought some others might benefit from my experience. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Our DZ allows observers, and they do not wear rigs, even if riding up front with the pilot. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Thank you SO much for that! There are plenty of women on here, and we deserve equal time! And boy do I LOVE Vin Diesel! Man is he hot!! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

All the info I know was sent via PM, but basically, yeah, that NTSB report looks like it fits with what I had heard. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

The story documented in The Endless Fall that was mentioned by someone else was the story of Bill Cole, not these pictures. Bill's was in 1972, and it was not faked. Mike Swain, who wrote the book, was the one who did the video on the jump. Great story! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

I heard the plane crashed 2 weeks ago with no jumpers aboard, pilot was testing the engines or something and clipped some trees. Haven't heard anything about this weekend. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

The Endless Fall by Mike Swain is pretty cool. He is an old-timer, started jumping in the early 60's, and the book is just filled with his adventures, which are wild! Things were very different back then! Not fiction, but will grab you for sure. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Yeah, I just saw the same footage and my husband and I were both bitching about it too. Does anybody know if that would be acceptable in Lithuania? I just can't see anybody strapping a helmet camera on a first time jumper! My understanding from the clip, though, was that the spin happened very low. Actually, as we were watching the spin we were noticing how low he looked, so I really don't think he could have cutaway. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

If that is your point, that is fine. You can write your congressional representatives to try to get something done about it. But, the point of this thread was abiding by the laws, whether you agree with them or not. And for the record, why did you call my last reply to you a flame. I don't think that was a flame. Driving is not a right, and you can argue the semantics of the word privilege if you want, but the reality is that driving is something that citizens are allowed to do, provided that we abide by the laws that govern it. Can I not make a point without being called a flamer? Geez! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Yay Michele! I'm SO happy for you! Feels much better, huh? You are awesome! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Simple fact, driving is not a right, it's a privilege. As such, you must abide by certain rules (laws) in order to maintain that privilege. If you choose not to, that privilege can and will be revoked. Period. Doesn't matter if you think it's right or wrong, it simply is the fact. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Yeah, I just got back from it, and it is pretty creepy. The ending kinda makes you think. It's worth seeing. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Yeah, there's a guy I work with who is going through scuba training and there are 2 skydivers in his class. So he starts talking to me about it. Funny thing is that he says that everyone in their class, including the instructor, had this opinion that, hey, they are skydivers so they won't have any problems with scuba. Turns out they both are doing scuba to overcome their fear of the water. I told him, people seem to have this larger than life image of skydivers, but most of them are just normal people. He said he was just getting that. I guess most whuffos never get it though. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

A little obscure, but I love it: Smiling Up The Frown - Agents of Good Roots. I heard them play it acoustic once and it sounds really good. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Thanks Michele! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

We are both going through AFF together. I like having someone to talk to all the time about it. And I can't wait until we can jump together!

You do mean Aspen Hill, right? Only one shooting was near Ashland. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

This is something I'm thinking hard about too, because my mom is coming to visit in December and I'm going to take her for a tandem. I keep going back and forth between riding up with her and jumping out before her, and just waiting on the ground. If I jump, I know that tandems land a while after most others, but me still being a student, I will probably not be that far ahead of her. Then I'll have to worry about getting my canopy together so I can run over to her. But the point that you made about how she'd be able to see me exit, that makes me think it might be worth it. I know she really would get a thrill out of that. I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

I only have a few friends who are skydivers (and it looks like Chile is one of them! ), but then I am a brand new skydiver, so I haven't had time to run them off yet. I'm hoping I can "convert" a few of them actually...there are a couple who want to at least do it once, which is a start. Now, saying is one thing, doing is another, and I have to get them out there! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

I've never got a solicitor calling on my cell and I've had it for at least a year. Sometimes a few wrong numbers, but no solicitors. Everyone has a different way to handle those telemarketing calls, but here is mine. I've noticed that most of them use these auto-dialers, so when you pick up the phone and say "Hello," it takes a few seconds for them to pick up the phone and reply. If I answer a call and get no immediate response, I hang up. If it was someone I know, they will call back. This has worked about 90-95% of the time. There are still a few who don't use the auto-dialers and you get screwed, but at least I've avoided most of them. Good luck! I'm walking a marathon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Click Here for more information!

Do all the students have the same colored canopies? Our radio log notes the students name and the canopy colors. Actually, there are different colored canopies, but there is no radio log and they mostly don't know what color you have. Keep in mind, I'm not at a "corporate" type DZ, it is a club, and it is small. Thats too bad. I know it was reassuring to me to know the radio guy was a pro and put trust into waiting to hear that voice say flare!! AFF1 standup landing was the result of a competant instructor on the radio.