riddler

The difficulty I have with PLF is that fraction of a second when I'm deciding whether to PLF or stand. You can't do both. For me, that decision point is usually about 3 feet off the ground and 20 MPH of forward speed - hard to find enough time to decide. Now, if I'm doing a downwinder at high speed, no question - PLF - I figure that out at 100 feet. Likewise, if I have to turn suddenly at low altitude to avoid an object or jumper - PLF. Unfortunately, most of my half-assed PLFs are the result of attempting to stand and not doing so - then I try to do a PLF in the middle of it, but by that time, it's all over and I may already be hurt. How and when do you make your decision to PLF? Have you become fast enough over your many years of jumping to react lightening quick and decide 3 feet off the ground? Or do you always make your decision from 100 feet? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

This is a fine plan for now - you should always be adding to your procedures as you continue in the sport. I still add little things to my procedures. The key is to add slowly and not overwhelm yourself with too much at once - one thing at a time after your old procedures become habit. Once you have this down and you're satisfied with the routine, think about adding this: The skydive starts when the plane begins to move. Take a note of which way you are taking off - it's usually into the wind - or just note the windsock while you're taxiing. That way you'll know which way you will probably be landing, even if you land in an area where there's no windsock to tell you. The skydive continues as you take off - keep a mental note of where the airport is in relation to the airplane. As the plane turns, keep track of where the airport is. If you have to get out early, you will know which way to start walking back after you land. Even when it's a normal flight, you will know the direction of jumprun before you even look at the ground. This doesn't mean that you can't watch the scenery and banter with your friends - just keep looking out the window in between and remember what you see. The skydive continues as you climb to altitude. Make a mental note of the altitudes that you feel turbulence. You might feel those under canopy too and won't be surprised when it happens. Make a note of what altitude the clouds are. If you see clouds in freefall, and remember that you saw them at 2,500 feet on the plane ride up, it's a good time to check altitude and maybe pull. The skydive continues as you approach jump run. Are you near the airport? Pilots can make mistakes too. Does the spot look reasonable? The skydive continues as you jump out of the plane. That part you've already been trained to do. The more you watch and know on the ride up, the less that will surprise you when you get out. The skydive starts when the plane begins to move - the ride up and the ride down involve two different mediums, but they are both part of the same jump. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Landing gear not fully down? Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

*bump* For those of you in Colorado, Adrenaline Rush has been announced to play in the near future at the IMAX in Colorado Springs: http://www.bigmoviezone.com/txshows/theaters/results_film.html?search_box=Adrenaline%20Rush:%20%20The%20Science%20of%20Risk Also coming to Tulsa, Oklahoma and Melbourne, Australia. No dates have been set as of yet. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Cal City is a cool place. Van is a responsible owner, Soko is a good instructor - lots of good people out there and beautiful jumping over the desert. Have fun. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I've been trying to read Parachutist, but I seem to be stuck at the top of page 76. drool Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

My Mrs. Cleaver, that's a lovely dress you're wearing

Dive tables are becoming obsolete with dive computers these days. Not that you can't use tables, but computers make such a drastic difference in bottom time, as well as more accurate calculation of no-fly time and total decompression time, it's really worth the extra money to get one if you don't have one. As far as training, do it near home, not at a dive resort overseas - you will get better training, typically, and I would suspect it's safer. All the major training methods are good. I cross-trained in SSI and PADI, and I like SSI better. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I got laid off for two months once during the summer. I got up in the morning, spent 30 minutes looking for jobs, then went down to the local 6-flags park (I had a season pass already) and swam in the water and rode roller coasters every day. In the evenings, I sat on my porch, drank beer and watched the stars. When I had less than a dollar in my checking account (73 cents), I found another job. But it was a good vacation. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Go to the "dropzones" section. Select any dropzone. Click "read reviews". At the top of page, the following error:

Not a skydiver. It's not for everyone ... Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I would suggest asking some of the instructors at your DZ that have watched you land. Assigning random numbers as qualifications isn't going to be the best answer. You might be a natural lander and more than good enough for this canopy at this wingloading. Or you may have trouble landing, and should stay on a square at a higher wingloading for some time. No one's going to know unless they see you land. I do know people with your jump numbers that jump that same canopy at that same wingloading. I also know people (myself included) that shouldn't touch a fully elliptical for another few hundred jumps. Stilleto is a great canopy. Ask an instructor at your DZ that has watched you land. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

A lot of lightnings used for CReW have mesh sliders, and those aren't the ones that you want to take terminal. I'm guessing that's what he means. As far as under a small canopy - I guess I would assume that the reserve isn't going to be any bigger (or much bigger) than the main, so I wouldn't want to complicate things by trying to cut away. Best to PLF. Depends on how small is small. If I "accidently" jumped hooknswoops 60, I might try an intentional water landing

I know a few instructor examiners that think some tandem/AFF instructors are 500 jump wonders and shouldn't be teaching anything either. Both instructors and coaches get to that point by proving they are capable of teaching certain things. Coaches are required to demonstrate their teaching ability on the ground, and by evaluation jumps in the air. If we feel that a coach candidate shouldn't be teaching these things, then we don't allow them the rating. I also think there's a difference between who's the best to teach something and who's qualified to do so. If we need the best, then we should ship everyone down to Eloy and have Airspeed teach them to fly, and then off to PA to have Dave Dewolf teach them to pack. Why not have an I/E teach students, or the S&TA, rather than just lowly instructors? The coaches have to prove that they can teach almost everything on the A card, and a great deal on Cat E-H of the ISP, so why not let them? Skr and I both coach at a DZ where instructors are in short supply and have to focus on the AFF and tandem - there really aren't enough to work with students as well. Even coaches are in short supply at this DZ.

If you look at the ISP card, you will see that's true. Instead of an I next to the block, there is a P/I (Pilot or instructor) for aircraft and spotting, and an R/I (rigger or instructor) on the packing block as well. Thia makes sense to me. I don't want to confuse anyone by stating that a coach should be able to sign off on early ISP jumps. ISP incorporates what used to be AFF, and early ISP jumps should involve instructors, not coaches. However, once the student is cleared for self supervision (category E), a coach, IMO should be able to ground train and sign off on skills (spotting, exit separation, basic aeriel, etc). Otherwise, instructors are doing all 20 or so jumps of ISP, as well as all ground training, and signing off all (but 4) jumps. Look at the ISP card past category E - there are all sort of skills that coaches are trained to observe students for - docking, tracking, breakoff, spotting, etc - but can't sign off on. Why limit them to just four blocks on Cat E-H, when they are capable of observing and signing more than that? Now the "old" A card (given to students that complete AFF) has no room for coaches to sign - DZs and students that still use the original A card can't have a coach do anything for the students. This doesn't make sense to me at all.

And since we're talking about 1500 feet of separation here, I would like to harken back to Chris's point about getting out over the runway. 1500 feet is about 1/3 of many runways. If jump run starts at one end of the runway, that really allows only four groups to get out before the end of the runway. If you stretch to outside the runway, you might be able to get 6 groups out. A King Air can easily hold 8 groups, if there are some solos on board. If everyone gives 1500 feet of separation, does it make sense that the DZ should plan on making two passes? It does to me. Will dropzones go for that idea, since it costs more fuel and time? Probably not.

And hopefully it will be available on-line! - thanks, L Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Line-X was the best thing I ever did for my truck. It comes in handy when you're, say, hauling coolers back to people from the freefall convention. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

What's all this talk about eating jello? I've never eaten it - I spend all my time trying to nail it to walls. I've heard that looks good on a resume Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Really - if he had an anti-grav suit, he wouldn't need a balloon. As a matter of fact, none of would ever need planes to skydive either. Where do I get one of those??? Man, is this thing ever going to happen? I've been excited to see it happen for more than a year now. This is a great thing for skydiving, IMO, as long as no one gets hurt. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

Recirculating air?? What happens when you fart in there? Do they build up over time? Do you smell the farts of all the people that day? Seriously, I've been to Flyaway (Vegas) twice, and I would have never thought of them sucking rain into the tunnel. That's a nice one to know about - when it's rainy outside, stay out of the tunnel. Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

I'm gonna stop straddling the fence and side with the ugly people here. They're better in bed anyway Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

***First, they will be able to do recurrency training and jumps for licensed jumpers. Also, if they have extensive freeflying experience, they can work on freeflying with non-licensed students. Finally, they have clarified that "a USPA instructional rating holder (USPA Coach or higher) must accompany the student on group freefall jumps but may choose additional jumpers to join them."*** Luna - thanks for posting this - I look forward to seeing this the new issue of Parachutist (I assume September?). I would like to point out that at least part of this is in conflict with the 2003 SIM, which states, Section 5-2: "USPA xxx-license holders who have not made a freefall skydive within the preceding xxx days should make at least one jump under the direct supervision of a USPA Instructor until demonstrating ..." The SIM makes clear delineation between coaches, instructors and instructor evaluators. Under the current SIM, a coach may not do a recurrency jump with a non-current skydiver. I don't want to get off topic, but right now it seems that the role of coach is somewhat fuzzy. I hope as you say that the role will be expanded in the future.

Typically, to become an instructor, one must hold a current USPA coach rating, have a minimum of 500 jumps, be in the sport 3 years, take some intensive week-long training sessions (varies) and pass a number of ground and aerial evaluations. The programs differ for all the instructor ratings, but all are more expensive, more demanding and more difficult than becoming a coach by far. Instructors work with students that are in AFF, tandems or static lines. Instructors can also play the role of coach. To become a coach, one must hold a USPA C license (and currently have 100 or more jumps), take a weekend class (costs vary), work with an instructor and demonstrate ground training for two student jumps, then pass two aerial evaluations for the same two student jumps. And yes, we do help teach part or all of first jump courses. Coaches are there to fill the gap and work with students that have completed S/L or AFF and are cleared for solo jumps, but do not yet have an A license. Coaches may also be specialists that have thousands of jumps in RW, freeflying or whatever else and can impart this knowledge to more experienced skydivers.

Super Otter takes you fast to 15,000 feet AGL standard altitude. The view of the bay is incredible. Cool people. Was a little windy when I was there, but they said it was unusal. Don't land off - too many McNastys.