BigMikeH77

^^^+1^^^ I'm not passing judgment on that DZ or anything, but for a $130 coach jump I'd expect the jump ship to serve refreshments served by my choice of a blonde, brunette, or redhead flight attendant who will also perform an extra gear check while wearing lingerie. And maybe some Creme Brulee' waiting for me when I land? What I mean is... That seems awful pricey.

I couldn't resist making my own estimation... At my DZ, making an optomistic estimation of having two AFF repeats, including gear rental and a successful (first time go) A-Check dive, I'm looking at about $2,000. That of course doesn't include gas, food, beer, etc... But even this early on, I've quickly learned that the journey is the destination, I'll get there when I get there and not a moment sooner. Meanwhile, It's all about meeting some great peeps So yeah, the cost definitely varies from place to place to place.

Ive never heard of that... Will make an effort to notice the blue umbrella and green bowl next time I'm up there :-) Thanks!

It's just a little culture shock. That happened to my ex-wife when we moved to Germany. You don't speak native french, and they dont speak native english... so dont fall for the trap of misinterpreting tone or sentence structure. Just do your best to communicate. If they ARE being intentionally rude, remember that nice is the new nasty.

I've been divorced for a few years now, and separated for a few before then.. Been through more than my fair share of bad relationships, so needless to say I had just given up on Valentine's Day and was about to embrace the fact that I'm single today when out of the blue I get a message from someone I've been casually dating for a few months... "Go jump on Saturday. I've already taken care of it. Or if you don't jump, they'll credit your account at manifest. Happy Valentine's Day" I'm speechless.

Shouldn't really matter, IMO. It's the generalization made that is offensive and downright illogical - Students are required to jump an RSL and AAD, therefore students are not confident in their ability to pull reserve after cutaway, therefore students shouldn't be jumping. There's no logical value to that.

Your comment has seriously irked me to the point where I'm not being productive at work but rather searching for ways to rebute. But I'll let the SIM do the talking for me: "2. All students are to be equipped with the following equipment until they have obtained a USPA A license: b. a piggyback harness and container system that includes a single-pointriser release and a reserve static line, except: (1) A student who has been cleared for freefall self-supervision may jump without a reserve static line upon endorsement from his or her supervising instructor. (2) Such endorsement may be for one jump or a series of jumps. d. a functional automatic activation device that meets the manufacturer'srecommended service schedule"

I was responding to a different poster who said that folks with AAD's and RSL's shouldnt be jumping... But you make an excellent point. AAD's aren't foolproof - which is exactly why they cannot be relied on but rather used as a last resort/last chance/when all else fails. Everyone's situation is different. A student and his/her DZ and instructors all appreciate the AAD for the above mentioned reason, but for someone doing high performance canopy work an AAD can (and has) cause real problems... Am I correct? So really it comes down to your personal preference and, as already mentioned in another post, wether or not your DZ MANDATES the use of an AAD. Doesn't really seem like there's a right or wrong, at least not to the point where anyone can pass judgement and say that if you prefer one over the other then you shouldn't be jumping. Screw that.

Wow... Lots of super judgemental comments on this thread. I believe the original poll was just that - a poll. But this has become like defending why you vote one way or another. Lay off the personal stuff like that. Some people want the extra peace of mind, others dont. None of us RELY on the AAD for if we did, we'd run out of DZ's that would let us jump.

Velcro... What a rip-off!

It's in your head. Seriously. For me, the mental exertion, stress, and anguish of combat was far more destructive than the physical injuries. Hit six IED's, took more mortar, rocket, and small arms fire than I can even count - but the mental part of combat can sometimes be the most destructive. The 90's song from the Cranberries "Zombie" comes to mind.

Are there any other COMBAT veterans on this thread thann myself? Just curious, because it seems that a lot of the opinions given are based on personal belief and not on objective facts. I believe that women are as as effective as men in combat. There ARE certain combat roles that would be more challenging for most women than they are for men, yes... But this shouldn't exclude a person from serving based solely on their gender. The military has standards. If someone can't meet the standard for a given MOS, they should find a different specialty. Can you hump 95 pound artillery rounds? Can you carry X pounds of gear? Can you evaluate a casualty, exceed the physical fitness standard, shoot an enemy in the neck from 300 meters? Great, you're in. No? That's okay, we also have positions in HQ, finance, medical, supply, armory, etc... The list goes on and on. In Iraq I fought alongside christians, muslims, jews, athiests, straights, gays, men, and women. What's important is their commitment to the team, the fight, and the nation.

I am in an AFF program, just started as a matter of fact.. The costs vary from place to place really so yes, check with your DZ for prices. The first jump is usually the most expensive and genrerally the price goes down once you reach jump four or five. With no repeats, I think it's safe to say that an AFF course will cost you around $1,200 to $1,500. Most every DZ will require you to get USPA membership, that's $65 annually. Your "A" license is a goal and what's important is that you not rush the process. Take the time to ask questions, understand, learn, and have lots of fun! Some folks highly recommend doing a tandem first so you get a feel for the enviornment. Have you done a tandem? Dont forget to do an introduction.

Does anyone mind if a noob chimes in here?? I have two jumps. TWO. I wish I had more, and will in the future, but for now I have TWO. That being said, here's my take... 1) It's okay to ask questions here on the board because most of us, ESPECIALLY those new to the sport, don't live at or near the DZ and dont have daily access to our instructors. 2) It is preferable to take advice from your home DZ instructors. They are more knowledgeable with the local equipment, enviornment, and rules. 3) No one should attempt to learn to skydive via the internet, or assume that they have the experience to practically apply concepts that can only be learned through time, repetition, and effort. 4) Not unlilke the news, all jumpers - experienced and inexperienced alike - should get their information from a variety of sources and use their common sense, good judgement, and sound reasoning to determine what is the best and most accurate. Keep in mind point #2. 5) As it pertains to this discussion, I really don't believe that a jumper with 38 entries in their logbook would be the BEST person to take important advice from but would still listen to their experience and suggestions because they have more jumps than I. 6) No, I don't believe that just because someone theoretically CAN so something that most others would consider dangerous that they should. As over regulated as our sport may seem to some, we are still SELF REGULATED. If you think the rules are a pain in the butt now, just wait until a bunch of young (meaning inexperienced) jumpers do a series of stupid things and get people hurt. Then there will be cries from the whuffo masses for regulation and rules and you'll see what fun REAL restrictions are. 7) To ignore the advice and experience of more experienced jumpers, to disregard the SIM, and to "do your own thing" to the extent that it endangers yourself and others unnecessairily is to disrespect all of those that have learned the hard way - through injury and even death - so that we may not have to. Okay I hope I havent upset anyone or stepped on any toes here... Those are just my thoughts. Now I'm going to pretend to be productive here at work. Thanks for reading! :-)

Indubitably! As it so happens, that word is often used as a gague of sobriety...

It's Missouri... What do you expect - sound reasoning? Hahaha! That place is a twilight zone of self righteousness, racism, poverty, and ick. Being born and raised there, I simply had to leave and see the world. Best decision I ever made. Missouri - The state I love to hate.

You're assuming I have a girlfriend.... Gee thanks.

It is really kind of bizarre now that you mention it... My first ever jump, a tandem, was outside Vegas where the elevation isn't nearly as high as it is here in Denver and I do believe that we jumped at 14,000 AGL. So using noob logic, i deduce that our friends in coastal areas theoretically OUGHT to be able to go all the way up to 17,000' above sea level without issue. BUT, remember, we are acclimated to the less dense air and rarely if ever tumble out of the car when we get to the summit of Loveland Pass. (I mean for real, man... My kids SKI from higher altitudes than that.)

That's pretty cool... BUT... I betcha can't say someone of your namesake has ever been featured on Judge Judy! Check It Out!

I agree, but my question is... Can I REALLY do anything? It's important to help people, but equally important to help yourself. Does that make sense?

She want support, I suppose for me to be like a cheerleader and say things like "you can do this" and rah rah rah. Wants to be the center of attention, and I'm just not certain that even having all the attention in the world will help. I mean, the first time she did that a few months ago was followed by swearing never again to use that... And look. The way I'm kind of looking at this is from a perspective of "should I even attempt to help or be supportive", knowing full well the destructive power of an addicts mind.

I recently took up skydiving for many reasons... First and foremost is of course the obligatory "I've always wanted to", then more personal reasons start to chime in like wanting healthier activities/hobbies and wanting healthier people in my life. Thus far, even three jumps into my AFF, the sport has not disappointed. However, as we all know, sometimes the past rears its ugly head and theres not a thing we can do about it. Which brings me to my question for you to ponder and, if you'd like, offer some ideas... One of the people in my established "circle" of quirky friends has gotten themselves into a habit with meth, and I'm wondering how much support I should consider lending them. It's a she, and she had started using a couple of months ago then swore up and down that she wouldn't do it again. A month ago she asked me if I wanted to do some (I've never done that before and never will...), and I politely declined.. And then she started to bottom out - lost her job, is about to lose her house, car, probably daughter, etc... I'm wondering if there's anything I can really do for this person at this point other than give her a phone number for help and wish her the best. I don't think it's selfish or bad to recognize when you can't help someone and subsequently refuse to bang your head against a brick wall trying to accomplish something you've already decided can't be done. that would be nuts, I think. And isn't that what the addict mind really wants people to do for them? Does anyone have any experience with acquaintences who've gotten into the meth trap?

Oh God, now I want a Kinder Egg!

Been on both sides (more times than I care to remember), and the emotional transgression is by and far the most destructive. The trust becomes permanently and irreparably broken.

You know, I didn't post this to start an argument among the more experienced jumpers. I just had a simple question about the SIM. I even edited my original post with "Of course I'll be asking my instructor..." because I left that out at first - It SHOULD go without saying. I'm not here on the forum to learn how to skydive. I have a DZ and instructors for that. But there is a lot of valuable experience that can be shared from folks who have hundreds/thousands of jumps. REMEMBER, I'm new. I have a lot of questions and since I also have a job and kids, I'm not always available to go to the DZ whenever I want. MAYBE twice a month.. So I think these forums are a great place to ask questions. I respectfully request the arguing and nit picking over symantics to stop. You are doing me and the other lesser experienced jumpers and students a disservice. Now, if you have an opinion on the SIM or procedures for a side-by-side I'd love to hear them... And there have already been a couple of those posted. So thank you for those.