NickyCal

Visiting San Diego for a couple of weeks and hoping to make a few trips out to SDSD. Anybody have DZ advice? Best days/times to go for fun jumping? Any inside info? I went once as a student, but was still wide eyed with rental gear and being hand-held by a coach. It's all a blur! Totally different experience visiting as a licensed (though still very new) jumper.

Just had a devil of a time getting through security with my rig in STL. No way, no how was I getting through there without opening both my main and reserve for full inspection. No way, no how was I opening my reserve! We had a 60 minute stand-off. I had the AAD x-ray card and TSA letter. Made no difference. I refused to budge, even after they pushed a huge bunch of metal tables together so that I would have plenty of space (?). Finally, the off-airport bomb experts arrived and confirmed what I'd been telling these fools! Give yourself plenty of time to get through security and stand your ground when they ask for unreasonable rig searches. I also got to have a full body search in the bargain. Made the final boarding call for our flight. That was not a happy start to our travels!

I should probably clarify that I'm a small person jumping a Sabre 170, so I don't come in fast. If there is any headwind at all, I can generally stand it up. If its a hot, humid, no-wind day, however, I'm often going just a bit faster than my old joints are happy to run it out. At this point, there is NO vertical movement. I am nicely planed out over the landing area. I glide a very short distance above the ground, then finish with a short and slow slide on my thigh (I always lean left, for whatever reason). Even if I did hit something, it wouldn't do more than bruise my leg. I do see the wisdom in the muscle memory argument, that really you shouldn't do this ever, because it becomes an ingrained option which isn't a great one. I'll have to think on that. If I hit the ground hard and fast on my feet, I'm likely to do a whole lot more damage than my current default glide and short slow slide to a stop. I took a canopy course and actually queried the instructor on my no-wind slides. He specifically said, "I'd much rather see you slide it in than tumble it in". And tumble it in is what I'd be doing on the landings that I'm currently sliding in, so...

I'm still a very new jumper, but here's my take on the landing situation. When I am coming in fast, I will always slide it. I'm 38 years old and have been blessed with a lifetime of Rheumatoid Arthritis, so running out a fast landing just isn't going to happen. My joints won't allow me to safely do that without risking some pretty serious tears/pulls/swelling. I don't want to tumble and PLF what is a perfectly safe landing approach, and so as I level out over the ground at speed, where a good runner might put his feet down and go, I'll just lift my legs and slide. This is generally only the case on no-wind days. With a bit of headwind, I am able to slow myself down enough with the final bit of flare that I can usually stand them up these days. And with a good headwind, heck, I don't have to do anything but wait for my feet to slowly touch the ground. Big canopy, little person [Edited to add: When I say "slide it in", I'm not talking about riding the ground on my butt. My feet go up and I fly that last bit of horizontal momentum over the ground until I'm nice and slow and drop down for a little final slide to stop. I don't tear up jumpsuits skidding in my landings or anything!]

I will be spending a couple of weeks later this month with the in-laws (outside of Kingston), sans gear and in need of some good excuses to get out of the house (ha!). I am also in serious need of some tunnel training, so figured that I could combine the two. I do have access to a car, but absolutely hate driving over there. I would prefer someplace that I can reach reasonably easily via rail and/or bus. My 10 year old would be coming along for his first tunnel experience as well. What do you guys recommend for a good tunnel nearish to London that will be able to offer some coaching, as well as some fun flight for the offspring?

Super brand newbie question: Do I collapse the slider before I've released my brakes (assuming that I'm only collapsing and not doing the fancy behind-the-neck maneuver)? I'm still very wary of doing anything before I do my controllability checks. Also, my slider is a pain in the butt and does not like to stay collapsed. However, I don't want to be placing unnecessary wear and tear on my lines and other parts. What I've done thus far is used rear risers to steer myself clear of any traffic (182 DZ, so usually not an issue anyway, but I like to stay faaaaaar away from any other peoples!), then attempted in vain to collapse the slider for a few seconds, after which I give up and go to toggles. Can I mess with the slider after I've taken grip of my toggles, or no? And not to the extent that I am overly distracted, I know! But again, 182 DZ and usually I'm the only one landing in the novice landing area, so nobody is anywhere nearby after opening.

This is exactly where I sit and I can't tell you how pleased I am with my used gear purchase. As a petite female, jumping student gear was uncomfortable, not to mention an obstacle to learning to fly my body (the rig sticking out every which way did some flying of its own!). So when a perfectly fitting used rig with excellent credentials and lots of good years left on her main became available, I snatched it up. I was paying $25/jump to rent ill-fitting student gear, there was only one rig at the DZ that fit me at all, I had to wait for that rig when it was already in use or needed to be packed -- it just made sense to take the financial hit early on instead of throwing away money on the rental with every jump. Last weekend, at jump number 18, I jumped her for the first time. Also my first jump on my own pack job. It was the best feeling! And then being able to land, walk to the packing area, pack her up and just go again. I've only got 3 jumps on her now, but already I am in love. The fit is amazing. The canopy flies beautifully. And she's ALL MINE. If you think that you're going to be in the sport for awhile, even if like me, you may only make 50-100 jumps each year, there are so many benefits to having your own rig even outside of the financial considerations. You pack it, you maintain it, you know that canopy like a part of your own body. Like I said, only three jumps and I'm already in love with my girl. We're going to have lots of fun times together! And that, my friends, is priceless.

So, its been a long time since I originally posted this, but I FINALLY did my first hop n' pop (in fact, first TWO hop n' pops!) yesterday. Winter weather and/or spring's non-student winds didn't give me a break until the end of March, but at last, I got a full day at the DZ. Because it was such perfect weather yesterday, I actually didn't even intend to do the hop n' pops (was going to put them off for a colder and/or cloudy day), but lucky for me the coaches and instructors at the DZ said, "Its time. Just do it". And I'm glad that they did. Because not only do I have both of those out of the way and signed off now, but I have realized that hop n' pops, contrary to my earlier fears, are both safe AND fun! After my recurrency jump, I was talked into trying the higher hop n' pop. Which says 5,500' on my license sheet, but my coach decided that I needed to exit at more like 4,500' in penalty for my bad attitude towards low exits. He probably had other reasons, but I'm sticking with that. I spotted the load and exited stable, counted to 5, pulled and was under canopy by 4,000. I was surprised at how high I was under a full canopy. It took a bit more convincing for me to agree to go up on the 3,500' exit, but I figured that I may as well just get it out of the way. Coach wanted me to do a different style of poised exit from the step. I spotted the load, did my new style exit, and went into a couple of lovely barrel rolls before getting nice and stable, pulling, and being under canopy at 3,000'. So even from a 3,500' exit and with some of my famous exit acrobatics, I was absolutely fine and sailing away at 3,000'. As much as you all said, "You have plenty of time!", it took actually doing it to realize that you skydivers might just know a thing or two.

I don't have any sage advice, but I applaud you for getting it out of the way. I finished AFF and made it as far as jump 17 before being weathered out for the winter (and still waiting!). I am 8 jumps away from my A with only packing left to be signed off. And I've had all winter to master that skill. But guess what also still needs to be completed? Yep, two hop n' pops. In the back of my mind, I dread the return of nice weather because I actually have to go through with it. So everybody who says, "Just relax", here's my reason for being anything but. Up to now, I'm a 4500 wave and open type. Loads of time to deal with potential problems. That hop n' pop from 3500 just seems downright dangerous to me! I know, I know, ha ha ha from the person leaping out of planes for fun, but it is what it is. I'll do it because I have to, but definitely not because I want to. Look forward to hearing your success story as yet another step in my not-wimping-out!

I'll do my best. There are a lot of things that won't be on the official list, such as all of the gas driving back and forth to the DZ (over an hour each way), even on days when only one jump was possible. Organizing child care for my son when my husband, who works in another state, isn't in town. The necessary t-shirts from drop zones that you visit (am I right?!). Shipping costs on the alti, goggles, helmet, etc that I ordered. Of course, those are my own individual expenses, so can't be added to a general "how much would it cost to get my A license" list. $2000 -- AFF (plus required tandem), getting you to 8 jumps $130 -- Refresher coach jump after weathered out for 6 weeks $300 -- 3 coach jumps at large DZ (now at 12) $150 -- 2 coach jumps at home DZ (14 jumps total) $550 -- Remaining 11 jumps at student price of $50 each $2300 -- Used rig $1400 -- AAD $350 -- updating rig for RSL, RSL installation, reserve repack $300 -- two used jumpsuits $160 -- altimeter $65 -- cheap starter helmet $30 -- two sets goggles $60 -- light and winter weight gloves $10 -- log book $65 -- USPA membership $100 -- miscellaneous sports-wear for colder weather jumps Ok, so all totaled up, you're right, I did overestimate a bit. If we leave out all of the extraneous expenses, I will have spent $8000 to get my A license. I still contend that giving up on your college education to attempt to make a career from skydiving is insane. Skydiving is an expense, not an income generator for the vast majority of people who participate in (and love!) the sport.

To the trained eye, it is fossil pollen, Sparky. Not dust. Don't you dare say "dust". 9 years of college and grad school, buddy. 9 YEARS. I study fossil pollen. Got it?

Just finishing up my A license requirements here. Let me say that if spouse and I didn't both have good jobs and financial security, skydiving wouldn't be happening. Including first rig (which I got a great deal on used), I will have easily put over $10,000 into just getting that A license. If you want to follow your dream, finish school, get a job, then save save save so that you can get started doing what you love. Work pays the skydiving bills.

There was definitely a cliquey atmosphere with the super elite jumpers there, and the working jumpers were understandably busy doing their own thing. There were some lovely fun jumpers (with whom I was not able to jump since I'm only a student) who wanted to include me and were super fun and friendly, so it wasn't a whole DZ atmosphere or anything, just luck of the draw on my solo load. And like I said, I thought that I *had* to get somebody from my load to sign the book. But I didn't want to disturb the tandem instructors who were busy working with their students and the sky gods were too cool for school. I'm a friendly happy outgoing person, but knowing that it doesn't absolutely have to be somebody from my load is a good bit of knowledge and would have made that afternoon less stressful -- the jump was easy, but finding somebody to sign my book? Not so much!

Absolutely needed this thread. At my home DZ, I just ask a friendly face because I know everybody there, but when I recently visited a big new (to me) DZ, I had no idea who to ask. I kept getting on loads with a mix of sky gods, who wouldn't give me a backward glance on the ground, and tandem instructors who were busy with their students after the jump. I tried to get the attention of a couple of guys from my load, but they were working and too busy to hear my, "Excuse me? Would you mind signing my log book?". Luckily a nice fellow smiled and signed it for me cheerfully, but I didn't realize that it was "kosher" since he wasn't on the load. I took the signature, but felt like I'd cheated. Apparently not!

Good choice on the more expensive Benny. Bought the cheaper model (though on sale for $39) and had to have Sky Systems send a new liner straight away because the liner was torn on one side. And then while installing new liner, tore a little piece off near the ear (argh!) while fitting it into the helmet. Those liners are incredibly poor quality. Luckily I didn't pay much for the helmet, so can upgrade the liner without making a loss.

Newbie question: Do you guys wear helmets all the way up? I fasten mine on before heading to the plane and look like a goonie because I leave it on all the way. Everybody else takes theirs off and holds until getting ready to exit. I wear mine in the plane. If I have to get out fast, I want my head protected. Learning to go with my own instincts in this sport (life and death!), but validation is nice, too

I visited Skydive San Diego two times while home for the holidays this year. I am a student jumper from a tiny DZ in the Midwest, so this was my first time at a large DZ. I had 13 jumps when I arrived and wanted to cross off some more of my license requirements. I contacted them in advance because I was no longer current (our jump season having ended at beginning of November) and was able to talk to DZO Blake about where I was in my progression and how to go about getting some jumps in at SDSD while I was home. Upon my arrival, everything was very professional and smooth. They are set up for tandems and fun jumpers both, so have a nice big area for filling out that first time paperwork, and then off to the front desk where they checked my log book, took my USPA card, and got me set up with a coach for my recurrency jump. The staff was very friendly and happy to answer any/all of my newbie questions. Always with a smile and lots of enthusiasm. I loved Sarah working the manifest window and calling out all sorts of fun load number rhymes. There was a happy atmosphere all around, right from check in, which makes a huge difference to the nervous first time jumper or new-to-the-DZ student. I worked with two different coaches on that first day and both were very competent, friendly, and professional. They were happy to work with me on those license requirements that still needed learning and we signed off everything that I'd hoped to. The only down side to coming on a busy day is that you do have to wait a bit for a coach, since it tends to also be the coaches who handle tandems and video. If you were to come on a non-holiday weekday, you'd probably have your pick. Gear rental was a simple process and very well organized. The gear was all in good condition and even as a student flying something brand new, I found it comfortable. For smaller gals, the rigs that they have are all quite large, so that was the only less than perfect part of the gear rental equation, but I was still able (just!) to reach my pilot chute handle, so it was all good. Load organizing is quick and efficient, and they seem to always have plenty of space for fun jumpers along with the tandems. The planes are comfortable and get you up to 13,000 in less than 15 minutes. When doing solo jumps, I found the other fun jumpers to be friendly and ready with a word of advice, encouragement, or a smile for the student. They still had their cliques, for sure, but that's to be expected when you're an unfamiliar face on the scene. Any question that I asked was answered with a smile and my fellow fun jumpers helped to organize my position in the load to keep me safe and out of traffic both in free fall and under canopy. I didn't have my own rig there, but the packing areas were numerous, shaded, and all on soft mats. Weather tends to be pretty consistent (sunshine!) with a nice light wind from the west, so there aren't many days that you'd be weathered out. And views from altitude are simply SPECTACULAR. The Pacific, downtown San Diego, the lake, the mountains. You have to avoid getting caught up in the view and keep an eye on that alti!

I went ahead and ordered the Benny since they're on super sale at the moment. Figured it looks a little bit cooler than the Protec if nothing else! My 38 year old glasses wearing self could use a little help in the cool department these days The goggles that I absolutely love are the Sky Eyes from Chutingstar (http://www.chutingstar.com/skydive/sky-eyes-goggles. They fit really comfortably over my glasses and don't cut off circulation to my face! As for palynology, in my day job I study fossil pollen and reconstruct palaeoenvironments. Its a science thing. I may not be cool in the skydiving world, but as a student skydiver, I'm pretty darn up there on the cool scale in the palynology world