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The rules of the Dropzone Forums are pretty simple. There's not many of them, but they'll be enforced. Click here to read the Forum Rules.

Click the Account link at the top of any page. Click on Sign up now! on the login screen. You will be prompted to enter a username, a password and an email address. You will also be asked to choose a security question and provide and answer for it. Please enter a valid email address that you have access to as an email will be sent to that address for you to activate your account. This is also where your temporary password will be sent should you forget your password. Your security question and answer provides you with an alternative way to retrieve your password should you loose it. Your password should be something that is easy for you to remember, but difficult for other people to guess.

Click on the Account link at the top of any page. From the login screen click the “Retrieve it here!” link. There are 2 ways that you to retrieve your password: Enter your username into the area provided and click on the "Send Password" button. A temporary password will be sent to your email address on file. NOTE: The temporary password can be used ONCE only. After you log in, immediately go to your Account Home Page and change your password. Alternatively, you can type your username, select your security question and type the answer you provided when you signed up. A temporary password will be displayed on the screen that you can use to log in ONCE only. Retrieve your password in this way if you do not have access to the email account on file anymore. More about how Temporary Passwords work.

Your password is saved in your Dropzone.com Account. All passwords are encrypted. To change your password login to Dropzone.com. If you are already logged in then click on the Account link in the top right corner of any page. This will take you to your Dropzone.com Account. From there click on "change your password". Type in your old password and your new password, confirm your new password by typing it a second time and click the "Update" button.

No. You can not change your username. If you absolutely have to use a different username you'll have to register a new account. NOTE: You will not be able to use the same email address as in your first account (so change that one to and address you don't use). You will not be able to carry over any history, like forum posts and status, to the new username. It is Dropzone.com policy not to allow multiple accounts per person, so your initial account will be disabled. Any abuse of the site through the use of multiple accounts will lead to all usernames associated with a user being disabled.

Your Dropzone.com Account holds only your basic information to enable you to log in and use the features on the site. You must provide a valid email address in this account (it will be validated every time you change it) and none of the information in your account is available to the public. To get to your Account Home Page click on the Login link in the top right corner of any page.

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No, you are allowed to have only ONE active account on Dropzone.com. Multiple accounts are not allowed unless for special purposes. If you want an additional account please email me before you open the account with an explanation of why it is needed. There are very few circumstances under which you will ever need two accounts on Dropzone.com. Anyone found to have more than one active account will have their account terminated.

No. You can not delete a username at this time. If you registered another name then simply continue to use the new account. Old dormant accounts may be purged.

Registration allows you to use Dropzone.com features to the fullest, and it's FREE. You only register once and use your username and password to access whatever area of the site you want. Listed below are some of the things you can do when registered that non-registered users are missing out on: Post in the Dropzone Forums - Post and participate in the conversations in the Dropzone Forums. The forums receive more than 2,000 posts per day and it a great resource for skydiving information and a cool community to make friends in. FREE Dropzone.com Email address - Yes, your_username@dropzone.com automatically becomes yours and you can use the online Dropzone Mail application to send and receive email at this address. 2MB of free storage space, spam filters, retrieve mail from your other POP accounts, create your own folders and message rules, keep an address book and lots more.... Post Classified Ads - There are normally more than 1000 classified ads on Dropzone.com. It has become the most popular place on the Internet to shop for used and new skydiving gear. Register to post your gear for sale. List you DZ in the Dropzone Database and write reviews - Add your DZ to the Dropzone Database if you're a DZO, staff member or webmaster or write some reviews for DZs that you've visited for others to read! Thousands of people use the Dropzone Database to find a place to jump in their area or in a area they plan to visit. Write and read Gear reviews - The Gear Database is an extensive list of available skydiving gear. Read and write reviews and give your opinion about the usefulness of existing reviews. Create your own Personal Photo Gallery - You can now create your own personal photo gallery on Dropzone.com. Upload photos, create directories to organize your images and send any of your photos as an electronic postcard! (Read the FAQ) Add your web site Links - Dropzone.com has a large Links Directory with Yahoo-style sub categories. If you have a skydiving related web site you can list your link here and get some of Dropzone.com's traffic to your site. Participate in Promotions - Dropzone.com often run promotions and giveaways that are open to registered users only. To be in line for the next free T-shirt or video... register! There are plenty of other small features all over the site that you'll discover as you start browsing once you Sign Up. It's FREE and it will open up a whole new world for you on Dropzone.com.

Aerodyne has a offer for skydivers buying new gear in July. Depending on the purchase the customer will receive a cash rebate up to $300. The offer is valid for all orders whether placed via a distributor or directly on Aerodyne’s website. When ordering a main canopy or an Icon Sport container the customer will receive a $100 cash rebate. This is good for the Pilot, Vision and Triathlon main canopies. When ordering an Aerodyne main canopy AND Icon Sport container the customer will receive a $200 cash rebate. When ordering a complete Aerodyne system including a Smart Reserve the customer will receive a $300 cash rebate! Products like the A2 tandem canopy, the Solo student canopy and the Icon Student are excluded from the offer. Visit www.aerodyne-int.com for more information. New Icon designEffective July 1st the Icon is sold with a new design. The new design does not only sport all the latest updates to our harness/container system but also boasts a new mid-flap design. The new mid-flap design features four elements that make up the design. The reserve top flap The Aerodyne “A” The point of the triangle applied to the center flap. Embroidered ICON on the yoke.Our engineering staff has also made it possible to offer a new option on the Sport Icon, the fully articulated harness. Chest rings are now available at an additional charge of $200. The hardware for the chest rings is the same flat stainless steel D ring as we use for the standard hip rings. The flat D-ring doesn’t dig into the hip like the bent D-ring which is commonly used for the 3 ring assembly and therefore offers more comfort. The A2 – 350 tandem canopy makes its debutOur big boy gets a little brother! In line with market demand we have expanded the A2 range to include a 350 square foot version. Perfect for drop zones that have high wind conditions, or that cater to typically light passengers. The A2 350 was extensively tested in several places around the world and we have reason to believe that the our newest addition to the A2 line will be greeted with lots of smiles and soft stand up landings. 1500lb Spectra lines: Less pack volume, longer lasting than Dacron, with fewer incidences of tension knots. Super lightweight stainless steel grommets. Extremely soft, predictable openings. Light toggle pressure and excellent flair characteristics in both the single and duel toggle configuration. New light version of ww.aerodyne-int.comIn an effort to assist customers who do not have flash installed on their computers, and/or have a slow modem connection, we have released a new light version of our website. It is now possible to browse a simplified and fast loading version of the most relevant information. Note that the online ordering menus are not present in the light version, as the coloring applications require flash technology. You can see the lite version at: www.aerodyne-int.com/sportlight

You're off student status, you have your own gear, and you're ready to strike out on your own for a change of scenery. Here's what you can expect to find, and here are some things to know, when you go to a new dropzone. It's worth spending some time to prepare for your adventure. Before Leaving TownThere are many sources for finding dropzones, online or in print. Before leaving town, look up all of the possible dropzones listed within a reasonable range of where you'll be going. Start be searchng the Dropzone.com Dropzone Database. You can also try the USPA web site or search on Google for the state+skydive. Don't forget to ask other people about places they've been. Also, just because a dropzone doesn't have a turbine-engine plane, don't rule it out of consideration. You often learn more in one day at a small dz, finding out or applying things that aren't emphasized at larger dropzones. Check that your gear is in good condition and that your re-pack and AAD are in-date; more dropzones require and check both of these items. Bring a camera to take pictures with the people you meet. You may also want to bring water and food, because not all dropzones have this on site and may be far from a nearby gas station. If in doubt, call ahead and find out the specifics. Finding The DropzoneMapquest is a great way to find your way to the town where the dz is located, but it's usually up to the dropzone to provide the final details for finding the actual facilities - this is a hit or miss situation, when it comes to how accurate this information is. Some places assume that you live in the region and are familiar with the area - then you find that not all of the road signs are visible or even present. Not all of the local gas station clerks will know of the small airports in the area, much less the dropzone. Be sure to have the dz number handy but don't be surprised if the phone is busy, or if you get diverted to an answering machine during the weekend, so be prepared and have printouts of all possible directions. Look for signs to the airport outside the city, or the large orange balls on power lines - these are dead give aways! However, there are times when two small airports are close together, confusing matters for you. If you time things right, you'll find canopies in the air and loads of cars parked out front, covered with skydiving stickers. What to do when you arrive at a new DZManifest is the best place to start - and every good dropzone should have someone who's willing to help you get in touch with the right people, for a complete briefing of the landing area and dropzone "rules", as well as hooking you up with some of the local jumpers. Be open and ready to jump with people of all skill levels, plus both styles of jumping (Freeflying and RW) - the more limits you put in place, the more likely you'll be stuck doing solo jumps. Be ready to do some solo jumps, in case you don't get hooked up with other jumpers who are willing to jump with you or when no one else is available to jump that day. You must be the one to ask others to jump with you; after all, you are the new kid on the block. At manifest, complete their waiver, get a gear check, and find a spot for your gear bag. Depending on the size and location of the dropzone, be prepared for anything, when it comes to the bathroom facilities. Get the scoop on jump tickets - How-much-to-how-much (cost/altitude). Check on the charging and refund policy on jump tickets; often there is a charge-card percentage fee, slightly raising ticket prices. Most will give a full refund of the ticket value, but not the charge-card fee. Some will not refund your jump tickets but they usually don't have and expiration date, so you can use them whenever you happen to return. Buy only what you need, depending on these policies. Get the lowdown on the manifest procedure for getting on a load. Do you pay in advance, pay as you go, pay at the end of the day? Also, do they use monitors to show the loads, do they announce names for the loads, or do they assume you know the load number you're on when they call it? Is there a separate window for manifesting, or do you go back to the main office? Get a briefing on the basics: The exit-order and separation rules - some places have very specific procedures and rules on these, others leave it up to you and your skills - ask and watch others. Landing area obstacles - in addition to buildings, power lines, bodies of water, and the local farmer McNasty, some places have well-known areas of turbulence, small but harmful ditches, hills, or slopes, and hints on landing patterns to avoid them. Most places have several landmarks they use to locate the landing area, like highways, rivers, or lakes that form visual arrows pointing in the direction to look. Ask what is considered a good vs/ bad spot, for that particular dz, and the landmarks used for estimating this from the plane. Always ask where the beer line is located, if they don't mention it to you first. Hard Decks - Some dropzones have set a hard deck as high as 3,000 ft AGL, for good reasons. It doesn't hurt to check on this, especially when the landing area is tight and surrounded by trees, lakes, or densely developed land. Outs - Most dropzones have a good selection of areas to land out, but it's up to you to always stay aware of your surroundings; look out the plane's windows from time to time, to locate the landing area and the open areas around it - check with others to be sure you're not looking at swamps or thistle fields. The prevailing winds - some places have both tetrahedrons and wind socks but not all of them use both or will have rules on when to use which of the two wind indicators. Find out what is most reliable because tetrahedrons tend to rust and stick. Landing patterns - these vary as much as the winds - ranging from the first-one-down sets the pattern (and hopefully into the wind), to always using a left or right-hand pattern, or no particular rule except to avoid others. It's best to stay clear of others when possible and land a little further from the main landing area.. Swooping and hook turns - each dropzone owner has the discretion of allowing hook turns and often have an area designated for this and or swooping. If there is no area for this, keep alert while under canopy and ask if the people before you are going to hook turn or not, so you know not to follow their landing pattern (if the first-one-down rules are used). Loading the plane - If you're lucky, you can walk to and from the plane and landing areas; everywhere else will require a bus, van, or trailer to one or both of these areas. Find out where you need to go for any of these options and how the loads are announced, so you don't miss your call for boarding the bus to the plane or hold up the trailer back to the packing area. Gear Check - few places have a set rule for jumpers to do gear checks for the person sitting next to them. Therefore, it will often be up to you to ask for this. Ask a lot of questions. Ultimately, you're responsible for your actions and should know all that's necessary to jump safely. Your First JumpYou may end up doing a solo "orientation" jump as your first jump. Hopefully that will be the only solo you do and use it to take a good look at what happens on jump run, while others are exiting, and the ground features when in freefall. Have in mind a jump and an exit you'd like to practice. This helps you feel more at ease with what to expect. When jumping with others, this avoids the conversational volley of questions, "Whadaya wanna do? I dunno, whadayou wanna do?" Keep it simple; you're likely to end up working on matching fall rates on your first jump. Be sure to agree on a break-off altitude that's comfortable for you and not the people who have done the last 200+ jumps at their home dropzone. If the plane is different from any one you've been in, ask for suggestions for the exit. Depending on your home dz location, in some areas it's a good idea to wear gloves, especially for your first jump, so you don't freeze your hands or in the event you land out and your landing isn't so smooth, and your hands run into rocks or "other natural abrasives". Check that your altimeter is zeroed, your dytters are set, and your AAD is activated. Gear check, gear check, gear check - touch all handles and check all straps, then check those of the people around you and ask for someone else to check yours before exiting. You're taking in a lot of new information, so make sure you don't overlook anything. You wouldn't be the first to mis-route a chest strap but it could be the last time you'd ever jump. On your way to altitude, remember to look out the windows so you can familiarize yourself with the surroundings and look for the landing area. Have in mind your landing approach. If you're doing a solo, and you're not sure about spotting, don't be afraid to ask the person before or after you to check the spot for you. It's a good idea to pull high, (be sure to let manifest and the jumpmaster and others on the load know) in order to give you enough time to adjust to the area and to have plenty of altitude to make it to the landing area. Keep your head on a swivel. You're in new territories and you want to make it safely back to the landing area - avoid aggressive canopy pilots, hopefully they'll be on the ground before you land. Elect to land in a distant, wide-open area, which has less traffic; then move in closer on the next jump, if you feel comfortable. At larger dropzones, there's usually a "packer's area" - ask, so you're not getting in someone's way of making money. Sometimes, if you accidentally set your rig in a packer's area and leave for a drink, you'll come back to find a packed rig and someone asking for payment. Smaller dropzones may not have any packers, so be sure you haven't forgotten how to pack your own rig. Also, at larger dropzones, there are sometimes separate packing areas for belly flyers and free flyers - a strange and unfortunate thing, in most cases. Your Next JumpsSome dropzones have landing areas at a different altitude than the packing area, especially when a bus/van/trailer is involved in moving between the landing area and loading area. Make the necessary adjustments to your AAD, hand altimeter, and dytter settings. When You LeaveIf you plan to go to a second dropzone during the same day, turn off your AAD before leaving and turn it back on again at the next location. Also, take pictures with the people you jumped with that day and add them to your logbook. Don't forget to swap e-mail addresses when you can. Find out if the dropzone has a stamp to put in your logbook, almost like a customs stamp for your passport. Where To StayThere can be many choices or just your car, so be sure to ask what's available; again, manifest is a good place to start. Many places have something on site, ranging from a couch in the hangar to a full-fledged house with all of the trimmings, and ranging in price from free to something that's usually within the budget of an avid skydiver. If you made friends that day, the local jumpers may offer to let you stay at their homes, another good reason to jump with others and not sticking to solo jumps. If you're not satisfied with these options, then nearby hotels often have discounts for skydivers, be sure to ask before making a reservation. Going to different dropzones is a wonderful experience and it's even more exciting when you go alone, seeing it through your own eyes and not through someone else's expectations. You see and do things differently than you would in familiar surroundings; this also keeps you from becoming complacent in this unforgiving sport. The people you meet become instant friends, if you let them, given the common bond of skydiving. Karen Hawes has jumped at dropzones in all 50 US States, 4 Canadian Provinces, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain and The Bahamas.

Former President George H.W. Bush celebrated his 80th birthday Sunday by parachuting twice onto the grounds of his presidential library. Both great leaps were made in tandem with more experienced jumpers from the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute team from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After the jump Bush encouraged others. "Don't just sit around watching TV talking to it. Get out there and realize at 80 years old you still got a life. And that is what this was about. "I like speed and I like the thrill of it, but that second part is, I think it sets an example for older people... because you are 80 years old that doesn't mean you are out of it, out of the game." Stiff winds led Bush to cancel plans for the second jump to be done solo. Bush's first jump occurred at 7:45 a.m. (8:45 a.m. ET) and his second at 1:20 p.m. (2:20 p.m. ET). His exit from a twin-engine DeHavilland DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprop plane traveling at 120 mph at an altitude of 13,000 feet was made in the company of six soldiers, three of whom had cameras attached to their helmets. About 60 seconds of free fall were followed by five to eight minutes of gliding onto a landing on a grassy field, near where he plans to be buried. Two Secret Service agents accompanied Bush on the plane, but did not jump. Several hundred people, including former first lady Barbara Bush, witnessed the event. Also watching the jumps was former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who said he turned down an invitation from Bush to participate as a jumper. "I'll consider it maybe for his 90th birthday," Gorbachev told reporters. Bush's second jump was preceded by separate jumps by actor Chuck Norris and Fox News Anchor Britt Hume, both of them also done in tandem. The leaps marked Bush's fourth and fifth parachute jumps. The first wasn't planned. As a Navy pilot during World War II, Bush bailed out of his plane when his torpedo bomber was hit by anti-aircraft fire south of Japan. His two crewmen died. Bush last jumped on June 9, 1999, in celebration of his 75th birthday. Last week, Bush told CNN's Larry King he wanted to send a message that "just because you're 80, that doesn't mean you can't do fun stuff or interesting things." With his five official jumps, Bush has enough to earn a skydiver's pin. Asked whether his father would indeed celebrate a future birthday by jumping again, Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida told reporters, "I hope so. ... I want my dad to live forever." Bush's jump actually came a day after his birthday, which he celebrated Saturday in Houston with a gala dinner at Minute Maid Park, home of the Astros. A number of foreign dignitaries attended, including Gorbachev and former British Prime Minister John Major. Other famous faces on hand included comedian and CNBC host Dennis Miller, tennis star Chris Evert and pro golfer Greg Norman. The guests were entertained by stars of country and Christian music, including singers Clint Black, Vince Gill, Amy Grant and Yolanda Adams. Proceeds from the event will go to the George Bush Forty-One endowment, which helps fund the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the Points of Light Foundation. Jim McGrath, a spokesman for the group "41@80," which helped organize the events, said the 41st president "remains actively involved in all three of these organizations." In light of former President Ronald Reagan's death, McGrath also said on the group's Web site: "Given the charitable nature of these events, we believe President Reagan would be the first to say 'the show must go on.' "

The 2003 US Skydiving Nationals reached monumental success last October; The Florida Skydiving Center commissioned AirZoneXtreme to produce the official event production with a premiere scheduled nationwide over the Memorial Day weekend. The 2003 US Skydiving Nationals was a success due to a combination of factors. The weather was beautiful! Betty Kabeller-Hill, owner of the Florida Skydiving Center, was a fabulous host. Air boss Paul and brother Bud Fayard, of Fayard Enterprises, led their superior fleet of aircraft to fly 918 loads making 13,926 skydives during the course of the event. Never was a 4-way competition so close as when DeLand Majik, Golden Knights Gold, and Arizona Airspeed scored at the end within three points of each other. DeLand Majik won the gold with 213 points. Because of the ease and success of the event from the very beginning, Event Director Scott Smith, Jack Jeffries, & Harry Parker led in the first ever Formation Live Judging, which brought the competitors & spectators together to watch the outcome of points turned and the judges decision using Omniskore! Throughout the entire event, competition in 4-way, 8-way, 10-way speed, & 16-way freefall formation was challenging, fun, and full of surprises. The competition from the Artistic Event divisions amazed everyone who was present during the week and at the Awards Banquets & Ceremonies. Woman competed in each division. Eliana Rodriguez of Arizona Airspeed became the first woman to win a gold medal in 8-way formation skydiving. Elisa Feldt took first in a tough competition with 21-time woman's national accuracy champion, Cheryl Stearns. Among the female competitors was guest, Pauline Richards, champion skysurfer from Australia. AirZoneXtreme's goal in the US Skydiving Nationals DVD production was to provide useful tools to help challenge & motivate each and every division of the event, inform the general public, and entertain the skydiving community. There are three DVDs, organized by discipline: Formation, Artistic, & Canopy. Each DVD is about 2 hours in length and includes, "Meet the Champions", a complete, 35-minute event documentary. The remainder of each DVD is devoted to edited competition footage, which includes: team pictures, scores & scoreboards, & music with all production rights. Formation - 4-way, 8-way, 10-way speed, & 16-way Over 100 competition dives of top teams Artistic - Freefly, Freestyle, & Skysurf Each Artistic team represented, Over 100 competition dives Canopy CRW - 4-way Rotation, Sequential, & 8-way Speed - Over 30 high scoring dives 13 minutes of Style & Accuracy plus interviews, & 2 Rounds of Sport Accuracy"Meet the Champions" and celebrate the victory once again! DVD previews and details are available at www.airzonextreme.com. Get the DVD

Twenty- three year old Michiko Kawaragi has made the trek from Japan to Skydive Arizona twice in the past six months. Her goal, to make as many skydives as she can afford. With 600 + jumps to her credit, this quiet yet friendly young woman has a dream, and that dream is centered on competing in the Open class division of freestyle skydiving. To become skilled in any sport it requires, dedication, discipline, a great deal of practice and a first-rate coach. Michiko's limited funds would not afford her the opportunity to hire a coach let alone do the volume of jumps required to reach her objective. Sometimes however, good fortune smiles down upon us and we receive a gift when we least expect it. Such is the case for this aspiring young flyer. At the behest of a close friend, Michiko was encouraged to enter an online essay contest sponsored by Snickers® candy bar entitled: "Dream Support." The criteria set forth was to write a 200 word essay detailing the dream and what it would take to make it come true. The winning entry would receive $10,000 U.S. and those funds would have to be spent within a 3 months period solely on the pursuit of that dream. Michiko received a phone call at 3:00 am one morning while in Arizona informing her that she had won the essay contest! Early the next morning, Michiko went in search of former World Freestyle Champion Omar Alhegelan. Michiko was in high hopes that Omar would have room in his busy schedule to coach her. She was thrilled to learn that he would indeed have time. Michiko was soon on her way to making a dream come true. Michiko admits that there is a great deal work to do before she has honed her skills enough to compete as a guest at the U.S. Nationals. She does aspire at some point to be invited to a World Meet. For now she is eager to continue her tutelage under Omar, and feels honored and privileged for the opportunity. Michiko offers that with proper coaching she has been able to make some very noticeable progress, none of which would have been possible without a sweet dream or a sweet tooth. Photo: Jason Peters