vt1977

I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but according to the BPA diary here: http://www.zct.co.uk/bpa/diary.asp there is a Bank Holiday Boogie at Netheravon www.netheravon.com You can get details of all UK DZs here: http://www.bpa.org.uk/dropzone/dzone.htm Vicki

I'm not a BCPA type, but gremlin and I will be there on Sunday if the weather's half decent. Vicki

:2: Moi?! 2 - 2 jumps with new 8 way team. I drank some of a friend's beer for her 500th jump! I didn't buy any for first jump with a new team... if all 8 of us had done that it may have got messy! Vicki

There is some info about packing the Katana here, in Pete Allum's review for the BPA Skydive Mag: http://www.bpa.org.uk/skydive/pages/articles/feb04/katana-flight-test.html Vicki

That's classic! Vicki

Heal fast and take it easy. Vicki

Nope! Greater London is a big place! Vicki

I’ve actually seen that Secret Nuclear Bunker sign – it really exists! My ex boyfriend used to live near there. Vicki

I have no idea where mine is! I got it for my first static line round jump back in 1994… I then got a “Congratulations on your first freefall” mug when I eventually did my first freefall some 20 jumps later. (I was a problem child… ) Vicki

The best piece of advice I can give is to see if you can get someone to come out to the landing area and video you landing. You can then review this with your instructors and you will both be able to see what you’re doing and be able to work on improving your landing skills. Good luck!

I’m pretty sure Pewsey is on the line from Bristol… If flying into Gatwick, you can get a train to Guildford, then Woking and then onto Salisbury easily enough. If flying into Heathrow, the Heathrow Express to Paddington and then straight on a train to Pewsey.

Nearest station would be Pewsey - a taxi will set you back around £10. (you will be able to get a number for a taxi company on www.yell.com) There are also buses from Pewsey station to Netheravon village (have a look at www.wdbus.co.uk) and also buses from Salisbury - town centre not railways station - to Netheravon village. Hope that is helpful!

But we all love you Tilly-bird! Vicki

All of the above and allso not being so much of a "tandem factory" that you sit around all day watching tandems jump rather than actually jumping yourself! There are a lot of "tandem factories" here in the UK... Vicki

Me too! Have you tried the Pilot? Lovely canopy - I want one!

I recently went from a 9 cell to a 7 cell of the same size (Sabre 135 to Spectre 135 – so completely different canopies and manufacturer from what you’re looking at but this might help a bit so I’ll continue… ) and it felt like an upsize of maybe half a canopy size. The Spectre (7 cell) certainly “feels” bigger than the Sabre (9 cell) did. Things I love about the Spectre are the openings and the solidity, particularly in turbulence. The landings are easy, but don’t have the same glide that my Sabre did. I definitely enjoyed landing the Sabre more. The main thing I liked about the Sabre was the landings – I hated the openings and it was horrible in turbulence. In terms of flying the two, the Spectre feels more solid. Toggle pressure is slightly greater on the Spectre but once a turn has started, it seems to turn a little faster than the Sabre. Riser pressure is slightly lighter on the Spectre. Glide – the Sabre was a little better, but with a bit of rear risers the Spectre will get me back from a bad spot easily. Depends what you’re after – I wanted the nice predictable openings and the solidity of a 7 cell but have lost out on the 9 cell landings. Having said that I’ve seen people swooping the arse out of a Spectre… at the end of the day it’s not the canopy, it’s the pilot!

That is too unfair! Vicki

It is horrible - and it must be horrible for you too. Just to recap - I have California in April, Herc Boogie in July and then a big way camp in Empuria in October - plans for Christmas tbc! And varioius bit of UK jumping too. It's terrible Tilly bird - I feel your pain! Vicki

I’m really not looking forward to California or the Herc Boogie either… and OMG! The gremlin has become an Old Hand!!!

You forgot to rub it in about the incredibly cheap jumps and the great dollar exchange rate! Vicki

Hey Tilly bird, I know what you mean! I’ve only done a couple of jumps in the UK this year and I’m getting really quite p*ssed off with this horrible cold weather. But I’m off to sunny California in a month and a day! I will say hello to the big blue skies and the big yellow ball in the sky for you soon!

I’m so sorry to hear that – we had to make that decision about my beautiful black Labrador a few years ago and I was devastated. Dogs rock and saying goodbye to them is so hard. (((VIBES))) Vicki

Did we have a stomach lining outing Mr. Zeemax????? Vicki

Well, if it's definitely something minor... a nice bouquet of flowers sent to her at work should do the trick, together with a card saying how sorry you are and offering to take her out for dinner. Vicki

Simple question – what was the argument about? Do you think she perceives that you’ve done something wrong? Vicki