Ron

All of this +1 And all of that (with minor corrections to apply to me). "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Here is how I think it should be done. You have three lists 1. AFF 2. Tandem 3. Video Each list is populated by the number of staff in the order of their time on staff FT then PT. The chief I only calls out the number of staff he thinks he will need based on the bookings. When on the list you are called in the order on the list... FT/PT does not matter, you came out to work you should be worked. So using my plan the FT guys are there every day and on the list, the PT guys are either on the list or can do something else. When called to work, I make no difference between FT and PT. I'll give an example. I knew a guy that was FT, but only 4 mths a year. So yes, he was at the DZ every day for those 4 mths. But I am PT almost EVERY weekend 52 weeks a year. So the PT/FT guy is at the DZ 5 days X 20 weeks = 100 days. I am there 2 X 52 = 104. Now my last three jobs have involved me calling on Thu or Friday and either coming out of not.... I love it. I do not have to be there, and they do not need to have me there. LOVE it. I do not take work from the FT guys and I do not plan my weekend to work and get 3 jumps. LOVE IT. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Dallas runs one of the best school programs that I have seen. Ernie would not call me out unless I was going to get 8-10 jumps (of be doing AFF all day). Awesome! "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

In the military we would dive the guys about 30 mins of tunnel and start them with L4. It works. Don't worry about "failing" just work on doing the best you can. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

It is less reliable than Wikipedia. The bad information is sometimes corrected, but not removed. It can be a good read on *basic* information... But technical details should be gotten from a much more reliable source. You mentioned. SB's.... Well, call the company and get the info directly from the source. If I 'cited' an FAR, it would be in your best interest to read the FAR for yourself and not assume that my take on it was correct. Well, am I a rigger? Do I have an AFF rating? Do you *know* this, or are you assuming my profile info is correct? Am I a guy with 5000 jumps and lots of medals, or am I a guy with 5000 jumps of hop n pops? Fact is... That you do not know anything about me.... The physical people you know are a much better resource than some guy with a cool username and a maybe false profile. That does not say that good information cannot be found here.... But there is little chance that I would just trust it to be true.... Just like Wiki can give you a good idea, it should not be used as the final word. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[mechanic voice] Well there is you problem right there![/mechanic voice] You cannot reasonably expect a new person in such a technical sport (and high speed and dangerous) to be able separate the good advice from the bad advice.... If they were able to do that, then they might not be asking the question in the first place. DSE gave a great example.... I have had students come up to me on the DZ. I'll brief them for a level and how to do the maneuvers.... And they follow the instructions perfectly on the ground.... Then in the air they will pull some crazy assed move that I have never talked to them about.... In the debrief I get "I was reading DZ.com....." I can think of two problem students that would *argue* with me about AFF. I eventually turned them over to the CI and he told them to either stop getting advice from the Internet, or find another DZ. I have told this story before, but I had a student tell me that if she did not have a skyhook, she was not jumping. Long story short, she had no idea what a skyhook was but she had read they were a must have item. Heck it was just a few weeks ago where a student asked on here what alti to buy and someone suggested the audible only N3 with iPod connector. If you know enough to tell good advice from bad, this can be a great resource. If you do not (and most people know less than they think) it can be a bad idea to take advice here to heart without talking about it to someone who knows your exp and progression. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Don't think about an elephant!!!! Bet you pictured an elephant. Think about what you should be doing, not what you should not be doing: 1. Thinking about negative things will enforce them. 2. There are to many negative things that you could spend a life time thinking about all of them... But you really want to do the few good things, so think about them "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

You are over thinking it. Both DZ's are good places, both with good instructors (DeLand as well). You live close to Zhills and that should really be the deciding factor. It is the DZ that will be "home" to you. People will get to know you and you will be a home grown student. Depends totally on you. 1. Are you a hot chick? Quick. 2. Are you a loud mouth? Long. 3. Do you listen to advice? Quick. 4. Do you argue? Long. 5. Are you outgoing? Quick 6. Do you wait for people to come to you? Long. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

1. Don't beat yourself up.... You seem to do this a bunch and it makes everything in your life more difficult. Accept the fact you made a mistake, learn from it, and move on. 2. Try going to the tunnel and then directly to the DZ to do AFF L3. I'll refrain from giving actual skydiving advice... Since you should not be getting any technical advice from anyone but the instructors that are jumping with you. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

If I may suggest.... In your '15 min till help arrives' class... Cover the emotional side. I have held together many jumpers till help arrived over the last 18 years, but the one that expired on me was not easy. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

What if the first time ends in a death? I have said this before... HP canopy flight has evolved just like CRW. It is not something that can be expected to be done on a regular jump and needs a dedicated jump. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Even easier is to have people do a hop n pop and stack the landings. You leave first On your 2.5WL and take a 10 second delay, I leave second on a 2.1WL and take 5, Bob pulls out the door on his 1.8WL. You land, then I land, then Bob lands. The problem is some people think that a HP landing can be done with other traffic. And that some people think they should get to hook no matter what the traffic is like. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

No one is telling him what you are claiming. We are telling him not to try and learn to pack on the internet and that his buddy gave him bad information. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

There is "thinking" and "over thinking" You are over thinking. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

CRW would go depending on altitude.... Most CRW I see done is either a high altitude Hop 'n' Pop for bigways (in which case they go last), or rotations or sequential (in which case they tend to jump out at 7.500 feet). "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

That is because almost no one does that anymore. And if the jump BEFORE the skilled FF group they could easily track under the skilled group and might be pulling higher. The list works most of the time. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

high as in higher than 'normal' groups. full altitude Hop 'n' pops would go last. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

This is already established. 1. RW large to small 2. FF large to small 3. High pullers 4. AFF 5. Tandems 6. WS. Given throughout the day already. Unless you are doing a solo you have buddies to perform this check. If doing a solo, ask an instructor or an experienced jumper. Already done by every staff member A guy loading the plane cannot stop an idiot from swooping in traffic. The exit order is stated there is no reason to argue about it.... Plus the ONLY time I have had people argue, one was working in an LO capacity and took a tracking dive out FIRST and sure enough tracked right up the line of flight.... I had our video guy film them. You have provided lots of examples of stupid shit, but not given a reason why it requires an additional staff person performing those duties. Try to get on the plane with less than 200 jumps and a camera.... One of our staff will stop you. Try to exit in the wrong order... One of our jumpers will stop you. Argue about it and one of the staff will fix the problem. Swoop in the general landing area and our DZO will yell at you. Do it again and you will be grounded. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

He is wrong. You should just learn how to pack and quit trying to learn how to pack on the internet.... It requires a rig and hands on experience. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Labrys gave a good example... I don't do it, but it has a solid backing. Reasons for tinted (and I have given this much more thought): * jumping in snow... Snow can really blind you. * Jumping over a big ass lake can give some serious reflections. * freeflying where you might have to look up at the sun. * Very sensitive eyes. Reasons not to: Well the eyes are a very good communication device. Just a look can give tons of information. I had a teammate who used to wear sunglasses doing 4way... It annoyed the shit out of me since when I looked at him I could not read him. I will not let students wear them for the same reason. I used to wear sunglasses on tandems so I could 'melt' away and the only face easy to see is the students. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

By adding ONE person to that group. Making an 8 way traffic issue like a 9 way. As opposed to having an 8 way, then a video guy 1k above them open and the next group open CLOSER to the video guy than he would be if he 'joined' his group instead of being between two groups. Just because it has always been that way.... Does not mean it is the best method.... "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Sorry, I was referring to the people in the same group. That would not create a dangerous situation. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

When it fails a strength test (rip test) or starts to fly poorly. I have had canopys with 2500 jumps on them. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Ding.... we have a winner!!!!!!!! Why do people try to get technical performance advice from people they do not know and who have not seen them perform. BTW, DB... I have never seen you exit a plane, but if you drop your left knee 3 more inches when you let go you should be able to fix that problem you are having that I didn't know about "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

Being an AFF instructor.... I do not recommend tinted or mirrored goggles. Being an LO.... I do not recommend tinted or mirrored goggles. Being a guy that has won a few medals at the Nationals.... I do not recommend tinted or mirrored goggles. I can think of very few good reasons to have them and tons of good reasons not to have them. "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334