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Ya, Arizona is awesome. I went down there over the holidays and spent 11 days at Mullins place in Coolidge. While the weather was freezing cold and blizzardly back home in Kansas, I was able to make 123 jumps in those 11 days, including a Millenium jump at the stroke of Midnight on New Years. It was sooooo cool. Of course, everyone back home hates me now, but 123 jumps in 70 degree perfect weather out of the fastest jump plane in the country for $10 a jump, I don't blame them. If you want to jump a lot and meet some great people, AZ is the place to go.

Hi, I'm from London and I'm looking to do an AFF in the US of A in the next few weeks. I've been looking into this for a while now but all the sites look much of a muchness really. The factors that'll influence me most will be: 1) Weather - After all that travelling sunshine is a definate. 2) Driving - Or rather inability to do so. So, it'll need to be close to a major airport. 3) Price - Not too bothered alhough I'd like to get the entire jump/accom in for under £1000 (whatever that is in dollars). Thanks in advance for any help forwarded. Cheers Jez

AAD set at 1200, pulled as it fired leaving me with two out. HIt the ground before I knew it. Sunset load, day of #400, jumping with an ol navy buddy while visiting VA. 5th load of the day. Been doing nothing but belly 4 ways until then. 1st head down of the day. ....broke left ankle (screws, pins etc), fractured hip (4 ops) fractured neck (2 ops), impact blew out left eye (lost it), fractured jaw. Oh yeah, chipped my two front teeth! Both replaced. Speed, brothers and sisters, speed. 1,932 (91 ytd) without a reserve ride, not including the "low pull" PULL PULL PULL! It really is lower then you think! Shaba (Sky Spirit)

What is BA? What airlines are offering this training? Are they paying for it?

Doh. He's Canadian as well, please don't hold this againt us Canucks.

I had one about two weeks ago where I was falling through the clouds. I had a sense of beaty and peace, it just felt so good. Then I reached for the PC, had a beaty of an opening, and a stand up landing. Can't wait till my knee is better so I can jump! Pete

Well, after 20 minutes of waiting and 3.2meg of downloads, all I got was a guy's voice saying, 'holy sh*t' a coulple of times. So, I don't know what it looks like, but I guess it must be worth it to those who can get it. Cheers, Arohanui, B NZPF A-2584

How bloody BIG is this thing???? So far it is at 2.8megs and still going!!!! Is it worth it????? Arohanui, B NZPF A-2584

Gee and we wonder why whuffos tink we are a bunch on crazy mofo's. Sorry dude but it takes ONE bad apple to spoil the rest.

What diference does it make who I am I'm entitled to my opinion just like you guys and girls are, as long as I keep my responses civil. Does it make any diference to anyone how many jumps I have, my liscense numbers, or how long I've been jumping? I personally don't have any problem with this thread just the fact that it started off with "this thread was in fact started by Sis to STOP all the bitching". and then she ends it with "Take it over to rec.skydiving if you want to, but leave dz.com out of the petty dz wars!!!" I didn't take sis's comment about rec skydiving as an attempt to stop all the bitching. What's the difference between bitching about other DZ's vs other NG's You all are correct Rec skydiving is not perfect but neither is Dropzone.com I lurk both NG's and follow the threads I find usefull and Ignore the ones that are BS. As far as reading this whole thread that consists of 11& pages and 102 comments, I must have quit following it long before It got to the part where "you would realize that it actually became quite humourous". If you don't like what I have to say then just let it go and don't bitch. That's just my opinion and your entitled to your's.

I agree with others, vertical separation is wishful thinking! I learned this when I had a super-slow opening / snivel. I went by another diver under canopy who pulled AFTER I did. scary stuff. Frogger p.s. sorry I forgot to log-in

I have had a premature deployment and it actually opened beautifully (8K) I was in a stand up driving forward. Not saying its the total cause but if the jumper was in a good sitfly (everything in 90 degree angles) the pilot chute could not have gone through his legs. I know alot of people start out in a kinda lazy sit (like in a recylner) Either way I hope he heals quickley

Enjoying this thread any others.

I've had a couple that really stick out over the others. The first was my FS1 graduation jump - a 4 point 4 way. I was pretty nervous, worried about screwing it up and having to put in another 4 jump tickets I guess! But the exit was totally sweet and we banged the first 4 points out really quickly. I was so suprised that when everyone else started over I just sat there, banged into Rich and dropped low. I managed to get back up, we did another 4 points, Milko grabbed my nose and gave it a good squeeze before we tracked off. Everyone was just smiling and having a blast. Massive respect for Rich (Wheatley), Milko and Tony (Danbury) - one of my best jumps yet. The other that comes to mind was my first jump over in Spain. I was doing a 2 way with Ric (Kent) and it suddenly just clicked, it was all really easy. Ric's quite a big guy and I'm quite scrawny so we usually have trouble staying together but this time it just all came together. Not doing anything special, just geeking and having the best time. Sitting under canopy looking around, late afternoon, still warm, the sea on one side and the mountains on the other, does it get any better? But there are so many others, even the ones that went horribly wrong (like the time I was front floating on a 4 way and turned the wrong way on exit!) I look back on and smile :-) I've managed 118 jumps in my first year as a skydiver. If the next are anything like this one then I'm a happy, happy man. Gus

I find this thread very amusing, Some of the reguler at this NG are complaining about the negatice vibes because some other people contine to slam a certain DZ and then the same regulers from this NG continue to bad mouth another skydiving websight. IMO Sounds like a high school clique of immature teens who think their clique is great and everyone else is beneath them. I visit both NG's and read the threads that interest me. I'm not going to waste my time counting the times the the other NG was slamed in the first page of this thread. If the skydiving community is supposed to be a family then lets act like mature adults and stop and bad mouthing DZ's and NG's and learn as much as we can from all avaiable source's. No one if forceing anyone to read the B.S. threads on either news group.

Sometimes it's not just the low pull that bites you but a series of stupid mistakes. When we were jumping in the dark ages with round mains and belly reserves we made a couple of very stupid mistakes on one jump that could have resulted in a very serious injury that would have ended my jumping career. Mistakes: 1)Doing 4 way RW with only one altimeter on the load. The plan was for the guy with the altimeter to wave off at 3K, everyone do a 180 turn,track and open. 2) One of the guy's had a hand held camera so we could geek the camera. Camera jumps had a history of going low. 3) The guy with the altimeter wave's off at 1k we did our 180 and tracked looked down and saw a square hay bail the size of a house and getting bigger very fast. Ground rush big time! 4) Immediatly pulled ripcord and had a pilot chute hesitation. Luckly we were used to hesitations so we immediatly sat up to break the burble and the canopy opened & didn't malfuntion. 5) Had enough time to do a 360 degree turn to try and find the DZ before landing so we would know which direction to start walking. The opening was low enough that I couldn't find the DZ even in in the flat lands of kansas. 6) I walked back to the DZ maybe a mile ot two and my buddies were surprised to see me. I guess the people on the ground could see the four way going real low and then watch some real stupid tracking off, then still in freefall passing below the top of the Grain elevator before they lost sight of me below the horizone still in freefall. The safety guy (ST&O/ST&A) signed my log book with his best guess of my opening altitude based on my guess of canopy time befor landing. and writes in the remark column "lets see you beat this". The other guy's on my load (Roomates) knew we were low and just did a 180 and dumped. By the time I made it back to the DZ my roomates had already decided who was going to get my gear, girl friend and car. It was early in the day so we packed up and made another jump. I was very stupid but very very lucky once. I figure the last 31 years are a gift and try and enjoy every day especially when I start feeling bad about something. I'm one of the few dummies that are still getting older. I won't even check the old log book to see how low the opening was because it doesn't matter.I was saved by dumb luck. At terminal velocity A second or two later I'd be in the big DZ in the sky for dummy's. Don't try this at home kids, I'm ashamed to sign my name but I'm still jumping and haven't had a low opening (below 1500') even with a high speed malfunction & a snively cruise light. Live and learn if you don't you can hurt yourself really bad. High performance landings no thank you.

We had a similar experience to Iflyme except we took off in the rain and exited at the base of the clouds for a altitude check (3500'). At that altitude it was snowing. After opening I checked my canopy and noticed that snow was accumulating inside the cells of the canopy. (It's not called a ram air for nothing) Hmmm what to do?? A canopy control check seemed like a good idea. When we landed the ice that had formed on the leading edge of the canopy broke off in pieces. The local jumpers seemed to be used to it, and suggested just shakeing the snow out of the cells.

made it to quincy in '94.what a great experience,i think only 3500 registered that year,now it's way bigger,everyone should do it once. beautiful little city,and skydiver friendly people. but once was enough. des

if he was above you ,he was doing a better track than you were,sorry,sounnds like you're the bonehead. if i ever see anyone above me after tracking,i know i have to improve my track.think about this! des

no troll!i am not the person that started low pull thread. sorry ,didn't log in,too much work. i only know of 2 dz's where hooking is mandatory,(both in the same area where turbulence is severe).we have found because of turbulence,and constant shifting ground winds,of around 120 gegrees, the only way to land is a hook turn.true,no-one is allowed to jump here with less than 2000 jumps,the least experienced person at my dz has 4000 jumps,and we still shit ourselves when the trades are blowing.sorry i don't want to name the dz's because of obvious repercussions,but i am telling the truth. des

It's been a while since I was in the AF in germany and maybe things have changed, but if your looking for a bad part of germany try the area around the train station in Frankfurt after dark or the bars where the G.I.s hang out. Your best source of info of current bad place's in Germany would be to find out the places that are off limit's to G.I.s. Their always lots of fun.

Ah. A thread Ii can attach my question to. Have you found any info on the MC-4 parachute system that they use. Like who makes it.

So what are you saying then........ that fruce "sounds gay"? He's a big guy with some very sick friends.... Didn't Moby right a song about this...."Oh Lordy, troubles with fruce".....

my chief instructors definition was: any turn that scares me ! personally i think :a turn of more than 90 degrees onto final approach. is the closest definition i've heard. i still think a hook turn is the best way to land a parachute,especially tandems.at my dz a hook turn landing is mandatory,no shit.too many injuries from straight in or double brake approaches.

A few of you have mentioned that you are seeking tattoo designs. Well, there is a jumpsuit maker in NZ who has a gorgeous tribal design of a freeflyer/headdown. (If anyone wants his info, contact me through email, or private message. I can vouch for his quality, price, and timely turn-around. He is as good as any "big" name out there - if not better, and with the low NZ$$ rate at the moment, his prices are unmatched. If you're in the market for a new suit (whatever style, he makes 'em all!), you can't go wrong with the Flying Maori!) I just thought that some of you might want to consider this for a tattoo!(-or at least it might inspire some of the freelance artists out there!