skybytch

imho, a good instructor listens to what the experts say and forms the advice that they give around that. A good instructor understands that each person has a different risk tolerance level and that different dz's have different weather and landing conditions, but also understands that shit happens and therefore tailors their gear advice toward survival in a worst case situation instead of what a jumper can probably land just fine 95% of the time. An instructional rating is given because someone shows that they can fly and teach basic skydiving skills, not because they have knowledge about anything other than basic skydiving skills. Maybe someday the parachuting organizations in North America will realize that part of why we don't retain new jumpers could be that they are told by their "instructors" to buy canopies that they either a) hurt themselves under or b) are so scared of that they quit the sport. At that point, perhaps we'll see some enforceable guidelines on wingloadings (so new jumpers know what they can and can't jump, regardless of which dz they are at) and canopy coach ratings and canopy control courses (so we are all getting the same information from people who should know something about the subject).

My guess is that the laterals are too long for you; very possible if the person you bought it from is 20 pounds heavier than you. Have someone who knows harness fit take a look at you wearing it (over what you usually wear to jump). If there's no one local who knows gear you could also contact the manufacturer. Doesn't sound like something that would keep me from jumping the rig though.

Stop by the pea pit at PRB for me.

Of course, another option would to be react to the remote possibility of being sued by removing the forums from the website. Is this appeal to fear more or less valid than yours? Or are neither valid? Is an appeal to fear as much a logical fallacy as is an ad hominem attack? Or are appeals to fear considered to be acceptable uses of pathos?

Pack on a hook while sitting on a stool, maybe? By "pack on a hook" I mean having the canopy hang off a hook that comes down from the ceiling instead of having it hang over your shoulder. Don't know if they still do, but they used to teach this method at Perris. You could place the hook at whatever height would allow you to sit on a barstool and have the canopy at the same place it would be if it were over your shoulder. You'd still have to get it from the hook onto the ground, but I'm sure you could figure out a way to do that. edit - I just noticed that kosanke suggested the same method...

Sorry. I thought that an award for skydiving was skydiving related. My bad.

And that has what to do with skydiving? When was the last time you had a conversation with another skydiver in freefall or under canopy? If verbal communication is so important in skydiving, why are deaf people allowed to jump? I'm pretty sure that at least some of the people on the 400 way didn't speak English; should they have not been allowed on the dives? Skydiving should be taught in a language that the student understands. That may take some extra effort on the part of the student - they may have to find a dz that has bilingual instructors or bring their own interpreter. btw, JP - Saying that tandem passengers are okay to take if they don't speak English is promoting the idea that a tandem jump is nothing more than an amusement park ride... if an AFF student has to speak English then a tandem student should have to speak English as well. They're both STUDENTS, right?

And you'd likely be as unintelligible on the radios in French as are the many Japanese who come to the US to learn to fly airplanes and helicopters are in English. If English is the official language of aviation, why is the diploma I got from the FAI written in French? But you're right. Mass should be said in Latin. Saying it in the vernacular is wrong.

By that logic, only English speakers should be allowed to skydive in the US. Regardless of how many jumps they have or which world championship they are training for...

You're wrong. It's slider rebound. My experience probably doesn't apply because it was all with pre-fuel injected and computer controlled engines, but every time I had the issues you described it had something to do with the fuel delivery system. Fuel pump, fuel filters, fuel lines, screen in the gas tank... I'd start with the filters since they're the cheapest to replace.

It makes me laugh how many people think a free service on the internet should cater only to their wants and needs, not taking into account the wants and needs of other users or even the site owner. It makes me laugh how many people have no clue that they are being completely predictable in how they react to attempts by the site owner to make the forums a pleasant place for people to hang out (read this if you're wondering where that comes from). And it really makes me laugh when people who spend hours a day here (thus proving that they like the "overmoderated" atmosphere) sometimes spend an awful lot of that time complaining about it.

Why do you assume they are here illegally? I worked with two very nice Mexican women who spoke little to no English. Both are in the US legally. One is a homeowner. Oh, and btw? Both of them sew skydiving jumpsuits for a living.

Five. The number of miles driven in a week and the average gas mileage of the vehicle driven will also affect how much money someone spends on gas. Six if you include grade/type of gas. Personally, I spend 0% of my take home to fill my car's tank. Mainly because I have neither take home pay or a car....

Actually, the owner can do as he pleases with his boards regardless of what anybody thinks about any rules that may be in place, now or in the future. And there ain't a damn thing any of us can do about it. Sucks, doesn't it?

After? With a day like that, why wait?

Right. And while I don't know for sure, I'd bet that most Brits choose to share rides or use public transportation instead of driving solo.

As fuel prices continue to increase, I'm sure that many people would rather share a car with someone every day if it will save them money. If we want to continue to use fossil fuels, it's up to each of us to stop using them like they are a renewable resource...

Like Ed said, the Protec is likely the helmet that will provide the most protection for your head. Skydiving helmets are not tested in any way, shape or form; the only standards they are made to are the manufacturer's. They're great for holding cameras and audibles, for keeping your hair out of your face and for keeping your head safer from small bumps and scratches. But an actual real impact? It might help but there's no guarantee of it. Best advice you can get right now is to do a few jumps before you buy anything.

I've jumped packjobs done by an 11 year old. Why not? Packing isn't rocket science. There's no magic age that makes someone capable of folding and stuffing nylon.

If you willingly jump with other people at a public dropzone, you have an obligation to share the air and the landing area with whoever happens to be using it - whether that's another jumper, someone with a camera, a tandem passenger, a balloon, whoever. By jumping at a public dropzone you are willingly taking on the risk that somebody might be where you want to go. If you can't accept that you shouldn't jump with other people.

I didn't say anything for several reasons. I'm often not at my most diplomatic after such things happen so it's usually best that I keep my mouth shut. Also, I saw his facial expression. I don't think he intended to be as close as he was. I saw no need to reinforce the lesson with words. And finally, he was there with several others from his home dz. I'm pretty sure it was discussed amongst them. The rest of his landings that I saw that day were a safe distance from anybody else. Again, I didn't post this to beat on him. Shit happens, even the best make mistakes. We live, we learn. If we're smart, part of that learning can come from the experiences of others. That's what I'm trying to do here - share what happened to me and hope that people think again and again about safety in the landing area.

Risk management. That's what I used to convince my parents that I was doing everything I could to skydive relatively safely. I was a single parent and they would have ended up raising my kid if I'd died; they had a valid reason for concern. Let your wife and family know that you will do everything you can to be safe in the air. Some ways you can reduce risk that they might understand include flying larger and more conservative canopies, not landing them aggressively, flying defensively both in freefall and under canopy, not jumping when conditions are less than ideal, keeping the size of your skydives small, having an AAD and RSL on your rig, not jumping when you are less than 100% mentally or physically, and not doing "extraordinary" jumps. Good luck!

Yeah, happily the new ones I bought were clearance at Marshalls, I think I paid 5 or 6 bucks a pair.

I find that the only way to be sure that I won't cuss is if I don't talk. You've met me. You know what the fuck I'm trying to say here.

It's a strip of asphalt that is known at the dz to be for the use of swoopers. Non-swoopers land in the large field next it. I was standing on the edge of the asphalt on the non-swooper landing area side of the lane, so that when I bailed it was into the non-swooper landing area. I was standing there prior to his setup, and I didn't move until I had to. He had a clear lane to swoop in. I know the risks. I signed the waiver. This isn't about affixing blame. It's an attempt to remind some and maybe educate others about ways to prevent something that might make for an unpleasant and early end to what could have been a great day.