skybytch

Not just the staff. Keeping it local also allows the noob to meet and get to know other local jumpers - ie the folks the noob is going to want to jump with in the future. The skydives are only part of what makes a day at the dz fun...

By the time you're flying a camera, something newer and neater will have come out. There will be times in future when you will want to jump without a camera. Having a helmet that doesn't have camera mounts on it will make that easier (and safer). Buy what you need now, now. Buy what you need then, then.

Not sure why you need to know how high the flair is on your property, but a tape measure might do the trick.

Why would I do that when I can plug our desktop or any of our ipods into our amazing Carver amp and listen to the mp3's loud and clean enough to shake the neighbors floor two doors down?

Is it no longer important to lift the reserve flap and check the pin, RSL, etc., at least once during a jumping day?

If only USPA had done the same thing at the same time...

Back in the closet, waiting until we move and have room to put them out, sit a mid-range Nakamichi tape deck and a dbx stand alone noise reduction unit. Well over $1000 originally, we got 'em for $50.

That's the receiver I have, the one that just died. Want it? I think it's a power supply issue. And that's why you divorced her, right? I would have!!

I don't see anything about you having been jumping for 10 years on there. I mean, there's no requirement that you actually have made a jump to join USPA. Congrats. Here's to 10 more!

Hmmm... yes... those were on my "win the lottery" list back then as well. They pop up on craigslist now and then, but not cheap and we already have a pair of Polk Audio towers that sound pretty good. Maybe someday. My brother had a set of electrostatic speakers from about the same era. I think he spent over a grand on them. They were amazing, both in sound and in size!

I was a stereo freak between 1980 and 1990. Subscriptions to Stereo Review and Audiophile magazines, frequent trips to the high end stereo store to drool, a bunch of useless trivial knowledge.... but all I owned was a Fisher turntable, a Teac tape deck and a sweet pair of Boston Acoustics A70 speakers. The bed buddy/roommate owned the Denon CD player and the Realistic receiver. The Realistic was replaced by a Carver receiver, and I fell in love. Ever since I moved away from it I've wanted a stereo powered by Carver. The equipment I had is long gone - most of it drowned in Florida. Built a "new" stereo with mostly what are now considered to be "vintage" components a few years ago, The Yamaha receiver ($25) finally gave up the ghost last month. What to do? Spend too much on a new receiver with features we'll never use? Or look on craigslist to see if we could find something awesome... like, I dunno, maybe an Adcom or NAD or - dare I even wish for it? - Carver amp? Heh. Today I picked up the replacement for the Yamaha. It's a Carver CM-1090 integrated amp, I'm in audio heaven. This is what Pink Floyd is supposed to sound like. Anybody else have a passion for semi-ancient audio technology? Whatcha running? Does it go to 11?

Maybe it can handle more. Maybe not. Ravens were designed back in the 1980's, when no one loaded anything over 1.0. Even if it was built after most jumpers started flying zp mains, it's still ancient technology. It probably won't blow up on you, but loaded over 1.0:1, the stall point is much higher up than it is on any modern reserve that was designed to be loaded over 1.0. MANY people who have flown Ravens loaded like yours would be have found themselves flat on their asses after flaring just like they do on their main. The unlucky ones ended up with broken wrists or tailbones or shattered vertebrae. Nobody I know would recommend that reserve at that wingloading for any jumper, much less a novice.

Using a rigger or DZO as a middleman works well. Another possibility if you can't arrange that - first verify that the seller is legit (use the skydiver network as other posters suggested; this also will let the seller know that YOU are legit). You want to ask for a short time period in which to have the gear inspected prior to finalizing the sale. You send the money, they send the gear when the money arrives and they hold the payment until you have had a chance to receive it, have everything inspected and possibly get a jump or two on it. Once that time period has passed (two weeks is reasonable), the seller can cash the check if they haven't heard from you. If you know it's the right stuff earlier, you can contact the seller and give an okay to process the payment. Note - if you do return the gear, you should pay for shipping in both directions, the inspection and any work that you chose to have done to it. Yes, you are taking a chance that things will not be as described, and that might end up costing you some money. You can avoid all of that by giving folks at your local dz a chance to sell you something before going to the interwebs. There very well could be something that will be perfect for you for sale in your local area. If the dz you jump at has a gear store, start there. If they can't help you, check with other jumpers, instructors, the dzo, riggers, etc. A face to face transaction is much easier and safer for both parties...

Too right. We should be encouraging people to go as small as possible on every gear purchase.

I know there are some really good instructors at Skydance. And well maintained aircraft.

Safer? WTF? Are you really a skydiver? This comment makes me doubt that, cuz skydiving isn't about safety. The guy is going to look like a total fucking dweeb flying a big ass Stiletto 150. He's going to get so much shit from everybody for his massive container that he'll end up quitting the sport. Seen it happen before.

Who the fuck told you that a Stiletto was a good first canopy choice? Any jumper who knows anything would have suggested the Velo. Are you just too broke to afford a real parachute? If that's the case, maybe you should take up a cheaper sport, like bowling.

Don't put it on the ground without first checking to be sure there isn't something there that you don't want all over your container f - ie dog shit, puddles of beer, battery acid, etc,

Uh huh. I can quit anytime, she said. I'm not an addict.

Eight and a half months after breaking, I got back on the ice. Yeah, the ortho said I should wait until at least late March, but fuck him, what does he know? Would have been a lot sooner if I'd gotten hardware like people who have insurance get. But anyway, been out four times and so far it's all good. Yay for bashing a puck around! As soon as the ground temperatures begin to exceed 75F, I'll be putting my rig back on too. Ortho didn't say anything about not jumping and I did mention it - but I'm not sure he understood that by "skydiving" I don't mean doing a tandumb so I can mark it off a bucket list. My advice to you - don't break yourself. Being broken sucks, and being almost better sucks even more.

SJ has had Detroit's number the past few times they met and the Joe doesn't scare 'em. They're also coming off two hard losses and they're hungry for points. My prediction - it's gonna be a GREAT game!

Mature? You must not be talking to me.

What Rich said. The skydiving gear industry is a great way to be "working in skydiving" without having to actually work at skydiving. The pay generally sucks (you might get to $35k/year after 10 years or so of kicking ass) but the side benefits can be very much worth it, especially if you're working at one of the larger gear dealers on one of the larger dz's or if you get on with a manufacturer. Benefits direct from these jobs can include things like free jumps, free or reduced price gear and travel to boogies. Side benefits can include things like meeting some of the most amazing people you can imagine and getting to skydive with them.

More than one slick pass by that line. Knowing how hard it is to make something like that makes them seem even more amazing. Even though, as I'm sure you know, I hate the RedWings, I was rooting for them to break the record. But it's time for this streak to stop. Like maybe tomorrow morning. On national broadcast tv.

I didn't quit. I resigned because I didn't have a computer anymore. The insanity had nothing to do with it.