skybytch

Yes, it does go away. Not completely, as others have said, but for most jumpers it becomes manageable. You can do a lot to reduce the amount of fear you have right now by learning as much as you can about the gear you are using and about skydiving in general. If you don't already have one, pick up or download the USPA SIM, and spend at least twice as long reading it as you've spent reading these forums. Ask your instructors lots of questions - including the one you just asked here. You're paying for their knowledge and their time, take advantage of it.

Yes. About once a week we play AD&D version 2 with some other skydivers. Been DM'ing for the past year. Loads of fun.

If you can afford a new container, get one. You can probably find used a reserve, AAD and main that will work for you much easier than you'll be able to find a used container or complete system that will work for you. Size the container for what you intend to put in it. Most containers can safely hold mains two sizes smaller than what they were built for. If you aren't planning to downsize insanely fast, you should be able to get 500 jumps out of your container before you need to buy a smaller one. To avoid long delivery times for custom, check to see if any manufacturers or dealers have one in stock that will fit you and your canopies.

Do you want to be a skydiver? If so, skip the training wheels and go do AFF.

+1. Lisa is 10 times scarier than Andrea. Aw, c'mon, I'm a pussycat compared to her.

I'm wondering why he's still allowed to post.

Really? She scared the shit out of me when I first met her.

Western Union isn't bad for a private seller but it's a pain in the ass for a small businessperson. You have to understand the nature of most skydiving gear stores. They are not all the size of ParaGear or Square One. Many have no employees, or maybe one or two part time employees. When the shop is closed, the owner gets to do all those errands that they can't do when the store is open - things like going to the bank or the post office. To collect money from Western Union, they have to drive someplace (often WalMart - a horrible place to have to go) - this costs money and time - and wait in line (one of the reasons WalMart is so horrible). This is a waste of gas, money and time, especially on a sale with little profit. But if you pay with paypal or a credit card or a bank transfer, the entire transaction can be completed without the small businessperson having to leave the shop. Win for the seller because they don't have to do additional work for the same amount of profit, win for the buyer because the seller can immediately ship the item out.

It's easier to pack a 150 into a space designed to hold a 170 than it is to pack a 170 into a space designed to hold a 150. You intend to put more jumps on a 150 in this container than you put on a 170. Softer pack jobs (ie one size smaller than what it was built for) are more comfortable to wear. Harder pack jobs (ie one size bigger than what it was built for) are very uncomfortable to wear. Seems to me the smart thing to do would be to get the one sized for the 170. The 1/2" or so difference in overall container size isn't worth 100+ packs jobs of torture and 100+ jumps of uncomfortable, not to mention 100+ jumps of your rig looking like shit. But that's just lazy me...

How was this even restarted? Someone came on here and started complaining that the USPA wasn't helping someone in Puerto Rico start a DZ. Puerto Rico is a part of the US.

On the bosses desk, even. Oh, and the boss was my mom.

Come to Lost Prairie next year. Much smaller but the same kinda vibe. Not to mention a beautiful place.

Nothing. Just black trailer trash. I see plenty of white trailer trash drivers out in my area these days. My opinion of them are just as bad. Yeah? What name do you call them?

It's only Darwinism if they die before they have a chance to reproduce.

At WFFC, I could jump with Airspeed or the Golden Knights. Can I jump with Airspeed and the GK's at Nationals? At Nationals most people are focused on competing, not socializing. During the jump day they are in their own little team world (as they should be at a competition), and the serious ones won't be partying at all. I don't know many people willing to throw away thousands of dollars in training - not to mention the respect of their teammates - by going big at the parties when they are competing the next day. At boogies most people are focused on fun jumping and socializing. That's part of what made the WFFC so awesome - lots of fun people to jump and party with. I mean, you aren't likely to be hanging by the swoop pond with a beer in your hand as the sunrise balloon loads arrive in full gear at Nationals... It depends on what you're looking for, I guess. For those who don't get off on competing, Nationals would be a waste of money and time; likewise for those who aren't into partying and zoo loads, big boogies would be a waste of money and time...

And that's a bad thing?

Me too. Hanging out in the big hangar at Rantoul while the storm raged outside was a lot of fun, as was watching the hop and Cypres fire loads on that low cloud day. Or a good storm the night of the toga party... WFFC was awesome, I'm glad I got to see and be a part of it for a few years, even if I did miss the glory years in Quincy.

I think the majority of our time is better spent on those items, but shit happens, even when the people involved are heads up jumpers. Let's anticipate the worst and plan and train for survival. I have a personal interest in this subject. Someone who took one of our canopy control courses was involved in a post-breakoff canopy collision shortly after. It's possible that at least he could have landed safely under a reserve had we included "what to do if" in the course he took. Every canopy course we teach now includes this discussion, and I strongly believe that every skydiver needs this information.

People chasing the wind sock or doing big S turns on final can have attitude too - it's not just swoopers. Try telling an old fart that he's wrong for doing in the pattern what he's been doing in the pattern for the past 25 years.. the reaction is going to be much the same as you'll get telling a young pup that he's wrong for doing a 540 in the pattern. In a perfect world, if we were to all actively avoid collisions at all times, it's fairly likely that we wouldn't have any. But this is the real world - the attitudes and lack of training/education that keep all of us from doing so aren't likely to go away soon. So it makes sense to not only talk about how to avoid collisions but also to talk about what to do if a canopy collision happens to you/me - as much sense as it does to talk about what to do if the engine goes out on the plane or other emergency procedures.

I don't think any rigger has suggested that he assemble and pack the entire rig himself and go jump it. There really isn't a whole lot that he can screw up so badly in attaching either a main or a reserve to a container that a rigger couldn't easily find and fix. Yes, it might take a rigger a bit longer to fix a mistake, and it can be a pain in the ass to have an eager newbie watching the assembly and pack job (which, btw, the OP should do). But eager newbies showing interest in rigging should be encouraged; they are the riggers of the future. And hey, if he does it right he's saved the rigger some time and effort - I doubt the FAA really cares who put the lines on the links as long as the rigger certifies that they were put on correctly. At a minimum, by attempting to do it himself before taking it to a rigger he's going to end up knowing more about his gear than most people with 50 jumps do. imho, that's a good thing. As a rigger, wouldn't you rather have informed and knowledgeable customers instead of ones who think there's some kind of magic going on inside their containers? Not sure what repairs might be needed to assemble a brand new main and reserve; could you elaborate?

Are we? I sometimes wonder.

Really? Telling someone that if they don't want to get hurt, skydiving might not be for them is coming down hard? Should we wait until they watch someone else get hurt or die, or maybe until they get hurt? Either one is much harsher, I'd think. If you skydive long enough, you are going to get hurt. Could be a sprained ankle or femur from a botched landing, could be a concussion from a bad exit, could just be scrapes and bruises. It could be your fault, could be someone else's fault, could be nobody's fault. If your "real life" is such that you absolutely can not get hurt (career, family, whatever), you might want to postpone skydiving until such time as your life can allow for a few weeks spent on crutches. That's not coming down hard, that's talking about reality.

Radios, like RSL's and AAD's, are backup safety devices. Backup mechanical and electronic safety devices can and do fail to operate as designed/intended. Instructors, like all human beings, can and do make mistakes. That's why you signed the waiver. Relying upon backup safety devices and/or human beings to keep YOU safe and alive is not the hot tip, as you may have just learned. Re: injury rates. Yes, you might get hurt. If you aren't okay with that, there are many wonderful things you can do and sports that you can participate in that don't involve quite as much risk of injury. Don't want to get hurt? Good PLFs. Learn to flare properly and PRACTICE it in the air. Stay conservative with your gear selection. And.... listen to your instructors.

I had that problem once. In a Chevrolet. Amazing that I managed to figure out how to put the other foot on the brake pedal and not kill anybody else considering I had less than a year of driving experience at the time. Strangely enough, I bought another Chevy after that...

I did both. They were much happier about helping out after I sold the rig, for some strange reason.