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I think it depends on the person. Different students will learn in different ways. AFF was fine for me but then I've heard others having a hard time with it. I've heard the same about SL. I think it's good to give students the option of training methods. Wesley -- I want to fly!

One of my AFF instructors wore a chest mount when he did AFF. I think his reasoning was that if he moved in front of the student they could see his altimeter. The best way to avoid grabbing the wrong thing is lots of practice on the ground. Don't just assume you'll be able to find it at pulltime. Wesley -- I want to fly!

There's a video? haha...I want to see that one. Wesley -- I want to fly!

I wish I could go skydiving next weekend. My sister is graduating so I have to go visit the family this weekend. Unfortunately there aren't any dropzones near my parents house either. But, I can't wait to get a good homecooked meal. Us college students do get tired of fast food and frozen dinners after awhile. Wesley -- I want to fly!

I had a very interesting weekend. I posted some about my canopy ride on Sunday under another thread but wanted to make my own. I had a good time this weekend. My dropzone (Skydive Monroe) had a boogie this weekend with a CASA. That CASA is an awesome plane to jump out of.

I agree 100%. Skydiving isn't for everyone. If you can't keep a cool head on you and make the right decisions quickly you shouldn't be a skydiver. But then, a lot of people don't know how they will react when the shit hits the fan. Hopefully some of these people will learn that they can't handle it and quit before they are killed. My comments on this post have nothing to do with anyone in this thread. I'm just voicing my agreement on the idea behind Keys' post. Wesley -- I want to fly!

I just finished my AFF this weekend but never had any trouble finding and pulling my BOC. Before every jump I stand by myself and do at least 8-10 prcps while on the ground. Then again in the plane I check the location of my BOC pud on the ride up a few times. By pulltime I'm fairly comfortable with finding it. Plus, that's the reason they have you do prcp's on at least your first 3 AFF levels. To teach yourself where it is while they can correct you. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Pyke, are you talking about me? Have I met you at Monroe yet? That 'student' was me that had the two-out yesterday. Talk about an 'interesting' experience... I checked my pins on the ground and had another check them in the plane and they were fine. When I deployed at 4500' I looked up and first saw the blue of my reserve then looked to the left and saw the green of my main. My first thought at seeing the blue was that some idiot put the wrong canopy in the rig but then I saw the main beside it. My first reaction at this occurance was to repeat the phrase "Oh Shit" at least 10 times. Luckily the main drifted over in front of the reserve into a biplane. I knew this was a much better situation than the side-by-side it was in at first. I was very careful with it and steered with VERY gentle main rear risers. I knew that if I cut the main away there was a very big chance it would entangle with my reserve leaving me with no good canopies over my head so I stuck with the two of them. I would've cutaway if it moved into a downplane though. Luckily once it was in the biplane formation it remained stable. It was a nice soft landing and I didn't even have to flare at all. I could've stood it up but of course I plf'd not knowing what to expect from my 2 canopies. I waited out one load but decided that I had to go ahead and get back into the air otherwise I'd be a nervous wreck the next time I'd be able to jump. The one canopy over my head was a relief on the next jump. That CASA was a blast to jump out of this weekend. Unfortunately because of the weather I only got 4 jumps out of it but they were all fun. (Until my two-out experience) We aren't sure why the reserve deployed.The cypress hadn't fired and my reserve handle was still in place. I talked to a rigger and to Bill (the DZO) and the only thing we can think of is that the RSL got snagged by something. And, Doasfu, good choice. I've delayed myself for a few hours when I knew I wasn't ready mentally or physically to jump. You're the only one that can decide if you're ready. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Has anyone tried the Genera rig? Also, how does it compare to the Dolphin as a first rig. Wesley -- I want to fly!

LOL Yeah, This early in my skydiving career I just think of it as "Any landing I walk away from is a good one." And, except for a small bruise on my ass from some rocks, that landing didn't hurt me. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Yeah, my landings suck so far. I knew I was screwed when after my flare I looked down and I was still about 6 feet above the ground. Next time I'm aiming for the grass. At least it wasn't my rig I covered in dirt and I kept it clean the next jump. LOL. I've definately got to work on the flare timing. Wesley -- I want to fly!

I'll definately be there. I've only got 3 more AFF levels to do now before I'll be on my own. I plan to go out to the dropzone Wednesday and do 1 maybe 2 jumps so that I can either finish my AFF before or at the beginning of the boogie. I want to jump the CASA. It sounds like it'll be a lot of fun. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Works great for me Mountainman. I'm getting 42 k/sec on my download so I'm pleased. I've never had anyone able to get anything better than about 12k/sec from me through my cable-modem. I guess @home limits my upload speed. Wesley -- I want to fly!

I'm not really the praying kind but I hope it gets there quickly. What'd you get? Wesley -- I want to fly!

Welcome Dave, Joolee. Just a warning though, dropzone.com can be like a drug. You find yourself spending valuable time here when you should be doing other things. But it's worth it.

I wish gas prices would go back to 99 rates. There was a gas station down the road that had gas at 71 cents a gallon for a while. Damn, you know you're starting to get older when you talk about the 'good old days.'

haha My first try I got zero. I guess I should work on my landings. I got 5/10 my second try though. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Ouch...that is disturbing. At least what we do for fun isn't painful. (at least it's not supposed to be) Wesley -- I want to fly!

The "Army of One" replaced the old slogan of "Be All You Can Be." I personally liked 'Be all you can be' better but maybe that's because I was inundated with commercials since I was a kid. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Yeah, I can't see someone being too concerned about the gas use of an SUV by someone else when they themselves are skydivers. We use a LOT of fuel. These old planes have to refuel every few loads. I'm not sure how much the tanks can hold but I'm sure it's not paltry. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Yes there was. He was 14 when he killed the girl and at the age of 15 he got life in prison. I think this happened in Florida. Apparently it took more than one 'move' to kill her though. It was reported that she had dozens of injureries. Wesley -- I want to fly!

Gotta love the pickup truck! I think I might would have to rent a nice car myself. Can't drive up to the media and the hooter's girl in an old pickup truck.

It'd be much nicer if when I clicked on someone's name in the forums it would link to their main profile. Right now I have to go back to the homepage and enter their screenname in to check it. Wesley -- I want to fly!

I'm doing my AFF right now and I'm pretty sure all my dz's student stuff is BOC. I think it makes more sense to start people with a throwout because that is what skydivers use anyway. A ripcord for the main is very outdated. (And yes, there are you pull-out people out there but pull-out and throwout are very similar so it's not too big of a transition) Wesley -- I want to fly!