packerboy

I've done it on a 12,000 ft sunset H&P by myself. It was a great moment in my life. Turned it off at about 750 ft though, right before unstowing my toggles. I'm kidding about the last part . I did turn it off at about 2,000 ft because I was landing in the dark and I was sure most people had forgotten that I was even out there and coming in to land in front of the hangar. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Skydive Gananoque, there are at least ten canopies in the air, you can see them clear as day. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I don't do tandems, and I'm not a rigger, but it sounds like a possible brake setting to me. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Not sure about packers who pack for a living, but I packed to pay for jumps. I would rather a DZO offer a jump for every 4 pack jobs (or 2 for 4 tandems) or something as such, and keep it consistent through the inflation of ticket prices. I think that would be fair for everyone. As fuel price increases through inflation so does the cost to own and maintain gear, and as such so should packjobs. I'm sure most would say they packed their own right from the start, but what did a DZO pay for packjobs on student gear in the 1970's? Would any packer accept that today? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I got ripped off on my very first E-bay purchase.. won't do Ebay anymore.. so sad. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

My limited experience with a Katana (10 jumps), all fast and pillowy soft openings. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

"Packerboy - your's was the avatar I was thinking about." It made the CSPA calendar! I'm Mr. March! Or half of March anyway since it was a vertical pic. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

It'd be REAL tough on a 206, but doable I think -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

"Look at the dude that won the gold medal and then tested positive for the stuff." If you are talking about Ross Rebagliati the Canadian snowboarder that won a gold medal in GS snowboarding, he was not high while he was competing. Nor was he stoned even shortly before his event. I am not against weed at all, as a matter of fact, I was very much a chronic at one point in my life. But I must say in my not so very limited experience that while being stoned for a chronic may help them to concentrate on certain things with a great level of intensity it absolutely does impair your motor skills and would make it near impossible to pull off an olympic medal winning performance. I do not personally know Ross, but I do know people that do.. or better yet I knew people that did know him at that time, and he was not chronic any time near his olympic appearance. He was pretty carefull to stay away from it... just not carefull enough apparantly. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Once you are up there, it's very easy to hang on. See attached icon . But just becuase you got your feet up there once, doesn't mean it is easy the next time! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

They all try to feel out who is interested in skydiving for more than just a carnival ride, but most instruction, except for a bit of canopy control for really inquisitive people is left out of the first tandem. I'm not saying it is wrong, but I have no interest whatsoever in coaching, packing (anymore) or doing freefall students.. so if I want to do tandems I would have to go to another DZ. Unfortunately there isn't one really local enough and without working in the sport I will only be able to afford to stay meagerly current. It may take a while to get to 1,000 or so jumps, so I'm hoping by then I still have some love enough of the sport to entertain the idea of travelling and camping every weekend somewhere to be able to do tandems. Right now I'm split between whether or not I want to even pay to have my reserve done or just sit out this year. Sad... and sorry, wrong thread. But anyway... Grumpy tandem instructors should be fired.. they are bad for repeat business and does the company they are working for no better than a shitty waiter does for his restaurant. Sure the customers will finish their meal, but you'll never see them ever again, and quite possibly never see their friends either. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Anyone know of DZ's in Canada that accept? I'm not sure if they broke in or not, but I do know that they were calling around. As a matter of fact, they got contact info from this website and ended up contacting the guy that put the DZ up on the list here and not the DZO. He told them where to go. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I felt much more secure for my first freefall jump than any of my 4 precursor tandems.. perhaps that's just me. And the DZO in question is referring to the more types of malfunctions (with someone strapped to your chest). I'm sure the freefall skills needed for AFF on every jump are much greater than tandems, but the cool head under a drogue/reserve tangle is something that doesn't come as naturally as freefall to most. I think this is his reasoning. He wants tandem instructors to be well rounded. That being said though, he HAS taken on TI's that had to work their way to doing freefall students, but it is a must. I'm not defending it, just putting it out there. Personally I want to do tandems, but not coaching or AFF. Not at all for monetary reasons. I want to do tandems exclusively to be with people on their first jump. Other instruction beyond that doesn't interest me. It won't happen at that dropzone, so I am looking for a new one. I'm still a ways away from a rating though.. I'd changed my mind about racing into them and I'd like to have about 1K jumps before getting into it. It'll be a while though since I decided I didn't want to pack anymore. Packing sucks.. more so for being treated like a worthless sack of crap than the work. Man I wish I had another local DZ! I skydive for fun, I don't need to take that S(*&t from anyone. I guess I need to change my name here.

now thats pretty NUTS! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

No... they are grumpy AFFI's!! The opinion of the DZO is that tandems are highly complicated skydives and that in order to prove proficiency as a skydiver enough to be a TI, one must be able to take freefall students.. actually PFF here. The idea is that a freefall student is to know what they are getting into and that they are ultimately responsible for their own lives. If the shit hits the fan.. the instructor is ultimately responsible for saving their own lives first. With tandems being more complicated, resorting back to the ABC's of skydiving is not always an option for the instructor. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I can't find the post, but someone said that the dropzone is full of "normal" people just like any other place. Who's naive? TYPE A TYPE A TYPE A... oooooh, something shiny! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

I'll bite. I have screwed up and put people in danger. Not as an instructor, but as a learning cameraguy. I was pushing the limit of being too close and too steep on a 15 way formation, got caught in the burble and came crashing through. I didn't hurt anyone thankfully but I could have killed someone. I learned my lesson and will not fly above formations again untill I get some wings and learn how to fly them. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

At the dropzone that I used to work at, AFFI is a requirement of being a TI and all AFF works on a rotation, so that all TI's do both. Just thought I'd throw that in. Right or wrong or new thread? any thoughts? -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

go to CSS -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Homemade student gear .. uncomfortable and a pain in the ass to pack (might have something to do with the Manta in it). Vector knockoff. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Get used to it if you are going to post anything on these forums. 90% of the people on here are super smart motherf*&kers who want nothing in life except skydiving and making themselves feel big and smart using semantics on dropzone.com The higher the number of posts.. the larger the stick up their ass usually. I almost quit coming to this website a number of times because of some of them (not the ones in this thread). Just ignore those who you think are assholes, and chat with those you think are not. Don't try to win an argument. You won't. Keep it real brutha! If you want to wear sunglasses.. put some on and go skydiving. You will learn real quick if you like it or not. All this mumbo jumbo about eye contact crap... forget about it, you shouldn't be on jumps other than coach jumps that it would matter anyway. And why would a coach care if you were wasting your money not learning anything? They are getting paid to be good enough to get out of your friggen way. I say just f(*&ing do it! -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

My opinion matters just about as much to you or anybody else as yours does to me or anybody else... it doesn't. That's all you got left? My opinion matters and yours doesn't so shut up? How do you know I have never owned a business? You want to own a business and discriminate against your customers.. let's see how far YOU go. It must be the successfull business model because a DZO gets away with it? I've got some news for you, dropzones can get away with a lot more bullshit tactics than most other regular businesses and still survive becuase of the exclusivity of their market. They appeal only to those who want to skydive. All other things equal, if your dropzone was next door to a dropzone that does not charge a fat tax.. the other business would be more successful, because the extra market share would be there. But regardless of wether or not it is a good business move or not.. it is discriminatory. Unfortunately discrimination is still all to common and acceptable. To charge extra because someone is fat, but still safe enough to jump, is petty. Maybe paying the TI's extra is a good move.. I would probably accept it if I were a TI, if it were coming in good faith from the DZ itself. Like I said, I believe you that it is much harder work, you don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand it. Companies should pay more for those who work hard.. otherwise noone would ever work hard. But to charge extra to the customer just because they are different is WRONG. Now you can go ahead and have the last word, because I'm done.. I don't think there is any other way I can explain it. And apparantly noone else agrees, because I'm not getting ANY help here. Thanks for the discussion Stevo - keep your stick on the ice buddy.. I look forward to some good advice from you in another thread. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Or hers... -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

It would have been more gracefull for the DZO to accept the fact that the increased wear and tear comes with an increased market share, therefore he is making more money to offset those costs. If it is that much harder for the TI and he is that giving, then perhaps he should offer you the extra money. Your DZO is not being gracious by giving you extra money. It's not his money. No sweat of his balls. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson

Well, I guess your opinion simply trumps mine because you are a TI. Tough to argue that. Good for you, you're right. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson