AFFI

Hey there Hans, Great learning experience, you are correct about that – you can do it. For the most part, sounds like you had a pretty good time eh? Some lines of thought say that line twists are not a malfunction, but in the philosophy that I subscribe to (handed down to me by mentors with many decades of AFF training experience) say that if a canopy cannot pass a control check (square, stable, flareable and steerable), then it is a malfunction. Splitting hairs aside, semantics… Some malfunctions are potentially fixable; some may be controllable enough to land safely (acceptable limits of controllability) Line twists may produce a “square” shape to the canopy and may be stable, but cannot be flared or steered therefore a malfunction. This malfunction is potentially fixable right? Sure, but dependent on what exactly? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Nope, handing it over to a rigger and to take counsel from your instructors is what you need to do. Seems like you are on the correct path. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

At least you got a free plane ride eh? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

This is without a doubt, the very best dissertation ever posted on this issue, it could not have been put any more eloquently… Well done Brie! Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Would you say that the tandems helped you in the skills needed to preform on your solo, and if so how in particular did they help? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

This sounds kinda funna W, like saying suicide is illegal, but it is not to shoot yourself in the head... Ahhh, the justice system... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

You are speaking from the point of view of an experienced and rated Solo Freefall Instructor? I can speak from that perspective, and I would not think it anything but funny and enjoyable if a fellow instructor did that to me. It would be fun, a change of pace and the other JM might learn a lot from attending my FJC, as I would attending the FJC of another instructor in clandestine fashion. There is nothing "shitty" about it. I can think of TONS of things that fit into the "shittiest things you could do" category. Murder, rape, cheating, abusing others, selling parsley as if it were oregano etcetera etcetera etcetera… Pretending to be a student is totally trivial. "shittiest things you could do" is completely harsh words for someone doing something as trivial as Bill described. Perhaps you sport a vendetta and are looking for something to call him out on in public, but this aint one of em... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

No one here can really tell you what step to take next, only you can determine that based on discussions you have with staff members at the DZ where you are going to pursuit your training at. There are so many methods and different philosophies in approaching the training of students, which coupled with your performance on the tandem you made will be the determining factors as to which path will be the best for you to follow. Anyone who tells you that you will not learn anything on subsequent tandems that will aid in your progression in solo freefall jumping does not know what the hell they are talking about. Like I said, talk to the instructors at your DZ because there are a lot of well intentioned skydivers that will give you “advice” based on their own limited knowledge and experience which in many cases will be inaccurate information. Good luck, and glad you enjoyed your skydiving experience. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

More accurately, what you said was “over 1k gives you time to be open cut away if needed and on reserve....” I guess 12k is over 1k, and so is 1001’ eh? You did not specify how much over 1k you were referring to, but it came across to those who did not read it correctly (at least to me) that 1k was enough altitude (for the club you were jumping at) sufficient for clear and pulls – and - that jumping from 1k allows time for a jumper to exit, deploy the main and still have enough altitude if there was a problem with the main to initiate emergency procedures for a partial malfunction. This defies all of the better practices of safe philosophies concerning skydiving that I have been subjected to thus far. Horizontal to the ground meaning: You were belly to earth (horizontal) or standing up (vertical)? If you are saying that your canopy was open 75 feet after exiting a 182 then you may be mistaken. The reason some of us are particular about the validity, or if you will, accuracy of such statements is that there are up and coming jumpers who read these forums and I certainly would not want any jumper to get the idea in their head that making exits from 1,000’AGL is sufficient altitude to initiate EPs for a partial malfunction. So anytime anyone makes statements that are outside the realm of safe possibilities, many of us here will question such claims. Furthermore, when a trained skydiver makes such claims, there is the potential that some may question the validity of their "training". Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Exiting from 1k, I going straight for the reserve. If your main has any snivel to it, you're screwed. If your main doesn't have snivel to it, you're still likely moving too slowly to pop a Cypres in the event of a mal. Even a high speed mal isn't going to give you much time to deploy your reserve by the time you figure it out. Remember that we fall 1000' in the first ten seconds. Your main is already going to open slowly due to the slow speed at which you exited. You *really* think that exiting at 1K and going for your main first is a good idea? Doug, read his jump #s and consider the source ... Ahhhh, So illusioneer is a Bass? http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2898546#2898546 I just aint that good at picking them out, but it does sound like someone does not know how things work eh? It's like pretending to be a surgeon in at a medical convention. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I think they sell the footage to tandem students in lieu of having an outside camera flyer no? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I thought you werent supposed to smoke around your canopy! Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Better wear some of that body armor from the other thread!

Tipping is not expected or required but is appreciated for excellent service. I worked in skydiving as a fulltime vocation for 7 years at a very busy year round operation, so I can give you advice from first hand experience. You are going to get a LOT of opinions on this issue, some potentially emotionally charged. Fulltime skydivers who skydive as a sole vocation average $20k or less annually, so to the full timers, tips are very welcome and appreciated. Some people here will tell you not to tip no matter what, I do not agree with that because anytime I receive excellent attention from someone in a service industry I always tip, but that is just me, let your conscious be your guide. As a camera flyer I am usually not tipped, and when I am it is between $1 and $20. As a solo freefall instructor, I am tipped around 50% of the time anywhere from $5 to $20 is the average and this seems to hold true for all the TIs I work with. I have been tipped as much as $200 before if you can believe that. A case of beer for the end of the day is always appreciated as a tip, it is best when students hang out after hours and have a few cold ones too, it is fun socializing. Often times though, after working hard for 12+ hours 7 days a week I hit the shower and head to bed early, working at a really busy DZ can be quite a marathon during the busy part of the year and it is hard work at times. I think the best tip of all is students having a great time, having fun and allowing me to ba a part of their adventure – it is a really cool one at that so enjoy! Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

what do you consider "reasonable"? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

What exactly do you mean by "I was going back with the wind"? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Let me see if I understand what you are saying... From 1K you would do a emer exit on your main, and if it has a problem, cut and go to your reserve? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Midnight... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

So are you knowledgeable enough to repair camcorders? You could stay quite busy around here... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Jump if you can man (if your instructors deem the conditions jumpable)! Don't give in to all the pussified attitudes about jumping in a little rain, it is totally worth it! Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

the 45 degree rule - how else?

Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Interesting theory - it's about the 'student' learning something, not about the 'teacher' getting a pat on the back. imagine that where did the instructor getting a "pat on the back"come from? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Except hopefully your bones dont hurt when you get done with the tunnel know a lot about methadone eh?

I just stay quiet, don’t even mention I am a skydiver and let them have their illusions if that is what they need to fulfill themselves. A little compassion - we all have our issues and hang ups. It's like that time I landed a birdman on the tip of an elephants trunk with no parachute and my eyes closed! Man, that was so cool when I did dat! Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…