AFFI

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Were there any solar flares that day?

"Dream Gear"? I wouldn’t entertain the thought of spending "Dream Gear" money just yet, buy some cheap used gear that will get you to the Dream Gear point. Your ideas on gear will change 3,4 or 500 jumps from now. Option #3 stands out for me just cuz I like trips to DeLand but if it were me I would take the advice here about breezing through AFF and saving all the $$$ I can for gear. Worried about having to repeat dives? There is a simple way to avoid this, don’t fail any dives. Relaxation is the key to performing well during the student progression. Knowledge will dispel the fear enough so you can relax, so learn all you can especially about how to use the gear properly and land it safely… And oh yeah, have fun... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Echo Echo Echo... Talk to your instructors

I believe that the spirit is this requirement on the card it so teach, no, introduce the “Dive Swoop Dock” maneuver to teach the fundamentals of safely diving down to a formation and docking on it without injury, death or even worse – taking out the formation. I could be wrong... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

When the chips are down, your landing off, the wind conditions have changed since the time the airplane took off with powerlines and trees all around and there are dogs barking, houses everywhere and you have to put your canopy down in a very tight area. So dont think of the difficulty level when everything is going as normal, but consider when everything is shit. 50 Sq. foot in this situation may be a HUGE difference. I was told to fly the W.L./Canopy/Reserve that I was most likely able to land safely when the chips are down and everything is shit. Sounded like good advice then, sounds like good advice now. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Rental gear, borrowed gear, buy gear (and beer) - for goodness sake, just keep TRAINING and jumping right? Unless of course the elements are not jumper friendly - never jump in weather outside of your means and never let someone talk you into doing something in freefall you are not ready for etcetera.... Unless of course, you totally feel like it. Then you might get flowers and balloons.... Yay, Balloons!

The 100th jump is a million times better than your 1st jump then your 1000th jump is a million times better than number 100th then you leave life behind, get an AFF rating and it becomes a million times better again! Then, eventually you get tired of Ramen noodles but just cannot seem to tear yourself away. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Basically, we are looking at a skydiving rig and the fundamental design consists of 4 flaps and a pilot chute with only a handful of thing that can go wrong that has to be determined by a certain altitude in order to release the main and then utilize another set of flaps and a pilot chute. Let’s face it, skydiving is simple and the solution we must make to correct problems is quite simple as well. Question: Why do so many choose to disagree through heated debate rather than harmoniously and collectively decide to keep it simple and look for the common fundamental bonds rather than focusing on infinitesimal differences of opinion? Why aren’t those of us who may or may not be correct in their analysis be more open to suggestion of simplicity rather than complicating the hell out of it and quarrel through usless debate? Why complicate something so simple when so much is at steak? Ummmmm, steak... Why can we just all get along? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Dont you mean Squid?

what do you think? hands on toggles, things get a little spinny and bumpy - could a toggle come loose if that is where you are grasping your risers? If one goes into a spin is ther a potential that altitude awareness could be lost amist all the excitment? Hmmmm, kinda make me think that there is a long list of things that if they go wrong coupled with another small thing that goes wrong then at least my family will save some money this christmas...

It is intense to visualize my own death; my heart starts racing and a tingling sensation deep inside, almost like, anticipation. Death is going to come for all of us, how we each as individuals deal with your demise is our own decision - either kicking crying and screaming or just relax and accept the inevitable or somewhere in between. Irregardless, it is going to be an intense moment that few of us are eager to experience. All the more reason to become as prepared as possible in whatever activities one chooses to participate in life. Personally, whenever I have the occasional close call and escape death by millimeters, well, I like the feeling. It is a rush so I imagine when it does actually happen there will be a euphoria associated that will ease the experience, one last buzz before taking the eternal plunge. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Zero

Comon down for skyfest and I will video your nekkid jump for free and even pay your slot! We have a 140 landing field with trees on the far end - any nekkid jumps people usually land out there where there are some clothes stashed where they are away from the cameras and stuff... But remember your BEER...

On 5 to 7 minute pack jobs - ultra sloppy - I have not had to use my reserve in 6 years/2700+ skydives! The trick is to use a parachute and as someone mentioned a few posts up, taking a packing class is a good idea. Even if you have taken one already it would still be a good idea to get someone else (someone very experienced) and get alternate inputs. "making sure I don't screw something up bad enough to the point where I'll have to cut-away" Modern Parachutes are very reliable, keep it simple and do a search on packing, there are threads galore. As Bill has put it, there is a lot of mumbo jumbo where packing is concerned these days. Reading the owners manual that came with your canopy would be a good idea. And just because you do everything "textbook" does not mean you will not have a malfunction - there is a lot going on the moment your canopy hits the wind, your pack job is effectievly shot at that point. Just my opinion (and many other rigger types with many thousands more jumps and years in the soprt than I). You nervous about messing up a pack job? you can practice on my canopy anytime, I'll jump it... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Please don't buy any smoke --- I have about 30 cans I will be bringing (60 second stuff) and I will sell it at cost ($15 after hazmat and shipping) I will also have some brackets with me as I plan to do some wingsuit smoke jumps while I am there if it is cool with Steve I understand that flour in a sock with a hole cut in it works well...

Personality dependent… If he already KNOWS he wants to go all the way? Second Generation? So it’s in the blood? AFF. And that is coming from someone who has spent his entire career as a solo freefall instructor in a tandem progression arena. I have never done a tandem and can respect anyone for not wanting to make a jump with someone attached to them. Alternatively – I would recommend to most to start out with a tandem… Most… Not at all gender specific - Personality Dependent… Just my notsohumble opinion…

A bad student? The ones who don't tip?

Airbags scare me, but once and airbag saved my life...

Have you ever seen two parties reconcile when both sides believed themselves to be entirely right? Have you ever seen one side of an argument convince the other side through debate? Yet we continue to pile high our evidence, thinking our opponent will say, “Oh, now I see the light. Thank you for pointing out to me how wrong I’ve been.” Humility is an interesting attribute. Often seen as weakness, humility is actually the fruit of a deeper level of confidence and a higher level of thinking. When challenged, the small and insecure mind immediately becomes defensive and combative. But an expansive and secure mind will ask itself, “Do I really want to put my dog in this fight?” When the silent answer is, “No, this fight wouldn’t be worth the trouble or the distraction. It would be a bad investment of my time, and time is the stuff life is made of,” we say, “Maybe you’re right,” and the debate is ended. People call this humility. But when the quiet answer is, “Yes, I will put my dog in this fight because what’s at stake is worth the trouble,” then we see another fruit from the tree whose roots go deep and whose branches soar high. This second fruit is called patience. It allows us to stand firm in our convictions, never becoming frantic, anxious or shrill. Humility and patience; are the roots of your confidence sunk deep enough and do the branches of your intellect soar high enough to produce these daring fruits? by Roy Williams

How about wrap the right brakeline around your hand a few wraps, then grab the rear riser? That's easy too. What if you wrap that line around your hand a few wraps then decide to cutaway and forget to unwrap the line? With all the excitment could such a mistake be a potential?

Door fear is part of the fun... Try to relax though, you will progress faster.

Congrats! Fun, isnt it? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

If you are a good editor, just about anything will work.

Until gravity stops workin...