AFFI

Let me know how I can help. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

One little piece at a time... Have you ever seen a 16 year old driving a Vette? Same difference. We can only do what we can do and we are all here to do what we are here to do... Some of us are here to die so that others can learn and live... Bill, you got a petition to sign? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Ron, do you remember when we had LIFE all figured out? Young, dumb and full of testosterone? Remember to consider the source, and that we must pick and choose our battles in life - but I feel ya brother... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

It is understandable to recognize the points make by Trae are valid, on the other hand there are also the need to identify and bring to the surface that there are instructors and leaders in the skydiving field that are quite safety oriented and do lead by example. The lack of responsibility for safety is a two sided coin as there are many students and low time jumpers who are not as teachable as they could be. I have experienced this on the high school football field, racing high performance motorcycles, in survival training and on the firing range or even the playground. Some individuals are teachable and have a desire to learn, to be the cream that rises to the top and some are not. We are responsible as individuals to decide which examples we will follow in life. Don Yharling was an individual that I often consulted for advice and he was always willing to take time to reply in detail and he assisted me is becoming a better instructor. I once sent Don a list of things that bothered me about similar issues Trae raised, below is his reply to me and was the shortest reply he ever sent… Hi, Mykel, (Concerning your complaints about the leadership in skydiving) Re: USPA- perhaps there’s an echo in here. Now that you’ve vented, I’ll send along a bill for ‘Misc. Consultation”- we all have our figurative crosses to bear. I’ll deal with mine, you deal with yours. There was a BOD Meeting last week- didn’t see your name on the agenda. Perhaps next time, assuming that you’re RD can’t convey your concerns directly to USPA. I’m still here, as always, willing to listen, intolerant of error. S’long for now, Don This particular note from Don helped me to undertstand that I need to do what I can in my little corner of the world, to make skydivers who are willing to learn beter and safer skydivers... Thanks Don for always being willing to enhance my perception and give me thought provoking ideas. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

So correct, just Fill in the Bank AND 10 seconds - this comment made me think... Not everyone, but the average person will look for the 45 degrees or what they perceive to be 45 degrees then start their climb out and go. The combination of their mental calculations and climb out will quite usually take enough time to create adequate separation no? Haven’t seen someone at the door with a laser guided GPS enables protractor and a stopwatch yet… Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

This may not be a liberal friendly thing to say but every now and then we need the sacrificial lamb to remind the rest of us paying attention that we are finite in our existence and despite how much testosterone we are drenched with, we are mortal. So few human beings die as a result of turning a parachute too low to the ground be it a high performance landing or a low maneuver to take evasive action to miss an obstacle that it will do little to assist in reducing the surplus population BUT when I see someone laying in a pool of their own blood with piss and shit in their pants hearing the gurgling as they choke on their last breaths it is personally a good example for me to consider when it comes to the choices I make when choosing a canopy type and size and method of fight. That is education in and of itself in one form. Wanting to be involved and gossip and rant and rave is just the nature of human beings when so many who either know or think they know so much assemble in one place to give their opinions. I have the mouse in my hands and I decide if I want to read the fluff or cut through it and look at the information that will assist me in my survival and increase my knowledge of how to teach others safe canopy piloting practices that will better ensure that they reduce their odds at becoming a fatality. That being said there is the compassionate part of me that wants to make my own picket sign and call for more regulation to keep people safer to force them to choose more suitable canopies, conversely lets not forget that not all fatalities are a result of turning to low are high performance landing attempts, many are conservative canopy pilots that made poor decisions when taking evasive maneuvers low to the ground to miss an obstacle. The Braked Approach and Landing is on the A License Proficiency Card to encourage skydivers to learn such skills, so should we force canopy pilots to make better canopy choices and force everyone to learn skills that will keep the canopy overhead when the shit hits the fan when they are low to the ground? Where will the mandates and regulations end? Next think ya know we will be living in a society that outlaws possession of certain plants to save us from ourselves and that would be simply ludicrous. It is what it is right now and skydiving accidents; although unfortunate and almost always avoidable happen so rarely that most skydivers do not appreciate the reality of them for what they are because they are so rarely seen. I have seen accidents and close calls cause some to reconsider their future course of action and I have seen some not get the second chance and many have learned from these sacrificial lambs – some would say that everything is coincidence and some that would say that nothing happens in this world by chance, it is all by design. Irregardless of what an individual personally believes, the fact is that some will crater and it is up to us as individuals whether we will learn from their mistakes or decide instead that we need to look cool in front of the spectators and dive recklessly at the ground since the spectators cannot see how cool we are in freefall. For me there is more than one way to land a parachute and I really want to sleep with my wife this evening and see my family on the holidays so I personally decide to learn and become proficient at every conceivable mode of flight – besides, I am not feeling the need to look cool these days so will stick with my Stiletto and Wal-Mart shoes. Footnote: a recently graduated A License holder made a few poor decisions in setting up and was on a direct collision course with a tree line, I was watching intently and prepared to run that way to keep her still until more help arrived with the back board and other life saving goodies. At around 150 feet AGL she went into braked flight mode, visually cleared her airspace to the right away from other obstacles and preformed a perfect flat turn and braked PLF landing. I was so proud of her and refreshed that I did not have to see one of the pretty faces at the DZ get injured. Afterward I approached her and she thought she was going to get a talking too for doing something wrong rather than a pat on the back for a job well done. She was one that studied and continued to do so after she graduated and when one of her mentor’s talks to her she listens and humbly takes advice given from those of us who have learned in part from the sacrificial lambs whose divots I trip in when catching tandems. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I have a good Canadian friend who was unable to jump one of his rigs at the Canadian Nationals 2005 - if they know it is expired they will likely not let you jump that rig - anyone got a cypress you can borrow for your trip? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I believe in some provinces of Canada an AAD is required to jump. Might want to check... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

The Slang you are inquiring about is not important. Do you drive? Then you know what brakes are, a speedometer, airbag – stuff like that but you likely don’t know what terminology a professional race car driver or a mechanic might use – same difference. If skydiving is calling you then don’t bog yourself down with all the mumbo jumbo. Learn about the safety systems (gear) and how to safely utilize the equipment. Another words become a good skydiver by learning how to do it safely every time. The glossary they pointed you toward in the forum will help you with the basics but is not all inclusive, you will pick up on the terminology as you progress in the sport, don’t be in a hurry. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Knot or Finger Trap? What does everybody else think? Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Yeah but which town? You must be alergic to Tequilia you break out in spots...

Ummmmmm, BEER!

1. 14k Clear and Pull (Hope and Pop) resulted in a Baglock. 2. Ride the Baglock down to 4k, and then initiate emergency procedures to minimize the chance of loosing gear. 3. The canopy came out of the bag around 7k at a very high rate of speed and opened violently. 4. The gear was not lost but the hard opening resulted in 2 broken vertebrae. RESULT: New main parachute cost (if lost) would have been under $2,000. Medical attention and cost, time out of the sport to rehabilitate and a lifetime of pain as a result of the broken back were PRICELESS. If I were to be put into this same situation I might have decided to ride the Baglock down to a lower altitude but after this happened to a friend of mine I was able to reevaluate my position concerning this type of scenario… Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Practice Makes Perfect Perfect Practice helps make for a perfect performance. This is true of most things in life, and even more so for skydiving. Think about your last trip to the drop zone and all of the dirt diving you did before each jump. Before boarding the aircraft, skydivers often dance around each other, taking grips in all sorts of odd configurations. The serious folks get on creepers and whiz around on a concrete pad with impressive speed and precision. Practice on freefall skills had become so valuable that it is not supporting the construction and operation of several multi-million-dollar wind tunnels around the country. Ask those same skydivers who spend countless hours dirt diving and thousands of dollars on tunnel time how long it has been since they used a training harness for practice of emergency procedures. Most of the time, you will be looking at blank stares. The fact is that we could all use a bit more time preparing for the unexpected. Skydiving and complacency are a bad combination. The time to analyze what to do with a pilot chute in tow is now, not while you are humming through 2,000 feet with a deflated pilot chute whipping uselessly behind you. The same goes for a horseshoe malfunction, two canopies out in various configurations, canopy wraps and entanglements. (You know the difference between the two, right?) Think about those situations now in the comfort of your favorite chair, then head to the drop zone and practice in a training harness the procedures you will use. It’s even better if you use malfunction photos. Skydivers Information Manual Sections 4, 5 and 6, along with an instructor, can provide you with help and guidance. Most importantly, decide now how you will react, and practice those procedures perfectly while on the ground. This is one case where perfect practice could literally save your life. Jim Crouch

First off, I was introduced to skydiving via AFF and finished the course in 7 jumps with no repeat dives - in my first YEAR of skydiving I only made 12 jumps. I was on a tight budget and sometimes put 2 months between student jumps then on to level 8's where it bacame more affordable. What makes a “better” skydiver? In my humble opinion it is simple. The skydiver who is best prepared to deal with emergencies CORRECTLY and who has taken canopy piloting seriously learning how to fly their canopy in a variety of modes of flight and has learned how to take evasive action low to the ground while keeping the canopy overhead (braked flight, flat turn). A lot of skydivers think that what they can do in freefall is the determining factor when making their grade as a skydiver but how many times have you been on a jump plane riding to altitude and the person next to you has a femur sticking out? The only thing that will improve freefall skills is repetitive practice and it is hard to get on the next load if you did not do the following things on the previous skydive: A) Get a canopy overhead (parachutes dramatically increase our odds surviving the landing) B) Land it safely (in an area free of obstacles) C) Don’t hurt yourself (or anyone else) Then at the bottom of the list of priorities is: D) Repeat (repetitive practice to improve freefall skills) Just about every solo freefall instructor I know would agree that at the student level the key to good performance in freefall is for the student to simply RELAX. Someone new to the sport might have this perspective: We are hurling ourselves out of an airplane thousands of feet above the surface of the planet falling toward certain death, how do these people expect me to relax? The answer is CONFIDENCE in the students trust in the gear (knowledge dispels fear), their ability to use it properly (proper EP and canopy piloting training) – the confidence is bred from through and proper training. Some relax quicker than others but in my limited experience 100% of skydiving students begin to display improvements in freefall when they begin to RELAX in freefall. Skydive students begin to relax at varying rates but it comes with the confidence that they will not only survive the landing but walk (or prance) away with a smile on their face having participated in an activity many believe to be the most fun a human being can have with their clothes on. Safety first, good freefall skills come from repetitive practice and repetitive practice is bred from putting safety first. This is only my opinion, I could be wrong… I posted the Safety Check for November 2005 by Jim Crouch (Director of Safety and Training) in a new thread to generate some discussion concerning this most important topic... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

It seems to me by your own posting that you already have gotten "some comment on the above preferably from instructors" by saying "my instructors having wanted me to wait till 50-60 jumps". There is likely no advice you will get online from individuals be they qualified or otherwise that will better inform you than the instructors that have personally seen you fly and have first hand knowledge concerning the skills and qualifications you possess concerning canopy choices. I know skydivers that did not follow the advice of instructors that taught them and not have an incident and I also know some who regretted not following that advice because they had serious accidents as a result of flying a canopy they were not ready for. Canopy piloting mistakes can have an end result that is tragically violent and if you live often require an abundance of resources in medical bills and time out of the sport for rehabilitation. Personally, I would recommend you follow the advice of your instructors. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

I have worked with students where their 5th jump of the day was their strongest and best in air performance of the day and we could have kept going had the sun not set. The flow of the day just worked in their favor complementing their stamina. Of course, this example is an exception to the norm. I have also worked with some that after 3 jumps wanted to keep going but I knew that they were starting to sputter and after suggesting a break (so the adrenalin energy can subside) they usually realize they need to call it a day – I like to allow students to recognize things for themselves and always afford them the opportunity to call it a day rather than have me pull the plug. I believe it not only empowers the student in making their own choices but also increases their self awareness concerning their own limitations (winds, clouds, deployment altitudes ect…). The tricky part is to be aware enough as an instructor to recognize when they are starting to run out of mojo and put the students needs first (before my jump numbers or paycheck, maybe that is why some DZ's implement a limit). I have also worked with students where 1 was all they could handle. It all depends on the individual student; there is no "one size fits all" guideline. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

If mother nature allows making 7 student jumps should be easy depending on how you handle all the excitment, mentally and physically. The DZ I work at has a 20 jump program (2 tandems and 18 solo's) and some have finished it in 5 jumping days. Tunnel time is nice for freefall skills but as mentioned in an earlier post - EP's and Canopy Piloting are paramount. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Dont complicate something so simple! There are two types of parachutes - GOOD and BAD. A GOOD canopy can be landed safely A BAD one cannot. Some BAD canopies can be fixed and made GOOD, some cannot Learn the difference! While dealing with a partial malfunction, altitude awareness is absolutely essential. When adrenaline levels are high and temporal distortion occurs, it is easy to lose track of altitude. Altitude Awareness is a top priority! If you cannot correct the situation before reaching your decision altitude, cutaway & deploy reserve. Canopy Check (Identifying a good parachute): 1.Check your altimeter. 2.For a parachute to be safe to land it must be: a.“Square”: Deployment has occurred and something is overhead, the parachute is inflated, rectangular. b.“Stable”: Flare to test for canopy stability. c.“Steerable”: The two steering controls, called “toggles” operate the parachute to control heading and flare. Note: In the event of a toggle malfunction such as a broken control line, the rear risers may be used for steering and flaring the canopy. 3.If the parachute fails any of the above tests, the jumper must initiate emergency procedures before reaching the hard deck (decision altitude). 4.Determine the parachute is controllable and safe to land by 2,500 feet; if not, execute the planned emergency procedure immediately, TRUST your reserve. Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Back when the requirement was 20 jumps - 4 days... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

What kind of container? There is no way you can prevent certain types of containers from having the main pin protector flap comming open - the container may have been closed in the airplane and came open during climbout. So many skydivers do not get gear/pin checks before exit or jump properly configured well maintained gear - you cannot possibly be responsible for all, what you can do is lead by example (I.E. get pin checks yourself for others to see). Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

No need for a list, seriously, it would be hard to find a DZ in the US that does not use radios for students. Many even use helmet to helmet comms so teh JM can talk to the student in freefall! Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

Bravo!

How about teaching that an out of sequence deployment with that canopy out and the PC still in the pouch as a Total? Recommending to Deploy Reserve into the mess... Could have made a federal case out of it but instead what I did was make sure that instructor was in earshot of another student being taught correctly and the message got through indirectly. How many hands per handle? Having a DZ policy and detailed training curriculum set in motion by the DZ management helps to settle these differences of opinion. Ego's? I like mine with butter and syrup... Make it a great day... Mykel AFF-I10 Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…