DanglesOZQld

QUOTE - "At that time you wonder if its worth the thrill and the tip." TIP!? YOU GUYS GET TIPS!?!? Just had a recent return of a staff member from the states....geez some of you have it easy ha ha! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Totally agree re 6,000 is too low to enjoy the jump and we do tell everyone about the pros of going higher. Still some are not going to jump at all if it costs more than they are willing to pay. BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Been uncommon for me thankfully. So far only one student and that was after we had two other jm's jump with them as well as the CI. There has been one other student who the CI was going to give the talk to but I went up with him after a very long "chat" on the ground and he managed to relax and really start to get into the swing of things. The CI jumped with him next as I don't think he believed me when I told him he (student) had found "the groove." I was really happy to have been able to do that as he is now a pretty good jumper and loves the sport just like the rest of us ;). Helping people overcome their fears and not giving up on them is what makes us want to be instructors and helps us love our sport even more. Being cruel to be kind after many trials and hardships when you KNOW things are not going to work is unfortunately part of what we must sometimes do as well. You are doing the person a favour in the long run even though at the time might feel like a total a!$hole............ Unfortunately as an instructor in this sport you are bound to have the times that make you feel like you can walk on air as well as those that make you want to have the ground swallow you up and make you disappear! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Just as easy to use normal gear rather than a tandem. Actually used a BT PRO SERIES 120 with myself and a friend and opened and flew around fine before he said bye bye. Was a rather interesting wing loading as we both weighed about 78 kilos and the toggle movement was nothing to severe turn from around 1-2 inches. Definitely something that was fun at the time - would not be in too much of a hurry to repeat it though! I have done quite a few more Mr Bills using the clubs student gear, rigs around 270 square feet. These have all worked fine and been fun thus far although it has been a while since I have done it!! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Not thus far as with larger persons we usually have the dzso make the decision re the conditions on the day and then the tm can take them if they want to. We get paid a small amount extra for those passengers doing tandem jumps over 100kgs in weight and there are always other tm's on the same load who will most likely take them if you don't feel up to it. By saying no we are also NOT losing the jump as all staff are on the load most times regardless. With regard to AFF I am more than prepared to give people a go and have only come across one student who we (CI and self) advised not to continue jumping. That was after they had been up with the CI, myself and another jm. BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Sometimes some students just make you work a little harder. I definitely agree with having a baggy jumpsuit aka dressing for success but after you have done a few tandems you should be able to get out of situations with more than just "gee I wish I had a suit to help me fly this tandem properly!" It's the nature of the beast, sometimes you are going to have shit happen no matter what you do and that is what the training is for in becoming a tm in the first place. Oh, and the little reason why we tm's get PAID for it!! If you are complacent in the "what if's" department or think it is just another skydive then give up being a tm. And to those who are not tm's and think they have the answers do a course and see how easy the 1 in a hundred or so can be. BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I have used the padded harness primarily over a lot of tandem jumps and actually prefer them to the old "no padding" type. Basically there is a problem on opening most times with the chest strap rising up but I find that this can be overcome by getting the student to stand on your feet and then loosening the chest strap off once the canopy is open and checks are done. I find that the padded type and the non padded are very different when it comes to adjustment even for the same type of passenger. Basically I do the padded type up as such before donning it on the student - 1) Shoulder buckle straps pulled so that there is quite a lot of webbing past the buckle (Some 20 cms). This means that the shoulder buckle will sit most of the time quite low in front of the student and not on top of the shoulders or even slightly behind like the non padded version. 2) Rear side diagonal adjustment straps with only about 3 inches of webbing from the buckle. With the padded variety I find that the shoulder buckles need to be as low down as possible in front of the student. Everything else when preparing to jump is done up from the point at which you started above. The belly strap doesn't need to be tight at all either. After opening get the student to stand on your feet and loosen the chest strap. I have had very few complaints with the tandems thus far and nil sick passengers in the air.......two on the ground after we landed. BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I get paid to jump so the price hasn't really affected me that much. I know dz's around the area who have had their jump ticket prices go up recently because of the oil price hikes - or at least that is what the dz owners are using as the excuse for the increase. Oh and for those guys and girls from the USA, here in Australia at the moment on the road we are paying an average of $1.15 a LITRE of unleaded fuel. This is Queensland's price as well - I think in other states of Australia it is actually a lot higher than this again. BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

14 year old tandems in Australia are both allowed and done all the time and I see no problem at all with this continuing. Sometimes there are harness issues with the smaller persons of this age group but rarely. I think anyone who is around 12 or younger is not going to appreciate the experience - might as well give them a few more years and enjoy the jump fully when they do it! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Can chew anytime in freefall no problems but I would hesitate in letting a Tandem passenger take some in freefall! Bad enough being thrown up on (though never happened yet >1,000 tandems !). Don't want to wear some second hand gum either!! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

The rest of the world does it without TUNNEL TIME. IF you can afford it of course DO THE TUNNEL!! Definitely get a VIDEO of your next jump if you have not done so already - it helps in the debrief and YOU CAN SEE what you are doing in the air badly that can be corrected!! With my students I tell them that there is a phase during their AFF jumps where they become relaxed , get into a good arch and enjoy the jump. A good arch should be a relaxed position unless you are a lightweight without a weight vest and have to do it hard to keep up with the "norms." Talk to your Jm's and the experienced ppl around you ;) BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Not talking collisions re tracking etc - that was just on opening!? BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Would jump bare foot all the time if I could but our DZ policy is that we jump onto the beach with some sort of footwear ALWAYS no exceptions. This is for both the passenger and tm. I understand this as the t/m's would definitely appear way too casual rocking up to do a tandem wearing nothing on their feet. I work at another dz though doing AFF and can sometimes go for a jump without footwear. There are a lot of things to consider though. Fun jumping you should DEFINITELY be allowed to go without footwear if you are willing to WEAR (Pardon the pun lol!) consequences but if you are a t/m or instructor there are professional considerations to think of. Much the same as someone in a "meet the public" job not having shaven for a few days..... BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

It's your ass on the line so I would want to pack the main myself and have a good look at the whole setup before jumping it. There are a lot of so called experts around but with the case of a main (not really the point of this post) I would re pack it myself. I had a Bt series Pro 120 sent to me from a friend that I jumped that was a bloody hard opening. I know the guy and he would have packed it as per the manual to the letter.....have packed it very differently since and had ZERO bad openings. ALSO have jumped the same canopy for nearly 2,000 jumps now and it has always opened on heading and been a great video canopy. (Worst opening was 13 secs after filming a tandem - will send to anyone with broadband who is interested.) FIRST reline was also 1,600 jumps....wel overdue though! The canopy manufacturers would probably freak if I told them that the pack consisted of not Quartering at all and having the four outer cells rolled equally into the centre cell just like a lot of student canopies....... A mate had a Stiletto having REALLY bad (Off heading) openings and we packed it the same way and all of a sudden they were cool. Don't go by just what the canopy manufacturer states in the manual : be prepared to play a little with the way it is packed but always seek advice from others with the same type of canopy as to what they do when packing their own. The Blue Track in the PRO SERIES pre Springo was in fact known better as the BLUE SMACK as it was opening rather hard to some not used to varying the pack method. Since then Crossfire 2's have been coming onto the scene in a big way and damn they are nice canopies for outside video work (Soft long openings etc.....not many that open hard even with poor packing ;) BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Personally I believe you should just be totally honest about prior experience and the guys OR girls will tell you what is required by them at their dz. It is really a moral requirement I believe to give current C.I's and instructors as much info as you can for them to help you in the best way possible. I personally don't think you need to do the course or anything just jump with an experienced instructor or even the CI (That happens these days!? ;) unless you want to and want to make sure procedures and/or gear has not changed a great deal and go for it from there. Apart from equipment differences perhaps and a few other small things you should be fine. JUST BE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT THE ABOVE ARE BEFORE JUMPING AGAIN. Know your equipment and how it works as well as anything it can throw at you.....it is one reason why Chuck Yeager is still here and not a wreck in the ground somewhere now! And for those of you who think that jump numbers are everything...it is not the numbers, just what you do with them in building them up! BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I think you can be called a skydiver as soon as you believe you will be coming back to do more! And definitely after you start enjoying yourself or relaxing when you are doing it! (For some this happens early and for others takes a lot longer - remember the comfort level happens at vastly different times for most people otherwise we would be rather friggin boring individuals, wouldn't we?? :) BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Did my first jump on the 10th of January 1993 at 23 years old some time after I had gained a private pilots licence. (You know what they say about having to properly experience the vehicle you have to get out of it lol!) When I told my parents prior to the jump course they knew me too well and said "If we tell you not to do it you will still do it anyway right?" to which I replied YES!!! They then just told me to stay as safe as possible and resigned themselves to the inevitable! I actually copped more flak from my flight instructor who was a good friend after a lot of things we had both been through who said something like "If you jump out of a plane you are a f&%king idiot!!." Eventually I loved the sport so much I was driving 2 1/2 hours each way and spending every weekend regardless of weather at the dz. In the event of not jumping there was always a great second family, some good yarns and alcohol and a great pub to eat in or visit. Damn I miss those earlier years! PS- Lost 2 friends jumping and about 10 flying light aircraft in the time I had started to learn to fly then skydive and up until now. Not one of those has been through equipment failure but the pilot. Lost a skydiving mate very early in the peace and really thought about continuing on with the sport. I really in the end thought that you either go and live life to the full and give the finger to the reaper or hide in a dark place and wait for him to come get you. Your choice. Live life or be afraid of living. BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Yeah come to think of it I have heard of a fatal head down injury in the states when the reserve handle was accidentally dislodged...... Hell of a time for it to happen. BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

In Australia we don't need to do a solo tandem or have at least one cutaway prior to TM rating........ BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Had a friend fracture his Pelvis after a hell opening yesterday and was wondering what was the worst injury/ies you have suffered with an opening only?? (Not talking about landings or exits etc here.) -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Very easy to say for those with "regular" jobs who can AFFORD to jump for fun. Keep in mind that a lot of guys and girls who do mostly work jumps are in this situation. In the past I have done many a fun jump and mentored as much as possible with a small local C182 club nearby. Can't count the amount of weekend hours I sat around waiting for people to turn up or weather as well but I did like the dz. BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

NOT ON PURPOSE but have quite a few times in the past, both with tandems and also own jumps. if you keep looking at the same level it is bearable but uncomfortable. With tandems it really isn't an issue especially if the passenger is the same size or taller than you. Like I said though not something you would want to do on purpose! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

With a person unable to deploy would definitely go the reserve if possible. My reserve and main are the same size and I would definitely prefer my reserve to my main if I wasn't in a position to fly it properly ;) A lot DOES though as mentioned rely on what stage of the jump, whether or not you have a grip on the other person, what their falling state is(belly to earth, on back or spinning etc). A lot of different answers here.......... At least some of us have thought about the what ifs though and that does help a lot down the track at times! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Quite happy NOT to have the RSL attached and the other guys don't use it either. The Tandem rigs of course have Cypres units fitted. On my own personal gear the very first chop I ever had was from a spinning HP canopy with the rsl attached. Nothing like getting about 8-9 line twists on a reserve to get the pucker valve going! BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Having done both for a while I think that the video guy deserves more. Here we use equipment supplied to us when doing a tandem whilst the video guy uses everything supplied by themselves as well as having to pack. Tandem Masters - $37 Handcam - $30 (Freefall footage mostly with the occasional ground and landing footage work......we take it in turns and the video is all added together at the end ;) Outside Video+Stills - $47 BSBD! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"