mountainman

Hey Greg....here are my two cents. You have two options from what I've heard here. 1) I heard a guy at my old DZ talking about how we went to Eloy and trained with Airspeed for two weeks. He said he made 50 jumps in two weeks with them. Sounds pretty sweet to me! or 2) check around on the internet for the video. ATTENTION EVERYONE WHO WANTS USED BOOKS/VIDS/ETC: I have been using http://www.addall.com. Also, most of the best prices I've found is on http://www.half.com. These are used books and vids and stuff. It is awesome!!! Later on folks!! Cielos azules... Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

I am planning on starting very soon in the chute packing buisness to fund two future AFF courses. I am wondering from those who do it now, or have done it, how long did it take you to get to the point of being able to work at your DZ?? I am not sure if it is going to take two months to get good enough to pack there or more like 2 days. Any responses would be great! Cielos azules... Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

did someone say "stiff"??? I'm sorry. that was immature. Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

last one was me. DOH!! Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

I'll be the "me too" guy here. That was really smart of you to do that. Hopefully, by the time you get to be able to jump, you can just keep living like you are and have all of that extra $$$ for jumping. Just keep thinking about how good it will be to be jumping and knowing that you didn't charge it, but actually bought it with your own money. That will make it that much SWEETER! And you are right, the devil created money. Cuz if God created it, it would grow on trees!! Cielos azules... Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

skyhawk (or someone)...get this picture uploaded and post the URL. I would like to see this jumper feeding a fellow "jumper". cielos azules... Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

froggie...you really have an excellent point on your tats in 60 yrs. I guess my only concern is that if you don't care who sees them from now until then, it doesn't matter! Some people are, and will be in, professions that a tattoo seen by someone will NOT help their progress any. For instance, if you have a job where cocktail parties with the boss/executives require you to wear a dress, some tats can show and, later in life, just don't give the same message that they did when you were 20. If this is the case, then you will have to make the decision on what is more important! That is the only thought I have on the issue. However, I'm not sure if I said it before, but the butterfly tat and the japanese writing tat on my ex-gf were pretty cool, none-the-less. Although I am VERY glad that my wife doesn't have anything like that. I just don't want to try and get turned on when I'm 80 and see this wrinkled, stretched, faded flab of skin looking at me. Cuz from what I've heard, it is hard enough to be "hard enough" when yer 80! :) Just trying to keep it real folks! cielos azules.. Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

Flyboy is offering a free jump. I think that THAT is a sign! Just tell work that you are headed out of town and you need to be with your "family" on Saturday to celebrate Easter (you don't have to tell them it's your skydiving family). Good luck getting out of it! Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

The parachute simulator webpage has been found!! It looks so awesome too! Here it is to whoever is interested: http://www.systemstech.com/paramain.htm Thanks again for the www.pia.com thought. It was at the bottom of the link page. Can't wait to use it! Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

skyslut...thanks for the info. I will try to find something online about that. I will be going down there tomorrow to see the DZ and check out things, so maybe they'll let me see how it works. I am also going to try and get a job down there as a packer to pay for my jumps:) Talk to y'all later!! Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

Hey man...thanks for the link, but I am looking for Virtual Reality to be used for skydiving training. Not the wind tunnels! Thanks a lot though. Brandon and Laura http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/ a work in progress

I am going to be doing AFF in June at Skydrome Air Sports. They have a VR "thing" that they use in training. Can anyone tell me more about this and possible a web-site that I can check out that has more info?? Thanks a lot!! Brandon Wren http://www.onu.edu/user/student/stu5784

As I said above, some places make you pay the same price and as was also said above, their cost is still the same. Just look at the positive side: you get another jump logged in your book and you get the experience and learning opportunity that comes with every jump! Just think, I haven't even started AFF yet (summer), so at least you are doing it!! Keep it up!! Brandon Wren http://www.onu.edu/user/student/stu5784

Hey Diva...I have a hunch that they were laughing at the time of impact. They were probably scrambling in a frantic mad rush trying to get their pants on, rigs on, and out the door! But, hey, maybe they WERE still laughing and didn't even notice:) Hehehe AFF starting this summer. I can't wait!!!

hey skymama...from personal experience with dating a girl who had both (back in my single days), I would have to go with the belly button ring. The nice thing (besides being able to play with it with a tounge:)) is that you can always take it out when you don't want it anymore. Now I know there will be tons of people who hate this rational, but you don't want to get a tat and have it start sagging after awhile! Hell, you could get a butterfly or something and then maybe in less than 20 years it looks like a watercolor by Picasso!! Just think about it...tats are DAMN permanent! (They are, because what skydiver would pay thousands for a surgical removal?? That is like 250 jumps!!!) Email me if you want, and I'll elaborate more and give you more of my "theory of tat stretch" analogies!!

You all have it made!! I am going to do AFF this summer and some of the places I have found charge full-price for the repeat of the levels. That seems like a big ass jip to me. Oh well...when training is over, training is over. So, I guess, $80 is a good deal when you consider some of the places I've seen cost almost $150 for a repeat. Cielos azules...

Hey Darrell...are there any other articles/books/etc that you would recommend reading before/during your AFF. I will be starting this in June and want to be prepared as possible. I have read Bryan Burke's manual, the USPA manual (yes, every page), and another manual that I happened to get my hands on. I take it you did AFF. Thanks a lot!!! Cielos azules...

I'm going to start AFF in the summer, so I guess I'll just get a creeper and roll around on our garage floor naked with my backpack pulled tight. It won't be the same, but I'll be there in spirit! I'll post pics for evidence. NO...WAIT...DID I JUST SAY THAT OUTLOUD??? Sorry for that. Hmmmm...I think it's time for bed.

what do you mean "almost" as good. now, I haven't seen these shirts, but a tax return is worth, what, at least 10+ jumps!! Come on, get your priorities straight!! Clothes or jumps?!? :)

great story Froggie...I will be starting AFF in June and am getting a bunch of great stories like this. Damned if I don't even get on the plane, clutching these stories, and telling the JM that this (the stories) are the reason my religion doens't let me get on a plane with a rig. Anyway, great story and I can't wait to read more! mtnmanb

Thank you both for the information! We have actually moved our training up to this year (due to a very nice tax return). I don't mean to sound so "in a hurry", but, as you can tell, I am very excited to get started! I know that I shouldn't get all of this yet and all of that, I just wanted to know more about load rating and the types of good rigs! Thank you very much for all of the info that you gave me. That really does help a lot! We aren't even going to get rigs until 2002, so we should have quite a few jumps by then. Also, the reason I'm asking for this stuff and not worrying about what is going to be on the market in 2002 is because we are not going to buy new gear. I would like to jump on used for awhile so I don't rip up a new container or tear up a new main or something else like that. Like I said, thanks again for the info!! It was a really big help!

I am looking at a PD Stilletto for my wife. It would have a .93 load rating on it. Would this be too much for a beginner on this type of chute?? Any help would be apprecitated! I don't want to put her on something she isn't ready for, of course. Thanks!

from all of the literature I've read about it, the low person cuts away so the reserve doesn't catch on anything (as you've said). I don't see how the high person cutting away would be any safer. Also, I would think the high person would have a better chance of untagling the mess after the low had cut-away. Just my thoughts!

Thanks for the info. I know that we'll get two different rigs...one for each of us. I am familiar with some stuff of skydiving. I have read the whole USPA book of FARs and a couple of student manuals. Also, I ordered skydiving magazines last year to check out. I will look for that book and see if I can't get myself a copy. As far as the rigs, the DZ that I'll be going to (SGC) obviously provides the rigs through the training and then they let you use theirs up through jump 20 (A license). I guess what I am wondering is what is the load rating on someone who has 20/30 jumps? I assume it should be around 1.0 - 1.2?? I don't want to get something that is very large and has no speed and is heavy...but at the same time I don't want like a 160 that would have a high load rating, therefore putting it out of my leauge as far as skill. I know it's not like I'll be in swoop contests or anything like that. I just want to make sure that we get something that will last us for a while (a couple years) until we can get something a bit more high-performance. Also, I am going to be doing A LOT of jumping. The only reason we can't do it this year is because I am still in college and will graduate May 2002 (what a present huh?? skydiving lessons:) ) Anyway, I am going to be a teacher and will have my summers off, where I plan to eventually become a JM/tandem master/etc. So, I will be doing a lot of jumping and will continue to do so. Thanks for all of your help!!!

I am going to be getting my skydiving training in the summer of 2002. I have one jump now and will have three by the middle of this summer (all tandems). I am wondering where you would recommend looking for a good student rig. I can spend around 2000 for it. Also, while looking, what kind of things should I look for? For example, size, type, equipment, etc. I am 5'10", 200 lbs and my wife (who will be doing this also) is 5'6" 130. Thanks for all of your help!!