Brian425

Benny, I was told the same thing. I am responsible for my own life. However, they are there to help keep you safe. If you don't think they will try save you, don't jump with them As one of my coaches shirt says, "A dead student is not a repaet customer" The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

As someone who has recently finished AFF, I feel very strongly that my coach/JM would pull for me if needed. If you do not have 100% faith in your coach, you have no business jumping with them. I beleive 100% that all my coaches would have put their own life at risk to insure my safety if needed. This belief is the reason I was able to step out of the plane on that first jump. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

What does Dave do? I have two recruiters for the Finance/Banking industry in NYC. If you want I'll forward them on to you. It's nice to have a steady paycheck and benefits. Damn, am I growing up? The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I got the job I interviewed for at CIBC. I will be doing working on the Equity Arbitrage desk!!!! I got the news late on Dec 31. I hope this is the start of a good year!!! Consulting has been fun and the money is good; but, too up and down. Plus paying for benefits STINKS! Happy New Year Everyone. I hope it brings all the best to you and you families!! The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

If you will be in NYC, I may be able to meet up with you on a weekend. My weekdays are kind of busy with that work thing. If we can work out a schedule, I'd be willing to drive you up to the Ranch in Gardiner NY. I'm just off AFF; but, I know most of the people. The drive from NY to Florida is not very senic. It's just straight down route 95 for 24 hours or so. If you have lots of time, there are many nice places to stop. Philadelphia, Washington DC, Atlanta, are all nice places to visit. I'm sure there are 100 more nice place to stop, I just haven't been there yet. The Ranch is a MUST see. It's my home DZ and everyone is very nice. I've heard nice things about Z-Hills in Florida also. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Hawkflight, Everyone is nervous during their AFF jumps. It's normal. The best advice I can give you is to study the dive flows tonight before going to the DZ. Get a good night's sleep tonight. Arrive at the DZ early and try to go over the jumps with your coach as early as possible. Then practice while you are waiting to go up. You will be fine. You will not screw up. Your coach will be there to help keep you safe. Relax as much as possible, Arch and enjoy the jump. Try your best to pull at the right altitude and be stable. We all get nervous. A few deep breaths helps me. Talk a little with your coach on the way up. It always help me relax and you get to know your coach a little more. I always get nervous on the way up. It all goes away once I am out the door. A little nerves help to keep you on your toes and aware. Be safe and have fun. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I LOVE NYC!!! At least we have spirit. Anyone is fair game if they cross the line. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I only have 13 jumps. I know my knowledge is limited. I can only say that from my training, I can see no valid reason for a fun jumper to jump without some sort of AAD. My Cypress was my first purchase for my rig. I see it as cheap insurance against my own or possibly other people's mistakes. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Biker Boys!!! I love motorcycles and everything related to them. This movie just sucked. I almost wlaked out; but, I was with friends who wnated to stay. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I've only done it once. It involved alcohol, a hot tub, three other friends. Meet the challenge, get a prize.

Just wanted to send a Thank You out to all you guys. I've also started to notice something. It appears that those bulky, boxy, flying brick looking turbines are more maneuverable than they appear. Almost every skydiving movie I see, the pilot is cranking that plane around and heading nearly nose down after the last jumper is out. So you guys do have some fun. I guess faster up and faster down means more loads for us and the DZO. Thanks again and Happy Holidays The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I know that I'm different and I thoroughly enjoy it. I've been called crazy MANY times. Who cares. When I'm old, I can look back at my life and truly say that I tried everything that I wanted to do. The people wha are crazy are the ones who lock themselves in some safe little cocoon and call that living. They are missing out on life. Everyone needs a little fear or adrenaline shot once in a while. That's why these people go to amusement parks once a year. Oh well, more room in the sky for us. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I guess I'm just lucky. (it's better to be lucky then good. and I'm not good yet.) I've had several people offer to do some simple two ways and basic belly flying with me after I get my A. Two of my coaches told me that they would like to do a pure fun jump with me after my A where I plan the whole skydive, from the jump run to the landing pattern. (I know it's just extra training from them for free.) I was warned that if my spot is bad and we land off, I get to carry both rigs and buy a double ration of beer. Right now, I am fortunate that I have three other people that I went through AFF with to fly with after we all get our A's. So hopefully we can avoid some of that middle time when we are not quite ready to fly with the more experienced jumper. The jump will probably look like two happy idiots grinning at each other all through freefall. Then tracking away in the not quite straight novice track. Our plan is to try to compete in the rookie challenge at our DZ next summer. Hopefully we can make a few points and not kick each other in the head. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Sounds like a nice gift for your parents. I couldn't help you with colors or photography questions. I just wanted to say hi. While you are off preparing to spread holiday cheer, I'll be drinking a little holiday cheer at the X-mas party. We'll have a drink in honor of you. And no driving. We have a place to stay and a hook up with the taxi.

I cannot give you any advice about flying you canopy. Please be careful about doing spirals on student gear. My coach always warns me not to do more than 3 spirals with the student cypress. After 3 hard spirals, you run the risk of a cypress fire (on the student model) It's just something to think about if you are ever really in this situation. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

My goal in life is to have more fun and friends than money. Money comes and goes. Good friends and memories last FOREVER. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Congrats. Hopefully you'll be all healed by spring to jump it. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Believe it or not, Ikea has a poster of a base jumper. I say it yesterday. The guy has just jumped off a huge rock column and is getting ready to pull. It's a really nice picture. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Treejumps and Ron, You both have valid points. I do not say I am a skydiver to people in an off hand manner. I never really said it out loud to anyone until I had completed my solo. At the same time, I knew I was going to be a skydiver from the moment I stepped out the door on my first tandem. Out of our group of 10 for our first tandem, 2 came back. One started AFF with me and quit due to bad weather (basically he got fed up waiting around for good weather after a 1.5 hour ride) and a lack of patience. I just became closer friends with the other students and my coaches. In a way it was better for me to do this alone. I knew that this was for me. I do not give advice on anything I am not qualified to speak about. One thing I do give advice to students about is fear. It's funny how little fear is discussed during training and I think it's a big part of learning to skydive. Too many students never talk to anyone about being nervous before a jump. When I told anotther student that I a at least a little afraid on every jump his eyes opened wide and he said he felt the same way. When we talked about it, we were able to laugh and smile a little together in the plane on our next jump. It's funny, I think it helped him just to know he was not alone in feeling that way. I still stand by my feeling that a person becomes a skydiver when they make the commitment to the sport. You are a racer the first day you line up. You may not be a good one; but, you are a racer. You are a skydiver the first time you jump out of the plane with a rig on your back. I may not be a great skydiver right now. I may never be a great skydiver. I will tell you right now I am a skydiver. I will work hard at being safe and not putting anyone in danger. I will improve in this sport. And I will spend the time and money necessary to learn to be a better skydive. My goal is to become a very safe and consistent skydiver. I will continue to educate myself about skydiving. I think that if anyone can say the samething, then I think they are a skydiver. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

If only I had more beer and a sunny weekend day. The world would be mine. Who are the people with the gun threads here. I have a few questions. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

or the misspelled words creeping into my posts. I started this out with good intentions. Be nice to Tandems and students!! The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Did you expect alything less. I ahve beer her you know. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I'll take France; but, only as a speculative position. How the hell did I get myself into this? You're only giving me France becuase I only have 13 jumps. If I had my D and 1,000+ jumps, I'd have the USA, Canada and the rights to the Middle East. But no, 13 jump Brian gets three nice little countries and France. Let me head over to the tandem area. Someone will take France off my hand. I am a skygod. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

I want Belize, Denmark and Ireland. You guys can have the rest. These 3 countries have everythign I need. A nice combination of warm weather, an open attitude and my family and friends. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.

Well, if I marched into France with a skirt and a bad attitude, I might well be running the country. Sorry too easy of a joke for a yank to pass up after all of the history of French military victories have been given lately. The only time you should look down on someone is when you are offering them your hand.