Reginald

People at the DZ will form judgments of you based on how you handle the situation. Everyone screws up, particularly newer jumpers. If experienced jumpers came up to you and tried to give you advice and you were humble and accepting than I doubt anyone would think a thing of it. If however, you refused to listen and said that you were fine or knew how to fix it and didn’t need any help then they would probably think less of you. It that simple. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

No worries. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Superman, what’s your height and weight? How much of that is fat and how much is lean muscle? Be honest. I know a few skydivers that are just plain overweight and fall far too fast to do much except to jump with a small group of other very fast fallers. I’m talking 150 MPH on their bellies! An appropriate jumpsuit will help quite a bit, a different form will help too. However, if you are overweight loosing weight is the ultimate key. Ten or 20 pounds goes a long way to slowing a person down. If you’re one of those big, heavy but lean guys then you don’t have many options other than a jumpsuit and changing your form. The problem there is that using a max slow fall rate is impractical for a full jump every jump. In this case you may just need to learn to jump with other fast fallers. Congratulations on your “A” BTW!!!!! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

After you’ve seen a few fatalities up close and personal and have a community set of crutches due to all the broken legs and know the name of the local orthopedic surgeon then tell me how safe this sport is. I used to think it was relative safe…and it is much safer than the average Whuffo thinks it is (of course they think it’s like 50-50 if the “chute” opens) but I’ve come to the conclusion IT IS NOT A SAFE SPORT! People die and get maimed on a regular basis even at the best and safest DZ’s in the country. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Well, I have an HC 30 and trust me it’s not that small or light relative to the Samsung. And by the time you add in a camera helmet $300 or a bullet cam plus rigging $400 a mini DV isn’t cheaper, IMHO. I'm pretty sure I don't have the neck for wearing a camera helmet and a bullet cam degrades the resolution anyway…. While the Samnsung may turn out to be crap it does solve a lot of problems. I’m really curious to see the video quality of it first hand. I mean how many people really play skydiving video off a mini DV tape? They tape it to VHS or burn it to DVD (with MPEG compression) neither of which are near the quality of a mini DV. I’ll wait and make my own judgment on the Samsung based on actually seeing it in action. Heck, I’ve got a friend that bought one so it’s no skin off my nose. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Well, I’m not ready to throw this to the curb just yet. I tend to agree it’s probably not sufficient for professional video like tandem video or 4-way video, however, it may be just fine for first person POV video. I have no desire to put a camera on my head as I just don’t have the neck for it. I have a Sony mini DV unit (which although it is small is still heavy and a little bulky) but putting it in a fanny pack and running a bullet cam is a bit of a pain to say the least. A friend of mine bought the Samsung unit and while he has not used it yet I have taken a gander at it. It is small enough and light enough to put in the inside chest pocket of my jumpsuit and the run the cable up to the helmet mounted “bullet” cam. So it could be very easy to get to on jump run to turn on. Sooo, even though the video quality may not be the greatest, at the lowest level of compression (i.e. high quality video) it may be good enough. It is the smallest unit on the market and is potentially very easy to rig up for use in skydiving. So what that it has no firewire port; it does have a high speed USB 2.0 port so it is easy enough to transfer the video to a computer and burn to DVD. I’m not giving up just yet. I’ll let you guys know as soon as I see it in action and see a DVD of the footage on my TV. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

You have an excellent point. Studies have shown that people are frequently wildly overconfident in themselves. While there are prodigies out there there are not as many as there are people who think they are (to totally make some numbers up for illustrative purposes) 0.05% of skydivers may be prodigies able to swoop very early but 5% of skydivers think they are prodigies. That means 4.95% are putting themselves in over their heads and don’t realize it. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

And how many people turn the radio down when they are concentrating on trying to find a house when they are driving? Do you want music blaring in your ear during a malfunction? It just sounds like a bad idea to me. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Ouch, there is a lot of questionable advice and information in this thread from people with low levels of experience. Anyone that completed a FJC in the US should have learned the below information. I’m going to presume the same advice is given to our skydiving friends in other countries too, however it’s worth checking your local best practices if you are in another country. ------------------------ SIM 4-H a. Biplane (1) Do not cut away. (2) Steer the front canopy gently using toggles. (3) Leave the brakes stowed on the back canopy. (4) Make a parachute landing fall on landing. b. Side-by-side (two alternatives) side-by-side alternative one If the two canopies are not tangled, cut away and fly the reserve to a safe landing. side-by-side alternative two (1) Steer the dominant (larger) canopy gently using toggles. (2) Leave the brakes stowed on the other canopy. (3) Make a parachute landing fall on landing. c. Downplane: Cut away the main canopy. jumpers should steer to the right. ------------------------ A personal note. I was taught in a side by side that can’t be cut away do to a line entanglement to steer the dominate canopy towards the other canopy (albeit very gently ) because a downplane is a worse possible outcome than possible additional entanglement. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

It’s not a matter of understanding the risks; it’s a matter of being able to sign away one’s rights. By definition, a minor can not enter into a contract and so can not legally sign away their rights. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

If you are looking at a USPA A License card then you are missing it. I forget the exact language but it specifies packing and jumping a main. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Bill I know you take your work seriously but damn… "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

The poster's question was not about running with the wind, it was about fighting it to get upwind. Hmm, now that I reread it it is less and less clear what direction she was tyring to go. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Running with the wind there is some debate about how to get more distance. It is canopy dependent. However, on most canopies the general consensus is deep brakes. Float as long as you can and let the wind carry you. I converted from rear risers to deep brakes after learning that Scott Miller recommends this method (for most canopies) and it works best for me. Also, I know the stall point of my canopy on brakes better than I do rear risers. ;-) Finally, I discovered that latching my thumbs in my hip rings lets me hold the deep brakes fairly easily. Which is better? They both work, just try and experiment and find which is better for you on your canopy at your wing loading. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

On the rare occasion the weather is so bad I don’t even go the DZ in hopes of getting a few jumps in, I sit on my couch and watch TV, like I did before I started skydiving, and complain and mope. Just a side note, there are rarely any weekends that are so bad that I can’t get a few jumps in, if I’m there all weekend. Good thing I don't have an addictive personality. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Ah, the spinner Meaker. It’s a right of passage for all beginning 4 way teams. I should show you video of some of my spinning Meakers! I thought I was going to black out from the G’s. First things first: How to prevent it from spinning in the first place. And any of the big time 4 way guys feel free to add to or correct anything I’m saying. The Point is frequently the cause of the spin. If they launch out hard they initiate a spin. They should just step up and place themselves about a foot outside the airplane. It is a gentle exit. The IC should be hip checking through the bottom edge of the floor. I’m IC on my team and just this weekend realized how much I could contribute to or prevent a spin on a Meaker exit by proper exit technique. If the IC dives out head first (a no-no in general) they can initiate a spin. The tail should be dropping straight down and should be below the rest of the formation, not pealing off the side. The OC should be launching his hips up to be perpendicular to the plane. Notice this is a “clockwise” rotation. If everyone does his or her job on exit you should not have more than a 45-degree rotation. Okay, now let’s say that for some totally unforeseen reason not everyone executes his or her exit perfectly and there is some rotation that needs to be stopped. EVERYONE is responsible for stopping rotation. The IC and OC can drop a left leg and I mean bury that leg! This is because they are essentially spinning sideways and just need to counter that motion. The point and tail can “sit up” and spill more air from their front and put their legs on their asses, as they are basically spinning head forward so for them it is a back slide motion to stop the spin. They can also use a leg. I don’t fly point or tail so if anyone with more experience has some better advice I’d be interested in hearing it too. Meakers are a great exit, stable and easy to transition to most other formations. They do get a little spinny. Once you learn to control that you’ve got yourself a fine exit. I personally have found a “B” exit to be almost as structurally stable but with a little less tendency to spin. It is what I take out frequently as an easy basic exit. Best of luck to you! 4-way rocks! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

I started using this method and have been VERY pleased with it. It is both secure and keeps the excess from becoming entangled on things like my gloves, etc. I just feel good knowing that if I have to grab a toggle in a hurry for whatever reason that I won’t have to worry about where the excess line is, because it is secured. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

LOL! This deserves it's own thread! I love PD canopies but DAMN they make some ugly stock canopies. That’s why I had to order custom colors, twice. I’d be happy to buy off the shelf if they had anything remotely ascetically pleasing. Just a side note, I have a friend who is in the same quandary right now. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Yep, I agree with Kim. You might need to add weights. The first priority of a 4-way team is to determine fall rate. That means the lighter jumpers need to adjust their fall rate by adding weight to match the neutral fall rate of the faster jumpers. Most 4-way teams will spend a few days getting this right before moving on to skills practice. I hate to say this but if one guy is spending most of the dive working on coming UP to you, he may not be at fault, it may be you and the rest of the team. On my team this year we have 2 guys that fall like bricks, one average and one slow. Our plan was to put the two bricks into moderately slow fall rate suites, the medium guy into a slightly slick suit and the slow guy into a slick suit and lots of lead. Once we were all properly attired and matched fall rates we went from flailing around in the air to turning lots of points. You may have other issues like individual skill sets and 4-way technique to work on but until you fix the fall rate issue as a TEAM you will not even be able to work on any of the other issues. Good luck 4-way ROCKS! "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

I’m just back from the service for John this afternoon. Hundreds of people attended, including at least a hundred skydivers, some that flew in from around the country. The service was deeply touching with his closest friends and family members sharing stories of his generosity. His daughter mentioned when she was speaking, in the most well intentioned and touching way, that John must have ordered up a cloudy and rainy day so his skydiver friends would not miss anything. There was a touching poem in the service guide that I thought I would share. It brought tears to everyone when it was read. High Flight By John Gillespie Magee Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth, And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I’ve climbed and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds…and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of…wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence, Hov’ring there I’ve chased the shouting wind along and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air, Up, up the long delirious burning blue I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, Where never lark, or even eagle, flew; And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God. Blue Skies John, Ron . "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

No they pay much more than that. . "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Well, I look at skydiving as playing the odds and I want to stack the deck in my favor. I guestimate that I have a 1 in 100,000 of dying on any jump. I also guestimate I have about a 1 in 1,000 of breaking a leg on any particular jump (this may be higher but I don’t know many people with more than 5,000 jumps that haven’t broken something). Sooo, if someone told me that I had a 1 in 100 chance of pulling something off no way would I do it. If I was told I had a 1 in 1000 chance of dying an any particular jump, no way would I do it. In high gusty winds, I guestimate that the chances of breaking a leg go form 1 in 1,000 to 1 in 50 or a 100. Everyone has their own risk tolerance. Personally, I’d like to make 400 jumps this year and thousands in my skydiving career. No one jump is worth taking an undue risk that will keep me from those goals. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Sorry my eager friend, with 3 jumps your idea of spending a lot of time at the DZ and other peoples will differ. I’m a relative newbie to this sport but I’ve spent every weekend, rain or shine, at my DZ for almost 2 years. Some of the super old timers with 30 plus years in the sport are just beginning to accept me as someone that is worth their time to help. Others started adopting me AFTER I got my license. Honestly, at 3 jumps they are probably expecting you to learn from your instructors and they don’t want to interfere with what the instructors are teaching you. I’ve found I get back what I put in. If you show the dedication of being there every weekend, especially when the weather is bad, and you get your license I bet that the up jumpers will start noticing you and helping. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Our DZ has a series of 9 coached jumps, which teach basic body flight. Forward and backward, up and down, center point turns, tracking, etc. There is ground coaching and then in air application. Each jump has a goal(s). An example of one jump 1. A. The student performs a diving exit, diving 100 feet after the coach. (for license) B. The student performs a series of up and down drills with the coach. (to build body flight skills) C. The student plans and independently execute a break-off from a group skydive with a minimum 100 feet of horizontal separation from another jumper or group. Separation must be gained independently in a straight track within ten degrees of a radial heading from the center of the formation. . (for license) D. 90-degree toggle turn, followed immediately by a turn of at least 180 degrees in the opposite direction. (for license) This is just an example, but every dive after AFF has purpose, both to build the free fall and canopy skills that will be needed once the student starts jumping with other licensed skydivers and to work them toward their license. The jumps that are not coached jumps still are designed to work the student toward their license. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

Wow, that is the height of lazy. The SIM has a section in back that tells you what sections to study for the A license test. "We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP