bertusgeert

Everyone here has good answers and reasons I jumped at 4 DZ's before I had 28 jumps. I got my A card filled out at 19 jumps. I didnt do the test until 34 jumps, so I just got it, even though I had all the skills it required. I got to jump at a few DZ's, but they all made sure that I knew wht I was doin, I was still a student, even at 33 jumps. But If I could flash an A number at them, it would have been much easier. So yes - it is VERY much like your Drivers liscence. You can be the greatest and most skilled driver in the world, but if dont have a Drivers liscence, you are not allowed to drive. But why do you ask about avoiding your A? it only costs $20. Or is it all the coach jumps you want to avoid? I did only 2 coach jumps. $40. I dont quite understand? --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Do you just want to learn to pack your own gear, or just learn to pack in general? Why do you highlight that you want it to open on heading and be safe? ANy reason in particular? Thats what I do EVERY time I pack! Learn flat and pro packing, and watch a lot of people. You will develop your own style, pcik things up from certain people, and ignore other people's suggestions. Just learn as much as you can, know how it works and what causes what. Then you know what to do to make a slower opening, or to pack a more on heading opening. Personally I'd pro pack it cuz that is what I am comfy with. i can see how symmetrical I did it, how the whole thing looks before I close it up. Its just how I do it. You choose! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

me too I used to smoke and quit for a while. then smoked again. Then quit again. Tonight Ima get togetha with some people and party! When I got baked eveyday, I didnt accomplish anything. Never seen anyone that has. When I got baked occasionally, like at times when I would get drunk anyhow, my life continued effectively. MODERATION is key PS: this applies to me, it works for me. I'm not telling any other people what they need to be doing. I do agree with Drunkmonkey to a certaine xtent tho --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Yep, I have had my alti strap come loose in freefall and the alti was about to fly off my hand. So I quickly strapped it back on. Then I thought that I need to pay more attention to what the altitude LOOKS like, for that time that my alti does indeed fly off! (or any other type of emergency.) --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

I was going to post about this as I am looking and learning as well. I talked to one guy who had his suit and mindwarp in the classifieds. I am the same size as he is, buit a little lighter (10 - 15lbs). He told me that a bagge suit is great to learn freeflying in. I know from my RW experience that I have a pretty fast fall rate. It brakes apart and I'm always the low man, I do the superman, and have to de-arch a lot to stay with some people. Would this fall rate apply to freeflying? As far as me having a faster fall rate? And that would obviously cause me to get a baggier suit right? Or is the way that i will freefly more important in changing my fall rate to match others than getting a tight, straight or baggy suit? Thanks all! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Exactly - I saw one yest. and was amazed by it. pretty cool. (neptune that is) Like I thought you all would say, I will then buy the Alti-III. The main priority of the skydive is to land safe - to pull at the right altitude - to be altitude aware. So even when you cannot always look at your alti in a sit or HD, or even a track, you still need it for emergencies. Thanks all, I will get me one! So then... I had some people say you NEED a audible to FF. Others say you just have to be very altitude aware, you dont necesarily NEED it, but it def. helps. So how soon do I need a audible if I am FFing? Right from the start? Yet another debate! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Stupid Q that can be answered real quik. I have been borrowing Altimaster III's, and like 'em. Now its time to buy my own. With my eye on FFing, should I rather go for something like the Neptune that I can later use as an audible, or should I just buy an Alti III anyway and later buy an audible? --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

But if anyone wanna switch lives with me, I got a pretty cool one, so let me know about your life, and if i think its cool, lets switch! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

I thought that would be interesting to apply to. Too much trouble though - pictures, letters, consent forms, videos....I just dont want to be on TV THAT bad! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

I have heard that they dont jump, because their agents consider them too "valuable" too put themselves at risk. Maybe their agents inflated their egos too much to jump! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

So one of my girl friends wants to go jump really bad, so does one of her friends. Their parents are sayin NO. They have done what they could to tell their parents it is safe. Tactics to go about it? Her jumpin against he parents will is not an option. --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Allright, I feel like a real f'n dumbass now. Now would be a really good time for a greenie to delete this thread... --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Dont think so... have a friend that worked for a company and was really specialized in his direction. They got rid of him because he became too expensive. Now he is stuck with being way overqualified. Also having read a lot of books on the job market, careers, etc. This is not such a great idea. Just do what you do really well, let people see that. Be a person of character, do things right and 100%. Dont screw up something you can do right or fix. If you then get screwed, you did everything you could. You WILL find another opportunity soon coming your way. By the way... What is your father saying about all this? --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

real quik - what is Guy's full name? Where is he from and what is his background? What is he doing at this attempt? Maybe stupid questions...but I have long and valid reasons for asking dammit... thanks! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

I think this would make for an interesting "article". A glossary of Skydiving terms that whuffos will not understand. Throw in all the terms in a uniform way so we can put it in one atricle, I can just copy/paste. Here is a few that I could think of... BOC - Bottom of Container - where the pilot chute is stored, that will be pulled to initiate the deployment sequence of the parachute. Ripcord - A cord that the skydiver pulls to initate the deployment sequence of the parachute. Square - (Also "RAM AIR" (?)) A parachute that will pick up forward speed by having "wing-like" characteristics to it, like the airfoil and the controls. Round - A parachute that has much less control than a square, a "round" parachute. This is what regular paratroopers use. Even things as simple as Altimiter - Intstument that shows the skydiver his altitude above the ground. Can be worn on wrist or chest. Audible varieties (situated in helmet next to his ear) that will alarm the skydiver with sound about his altitutde. Parachute - a piece of material to stop some crazy mofos' that jumped out of a plane from hitting the ground and thus obliterating themselves. A parachute allows for safe descent to the ground after a "skydive", and a safe, and usually a standup landing. In some cases, the craziest species within this group of crazies will use this parachute to "swoop" accross the ground, a practice which requires much skill and training to do well. This is where most skydivers "bounce". Pilot - taxidriver DZ - Drop Zone - the place where skydivers skydive (usually) DZO - Drop Zone Owner (the dude that owns the Drop Zone!?) So how bout some more? (I realize this glossary might already exist. If so, I would like a clicky!) --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

neither, sorry! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Ok guys, thanks a lot for all the advice! Note: When I did sitfly, I made SURE my gear was FF safe. This was at a big DZ with experienced folks, and talking to the FF coaches with thousands of jumps confirmed that it was safe. Thanks for the concern though. I understand how dangerous this can be if not attended to properly. As for the Audible, I understand as well. When I did sitfly I made extra sure to be altitude aware. I went belly to earth at 6,500 to avoide any problems with this (goin low). I talked to the coaches on that one too, and they told me to just make supersure, and to not lose awareness. Tracking is definatley something I am working on a LOT. I want to be able to throw a super-track everytime I break off. How does this help in eventually flying a wingsuit? Everyone here is telling me to jump with someone else. But like I said, its hard to find anyone. More kissin ass and buying beer I guess! I will try to get everyone I can to jump with me. Now... I had a few freeflyers tell me that if I can (gearwise) start freeflying, (and if it is my end-goal) to go ahead and do it ASAP, and to not worry about RW. But I hear a lot of people saying that RW is important as well, and I need to establish it. I formed this idea about it. If I can FF, I will. If I cannot, I will do as much RW skills as possible, learning stuff eventually aplicable to FFing. (like tracking.) I will not be interested in big ways or 4 ways or any belly if I can FF, so there isnt much use in learning RW for the sake of RW, but only in learning RW for the sake of applying it to FFing. I also see myself doing at least a few BASE jumps later on in my career, so opening high and learning as much about my canopy as possible is also important to me. Even for the sake of just enjoying it, and later getting into CRW. For right now, just learning as much as possible while being as safe as possible. In the end, thankyou for everyone's input and concern. I love having a plethora of experience to pull from here online, much more than is available to me at my DZ. Everyone here has been very helpful, even in telling me that I SHOULD NOT attempt things, and By all means attempt other things. Thanks yall, it helps a lot. (and I do take eveything into view of how many jumps ppl have, and do verify everything I will be doing with my super safety conscious S&TA DZO!) --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Believe me, the man has never been in a hurry! Yep, seems like it, cuz I took the friggin day off yesterday to sit at the airport waiting for the friggin plane, only to get a call at 4:30 that he cannot make it. A lot of friggin frustrated jumpers. No plane, no pilot, perfect weather. No westwind this weekend.... --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

haha, i see that every now and then. For instance... Someone mentioned Mark Burnett - creator of Survivor - to be a "Level A" skydiver. They thought that was like the best you could get. I guess I'm it then! I dont need no stinkin B, C or D! If I quit now, up to when can I then call myself a skydiver, with 34 jumps.... and when can you start labeling someone as a skydiver? And what about someone who punched out of a plane? are they a skydiver? Does that count as a jump in their logbook?! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

For those of you who want to...help me out.... I have 34 jumps, have attempted sitlflying on 5 of them with ff safe gear. Now, back at my usual DZ, we are getting the Turbine Westwind in, more altitude than we usually get. I still rent the DZ's student gear. I want to freefly as much as possible, but some people tell me avidly never to try with student gear. Others tell me its ok. For safety's sake, I will then not try to FF. So what is a good diveplan for me? I wanna do a lot of jumps, but dont wanna just jump out and go la la la, doin whatever comes to mind. I want to learn and work on something, put my money to good use. There isnt anyone else there at my level that will jump with me either. So what can I work on? What is a good diveplan? (or 5!) Thanks --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

I was wondering on this as well.... The SIM is kinda confusing.... Over the winter I did my monthly jumps to stay current. It was cold, but I did. This was b4 my A liscence. Now I have it. Can I go 3 months without jumping? 89 days and jump on the 90th and still be ok? I just did a hop and pop one time, with an instructor watching. I was 2 weeks past currency. I think it was a great way to get used to it again. Drill it in on the ground, do a hop and pop, and then a high altitude jump supervised. ANyhow.... --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

dude, i'm dealin wif that right now, and everytime I go home i hate the smell.... ghuuuu... and nothing works. NOTHING.....i...hate...cats.... --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

Good friggin idea man. You say not to wworry about GPA. What about wanting to get into a good grad school. WHat do they look for? GPA and the classes you took, with emphasis on what? (I'm thinking MBA, after Business Finance, MArketing or International Relations) --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

THese are awesome... How do you get a professional looking pic like that? This might turn out to look stupid, but you think you would be able to make a protec look cool with a good paintjob?! --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

So what does HH do that he can go all these places? How old is he? Dude, thats awesome. Some very cool pics by the way, I think I need a camera... Yeah.... --------------------------------------------- As jy dom is moet jy bloei!