nael

Disclaimer: I only have 55 jumps, but these are a couple of things that helped me learn to pack. I learnt to pack one windy afternoon when the dz shut down, and everyone went home except for me and 3 instructors. They sat there teaching me to pack (and laughing at me flailing around on the canopy), and each time I had it in the container, they'de rip it out and make me pack it again. They put problems in it which would cause malfunctions, like a step through and line overs etc that I had to identify and clear before I attempted to pack it. I packed 10 - 15 times that day and learnt A LOT. So, as someone else said - you pack, let the instructors watch (and teach!). Another thing I found helpful was when some of the experienced jumpers inflated a canopy on the ground for me, I held the harness and they pointed out the A,B,C,D and break lines, stabalisers etc. It made all that moving of material seem a bit more logical when I went back to pack! Now I'm jumping my own pack jobs. Good luck! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Those photos are a real eye opener. I was expecting to see a few line burns or something! I have just started jumping my own gear. I'm not freeflying yet, but I got my rigger to make my rig freefly friendly just cause it seems a whole lot safer in general, plus I'll be freeflying in another 100 jumps! Some of my friends who have also just started jumping in the past few months (attempt to!)freefly in the student rigs, I'll try my best to talk them out of it next time! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

When I was doing my B-rels (coached RW jumps just after AFF) one of my instructors refused to turn any points with me until I smiled in freefall (and hense, relaxed). I wasted 2000' in freefall while we just sat there looking at each other, then I remembered I had to smile, I smiled, relaxed, and off we went! Up until that jump I'd been told a lot of times that I needed to relax more in freefall, but it never hit home until I actually finally did relax on that jump. Now when I feel myself tense up in freefall I just remember to relax, and it all falls together so much better! What I'm trying to say is, you know you need to relax, now you just have to figure out how you can best relax. Try smiling in freefall, it worked for me! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

When I did AFF1 I screwed up my alti checks by looking at my alti, but not actually reading it. I did a double take at 5000' when I realised I was supposed to have just pulled! I skipped my checks with my JM's and just pulled. I saw my Jm on the right side bring his hand near me, I thought he was gonna pull for me, but he told me later he was just going to give me the pull signal. If they'de pulled for it it would have been ok though! Hope it went well for you! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I often think the same thing. I see lots of experienced jumpers getting on the plane with their leg straps loose. I'm a new jumper and don't feel like I should be telling experienced jumpers what to do, so I don't say anything. It's their choice I guess. As far as I'm concerned, as soon as I step foot in the plane I am ready to get out and I wouldnt have it any other way. I want to know that in an emergency at 2500' if the pilot says jump my gear is ready to go, and I'm gone. Warning, Rant: On a side note, when I was doing AFF I took my helmet off on jump run (I was at the back of a skyvan). My instructor straight away told me to put it on, and told me when we're on jump run, I should be ready to go. That's something I always remember now (although I only have about 40 jumps since then!). So, last weekend an AFF instructor was taking out a stage 1, we were on jump run, he had his helmet on, but his goggles around his neck. I pointed to his goggles, and gestured for him to put them on, he just looked at me and said "don't tell me what to do". He said it in a half joking way, so I wasn't annoyed by it or anything, but it just seems irrational to be on jump run with a student doing his first jump who is obviously nervous, and could hense do anything, but still not be ready to go out the door. That's the first time I've ever said anything to anyone about gear, and I felt I had to since he was supposed to be exiting within 20 seconds though, evidently he was aware he didnt have his goggles on. Rant over.

I jumped my own rig for the first time last weekend. It's expensive to rent gear at my dz and I plan on jumping for a long time, so it seemed like the obvious choice. See you tomorrow Lainey! You realise you owe beer as soon as you jump that rig! I owe beer still for my first jump on my rig last weekend. Lotsa cases tomorrow night at the dz! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I pulled at 2300' during AFF. Couldnt find my ripcord (which, as it turned out was in the pocket the whole time). I tried 3 times, got it on the third. As soon as I was under canopy I was just mad at myself for trying more than twice. I was jumping with the DZO on that jump, he has over 20,000 jumps. When he debriefed me all he said was "I'm gonna have to rouse on you for that ripcord pull". I was madder at myself than he was at me, plus I felt bad for making him go low too. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I read about what happened to you. It's good to see you up and around so quickly! Someone's looking out for you. I hope you heal quickly and get back in the sky soon! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Disclaimer: I have only a few more jumps than you, but I still want to put my 2 cents in! One thing no one has really drilled here is that you need to remain altitude aware. What if you had been at 500 feet when you initiated the cutaway?! I cutaway about a month ago (on jump 27) after end cell closure that I couldnt clear. My hard deck is 2000', I spent from 2900' to 2300' trying to inflate the end cells on one side of my canopy. At 2300' it started turning, and I cutaway before it picked up too much speed (it was a 240 so I doubt in hindsight that it even would have picked up too much speed!). A few experienced jumpers told me that it was an unnecessary cutaway, but from my persepective (which is probably the same as yours since we are at the same level) I was taught if it's not 100% dont land it. I didnt have enough knowledge to know if this was likely to collapse at 100' or start spiralling or whatever, so I made a choice and stuck to it. Don't second guess your decision, you landed safely and that's all that matters. Just learn from it, and decide if you would do it differently next time. Oh, and I'm sure you know, you owe BEER! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

0:(:12:1 I'm counting from last wednesday to sunday. The actual weekend was 7 jumps. I owe beer for jumping my own rig for the first time, and my first jump on one of my pack jobs. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I jumped my own 170 yesterday for the first time (beer, I know!) and stalled it really easily. I was watching it buck a bit one minute, and about 2 seconds later the end cells were touching and I was falling. Scared the hell outta me even though I was expecting it! I was at about 5k when I did this by the way - just in case anyone tries it low! I've stalled it about twice on each jump I've done on it since, just so I can really get that stall point in my head, plus it is kinda fun. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I love how calm the guy looks in that photo! He's loving it. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Well, I spoke to my instructor about rear riser stalls, and he said it'd be ok to attempt them. I went up, tried to stall it with the toggles one more time, of course, no luck, so went to the reas risers, pulled them down as far as I could (which incidently seemed to lift me up more than pull them down!) and it still wouldnt stall. It didnt like it, flew like crap and bucked around a bit, but no stall. The good news is, my instructor watched me try this for 2 jumps today, and told me to forget it cause I wasn't going to be able to stall this canopy. So, I'm jumping my own canopy on sunday (depending on how my jumps tomorrow go), and I'm sure as hell going to stall it. Thanks again for all the advice. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

That's how long my instructor wants me to hold the stall for too. I'm heading to the dz now, I'll talk to him before doing a jump, and if he doesnt want me trying rear riser stalls I'll ask him to fly relative to me, and watch what I do. Thanks everyone for the advice!

I've told my instructor already that I dont want to take a wrap of the break lines because I wouldn't feel comfortable doing that, and he agreed with me that I shouldn't. So, that's not really an option. I've had other jumpers tell me the same thing, but I can just see so many possible problems with doing that. As soon as I mentioned it (last week) to my instructor he told me not to do it. Any other ideas? www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I'm jumping a safire2 189 at the moment, I only have 4 jumps on it - just off student canopies. I'm having trouble stalling it. I managed to stall one of the student canopies, a 240 a couple of times but I just cannot get this thing to stall no matter what I seem to do. I've tried pulling the toggles down slowly, yanking them down fast, holding them down for at least 30 seconds(sometimes longer), still no luck. This wouldnt bother me too much, but my instructor will not pass me to jump my own gear until I stall this canopy. So, does anyone have any ideas how I can do this? I've told him how I'm trying to stall it, and told him I think the problem is the break lines are too long for me but he said he has stalled this canopy (and he is about my size), so I should also be able to - makes sense, so why can't I? I dont know if it makes a difference or not, but this is a hire rig, and the harness is a little too big for me, making it a little difficult to reach the toggles in full drive. I'm not sure if my instructor jumped this canopy in this rig, or put it in another rig that fit him better. Any advice would be appreciated! (I did a search before I posted, but couldnt find anything on this specifically). www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I was thinking the exact same thing! It's logical that if he'd continued at the pace he'd been at he would have been way past where the deer was by the time it leapt onto the road! I believe in the paranormal, I dont get into arguements about it though, because it's something I cannot explain, so to try to argue about it's existance is futile. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Wow. Surely you cant be serious! I have about 1/8 the number of jumps you do and I can see so many reasons why this is not a good idea! There are people here with thousands of jumps saying its not a good idea, but you still want to try it - if you trust the other jumper? I hope I dont have to read about you in the incidents forum after you get to 100' AGL and lose your grip. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Nice rig! Lucky you put your helmet on too, you never know what can happen while walking innocently around your house! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Um - putting heat on sunburn is only going to make it hurt worse! The best thing to do is take a cool shower to help cool the skin down. Dont put any creams on it for at least 24 hours, as this will keep the heat in the skin and it will be more painful. After 24 hours put aloe vera gel or cream on it, and reapply often. This is advice given with a LOT of experience (yeah, I'm bad and forget suncream most of the time!) - here's some advice I need to take myself - use suncream next time BEFORE you get burnt! I cant believe you actually took a hot bath with sunburn! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

Highest, the usual 14k. Lowest: 3k. On wednesday I will be doing a 2.5k exit which scares the hell outta me, but reading all the lower exit altitudes here has made me feel slightly more confident! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I have one little thing that I just realised I won't say, and I thought about writing it, but decided it would be ok, as long as I dont actually say it! I'll never say "I'm dying to jump!". Seems like testing fate. However, my mum went away today for the next week. It's my birthday on wednesday and I'm taking the day off work to jump. She said to me "please be careful on wednesday!" my reply was "it's my birthday! People dont go in on their birthday!" She was horrified I even said it, now I'm second guessing it too! But, I know what to do in a malfunction, I'll be fine if something goes awry. *tries to convince herself* www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

I just typed out a few of my stories, my computer crashed and I'm too lazy to start again! This is a link to an aweosme site with some good stories on it. http://theshadowlands.net/ (hope the clicky works!). I have to go out, if I can be bothered when I get back I'll post some of my stories. www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

In this instance, what could an experienced jumper possibly have done if they had collided on opening? The experienced jumper would also have tracked away and would be of no use at all. At my dz if you have your A licence you can jump with other A licenced jumpers, if you have also completed up to and including level 6 of the b-rel jumps, which are basically coached 2 way RW jumps (there are 10 levels all together). Seems to work well, although we just screw up all the RW jumps together anyway! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store

hehe I remember watching my tandem video over and over while I was saving up the money to do AFF! You really should learn if you want to, the fact that you went looking on the net for skydiving info and actually made a user name on this site hints that you have the bug! I did my first tandem in february, I started my AFF in april (after saving every cent I had since feb!) and now I am a licenced skydiver. If you'de told me a year ago I'd be where I am now in skydiving I would have bet you a million dollars you were wrong - seriously! None of my friends are interested in it at all, but I have a whole bunch of new friends now. You will have a blast and make lots of new friends, don't use age as an excuse! The way I see it, you have years of not jumping to make up for! Go for it! www.TerminalSports.com.auAustralia's largest skydive gear store