Voluptuosa

I am a tandem master but also did a little packing and manifesting and whatever else needed to be done. Plus, my ex-husband (sorry to shock those of you who didn't know about the "ex" part) was a cameraman so we were a pretty handy package to walk onto a drop zone. All we needed was a plane and a pilot. Are you considering a possible future as a drop zone bum? Blue skies, Charlene

Hey Mike, I most certainly will try to get down to visit y'all at Gold Coast again. You were great. Every time I see people from your DZ getting awards in Parachutist, I always look through the crowd in the picture and try to pick out people I know. And Brook and the girls certainly have done well with their Pink Mafia. Now that there's a chapter nearby, I'm going to do my best to become a member this summer. You let me know if those slacker jumpers of yours are still taking forever to get on the airplane and I'll come down there to crack the whip over them. Get on the plane! The engine's running. Get on the plane!!! Take care. Charlene

Well, of course I remember you. Not from the skydives because, you were so smooth, I never felt you on my leg. ;-) When did you change coasts? I thought you were working at Perris last time I saw you. And, have they started organizing the next record? I'd love to be on it again. That was the most amazing week of my skydiving career. (Next time around I hope not to have a miserable cold and spend all my ground time sleeping.) I hope life's being blissful to you. Blue skies Charlene

Okay, so I been on-line for two weeks but, I'm bound and determined to catch up tonight. Booze Luge is the coolest drinking game ever. And by "cool," I mean downright frozen. First find the biggest block of ice you can. The one they had down in Houston was about 3 feet long, 2 feet wide and 1 foot thick. Even in July, that baby hadn't melted the next morning. Anyway, then you use some kind of saw (I can't remember what they used) to cut what look like luge runs into the ice. A single run and a run or two that connect up before they get to the bottom are the best. Then, you put your mouth at the bottom of the run while someone pours your booze from the top. By the time the shot gets to you it's ice cold. And, if they pour down two the runs that meet up at the same time, you can get some interesting flavour combinations. (Keep a hose nearby to clean up the runs between boozers.) I've never been much for the hard stuff but I discovered that I'll drink pretty much anything if it's sent down a booze luge run. And that's the way they did it down in Texas. Blue skies, Charlene

The "lie" is reserved for the testosterone filled 18 year olds who won't take the truth of "I don't feel it's safe" for an answer. Then, I resort to the lie. And, no, even with video, those particular passengers don't seem to notice. (Note that I called them "passengers" and not "students." This type of paying customer tends to only be out for a ride and not to actually learn anything.)

Hey there, I started jumping at a small DZ where the only two tandem masters around made it sound like you had to be a demigod to be a tandem master. Then I moved to California for a few years. I got to a drop zone that had about 12 regular tandem masters and one of them was a girl about 5'6" and 140 lbs. Well, that was the first time it occurred to me that I might be able to do it too. So, as soon as I got 500 jumps, I did it. Six years and over 1100 tandem jumps later, here are a few points of advice. 1. Find at least 3 tandem "mentors" and spend as much time with them as possible before and during your course. 2. With all tandem masters, mentor or not, watch how they brief their students and then, as often as possible, watch their videos to see how their students perform. You will notice that tandem masters who are aloof and don't connect with their students tend to get more crappy students than tandem masters who are truly "teachers" and take the time to build the students' trust. 3. Definitely work on the upper body strength but remember that, where that strength is lacking, finesse will get you through. For example, save your energy. If your student wants to do fast turns under canopy, good for them. Tell them to pull really hard. You save your strength for the flare. You'll find that you can pull off a great flare 6 times in a row when you're not wasting all your strength trying to give your passenger a cool ride. (Of course, building your strength gives you the opportunity to do that for them.) 4. There is something truly amazing about being under canopy with someone who just made their first skydive. You will feed off of their energy and it's really cool. On the other hand, strapping on an inexperienced and, therefore, unpredictable person is THE most dangerous skydive that an experienced skydiver can make. If the joy outweighs the fear, do it. The moment that the fear outweighs the joy, hang up your tandem hat and walk away. I don't have time to write much more because I've got to pack for a boogie this weekend but there are all sorts of little "tricks" we could talk about to make sure your passengers don't throw up and to use leverage instead of strength. I'll check on this thread sometime next week or you can email me. Blue skies, Charlene USPA D19090 CSPA C2202

I've settled down just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada, for the geographically challenged.) Been there, done the full time drop zone life and I'm glad to be back to a real job with a regular paycheck and jumping on weekends. But I wouldn't trade any single experience (good or bad) for anything. It's been a wonderful life so far and I'm hoping it turns into a long-running show. Have a great day. Charlene

I like arms crossed for two reasons. (1) When their arms are crossed and they tense up, they tend to grab onto themselves which makes them too preoccupied to grab me. (2) And this is really my favourite reason... In King Air's or larger where you basically walk to the door, I have my passengers cross their arms long before we get to the door. If they are particularly nervous passengers, I put my hand over their shoulder and grab onto the top of their two crossed hands. This way, I not only make physical contact with them while saying a few last words of encouragement, but I hold their hand to their chest and that hand holds the other hand down and, voila! They can't grab the door. Blue skies, Charlene

My standard answer when my passengers ask me to do flips is "sure," followed by a perfectly stable exit, because they very rarely know the difference. I will, however, bend that rule in certain circumstances. If the person has done a tandem either with me or with a tandem master from whom I can get feedback from about their composure, I'd be comfortable enough to take them for a spin. On their first jump, not a chance! I had one guy come out and jump with me every year on his birthday and we did different things each time: loops, tandem terminal, tracking... but on the first one, it was still a basic exit. Blue skies, Charlene (Yes, I'm a chick. Yes, I have over 1100 tandems.)

Hellooooooo, Just signed up to dropzone.com and am looking to see who's out there that I know. I don't think there are a lot of Charlene's who skydive but, just in case... I'm the tandem mistress who spent a lot of time in Lodi and also wandered around the U.S., drop zone hopping, back in 2000. I'll never forget the people I met on that trip but, unfortunately, I have forgotten their email addresses. So, if you were at Skydive USA in Wharton, Texas, thanks for teaching me about Booze Luge. That's the best drinking game ever! If you were in Jumptown in Orange, Massachusetts... thank you for being so wonderful and loving and accepting every single person who walks onto your drop zone as an instant member of the family. For those of you at Moss Point, Mississippi, not only was the skydiving a blast but thanks for opening my tastebuds to some amazing southern culinary delights; like hush puppies and deep fried turkey. Mmmmmm... deep fried turkey... To everyone I haven't yet met... well, I hope to. Blue skies, Charlene Kerr