brianfry713

I've been a skydiver for a few years, and I just finished up my private pilot license last week. I agree that some of the knowledge of each helps the other activity, but it doesn't really allow you to take any shortcuts in learning them. You should still go through all the training because of the differences. They're both a lot of fun and a different way to fly.

As I understand it now after reviewing the SIM, a USPA Coach can only do recurrency jumps with licensed skydivers. A student recurrency jump, A license check dive, and A license oral quiz must be made with a USPA Instructor. A USPA Coach is a instructional rating holder and therefore is included whenever referenced in the SIM. Any time they say USPA instructor, they mean USPA AFFI, TI, or (SL/IAD)I, and that doesn't include a USPA Coach.

Get an airworthy canopy you're comfortable skydiving loaded between around 1.2 and 1.5. Higher and lower wing loadings will work depending on the slope and wind. A nine cell ZP canopy will glide better, and make sure your brake lines aren't too short. Use an airworthly skydiving, BASE, paragliding, or ground launch harness. Don't get upset if your brand new $6,000 rig gets dirty, as ground launching is hard on gear. Wear a helmet, knee pads, and jeans. Take the slider, dbag, and pilot chute off as you won't be needing them. It's also a good idea to lock your cutaway system with something like a link to make sure your canopy won't release. http://www.bigairsportz.com/art-groundlaunch.php http://www.bladerunning.com/trainingcenter.htm Most people on this website will just give you the standard answer of talk to your rigger or instructors, or for ground launching, go see Jim. I live in California, so I was able to drive to the Ground Launch Center last year. I took Jim's Ground Launch 1 course and it cost $500. For an extra $40 a day, we were fed three home cooked meals by Jim's wife and slept in Jim's living room on cots. So it ran me a total of $640 + a few tanks of gas. I just looked on Orbitz and found you a flight from Ottawa to Bakersfield just in time for the next GLC course Feb 15-18 for $600. Give them a call and they'll probably try to get you a ride to/from the airport. They also have a good supply of rental gear you can probably use free during the course. So I think you can get there for $1200 including everything, much less than the 3 grand you quoted. I learned a lot about how to safely ground launch, and also unfortunately some of its risks. You sound like you have your mind made up that you don't want to take the course, so good luck on your own. As with all aviation, the basic rules are: keep the wing under control and don't hit anything. It is very easy to stall on toggles and rear risers, so be ready to return to the ground anytime your angle of attack gets too high. Don't fly over anything you wouldn't want to land on. Make sure your hill and wind are suitable. BASE is completely different, you're more likely to die. In ground launching you could die, but you'll probably just break yourself badly if you screw up. It's my opinion that you're more likely to get injured ground launching than BASE jumping. Have fun.

My new Sabre 2 starting opening more on heading after I had 100 or so jumps on it. Either that or I improved.

I did a Google Earth folder for Skydance here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?do=post_view_flat;post=2370857#2370857 It looks like everything is now off a second to the west though. We no longer have 2 PAC's, as one got leased out. Don't forget experienced skydivers land anywhere in the northern field. The gravel runway is used by swoopers.

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=506 First learn how to skydive and live, and then get good at it. Also focus on learning to track very well. After at least a few hundred jumps within 18 months learn how to fly a wingsuit. Learn all you can about canopy flight and gear. Get good at canopy flight, accuracy, and still air exits. Then learn how to BASE jump. After at least 50 BASE jumps and 50 wingsuit skydives, put the two together. Go ahead and fly in a wind tunnel, but don't bring the wingsuit. It's been done, but I don't think it'll help you. 1.Yes there are beginner parachutes that will be provided for you during AFF. After you get through that then start thinking about picking up a suitable used rig. 2.You should use skydiving gear to skydive, and BASE gear to BASE jump. You'll probably want to change skydiving canopies a few times after you get bored with the old one. 3.By trying them out for yourself. 4,5.Go to a skydiving gear store. 6.Parachutist (included with USPA membership) and Skydiving. There aren't any current US BASE only mags that I know of, but Skydiving has a good amount of BASE coverage. 7.Learn one new thing at a time once you are ready. Only do one new discipline at a time until you are good at it. Only use one new piece of equipment at a time until you're good at using it. There are some good articles on this website and a lot of junk in the forums with some good info hidden among it. Go learn to skydive, and talk with the experienced people about new things before you try them or buy them. Have fun.

If it looks like you're low, that's because you are. Have fun, don't die. Don't go in, don't hook it in. (Track/pull/pack) like your life depends on it, because it does. Speed equals lift, so hook it for safety. Don't forget to pull.

In the first pic, it looks like you have two left feet, and they're both broke. Plenty of time now to catch up on some reading, watch TV and movies, and postwhore.

Thanks everyone. It feels great to be a private pilot. Hopefully I'll be making some flights to a few good boogies this season. I'd love to fly up to Twin Falls too. The next step is for flygirl1 to finish off her flight training and get her license as well (she's getting really close). Then I've got to try to pay off all my credit cards. We've been flying since March, and took the ground school last year. I currently have 50.6 hours in a 1981 Cessna 172P.

It is much easier and way more accurate to get readings under canopy from a digital altimeter. If you are or ever will be interested in swooping, accuracy, or canopy flight in general then get a digital. I have three Neptunes that work great and a broken Pro Dytter. When my Neptune lost a button before I was using the armor, I sent it in and got it fixed free and they sent me a free armor. When my Dytter lost a button they wanted at least $30 to fix it. I still have it and I'm wondering if it's worth fixing or if I should just get another Neptune or a Titan if they ever come out.

http://www.mostjumps2006.com/

They'll get you when you're least expecting it. Skydivers are sneaky like that. Just change out of your jumping gear at the end of the day.

A south wind means the wind is blowing from south to north, so to land into the wind you would face south on final approach.

I can only imagine Steve singing that one, although I'll probably get to experience it at some point.

Thanks for getting us all together Beth. That was quite a big turn out. It was great to see you all.

My condolences to all that knew him well. He will be missed in Nor Cal.

I hope you have a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. I'll fly with you again soon. Let me know the details when you get a chance.

We'll see you all tonight.

Congrats, you done good. Thanks for the story, I always enjoy reading these.

I hope you get better soon. It's always good to see you around the DZ. Hopefully you'll be jumping again in no time. Which record were you on?

I was there and tried to jump it on the 23rd, but ATC wouldn't let it fly for some reason. Maybe next boogie I'll get to jump it. I did a few Otter loads and then went back to San Diego slightly disappointed and with family waiting. There also wasn't a chopper and the Skyvan wasn't flying that day. But I ran into a few friends and had some fun jumps so it was worth the trip.

Welcome to the forums. I'm a SkyDance jumper, it's a cool dropzone. First start the AFF program once you can afford the whole package. Then worry about paying for jumps and gear after you graduate from that. Have fun.

How about an intentional cutaway? Congrats.