Belgian_Skygirl

Still 25 jumps to do and I will have my 100th jump :) Should I jump naked mmmmmmmmmm... lol... I don't think so... it must be freaking cold up there in october -november.. so nooooooooooo (good excuse... the cold weather ) ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

It reminds me of a funny story... I don't think it is true... but one never knows... My husband came home with the following story: in Poland many skydivers jump without an altimeter. If they jump in group only one has got an alti and he gives the sign to break... and than they all leave... and pull... The story sounded funny to me... but... I was told one day that in the early days of this sport, people had to count to 50 and than open... But of course, I don't know if it is true... To be honest, I want an altimeter... it makes me feel comfortable. I had a problem twice with an altimeter: my AFF1: the altimeter did not work properly and I had change it with the visible altimeter of a jumpmaster. Of course this caused a lot of stress and yes... I failed my AFF1... The second time (during my 5th solo jump) my altimeter worked in the plane, but when I jumped it was going crazy... so I pulled as i didn't know how high I was. Back on the floor I told it to a JM... he took the altimeter and had it tested and yes... it was broken. To be honest at htat time I didn't have my own gear yet and thus no auditive altimeter.... and... I cannot estimate how high I am during my freefall... so... I feel more confident to have a visual altimeter around my wrest... I wouldn't want to jump without a visual altimeter, but I had one jump with a bad working visual altimeter and I would not recommend it to others. If one feels OK to jump without a visual altimeter, I don't mind. ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Guys, don't shoot me, but I wonder... I don't have lots of experience yet, so I don't know if my remark is at place... but jumping in a group with less than 50 jumps... if you still have to learn a lot... I don' t know... it is just a thought... nothing more and nothing less. ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Panic can happen. But I think there is away to learn on how to react in some situations. If I am not mistaken, drilling execices are good... in the army I think it is called musscle memory training. Doing things over and over and over again untill you do them without thinking... untill it has become a natural reaction. It can safe lifes. On the other hand I wonder as well the following: sometimes it is your creativity that can save your life... You can learn how to deal with panic;.. I am sure, but like everywhere there are people that never will learn,... ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Maybe you should first take a course and see if you like it? ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Thanks to all of you for the good advice! ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

I certainly will... But still... I wonder 2 things: 1. when a person tracks away from the group in freefly... should he just track away from the basic freefly position or is there another way? 2. Before arching in order to pull... I guess that is no problem asyou come from a tracking position? ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Hi, I want to get into freeflying and I read a lot about safety regarding the gear... so that is clear and logic as the fall rate is much higher. I understand as well the principle of the basic position to maintain the speed and to avoid a collision as going into the arch position when you go unstable gives the effect of a crowncork and this can be dangerous for jumpers or groups above you (you never know). Before I will try the first freefly jump, I will do exercises on the ground (I am doing this) , I practice as well my trackings and I am now trying to track on my back for a few seconds, as I know this is important to see if there is somebody above you and to make sure I will know everybody's position in the future (I don't jump with others as I first want to master basic skills for safety purposes). I know tracking must be done 90° on the jumprun. Everything is clear, but 1 thing isn't... I know that it is important to fly in the traditional arch position before pulling the main... but... how can I go into that position without having the crowcork effect? Or doesn't it matter if you are far from the others? I guess I must make a slow transition from the basic freefly position into an arch position? If I know, I can start to practice on sitfly. Are there any tips or exercices you can give me so that I will do it safely? I will of course practise alone until I can sitfly the whole fall, can track and make the barrel roll while tracking, I will make sure I will use the basic body position when I go unstable before jumping with others and trying to be able to turn and not to drift. So tips needed please... when I can do this a bit, I will take some coaching jumps of course!!! And when things happen safely, I can finally do some head up with others. I have another question as well: are there some preferable exits for freeflying? I ca practise these as fun exits and so work on my future freefly skills. I didn't do a freefly jump yet. ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Congrats! ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

The dumbest thing I ever did in my short skydive career... well... once I landed in a maisfield as I was desperately trying to reach the dropzone and... for a few meters I didn't reach it. As the mais was aproaching I flared, but the mais was gigh, so flared to high from the ground itself and fell on my bottom. It has been a year and i still hurts when the whether changes... but it still was a fun day for me ;) ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Well, I am downloading at this moment. I don't feel comfortable under the huges canopies as I get blown away backwards while landing when is is a bit windy... or I don't get down and hang there... waiting to move on... I feel comfortable under a smaller canopy. I am downsizing very gradually and I think I will have a pauze at a 150 sq. ft... and than go to a 135. For a perfect wingload, I could go smaller, but small canopies react different... A too big canopy can be dangerous as well... so... I will downsize but as I have a careful character, I will do it gradually and the way I feel comfortable... So if I get stuck on a 150 and do not whish to downsize further... I won't let me push. BTW: Now I take a 170 sq. feet and... It doesn't feel different than a 210 for me... the instructors told me I could take a 150... but as I don't feel 100% comfortable yet, I will however do 5 extra jumps with the 170 before downsizing a bit more. ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

As this is not the most common sport, I think students can do stupid things due to stress... they don't think clear and some radio guided instructions... they hear it, but can't understand them as they are... blocked in their minds. Afterwards they talk or try to talk themselves out... I think the message s heard, but not listenend to in many cases... due to stress or even a form of panic. Maybe what those students experience is kind of a brainlock... I don't know... however... those mistakes are dangerous. ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

I know the feeling... I can't stand the moment the door opens... and when I see my fellow skydivers jump, I have to turn my head. But when it is my turn at the door... I love it!!!! The greatest part for me is know the moment I jump... I love it... but when I see other people doing that... I don't feel comfortable. At the door I feel relaxed and excited at the same time. I never hesitated to jump out, though I experienced problems during my AFF durng the freefall part as I had to redo level 3 several times. Even now I am still afraid... when I go to the dz I feel nervous... I have to vonvince myself stepping in the plane... I don't like to see the door opened as there is nothing behind it... just the air... but when it is my turn... the moment I stand at the door and it is my turn, I feel very very happy... calm... I am so lucky... and that takes away all my anxiety I had up to that moment. Funny, isn't it? Now I like the freefall part, but since a few landings.. I experienced a fear to land... nd I never had serious problems while landing. Bizarre... I think it will pass, just like the anxiety I had in the very very beginning when I stood at the door ready to jump out. It is a process ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Well, repeating a level... it makes the course more expensive but makes the achievement even bigger... because it is easier to find courage to do something when it goes well from the first time, than when it doesn't go well from the start. I had to redo my first level. I knew the theory very well, by heart... and when I jumped out of the plane, I couldn't breath, I knew what exercises I had to do... but it seemed as if my body didn't want to listen to the instructions of my mind. So I did nothing at all... mind and body were disconnected. I knew what to do... and I knew perfectly what was going wrong on the moment, but ... I couldn't move. I seemed to be froozen... I never experienced something like that before. My second jump went well. My level 3 was a problem level... my body position itself wa well, but my muscles were too tensed so I spinned around. My instructors told me I had to relax so that I could better 'float' on the wind... the harder I tried, the worse it got. At a certain point I didn't care any more so, when I did my level 3 for the fourth time..; I was that relaxed, that things went well and I never experienced problems any more. I found it very bizarre... in my case I was so eager to wanting it to do perfectly, that it caused stress on my body. No more problems occured and I did my level 7 without any problem... it was something in my mind. Even if you have to redo a level, it is ok... you are a student and some people are more relaxed in the learning curve than others... be proud on yourself and don't bother having to redo a level... the majoroty of men won't even dare to jump out of a plane!!!! So good luck to all the AFF-students!!!! ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Nice picture

Well, It is a simple question: what do you prefer : a 9 cell or a 7 cell canopy... is there a huge difference whene you compare these parachutes? Do they fly very differently? What's your experience? As I am still looking around for a canopy to buy, this may be interesting information for me. Of course I will try both, but I still would like to know... ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

The e-mail address in the mail is from a contact overthere ;) ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

As I am half Italian (not from Sicily) I did a search with paradatismo on google and I found: http://www.verticalfly.it/ . The site seems only to exist in Italian, but if you need a translation or if you mail them and they cannot answer in English, just PM me and I will help you: massimo@verticalfly.it. ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

I am not an instructor and I haven't that much experience yet... but... I did the AFF course as well and I found it the safest way to learn how to skydive as there are 2 instructors (and later 1 instructor) that jump together with you. If you forget to pull, they will do it for you. I haven't jumped in Empuria yet and when I was there last year, I was in my AFF course in Belgium and as I payed everything in advance I wasn't willing to finnish the course overthere. however, I spoke with some instructors from the dz and the levels a student has to run through look the same as in France and in Belgium, so I guess there are some international standards... but I am not sure of course. You are not a licensed skydiver after 7 jumps, but after 7 levels at least... let's put it that way: if you perform bad in a level, you may have to redo it for you own safety and you may end with more than 7 jumps for the seven levels. I think AFF is the safest way to learn how to jump as there are instructors with you during the freefall and with hand movements they can communicate with you during your freefall and so enabling you to perform better. If you are not stable or you forget to pull, they wil and will talk you down under the parachute. Afterwards, you will be evaluated so that you can learn from your mistakes. Good luck and enjoy end maybe we will meet in Empuria ;) (I will be going there this summer :) ) ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Kevin, I don't care and what you think. Getting into a sport because it is dangerous... is silly and stupid. Getting into a sport because you like it, because you are good at it... or because you dreamt about skydiving eversince you were young... that's called passion. And yes, I consider it as a dangerous sport... but every sport is if you don't take the rigt measures to protect yourself. Skydiing means freedom to me..; I feel liberated and free as e bird. On the other hand it is a mental sport for me as well: to stay focussed untill you have landed... I have to go deep mentally... the first time I did it I had a brain lock during the FF, and everytime I went to the DZ and actually jumped, it felt like victory on myself... and that is what skydiving should be: something you like to do and want to do. Even if it were the safest sport in the world, I would still enjoy it. Skydiving is a statement for me: I like to live, I like to fly like a bird, I like to focus my mind, I... there are no words for it. And when I read something as "I read a lot about jumpers on high wing loadings getting hurt or worse and I think, are they not the true skydivers who still take "the risk"... well... if you want to take th risk.. just take you car... drive about 200 km an hour on small streets with curves... please make sure there are other cars and people in the straats to increase the level of danger... Or just... be drunk and drive hard... (this is ment ironnically). ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

When you are 96, and you have still a dream you want to make true... why not? Even if the risk is bigger than for other people... at that age, even if you still feel good, death can come suddenly... so ... why not enjoy life? On the other hand... it must be hard for the relatives. No one lives for ever... Good for him, but I don't think I would like to see jump my father at that age. But speaking fot myself... I am capable of doing crazy stuff myself hehe... ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Congrats!!!!! ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

If I were you, I would do 1 thing at the time: - concentrate on what you are doing now. I want to say... to buy your own gear... isn't that better when you have more experience and know what is good for you? - look at the costs for you study and skydiving as a hobby, as both are expensive - look if you have the time to do lots of skyiving, so that the costs for your own ear are worth the expenses The fact that you post your question here makes clear that you know that combining both will not be easy. Just don't make your studies suffer from a hobby... because than you will be throwing away lots of money. As I understood, you are taking your AFF course now? It is too soon to decide on the right gear to my opinion. I don't have lots of jumps et and I am just taking from my own limited experience. Maybe other more experienced skydivers will think differently, but I can only say how I feel. Good luck with yous studies and skydiving :) ... ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Just don't lie... Everybody had to start at a certain point. We weren't born with a number of jumps. What would they say about me? I have only got 30 jumps yet, but I had a hard time the first 20 jumps, as it was mentally very very hard to do so, while I knew how much fun the FF was... If someone would say something to me about my (still) low number of jumps, I would relly ignore him and thinking in myself... maybe if you would have felt that mentally unsecure and scared as I was (and sometimes still am), if you would have done your 1st jump with an altimeter that broke down in the plane (oh yes, it happened to me) and you had to switch the altimeter with one of the instructors at 10000FT, if you would have landed several times backwards hanging against the wind during your first jumps if you would have had a brainlock during your first jump ... maybe you wouldn't have continued jumping. It is much harder for a person to do something when the mind isn't ready, than doing something you love from the first time. I knew I would love skydiving, but I knew as well there was (and still is ometimes) a bareer. But I am damned proud that I go on!!! From all the aff-ers that said they loved it and would coninue, only few did... and I am one of the few... and I never said I loved it from the first time, as I experienced a brainlock. So, if somebody feels better because he or she did more jumps... screw them, because I know I did something that was very hard for me and I am still doing it, I love doing it and I am proud of it, especially when I consider my unconscient mentally resistance. So don't lie about your number of jumps and if they appreciate a person because of the number of jumps and not because of the personalty... too bad for them and don't forget: we all had to start with zero jumps. Bye ;) ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?

Whether he is guilty or not... I would never ever let my children go or stay at the house of a person that I suspect to abuse children in any way.!!!!!!!! Especially when that person in under suspicion of doing so. of course it could be the old man or woman living in your street, but from the moment there are rumours, I would not take nor allow my children to go to those people as it is my task as a parent to protect my children!!!!!!!! So... I don't know if he did it or not.. however I would keep my children far away from him. But afterwards sueing a person because he touched your children ... why sending your children to Michael as he is suspected of doing so? Isn't the welfare of your children more important than sueing one for money? Don't misunderstand me please, I don't say he did or did not touch the children, but I would protect my children from certain characters. Sometimes I think Michael lives in a dream world and that he is harmless, but other times I think he is mentally ill... ------------------------------------------------- No dive, like skydive... wanna bet on it?