MarkM

Cool tale, thanks Gus.

I think that guy deploys as normal then crawls out of his harness and hangs from it.

I want to apologize if my posts last night came off like I was bashing instructors. I've always been impressed by how professional instructors are in this sport, every instructor I've had has taught me new things, I've never felt that an instructor was putting a student in a truly unsafe situation, but that doesn't mean I haven't disagreed with them sometimes. Putting someone out of a plane for the first time is dangerous business, and instructors are trying to make the best of a lot of possible bad situations with someone they may have only first met a few hours earlier. But that's the point, I have less than 20 jumps therefore I "know nothing". There's nothing to discuss, so I just keep my mouth shut, try to listen to everyone, form my own opinions and watch my own butt. When I see a new jumper exposed to a situation I wouldn't be comfortable in, I keep it to myself because I'm a low timer and I don't know jack. Clay's tag illustrates that perfectly ""I only have 125 jumps, so I don't know shit..right?"-Clay ". He don't know jack because he's a low timer. But when I asked about RSLs in freefall he presented a solid open opinion, probably the only clear one in the thread(because it devolved into the typical RSP debate), and gave me something to think about when I reach that level.

I don't see where you think I have a me and only me attitude. I'll exit with 1 instructor next jump and I'm fine with that, sorta chose the program I'm on in part because of that. But if she/he said "Mark, I want 2 instructors with you this jump" I'd be fine with that. Don't really feel I'll need the radio on the canopy ride down, but I'll probably be on it because I'm sure the instructor will want to make sure I have it down and control my landing. I'm fine with that too, following commands on the way down isn't gonna kill me and maybe the way I used to do it was wrong. Sebazz's AFF program probably has students on BOC ripcord. I specifically chose my current DZ because students use toss out. I don't use BOC toss out because I think the ripcord is wrong, I just felt it was wrong for me so long as the toss out was considered safe for student use. If no DZ felt it was safe, or Sebazz was doing my AFF(God help the man) I'd be using the ripcord because he would require it for my safety. I don't know jack about packing a chute. My ability to land a canopy sucks, my flaring is really bad. I don't know most basic freefall skills, and my instructors are having to kick some bad arching habits of mine I learned from doing hanging exits off of struts. But I also don't assume the 1000 jump guy is any smarter than the 100 jump one, just because he has 900 more jumps and teaching new jumpers that high jumps = all knowing isn't one of the healthier aspects of this sport in my opinion.

You're mis-reading a lot of my statements. Every single instructor I've dealt with has been extremely professional. But every DZ has different priorities, different things get taught at different DZs. My first one didn't focus on reserve pulls like most DZs for reasons of their own. It was a safer DZ in some ways to my second one, where the instructor there spent 30 minutes going through reserve pulls with me. My issue isn't with that. You have 6 hours to prep someone to be thrown out of a plane. Some things get glossed over. Totally understand. It's the "Or does your 17 jumps" attitude that pisses me off. On my jump, MarkM is responsible for his safety.

That's right, of course I am. That's why I rode the plane down on my first 15 second delay when it was pitch black night outside and I couldn't see my altimeter anymore. That's why I was pleasantly suprised to pick up several new things during my last FJC I never got in my previous ones. Because I know everything and am not interested in learning anything new. The above must be true because otherwise we'd be putting students out at dropzones not teaching basic skills like PLFs, or reserve pulls, and that would be unthinkable, wouldn't it?

So then, who do I trust Lisa? My last instructor who taught me to keep two stable mains or the new one that told me to cut away from it? Does Bo not know what the hell he was talking about or Donna? Will 100 jumps or 1000 jumps? I don't need that knowledge then, I need it now. I don't base that knowledge on the guy or girl standing in front of me at the current moment because they're the local skygod, I base it off the opinions of people I've come to trust based on past relations. You wanna teach the low timers to not form thier own opinions, that's fine. I'm not about to try to start a revolution of divers burning their log books. But I sure as hell won't always do what a high timer says just because they "know" more than me. My last jump didn't have to be a tandem, my instructor said I was clear for AFP. But I handle my own safety and that required the tandem for reasons of my own. I would never fully trust my instructors. The student program of 3 DZs has taught me that the only person that can really look out for my ass is me. And I don't have the luxery of waiting to be some 200 jump wonder to start being safe in this sport.

Beach that would be pretty funny when you consider that my DZ just let it's USPA status drop.

She hasn't. Yes I know what mals she's had. Even if she had it really doesn't matter. If someone with 10k jumps doesn't believe in RSLs because he was almost killed by one once, that doesn't mean I shouldn't use a RSL. I think it was more of a matter of opinion on what was best for the situation. There's really no "right" answer for a PC in tow. Going straight for reserve or cutting and hitting reserve can both get you killed for diff reasons. If it was to simplify the FJC you wouldn't teach to cutaway a side by side sometimes. If I have a side by side do I cut it away even if it's stable like recently taught or bring it in like I was taught twice 2 years ago? Do I compare jump numbers on my instructors and go with whoever has the most jumps? Go with the instructor from the bigger dropzones? It's silly. Yeah, if I have a PC in tow I'll go straight to reserve. Yeah, if I have a stable side by side I'm keeping it. The ground doesn't care how many jumps I have, I'm basing the above two personal choices off of the things I've studied. When I take advice I don't look for jump numbers as a validation that it's worth a shit. I take it as just opinion, move on and form my own decisions. This sport is weird. Everyone has very strong opinions on everything and a lot people are damn sure the other guy is doing things wrong. And of course since this is an extreme sport these little differences of opinion matter so damn much. If you're a SL guy, AFF sucks. If you're AFF/AFP, SL is old and outdated. At my very first FJC we never practiced reserve pulls in a harness, we just saw it demonstrated to us once. I'm sure my second DZ saw that first DZ as horribly unsafe. At my second DZ I jumped worn out mantas with round reserves and old FXC AADs. I'm sure my first DZ would've though that DZ horribly unsafe. At my new DZ we didn't cover PLFs on the FJC or learn never to land in the middle of a turn. I'm sure my first two DZs would've been horrified to know I didn't learn these basic canopy survival skills. Freefly with a RSL and you will die. No wait, you'll die without a RSL because you're too fucking stupid to pull silver or may need that half second it gives you. I've been a student for 2 years running now, done the FJC 3 times and you want to know what I've learned? Study your ass off on your own time because nobody seems to know what the hell they're talking about. Everybody is giving you "crap" advice, and the DZ to the right is 100% sure the DZ to the left will kill you if you jump there as a student. I watch students go through FJC and it scares the hell out of me that they're going to jump from a plane. Cut away a stable side by side? Damn I almost said outloud "Why the hell would you do that? Everything I've ever read/heard/watched/learned has told me to keep it and just watch for downplaning". But do I say that? Hell no. I'm just a little 17 jump nothing that doesn't know jack about this sport, except for when to keep my mouth shut, nod in agreement and then do whatever the hell I want when the shit hits the fan because my instructor won't be there to wipe my ass. She's a good instructor. I've learned a lot from her and will continue to. But her number of jumps or role at the DZ don't factor into my skydiving learning "this is bullshit/this is good info" filter any more than Clay's lack of jumps or local class clown act does on anything I hear from him. Won't matter for long anyway, soon I'll have my little A's, B's, and C's that'll categorize me neatly into what I can and can't do(depending highly on the dropzone, mind you), or the issues I can voice an opinion on.

Hmm, mental note. Talk with the pilot before doing any kind of funky exit.

Yeah, that's the cool thing about DZ's. If there's one you don't like, there's always another one down the road with a different vibe.

No, because there were other students in the class and I don't think it would've been proper to discuss it then.

HAHAHA. Let me think on it.

My newest instructor has 1600 jumps, I have 17. She says to cutaway on a PC in tow. She also says to cutaway a side by side config if the canopy lines aren't entangled. I disagree with both procedures. So is it that I just don't know shit and ought to listen to my betters or what?

Yeah Sebazz, that's why I was thinking about really minor stuff. Don't want my instructor to think I've gone nuts, at least not until they know me enough to know I'll be fine in the air

I'm thinking about tying a string on my finger, keeping it hidden until we're on the plane, playing with it, and when the question comes up what it's for: "It's to remind me to pull". Most of the people at the DZ don't really know I've jumped a lot before and will probably expect me to be the usual freak out on my first AFP jump. I gotta find ways to fuck with their minds a little. Anyone have suggestions? I don't wanna totally freak out my instructor, just have a little fun. I am totally up for fucking with the heads of everyone else in the plane though. The bastards probably got it coming for all the students they've tortured in the past.

How about Unemployed-because-I-spend-all-my-time-here?

Heh, I've got a Protech, Z1 and Arai motorcycle helmet. Compared to the Arai, the Protech and Z1 are crap for protection. But then I can't look up at all in when I'm wearing my Arai, where my Z1 doesn't restrict my head movement one bit.

I highly doubt they're rated at all. They're pretty much crap as far as "real protection" goes. They're for bumps and bruises, because the world's best helmet won't keep your neck from snapping in a bad hit. But a heavy helmet might help snap your neck in a moderate hit.

Check around the DZs and if you think you want me to drive you out to one Saturday let me know a little ahead of time. I can get you out to a DZ, but I doubt I'll be awake enough Sunday to bring you back. Realistically I think the day in the tunnel will probably wipe me out. You can email me at mmealman@tarsis.org when you get a better idea on what you want to do(you're gonna need to check to see if you can sleep at the DZ, etc). I was planing on going up Saturday night, but only because I'd be bored in my hotel room otherwise. Don't have a problem coming up earlier to swing by a DZ near Orlando, kinda want to check them out anyway. Just let me know a little beforehand.

I have a good imagination.

So you girls going to kiss and makeout- er makeup?

If that's the I-4 that goes to Daytona, then I think I know it. No jumping(student) or nightlife(tunnel the next day) for me, just never been there. Jess you might consider hanging with the other tunnel rats. I couldn't help but think that one or two of them will be hitting a local DZ.

Any chance you're staying at the Continental Plaza Hotel? My tunnelcamp is the 10th-11th, my checkin at that hotel is the 9th. If you get someone else local, grab them because I don't know Orlando. Otherwise we could probably hit(try to find) Deland. I'm driving up to Orlando from Lauderdale.

Seen it done on video. Why would it violate any FAA regs?