ErinD

I'm new to this skydiving thing and even newer to this posting thing, but I thought that AFF was a hit this year. Perhaps I'm somewhat partial, but I don't care. I had the most fun I've ever had in the air. I owe Dennis and Tom, Nick, Claude, Donna and Kenny so much, as they have taught me so much. We were safe, we had fun and next year will be even better than the last. On other postings I've read people saying that the convention is dying. It only is because people are letting it. But I know that if you were jumping with the people I was with every day you couldn't say a bad word about it. I guess we just know how to have too much fun! Thank you so much you guys. I had a blast and look forward to the next convention just as much as I always do.

I'm assuming that every person that has posted and replied to “AFF at the WFFC” is a skydiver. That means that every person has been a student at some point. I don't understand why some of you are making such a big deal about the car in the landing area. Aren't we taught to fly canopies in such a way that is safe? Making decisions our entire flight down to avoid obstacles? As a student at the WFFC I can say that having Dennis waiting for me meant that he cared for my safety. I only have 18 skydives and I managed to avoid that big green truck every single time I landed by the swoop pond. As skydivers at the convention I think that it takes an effort to be aware of what is going on. You all should have known that there were students in the skies and understood that instructors were going to do whatever it took to make sure their students became safe skydivers. I have been taught that safety is number one. And I think with safety comes a certain level of awareness. Just be smart when you're jumping. Know that there may be obstacles that you have to avoid in the landing area. With as many canopies and aircraft, etc as there are in the air at a time, concentration on your surroundings is key. If there is a truck picking up students in the landing area it must be for a reason. Perhaps I am taking such a defensive standpoint because I had the best instructors in the world. But I KNOW none of my instructors would ever do anything to jeopardize the safety of their fellow skydivers. Be aware of them and they'll be aware of you. If we're safe and we're having fun, what’s there to complain about?