Rory81

Hello everyone, I just wanted to share with you this funny skydiving version of Sweet Home Alabama, written and performed by Andy Gregory, instructor here at Skydive Madrid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP9M_0iPSg0

I've been looking around and so far I only could find out that it's some kind of Czech made Velocity (by Jojowings). I'd appreciate any inputs. Thank you :)

hehehe, i'm both instructor and jump pilot and i can tell you that after a long day as pilot i end up much more tired than after a long day as instructor, so i'd laugh at the instructors if they say they had a long day . Try that same day in the cockpit instead of walking around, talking to people... at least they can choose when to pee! . Anyway i would stop the operation (as pilot) if i feel i need a 30 min break, and no one at the DZ would argue that. If i'm jumping i just pull myself out of the rotation, no big deal. Soooooooo less whinin' more jumpin'

Hello guys, i need new lines for my crossfire 2 119 and i'm wondering how long does it take to get them from icarus or any other dealer that may have them in stock. I'm not sure where to ask . Since i'm going to NY city next week i thought i could buy them somewhere and get them shipped there (in spain it's much more expensive and takes a lot of time to get them). any thoughts? thanks a lot

Hahaha, that's the most famous emergency here at Lillo! it's kinda old tho... it happened more than 2 years ago. everything happened as Mel explained, mess controlled with one hand, cut away + reserve with the other. Ché! eres el mejor

what about doing a wingsuit pull, but wearing a t-shirt and shorts? without the drag from the wingsuit i was soooo fast that i got the hardest opening ever... I really learned the lesson tho

There you go :) [URL]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpjI2N_0wK8[/URL]

Its a nice experience, huh? Mine jumped too!!

How to pass? Be able to fly your body. What to expect? Nothing difficult, some tips on how to teach freefall abilities, how to improve students confidence... basic teaching skills. What to study? Here's the best part... to get your coach rating you dont need to study a lot, but to be a good coach you will need to work hard... look for every bit of information you can find, internet can give you lots of articles and stuff. Share it and discuss it with the instructors at your DZ, try to learn about every aspect of the sport and dont worry if you screw up, learn a lot from the experience. How to be a good coach and not give crappy coaching? I'd say respect your students, they are not baby AFFs anymore (just take care of em as if they were, but dont let em feel that way ;)) make em feel comfortable, be their friend, make em trust you, smile all the time, say good things in public and "not that good things" in private, realize that not everyone learns at the same speed so you have to be very patient sometimes. Also learn a lot about canopy control and learn how to teach it, that's what keeps us alive :). More things... be present on FJC of as many different instructors as you can, cuz you'll get a different trick or point of view from everyone of them. Stop by and listen every time other instructor is teaching ANYTHING to a student. Dont be afraid to ask, and remember its much better to say: "i'm not sure about that, let me find out and get back to you" that to give some crappy made-up-as-you-speak answer about a subject you dont know sh*t about. What to do on the eval dives? Just relax and fly, be very careful on the gear checks and dont stress out your "student" on the ride to altitude. Hehehehe, and dont trust his count, wait till he's clear of the airplane before you go . In my opinion a coach (for newbies) is there to help others to grow up as safe skydivers, you need to be mature and to help your students to understand the sport and enjoy it. Outstanding flying skills are not that important at this stage, if they stay alive and enjoying the sport they'll eventually get the skill. At 20 jumps you dont need the best headdown coach around, you need the best "attitude" coach around :). just my 2 cents.

In my dream i have to cutaway and pull the reserve but i have no strength at all to do it... i grab the handles and try to pull but i cant! By then i use to realize its a dream, i always weak up before I bounce . I have that dream every now and then. edit: grammar

Wanna see that!!!

What's safer and why? It seems pretty clear that turning your head can be dangerous for your back in case of a hard oppening (tho its what most camera guys i know do). Then chin to chest would take the camera away from the risers, but again could it be dangerous in case of hard oppening?... keeping the spine straight would be better in case of hard oppening, but it also makes it easier for the risers to hit the camera... So what do you thing about this? Should you relax when pulling or is it better to tense your neck muscles?

When i was getting ready for a hop'n'pop a TM on the load said to his student: TM: now he's going to exit the plane at 6000ft and we'll continue climbing up to 13000. Student: "why is he jumping so soon?" TM: He's afraid of jumping higher. Me (to the student): Yeh, if i go any higher than this i panic, i hope i'll make it all the way up some day (sad face). I exited at 6000ft and when i was on the ground after a while the tandem student approached and said: "You really should try going all the way up, that was incredible!!!!" god, the way she said that, trying to confort me... made me laugh so hard!!!

hi there, im going two weeks to puerto rico (16th - 30th december) and i have a couple of questions: first: its a must to have uspa membership to make a few fun jumps? i got my A License in spain, and they told me i have to register online with USPA, but that's like 60$ for 1 year... and im only going to do a couple of jumps on christmas! Isnt it enough with my signed and stamped log book? the second question is: i've read at uspa.org that uspa license takes from 3 to 4 weeks to be issued. Since i'm going to PR in 2 weeks that's a big problem :P. Isnt there a way to prove i already applied for my uspa membership so i can be allowed to jump on the US? thanks a lot

excelent choice, the weather is nice here, tomorrow i'm going to lillo to spend the weekend jumping www.skydivelillo.com

IMHO slice and dice won't help you. Your canopy would be in full flight, but you can not flare with brakes. why not? you can get powerful flares using rear risers. To cut the stuck toggle and control the canopy in full flight with rear risers seems to be a good way to deal with the situation. Of course im not very experienced, but there's people at my DZ that actually lands on rear risers all the time, i use to practice rear riser flares up high and they are more than you need to get a safe landing, so what could be the problem?

yes vicky, i'm talking with my instructors at lillo to find the most suitable solution, probably using other canopies till i can downsize safely, and as you said i will prolly take some canopy coaching and stuff :) im considering pros and cons, i might trade for a while this rig for another one with a sabre2 or something like that, its a matter of availability. Anyway my idea is to keep jumping rented rigs for a while :)

i have my A already, the thing is that in spain is not that easy to find gear. Anyway i dont think is such a bad idea to use the same rig with another canopy. Lets say i get a sabre2 170 or a spectre 190 or something more suitable (170 or 190 is ok for that container according to mirage), i could jump that one for a time till i'm ready for the stiletto.

hi there, i'm about to buy a second hand rig as follows: container Mirage G3 M4 (manufactured on 99 but dry-stored and only jumped 50 times, looks like new) cypress 2 new (july 2005) reserve smart 150 (july 2005) main: stiletto 170 (200 jumps) 3000€ -> 3655 USD The thing is that im not ready for a stiletto 170, right now im jumping a sabre2 190 (rental from my DZ), i just got my A license and my progress was fast from the nav 240 to the sabre2 190, anyway i dont wanna rush too much and break a leg :). My question is: what would be better? A) To buy another main and use it till im ready for a 170 (in that case, what would you recommend me? I want something fun, since my progress is quite fast and i dont wanna get bored in 15 jumps), i've read that a spectre could be ok, but i dont know really. B) Use the money to get a good piloting course, grow safer as skydiver, rent lesser canopies for a while and then start using the stiletto. C) any other suggestion :) i weight 80Kg (176lbs), 1,88m (6,16ft) and just got my A at jump 25 (tho as i said im progressing fast, im airplane pilot, so it kinda makes it more easy to navigate and judge distances and other stuff) by the way, is the price ok? im buying at my home dz, so i can have it checked and try it and all that :)