Hayfield

You talk too much. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Smart move, better to save money and do AFF with less time between levels because you won't have time to forget your lessons, become uncurrent, and you'll be less likely to repeat levels. this means you will probably save money, that way you can buy equipment and later a rig! As for money, learn to pack (and get good at it) as soon as possible! Might help pay for some jumps. Blue skies and good luck. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Hi Monique, YOU ARE A COOL MOM! My mother has actually offered my money to quit skydiving on several occasions! So far I'd agree with the advice you've received so far. Where you are the closest places to go are skydive crosskeys and skydive jersey shore. Skydive jersey shore is a small dropzone with piston-engine cessnas. This means a small aircraft (cramped), with a longer ride/wait, and your son will only get to jump from 10500 ft. Crosskeys is a large dropzone with newer turbine aircraft (faster ride to higher altitude) where he'll likely get to jump from 13,500 to 14,000 ft. I have not jumped crosskeys yet, but intend to soon. I jump at the bluesky ranch in gardiner new york, and typically recommend going there, but it would be about a 2.5-3 hour ride for you and the temp. up there can vary from that at crosskeys by as much as 10 degrees F this time of year. And when you make arrangements, do it with the dropzone directly, not an online booking agency like skyride-they overcharge and are shady to say the least. Wherever you go I hope your son, and you for that matter, have a great time. Don't be too surprised if he turns into a skyJunky, 1 tandem is all it took for many of the people on this site... Blue Skies "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Hi Jigs, If you want it, don't give up! You live about 10 minutes from where I do, so the nearest tunnel for you is in NH. I started at Sussex but moved to the ranch in gardiner NY (about 1.75 hours away) because they have a much greater capacity to handle students and they acquired a whole new batch of student gear this season so that was a real bonus too. Not to mention AFF levels at the ranch are the lowest cost I could find in our area. There is an instructor there named crusty old pete-I'd bet he can help you. Also the place is a lot of fun when the jumping stops for the night. FYI: I don't work for the DZ or any crap like that, but I loved my time as a student at the ranch. Blue ones! "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Don't forget the JAEGERMEISTER!! Beware, too much jaeger will impair you're ability to make Loads 1-3. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Congrats on getting 3 levels done in a day, I never was able to do more than 2 jumps in a day when in AFF because I'd get adrenaline shakes-still do if i don't eat b4 making a couple of jumps. As for blues on a monday after a dZ weekend, I'm willing to bet that's normal. Not to mention mondays tend to suck at work anyway. Don't worry about the "old body" BS, my AFF instructor this year is 62, my cousin in AFF is 51, and many fine jumpers at my DZ are in their 40's... Yeah, you might be a bit sore at times on monday, but goddamn it's worth it! Hell, i'm still more stoked about getting my A than I was graduating college. Have your fun while you can-regret of inaction is the worst. Anyway, just wait till winter, you'll gaze out the window at the cloudy, cold skies, wishing you could jump... Then its time to call the friends you've ignored in favor of the DZ all summer! "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

i started pilot training and stopped after I had solo'd and later logged about 39 hours. Piloting wasn't what I was looking for so I tried skydiving-this is the shit. The prior pilot training helped a lot for me. Landing a cessna with simulated power-out is very similar to landing a ram-air. Traffic patterns, VFR rules, head on a swivel, crosswind landings, etc are all covered in private pilot training and come into play while under canopy. However, it doesn't help in freefall at all. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Sorry to hear that crap is out there. I wanted to go jump Sussex again (where I did first 5 jumps) and try crosskeys too. I've been at the ranch since April and have not seen a "skygod" yet. People were very cool about helping out noobs after they saw you around the fire a couple of times. Bringing beer helps a lot. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Man I hope you are joking. If you're not then wow, nice Anaken Skywalker attitude (boo-hoo the council is holding me back from my greatness). When you have to land out in somebody's backyard, between the power lines and the trees, it will be too late for second thoughts. I've visited the broken product of a low turn/blown landing in the critical care wing once already-he couldnt wipe his own ass at first and now hobbles with a cane. Did you know that people tend to release their bladder and intestine's contents when badly injured? FYI: he is an experienced jumper who flew a conservatively loaded canopy, unlike you-who will likely get fucked up much worse than he did At the ranch there is a guy who sells t-shirts that say "Got Titanium?" Maybe you should pre-order one. And if you ever visit the ranch, check out the wall of pain (has photos of those broken and bent) it is a sobering reminder of the price of fuckups. We're all gonna die sometime, why try to accelerate the inevitable for yourself, or worse yet, take out somebody else? P.S. Do us all (real skydivers, students, noobs, x-whuffos and wanna bees) a favor and post your name so we can scratch ourselves off loads you may happen to be on in the future. Again, if this isn't a joke, I really hope you survive without requiring a wooden ramp be built to let you in your home. Blue Skies to all. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Congrats on the A dude. HIM, HIM, FUCK HIM! If you're who i think, cya at the ranch. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Did the doctor make you do that to find patient zero? "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Student mandatory equipment includes an RSL unless you're signed off by an instructor to jump without one. SIM Section 2-1 "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Nice handle and congrats on your first jump! My girl and I now jump together and did AFF together-it was a blast, especially when we were first able to jump together after she got her A. The couple that jumps together stays together! "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Congrats on "breezing through" AFF! Now it's time to find some coach and D license types to get your jump on with! Flying with others is so much more fun than solo (kinda like sex, or so I've been told) except when they flip onto your head or kick you in the face by accident. Have fun and continue to obey your instructors as you would the word of God. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

That blows that you were grounded the whole time on your trip, sorry to hear it. Sounds like you did get some good use of your bench time-always a great time for extra coaching, packing lessons, water training, etc. I remember going for my A (starting in April) and not getting it till july, it felt lke the winds were always a bit too high or turbulence in the landing area, or some other "NO JUMP FOR YOU" scenario. But I can tell you this: when my instructor grounds students due to winds or turbulence (unless it's a specific grounding of one of the really bad students under canopy) I sit too. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

You could always take the long drive to Gardiner, NY. The Ranch is open on weekends all winter (if weather permits). However, I agree with chaos, winter sucks. I love to ski and all, but I'd much rather jump than ski anyday. What we need is more global warming (or more disposable income for trips south). Blue Ones "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

What would JOSE PADILLA say about this? "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Congrats on your A. Keep learning and Blue Skies! "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

All machismo aside, my personal opinion is to go with a tandem for your first jump. This way you can relax and enjoy the sensory overload and possible time distortion. The best part of a tandem is the practice you get with canopy control and the feel for a good landing (hopefully) without the anxiety of having to land it on your own the first time. It's nice to have some practice before you're bettin your ass. Personally, I did 4 tandems, one more than the number suggested by the school I was at before I felt ready for AFF-then went to single instructor AFF jumps. Now I'm a sky junky. Good Luck, have fun, and Blue Skies. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Hi Chris, Hope to see you at the Ranch this weekend. I think the helo is an aerostar, but I have not seen anyone jump it this year (that I remember, but I'm mostly a weekend jumper). Either way, the otter is usually flying on weekends and the weather looks nice at the moment. If you see a hack circle feel free to hack in! "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Well the question is simple, does anybody know of a midget skydiver (excluding maggot)? "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

Hit those who really piss you off provided you can kick their asses. Murder the rest in their sleep, they have it coming anyway. I suggest using fire as it hides incidental evidence. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

This post isn't completely targeted as US citizens. International opinions are very welcome. "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete

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Hi all, I am a self-proclaimed militant liberal. When I'm with extreme left liberal types I feel like an alien and am often accused of being a closet conservative due to my support of the military (not to be confused with support for the current administration). In the company of conservatives I'm usually lumped with liberals and green party types because of my pro-environment (human health) and workers' rights tendencies. What I find funny is the proclivity of working types to defend the "system" (minimally regulated capitalism) as it currently is. Labor Unions have been vilified, anybody calling for reform has been labeled communist, and xenophobic tendencies in the USA are at a high not seen since the "red menace". Who are we as a nation anymore? What happened to that amazing document called the constitution? It seems to me we've become cult-like followers to individuals and specific party affiliations and not dedicated defenders of the greatest document ever penned (US Constitution). I guess the real question I'm asking you, skydivers, an easily marginalized minority population, is: Is America in real trouble? Will we become Orwell's Winston Smith? Will we one day shed a tear for rights lost as we realize that we too, love big brother? I am interested in what you folks have to say, so let it rip! "Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete