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I'm not moaning, my original post said clrearly....'What's your opnion about this?' I just want to know what people think whitout the hidden agenda of getting excuses to bend the rules. About the comments about my French license, I hold the B2 which allows me to jump with people. I have to adhere to the rules from here becuase I live here. As I'm also a BPA member paying for the membership I recognise it as the body that regulates my skydiving in the UK thus I'll do what they say. Blue ones

Bigway is rigth, I'm talking about having to pull a $-Way RW formation to get the FS1 qualification before I FF. It kind of bothers me a bit, I've done my AFF in belly, got about 15 coached RW jumps, 1 hours in the wind tunnel practising belly skills and done few jumps in formation, actually I did once 9 points in a 3-way. Nowehere as far as I know such competence in RW is required to FF, that's is a lot of money in coaching. I don't say RW is not fun but it's not what I want to do. Blue ones

I've been in Hinton jumping a couple of weeks ago and as a Drop Zone is quite nice, big hangar and packing area, showers and a really cool PAC XL750 plane. It climbs quite quickly to 13500. The only thing I'm a bit concern is about how they treat students some of the so called 'experienced guys'. Some of them made students to feel a bit stupid for being a newbie and one particular guy shouted at a student right in front of my mates in his first jump. It was because he didn't see that the pilot chute was trailing behind him when he was walking back from the landing area, a quite awkward think to do somebody in his 1st jump. That put me off for a while and I did't go back there for about a year. Overall Hinton is a nice place, they have a shop with lots of new and 2nd hand stuff and the facilites are OK.

Hi guys, Here it goes. I've heard divided opinions about this subject. Some people says before you freefly you need to get the FS1 (FS skills qualification for RW obtained in the UK) others say that you don't need it. Some freeflyers say that you don't need to learn any belly flying to FF as it is a complete different discipline with different skills required. What is your opinion on this? Blue ones

Hi John, Thanks a lot. Can you tell me the exact dates of the advance packing course that you are attending? How much is it? Blue ones

Hi guys, Just out of curiosity, what does anybody need to become a BPA Advanced Pcker or Rigger? I would be very interested in start working my way up to become one day a qualified rigger. Blue ones

Hi buddy, I've flew few times to Seville, Madrid, Carcassone and Girona with Ryanair and had no problems whatsoever carrying the rig with me as hand lugage. I didn't use any type of bag or whatever to 'hide' it. You're allowed to carry it. Just remember to have the Cypress switched off just in case it fires althougth it shouldn't. Have fun in Empuria, I'm off to there next Friday Blue ones

Amen Btw, I started with Static Line, after 5 jumps got bored as I wanted to freefall so I went for the AFF. I did a bit of wind tunnel as well. Whatever you do will be fscinating and always be safe. Blue ones

That's actually the original reason why I posted this question in the forum. The closing flap of my Javelin seems to like to open in free fall. I'm going to take it to a riger next week to see what he can do. I saw people using the flex pins, mostly freefliers and I thought that that may be an extra security that I could add to my rig as it has the problem with the flap. Have anybpdy had a similar problem? What did you do to tackle it? Blue ones

The DZ is great with loads of friendly staff ready to help you out. There's almost guaranteed a nice 'jumping wheater' and during this Xmas they have 2 dorniers and a Turbo F. so there are almost lifts going up all the time, every 10 minutes. People like Allan, Jono, Hanna, Alex, Andy, Jim, Robert and Becs(the very patient girl from the manifesto) are making that DZ very student friendly as well as for experienced as you can get all the coaching that you need. I've been there twice and I haven't been disappointed in any way, I'll be there again next January! Blue skies

Hi buddy, I've jumping for a year, have 80 skydives and I have already chosen a discipline, FF. To be honest I had it in mind right since the very beginning that I've started jumping but waited until I had about 65 jumps and 2 hours of wind tunnel improving my belly skills. It's a very good idea to learn first RW/belly until you are comfortable as in FF all happens faster than in your belly. With regards to been more complex I can tell you from my very fresh experience how I felt when I've been trying to learn how to sit-fly (I can only get into a stable sit position, nothing else, no forwards or backwards). First one of my mates, who is a FF coach , taught me how to back fly, did 7-8 jumps together to see how I was doing it and from there it only took me one go to get into a sit position. I personally didn't see it that hard but I've just started FFing. It was more difficult for me to be able to learn how to control my fall rate level in my belly, what is very important if you are going to get into RW, than getting into a sit position which is already a FF manoeuvre. About the canopy piloting course that it's a great idea To get B license in the UK you need to show some skills under your canopy and do 5 consecutive pre-declared landings with a 90sq feet area. I'm going to get done in about a month a canopy flying course as well.As somone else said, whatever you do you always going to find yourself under a canopy. Hope this helps

You asked a question and you got an answer. I don’t see where anyone TOLD you what to do. You may be a big boy in the real world but in skydiving you are still a babe in arms. You are right, decisions are yours to make. But you must be willing to listen before you can learn. Dave was attempting to get you to think through what it was you asked. I am sure you would agree that thinking is huge when trying to learn. Definitely, that's why I ask and I value the opinions from people, otherwise I'd have it modified already, I just have to take it to a rigger. It's just that it sounded to much like some experience jumpers I know who like patronising the less experience like if they didn't have a brain and were kind of undesirable dumbos. I got quite good answers from people, which I truly appreciate but I think that perhaps my way of approaching the question had lead to ambiguities. Blue ones

Where did I say that? I said I have seen people using them and asked exactly word by word....'Apparently is quite good if you freefly, what do you think?'....I asked as I'm trying to figure out if its better or not, that's it.

[....] It works great in person since a skydiver that can think is a much better skydiver that only knows what others have told them what the answer was. The reason why I'm asking it is exactly because I think, I believe it's a fairly inteligent decision to ask other people's opnions before taking the risk of modifying my rig as I'm new in the sport, only 80 jumps and 1 year in the sport. I don't need people to tell me what I have to do as I'm already a big boy but I like to LEARN from more experienced jumpers, and ultimately the decisions are mine. Honestly, I didn't expect somebody having a go on me just for asking. I've seen few hardcore freefliers using them I was just wondering if they are safer. Blue ones

Hi guys, My rig has a normal closing pin but I want to change it to another type I have seen in some rigs. Is like a plastic string similar to a rip cord. Do you know what it is called and where can I buy one from online? Apparently is quite good if you freefly, what do you think? I've just started freeflying and I want to make my rig as safer is possible :) Blue ones

There are enough bad reviews for Nethers but unfortunately there is going to be another one. I went there just for the weekend to enjoy seeing a very good friend doing her first jump. The access it’s quite difficult and you can get lost quite easily if you don’t know the area. For a start, I have never been in DZ where there is so much favouritism, bad manifesto organising and attitude towards outsiders from both staff and locals. It’s a military DZ and many of its members are in the Army, if you show up knowing nobody there being a civilian just to get few jumps and check the vibe most likely you are going to find an atmosphere full bad energy. Some people there made me feel really uncomfortable and alien. Some of the guys in the military forget that they are the ones in the Army or whatever. The rest of the people can’t be treated in the same bossing way they talk to themselves…Some people where ordering me around! Besides the manifesto organising is the worst I have ever saw, waiting for 3 hours to get in a load is totally inconceivable and there are no excuses to such incompetence. It didn’t happen not only once but several times and to several people, there were some jokes around about manifesting that weekend for the next one. I have spent the whole weekend there manifesting from 9 am and only managed to get 6 jumps. It’s very unlikely I will ever go back to Nethers, I’m deeply disappointed with the staff, some of the locals and the DZ operation in general. If you like FS they have a very good load organising, that’s the only good thing I can point out really, the rest isn’t too good I'm afraid.

As I was going to spend three days in Lille I¡¦ve had the chance to visit the local DZ. The people and staff there were most friendly and helpful. Although, some guys didn¡¦t speak English and I don¡¦t speak any French they made the effort communicating with me the best they could when it should have been me trying to speak in French. They sorted out all the paperwork and kit inspection really quickly and got briefed about hazards, wind/landing directions, procedures, etc. In less than 30 minutes it was all done and I was getting ready to jump. The landing area is massive and mostly hazards-free although there is a nearby motorway and a river but nothing to worry about really unless there was a premature bail off due to a plane emergency or exceptional circumstances. You¡¦ll also find two hangars as packing areas, a decently sized one near the boarding area and a smaller one opposite to the manifesto. The planes I¡¦ve saw were both Pilatus Porters so in about 15-18 minutes you are at 14000 feet. They¡¦ve got a quite nice clubhouse with a bar¡Kdidn¡¦t have time for few beers after jumping ƒ¼ Perhaps the only problem is that the access is a bit tricky as there aren¡¦t any signs indicating the entrance from the motorway (look and follow for the sings to Boundes) so I found myself going around and around for a while trying to find it. It¡¦s right in the first roundabout you will find when you are heading toward Boundes after leaving the motorway. There are some signs in Boundes indicating the Aerodrome but you shouldn¡¦t follow them, they will take you to the another side of the DZ and there is no access from there to where you need to go if you are driving. You¡¦d have to either walk or go back to the main road and find the right entrance. The vibe there is really good, everybody smiled at me and asked me if I was having a good time, they were all very polite and nice. I¡¦ve liked the place quite a lot so as I only need to take the Ferry across the Channel to get there I¡¦ve decided to pay for the year membership (30 Euro) and pop up there often for short weekend breaks once a month or so. There is a bunkhouse and camping area so there aren¡¦t any accommodation problems although there are reasonably cheap hotels nearby.

Hey Mygale, Thanks a lot for checking out for me...I'll get some beers for us at the DZ when I'm there I've pretty much went into my canopy after my AFF and consolidation jumps, I have about 30 jumps in my one, I'm confident with it althougth I'm still knowing it more and more in every jump.

Hi buddy......yes, I do have a ADD... With B license in the UK you can jump without one but I wont ever do that...saves lives Roberto

Hi dude, thanks for looking into it. Yes, I live in London, in west london to be more precise. I've just booked the ferry and I'll be there in the last weekend of this month... can wait to get there. Is there a bunkhouse in the DZ? Roberto

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Thanks buddy but I don't speak french....

Hi there, I'm thinking about a little skydiving trip to northen France to a DZ in Lille. I've checked around in the forums looking for any reference to the requirements to jump over there but there ain't nothing Besides the FAI license and insurance I've heard that they don't let you jump if they think your canopy is too small for the number of jumps that you have. I'm jumping a Sabre 170, my wingload is 1.12 and I have 57 jumps BPA-B license. Would I have any problems there? Rob 'Nobody Escapes The Algebra Of Infinite Justice'

Tell them that you have changed your mind and now you wanna do BASE.... They'll let you do your skydiving Rob

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