RandomLemming

Hi all, I have a solid understanding of the main deployment sequence, and I understand what happens on a cutaway and how the risers are released. What I feel I am missing is an understanding of the sequence of what happens when I pull the silver handle (assuming no RSL), or in the case of an RSL, what happens then. I've only seen one reserve and I didn't see that get packed. Is there anything on the web that describes this sequence of events.

I can second Skydive Spain / Freefall Addicts. I took some friends out there in August this year and they had a blast. I however was forced to just hang around the place jumping for fun, but I couldn't say no to friends, right? :D

I was just thinking on how I was with her, and our last conversation. It seemed an apt subject line. One of those things that I would do totally differently if I ever got the chance.

I'm really sorry to hear of your loss :( The weird thing about skydiving is that it is beautiful. And it's relaxing and peaceful... Kinda contrary to expectations.

Amen to both of the above statements :)

Yesterday I did two jumps at Headcorn. I wasn't in the right mindset for them so they didn't go as well as planned, but still... Today I'm sitting at work trying to hold myself together. My mom would have been 56 today, but she took her life in 1999. I normally manage to put it out of my mind, but not this year. Those people that say time heals all wounds have obviously got more patience than me. I'm really thankful for skydiving, because right now the only things keeping me from falling apart are the jumps I did yesterday and the way every jump makes me feel. I guess I just want to say thank you to everyone I've met while skydiving and posting here. This addiction is keeping me sane, stable and productive.

If someone does manage to find a way to donate for replacement gear, I'm good for some cash. I've had some good instructors and I'd hate to see any of them ever get ripped off like this. Skydiving is hard enough for a n00b, and good people need to be encouraged because without the good ones, many people wouldn't have stuck with the sport!

40 jumps? I'm on 39 and I'm still not even allowed to jump with other people really :( I really have to start working on my FS1, but it's difficult to find a coach on a weekend when you haven't pre-arranged it ;)

I had 2 levels of my AFF under my belt before I got to Lodi. Ed insisted that I do a Tandem as that is part of his course. At first, I wasn't happy about this. The idea of trusting someone else to save my life didn't appeal massively. Then we climbed into the cessna and I didn't have a rig, which made me more nervous. The at about 7000', Bill jokingly asked if I'd noticed any gas stations on the way up because we were low on fuel. I'm not sure that my comment about getting out with us and hoping that the plane could find its own way back was well received :) Then we got out. And that's when I learnt the value of the tandem after an AFF level or two. Now I understand Ed's training plan and I really value that. When I did my first two AFF levels, I was so focussed on not dieing that I just couldn't take stuff in properly. And because I wasn't exactly stable or competent in the air, I wasn't making good use of my freefall time. On the tandem, I finally found that I had time to understand what was happening around me, and because I'd done the two AFF levels, I had a frame of reference for all this. Having time to focus just on the dive flow, but not having to worry about deployment (which was ALL I was focussed on for my first 2 jumps) really, really helped me. It also helped me with my fear of the door. I'd say that a tandem after a level or two of AFF is a very valuable tool - I'm sure I would have had to repeat a couple of AFF levels if I hadn't had this.

That must have lead to some nervous tandem students - or did they even notice ?

No one here who havent finished their AFF have been offered compensation let alone had any form of communication from the illusive character who runs the AFF school here This conflicts somewhat. Would FFU care to update / clarify this statement ? Was full compensation freely offered? Was compensation only given after it being requested? Were all students affected who could not stay beyond the weekend refunded?

Hi all, I've been invited to a meal at a friends house this Saturday. Can anyone advise me of a decent DZ near St Neots, Cambridgshire that I could maybe get a couple of jumps in before feeding time? I've not been accepted to jump by anywhere other than Hinton and North London Parachute centre in the UK, so I would need to go somewhere where the CCI would be around to check me out and make sure they are OK with me Thanks in advance :)

What's cape town like that time of year ? I've got some family commitments so it's unlikely, but hey, I like road trips :)

N/A

Hi all, I'm trying to plan a visit home next year. What is the weather like for Skydiving around Pretoria and Witbank in May? Also, what DZs should I be aiming to visit while I'm out there? I know about wonderboom, but is there anything near Witbank? Any other good DZs within about a 2 hour drive of those areas ? Thanks in advance :)

Looks like it might not happen :( http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5326828.stm Makes me sad!

I voted other... reason being that the Hitec's I bought for my course in Lodi fell apart and I had to replace them. Vans were cheap and loads of places sold them. I think the main reason I ended up with them is that they work well on my MTB as well as for falling down.

Every dropzone I've had instruction at (3 now) have focussed very intently on emergency procedures. This weekend I watched a student on her level 5 AFF have a malfunction and she handled it great.

N/A

Ok, that's what I've just been told when they contacted me back :) I'll be there on 26 and 27 - hope I'll see you there. I'm the dorky looking kid with prescription goggles and a foldup map to help me find the dz ;)

I have - not had an answer, so I thought I'd ask here :) It was a short notice trip, so they probably just haven't got around to checking their e-mail / voicemail yet.

Hi all, Am I correct in assuming that Skydive spain and Freefall addicts share a DZ? Does anyone know if they will have the SMG-92 there this weekend (24-27 August)? A friend of mine is out there for his AFF and I was hoping to go out and join him, but I'm not sure there's much point if they just have a cessna 182.

Those cars have GP plates ... There's NO WAY I'd stop at a red light in Gangster's Paradise :D

Do i have to buy a first class ticket to get the optional blindfold to go with that outfit? Mine is an altimaster II galaxy. And I have no idea what happens when you do go above 18k with it, but the instructions say not to.

If you flew out of stanstead today with all that gear, I assume you went somewhere nice to jump? Hope you're having fun :)