georgerussia

No, you need D license only to smoke in freefall :) * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

The instructor gave you Hornet 150 with WL 1.32 when you had 48 jumps??? Maybe it is the same instructor. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Not on main, and probably not on reserve in this case - as I have no clue whether cutting this line makes things better or worse (and I heard some stories when cutting a line it did make things worse). My opinion is that if you know your emergency procedures, trained them well and comfortable with them (as you definitely are), there should be a real reason to use something else instead. And there were no such reason. In our experience level there is a lot of things to think about even under perfect canopy. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

And I heard (hearsay) about a similar case (jump through clouds) when a jumper was fined. The fine was something about 1000 USD. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

I cannot imagine any instructor who'd give a Sabre 150 to a student only jumping Manta 288. Are you sure he was the instructor? Maybe you talked to a packer? * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

It may be not a good idea to switch instantly from Nav 280 to Sabre 190. You will feel much more comfortable if you do it step-by-step, something like Nav 260, Nav 220, Sabre 230 (optional), Sabre 210 and then Sabre 190. If there are no those sizes available, ask your instructor what he'd suggest you to jump. I'd also suggest not to progress to the next canopy until a) you feel comfortable with current canopy and b) an experienced person (preferably your instructor) has watched several of your landings, and is satisfied with them. Don't progress just because someone tells you he jumped 170 at your jump numbers, so you should be ok too. I also hope you do not think that a relatively big canopy is not dangerous. It IS, and even Sabre 190 can kill you in low turn. I personally had a really bad crosswind landing on Spectre 210, loaded as 0.85:1, and if I jumped my 190 at that time, I would probably broke my ankle. There was a fatality last month when someone died after low turn having a canopy loaded about 1:1. Be cautious and safe, listen to your instructors, and don't rush things. The fastest progression usually ends on a graveyard. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Well, probably I'll do one hundred more with my Tri 190 loaded at 0.9. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

I think it depends on state. In California if you die after two years they will have to pay no matter that you find out you were lying in the application. But before two years they don't have to pay. Confirmed by several insurance agents. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Everyone wears a seat belt, and most people wear helmets too. I think seat belt usage on taxi/takeoff/landing is a part of FAA regulations, isn't it correct? * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Congrats on your 'A', and don't worry about those 6 weeks. It is so hot for skydiving anyway. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Right, Hollister had 110-114F, and it was quite hot on the ground as early as at 8AM. Some time ago I read in news about Japan engineers who invented clothers with built-in air conditioning. Anyone knows any manufacturer web site? :) * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Hey, a real skygod should land a pilot chute! * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Just want to know what experience level may be considered as 'safe enough' for Mr. Bill, in terms of skills and number of jumps? * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

This sounds strange. Aren't there any regulations in UK like FAR 105.49? * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

After buying gear it is something like $700/mo (with average 20-30 jumps per month). This also includes direct expences (gear fixes, reserve repacks, coach jumps etc), and related expences (gas, etc). * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

I think it is an A license requirement :) * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Could you say the same about reserve? Basically if you do _everything_ right, you would never need it, correct? The only difference I see in reserve vs AAD that it looks like there are much more places where you screw things up, and need a reserve than with AAD. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Sometime you have time (like partial malfunction), sometime you don't (like running out of oxygen inside a wrecked ship) Well, you basically do - you don't land as soon as you take off, even though you can. And if you don't land safely, you'll basically die. Landing is the last second you wait for, and the difference is just that you have more time. Basically nothing is absolutely safe. Even staying in home is not safe - every year people are killed in their homes by fires, carbon monoxyde, eqrthquakes and hurricanes. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

I don't think the cost is real issue here. In "good old times" skydiving was FREE in all ex-Soviet Union repulbics, as it was sponsored by the goverment as pre-military training (with no real obligations for you though). Now it is commercial almost everywhere, and the number of skydivers seems to have increased there - even though you have to pay $15 for a jump. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Thank you everybody. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Deep diving. Basically it is the same: - you have to do something to survive (swim out, probably making decompression stops), and if you don't do it, or do it really wrong, you will be dead as soon as the oxygen supply is empty; - you rely on your equipment to survive, and some equipment failures are fatal; You can even say the same with flying the plane - as soon as you took off you're basically dead until you land successfully. You rely on your experience and equipment to survive, and you probably know some dead pilots who was very experienced, and was flying a good plane. There are no safe sports. I know a person who got a heart attack during chess tournament after making an obvious mistake. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Any suggestions how long it takes to drive from SkyVenture Orlando to Skydive DeLand on weekday (Tue/Wed if it matters)? Need to be in DeLand at 8:15, what time should I leave? * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

N/A

Ten years ago my S/L instructor in Russia told us a story about someone who was jumping with wedding ring. The ring had a big diamond on it, which made it a perfect snag point. During deployment a suspension line wrapped around the diamond, and cut his finger off. Next jump EVERYBODY removed all the rings they had - even the "non-removable" rings as they said before. For me it is simple though, as I never wear any jewelry, so we decided not to buy wedding rings at all for our wedding. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *

Not only you want - you will have to do it. Talk to your instructor about instability problems, and practice a lot on the ground. Your fear is very real and reasonable. First bunch of post-AFF jumps feels like yesterday you were in daycare, and now you are self-employed. It is scary, but it will pass after several more jumps. There is a difference between being qualified for solo jumps, and being ready to solo jumps. As it was in my case - after finishing AFF and cleared for solo jumps, I was still not mentally ready to. So I came to my DZ on weekday, and jumped with my AFFI again. Everything went smooth, it switched me to "being ready", and my next jump was solo. A portion of fear is good thing. It makes you more cautious, it prevents you from doing stupid things like "impressing everybody w/something". The only time you can find youself in a plane on jump run with misrouted chest strap will be the time when your fear is off. * Don't pray for me if you wanna help - just send me a check. *