DJmikeD

I just went through all of this being new as your self. I ended up buying new regardless of what everyone told me. This may be a mistake and I may out grow it faster then I thought but what I did do is buy the rig so that I would have to grow into it. this meaning I am using a 230 for my jump and the one I bought was a 190. I will do around another 25 jumps before I can get the system anyway. IF you buy used you can resell it for around the same price if you want to upgrade. I like having the custom job for my pack and since I sold My Motorcycle to get into the sport I had some extra money. I also paid around another 300 dollars then what I had to when I went through the rigger at the drop zone. Why - well I wanted his advise and I wanted to have someone that I could go back to and say hey this is not right. I hope that does not happen though. The one thing I worry about is no one wanting to jump with me because I have new gear. I might have to drag it behind my truck for a while to give it the worn in look. J/K Just ask around buy some beers and take notes. Shop on line and see what they have to say. but most importantly get something that you want not what they tell you. The problem I had was that I did not know what I wanted so I went with what they told me. went home researched it. Made any changes that I wanted and went with that. I will tell you later if that works out. Like I said I am new to this too. others on here know a whole hell of a lot more then I do. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

The new system I just got has Pillow handles for Cut away and reserve. Red for cut away, and Green For the reserve. I also have an AAD so if the day ever comes where I can not get my hand on it the AAD should kick in. I did this not because of the way that it looks but because of the SNAG factor for the D ring. Let’s face it when it comes to the choice of design its not that one is better then the other it is what are you are better with. Got with what you want. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

I to loved the analog Alti 3 when I started but it only took one jump to realize that I liked the Neptune Better. Having the log chart and being able to download the jumps was a great tool. Plus you dont even have to turn it on. I will just push the button before boarding the plain to check the battery but when you climb it will give you everything from Temp. to climb rate, and alt. As soon as you leave the plain it jumps to the Large Screen of just the altitude. once below I think 3000 feet it will go from a 5.5 scale (5,500 feet) to a exact scale to see what you are loosing in turns and such. someday I will use this as a audible and then also have a wrist alti-3 but I will always bring this one with me. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

hey monkey I just ordered one how long did it take for your to come in. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

Ok guys I got it I am not the best speller. Lucky for me I don't have to spell pull before I do the action. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

maybe he should have been in the AFF course before attempting this stunt. could of helped! If you are tied to a truck you are not in control of the breaking and speed of your canopy. In many ways this is nothing like skydiving. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

This could be a number of things. A knot in the break line, a break line that is not stowed, who knows what happened in the air. If this happened to me I would love it if the packer at least talked to me about it and gave me the 5 dollars back for the packing. i would not ask him to pay for the reserve ride but if he talked to me about it then it would make me feel better and I would have him pack me up again. the only thing it would do is make him more cautious when he packs my canopy anyway. Remember they are paying for the pack job not the opening. Just kidding. That is why we have reserves, in case something happens. if you are worried about using the reserve then you need to step out of the sport or learn to pack the canopy your self so you only have yourself to blame. That is what I am doing. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

I had some of the best luck with the instructors at my DZ. they were great guys, I just maid sure that I was not asking them any questions if they were with another student at the time. I also spent a lot of time just hanging out at the drop zone with the instructors after dark. This is where I learned a huge amount for free. Take a case of beer down there and pull it out at the end of the day and start handing them out. You and the rest of the guys and gals will just have fun sharing stories and trading names. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

one more thing i wanted to mention is that the reason why you kick during the first 10 seconds is because you are speeding up and you do not have the wind to stabelize you. I had the same problem tell I relaxed more during the exit and it worked out fine. that will take some time. once you relaxe you will stop kicking or trying to swim to get stable. then you really start to have some fun. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

now that I have completed AFF Training there are a couple of things that I think would be a real good idea to talk to the students about and keep them from making a mistake and having to deal with people pissed off at them. I did not do this, I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut but I can see how this would happen. the first one is tell the students that you will hear the instructors tell a lot of jokes to tandem students, do not join in on this, I would think an instructor would want to back hand a new guy who just got his license and thought it would be a good idea to ask the instructor if he took his medication that morning. I bring this up because of a post i read about a new license guy who was joking around and asked the student in the plain if they packed his malfunction yet in the training. the student asked they would do that and he said it just gets you ready to be prepared in the future. If the student blew that jump and failed because he was worried about a bad canopy then he would have to pay more money. Second I did this mistake - talking to much about a dive. when I was a student I could not be doing something wrong not me. well I am a very social person and to what I thought was funny as a story was being perceived by others as an insult to the instructors. after about 3 hours another instructor came up to me and asked me who do you think did something wrong on that last jump, your to instructors who have jumped over 6,000 times each, or you who has 3 jumps. It really put things into perspective for me and maid me a better student. kinda knocked me down a few notches from the big head I had for jumping out of a plain by myself. Now I am on the edge of getting my license thanks to some of the best instructors, and I am having the best time of my life. Just thought I would share this if there are any other instructors out there. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

I am going to take the Packing class with Doc next week. I am about 5 jumps out from getting my A licens and that will be the last part. As for packing info from here on line. Not really what I was going for just info about the manual. I will see what he says about it. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

Well I am new to the sport and I Just sent in the order for a new complete system. What I would like to ask the experienced guys and gals on this site is when I do get the system that will be put together by my rigger. Will it come with instructions on proper packing procedures. I was wondering this because I got a fusion 190 and on the site they have no links to any instructions on the canopy. When I did a search for the fusion I could not come up with any info on the canopy either. I just thought I would ask now because I always hear about folding the nose and not folding the nose on some and other little packing techniques. Do these apply to all or are some different then others. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

I agree Breathing is a biggie, Look in the sim manual and they have some exercises that helped me out during the climb to altitude. With my own arness I went from very tight on the original to loos for the chest strap with my own rig. It sometimes seems too loos but you should be able to fit a fist in it on most occasions. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

I always thought that the best part of the movie was when he said - " You realize that we are sitting on 60,000 pounds of explosives with 3,000 moving parts built by the lowest bidder." As for the fear it does start turning into excitement and that is when you have more fun. My instructors kept telling me that when I was done doing the maneuvers on the training dives. and I looked up at him he would give me a thumbs up and instantly I would go into a better stable position because I was then having fun in the air. Soon I was just having fun and the fear turned into excitement. Everything came together. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

Slurp, the order has been maid, Got a sweet custom rig on its way thanks for the outline I will send you a pic when it comes in I loved it. (well be about 10 weeks on its way. Here are the specks. Infinity container with Stainless Hardware red oh sh!@ handle for the reserve Pillow, Green for the cutaway, Main is going to be Fusion 190 Royal Blue and Neon Green, Reserve PD-176 - - was thinking about having Ahh Crap printed on the underside of it. Vigil AAD - Been jumping these but I also liked the Cypress 2. Also ordered the Flite Suit that will be in about 6 weeks. Sucks that i have to use the students jump suit still but I should be pretty darn good with the landing when My stuff arrives. Thank you to all for the help and advise - I love this board because people are not afraid to say this is what I think but its my opinion. That was what I was looking for just your openion. As a new guy I have to suck in everything that I can. One thing that I learned about the order was simply if you make the cells alternating colors it can make it easier to pack. Maid since to me. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

Hey slurp i have to say I love that combo you created I am on my way to put in the order adn I think that will be perfect. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

So even with the Green the Royal blue will hide the canopy in the sky. should I change the paturn a bit on the canopy to make it more visible with the Green. I do plan on keep the rig for a long time, at least the next 500 jumps or so. I am not one that can go out on saturdays to the DZ so that limits me to the number that I can do in a day with the flights that are available. I started with a 280 I am at a 240 now I am buying the Fusion 190 My Container will work down to a 175 I think. That is as low as I want to go for a while. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

Well this is what I was thinking. It is Green and Royal blue. Any openions "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

oK I am buying a new Jump suit and complete system and I need an openion from all of you on the colors. I was thinking a Dark Gray and Navy Blue for the colors on the jump suit and rig. But I also like the Bright colors of navy Blue and Green. What do you think of the dark colors or the bright colors for the jump suit adn the rig. this will also include the canopy. Please give me some ideas. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

they are deffinetly there at the DZ and I will use them here shortly. I was just trying to think of some things to do for the next 3 or 4 jumps to improve my balance and stability in the air. I just plan on jumping and making sure I am doing my toe taps, work on my arch, maybe get a little less arch in some places and make my flips and rolls smooth so that I am ready for the rest of my card challanges. thanks for the help to everyone. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

I will get into the coaching to obtain my A License comming up here in the future. Right now I would like to work on my stability and manuvers before I get into more coaching. That is why I was asking about any exercises that others do to have fun in the air. After I get a few more jumps in, I will continue to jump with the other instructors and coaches to finish my A license. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

Ok I am new to the forum and I wanted to ask a question for all the guys and gals who have experience in this great sport. I just graduated the AFF sport and I am doing the solo jumps now tell I hit the 25 jump mark or get My A License. I wanted to know if you have any advice for fun things to do in the air while I am all alone to build up stability, smoothness, and coordination. my instructor said for the first couple of jumps just jump out holding one leg tumble for a few seconds and become stable. then try it with the other leg. At this point do I need to worry about gliding or tracking. Should I make my flips and rolls perfect and smooth. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

I think that I am going to to a couple more jumps with the 280 by myslef and work my way down to try out that 230 at the Drop Zone. I did use a 240 but winds were at about 14 MPH so If i did not ask to be brought down in size I would have Been blown to San Francisco. That was another fun ride that day with the wind and a 240 canopy I was staying in one spot all the way down going into the wind. It was probly the softest landing I have done to date. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

hey mark that was me at the drop zone on Sunday, I will look into the a baggy suit to help. I think the hardest part about being a new guy is taking the time to figure out just what you need to begin with so that you do not make any costly mistakes when it comes to buying gear. I would hate to spend 3000 on a rig and have to spend another 5000 on a rig that is new to get what I want. what does everyone here think about just spending the money to have a rig that is a few sizes to small for me and custom maid. Then I would rent gear to graduly downsize to what my cutsom rig is. I am not thinking anything crazy but a rig that can hold a 210 for me to jump in a few months. Right now I am at a 280 Main. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike

Thanks guys I really appriciate the help. I do have a big arch that I will work on as I get more and more stable in the air. my instructors were about the same weight as I and they were Diving with their arms to their chest trying to keep up with me on the final jumps. I wish there was a jump tunnel in sacramento that I could have some fun in. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike