Gato

Congrats on your first jump! Having said that, you have just experienced one of the reasons WHY this is considered an adult sport: You are required to think for yourself 100% of the time, and take 100% responsibility for your actions, because you will only have yourself to rely upon when it counts. Two publications I can personally recommend are "The Skydiver's Handbook" by Dan Poynter, and the SIM (Skydivers' Information Manual.) Both will help you formulate proper questions. Don't take what others say as "mean" - they've been around the sport for awhile, and we ALL have seriously injured and DEAD friends. It's not that they are being mean - they have learned to recognize attitudes and mindsets (a good number of folks here ARE instuctors, after all.) Some attitudes will get you killed - no joke. I'm not saying you have a bad attitude; you have a noob's attitude, and you've complicated matters just a bit by being so young. But that's OK. I know you're new to the sport, and you're making an effort, but the first thing you did after your instructor told you to have some questions was come here hoping to receive those questions. To some of us, that's a red flag. Think for yourself, and study your ass off. Dropzone.com will still be here. Again, congrats on your first jump! T.I.N.S.

Cool.

Yes, I agree with you - and being a person who DID go through the SL progression, I can tell you that you I didn't even get the yellow card until after my first clear & pull jump. So technically, there were no TLO's until that jump and after. I think I'll shut the hell up for a while. T.I.N.S.

0:0 I feel your pain - I started to drive to the DZ today at around 11am, and called one of my friends before getting too far along. The pilot got sent home at about 11:30. SHIT!!!! This is the first weekend in a couple of months that I haven't made a jump! Shit!!!! (Do I sound disappointed? ) T.I.N.S.

They probably say that because there are no TLOs specifically associated with SL or Tandem jumps, as per se. T.I.N.S.

Well, yes...but somehow, at some point, someone (a coach) has to be there in freefall with you to verify that you have the skills you need signed off on your card. I think it's left kind-of open ended by the USPA, because every student is different, and every dropzone has their own method of training. I'll give you a sample scenario: Joe goes to a dropzone with AFF. He passes all 7 jumps. He needs 18 more jumps to get his license, but there are still skills and tasks (TLOs) he must learn and be signed off on by an instructor (That are NOT covered/completed in the 7-jump AFF course). It may be that he can complete these things with only 3 coach jumps, or he may have to do 18 or even 25, depending on his skill level, retention, weather, etc.. It took me 32 jumps to get mine, but that was largely because of time between jumps and currency. DO NOT assume that you will be the perfect student with perfect marks in your logbook, who gets there in exactly 25 jumps. Just go freakin' jump, and enjoy yourself. T.I.N.S.

Soooooorrrrrrryyyyy. Don't everybody pounce on my mistake at once..... T.I.N.S.

No sweat, Spencer. Sometimes, on this site, it may take anywhere from 5 to 72 replies before you get a straight answer. I love this place. Edited to add: Yes, you have to do one-on-one jumps with a coach. They are referred-to as consul jumps. For example, you may make 7 AFF jumps, and then have to make 18 consul jumps to get your A. T.I.N.S.

25 T.I.N.S.

I only have a few more jumps than you (the OP), so I can only offer my perspective on what a newbie should do. I just got my first rig a few weeks ago, and here's what I got: Talon from 1991: $250 (Not the prettiest rig, but DAMN solid) New BOC, chest strap, velcro replacement, and inspection/assembly: $114 PD230 9-cell main: $450 (20 jumps on it) Raven III reserve: $350 (never deployed, packed only twice before) Reserve pack: $50 Total cost to get in the air: $1164 The Raven III doesn't leave any room for an AAD in the container, and that's the only negative, really. I'd prefer to jump with one, but I'm jumping at a 182 DZ with very little traffic right now. I am, however, going to buy a Tempo 210 or a Raven II before next spring, because I DO want an AAD before going to any boogies. Don't let anyone talk you into spending more than you have to. I agree that if you have the money, buying new is mostly preferable to buying used - but you should consider the fact that your entire rig, used or new, will have to be inspected and approved by a rigger before you can jump it - and this rigger will apply the same standards whether the gear is new or not. People HAVE gotten defective products before, so there's no guarantee that the custom stuff you order will be absolutely perfect and absolutely safe. Do you get what I'm saying here? Look at it like this: Would you rather buy a brand new Chevy Cobalt or a 4 year old Honda Accord for half the money? (Not saying that's a likely scenario, I'm just being rhetorical. ) T.I.N.S.

I think you all got a lot of the same weather we had this weekend - cloudy and cold with ridiculous wind on saturday, then beautiful blue skies at say, 12:30pm with near perfect wind on sunday. I'm loathe to admit I was a fair-weathered skydiver this weekend, but I wanted to spend saturday with my wife, anyway. Really. Next weekend looks good, though! T.I.N.S.

Assuming you're being serious, we're talking about the Cessna 182 - skydiving's workhorse, before everyone got spoiled on Otters and Skyvans. Some people say it's the safest plane we have. Like a VW bug with wings. T.I.N.S.

I love our 182s!! We have a shit-ton of fun at my home DZ! T.I.N.S.

The skies didn't clear until I arrived at the DZ today, about 10 minutes before noon, and I managed to get on the first load, on an empty video slot. Got packed in less than 20 minutes after I landed (I AM getting faster), in time to get on a student load. We dropped a guy for a 5 second delay at 4500', then I chased (but not really) one of my instructors and a student from another DZ. I saw this guy sliding all over the place when I got within 300 feet of them, so I kept my ass well clear of the two of them, but it was cool to watch and remember how I must have looked (still look) to another jumper. The last load of the day was very interesting. A girl who'd taken the FJC a few weeks ago came out at about 3:00 to finally make her first Static Line jump. I got packed up in time to get on the load, and go on a hop-n-pop from 6 grand with the instructor. Also on this load was the guy from the previous load who'd fucked up his 5 second delay (by deploying on his back), and was going to attempt another. Is all that clear? We get geared-up, board, and get off the ground without incident. The young woman seems ok (she's somewhat tall, and very thin - could use a sandwich or two), and we ascend to 3200 feet. We level off, and the door opens. John, the instructor, gets her to put her feet out, but when it came time for her to grab the strut, she started yelling, "I CAN'T! I CAN'T - THERE'S TOO MUCH AIR PRESSURE!" John tries to help her put her hands out, but it's no use - she's just not going. So he brings her back in and closes the door. It was obvious she was embarrassed, but we all assured her it was ok. Now, if you've never been in a 182 when the student in position 1 bugs out, let me tell you - it's not pretty. Somehow, John got it worked out so that the other student and the girl traded places without rocking the airplane. Then he told me he had to ride the plane down with her, and to be ready to go at 4500, right after Mr. 5-second delay - he'd slide in back-to-dash after the student was climbing out, and I should go right after. Once again, the guy exits, spins, and deploys on his back, and out I go. Cool thing is, it was my best hop-n-pop ever - very clean poised exit, followed by a smooth pull and buttery deployment. Gotta love my PD230!!! It was a fun day, even though it was a short jumping day. Stay warm out there people - make sure you've got warm gloves and a nice gaiter or balaclava! Also, I found out people dig it when you bring mints or TicTacs to share at 5000' - helps deal with dry mouth and dragon breath...... Thanks for reading - T.I.N.S.

That's not actually a licence, is it? I don't mean to get picky with you, but "graduating" AFF doesn't put an A license in your hand, and that's what Muzzy was asking about. While I'm only a 42-jump newbie, and I do respect your numbers and experience, I don't like it when people put it like that. It will cost upwards of $2000 to get your A licence, full stop. Graduating, so to speak, isn't an accurate term, even though some DZs address it as such. If you pass the 7-jump AFF Course, you are cleared for solo status - meaning you can jump by yourself unsupervised ($22), with a coach (approx. $70 with gear), or with a D-license holder. Check the SIM for real accurate info on the requirements. (Please understand that I mean no disrespect, Pirana.) Edited to add: By the way, MRVS is open all year round. Come out and try the dope rope! T.I.N.S.

I understand why you posted this thread, but I still don't like it. Everything you do matters. Everything you say matters. To everyone. Everything. He, probably more than anyone else, knows the risk he is taking, for himself and his family. We should all hope that nothing like that ever happens to one of our presidents - EVER again. It would be not only tragic for the country, I think it would likely spark a revolution/civil war. History is what it is, but that doesn't mean it HAS to repeat itself. T.I.N.S.

I see where you're coming from - the diehards from either party will almost always have a double standard. I won't deny that it's probably true that a LOT of people voted for him because he's black - and there are probably as many who did not vote for him because of that. The truth is, at least in my case, that if the John McCain who spoke last night in the concession speech had been the same man who had campaigned for the president, I would have had a rough time deciding who to vote for. The guy I saw speaking last night was classy, ELOQUENT, and inspiring. The guy I saw campaigning was erratic, nasty, and insulting. And as far as his "bulldog" in-training goes: I STILL do not understand the reasoning (besides strengthening the Republican base) behind choosing Palin as his running mate. If he was TRULY about country first, he could not, in good conscience, choose someone who is clearly not qualified to succeed him. For what it's worth, I voted for Obama because I believe he stands a better chance of healing our relationships with the other countries on this planet. He strikes me as intelligent, humble, and thoughtful. His relationships with his wife and kids plays a small part, as well. I'm tired of us always electing somebody who's prone to fucking around on his wife. Having grown up with that dynamic, I won't ever knowingly vote for a adulterer or philanderer. My .02 T.I.N.S.

My wife and I both wept a bit by the end of Obama's speech. It's very inspiring to know someone like him will be in that office - someone who will actually fucking pronounce words correctly, who can actually absorb information and complex concepts. Someone who didn't have a legacy to follow, whose DAD wasn't there to prepare a future spot for him - he actually earned it through humility, intelligence, and perseverance. Whenever I've seen someone "meet the President" in the past, I've always thought it was just a wing-flap - but I'd be very honored to meet Barack Obama. T.I.N.S.

So why don't you articulate EXACTLY what is wrong with this choice we made? Is it that only a republican is capable of really aiding us in our current crises? Or is it because *OMG* he's NOT a white man? For my money, no one is using the R word here - but I see plenty of evidence to recognize it in action. Most of the racist people I've known in my life are usually the ones who will say things like, "You know, I'm not racist, but insert situationally appropriate racial slur here." I wonder if all the people freaking out over this would be as upset if Obama was a republican. Oh, wait - would you even let a black man make it to the Republican primary??? T.I.N.S.

No, no - you won't have to make an SL jump - you'll have to do a regular pull like you normally do. It will just be from a lower-than-normal exit altitude, 3k or so. Ask your instructors about your Hop-n-pop, and they'll explain it better. Sorry for the confusion. I suck. T.I.N.S.

"First time saving your own life" is most likely a reference to us Static Line babies - the first time you actually pull for yourself instead of having the static line do it for you. We call it a Clear & Pull, and it's usually done between 3k and 4k. You'll have the pleasure of doing one before you graduate AFF. T.I.N.S.

Congrats on your first jump - and welcome to the sport! Stay current as best you can, and ask your instructors tons of questions. It sounds as if you have a good attitude, which seems to be one of the most important factors in this activity. It's also VERY important that you follow the beer rules. You'll know when it's time. T.I.N.S.

WOW! You just described exactly what I did on my last jump last weekend! High (but steady) winds at altitude and on the ground. Luckily, I was only a foot off the ground when I did that, and managed to half-ass PLF (but not really!). Mine was to the left, not the right, so I'm special...... Afterward, the DZO, who had been watching the whole time, came up to me while I was un-gearing in the hangar and asked, "So, why do you think that just happened - what caused you to land like that?" All I could come up with was, "Uh...uneven flare? I was trying to compensate for the wind I felt blow me to the right, I guess." His explanation was almost exactly what you said. He said he sees experienced jumpers do this all the time, and all of them are unaware of what they did, as well. I'm REALLY glad I was under my big-ass PD230 when it happened instead of something more aggressive - I LOVE my canopy! His advice was that when I feel forward movement cease, just wait. Don't do anything - the ground WILL find you. Continue to fly your canopy all the way through the landing. Thanks again, by the way, TD!!!! T.I.N.S.

Bump. Bump for more boobs. Oh, and if you're squeamish, don't look. It's NSFW! T.I.N.S.

I remember my dad saying/quoting something like this: Stress is what happens when the mind overrides the body's natural desire to choke the living shit out of some asshole who clearly deserves it. T.I.N.S.