laughn_gas

I pray.... I ask that I be safe for myself and others, have fun, and if anything happens to me please watch over my children.

I'm new to skydiving. I'd love to live at the DZ and jump every day, if I could. But I have a career, Wife and 3 kids. My boys have separate activities that I WANT to attend (Boyscouts, Baseball, Karate). I try to balance everything out as well as I can. For now it seems to be working OK, but would like to get more air time than I've been getting. My wife supports me 100%. Not to sure if thats a good thing......Everytime I pull, I'm expecting my dirty laundry to come pouring out. She always has supported everything I've ever done. (WHAT I AM ABOUT TO SAY IS NOT ADVICE!!!!) If she did not support me or was worried about my well being to the extent that it affected our relationship I would have given it up. I would have done my one tandem and walked away. FOR ME,.... family is more important..... I think that there is a ton of information out there, that you could try to educate her with.... And maybe she'll come around. Maybe all she needs is just some time to get used to the whole idea of YOU skydiving. Take the kids out there and maybe they can help her come around..... Good luck!!!!! I know that your not the only one that has gone through this

Hello everyone! I'm looking for a DZ that has a bigger landing area than the average, for winter jumping. My home DZ is Skydive Chicago and would feel more comfortable with a bigger landing area until my canopy skills improve. Also, Is there a site out there that you can get, up to date aerial photos of DZ's? Thanks for your suggestions Sorry for any confusion..... I'm looking to travel throughout the winter, in search of warmer locations, with bigger landing areas than the average DZ. See ya in a minute. Peace out!

Accept your fear. Once you're out the door, you'll notice that the fear was left behind in the aircraft. Enjoy your first jump.

cloudy + Rain + Long Island tea X 7 ( maybe 8,9, 0r 10 ) = No Damn Jumps. See ya in a minute. Peace out!

Your examples all involve you offering to do something. This thread is about those who ask for something, and expect it for nothing. Often times working skydivers give far more back to the sport than fun jumpers. Do you always see it? Not likey, if yu are a weekend fun jumper, you're there during the busy days, where the staff is busy with a full workload. Try spending 7 days a week at the DZ. See how many staff members will jump in to help fill a load, and end up organizing whoever is around. Maybe during a time when they're not trying to make back-to-back loads, then they offer to help quickly finish off a pack job to get the plane flying again. Or on a quiet Tuesday afternoon, they will take the time to let a newbie sit in on a reserve pack job so they can see what goes on in there. These are all things that most jumpers don't get to see just due to scheduling. If you're only around on the weekends, all you see is the staff pre-occupied with their own business (it's called making rent, or putting food on the table). Keep in mind that each of the professional skydivers started out the same way you did. They took it far enough, dedicated themselves to it enough, and had enough help from others to make it a lifestyle. Also keep in mind that you NEED these people. Who are you going to see when you need rigging done? Who takes your buddy on a tandem once you talk him into showing up at the DZ? Who takes the video and stills of your buddy? What happens when you need advice on how to freefly/swoop/fly a wingsuit? This is where you need a guy who has done nothing but jump for 10 years. amd can set you straight, and save you time, money, and possible injury. If everyone before you didn't come through with cold hard cash, that guy wouldn't exist. He'd have 500 jumps instead of 5000. He'd have a few ideas about how to freefly or swoop, but he wouldn;t have th expertise to properly guide you. So pay up. Ask a professional for professional level service, and bring your checkbook. Thats how it works. We're all still friends, but a guy has to pay the bills. You pay the DZO for his services, pay the others staff members for theirs. I guess I'm in a bit of misunderstanding. The staff at my DZ is OUTSTANDING!!!!!! They are the ones that make me feel as if I belong. But getting to know the fun jumppers has been a bit of a challenge. I go out to the DZ in the middle of the week and on the weekends. And it seems like I enjoy the middle of the week better, even though the loads don't go up as often. Like I said in an earlier post, I'm a bit shy. Who's fault is that?.... I know it's mine.

I happily paid for the service of instruction in skydiving. I'm excited about owning my first rig. I agree that those who do this as their profession, should be compensated for their time. This is what they do to make money. My point is more geared toward the fun jumper. If I were to see someone always going up on a load by themselves, I would ask if they would like to jump. Someone that is having trouble packing. offer a helping hand. If they were not that interested?.....Or not paying any attention to what I had to say?..... I can take a hint. They don't want my help. Their loss not mine. I don't want anything from them. If that were my job?...... Then it's a different story. But if someone offered you a coach jump and when you got down, He TOLD you that you were paying for his pack job, how would that make you feel? Before you reply to that, remember that he TOLD you that you were going to pay for it after the fact. Don't get me wrong, I'm greatful that he gave me a coach jump. The six measly dollars has nothing to do with it. It's the way it was said knowing that I'm the new kid on the block. At least thats the way I feel about it. I hope I didn't offend anyone, because that is not my intention. I'm just giving my $.02 on the thread. See ya in a minute. Peace out!

I'm new to the sport. I'm the guy who has 30 jumps, and knows just enough to be dangerous. I expected, after I got off of student status, people would just be lining up to jump with me. That is not the case.

I just finished AFP about a month ago. I'm 35, have a wife and 3 kids, a mortgage, and a job that I absoulutely hate ( Aircraft mechanic . Ironic?). Right now it seems like balance between skydiving, and a normal life, exists. But is on the edge of being out of control. So far, finances are still in check.(still renting gear, and probably will for the rest of the season) But I'm willing to do what ever it takes to jump every weekend possible. I'm going on a two week vacation today and am not happy about it. I'm going to miss Summerfest at SDC. I'm going to start planning my vacations around skydiving next year. I have ambitions to become an instructor so I can cut back on my bullshit everyday job. I could never quit, but I won't have to be there as much. I want my family out at the dropzone with me as much as they can stand. My wife is behind me 100%. All I think about is SKYDIVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My boys are 8, 7, 5. I know exactly the feeling your talking about. I am new to the sport and that feeling is starting to fade away the more jumps I make. It's the risk vs. reward. I know there is risk in this sport, but I also know that I could be taken from this earth in many ways other than skydiving. I think that I came to terms with " when it's my time to go, it's my time to go"..... Don't think that your being an irresponsible parent just because you skydive, because your not! Be a more responsible skydiver because your a good parent.(if that made any sense at all) See ya in a minute. Peace out!

It's usually the thing that ends up on my finger after picking my nose. See ya in a minute. Peace out!

What kind of helmets do the Golden Nights wear? I would try to wear what they wear. The more you can practice with the same equipment as they have the better off you'd be. JMO. See ya in a minute. Peace out!

I Think some people make the decision to become a skydiver before they actually skydive. I tried to get away with not doing my tandems, (2 ea.) and go straight into the AFP program at my Dropzone. They would not allow it. I think that was the wiser choice. I got to enjoy every aspect of the skydive. My second tandem I started cocentrating on the objectives of being able to save my own life. As someone mentioned above, the sensory overload she'll experience when she gets closer to the door will be overwhelming. My opinion is do the tandem first. But either way she chooses to go, IT'S ALL GOOD!! See ya in a minute. Peace out!

I've never had a negative skydiving dream, until I read this F'n thread. Thanks alot....... See ya in a minute. Peace out!

Hello all! First, I would like to begin by thanking each and every one of you for your supportive advice. Every post on this thread meant something to me, and I took a piece of everyones advice to the DZ with me. Last week I took the family to Disney in Orlando. It was going to be a short trip just for the kids, but I knew the tunnel was only 25 min. away. I was with my wife and kids, at Disney, and all I could think about was That I had to hit that tunnel before I leave. I convinced my wife that we needed to stay another day so I could do this.... It didn't take too much covincing, she was very willing to stay.

What about borrowing the $ from your 401k? My 401k allows me to borrow the money and pay myself back, within 60 mo. I know that there is a $50 processing fee, but I'm not sure if I have to pay taxes on that money that gets withdrawn. Anyhow thats what I plan on doing......Comments? good/bad idea? See ya in a minute. Peace out!

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Hello all! My DZ closes for the winter, so it's been a long wait..... It's finally open again and have been waiting to jump again. I'm currently on my level 6. Last Nov. was my last jump, and it did not go very well. I guess my rig did not fit well and I had an unstable pull. Everything went fine except that it really freaked me out. I felt restricted in my harness, at pull time, I had a hard time reaching back, and had to kick my left leg out to get my hand back to the hackey. That's when I decided to wait until Spring to continue....... It has been such a long winter. Reading these forums and watching vids on skydivingmovies.com got me through it all. I've been so excited about nice weather coming our way. I've been to the DZ twice now, and have left due to FEAR!!!!! F'n straight up frightened. I've been looking forward to jumping all winter, drive an hour each way, and have left....... I'm usually not the type of person that runs away from his fears, but I guess that does not apply in this case. I know that there is not much advice that you can give me, except to just jump and get it over with. What I would like to know is, have you seen this before? Are there any words of encouragement out there for me? I think about jumping all the time and it's something that I really want for myself. But as soon as I pull into the parking lot, fear just surrounds me and takes over...... The way I left the sport last season really bothers me. I'm also posting this to admit my fear and hopefully I'll be able to accept it and move on..........Right now I'm just a basket case over the whole thing. I was out there this morning 100% ready to jump...... Now I find myself sitting at home pissed off at myself, and very ashamed........... See ya in a minute. Peace out!

1. What led you to want to jump out of an airplane?I've always wanted to jump since I was a kidWhen was your first jump?Sep. 2006 How many jumps have you done?8 2. Has it become an addiction, or at the very least, a great love? Why? At this point for me, it's an addiction. I think as I get more experienced it will grow into a deep spiritual thing for me. 3. Do you feel an instant connection with others who have been skydiving, even if you’ve never met them before? The people that I have met so far, Have been GREAT! I'm kind of a loner. I usually don't feel a deep conection with someone 'til I get to know them. But it seems that we all have something in common 4. Do you consider skydiving to be a sub-culture? Yes 5. What kind of people do YOU think want to skydive? Is there a certain type in your opinion? I think there are types of people who gravitate towards adventure. 6. Are there nicknames for people who haven’t been skydiving?Wuffo Is there a nickname for a first-timer? Newbie. Thats me

Messed around with it until 3am. Great job!!!!!! More,please. See ya in a minute. Peace out!

I work for an airline and fly standby. During spring break, it is very hard for me to fly. People that visit Orlando, Cali, and other hot spots must get back to wherever they came from.College students high school etc, all have thier spring breaks scattered throughout the month of march and april across the U.S. It does not matter what part of the country it is, flights are packed. It's a great benefit ( to fly for free), but it sucks when your stuck in a city for a extra day or two, when you need to get home and do some skydive'n See ya in a minute. Peace out!

I'm currently on level 6 AFP @ Skydive Chicago. The season just opened back up, and AFP starts April 13th. I've been doing well so far, but wanted some tunnel time to build confidence, before I began jumping again. I wanted to wait until spring to do my tunnel time, so I would not forget what I'll learn. Due to spring break, the flights have been absolutely packed and looks like I'm not going to get the chance at that tunnel time before the AFP refresher course begins. I took that week off of work, to complete my "A" license. Here is the million $ question....... Do you think it would benefit me to Take my AFP refresher course, Fly out the next day and hit the tunnel, then fly back and start level 6? Or just keep plugging away at my levels? What do you think? See ya in a minute. Peace out!

I'm currently on AFP level 6 @ SDC. Although I have nothing to compare it to, I feel that SDC is one of the BEST DZ's to receive my training at. They are very professional. DON'T WAIT! JUMP!!!!!! There is an AFP class starting April 13th. If you have any questions at all they will be more than happy to answer them. You can also go out there and talk to some of the jumpers and instructors. You won't be disappointed. PM me with any questions regarding the facilities. TOP NOTCH!!!!!!!! See ya in a minute. Peace out!

Great job and congrats! Nice pic

Just wondering if this could have been prevented with a gear check. Glad your OK, man! See ya in a minute. Peace out!