Baksteen

What do you mean, "meep meep - didn't you forget something?" "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Don't let the smile fool ya... he'll whoop your ass with his cane! "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Only one suggestion: You might get fewer dives for the same amount of money, but think of it this way; doing one on one coaching jumps with video, will teach you more than failing to get into a formation. blah blah not an instructor yadda yadda few jump numbers. (perhaps I should make this my sig..) "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

I know my previous post should go in the Blue Skies forum, but it seemed crass to simply skim over VB's post.. Back to the topic :4:1 4: two three-ways with Pieter and Frits, both of which funneled thanks to me One compressed exit with Alejandro which went quite okay

I cannot even begin to imagine what you and the other people at your DZ must going through. My thoughts are with you and your friends. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

whuffo: So, how much do you pay for a skydive then? Hmm.. so that's 24 euros plus 12 euros gear rental until you have your own? Having sex is a lot cheaper (hur hur hur) that amount of dough will almost buy me a cheap hooker! me: With skydiving the orgasm lasts a minute.. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Good to hear that (except the stomach bug of course) - and your dad rocks! "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

except that everyone says that, right along with "please accept my condoleances". I'm always afraid I'll sound insincere or cliche. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Red Davy Kidd ?? what happened to the traditional unwashed cuttroat bandits? Guess they mean Olldywood traditional.. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Arr matey.. What be this nonsense then? "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

-So... You're washing up then? Er, no - I'm teaching the cutlery how to swim -Can I ask you something? You just did. -Would you mind working this weekend? What do YOU think? -Money doesn't buy happiness Yeah, well - neither does poverty. I'd rather be unhappy and rich. At least I'd get to jump more.. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

What did the bull say when they shot his mate? Holy cow! "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Yeah, well.. you know how it is. The young crowd don't know the old jokes

Yeah well.. I wasn't always specifically referring to the OP in my post, also ranting in general. I'm 6'2" by the way, so I know all about ill fitting rigs. I jumped a rig a few times that had the cutaway and reserve so high when I was wearing it that I could just see it in freefall. I did a lot of reserve dummies before feeling comfortable (touching my handles on the ground, in the plane and in freefall, with my eyes closed). The part you're referring to wasn't criticsm (of the OP anyway), just saying that the student gear may fit poorly but it isn't "unsafe".. Like I said, I'm from a small DZ - I was often able to jump the same rig or even my own packjob. I guess that's different and i was lucky.. A favourite pet peeve of mine is when someone has 175 jumps but stand around helplessly when there's no packer. Or when someone with that amount of jumps doesn't even attempt to untangle a main but simply palms it off to the packers. I guess the markets are different over here.. stuff is more expensive and when looking for gear I rarely saw anything above a 190 for sale.. but I'm sure that some experienced jumper will chime in now to correct this impression. Sure. But heaven forbid a low-timer like me talks about anything than from their own experiences on DZ.com. Additionally, I was feeling cranky and took a random stab at the "quick downsizing crowd" and the people who buy a rig to "grow into". How is this relevant to the OP? I don't recommend she waits until she has over 150 jumps, like I did. What i said was: You'll know when you're ready, just don't rush. That's all. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

From the second episode (which originally aired in 1982) of my favourite sitcom: Doctor: Why Koos - that's a nasty gash you have there.. What happened to you? Mien (Koos's wife): Yeah, doc, it's my birthday today so Koos took me to the chinise restaurant and after that we went to a bar. Well, you know how it goes, right.. beer, beer, beer, more beer-" Koos: -wine wine wine wine..- Mien: -"So I was talking to this nice person at the bar and Koos got jealous, see.." Koos: "It was a JOKE!" Mien: A poor joke, that was. So anyway, Koos has been taking judo classes lately and simply couldn't resist putting two fingers in the guy's neck in a way that probably hurts very much. So the guy gets really angry and asks what the hell and Koos tells him smugly it was a shashimi - that's judo, from Japan. So the guy loses it, storms out of the bar and comes back with a length of iron, socks Koos in the head with it and says: "that's the jack of my Mitsubishi.. also from Japan." "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

On the other hand, I have over a hundred jumps on oh so despised student gear but only a few bruises. Bruises that weren't a result of me acting stupid, having poor body position at pull time or doing a crappy packjob that is (being a small DZ I tried -with some success- to jump my own packjobs as often as possible). Off topic, IMO there's a lot of people who are WAY too fast with buying gear, simply because they have this "prejudice" (if you wish) against student gear and therefore buying a 240 and getting bored with the "boat" after making thirty jumps (if that much) with the canopy. Alternatively they downsize way too agressively to get a certain canopy model/size and get hurt. But jumping anything but your own gear can't possibly be cool now can it? I say f*ck the cool guys and gels - take your time in deciding whether skydiving is for you and just how much you can reasonably expect to jump. Then buy gear - all the money you'll "piss away" jumping rentals is nothing compared to making an unwise purchase. Gear that does nothing but sit in the closet costs money too - repack that goes stale, cypres that has less years before it expires, 5 yo gear versus 10yo etc. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

What? Yet another celebrity who is apparently not getting enough attention claiming to have kissed a girl. Yaaawn... "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Nope

Unfortunately, the thing about driving and skydiving is bullshit. The only thing they have in common is that you can take certain precautions to make it safer for you. In the beginning, I would certainly not mention wingsuiting and all that; you'll not be doing that kinda stuff for quite a while anyway as you first have to meet the basic requirements. Instead, focus on the safety aspects of the sport. First, in the netherlands you have to take a medical examination every two years or until you achieve the B-licence specifically approving one for skydiving. Second, there is a ground class which may take up to eight hours, in which you'll learn the basics about gear, how to determine whether the canopy above your head is landable, how to solve malfunctions, the drilling of emergency procedures (EPs) etc. Now I do not know about the US, but at my Dutch DZ we had to "prove" that we had understood the basics as taught to us both by taking a written test and being suspended from the ceiling in a parachute harness and performing the EPs based on scenarios the instructor would hand us. This practical exam must be repeated every three months until one achieves one's C-licence. Only when we managed to satisfy them were we allowed into the plane. Once in the air you are not allowed to jump out of the plane until the instructor has determined the plane is in the correct location. If you're doing AFF there will be two very experienced instructors with you to make sure you do your stuff correctly and if necessary to assist with opening the parachute. Once it's open you're on your own though.. As to gear, there is stuff that can make life (or keep living ) a bit easier for you, like skyhooks, RSLs, AADs, not jumping small canopies or elliptical ones too soon etc. Look these terms up. It's also worthwhile to mention that a reserve parachute may not be packed by anyone but an individual who has had a specific training. These individual are called "riggers", and the rating is by no means easy to achieve. First and foremost though, none of what I have written above will guarantee that you survive on any given skydive, malfunction or no - only YOU can do that by keeping a cool head and acting as you were taught. Think about whether you really, really, really want to skydive and make sure that you can explain why. All the stuff about precautions and safety are just spices to make the story more palatable. Skydiving CAN maim or kill you - and will if you are overconfident. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

You are right that a smaller canopy has a greater forward speed, however it also descends a lot faster and therefroe will not help you making it back to the landing area. But landing dead centre in the peas should never be you top priority on a jump - that should be landing safely. Ask your instructors about flying the pattern, maybe you misunderstood something. I know I did when I just started out... Another idea might be to dedicate a number of jumps to canopy control once you got your clear & pull signed off. No freefall on that jump, but opening high and focussing on learning how to fly the canopy. Your instructors can provide you with some great drills to work on, helping you to really get to know the canopy you're flying. If possible have someone (and by this I obviously don't mean your 25-jump friend) observe you once you feel you've mastered a drill and have them debrief the jump with you. Anyway, it worked for me. Oh yeah; blah blah not an instructor, low jump numbers, few years in sport and all that drivel... "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

NickDG once made a post in which he tells of what actually happened during Lutz's jump. Took me a lot of sifting through all the drivel, hating and bitching about Lutz on here to find out what really happened on that jump (thanks Nick) and maybe the old post is relevant again in this thread. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Could work on his "speling" a little, but his wife is the most important thing in the world to him, right before the pets and even before sydiving. "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Walter is the best! He reminds me of.. well, me actually "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

:0:0 Awful weekend skydivingwise. Plane's "down for may-tay-nunce". WHoever this May-tay guy is, he's keeping me from jumping And here's li'l old me with my crispy crackly new canopy, both of us aching to fall out of da plane.... Nothing for me to do now but to stalk vskydiver on facebook, muahahahaha "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom

Yours? You'll be paying the buyer "That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom