shibu

You mean like this guy? http://www.iloveskydiving.org/view/videos/friday-freakout-nasty-double-parachute-malfunction/ Just because Brian Germain says it, doesn't make it a good idea. Well not exactly like that. lol. Thanks for the video. Not exactly what I was looking for but I enjoyed it anyway. Who would think that could happen from flipping through your risers? Glad I never had the urge. I don't think he meant it was a good idea. He just wrote that he did it during his first boogie. In fact he did say he nearly collided into another canopy.

Not delusional about what I can do under the canopy.. but thanks for the advice. Good looking out.

In Chp2 of Brian Germain's "The Parachute & it's Pilot" book, he writes about an experience in 1987 when he hooked his knees over his slider & spiraled radically while hanging upside down. Does anyone have any links to video of anyone doing anything like this?

Made 3 solo jumps at SDLI & I'm seeing a definite improvement trend. I think the alt loss was prob due more to a poor track/dive position rather than just poor alt awareness, but you can never be too altitude aware. I landed in the overshoot area on the last of the 3 jumps but I think this may be partially bc I kept switching canopy sizes due to lack of availability (1st jump NAV260, 2nd NAV240, 3rd NAV260). I am staying at SDLI until I improve on my canopy skills / Target accuracy. I am back in the sport for as long as I am capable.

Yes I was diving in my track.. not head down mind you but it was a sloppy diving track. I suppose that could have been half the problem. Thanks for asking... Still lost alti awareness though.. but this is something I'll keep in mind. Thanks.

I know I love it... Just don't want to kill anyone while I am learning... but thanks... I think???

Thanks for the info. I plan on sitting down with an instructor prior to my next jump. I wanted to show them that I have a plan already to make sure I don't repeat the potentially fatal mistakes I already made. I ordered Germain's book & in the meantime I will read over the articles you linked to. Thank you for all of the relevant info. And to everyone else who posted the replies... Thanks for taking the time to give me that much needed advice. I didn't expect all the responses. I feel much better with these numerous suggestions. I will be sure to go over them with my instructor or coach prior to implementing them but I am certain many of them will be very helpful.

That's great advice. Honestly I didn't know what to do about my brain counting too slow. At least now I have a plan to recalibrate my brain for proper altitude awareness. BTW, I read this article & was very impressed. I am going to try & rush order his book. Any recommendations on other books/videos for canopy training?

This sounds similar to what my coach told me after the dive. I just forgot how important it was to unbuckle at 1k ft.. how that can take down the whole plane.. I suppose that just comes down to lack of preparation. I am re reading everything I can find before my next scheduled visit to the DZ in ~2 1/2 weeks. There is no excuse for walking too close to the prop.. even though it was right after my roof landing. Thanks for the advice. I'll take it to heart.

Thanks for the response. That makes alot of sense. Clearly not staying current was the cause of all of my problems.. except maybe my lack of altitude awareness.. that still scares me. I am going to read everything I can to help me get more proficient & if I realize that I can not stay current.. well then maybe I am not as committed as I should be to this sport. Thanks for the perspective.

I have enjoyed skydiving in the past & would love to start up again. I recently made two jumps after a 4 yr lapse. I only have an A license so I took a recurrency training class. Unfortunately due to weather conditions I was unable to jump for ~2mos after I took the course. I made ~6 mistakes in 2 days that could have jeopardized my life or the lives of others. I definately need more canopy training. I'm reading Basic Canopy Flight & watching the Basic Canopy Flight video from Skydive University. I also found this article here that I will read today: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/safety/detail_page.cgi?ID=536 But besides canopy issues I also did not have good altitude awareness. I pulled.. but too low.. which I think added to my poor canopy control. Here is the scary part. On my second jump I turned 90 deg away from my coach @ 6,500ft & tracked for what I thought was 5 sec. When I opened my altimeter said 2,000ft! If I didn't realized that I dropped ~3,500 while I was tracking, is my brain too slow for the sport now??? If not, are there any other articles you can suggest on canopy control... I mean really basic stuff like how low you can safely turn... Or are there other things you would suggest other than reading? The mistakes I made ranged from 1) not removing the seatbelt @1kft in the plane 2) walking too close to the plane's prop after a bad landing. 3) Not maintianing Altitude awareness 2 dyas in a row 4) Bad landings. One very hard.. One on a roof!

Ive been recently been looking for the same thing. Skydive University does appear to have some good videos. I have an old version of their basic body flight video which is good although a bit remedial in that it only goes over the basic position, turns, up & down. I just orderd dvd which combines Basic Canopy Flight & Basic Body Flight. http://www.skydiveu.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=ce73b5d4a967e6866e646cb04d05aece I also have & reccomend Fly Like a Pro which you can get from ParaGear's web site. Yesterday I found some great free video clips on expert village from a Niklas Daniel. You can also order them and I may, but the free clips are great for students & people looking to get an A license. http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/sky-dive-sit-fly.htm UPDATE: OK, I have now watched & recomend Skydive U's 1. Basic Canopy Flight & Basic Body Flight 2. Learning to Freefly - Backfly 3. Learning to Sitfly But take my advice with a grain of salt b/c I have yet to sitfly. Also regarding the free clips from expertvillage, they are worth watching (& they are free) but they are a bit misleading for new skydivers. For ex, the video states you should be comftorable sitflying & backflying before you attempt foreward or backward loops. Not the case for skydiving students who are required to do a front & backloop prior to getting an A license. Most skydivers have a A before they attempt any sitflying. Also I emailed him & he stated that he does not have any skydiving videos for sale. Just the free clips on expert village. I am also looking foreward to Human Flight Software Program which Skydive U says is due to be released in november. http://www.skydiveu.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=31&osCsid=ce73b5d4a967e6866e646cb04d05aece

You may be correct. Everyone I ask seems to say it is not legal for anyone but the military to jump there. I'm still hopefull that it may be possible although I will probably wait until I get my C license before I attempt it.

I've been looking for good instrucdtional ideos for some time & I came across these great free clips on expert village. Im still a student but it seems really informative. http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/sky-dive-free-flip.htm Click here for more on "Skydiving & Free-Flying Techniques"

Ive been recently been looking for the same thing. Skydive University does appear to have some good videos. I have an old version of their basic body flight video which is good although a bit remedial in that it only goes over the basic position, turns, up & down. I just orderd dvd which combines Basic Canopy Flight & Basic Body Flight. http://www.skydiveu.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21&osCsid=ce73b5d4a967e6866e646cb04d05aece I also have & reccomend Fly Like a Pro, which you can get from ParaGear's web site. Yesterday I found some great free video clips or expert village from a Niklas Daniel. You can also order them and I may, but the free clips are great for students & people looking to get an A license. http://www.expertvillage.com/videos/sky-dive-sit-fly.htm

I am accompanying my future wife there to see her family. My family is originally from India. I was born and raised in the USA but I think I can pass if I keep my mouth shut & leave my baseball caps at home. Its a dangerous place even for the locals at times and being an American and/or Indian will not help... Now that I think of it the safest place for me will probablty be 5k AGL.

Ok sounds like I'm biting off more than I can chew. Any suggestions on how to start learning about surveying the land... are there any books to read about it... sounds like it is a subject in itself. Should I wait unitll I have a C or D license before I attempt something like this? Or do I need 700+ jumps and 7 years in the sport?

Looking into the laws.... Im trying but dont know where to start. Hopefully whoever I charter it from can help me. Cost per jump for me alone... yes very expensive Im sure, but how often will I be in Pakistan. Surveying the land area... only 24 jumps. Good point. I did think of this already. Hopefully I will have 50 or so by the time I do it but I realize I am still very new to the sport.... Any ideas on what to look for when surveying the land. Are there any web sites with maps showing hazerdous objects such as power lines? How could I do this besides actually driving around the area.

I will be making my first trip to Pakistan in the next 6 mos or so. It seems that not too many people have jumped there. I cant find any organized skydiving clubs & my attempts at contacting flying clubs have thus far been fruitless. Does anyone know how to go about chartering a helicopter or hot air balloon for this purpose? I know I have to check the winds, etc but what area should I be looking for in a country with no dropzones? I would hate to run into a ceasna or get shot at on the way down. BTW, I expect that I will only have an A license by the time I get there.

That's great! I've heard people referrring to the SIM but I never knew it was available online free of charge. Thanks again

No I am not trying to learn how to skydive online. lol. I havent jumped in several years & I am going to take my IAF Course followed by my level 4 jump. I know the last time I took this course the DZ provided me with a comprehensive textbook / manual. This forum is great, but does anyone know where I can find some sort of IAF level 4 course material online. I called the DZ already & they will only give it to me when I take the course & I would like to get a jump on it.

Are you sure it doesnt say that you can graduate from the IAF program in as little as 13 jumps? You still have to complete more jumps & I think a written exam before you get your A license. You may be able to skip over 1 or all 3 of the Tandem jumps with your previoous experience. Those are the most $$$ jumps.