taylor.freefall

Dunno, everyone been the same?! had to watch I love new york.

You need to put yourself under an appropriate canopy, no doubt, and a 1:1 WL is usually a good place to start, but that's all it is, a start. Once you choose your canopy, then the real work of becoming a pilot begins. I think you're overestimating the amount of extra safety that you'll get from loading a canopy lighter and lighter. You can injure or kill yourself under a canopy at .8 just as well as at 1.0. Also, please don't let the current fixation on wingloading dominate your thinking. Wingloading is just one variable in a much more complex equation, and the belief some people seem to have that if you're within the recommended WL guidelines, you're safe, is simply false. Wing loading is a very easy thing to get caught up in, because it is easy to determine, easy to harp on, doesn't require any extra effort from more experienced jumpers, makes sense on initial inspection, and is, in reality, part of the problem. However, fixation on WL is obscuring our view of the larger problem of inadequate training and not enough focus on canopy control. Yeah I think youre right, I probably am getting caught up in the whole WL thing, which, as you say, is only part of a bigger picture. I do feel that as a result of this (now long) post I have a better overall understanding of how everything fits together, and hopefully other newbies also. The problem right now rental costs are killing me, then buying costs are bloody high also, its a difficult position to be in, what do you do for the best??! I've come to the conclusion look for second hand, which I feel like I'm now in a better position to do. Oh and enter every competition to win free stuff

He's ex British special forces, had to retire after breaking his back skydiving in Africa.

There is no safe limit. The risk never goes to zero, no matter how big your canopy is. The pilot is what is 'safe' or 'dangerous', smaller canopies just expose your piloting deficiencies more readily, and make the consequences for mistakes worse. Stop worrying about your canopy choice and start worrying about your canopy piloting. To be honest I have to worry about my canopy choice and try to make an informed decision based upon my experience level. I'm sure you would agree that after twelve jumps I'm not going to be great at canopy piloting so canopy size, at my experience level, is in fact crucial? I also think your splitting hairs when you say there is no safe limit - well no, but there's certainly safer limits, and it would be irresponsible not to try and reduce as much danger as possible. It's important to me to try and build up as much knowledge as possible as this in turn will help me to become a safer (better) skydiver, not just for me but for all those around me.

What you wrote above that didn't make sense to me.

Well, If you missed the answer read me first post, the short answer was there... Your first post makes no sense,

PD 7 or 9 cell is a piece of history. What on where? You not suppose to load an F1-11 canopy more than 1.0. How about reading the warning label on the canopy before you pack? Go ahead, an ankle heals fast, about 4 month off.... I'm trying to ask serious beginner questions and youre coming across as quite a smart arse. Your sarcastic answers are not useful. It's people like you that put off new people asking questions. If you have nothing constructive to say then please, dont say anything.

Looking at manafacturers guidelines for max weight limits for students/novices/int/adv etc, the recommended weight limits are WAY below what wing loading theory would suggest. Example PD 218 it says something like the max weight limit should be 170lbs. but using the wing loading theory you could be 218lbs out the door making a WL of 1.0:1. Am I making any sense here? So what I'm saying is that if you follow manafacturers guidelines theres no way a student/novice could even get near a 1 -1 WL?! I'm confused. I used to think a parachute was just a parachute, beans are beans and cheese is cheese?! And then if you exceeded those guidelines is that then dangerous?

Can anybody recommend a rigger in or close to Los Angeles? Thanks.

Yeah I see what you mean. I think I'm going to veer on the side of caution and look for a 240 9 cell parachute, then after I'm confident go to my lower size. It cant do any harm to take things easy. Is it an easy thing to change over parachutes like that ie 20ft difference either way?

Im new to skydiving, just finished AFF, so the subject of gear has raised its ugly head. Tonight I've been looking around and thinking about wing loading. I'm 226lb out the door. ive been jumping 230 up to now which would make my WL 1.0:1, or thereabouts. So my question is how accurate does this have to be? would it be careless to go slighltly over like 1.03:1? I've been sat here with a calculator all night working out different sizes, I'm probably thinking out loud but it doesnt hurt to ask. I know it would be silly to go too much obviously, but just a little? Anyway I'll stop waffling. Thanks OH presuming the usual safe limit is 1.0:1 or less. for novices.

sounds like what I did on my level 1 (and yesterday... ahem), coming in WAY faster than I expected, saw the ground coming and all I could think was ARGHHHHH. good luck : )

As a new student I was thinking it would be a good idea to have a student and AFF section where newbies can exchange ideas and experiences and thourghts about gear etc etc. Also maybe an area where solo jumpers can make arrangements to meet other solo jumpers if they so desire. I know I always go to the DZ alone and theres not always newbies to compare stories with which would be nice. Well not just new people, any solo jumpers?

yeah I called the numbers and tried the email, all out of order. Thanks for the reply though, I've bought elsewhere now.

does anybody know if gotchacovered is still in business?

I just finished AFF and although I got unstable once its very easy to get stable again, easier than you'd think.

ive got my level one monday at perris too, gulp. good luck

Are you insane? wait...if i read this right, you're saying BUDWEISER is better than FAT TIRE???!! step AWAY from the crack pipe. Bud is like flavored water. at least fat tire has some taste to it. fat tire is dog poo, i'll grant you bud isnt the best but it's better. things are just different between england and america when it comes to beer and the brits are way ahead. i'll let anyone try the two and im sure most people wouldnt like fat tire.

its not so bad, you can get by hahaha, america makes up for it in loads of other ways, the american people are very accomodating and friendly and its sunny all the time. perris has a great bar.

stella is here but its shite, all the imported beers are poo, theyre just not like in the uk. domestic draught beers are ok like bud or bottled beers, all the italian ones like peroni etc and the mexican beers are ok too. worst of the worst is fat tyre, dont touch that ew, oh and the currys not the same either.

hi mate

AAAHHH!! Yes i see what you mean!! its crazy isnt it? i think im finally getting somewhere. if anybodys interested www.travelinsure.com, it might be of use to someone. i tried ehealth but they wouldnt cover me - thanks for the tip though, its appreciated. hokey dokey, right perris here i come (well next week anyway!).

i know this has been asked already but ive searched and searched previous posts and im stumped. im looking for accident insurance to cover skydiving. im a new immigrant (UK) to the US which puts me in a bit of a difficult position. anyway without getting too invoived if anybody could recommend somewhere that would be great. thanks

I'm new to skydiving and I've been looking around at equipment etc, anyway I was wondering if anybody knows a company/companies that sell beginners stuff and then maybe you could trade that back in/do a deal to upgrade as you get better. Ive been looking around but not really found anything like that but I'm sure there must be?

youre in exactly the same position as me. i did the tunnel and can spin left and right and go up and then down again, what i dont get is moving forwards and backwards and left and right. i plan on going back again when my stomach muscles and arms stop aching haha good luck.