coconutmonkey

I used to live 45 min from the DZ, but found that between work and the DZ, my apartment had become a very expensive storage facility. Moved to a trailer on the DZ 9 mos ago. No regrets (except the beer disappears from the fridge alot faster). Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

yeah, it's true. Just got my S&T newsletter and it was in the Board meeting notes from 14 July. Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Right on the money. For lo jumpers a drill dive is a great tool. Much better chance of success and a simple series to start over if someone brain locks / funnels. Might not seem like much to more experienced folks, but a 5 point doughnut drill might just be a lo jumpers first Falcon award. Achievements, even small ones, keep their intrest in the sport alive! Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Jumping with lo jumpers can be a great time if you put a little thought and planning into the jump. 1. Assess the skill level of the jumper(s). Know what kind of experience they have and what skills they need to work on. 2. Plan the dive together. Make it something which everyone can learn from with the priority being the basic skill building drills. (fall rate is a good way to start with a new group) Select a reasonable exit and break off. Review the landing pattern. Spend some time talking about what to do when the whole thing goes to hell and where are the decision altitudes. Emphasize that if they want to continue to jump with you, then the group sticks to the plan and look to you for any emergency changes on the fly. 3. Rehearse the dive. Run through the entire dive from loading the plane to the review on the ground afterwards. 4. Safety, safey, safety! Double check gear checks and emergency procedures. Keep you eyes open and watch out. Make sure everyone is clear that everyone landing safe is better than making one point on a jump. 5. Have fun! otherwise, what's the point? When you're the senior jumper in a group of lo kids, you pretty much assume duties as a coach for the group by default. Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Well, yoga flexability training services are available upon request..... Well... I did stay at a holiday inn... Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Didn't do it, Nobody saw it, Killed the witnesses... You didn't see anything, did ya?..... Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

I think you shed the Whuffo skin the first time you truly enjoy a jump on your own. For some it's the first solo, others never get it. As for being a skydiver. My official dubbing as a diver was by Eric Bush following a harrowing search for an off DZ jumper that went long past dark. After a successful discovery of the jumper (and finding she was just scratched up and scared) we were sitting in the bar with a couple well earned beers. I was hating life as my unit was having an alert in another two hours to roll to the field for 10 days of Uncle Sam's playground time. Eric just looked over and said,"Yep, your priorties are finally strait. You're not just another guy who jumps out here, you're a skydiver. Now here's another beer 'cause your life is about to suck for the next two weeks you poor bastard!" He was right.... Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Deny, deny, deny, make counter accusations! Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Hey Man, If ya ever find youself in that situation again, don't worry. I'll take one for the team to get the pressure off ya! No, no reason to thank me now... Hey, how long to drive to Wisconson from the Monkey Pit? Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Yeah, if you're a political dissident ya get free ride to altitude and GPS spotting over the Yellow Sea. Unfortunately, gear is not provided..... Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Better be careful about who find out. Ya might get accused of being an infiltrator to their organization. 'The names Babe, BikerBabe...' Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Actually, those are precluded by the phrase,"Hey, hold my beer..." Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Try to relax and be positive about the whole experience. Pay attention in you classes and ASK QUESTIONS if you have any before the jump. It doesn't matter how silly it may sound to you, but the questions not asked are the ones that pop up and gnaw at you later. The more you know the safer you'll feel. Safer you feel, the more you relax. More you relax, more fun you have... and isn't that what lifes all about? Enjoy your jump and then drink a beer and tell your 'war stories' until the wee hours on the DZ. Good luck. Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

That's not a course... That's a pre-req's list for a master (no trying to bait here) degree! Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

It's not the guns so much as those really fast things that come out the pointy end.... Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Like Aggie said, ya really need to talk to your instructors since they're the ones who know the conditions you're flyin in and can see your canopy control. General note for determining wind direction to stay in the 'cone' is look for dust / smoke columns drift, tree tops / grass, penetration checks for your canopys performance inthe wind. Ask one of your local instructors to go over it with you on the DZ BEFORE going up next time so they can point some of these things out (that are relevant to your particular DZ) so you can look for them in flight. Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

L/O at a DZ where you can expect low jumpers to be present should try and arrange for a coach or instructor to take charge of organizing them into 2-4 way groups and working skills drills for their experience level or be prepared to take the time out to do it themselves. Training our younger jumpers keeps the sport alive, safe and prepares them to participate in larger groups once their skills have matured. Knowing that everybody wants to be involved in the cool stuff leaves providing an alternative organized jump as the implied task for any DZ L/O. P.S. - Michele, ever head out to the east coast we'll make sure some skymonkies hook ya up! Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Cool article! Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Yeah, well it also helps to be the boss, too. Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

25 minutes to work with normal traffic / operations. 6 hours to work with full force protection road blocks and vehicle inspections. 30 seconds to manifest. Reasonable compromise, eh? Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Will they remember Clay the Airman... No! Will they remember Clay the Skydiver..No! But screw on sheep..... Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Smart Idea. I've seen it done several times when low jumpers get new gear and want to learn how to use it before they auger themselves in. The learning curve is GREATLY increased from what I've seen. Trouble is finding folks who are used to talking in a higher performance canopy. Good luck! Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

You don't have to have the A license (unless you want the number) as long as all of the requirements have been met and you've taken (and passed) the A lic exam. Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Ooh! Bad monkey, bad monkey! Bad monkey got spanked! Good to hear your OK man, makes for good story time tho.... Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

Are you talking costume party or something more base? Hearts & Minds 2 to the Heart- 1 to the Mind- Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range