skittles_of_SDC

DSE made this point as well. I agree there is a very good chance that when I look back in a few years I will think 'WTF, was I thinking'. Maybe it's just because I'm a newbie but I felt I was safe (yes i know i have almost no experience). I keep thinking back to those dives and try to think of anything I can that I (again I don't have that much experience) could consider unsafe and nothing comes to mind.

This is what I was looking for, an informative, educational post. Thank you, quade.

Always hearing about what seems to be the 'Magical 200' as I've dubbed it, left me with a question. I've read many times on these forums, and been told many times at the DZ, that just because you reach 200 jumps doesn't mean you are ready to do something. Be it BASE, strapping on a camera, wingsuiting-the list goes on. First question. Why was 200 chosen? Was there research done and that number proved effective? Was it because it was a nice round number? Second question. Why is it that the inverse never seems to apply that one can be ready before getting to 200? My skin is starting to warm up already just thinking about the flaming sure to ensue.

Yes I realize it was not a personal attack. When I said defend myself I guess I meant my actions. See thats where I disagree. Why is it that according to today's 'standards' I can, according to most people, not be ready at 200, yet at the same time it seems like it's never possible to be ready before 200? That applies to other things as well, not just wingsuits (no I'm not jumping camera or BASE jumping yet. Simply trying to make a point).

Yeah, I met Betty yesterday she was out there with that wingsuit.

I've certainly seen it, I was one of those myself, even though I waited til nearly 400 jumps for my first wingsuit jump, and then waited another 200 jumps due to a horrible first-jump experience. You'd have to ask Scott Campos how I did on my 'second' first-jump. I've also seen a person with 8 times the "enough jumps" get into a hairy situation and nearly blow it. It's more than the nylon itself, IMO. Traffic pattern, awareness of other canopies, experience in bad situations. My first WX jump...I got by without injury BECAUSE I had nearly 500 jumps behind me. Luck and experience combined kept me from anything more bruised than my ego. I f''d up recently and taught someone with only 170 jumps. He is a *very* current and heads-up guy, which colored my thinking. I learned my lesson after he had a cutaway on a borrowed rig and lost the freebag in the desert. Would another 30 jumps have made all the difference? He panicked in both deployment and linetwists. Would he have been more calm with more jumps? Maybe, maybe not. It did teach me to be a better instructor, and it did teach me to watch for some things I'd not been trained/taught to watch for. Personally, I was very embarassed at my error and glad it didn't go worse. 200 jumps is the USPA-recommended minimum, and based on the stupidity of my earlier ignorance of the BSR, I'm sticking to the rules from now on. I usually learn in one. YMMV. I feel like I have to defend myself here. I had 171 jumps at the time I did my first wingsuit jump. Idk what you consider very current as far as how many months you extend back but I have done all my jumps since May 24, 2008. My deployment went well, I had no trouble finding the hacky or pulliing, I opened with line twists but considering I started my deployment sequence at 5500' and was fully open at about 4500ish i had plenty of time to kick out and was out of them at about 4200'-4000'. I'd also like to add that I did 2 more solos after and both went great from a safety standpoint. Exit went well, stable pretty quick, flew the pattern, waived off with the legs at 5500' and threw with both arms, tucked in and let the parachute do its thing. No problems at all, I didn't even have a line twist on either of the solos. I know this wont make you change your opinion about whether I am ready to jump a wingsuit yet. I guess what I'm trying to point out is that just because the guy you took was not ready at 170 jumps doesn't mean none of us are. Everything I said was meant with no disrespect in mind. Anyone that can flock with a space shuttle in the background has my respect.

I'll be honest I only have 1 track dive.

I actually grabbed the aerobat out of para concepts to demo after I tore up my pinky.

Umm, don't you also owe beer for the first time someone won a halloween costume contest for dressing up as you? Let me check the list... nope that one's not on there.

What wings are you using? How tall are you, what is your weight? tony suit acrobat (wasn't doing acrobatics, it was just the smallest wing they had to demo) I'm 5' 10" 215 out the door.

I was starting my deployment sequence at 5500' Hell yeah I had fun. I was loving every minute of it. No wonder I heard it called the 'nylon crack'.

I just did my first (through third) wingsuit jumps today. I got 57 sec on the first and 59 sec on the second both from ~13.3k then 62 sec from ~14.0k. Is this a normal range for someone who is just beginning and using small wings? What kind of numbers should I be aiming for for say the next 10 jumps? Tony, Eric, if you guys read this thanks for taking me on my first wingsuit jump. I owe you some beer next time you are out at SDC.

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I wanted to do a heli jump but wasn't able to. I was able to do a balloon jump though. I love the feeling of falling into dead air.(Hello, BASE jumping? My name is Skittles. ) Oh and the guy that exited the balloon at the same as me could be heard yelling 'Oh, shit!' haha.

link is in my profile.

that is a pretty cool one unfortunately they dont have an unsliced version of it anywhere on the site. and while i could use grabber to get it... thats more work than im willing to put in.

awesome site. thank you. wish i would have known about this site when i started searching over 2 hours ago.

That reminds me. I was going to call M&M Mars about trying to get a sponsorship deal.

List some for me. Maybe even links to the website if you'd be so kind. I need them for an assignment. Thanks guys.

It's not what the plane does that makes me think its fake. It's how the plane and lighting look.

I have to disagree. The lighting just seems off. Almost too consistent.

I know what I'm asking for for my birthday Edit to add: Thats right! I think Sam's Club sells that big box! I have to go there tomorrow.

Pretty obviously fake. You can just tell when something is CG. Look at the 'lighting' on the airplane. Probably a project for a demo reel or a school project for compositing.

Can you still get those pixie sticks that are like 3 feet long? I haven't seen those in forever.

inebriated and frisky?