RMK

There is far too much selection bias among the participant pool to yield any meaningful results. In these common web-forum exercises, you are trying to capture feedback among skydivers, but it is narrowed to: - skydivers who frequent skydiving web forums - skydivers who take part in web surveys - skydivers who bothered to even read the thread - skydivers who even know about this site (most students may never have even heard of this site; I myself was jumping 5 years before bothering to have a look here) I had a quick glance at the docs and the personality questionnaire seems to be a derivative of the Myers-Briggs tests, but it’s so abbreviated (of course to have people not lose interest and finish it) that it’s of little use. I would like to help someone out, but when you see the research as flawed or unable to accurately measure due to the methodology, then it really seems a waste of time. About every 90 days someone comes on here (and virtually every other “extreme” sports web forum) with a survey to understand what makes us tick. However in 10 years of skydiving, I’ve never once been approached by someone at a dropzone to ask me “Excuse me, I doing a study ...” You noted the weather has not been good. All the better for your study; the skydivers are sitting around with spare time. Doing it poorly is wasting your time; if you are making the effort to do a study, at least do it well (as opposed to just please your professor/teacher). Get out to the DZ with a clip board or iPad and get some real data. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I also have a Sabre2 190 with a PD 176R Reserve and weigh 88kg (193lb) - so near identical to yourself. I purchased this rig new/custom when I had only 35 jumps and took a canopy course before jumping it – which were quite rare in 2003. I still jump this rig and it’s great for wingsuiting. I’m buying another canopy shortly and plan to get another Sabre 2; it’s a great all around canopy. I’m planning to get a reline with Vectran lines at the end of the year and will probably just keep this rig/canopy. This choice worked for me and I’d do exactly the same again. However, regarding advice on what is best for you – I’d get it from an instructor at an actual dropzone not a website. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

None of these surveys will provide you a true picture of how diverse skydivers are as a group. The perceived demographic is quite skewed and the skydiving community is much more diverse than people believe – even to active skydivers in the sport for many years. The “kid living on raman noodles” will tell you his life story; the person making a few million a year will keep purposefully quiet or be quite vague about his stature. To your potential sponsor, you can note that skydiving has been utilised in-house with clients/staff within companies such as Credit Suisse, UBS and Fortis. Has featured at events within the hedge fund and private equity industries. In Europe, active skydivers include several CEOs and chairmen of financial and corporate firms. However on any given Saturday/Sunday, you will not readily spot these types of persons at the dropzone. Not because they are not there, but due to the fact that they generally keep that “quiet” and just want to be a “skydiver” like everyone else. At the end of the day over a beer; it’s just about the days jumping. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Andy, I must be reasonable and agree with you on the plate photo. It is now too late to edit/delete it myself, so could a moderator please delete photo #3 in the original post. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I wasn’t in the balloon; I had jumped (skydived) out of the balloon about 30mins prior (if you comment, at least read the thread). If some small children accidentally kick a ball into yours or (Chucky’s) yard, do you run out and keep their ball and run them away? I’m done here on this thread and “hotbed of insecurity”...carry on. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

You lack even a simple understanding of physics. 1100-1200 lbs of “people” quickly getting out of a balloon would make it “cork” up quickly. They did want to get out, but were specifically told not to do so by the pilot. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Finally a reasonalbe person. Fantastic jump, got 5K and nice vid falling away backwards with wife/son in shot. Would highly recommend the balloon company (we all know which company I'm referring to; I don't mean to bring them into this). "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

- guy was not disgruntled; he was screaming/shouting/threatening to the whole group - the pilot was being as polite/appologetic as possible – they were already on ground. I can see him apologising profusely, telling landowner that he’ll have his company mark this field as no-go on their charts for any future flights. - the pilot was visibly concerned about the safety of landing in the adjacent field and asked could he please just take down the balloon – to which he was refused - there was a lot of activity and dangers in the second field. - there were no animals/livestock for miles; I’m just using the generalist term “Farmer McNasty” - re lift/weight, he could not just have everyone in the basket jump out there and then. They had to stay put (I’m not the pilot and am only a paying passenger; so not my call) - I assume others wouldn’t stand quietly by and see their wife & small child put in danger for no reason. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Didn't have anything to do with the DZ. I was the only jumper, all my gear was in van. For all he sees/knows, I have a stripe on sides of my trousers - what does that mean to him? "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I don’t care to write a long-winded post as to exactly what he said and how he said it, but yes he was being an ass. In the subsequent lift/land, if anyone had been injured it would not have so simple for him. At one point, he said “You don’t know; do you own property?” to which I just smile. It’s odd that the public just assumes anyone out doing activities like skydiving or white-water kayaking is poor and without resources. I fully understand the legal/liability issues regarding property (except mine are multiple locations in London, not some bit of scrub land outside Perris, CA) "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

On a recent balloon jump in Perris, I was the only jumper on the morning. My wife & 5yr old son were in the basket with other PAX which were only women and young girls. Great jump and day out with family. However upon landing in a flat/clear/open field, the “local idiot” shows up in his truck and begins to berate the pilot and group for landing in his field and demands they lift immediately, the wind was starting to pick up and the next landing area was a works site. The pilot gives up and makes a questionable landing in the adjacent area with a tractor and multiple front-end loaders moving about. The “Farmer McNasty” was about 5’6” with distinct “little man complex” (third photo attached shows his licence plate). We’ve all run across some wankers, but this guy was level 10. I didn’t wish to cause any repercussions to the balloon company (I’m in my FF suit and can only assume he thinks I work with the company), however after clearly noting that I’m not part of the company and am actually a paying passenger, I begin to argue quite harshly with him. He’s doing the usual “I’ll call the police” to which I reply “Yes, here I’ll call them myself”. Short story; as I go to photo his licence plate, he quickly leaves; gets in truck and pulls away as I’m taking a picture. If you run across this idiot in the Perris area, remember this story and afford him the kindness he deserves. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

No, the padded back (spacer foam) was not available until Spring 2003 on Javelins. I bought my first Javelin Odyssey with all “extras” and received it in April 2003 only to see in the next 1-2 months the new option of the padded back. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Yes, it can work well. I did my 8 AFF levels over 4 days doing 2 each day (the DZ had a rule that 2 lessons/day was the max limit – which I believe is a good idea). The day prior I had done the ground class and a single static line jump which was the requirement in South Africa in early 2000’s. On my fifth day I made two consol jumps and flew back to the UK after my holiday. It then (thanks to mix of British weather and arcane UK student/packing training methods*) took me three months to get 8 more consols for my A license. * at the UK DZ I did consols, a student had to flat pack and stop at four/five different stages and go find a staff member to check the stage (this turned a pack job into an hour long event with most of the time spent wandering around the hangar/DZ to find someone to check my stages). "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I can’t be the only person over 25 who is thinking “what the f*** is ska?” You actually have to come up with a new musical genre, not just new creative names. In the UK we have near 20 names for very similar electro music (ie “acid”, “house”, “garage”, “speed garage”). The first time you heard something like punk, grunge etc you thought “there’s something new”. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Andy is quite widely known in the European skydiving scene. Having met him on occasion, I highly doubt he has run off with your money. This is a small niche sport and companies that operate in skydiving don’t exactly have the support staff of Microsoft or Oracle. Even when we know each other personally, we can go many days without be able to contact each other when off on skydiving trips. By nature, skydiving needs wide open spaces, so we often are in places with questionable phone/internet/wifi coverage. A website going down can be a simple as not paying your hosting fee or when it came up for autopay your credit card on file had the old expiry date. Companies House data can be out-of-date/incorrect for years. Of course I understand your concern, but I don’t think you need to take this to the prime minister and parliament yet – it’s the beginning of summer near a weekend. Give it another day or two. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Google Glasses: http://news.cnet.com/1606-2_3-50127016.html?tag=mncol;cnetRiver Jumping out of a blimps also seems cool. Sitting in aircon comfort, then just open the door and go. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Correct guess on the US DZ. Re Headcorn, it’s nothing to do with the safety element (that’s fine). It’s just got an odd vibe. I will admit I haven’t been there in a while, but I see they still have the practice of charging A-license holder an extra £2 which I think is a crap practice "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Bar was set high early with David Gilmore and BB King. I liked the top comment on “Comfortably Numb” video ... I've been a musician for 40 years. There are few songs I can listen to 20 times IN A ROW - this is one of them! New entry: Slash in Velvet Revolver “Fall to Pieces” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JhsUFuqbCM&ob=av2e "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Over the years, there are only two dropzones that I’ve only ever been actively dissuaded from jumping (one US and one UK). Headcorn being the UK example. Oddly their name/reputation seems to travel wide. I was once jumping in Swakopmund, Namibia and got into a conversation with a local about UK dropzones. I remember him saying “Yeah, I hear you’ve got some good dropzones around London, except for Headcorn; I hear it’s sh*t”. One odd aspect; they charge A-license jumpers £2 more per lift ticket. Apparently the reason is that an A-license jumper can’t jumpmaster the load. Yeah, like you’ll really be jump master with 50 jumps?? ... drive to Hinton or Sibson, you’ll have more fun – cheaper jump tickets also. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Minor note - if you have an L&B AltiTrack Altimeter, don’t underestimate how tricky it is to figure out how to turn on/off the backlight function. Have the user manual with you and read it beforehand prior to being in the dark to gain your night vision. Great gear, but along the same style of how you turn L&B units on/off, you’ll never guess how the backlight works without the manual. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Why would you wish it to be a mandatory rule? Of course if it makes you feel comfortable, anyone would oblige to give you a gear check. I regard our UK rule-imposed flight line check as superfluous. As the skydiver, you are responsible for the gear – you’re the one jumping it. Personally checking everything myself gives me far more comfort than grabbing someone randomly when “in the pen” to have a look. Usually it’s the opposite, as I know everything is perfect to my liking, then some random “jobsworth” takes it upon himself to open my flaps and touch/move my pins. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Just curious, what do you do different re your pack job? "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Recently had a problem with my Ghost 3 (user inflicted, not defect). Phoenix-Fly did a great job of sorting it out - top marks to Robi. It’s great to see someone go out of their way for good service. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

Phantom 3. With all the bitching on here regarding equipment, only three things are universally agreed: 1. PF Phantom 3 is a great all-round wingsuit 2. PD Sabre 2 is a great all-round canopy 3. everything Larsen & Brusgaard make is great "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

I agree with the above posts. My favourite European DZ is Empuriabrava and favourite US DZ is Zephyrhills. Both are great, just a choice between long-haul or short-haul flight. Only downside for an Empuriabrava trip from UK is that it will most probably require the indignity of a Ryanair flight. They made Girona, Spain their European hub and put the other choices out of business. A couple years ago you could go BA for £80-£100 and have been treated civil. Now the “cheap airfare airline” will lighten your pocket between £200-£250 for their advertised £17.99 flight and treat you like trash. "Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"