Newbie

You find alot of AFF Babies that know nothing about the S/L program don't like AFF. There is nothing wrong with Static Line..In fact I think it is much better than AFF in some areas. Most SL kids learn how to pack and spot. Most SL kids have better canopy control. Most SL kids are not afraid to leave an Airplane low. What is most important? Learning to turn points, or survive? Today everyone wants it NOW, and AFF gives it to them fast...And thats not always good. Before AFF was popular there was no need to have ISP or the "coach rating". Of course you may disagree....But since I have been doing this 10 years, know both the SL and AFF and Tandem progression program, and have tought two of them....Well I would go with mine. But feel free to think what you like. Im sick of new jumpers slamming a program they don't understand, just cause its not "cool" i jhavent yet read through the rest of the posts here, so this point may have already been made. I have been through AFF and i agree wholeheartedly with what Ron just said here. "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

learn to pack for yourself - it saves money and - eventually - time. 3 or 4 packjobs = 1 jump. After a few dozen pack jobs you will speed up. After 100, it will be pie. Not to mention the benefits it brings in knowing/checking your gear as you stated. if you do use a packer and get good service/friendly advice, tip them. They tend to appreciate that "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

Sibson had until recently a couple of live in packers they would do student and experienced gear. "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

you do that too huh? I thought i was the only one. j/k - anyone thought about using an MP3 cutter to cut songs to like 45-50 secs so that they act as an audible? i.e. they finish, you are at break off, off you go, timeout/pro track/dytter goes off at 3000/2500 whatever - pull. Sure that's not a long time, but if you want to hear music you can, and it acts as another audible. Obviously you have the issues of starting the tune as you're meant to be spotting/watching the last group, but that's another issue i won't even get into. "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

we humans are not infallible - this stuff does and will continue to happen as you can see from the reponses here. Winsor and Tami both have good advice. As do the others that say "check the 3's" - don't do it just on jump run though. Do it on the ground, in the plane, at 2000ft, and 10,000ft AND jump run if you want - you have one life, make sure everything is in place, as Tami said, it's your responsibility. I check 3's probably excessively by some standards but it makes me happy and it's part of my routine to check things regularly. Peace of mind = a good skydive. Look over other's gear and SAY something if you see something that doesn't look right - i look out for others as i would like them to look out for me. Don't feel embarrassed, especially if the jumper has more jumpers than you. We are not infallible. Do NOT be scared to ask someone for a gear check, more so in places like Empuria. If you think it's seen as not cool to do it - so what? If it puts your mind at a little more ease do it - just remember it's not a substitute for your own checks - visual and otherwise. Gearing up a few mins early, especially at busy DZ's can give you a few more mins to check things over without rushing. We are not infallible. A simple exercise for chest straps - put your thumb under the strap facing away from your chest and push it away from your body hard - if it gives, it's misrouted. I do this before i get a gear check, before i board and several times on the plane to complement my visual check of the routing. PS good to see another Sibson jumper on here! Roll on next month and the LET "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

well i don;t know about you guys but godDAMN that show is like tv crack. I had heard SO much about this show and for some reason never got round to watching it (i guess i figured if i missed the first few episodes of series 1, there is no point watching series 1 at all, let alone series 2). Anyhoo i bought both series' on Amazon and im about to finish series 2 - my GOD this show is GREAT! It's incredibly well shot and very suspensful. The acting is great - for the most part - and you have some scenarios that are pretty close to real life, so it's not just some fictional show where you detune - sure it's "glamourised" but it deals with issues that are very real to us all. Anyway has anyone seen it and NOT liked it? There has to be one or maybe hell, even two of you out there. I haven't seen Series 3 as i don't have cable and cable has the rights to the show here in the UK, but i did hear it wasn't as good.....time will tell. Anyway pick up both series' and prepare to lose a good few days to Mr Sutherland. When you get done watching them just put them up for sale on Ebay - mine are selling for more than i paid for them! "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

amateur Just kidding Bill, congratulations and thanks for keeping us all updated with the great daily accounts! "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

CONGRATS MAN!

me and my girlfriend were just talking about this tonight - im 28 and would like to wait maybe i don't know 3-4 more years? I know this isn't something that just "slots into your time frame" (well it can do i guess) and a lot can happen over the years (such as a desire to have them sooner/later or whatever) but it seems most of my friend who are married/in long term relationships don't have kids yet. It definitely seems the average age - at least here in London - seems to be higher than maybe a generation ago? Who knows, maybe i'm talking rubbish here, but anwyays i'm curious - how old were you all when you had them. Would you have liked to have had them earlier/later at all? Thanks "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

why not pay a coach to go up with you for the first jump or 10? It will be safer (you won't have much of an idea if you are tracking across the sky by yourself) and he will be able to debrief you with a video most likely - great for learning "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

great updates bill, a few qu's.... what's a wacker? what's the APU on the plane? what's the job of the floater? What's the super floater? If 3100ft is the highest pull altitude of the teams, what's the lowest? Thanks and good luck tomorrow/today! "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

i think i know where you are coming from, and i think with experience things like this will become calmer in our minds (i'm just starting out too, and the idea of cutting away is exactly like what you described - far from a "woohoo!" moment). When i was first learning, after like the first couple of jumps, and especially after my first tandem, i had this weird paranoia about the leg straps not being able to hold me in place or keep me attached to the rig etc. It just felt almost too flimsy to hold me in place. With more jumps you realise that this is just because you don't know your gear and as you get to know and understand it, you become less nervous about the things that initially bothered you when you start out. I don't like to give advice, so this is just my opinion and how i feel personally, i just feel that good skydives are only possible if my mental state is calm and peaceful and i'm happy and confident i can handle myself in any situation i might find myself in. I would say that if this "losing altitude" thing bothered you as you have described, stay pulling high for now. Just make sure that you tell manifest and the load how high you intend to pull when you sort out the exit order so whoever is after you (if anyone is) knows the deal. You might like to think about a CYPRES too. It's not guaranteed to save you, but it will try to protect against human error that ALL of us are capable of making. I have one, and while i would NEVER rely on it, it provides a certain peace of mind because i know i am not infalable. "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

LOL - the "dwarf" "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

is it possible to chat to each other about stuff while close? Also, does anyone know if this is the Matter suit? http://www.flybirdman.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_old.JPG "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

LOL no worries, i was just confused by what the point was you were trying to get across. I get it now though (the cold is not helping my brain thaw today). I figure you and m2kyg1 are probably right - it's marketing related stuff. Still i would have thought something like being officially recognised by the BPA and for something as stringent as safety, might mean that i missed some sort of "safety" awards at the AGM for dz's or something? "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

? "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

it says its "offically recognises" as the BPA's safest dz - implying it's more than just them saying they are the safest. Anyone got any info on this offical recognition - i.e. who/where it came from, and how it was judged? "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

that's what it says on the website. Can someone confirm when this was decided, and what the factors were that made it the safetst? Just curious. "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

Wow, I'm pretty sure some of those names in your logbooks could be found in the Bible as well... (absolutely no offense meant...you're a legend, Bill. All in good humor.

flyangel, should i not feed the squirrels then? I looked at it as the same thing as leaving out nuts for the birds in the winter, but correct me if i'm wrong. If it's not a good idea to feed em let me know! Thanks "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

can i do that on my digital camera? I posted the model earlier, but i have no idea if that's possible! Please let me know if you think it is, thanks! "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

what's the squirrel tag squirrel? This is just one i saw in my local park when i was feeding him nuts the other day. "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

thanks mate, feel free to use it as you see fit! "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

whoa i like those. You get a good idea of his size in the 1st one, and a nice close up of him eating (what is that, a fry?) in the second one. I love chipmunks too man, how did you know? Nothing beats chipmunks and squirrels. "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts

i got one for you. Check out this little wrinkler - he's a puppy but he looks old and wise somehow, know what i mean? "Skydiving is a door" Happythoughts