gale

I recently put up a bunch of signs at my job that all used skydiving as a background. I photoshoped some of my co-workers heads onto skydivers bodies in some of them. I tried to use some of the pictures from photographers on here (with their permission - thanks) but they weren't high enough resolution, I ended up using real pictures. Yes, it's a great conversation starter with the customers. My co-workers however are sick of hearing about it Gale I'm drowning...so come inside Welcome to my...dirty mind

Sorry, so one clarification: So in the case where I can just make out the dz on the ground but I can't clear the airspace because of the layered cloud I should stay in the plane? Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

This weekend I decided not to get out of our cessna because I could barely make out an outline of the ground through the clouds and they were layer everywhere from about 4000 to 8000. (I was doing the spot as part of my solo certificate.) Now the senior jumpers got out using the GPS and a far away (relatively) landmark (on the second pass they couldn't see anything). What are the rules about jumping through clouds? How much is too much? What are the dangers? I've had some people tell me that it can be really scary and sometimes you can't see your altimeter. I just didn't feel comfortable with it and in the end my instructor said I made the right call. I got out at 3800 below the clouds. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Oh hunny, it's OK. Beleive it or not you have a lot of time to get things right and haven't missed out on much. Some of my friends were still virgins at your age - they just hadn't met anyone worth being with. No, it doesn't have to be the love of the century but being with someone special is always better. If you're as sweet as you sound you shouldn't have any troubles at all. You may have to check out places other then the dz though as we all know there aren't a lot of girls there. Keep trying. I know it seems trite but if someone can't see you for the good person you are they're not worth having around. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

I'm not trying to comment on this jumpers story in particular as I only wish him a speedy recovery and blue skies in the future... but, in my training we have the two times rule, try it once, try it again, if you don't get it on the second try - plan b. Would this have helped in this situation? I know he got it out on the third try and then decided not to cutaway because of altitude. So the lesson here is??? Know your harddeck? Cutaway early? (don't wait) Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

It's OK, I got it (3 times actually) and I sent you one back.

Just impatient I guess. Right now I'm wearing this rediculously big overalls provided by the dz. They're really big and the arms and legs are too long. I sort of would like to get out of those as soon as possible

The thing is, I really don't know what I want to do. I'm really too inexperienced to know. Someone sort of suggested that I get a suit with grippers though to cover myself as they seemed to think I would definately be doing that. (You can freefly in anything?) Like I said, I really don't know. Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

I've been looking for a used jumpsuit that will fit my needs but I haven't had any luck at all, so I'm thinking (maybe) of buying new. I'm new to the sport and I need as jumpsuit that will slow me down. My question is what options should I get? How much bigger then me should it be? Any don'ts? I appriciate all the help. If I'm going to be spending a bunch of money (I don't have) I would like to make sure it's well spent. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Get this, I was stretching out at the dz on one of my earlier jumps and this guy came up to me and said "you're taking this wayyy to seriously" Ah yes, plumetting towards the earth at a high rate of speed with nothing but a bit of fabric to save you - what's serious about that? Personally I love to stretch. It's good all throughout the day but especially good if you're about to cram yourself into a cessna 182 for 25 minutes! Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Congradulations on considering something some people say they would "never do". Recently there was a thread that touched on pushing people into the sport and why this might not be the best idea, so I'm not going to do that. But what I will tell you is this: I love it. My friend and I did the first jump course (here you have to do at least 3 IADs - like static line - before going into PFF) I came back, she never did. It really isn't for everyone. If you've made the personal decision that you want to try it, great! Like others have said you can only ever count on you in the air, so get used to that idea. I also say do static line, or a tandem first - don't commit yourself to something you haven't tried. And don't worry about meeting people. The first time I went out to the dz I knew no one, now I know most of the faces out there. And I can say that some of my friends have 1000s of jumps - they're good friends to have! And I love meeting first jump students too, when I ride up in the plane with them, I look like I'm not afraid!!!!! Good luck. Have fun. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Great article. Good for the sport, and good for you! Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Good point. What about some time in a training harness. True, there's no freefall arch in one but you can practice the flare (and it doesn't cost like a tandem would.) Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Hmmm, this is the first post where the word "balance" has been uttered. I was wondering if skydivers knew that word

I think skydiving (and sports in general) kind of call for utilitarian attire. At the last dz party I dressed up all Marilyn Monroe style and this guy this weekend asked me why I didn't do it then: well duh, I'm jumping out of an airplane. As soon as I find hairspray that can withstand 120 miles an hour of wind I'll dress up all nice and pretty for ya Seriously, I wear pajama pants (highly recommended) and t-shirts all weekend long and I like it that way! Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Well, I have no first hand knowledge of this dz but I've been told the following: This particular dz is not affiliated with the CSPA, and this could account for some differences. Also, from what people tell me this place is nortorious. When you look at the fatalities in all of Canada the staticstical likelyhood of theirs occuring in one little dz seems pretty unlikely. Like I said, I have no first hand knowledge of the situation but around here it's got a pretty bad reputation. This is not to say that they were to blame here. I really wouldn't know. My condolences are sent to everyone effected. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

This same mal happened to a friend of mine and that's what she did too. She tried to cutaway twice and couldn't, so she pulled her reserve. Then she cutaway after her reserve was out. I not sure of the physics of this kind of thing but it seems to me that deploying your reserve while spinning and then NOT having things all ball up together getting worse is just luck. We're all glad she's lucky. She's having hard housing installed in her risers now because as someone said this should prevent this from happening. PS She doesn't jump a hook knife. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

This discussion got me thinking about the Canadian D lisence (expert) so I looked it up and interestingly enough we no longer have to do night or water jumps. This is what you must have here: - CSPA membership and a C lisence. - 500 freefall jumps - 180 minutes of logged freefall time - 10 consecutive pre-planned self-guided canopy standup landings to within 5 metres of the target - complete two of the following: - score a minimum of 7 points within 35 seconds from exit on five 4-way RW jumps with a min. of 5 different current FAI formations per jump OR score a min. of 7 points within 50 from exit on five 8-way RW jumps with a min. of 5 different current FAI formations per jump - style series in less then 11.5 seconds - score of less than 5cm on an electronic scoring pad on 10 precision accuracy jumps - 2-way freefly with interactive camera consisting of exit move, spock, monkeyflip, spock, eagle, transition, dock, transition, dock, end move in 40 seconds or less - judged by air - to - air video - 5 CRW 4-way jumps with 8 rotations within 2 minutes from the contact of the 4th inor to a max. of 2 minutes 30 sec from the time of exit -competed at a regional, provincial, or national compition in at least one discipline -80% on a written exam Privileges: participate in a CSPA course conductor seminar after 1000 jumps have been accumulated. Not to muddy the waters of your discussion further I just thought you might like to know how it's being done over here. It seems to have something for everyone, although no HP canopy requirements. PS: the C is done in a similar fashon. The A and B are not. Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

OK, so I get the point here, and yes, I've heard it before. As usual, I appriciate the courage of someone saying, "I f*cked up, and here's how". I just have a question for clarification: How do you know the line twists are so bad you can't kick out of them? I hear the term "diving" or "spinning" so does this mean that even a slow spin should immediately be cutaway? And what exactly is a "diving" line twist? Does this mainly apply to high performance canopies? Thanks for the help, I'm just trying to get a clear picture in my head of what it looks like. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Well, I'm sure you'll find lots of information around here to help you. Good luck! Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Hey newbie, have you jumped yet? I always like having other newbies around! Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

"but coming down and seeing people running across the landing area to someone hurt (or worse) followed by an ambulance a minute or two later, and worrying it might be someone you know - I don't think you ever quite get used to that." I have no doubt that you are correct. But are you saying that this, at some point, will (should) stop people from jumping? Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

""Okay, it's just NOT getting better." and, "This is just normal newbie fears."?" OK, so seeing as I'm the one who's scared a lot I'll try to explain my view on this. About ten jumps ago I was thinking of quitting as I just wasn't progressing through the practice pulls and I had just done a jumps where I didn't have any fun because of how I beat myself up about it on the ground. But I'd never freefallen then and I didn't think I could really decide how much I liked things until then - so I tried PFF. My first level of PFF went really badly. I was as scared as on my first jump and I was unstable most of the dive and the instructor had to pull my chute for me when_I_was_unstable. When I got to the ground I was more scared then I ever remember being in life and I couldn't stand up I was shaking so badly. A good time to quite, right? Wrong. After the initial shock wore off I was very happy and emensly proud of what I'd just done. Yes, I was scared to do it again, but I was confident that I could do it now. Now I get scared in the airplane. A lot in fact. And those of you who read my thread about being scared in freefall know that I had that experience just last night - but I don't want to quit. What tells me this? Well one, the fear does get less, even just a little each jump. Two, when I've talked to other skydivers they all talk about their fear and for some of them it lasted well into 40 or 60 jumps. Three, I feel confident that even scared I will do the right things -pull, land, flare, make good decisions. If my fear never dismished over time one bit, or if my instructors weren't confident in my life-saving ability, or if I wasn't, then I guess it would be time to quit. Oh, and I don't know how much I would go out of my way to encourage others who were unsure. The thought did cross my mind that if something happened to them and I had pressed them into it, it would just kill me. I think other people's abilities should be judged by instructors, and themselves, not me. Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Yes, yes, yes, apparently it's up to the female gender to insure higher altitudes. Bizarre ritual. The first time I try that will be quite a day! (For me and the pilot.) Oh, and sitting with my back to the door on a cessna when the pilot wants to open it is a little disconcerting also. Hopefully that doesn't happen too often. (Have no disire to try a water landing - I have enough trouble with the land.) Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?

Thanks to everyone for the well thought out replies. Nice to know that some other people have had this feeling. I definately think not being busy has something to do with it. My whuffo friends have asked me stuf like "what about your ears? isn't it cold? does the wind hurt?" And I'm like, "I never really noticed." Just too focussed I guess. And as for the emotion on the ground, well, that seems to be the most appropriate time to display it. Before that it would just be dangerous! So I'm going to look at this as a right of passage and get up there again and assume it will be better. Everytime gets better - this has been my experience in the past - this little bump in the road just surprised me I guess. Maybe I'm not crazy. (And by that I mean, not any crazier then the rest of you people who throw yourself at the ground for fun ) Gale Isn't life the strangest thing you've ever seen?