Scrumpot

Can't answer your first question for you I'm afraid. But the answer to your second question is YES! Your tandem jump counts as a jump, in your total count #'s, once you start logging. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Safety Belt Maintenance & Inspection Requirements, as found by searching the FAA database: Several references throughout were also made with regards to belt inspection, applicability & maintenance, to: 14 CFR part 23, § 23.561 & § 23.785, but absolutely nothing I could find, spoke to or addressed VISUAL wear indication / standards. Seems absolutely everything wants to reference to load & strength TESTING as being "the standard". I've highlighted the section that seems most pertinent to your question, and how the FAA anyway, seems to want to address it - vis-a-vis observed / noticed visible wear. Does any of this happen to help you any? coitus non circum - Moab Stone

You certainly wouldn't be the 1st to do this, and I've seen, well - let's say some even further "creative" toggle-stowage (attempts) as well, before. However, good reminder for the masses...

Gregor Weeks. Right around the corner from you @ Ft. Meade, in Pasedena area. He is GWeeks on here. PM me for his additional contact info if you like. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Like others have already said - everyone, and what may or may not work best for them, is different. Personally, I've NEVER done a Tandem. On either side of the equation. My 1st jump was AFF, and I am glad it was. For me, I think - if I did my 1st jump as a tandem, I may have actually run the "risk" of never even bothering to ever do it again. AFF - for me, gave me the appreciation of learning and understanding all those "nuances" of what was going on, and that I would have to (relatively anyway) fly my OWN body, and my OWN parachute, along with just the "experience". I fear that if (again, just for me - YMMV) - rather I had experienced my 1st jump as nothing more than a "relaxed" "carnival ride", I would have then been maybe even a just "one & done". I mean, after all, you can certainly experience the thrills of a carnival ride by well... going to the carnival, and riding some of the rides - for a heck of a lot cheaper too! Skydiving is NOT a "carnival ride", and to me anyway - I don't think it really SHOULD be (or approached as such) either. There is nothing wrong with ANY of the approaches already mentioned by others in here. Pick whichever is best for YOU - and good luck with it, whichever you decide!!

It is interesting how in so many ways, they just don't seem to have a clue... yet somehow too, they still seem to survive. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia could not be any 2 more diametrically opposed cities to one another. And also, absolutely NOWHERE by anybodies stretch - even "near" each other either. I find it highly "interesting" however, that if one searches for skydiving in Pittsburgh (or any of its relative variants) - the most prominent results displayed, lead to at least one (or more) of SLyRide's deceptive "Skydive Pittsburgh" sites or ads, which then only further redirects you to "book your skydive at Skydive Pittsburgh" (or "NEAR" Pittsburgh in another case) - - - but only upon (much) closer/deeper investigation, you find (or in the case of a whuffo - you DON'T, because you don't know any better!) - the actual booking will end up at their own dropzone - just outside of... PHILADELPHIA!! I know this is all nothing new to many of us in here, but again... REALLY??? C'mon now. How is this good, for ANYBODY? coitus non circum - Moab Stone

But wait a minute... Eddie has also done a 1st jump / 1st jump course also there too! coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Hey Chris! ...Don't know if that was directed at me individually, but if so - I think my posting record - although maybe not quite as prolific as some on the subject, none-the-less, still speaks for itself. I have "taken these guys to task" in the past - long before they were anywhere even near previously, in my own (as they are yes clearly with this now) in my own back yard. FWIW coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Congratulations on GETTING IT DONE!!

So today I decide to do a good old standard google search on one of my local DZ's here - just to see if any of our recent students may be posting up anything, and what's being said - but instead, I end up redirected to MULTIPLE fake location sites, "impersonating" instead, the one(s) I was looking for. For instance, google skydiving in Pittsburgh, or Skydive Pittsburgh - what REALLY comes up? - "Make your reservation to skydive now near Pittsburgh at: 800-493-JUMP. ...SKYRIDE!!! Not only that (nothing wrong really, yet, right?) - actually click through to ANY of the sites (all redirected to "Skydive Philadelphia" ...oh yeah, real close to Pitt, right?), and take a look at their "testimonials".... http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Eddie+Bourdonnay I mean really? ...How many DZ's can this Eddie Bourdonnay have actually made his 1st jump actually from??? - I dunno. I lost count! This is truly the kind of SH** that gives all of us a bad name!! Sure, advertise. Metatag to draw from multiple geographic locations too, all you like - but c'mon now Skyride, please ...this is RIDICULOUS!! coitus non circum - Moab Stone

18 years in. In 20 years (actually even a bit longer ago, but I will count it here for this purpose) I have experienced 1 person close to me, die in an auto accident. I'm probably lucky, and maybe even unusual in such an absolute low # in this category. - That notwithstanding, during this same time period (less, actually) - I am already moving off my second-hand in fingers to count, and moved on to my toes to track the same in skydiving. Just to answer your post/question quite directly for illustration is all Bill. FWIW. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

"Throwiing a bunch of statistics" and trying to assert what you are doing is "safe" (or "safer" than this, or that ...pick yer poison) - is a MISTAKE! - It is NOT safe!! All you can (and should) do, is re-assure that you are RESPONSIBLY assessing (and ACCEPTING) the risks, and as others have said - that you will (again) approach it RESPONSIBLY, in such a way as you can effectively manage, and mitigate those risks. Yes, stepping off your couch, and even further off your front porch to cross the street has its dangers. You mitigate those by watching your step, and then looking both ways before you cross the street - and not just every so often, suddenly and blindly bursting off your couch, out the door and bolting directly without regard for anything around you, into the street. Those risks are relatively easy to understand, and even for the totally ground-bound WHUFFO to "identify with". You can also choose to just simply stay on your couch too, right? And never move/leave it. But what sort of "life" would that be? Everyone chooses how much risk in their lives they want to manage, and take the time and effort to identify with. I know many skydivers who think that BASE jumping is absolutely nuts too. If anyone in that arena ever tries to convince them it is "safe", or "safer" than x, y, z, etc. - that holds no credibility at all either. But many can (and will) understand that you can do things either completely irresponsibly and wrecklessly, or rather - that you are one of those that will manage, and mitigate the risks you choose to take in your life. - WHATEVER those choices may turn out to be. Your father will always be "worried about you", no matter what you do. I worry about BOTH of my sons too - one of them who jumps, and one who does not. But I also recognize, and at some point have to also "let go", and trust in that it is THEIR life, and if I have raised them right (individual own self-insecurities here may vary ) - that they will for the most part for themselves, take the most appropriate precautions and preparations towards whatever they do, and in short - do the "right" thing(s). FWIW. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Not really. ANY monkey could do this, once they are taught the ordering association of each SINGLE DIGITS #'s shapes. Doesn't mean they know what the #'s themselves mean. This is not intelligence. This is raw, regurgitive "operative memory". That's all. Big difference. Get into double-digits and there is no way for the monkey then to discern, or REASON the sequential ordering further, like rather intelligence (or being "smart" as you refer to it - which is NOT what this monkey is doing) allows us to do. FWIW coitus non circum - Moab Stone

SOP. Helmut, aka: Airtech Gmbc is the (perceived) top-of-the-tree "deep pockets" in the org chart, is all. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Not in the U.S. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Which side of this is your opinion, JP? That "it is insane to give people with only 600 total skydives a tandem rating"? - Or that this is not the main factor, and that instead - overall "seasoning" of said jumper (and how you get that seasoning) rather, is? It is difficult to discern your position on this, based upon this being chopped out of its previous total (in incidents) discussion thread. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

I'll agree with that. - Absolutely right!! WTH. ...But then again, YOU do not move into that hornets nest (or right next to it) - and then begin calling for, and expecting that peace & quiet! - coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Yes, like getting her "facts" she seems to like to espouse maybe a bit more "put together" before she goes espousing them. MileHigh is so darn inconsiderate towards their resident neighbor! - It's so abundantly obvious!! ...You know, being so darn adamant resistant and all - to put those "industry standard" hush-kits onto their Twin Otter like (she says/insists) Deland did!! Clearly SHE is right, and absolutely everyone else in the world is wrong. WTH is wrong with YOU? Hopefully, regardless though - she finds a way to move along, and somehow find peace in her life. There's just got to be some other motivation behind her clear and obvious ill-will. Personallly, I feel sorry for her (now reading all that I have on this), and I honestly instead find myself here now feeling sorry for her, and wishing for her, an ability to get through/over whatever it (clearly) is with herself and her self-inflicted "ills". Regardless - no matter how you slice it, "living" that way, truly is, no way to live. If you happen to be reading this Ms. Gibbs - Honestly, truly - think about it. I wish you good health and happiness, and that you can truly find both for yourself, in your life. Seriously. Cheers, -Grant coitus non circum - Moab Stone

To answer your question(s) succinctly: Yes - I have encountered people who are clearly not meant to Skydive. That said... Absolutely nothing I see, indicates to me that you are one of those! Great feedback and advice (and observations) have already herein been posted for you. No need for me to be redundant. So... Just get back out there with that GREAT attitude you already clearly seem to have, RELAX and enjoy it!! ...You'll git-er-done! Cheers, -Grant coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Sounds eerily like a whuffo statement once heard, from a member of my family: Does anyone have the balls to quit swooping skydiving? Who wants to be the first one to put it in writing that you will not die from jumping froma perfectly good parachute airplane because of a swoop landing skydive... because you are done swooping skydiving? What would it take to make you decide to give up the swoop skydiving? Hmmmmmm..... That said, I already know several swoopers, who have given up the swoop. I also know several skydivers... Be at peace with YOUR CHOICES, whatever they may be. Cheers, -Grant coitus non circum - Moab Stone

I think, you are probably referring to the incident in THIS video? coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Additional previous discussion reading material on the topic, as well here coitus non circum - Moab Stone

You think wrong then. I do not agree. I doubt very much that we all do as well (either). Don't know whatever gave you the notion that video of AFF jumps, is suchan absolute critical, crucial, absolutely "must-have". In fact, I'd be willing to bet that probably less than 30% of all AFF jumps worldwide have any video at all. And I'm being generous with that estimation. What makes you think AFF video is so absolutely critical that: Nope. Not at all. It is just another tool, that in SOME instances may be nice to have - if it is feasible and desired. ...Critical? ...Problem if it is not available / not being used? ...Very important even? - Nope. Not at all. coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Actually, I don't think this statement is correct either. Quite arguably - this one (see attachment taken from that separate thread) seems at least in part, very directly contributed-to by the presence of/jumping with camera. Many other incidents, most definitely influenced by the presence of (even a "small format") camera - that very well just as easily could have been fatalities as not (other than by sheer dumb/blind luck) are listed in DSE's thread also, here. OP - Whatever your ultimate decision, please consider all aspects and resources (and their sources) presented to you. Best wishes to you, for a long, healthy & safe participation/progression... in and into whatever disciplines in this sport you may choose to pursue. Best, -Grant coitus non circum - Moab Stone

Changed my mind. Took my comments down. Thought about it again. Even though "out of the bag" by/from someone else, still --- just aint worth it. Again - you can tell, this one is "hell-bent", no matter what! coitus non circum - Moab Stone