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Luke738085

Help Me Fly! Please...

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STORY TIME! THEN I'LL GET TO THE POINT.

As a 4 year old I learned a crucial lesson....the hard way. Using a giant black trash bag for a parachute and a Batman cape as my reserve, I had a plan.I wanted to fly. With my rig, took a running start a jumped off the second story of my house. Immediately i knew something was wrong. So I released my main and counted on my reserve to save me from the fast approaching grass. Waking up in the hospital, I had shattered both ankles, and broken my collar bone. Lesson learned, never over load your chute past your piloting skills. At 6, I had wised up. I had cut and tapped together 6 trash bags (yes, I understood wing loading as a 6 year old). Also I switched my reserve to a 6' pile of leaves, I had raked from the back yard. Once more, with both hands full of trash bag ends, I jumped....to my amazement I felt resistance. I WAS FLYING!.....until the tape ripped and the pile of leaves saved my ass. But from then on, I knew it. One way or another, one day, I would fly. I was hooked. For 21 years I've been attempting to please the family. Go to school, go to college, get married, have kids. Not that I'm against those things I just have a deep drive inside myself. That same drive I had as a young boy, to FLY.,

Alright, to get to the point. I've worked quite a few jobs. Mostly, Real Estate Investing, Oil Sales, Warehousing, and Hotels. I'm 27 years old now and think i'ts time I get serious about finding a job that I have passion for. Skydiving!

WHAT I WANT:
I want to get on the fastest track to proximity flying. I want a job that includes my passion for innovation and pushing the sport forward. I'll sweep floors and take out the trash to get my foot in the door. This is what I want and I'm willing to do anything to get there.

WHAT I HAVE:
I'm 2 jumps away from completing my AFF course and would like to get my 200 jumps behind me, so I can start wingsuiting. I've got a reliable vehicle. Also I have a very well taken care of '03 Suzuki Intruder 800 motorcycle (runs perfect) to trade + 3,000 cash for gear,jumps, wingsuits, ect. I can move anywhere, anytime. I've attached my resume to this post. So please, if anyone has any ideas, solutions, job offers!, or just helpful input, PLEASE don't hesitate to contact me. Contact me however you like, my info is at the bottom of this post. If you've gotten this far I appreciate your interest in helping make a dream come true. THANK YOU!

Luke Stein
Mobile - (713)410-4178 txt or call
Email - [email protected]

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Save more money, those 3k are not gonna get you anywhere close the experience lvl required for wingsuit basejumping.
I even highly doubt you can make it to your licence + own gear with it let alone start making money out of the sport...
-------------------------------------------------------

To absent friends

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I am legitimately confused as to what your professional resume has to do with your future skydiving progression. The whole sweeping floors thing too. I mean, I did see a movie once where a kid waxed an old man's floors in exchange for karate lessons (can't remember the name), but I don't know any old guys like that in wingsuiting. Who knows though, maybe Tony needs a floor sweeper. :o:)

Also it's very unlikely that there is a package deal out there offering precisely what you need in exchange for precisely $3000 and one motorcycle. Althought I have heard that most DZ's do trade jumps for dollars, and people in need of a motorcycle will trade dollars for motorcycles, but you might want to try a motorcycle board for that trade. :)
Most likely you'll need to do like every one of us has and exchange your dollars, one by one, for jumps, training, and gear. At some point you'll need to earn more dollars. Two high level choices:

1) Use the college/married/kids route you've spent so long on to get a high paying but soul consuming job. You'll make lots of jumps, get real good, and eventually burn out.

2) Work for a DZ taking out trash, sweeping floors, and some day upgrade to packing, tandems and AFF. You'll jump when time allows it, get real good, and eventually burn out.

Choose your path, Luke-san. I'm not sure posting your resume in a wingsuit forum will help you down either of those paths though. :P Might want to send it to some DZO's or fortune 500 businessmen depending which path you choose.

www.WingsuitPhotos.com

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Great now I'm skydivings Karate Kid. Your comment made me laugh. The resume is just for any square 1, para - gear, type people to get a sense of my work history. I understand it's going to take much more $$ to get to the end goal. Much less many, many more jumps to gain enough expirence to get their. I'm still flipping houses with my boss and making decent money. The 3k and the bike just a starting point. What I have to offer right now . Pffft I wish tony would let me sweep his floors for training! Catch every damn fly in the shop using their sewing needles.

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Step 1- cutaway, quit your job and find a full time dropzone.
Step 2-learn to pack and start making a couple of bucks for jumps, first step to get your riggers ticket for even more money.
Step 3-sell the bike for your first rig, you cant transport all your skydiving gear anyways, also dont blow the money on jumps. Your own rig will be the best investment you can make in this sport.
Step 4- get 100 jumps and become a coach, free jumps and you will learn a lot yourself.
Step 5- get 200 jumps and start wingsuiting, also go take a base course.
Step 6- get your aff rating and tandem rating, also learn to fly camera(real money makers)
Step 7- do 500 base jumps and 500 wingsuit jumps
Step 8- wingsuit proximity jump!

Skydiving is a huge journey. There are people that can win a gold metal i. One discipline and feel like an Aff student in another. Theres no rush and its really easy to find a discipline that you didnt consider and get side tracked.

You are almost finished aff. You are already in the one percent of return jumpers. You are on your way! Stick to your goals and follow your dreams. blue skies!

P.S. You're already flying dude!

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Hi Luke,

Sweeping floors and begging for work is nice. But just finding a real world job, making real money, and jumping your ass of on weekends to gather jumps/skills and have fun, is all this is about.
If you get good to a certain level, you might be able to get to the point where you can coach other people, get a few free jumps. Or better, get so damn good people want to pay you for coaching. And from there, if you're super awesome and stand out, sponsoring or actual jobs in the industry become possible.

But you are the one needing to invest...and a normal 9-5 dayjob is the way to do that. Make some money, and earn the fun. Nobody is going to give this stuff out for free, as about 1 out of 3 skydivers / basejumpers wants a free paycheck and unlimited fun. But to get there, its hard work, and once there, its still hard work (though most people only see the fun stuff on FB).

The fastest track to proximity flying is about 200+ normal freefall skydives, about 50 or so normal basejumps, then about 300 (bare minimum) wingsuit skydives, and from there being able to start with normal wingsuit basejumps. But thats already about 500/600 skydives in, and 50 or so basejumps. From there-on, you'll need a good 200 basejumps in a wingsuit to slowly start edging a bit closer to the walls. And from there, its possible to slowly delve deeper into the world of wingsuit base/proxi. But thats a good 800 to 1000 jumps skydiving/base combined that any well payd dayjob that you have an education/training for will pay you quicker than a job on the DZ.

If you're in a rush...get a real job..if you want to just have a good time and enjoy the ride...get a job in skydiving. Its not the place where you get ritch or rush...its the place where you have fun, and live a good life with lots of friends..

That aside...$3000,- will get you a nice set of gear....worry about that, and leave the wingsuits, the jumps etc etc up to every monthly paycheck you get with a good job. Its how most of us do it, and only after a long time, with a bit of skill and a bit of luck, do some 'make it' as an actual job. But enjoy the ride....thats why you do it..
JC
FlyLikeBrick
I'm an Athlete?

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If you had any future in proximity flying, you would have known to use a hamster as a test dummy first.

The dude above me summarized your options well.

The only thing I would add is that people who just can't wait to "get their first 200 jumps behind them" tend to be shitty skydivers (and therefore shitty base jumpers) because they don't have an attitude that is conducive to building a good foundational skill set.

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***Sweeping floors and begging for work is nice. But just finding a real world job, making real money, and jumping your ass of on weekends to gather jumps/skills and have fun, is all this is about.[url]

I would say the same thing.

To the OP:
I have kids your age and I was your age once (believe it or not). I started jumping at age 54 just so that I could be a skydive WS pilot. Many....not all...of the very successful people that I know in skydiving employment also have a 4 or 5 day a week job outside of skydiving. The outside job pays the bills and takes care of the family and the skydive job pays for the skydiving.

I do know a couple of young men that started packing and are now flying wingsuits. One of them is putting himself through college and the other is truly a professional skydiver. The guy that is a professional travels a lot and largely lives at the DZ.....homeless buy some people's standards. If you want a family, keep their needs in mind as you work toward your goal.

You asked about a fast track, but understand it will take a number of years. Learn perseverance. For me it seemed like an uphill battle at every turn.

There is an old saying that is something like, "The faster I go the more behind I get". There is also the story of The Tortoise And The Hare. If you want to progress quickly, make choices that will reduce injury risk, not increase injury risks. I said "no" to things that most people do while working toward the magic 200 jump number.
Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

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Agree with both dudes above me.
I hear that comment a lot these days "I want to get the first 200 jumps behind me" and I find it a little sad to be honest.
Everyone is in a rush to get into a wingsuit and then become the next Base-jumping statistic.
Stop and enjoy the ride man!
Nearly 20 years on with thousands of jumps, I often look back fondly at some of my early skydives and still think they were some of the best jumps I’ve ever done.
I know it sounds cliché, but slow down and enjoy the journey as you are learning to fly. You’ll get to strap yourself into a Wingsuit eventually and probably even get to fly some super-tight, shallow line in a valley somewhere in Europe (albeit briefly), but you will never get those early days of jumping back so don’t rush them. Soak them in.

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theres absolutely nothing wrong with starting skydiving to progress to an intended route, IE basejumping. thats the only reason i started skydiving. i wasnt sure how quick it would or wouldnt happen, but nonetheless, its been a helluva journey since then.

im only at the 300 jump marker, but i found a kickass mentor who taught me things about gear, rigging, and canopy/rig modifications that not only preserve my life, but that alot of long term skydivers probably are clueless about. im not by any means a badass rigger, but i have experience with insepctions, line modifications, basic rigging, etc. this didnt by any means happen overnight.

focus on the skills that will help you become a competent flyer. track your balls off, and when you start wingsuiting, talk to your experienced flyers about what to work on.

when youre ready for BASE, which you may never be, crank out a hundred normal base jumps, work on tracking terminal walls, and then go from there, all while still flying your wingsuit in the skydive environment. find competent WS base jumpers and befriend them.

take it slow, and seek the advice from qualified base jumpers at your dropzone, youll no doubt find them, but take it at a mellow pace before you become a statistic.

good luck in your journey, and maybe ill see you at an exit point.
gravity brings me down.........

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uberchris

theres absolutely nothing wrong with starting skydiving to progress to an intended route, IE basejumping. thats the only reason i started skydiving. i wasnt sure how quick it would or wouldnt happen, but nonetheless, its been a helluva journey since then.

im only at the 300 jump marker, but i found a kickass mentor who taught me things about gear, rigging, and canopy/rig modifications that not only preserve my life, but that alot of long term skydivers probably are clueless about. im not by any means a badass rigger, but i have experience with insepctions, line modifications, basic rigging, etc. this didnt by any means happen overnight.

focus on the skills that will help you become a competent flyer. track your balls off, and when you start wingsuiting, talk to your experienced flyers about what to work on.

when youre ready for BASE, which you may never be, crank out a hundred normal base jumps, work on tracking terminal walls, and then go from there, all while still flying your wingsuit in the skydive environment. find competent WS base jumpers and befriend them.

take it slow, and seek the advice from qualified base jumpers at your dropzone, youll no doubt find them, but take it at a mellow pace before you become a statistic.

good luck in your journey, and maybe ill see you at an exit point.



Of course there isn't - but there is a problem with viewing the necessary training as an annoyance and not giving the process any thought.

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@ JC - Best advice yet. Thank you!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To all the people saying, "you're rushing it", "FB prox want to be", "not all fun and games", and dislike/disrespect for the people "just trying to get their 200 behind them".

I'm not that kid putting learning, and coaching to the side, just to reach my 200. My reason for my trying to find a fast track, is that I'm Type 1 diabetic. Have been since for 15 years. I on an insulin pump, which helps keep it under very tight control and have never had any issues. As of now, I'm 27, 5'8 (173), 150lb (68), and consider myself more fit then most (excluding skydivers). I just don't know how long I'll be able to maintain this level of blood sugar control and fitness. Which I know I'll need to reach the lvl of flying skill required for flying. I don't want to be 5 years into my journey, just to find out they have to chop one of my rudders off, due to an infection. I'm not afraid of the hard work and $$ it's going to take to get their. I just want as much time I can get, enjoying the fruits of the hard work ahead.

Enough of the pity party, maybe I'll just get prosthetic wings/rudders instead of hands and feet:P

The problem at my DZ is none of the instructors WS fly.

Any recommendations where to receive top notch coaching?

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Luke738085

@ JC - Best advice yet. Thank you!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To all the people saying, "you're rushing it", "FB prox want to be", "not all fun and games", and dislike/disrespect for the people "just trying to get their 200 behind them".

I'm not that kid putting learning, and coaching to the side, just to reach my 200. My reason for my trying to find a fast track, is that I'm Type 1 diabetic. Have been since for 15 years. I on an insulin pump, which helps keep it under very tight control and have never had any issues. As of now, I'm 27, 5'8 (173), 150lb (68), and consider myself more fit then most (excluding skydivers). I just don't know how long I'll be able to maintain this level of blood sugar control and fitness. Which I know I'll need to reach the lvl of flying skill required for flying. I don't want to be 5 years into my journey, just to find out they have to chop one of my rudders off, due to an infection. I'm not afraid of the hard work and $$ it's going to take to get their. I just want as much time I can get, enjoying the fruits of the hard work ahead.

Enough of the pity party, maybe I'll just get prosthetic wings/rudders instead of hands and feet:P

The problem at my DZ is none of the instructors WS fly.

Any recommendations where to receive top notch coaching?



The Northeast Birdschool (MA), Scotty Burns (FL), Darren Burke (CA), would all get you going quite well. Good fliers AND can teach. I'm sure there are others, and no order intended in the above.

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Lol easy cowboy. Take a breath and learn to fall. Don't be in such a hurry to post a cool video to YouTube. Plus, tracking is way more badass than Wingsuit flying if you know what you're doing. So stop being so simple minded, get off your single track mindset, and watch some Ted Rudd videos, some freefly sky videos, some crw and rw videos, and learn about how to respect canopy sports. Otherwise you'll have few and or wrong friends in the base community and even smaller ws base community.
Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.

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tozer


you will never get those early days of jumping back so don’t rush them. Soak them in.



Well said that man. :)
To OP: worry about WS when you have close to 200 jumps - right now just jump as much as you can, and have fun - while knowing you are 100% on the path to where you want to go. :)

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No simple mind here:S. I just have a goal I'm working towards, and looking at all the possible roots to get their. I think you have me figured wrong. I have tremendous respect for anyone willing live out their dreams. Especially, if their dream requires them to trust in a few strings and some fabric to keep them alive. Heh and YouTube is the last thing on my list. I want to compete eventually, progress the sport and make it easier for people like me to reach their goals. Then again maybe you're right. I did just look at the number of friends on DZ, still says zero :( I've been watching skydiving vids as long as they've been posted on the internet. Only recently have I taken the initiative to peruse my dream. But, I will defiantly check out teds vids.

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Is it the picture?
Or the fact that I put a picture of myself on my resume?
To be honest, I put it their to stick out of the crowd of every other resume that runs across their desk. I didn't want to be just another piece of paper. I wanted the reader to be able to put a face with words. I actually have received more callbacks ever since I put it on there.

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