KermieCorleone 0 #1 January 22, 2008 I'm like the kid who's got his face pressed up against the store displays glass window ... I've never jumped but I try to accompany a jumper friend of mine to his DZ whenever I can. Its an awesome feeling watching the jumpers all day. Due to financial constraints I dont want to do my first jump until I have saved up enough cash for all the jumps to finish AFF program and get the USPA A License. Until I can fill up the piggy bank, I am going to have to enjoy watching from the ground ...- Neil Never make assumptions! That harmless rectangle could be two triangles having sex ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
taylor.freefall 0 #2 January 22, 2008 Yeah I know what you mean, I've been to the dz and just watched. That's the problem with skydiving - it's bloody expensive, well it is until you get to A license and have your own rig. Anyway good luck with it, I'm sure you'll get there eventually Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannydan 0 #3 January 22, 2008 Hey KERMIE..... Always loved that when Miss Piggy Called Kemit that!!! Anyway, your interested! Sounds like you have some responsibility and prioritizing in yr life... REMEMBER IT! Cause once you start jumpin, that shit is "OUT THE DOOR"!!!! dude!But seriously, WELCOME... Nothing wrong with learning while you are on the ground or at home! Visist USPA.org, read the SAFETY and TRAINING thread here, let the DZO know what your plans are and maybe in their limited free time around the hanger, you could be let in to listen to their actual students going uP for their "FIRST ONE"...??? HOWEVER.... before implementing what you read and what you hear, CLEAR it with your instructor(s) FIRST! hmmmmm now that I think about it, maybe just wait until you REALLY start your training.... ANy HELP here PROs/S&TAs, coachs....? SKYMAMA??? I don't want to advise wrongly here... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #4 January 22, 2008 Welcome to the forums! While you are watching the jumpers, really watch. Don't just watch the swoopers and think, "oh, that's so cool!". Watch people and learn. Watch the set up and try to figure out if they are going to make the landing area or where you think they are setting up to land. Watch what canopies are doing in different wind speeds. Do you see any buckling in high or gusty winds? Think to yourself if you would want that to be you in the future (that's a hint to manybe stay on the ground ). Do you see people hanging in brakes? What does that do to their pattern? Do you understand the downwind, crosswind, upwind pattern? How does that change in different winds? Where is jumprun and why is the pilot letting the jumpers out there? Do people do a left-hand, right-hand or any which way pattern? Watch the flares too; many people don't finish them all the way and biff in. See if you can tell if someone is doing it too high, too low or just right. Anyway, there's really a lot you can learn while you are just watching. You might end up looking at things a whole new way. She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #5 January 22, 2008 Good luck! But if you're going to hang out at the DZ anyway, maybe it's also worth your while to learn to pack? The pay isn't that great, especially while you're still in training, but every extra buck saved.. Besides, I found that in the beginning the most limiting factor in the amounts of jumps I could squeeze out each day was the time it took to pack."That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dannydan 0 #6 January 22, 2008 Quote Besides, I found that in the beginning the most limiting factor in the amounts of jumps I could squeeze out each day was the time it took to pack. arrggghhh THE 40 min 230sqft ZP job....... So glad those days are BEHIND me....didnt matter tho, GETTING IT RIGHT was/is what matters the most!!! "I know RIGHT?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gimpboogie 0 #7 January 22, 2008 Quote But if you're going to hang out at the DZ anyway, maybe it's also worth your while to learn to pack? good advice. I cannot dive right now, (tandem progression is not an option in Can. frozen winters) packing is what I spend my time doing. I do read the SIMS, Brian Germain's books, Sky divers handbook, and chat with sky divers. remembering my coaches words, that there are often many ways to do things, and there are some who believe their way is the only way. Remembering that, hanging out at the DZ you learn by watching folks land, start observing their approach to landing, the time they flare in relation to how low they are, watch them all, and listen for comments from instructors or the DZ owner (like when I heard our DZ owner say "someone go kick his a**, I knew this guy did something he should not have=swooping). those are things that do help in learning, watching what others are doing and observing the results in what you see and comments you hear from reputable knowledgeable people at the DZ. Have fun, be thrifty, while you save it goes faster and then jump to your hearts content! :)To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KermieCorleone 0 #8 January 22, 2008 Quote While you are watching the jumpers, really watch. Don't just watch the swoopers and think, "oh, that's so cool!". Watch people and learn. I generally tend to watch the swoopers . Since my buddy is still a noob (just got his A licence), I give him a hard time telling him that watching him is like watchin a senior citizen driving a buick while the swoopers come screamin down is like watchin sportbikers race (we are both motorcyclists) LOL ... Quote Good luck! But if you're going to hang out at the DZ anyway, maybe it's also worth your while to learn to pack? The pay isn't that great, especially while you're still in training, but every extra buck saved.. Besides, I found that in the beginning the most limiting factor in the amounts of jumps I could squeeze out each day was the time it took to pack. I feel like a bum for not already doing that, I think it is exactly wot I am going to do ...- Neil Never make assumptions! That harmless rectangle could be two triangles having sex ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KermieCorleone 0 #9 March 25, 2009 wow, cant believe how much of a slacker I am ... well after a lil over a year I finally paid for the entire AFF package and am doing my AFF Level 1 tomorrow. Gotta be at the drop zone bright and early 8 in the morning for ground school. woot ...- Neil Never make assumptions! That harmless rectangle could be two triangles having sex ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
