NEW aFf STUDENT!! OvErLy ExCiTeD!

[vcarter 0]

Hi everyone, Im Vernon and I am a AFF student out of Chambersburg, PA DZ. Did my first tandem in 2008 and could never stop looking up to blueskies and now I am actually training to get my license. I am on Category F meaning I just got released from Student status and now I am on solo status! YAY! They announced it on the loud speaker while I was watching my jump on the Go-Pro! Too amped! I love this sport so much my friends just dont understand but they are all excited to join me one day in the air too! I llive in Baltimore and would be tight if anyone in the area also dived we could possible link up one day at a local DZ after I get licensed. My goal is to one day jump in most if not all countries that I can! So i just got done designing my jumpsuit from BEV and I will be paying for it soon...Such an expensive sport but I wouldnt give it up for the world. So since I am in my welcoming post I was wondering if I could vent out a question before I go wondering the DZ.com forums... Do you experienced divers reccommend building my rig from scratch? I was thinking of buying a container, main, reserve, etc until I had a full system and possible save money. Of course making sure its all checked out by my local DZ and people I trust first before jumping it... Any suggestions ...? Ending I just want to say HEY TO EVERYONE AND BLUE SKIES!

Life finds its purpose and fulfillment in the expansion of happiness

--- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

[popsjumper 2]

Here's something that might help...

http://www.chutingstar.com/expertadvice_en/

Read the stuff that's in 'Buying Gear - Latest Articles'

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[skymama 35]

Welcome to the forums!

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

[popsjumper 2]

Please take note: Want and Need are two different things.

In skydiving, we buy what we want according to what we need. You buy according to your current needs and then decide what you want within that range.

Here's why:
All too often young jumpers buy what they want first without regard to what they need. For example, "what I want is a crotchrocket" vs "what I need is a wingloading that I can learn on safely until I can build the skills to fly that crotchrocket safely."

So what happens?
1. Some DZs let them fly the crotchrocket and they wind up hurting themselves...yes, it happens all too often.

2. They are told that they cannot fly the crotchrocket until the gain the skills necessary to fly it safely. Now the canopy sits in the closet and they have to buy another, more reasonable, canopy....all the while itching to get into that crotchrocket and over-evaluating their skill level to get to it more quickly.

Neither is a good choice.

Take the sensible route...buy for what you need at that time instead of buying for the future.

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[vcarter 0]

@popsjumper & @skymamaThank you for the link... I have done some research and I think I will design my own container

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but I will buy used main and reserve for now. I think that's my best bet as far as budget. Yea well I weigh 2180 and they have been slowly downsizing me from 260 where I first started I now fly a 230. By the time I am finish I think I will be able to fly a 180-200 ... 1:1 wing load.

Life finds its purpose and fulfillment in the expansion of happiness

--- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

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