When is someone truly a skydiver?

[mamajumps 0]

IMHO, until you save your own life, your not a skydiver. Anyone can be a tandem passenger, and it kinda rubs me wrong when I hear of someone referred to as a skydiver when they have only been a tandem passenger. Skydiving to me is very personal and very important. Its a part of who I am, and its a place in life that I truly fit. So what is your opinion and why?

[RALFFERS 0]

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IMHO, until you save your own life, your not a skydiver. Anyone can be a tandem passenger, and it kinda rubs me wrong when I hear of someone referred to as a skydiver when they have only been a tandem passenger. Skydiving to me is very personal and very important. Its a part of who I am, and its a place in life that I truly fit. So what is your opinion and why?

I agree with your statement 100% I will only add that - say - after completing a tandem and showing a considerable level of interest, and than in 1 way or other pursuing the sport - that person at least should not be considered a whuffo. (I'm not talking about myself )

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[Dumpster 0]

When you start having your paycheck direct-deposited to your account at the DZ...........

Easy Does It

[RALFFERS 0]

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When you start having your paycheck direct-deposited to your account at the DZ...........

Dialogue/commentary between Divot, Twardo & myself -

"from your first Oshkosh when the three of us were riding to or from one of

[auburnguy 0]

When you break something that keeps you from jumping for a while but you continue to jump as soon as it heals.

"If you don't like your job, you don't strike! You just go in every day, and do it really half assed. That's the American way."
- Homer Simpson

[Andrewwhyte 1]

The second their centre of gravity is outside the door.

[cocheese 0]

You're not a skydiver until someone you jumped with has died from skydiving.

[millertime24 8]

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IMHO, until you save your own life, your not a skydiver. Anyone can be a tandem passenger, and it kinda rubs me wrong when I hear of someone referred to as a skydiver when they have only been a tandem passenger. Skydiving to me is very personal and very important. Its a part of who I am, and its a place in life that I truly fit. So what is your opinion and why?

For our level 2 tandems the student pulls. Hell sometimes they'll let you pull on the first one. Does that make you an instructor for however brief a time?

Muff #5048

[BillyVance 34]

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When you break something that keeps you from jumping for a while but you continue to jump as soon as it heals.

Hell, I badly sprained both ankles on a fucked up jump, and went jumping the next ten straight weekends! Nothing like taping up your ankles and putting on two pairs of socks and hiking boots to keep them stable the first couple of weekends afterwards...

Now a broken arm, yeah I waited 6 weeks for that one before I jumped again, but still had to limit myself to certain exits (no floaters) and go easy on the canopy flight (very little left hand turns) for another 2 months.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[ZeG 0]

The first time I truly considered myself a skydiver was on my first solo jump after completing the course.
Not having anyone around as a backup and relying on your own skills that you have been taught.

[Dumpster 0]

Got that T-shirt!!

Easy Does It

[kbordson 8]

Exiting the plane. Whether jumping, letting go, or pulling the eject - all are events that lead to time outside of the "safety" of the airplane, outside of the "Normal" convention of flight, outside of the box.


"Skydivers" aren't "special" because they reach a certain number or rating. It's the mindset of doing something different, pushing the limits and risking to live life.
(which to me, isn't "special". . . . rather just a normal way of looking at life - cuz I AM NORMAL!!)

[Butters 0]

Why does it bother you? Is it because you want to feel different, special, etc... My opinion is that a person was a skydiver if they skydived in the past and is a skydiver if they skydived in the past and are currently skydiving or intend to skydive in the future.

"That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch

[BillyVance 34]

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You're not a skydiver until someone you jumped with has died from skydiving.

I can count more than the fingers and thumbs on both hands...


How about this one, you're not a skydiver if you didn't take your back up rig out and make a jump 30 minutes after a hard spinning malfunction and hard cutaway at a big way event.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[mamajumps 0]

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Why does it bother you? Is it because you want to feel different, special, etc... My opinion is that a person was a skydiver if they skydived in the past and is a skydiver if they skydived in the past and are currently skydiving or intend to skydive in the future.

I guess b/c not everyone is cut-out to be a skydiver. Anyone can allow themselves to be strapped to a tandem master for that once in a life time thrill. Skydivers are a special group and even tho we come from all walks of life, it is still one big family. And just like any family, their are shit bags in this one too, but for the biggest majority they are all wonderful people who I wouldn't hesitate to give my last quarter to. We are a unique group, and if just anyone could be a part of it, then we wouldn't be any different than the rest of the world....

[Lindercles 0]

We aren't any different than the rest of the world.

[pilotdave 0]

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You're not a skydiver until someone you jumped with has died from skydiving.

Hmmm... I don't think I'm a skydiver yet. And hopefully never will be. I've met skydivers that later died, but I'm not sure I can think of anyone I've jumped with (in nearly 10 years, 1250+ jumps) that's died skydiving. I must be a good luck charm or something.

Dave

[mamajumps 0]

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We aren't any different than the rest of the world.

I guess I have never experienced commaraderie like this anywhere else. I have been involved in many different things growing up and some of the friendships that I have gotten from this sport are by far second to none.

[Jewels 0]

In my case, it's every time I battle door fear and win. I don't tell people that I'm a "skydiver," but my standards would be lower for what qualifies you to be one than others might require. I get out the door, I pull, I flare--for the day, that's good enough! In the big picture, when would the label apply on a day-to-day basis? I think somewhere in the AFF to A license range would be appropriate to start calling someone a skydiver, as they're taking the responsibility for themselves and their jump and they've shown more than a passing let's-go-do-a-tandem commitment to it. (Just check the bank account--that at least says something!) On the other hand, I also think there comes a time when people may no longer jump but they've done it long enough or have so many jumps that it defines who they are and the label never really goes away.

TPM Sister #102

[Lindercles 0]

I agree with you that the relationships I've forged skydiving are like no other. Nobody else in the world understands what it's like to hurdle toward the ground at speeds over 100 miles an hour and actually enjoy it.

But the relationships I've made practicing Jui-Jitsu are also like no other. No one else understands what it's like to roll around on the floor with your friends and play three dimensional chess. (You can make all the gay jokes you want, but I wouldn't recommend it).

Also, the relationships I've made with my juggling friends are like no other. No one else understands what it's like to pass six clubs back and forth in a fluid motion.

Yes, skydivers are special, we're just not any more special than anyone else.

[cocheese 0]

Ok ok you're a skydiver. I'm just saying ... when it hits close to home and you keep on jumping, you've probably been around long enough to be considered a skydiver..

[happythoughts 0]

If someone rides around a NASCAR track with someone else driving, I don't consider them a race car driver.

You have to do your own driving.

[lauraliscious 0]

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When you break something that keeps you from jumping for a while but you continue to jump as soon as it heals.

So if you never break anything that keeps you from jumping does that mean you're not a true skydiver???

Enemiga Rodriguez, PMS #369, OrFun #25, Team Dirty Sanchez #116, Pelt Head #29, Muff #4091

[FreeflyChile 0]

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IMHO, until you save your own life, your not a skydiver. Anyone can be a tandem passenger, and it kinda rubs me wrong when I hear of someone referred to as a skydiver when they have only been a tandem passenger. Skydiving to me is very personal and very important. Its a part of who I am, and its a place in life that I truly fit. So what is your opinion and why?

I agree with your statement 100% I will only add that - say - after completing a tandem and showing a considerable level of interest, and than in 1 way or other pursuing the sport - that person at least should not be considered a whuffo. (I'm not talking about myself )

I think if you only made 1 tandem, and loved it to where you knew you were coming back to continue to skydive - meaning going through the student progression, getting licensed, etc - you're a skydiver. If you did a tandem, loved it, but that was it, I don't think you are. My girlfriend did a tandem a couple years ago, and wants to do another, and probably will periodically do them, but I don't think she'd consider herself a skydiver.

Also, maybe it's just me, but it seems like this type of conversation/concern is usually brought up by someone relatively new to the sport...I know it was important to me when I first started because as a group we like to do something that is really different from anything else you can do in life and really special in many ways, so you want to set this love aside from what other 'normal' people do. After a while, it doesn't really matter to me that much anymore. I skydive, others don't. That's fine.

[Andrewwhyte 1]

I know a paraplegic guy who did 100 tandems, is he a skydiver?