When is a Whuffo no longer a Whuffo

[jtval 0]

>So when is a Whuffo no longer a Whuffo?

When they don't have to ask "Whuffo you want jump out of a perfectly good airplane".
I was thinking more along the lines of when they dont have to ask ."when is a whuffo no longer a whuffo?"
J/K but you were asking for it haha

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[freeflir29 0]

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My official dubbing as a diver was by Eric Bush

Wow...that story really started out scarey......glad it turned out OK.

[coconutmonkey 0]

Yeah, any time a story starts with Eric, you know it'll be really good or lead to a witness protection program...

Hearts & Minds
2 to the Heart-
1 to the Mind-
Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

[freeflir29 0]

How's he doing? When I left Raeford he was about to get surgery done on his injured shoulder. I trust he has made a full recovery by now. I'll always remember that guy. Not only is he funny as hell but he taught me how to track properly over some beers next to the volley ball court one evening. Is Larry still around? Last I saw him he was talking about getting an SOS system so he could jump again....

"Many, many more skydivers are killed on the ride to altitude than during the actual skydive...." -Eric B

[coconutmonkey 0]

Eric is back down in Alabama and doing fine last I heard. Truely a unique individual with the absolute best gift for telling a story.
Larry is still here and doing well. No word yet on when the SOS sytem will be ready, but he still has some healing to do before he jumps again.

Hearts & Minds
2 to the Heart-
1 to the Mind-
Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

[freeflir29 0]

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but he still has some healing to do before he jumps again.

Man...that really stinks!!! To think....he had his accident the day before I made my first skydive.

[coconutmonkey 0]

Yeah, well there was alot of repairs to be done afterwards, but he's the same indominable Larry. Can't wait to see him up in the air!

Hearts & Minds
2 to the Heart-
1 to the Mind-
Home of the Coconut Lounge, Spa, & Artillery Range

[weezil1 0]

As a newbie, I can only parrot my instructor.

"Show me a perfectly good airplane and I won't jump out of it"

:-)

To err is human (Total chaos requires a ferret)

[SpeedRacer 1]

One jump. tandem, sl, aff, or whatever.
That's it. You may not be able to skydive independently yet, but you are officially no longer a whuffo.

See, the "whuffo" comes from the question "Whuffo y'all jump out of them airplanes?" This question is asked by people who shake their heads in disbelief why anyone would even want to TRY such a thing.

So anyone who actually goes to the trouble of heading to the DZ & signing up for their first jump has already set themselves apart from the majority of the population. Even before they actually make their first jump, they're already not REALLY whuffos.

So after that first jump, its official. One jump = not a whuffo.

That's true even if the person decides, due to financial reasons, etc., not to jump again.

We actually had a name for these people who come in & just do one tandem: Once-fos.

Or skytasters.

Almosty 90% of all people who skydive in a given year are skytasters. (i.e.. in the USA there are about 300,000 total "skydivers", but only about 35,000 active skydivers).

Speed Racer
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[Iflyme 0]

I don't think doing a tandem (or any number of tandems, unless you are disabled, and unable to jump on your own) makes one a "skydiver". I'd say you are no longer a whuffo after you've taken the first jump course, and keep coming back for more.

[Michele 1]

What is the question again?

When is a whuffo not a whuffo, right? Then when they "get" it...whether they make a jump or not.

My mother just sent me a beautiful note thanking me for my "smiley" picture - it was one I had blown up for her from Freefall. She said all she needed to see was my face, and she understands it. She's no longer a whuffo. My father, otoh, has the same photo, and still says "You just need to watch the Lakers more, and stop this jumping stuff". He, sadly, will take more working on. I don't like basketball. My brother gets it, my sister in law doesn't. My nephew gets it, and he's only 3 1/2. He loves seeing Noni's flying tapes. He jumps around the living room, and zooms around, clapping, then grabs my hand and pulls me to his balcony, insisting I "teach" him while he points at planes in the sky. My niece is way too young to even understand it.

There are many non-jumpers who understand it, even if they don't/won't ever do it.

Now, as to what makes a skydiver, or even one who simply tries it one time, well, that's a whole 'nother topic.

Ciels and Pinks-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[skymut 0]

Oh well, be glad that you can at least share some of your skydiving experience with your family, even if it isn't all happily received.
I describe my relationship with my parents (only with skydiving) as a 'gays in the military' relationship - you know, 'don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue.' Anytime I bring it up, I get a huge look of worry, and a 'are you still doing that?' .

Matt
A well-informed person is somebody who has the same views and opinions as yours.

[Michele 1]

Yeah, Matt, I hear you! My father, who lives within 5 minutes of me (we're close), doesn't know about my cutaway yet...I tried to tell him, but it didn't actually go well.

Me: So, yeah, there was this problem with one of my jumps. The parachute didn't open right.
Pop: Well, but you landed fine anyway. Let's watch the Lakers.
Me: O.K., I'll get the beer...
At least he understands about the beer part!

As to the rest of the family, they have always known I was, um "different", so something like this is, according to them, "normal" for me. (I just don't get why they think that, either. I've never done anything extreme like this before. Unless you count my (now-defunct) marriage.)
Ciels and Pinks-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[skymut 0]

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As to the rest of the family, they have always known I was, um "different",

I'm totally with you on this as well...that's been my role in the family. I've always been the long-haired, hippie (so to speak) in a family of short-haired, cowboys (almost literally).
The rest of my family likes to hear the stories, and ask questions about skydiving, so that part is cool.
Actually, my Dad was pretty cool about my first jump. When I told him about it, he said, 'well, some guys gotta try bull riding, and i guess other guys have to try jumping out of planes.' It was when I was telling him about the second jump, third jump ....that he began thinking that I must REALLY have a screw loose. I guess he thought I would try it, and think, 'cool, that was neat', then move on.
hhhhmmmm, I wonder what he would think if he knew I was up to 180...might try bringing it up sometime. I literally haven't talked/said a word to my folks about skydiving in years. And if that is the way it will have to be, I'm okay with it. I would rather not have them worrying about me.

Matt
A well-informed person is somebody who has the same views and opinions as yours.

[hawkbit 0]

I have to go with Michele on this one too
You don't have to "do it" to "get it"... and not to mention that there are whuffo's for every activity... there are some skydiving whuffo's out there that don't get it when it comes to other things.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You don't quit playing because you get old, you get old because you quit playing"

[Snowbird 0]

When you are hanging in the sky - under canopy or in freefall - and realise that everything else you do in life is so that you can get here again, and again, and again. Maybe that perception will change with time, but damn it's strong right now!

I can't say just when I stopped being a whuffo, but I started thinking of myself as a skydiver around my 20 second delays. After a lousy tumbling door dive, when I got stable and realised that I can get stable and fall kinda properly. And then I looked around and realised that life was perfect at that moment. Perfect.

Women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea.
-Robert A. Heinlein

[jumpy 0]

I think there no longer whuffo's when they buy us beer! lol
I don't think someone is a 'skydiver' when they do a tandem and the first couple of AFF jumps as well is a little bit off i think cos you got 2 dudes hanging onto you but i guess your a skydiver when you can exit the plane by yourself. Thats what i see it as.

[Skyrose7 0]

Maybe it is when you start comparing everything you spend money on to how many jumps its worth. No, I didn't really consider myself a TRuE skydiver until I had jumped and packed my own rig. I wouldn't argue if someone else thought earlier. I guess it depends on each person.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The mind is like a parachute--it works better when it is open. JUMP.
MaryRose

[Philly215 0]

So if a whuffo is someone who questions why someone would do it, was I never a whuffo since I told my mom I'm going to do it since I first saw skydivers when I was four? :-)

[stayhigh 2]

after 100 jump,,then you are Pro, you'll know everything about skydiving..

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[flygirl1 0]

I would consider someone not a whuffo anymore when some time has passed after there first jump and they can still see perfectly clearly why some one would want to "jump out of a perfectly good airplane". If you ask some one that question no mater how many jumps they have or have had and they still say "Why would you want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane I just don't get it" there a whuffo.

Fly like a girl

[misaltas 0]

Exactly one second after exiting the aircraft for the 2nd time.

Ohne Liebe sind wir nichts

[Squeak 17]

I've read most of these responses and I think they are all CRAP.
You dont need to have EVER jumped to not be a wuffo.
Just so long as you can understand why someone would want to skydive.

I know quite a few people who have never jumped from a plane, but they are well aware of why someone would want to, they are not wuffos,

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[blackout 0]

I agree with ^ my mom has never jumped and shes not a whuffo. My mom and I are very close and she started off hesitating the idea because it is a bit more risky than say playing chess. She will be taking me for a jump over christmas time in AZ and at least pitching in for my first rid!

So id say thats a perfect example.

[TonyTank 0]

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Or if you know the words to "Gonads & Strife....weeeeeeeeeeee!!!"

It's been years!! I love that song!!

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/weeee