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skydiver1013

Skydiving Again

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I bought my 18 year old daughter a first jump course for her birthday and “MAN” it was good to be back on the DZ again! I would really like to return to skydiving. I started jumping in 1982 and logged about 600 to 700 jumps. I only logged a few jumps every month just to show I was current. My last jump was in 1999. I still have my old gear I bought from Ralph! My new gear is a Vector 2 with RSL, Sharp Shooter 240 sf main which is F-111 with about 200 jumps on it, and a Swift Plus reserve, no AAD. Is my gear to obsolete? I rejoined USPA, got my first Parachutist. Additionally, I think I should take a vacation to Skydive Arizona or Paris Valley for a week so I could get good training and knock it out. Finally, jumping back in the 1980’s & 1990’s was not that big of deal. I never got a license because I never needed one; DZ just looked at my log book to see I had recent jumps signed me off. Now it seems I need one now, will my old jumps count? Please Advice.

Blue Skies,
Dave

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I am not an instructor, just a low time jumper..so im real familiar w/ currency reqs. Perris I know has a min 60 day interval for currency so you are way out of that. Most drop zones these days pretty much follow the book due to legal issues, if you dont have a A license you will probably only be able to jump w/ instructors. I am sure a instructor will post details but I bet they will make you do a full AFF course. They do refreshers but usually only for out of currency A holders. Technically also on jumps they have to be signed off by another licensed skydiver to count in the logbook. Yeah lots of rules for a crazy sport. :S

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you never know though, rules can be fudged a little. I don't know the official rules but if you have 600-700 jumps, despite the fact that you haven't jumped in 10 years, you might be able to find a DZO that might cut you a deal with the license thing.

Also, i went to skydive AZ to finish my training a few weeks after new years. It was an awesome experience, if it wasn't for my job back home, I would have spent my entire winter break there. Well worth the money!!! good luck to you!

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I don’t know what the BSR’s say about returning jumpers and license requirements but I dought I will be required to enter a AFF course. I thought a jumpmaster or instructor would run me through crap like airplane procedures, malfunctions, and emergency procedures, hang me in a harness, maybe make one static line practice ripcord pull on student gear plus one or two stable delay jumps and demonstrating maneuvers. Then the rest of the week I could snivel onto loads to hone my old RW skills. I am willing to take whatever test USPA wants for my licenses. I now wished I logged all that freefall time. You know in my 20’s & 30’s it was all about having fun. Now at 53, I am ready to let the fun begin again!!!

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Kirk,
Thanks for your response. I live in the Seattle, WA area and we do have two good DZ’s. As weather is often spotty until summer, I would rather complete my retraining in a one week session to get it out of the way. I may not have jumped in ten years but I remember how egos are such a big part of the sport. Not allowing someone on a load because their safety risk is a big issue that hangs in the air even when its not a real issue. I don’t want to address that topic at my home DZ. I spent a lot of time at Skydive Arizona (Coolidge, AZ) and Paris Valley in the 1980’s. You know Paris Valley always cracked me up because of their lawyer videos and waver process. I wonder what it is today; DNA testing and signed last will in testament pledging any lawsuit is paid by the estate. Hay, if they let me jump, I will sign the paper, stating my family will pay all of Paris Valley all legal fees and judgments on video, require my family to give DNA proving kinship, and eat a bug. Now, where is the manifest!

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Here's where you're at - as far as your gear is concerned, it is jumpable, but modern gear has gotten MUCH better. If you do try something more 'modern' keep in mind that your experience has been a 240 main. Don't let anyone talk you into jumping anyting much smaller than a 220 or 210 for your first handful of jumps.

One questionable area is the AAD. Without a license, you may be considered a student jumper and the USPA requires an AAD for all studetns. I'm sure the DZ can figure out a way to get you a license based on your previous experience, but I would guess that's after you get current.

As far as that's concerned, you may be asked to sit through the classroom portion of the first jump course, and pass the written test. Probably a good idea given your time away. You want to crystal clear on your emergency procedures and such, and I have to think that ten years has probably clouded our memories a bit.

When it comes to the jumps, you won't be asked to do a dummy pull on a static line. There's not alot of static line training happening these days. You'll have to do some sort of freefall recurrency jump.

It may be with one instructor, maybe two. They may have grips on exit, maybe not. There will be practice handle touches. All the details will depend on where you are, and how everything goes leading up to the jumps. If you come across as level headed, and sharp, maybe they feel good about taking you up. Act like a bonehead, and your instructor might feel like having a little back-up.

Above all, shoot an e-mail to Perris, and see what they say. I'm sure they'll do their best to get you back in the air as quickly as possible.

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Davelepka,
Thanks for the advice. I apologize if I seemed to come off like a bonehead, it was not my intention. I was a long road eating a lot of $hit from the skygods to get on good loads. However, we both know even the skygods can go low on that 20 way.

I hear what you are saying about canopy size. My first new rig was a SST Racer, with a Strong LoPo Lite reserve, and a Django Pegasus main. The Pegasus was a 220 sf F-111, 7 cell parachute. When I got older, I got a bigger main to save my back on those hot, no wind days. When I am ready to replace it, I won’t get some little ZP jockstrap. You may forget there were many T-10, 28’ rags, and PC’s in the landing area with the 7 cell F-111 canopies. I know I had well over 100 rag jumps before I got my Pegasus. It was not uncommon to see a wart rig on your RW load. New technology is better; new gear for me will be another Vector and a Specter or Triathlon with low wing loading. It is time I bought an AAD, and I really like that new Skyhook RSL that is out now, it’s a big improvement.

USPA is really a great origination! I ordered the 2009-2010 Skydiver's Information Manual from the USPA store, its’ good to have a hard copy. My logbook has about 700 signed jumps with names and license numbers. I did try to get at least one jump a week logged & signed. I always logged the good ones like when I was number 20 out of the Twin Otter! Or that 40 way formation load. I found ST&A listed by state on the USPA website. I am going to shoot him an e-mail today and start my travel plans. I need a vacation and I am going to Skydive Arizona for a week in the bunk house.

Blue Skies

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I didn't mean to imply that you were a bonehead, just that if you acted that way during your recurrent training, the instructors might not see that as a good thing.

As far the canopy stuff, by all means you should be jumping a ZP canopy, and most likely one smaller than your Sharpchuter. The flare performance is much better, and it would be very reasonable to jump on a size or two smaller than what you have. The trick is to remember that all of your experiecne has been in the 220+ sq ft sizes, and you should return to jumping in that same range. You may later find that you are very comfortable on a 190 or 170, but you need to first get your 'sky legs' back, and then ease your way down by jumping one smaller size at a time.

Along the same lines, don't expect to get on a 20 way your first weekend back. Ease into that stuff too. Start small, just get used to being back in the sky. Pay more attention to making a safe skydive, than being a on a big complicated jump.

Overall, I think you'll find that not much had changed. There are equal amounts of good guys and bad guys on the DZ (and still not enough chicks). Just like the last time you were a jumper, stay safe, watch your back, and have fun.

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Davelepka,
I know what you mean when you say there are not enough chicks! I met my wife of 23 years on the DZ. Our 18 year old daughter just started jumping. She is a college freshman. So, you young guys; she does not have a boyfriend. I know she really has the hot’s for one of the instructors at our home DZ, I won’t say who. Check out her photo wearing her mother’s jumpsuit.

Blue Skies

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Years ago I studied some statistics about the success of people retaking courses they had already done poorly in. The stats were not on their side because they felt there was nothing more to learn.

With 700 jumps you probably know how to fly your body plus a lot of stuff about the equipment of your time. In studying the history of skydiving I've found a number of changes both in technology and in procedures. Despite the fact you probably know 90% of what they teach that last 10% could be worthwhile.

I think it would be worthwhile to still sit through the training as if you were a beginner. If the skills are good then you can probably complete the requirements in a jump or two.

Last year a jumper arrived at my DZ with a 15 year layoff. He sat through the course and got IAD'd by an instructor like a student on a student canopy. He did just fine and landed it like an experienced jumper. Great, but there was no undo key if he was just thrown on a load with assumptions of what he knew or remembered.

-Michael

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Quote

know what you mean when you say there are not enough chicks! I met my wife of 23 years on the DZ. Our 18 year old daughter just started jumping. She is a college freshman. So, you young guys; she does not have a boyfriend. I know she really has the hot’s for one of the instructors at our home DZ, I won’t say who. Check out her photo wearing her mother’s jumpsuit.

***Never, I repeat, Never allow your daughter to date a skydiver.

John Wright

World's most beloved skydiver

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Perris has decent rental rigs at sq, 1 by the way, All the way up to Triathlon 260 canopy. Nice thing about Perris is they are always running loads providing good weather. All the instructors there are real super nice, plus wind tunnel is cool. I guess Eloy has same stuff but I havnt been there. Speaking of girls, lots of Skydiver women at times....not that I would eever look.....

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***Never, I repeat, Never allow your daughter to date a skydiver.



What he said...

Dude... are you crazy? You're daughters HOT! If you don't want her passed around the dropzone like a piece of meat I'd get her SCUBA lessons or something immediately and make her forget all about this skydiving nonsense...
;) Gook luck man... and welcome back!

Gary "Superfletch" Fletcher
D-26145; USPA Coach, IAD/I, AFF/I
Videographer/Photographer

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