DougH 270 #26 August 4, 2008 Yes, your right. I should have said B qualified. I still am carrying around my applications for my C & D. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pilotdave 0 #27 August 4, 2008 QuoteWell, no. Not exactly. You do NOT NEED a B license to make a night jump. You only need to be qualified for a B license. Depends on the dropzone. The USPA doesn't say anything about B-license qualified. They say B-license. Personally I had done everything other than water training when I made my first night jump (so I wasn't even B-qualified), but some dropzones are more strict than others. Dave Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #28 August 4, 2008 QuoteThe USPA doesn't say anything about B-license qualified Sure they do. The SIM says that "Skydivers participating in night jumping should meet all the requirements for a USPA B or higher license." before making a night jump. It doesn't say anything about actually having a B license. I'm not trying to play word games either. The wording seems very clear to me. The SIM also says that someone who wants a PRO rating must "possess a USPA D license" So there is a distinct different about how they word such things.Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lekstrom10k 0 #29 August 6, 2008 I saw your first two night jumps at the Tiki bar at summer fest. It was clever not to wear clothes that way you wouldnt get them dirty if you landed off by a rail. Then adding a water jump to it. I especially liked the track off the steps to retrieve your wallet.It must have been hard to carry one with no clothes. Seems like you did a pretty good ground scan before you got up.It was not only videoed but has a T-shirt to prove it. Stay sober when you finally do it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skittles_of_SDC 0 #30 August 6, 2008 haha, yeah that one will be sticking with me for a number of years to come i'm sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danornan 64 #31 August 11, 2008 Watch out for your shadow! (Hope this isn't a repeat as I didn't read all of the replies) On my first night jump it almost took me out. Kept yelling for it to move but it followed me all the way to the ground...Dano Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #32 August 11, 2008 It took me a long time to get my night jumps in so I could get my D-License. I had probably like 600 or 700 and some jumps before I did my first night jump. My first night jump (solo) was definitly an act of courage; throwing myself into the bowels of the creature, but after it was over and I was down and up, safe, it was a great rush. It took me somewhere between another 50 & 75 jumps to get my second night jump (RW) in was yet another experience, no moon, un-lit DZ... umm... long story... again, a rush, but afterwards my intention was, "I've got my 2 night jumps in, I can get my D-License now, that's enough." A while later though, others on the DZ wanted to do their night jumps and the DZO wanted someone "experienced" to go up and make sure the spot was good for these guys and gals doing thier 1st / night solo jump. Well, there I was the most experienced up jumper with all of my 2 night jumps on the DZ (that was still sober), so I got nominated. So, up we go, I make sure all the folks doing their night solo get a decent spot and know where the DZ is and all before they leave the bird. At the end of that, I was damned if I was going to ride the plane down, so out I went. I got 2 or 3 more night jumps doing this task. Then, one day, a buddy of mine and I thought it would be cool to do night hop-n-pops all night. After talking a DZO and pilot into it (eventually we setteled on hop-n-pops form sun-down until 1a.m... as many as we could do packing for ourselves) we did this a couple of times. Did the jump into the New Year's thing too 1999/2000 and a few other night hop-n-pops here and there, so, now I think I've got something close to 30 night jumps, I'd have to go through my log books and count them up. I have to say, that I got to the point where I really liked getting out, opening and flying my canopy at night. That's cool. But I also got to the point where I decided I didn't want to press my luck much longer with night landings, especially as I went from good ol' big F111 canopies to things like Sabre150s/170s and Sabre 2s. I also didn't much like wearing a strobe at night (I know, the BSRs say you should), but I never felt like it did any good for my night vision no matter where I wore it. I used to just wear a couple of big chem-sticks on the back of my helment, but I realise too that besides not exaclty following the FARs and BSRs that also pushed th e"big sky" theory with respect to not hitting someone else or being hit by someone else under canopy. So, its been several years since I've done a night jump. I still think it should be on the list of "requirements" to get a D-License, but at the same time, as I see folks downsizing and jumping higher performance canopies before they get their night jumps in, I worry for them about going out and jumping a canopy that can become very unforgiving if someone exectes somethign less that a perfect landing... let alone if they have to land out. So, to the OP, if your worried about doing a night jump, well, then don't. Like Sparky says, the night will be there when you want to. My 2 cents, be thoughtful about what canopy you're jumping, i.e. do you think you could land it out in a less that perfect landing area? Because even if you're on the DZ, at night, you're landing may resemeble something more like that then a perfect day landing. Also, I'd say do your night jumps at your home DZ or at least one you're very familar with rather then traveling to some other DZ just because you hear them saying, "we're doing night jumps at such and such at time." Have fun. Be safe. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #33 August 13, 2008 I did two (one solo, one RW) earlier this summer. They were an exqusite mix of "Damn this is beautiful!" and "Damn, this is scary!" We found that even with a surface wind check a couple of minutes before exit.... the wind at 2-3000 ft AGL was a real problem. Be mentally and physically ready to land out in the dark. I look forward to doing them again... after I have forgotten how landing by the moonlight alone was terrifying and poorly executed. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #34 August 13, 2008 Night jumps are always fun.Sparky My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #35 August 13, 2008 QuoteWaiting will only make you more experienced in the air, and landing your canopy. Trade off there is that more jumps will also probably mean he'll be under a smaller canopy. Doing the night jumps prior to downsizing instead of after might be a good plan. YMMV of course... but I know at least one person who wishes he'd waited to downsize until after his first night jump... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkeenan 13 #36 August 13, 2008 Quote ...Doing the night jumps prior to downsizing instead of after might be a good plan. It seems that there is always the option of using a canopy other than a pocket rocket when it's time for the night jump. That would probably increase the safety margin. But then there's the horrible, debilitating disgrace of upsizing. What self-respecting 100-jump wonder of a wannabee swooper could ever survive that embarrassment? Better to go in doing a night 270, than walk away from landing a student canopy. Kevin K._____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
klingeme 0 #37 August 13, 2008 On my first night jump, everything went fine (2 way head down with someone I had done a couple hundred jumps with), I pulled and instantly freaked out because I did not see the DZ (Which was right behind me). After about 4 seconds of panicking, I turned towards the DZ and entered the pattern, heading for the cars parked in the landing area for light. Right as I was getting ready to turn on to final, I noticed the glow sticks of a jumper doing the opposite pattern from the rest of us, who was going to turn into me. I proceeded to turn "downwind" (L&V winds) and land in the dark flaring on instinct. I slid in on my ass and survived, but said I would never do another night jump. I faked my other night jump in my logbook to get my D because I did not want to do another. A couple years later, I finally got my second. This one was a demo jump into a high school playoff game. There is nothing like getting the thrill of a night jump, but landing in a packed stadium (open air) with a couple thousand people screaming, and then going to the bar and watching everyone's landings on the 4 local news channels. Mark Klingelhoefer Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy_Copland 0 #38 August 13, 2008 Thats a great picture.1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #39 August 13, 2008 Quote Thats a great picture. Thanks, and it was a great jump. SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkeenan 13 #40 August 13, 2008 Quote I faked my other night jump in my logbook to get my D because I did not want to do another. UPT Loudspeaker: "Mark, You have a call on line 1. It's a Mr. USPA" _____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
klingeme 0 #41 August 13, 2008 Quote Quote I faked my other night jump in my logbook to get my D because I did not want to do another. UPT Loudspeaker: "Mark, You have a call on line 1. It's a Mr. USPA" Mark is away from his desk. Please leave a message and I'm sure he will get back to you as soon as possible. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #42 August 13, 2008 Quote Quote Thats a great picture. Thanks, and it was a great jump. Sparky Never could figure out why you were starin' at the ground in that pic Sparky rather than geekin' the camera? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #43 August 13, 2008 Quote Quote Quote Thats a great picture. Thanks, and it was a great jump. Sparky Never could figure out why you were starin' at the ground in that pic Sparky rather than geekin' the camera? After completing a night hoop jump we were running a little low on air. I was looking at my altimeter.SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #44 August 14, 2008 Quote Quote ...Doing the night jumps prior to downsizing instead of after might be a good plan. It seems that there is always the option of using a canopy other than a pocket rocket when it's time for the night jump. That would probably increase the safety margin. But then there's the horrible, debilitating disgrace of upsizing. What self-respecting 100-jump wonder of a wannabee swooper could ever survive that embarrassment? Better to go in doing a night 270, than walk away from landing a student canopy. Provided they jump with it earlier in the day. Otherwise, it's still making a key equipment change for a night jump, not the greatest plan. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 8 #45 August 15, 2008 Quote Quote Quote Quote Thats a great picture. Thanks, and it was a great jump. Sparky Never could figure out why you were starin' at the ground in that pic Sparky rather than geekin' the camera? After completing a night hoop jump we were running a little low on air. I was looking at my altimeter.Sparky Are you sure it wasn't because you just realized the earth had rotated and you were really over the Denny's parking lot and not the DZ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gearless_chris 1 #46 August 17, 2008 I just got night jump #6 in, a 3way RW. We pretty much funneled the whole time until breakoff. I do agree with the people who say do your night jumps before you downsize. You don't want to borrow a bigger canopy to do them with because then you'll be on un-familiar gear. Even if you did go back to a canopy that you've already jumped you should still get a couple day time jumps in on it to re-familiarize yourself with it. Night jumps are awsome and are hard to come by since most people don't want to stay sober long enough or have canopies that aren't appropriate for it. You only missed the pond by 15 feet, so if your canopy accuracy is that good you should be fine."If it wasn't easy stupid people couldn't do it", Duane. My momma said I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, so I became an a$$hole. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SPAWNmaster 0 #47 August 18, 2008 Night jumps are awesome! I just made my first 2 on Saturday and it was an absolute blast :D . Landing isn't really an issue, I think the biggest danger is other canopies in the air. I got cut off in the pattern and I can see how that could've ended up bad since it's extremely difficult to spot other canopies in the air. Glow sticks...lots of glow sticks. I did some 2 way freeflying which was a lot of fun, and the visuals up there are absolutely stunning...full moon, beautiful lit up clouds...cities...etc. Just gorgeous. Wish my video camera could've picked that stuff up...even with nightshot you could barely see the other guy in freefall. The ground seems to comes up real fast too! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
millertime24 8 #48 August 18, 2008 Just did my first night jump on Saturday as well. All in all it was pretty fun, but I did have 2 minor little issues on the jump. Issue #1: Borrowed one of the dz's Digitude altimeters so I could see it better in the dark than my Galaxy (big mistake shoulda taken both). 20 sec into the jump the light on the Digitude went dead so I was forced to rely on my Optima and Mk-1 eyeball for the correct pull altitude (dont want to pull too high and have someone sit fly through your canopy). Audible went off, pulled at 3,500 without incident. Issue #2: Come time to land I learned a valuable lesson about looking directly at the ground to judge flare time. Basically I stalled the canopy 10' off the ground and droped into what I can only describe as the best PLF of my life. Came away with a sore hip but nothing really bad so on the fun scale the jump was still totally worth it. Now that Ive learned some things I know better what I need to prepare for in the event that I'm afforded another night jump opportunity (they dont happen that much here). Carry 3 altimeters (1 back-lit, 1 glow-in-the-dark, 1 audible). Also not a bad idea to tape a powerfull flashlight to the top of your shoe to better judge flare timing with AGL altitude.Muff #5048 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #49 August 18, 2008 A glow stick on your helmet makes reading an analog altimeter very very easy. Just for future reference. Its easy with a pro-tec, you wrap rubberbands through the air holes on the front of the helmet to hold the glow stick. Other helmets may require duct-tape. If you can't find any at the DZ, ask the pilot, he'll have a few rolls handy.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #50 August 18, 2008 QuoteA glow stick on your helmet makes reading an analog altimeter very very easy. Just for future reference. Bright enough for the canopy check too. But the glow face galaxy does just fine by itself. The digitals add nothing, and the audible covers the backup. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
