Size main? 215lbs male beginner

[strop45 0]

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So you suggest that I not read, view, or discuss on a forum anything about skydiving whatsoever, yet wait till I get to the DZ to commence any learning about the sport? It's already been established here in this thread that I've learned not to buy any equipment until I've completed 30 jumps or so. I'm not getting this idea that you can't learn anything on the internet. If that is the case all newbies should be banned from this site. I think answering a newbies questions with bonified reliable information, as some have already done so is best. Not sure what you are offering here other than differences in how people choose to learn. If you have difficulty in learning things on the internet then that does not mean everyone else has that problem.

Since you asked what I'd suggest is that you read/listen/think more and comment less.

The size of the main you will first jump will actually be determined by the instructors at the DZ you go to, not the comments on dropzone.com.

The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits." -- Albert Einstein

[OHCHUTE 0]

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So you suggest that I not read, view, or discuss on a forum anything about skydiving whatsoever, yet wait till I get to the DZ to commence any learning about the sport? It's already been established here in this thread that I've learned not to buy any equipment until I've completed 30 jumps or so. I'm not getting this idea that you can't learn anything on the internet. If that is the case all newbies should be banned from this site. I think answering a newbies questions with bonified reliable information, as some have already done so is best. Not sure what you are offering here other than differences in how people choose to learn. If you have difficulty in learning things on the internet then that does not mean everyone else has that problem.

Since you asked what I'd suggest is that you read/listen/think more and comment less.

The size of the main you will first jump will actually be determined by the instructors at the DZ you go to, not the comments on dropzone.com.

Really? The instructor at the DZ said he'd rent me a 230 for first jump, yet here I'm learning 230 might be too small. THE REASON I POSTED THE QUESTION. So comments on here could be a determing factor. I could demand use of larger chute.

I'll ask you the question directly so that you might stay focused:what size chute do you recommend I jump FIRST considering you know my weight? I'm 6 ft? And you already know what the instructor at the DZ recommended? And the chart has been posted.

#?

[blueblur 0]

I jumped a 260 my first 20 on my license progression. Only went to a 230 the last few on the advice of my S&TA. Went to my own gear off license on a 210 Spectre. Didn't notice a huge difference in the 260-230, biggest thing is the 230 responded a bit quicker to inputs and flared better. The Spectre, OTOH, was like hopping in a GT after driving a Pinto. Our S&TA would have (and has others) grounded me for trying to jump a smaller canopy.

I'm 5'11" (height doesn't really matter for canopy size I can't imagine) and 195# without gear.

In every man's life he will be allotted one good woman and one good dog. That's all you get, so appreciate them while the time you have with them lasts.

- RiggerLee

[melanie91 0]

Dare you to tell your instructor you're not taking his advice because you read some comments on dz.com ;)

[davelepka 4]

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So you suggest that I not read, view, or discuss on a forum anything about skydiving whatsoever, yet wait till I get to the DZ to commence any learning about the sport?

I do suggest that, I have suggested that in the past, and will continue to suggest that in the future.

What you do not realize that there are many different ways to do things in skydiving. Which way you choose depends on what equipment you're jumping, what plane you're jumping out of, who you're jumping with, who else is on the plane, what the weather is like, and where you are jumping. Any one of the above factors can make whatever you 'learned' on the internet the wrong choice, and a danger to yourself and others.

The right idea is to go to the local DZ, and take the Frist Jump Course. Learn what they want to teach you, the way they want to teach it to you. They are the ones who will be jumping with you as a student and providing your equipement, so they know best exactly what to teach you (and what not to teach you).

Skydiving is more complicated than it appears on the surface. Very small details can (and have) killed jumpers in the past, and worse, caused them to harm (or kill) others in the process. If you think it's on the same level as repairing the side mirror of your car, or grilling a salmon steak, I suggest you rethink your decison to take up skydiving.

[OHCHUTE 0]

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So you suggest that I not read, view, or discuss on a forum anything about skydiving whatsoever, yet wait till I get to the DZ to commence any learning about the sport?

I do suggest that, I have suggested that in the past, and will continue to suggest that in the future.

What you do not realize that there are many different ways to do things in skydiving. Which way you choose depends on what equipment you're jumping, what plane you're jumping out of, who you're jumping with, who else is on the plane, what the weather is like, and where you are jumping. Any one of the above factors can make whatever you 'learned' on the internet the wrong choice, and a danger to yourself and others.

The right idea is to go to the local DZ, and take the Frist Jump Course. Learn what they want to teach you, the way they want to teach it to you. They are the ones who will be jumping with you as a student and providing your equipement, so they know best exactly what to teach you (and what not to teach you).

Skydiving is more complicated than it appears on the surface. Very small details can (and have) killed jumpers in the past, and worse, caused them to harm (or kill) others in the process. If you think it's on the same level as repairing the side mirror of your car, or grilling a salmon steak, I suggest you rethink your decison to take up skydiving.

I'm a flight instructor and a learner. I'll decide what is best for me in learning anything. This is not a thread discussing training or learning. I asked a simple question and experienced jumpers, including instructors answered my questions and from those answers I've learned something and have already made decisions. I've posed those decisions. Some instructors emailed off line in answering the question. Since it is my life, I'll ask as many questions from anyone willing to supply me the answers I seek and based upon your responses and others, which offer no information whatsoever, about what I was seeking I don't have a clue why there is this continued conversation about what I should or should not do? If you want to discuss training, and learning wether online, inperson, self taught (I got no instruction whatsoever about parachuting from the aerobatic instructor in the Pitts, so any jump I might have done there would have been self taught etc,) then you might start your own thread about training techniques and what a prospective student (I'm not yet a student but I'm pretty far ahead in the learning curve IMHO) might do to prepare him or herself on the first jump including bringing a snow suit and toasty warm gloves to the DZ if it's cold outside!

We're done.

[davelepka 4]

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We're done

You're done. Other people who don't think they're already 'ahead of the curve' despite not having made jump #1 are still reading. While your mind is closed, theirs is not, so I will continue.

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you might start your own thread about training techniques and what a prospective student (I'm not yet a student but I'm pretty far ahead in the learning curve IMHO) might do to prepare him or herself on the first jump including bringing a snow suit and toasty warm gloves to the DZ if it's cold outside!

Case in point - toasty warm gloves had been linked to several fatal accidents where the lack of feel prevented the jumper from pulling their handles in a timely fashion.

Lucky for you, no instructor would ever let you jump with gloves that would impair your ability to save your life, but that is a prime example of what you don't know.

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I got no instruction whatsoever about parachuting from the aerobatic instructor in the Pitts, so any jump I might have done there would have been self taught

No instruction? Any aerobatic instructor woth a damn would have told you the exit command, to clear the aircraft before pulling the ripcord, and where the ripcord is located. To me, that sounds like instruction. Beyond that there is no way to instruct you further, as the circumstances of your jump will be unknown. The altitude, attitude and condition of the aircraft are all unknown, but assuredly they will not be idea (otherwise you would not be jumping).

Sport parachuting is another story. Many of the 'unknowns' involved in an emergency bail-out are 'known', and can be accoutned for and you can conduct yourself in such a way to minimize the irsk to yourself and others by properly accounting for these factors. Like I said, there's more to than you realize.

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I'm a flight instructor

I have to say, I'm shocked to read this. Go back, and read your words, and replace 'skydiving' with 'flying' and think about what you would think if a guy with zero time was saying them.

"I've done a ton of research online, I already know who to preflight a plane, the take-off checklist, and how to do touch-and-goes. It's just staying in the pattern, it's not that hard. I haven't flown yet, but I feel I'm ahead of the curve."

What sort of response do you think that would get from high-time, expert level pilots?

[OHCHUTE 0]

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We're done

You're done. Other people who don't think they're already 'ahead of the curve' despite not having made jump #1 are still reading. While your mind is closed, theirs is not, so I will continue.

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you might start your own thread about training techniques and what a prospective student (I'm not yet a student but I'm pretty far ahead in the learning curve IMHO) might do to prepare him or herself on the first jump including bringing a snow suit and toasty warm gloves to the DZ if it's cold outside!

Case in point - toasty warm gloves had been linked to several fatal accidents where the lack of feel prevented the jumper from pulling their handles in a timely fashion.

Lucky for you, no instructor would ever let you jump with gloves that would impair your ability to save your life, but that is a prime example of what you don't know.

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I got no instruction whatsoever about parachuting from the aerobatic instructor in the Pitts, so any jump I might have done there would have been self taught

No instruction? Any aerobatic instructor woth a damn would have told you the exit command, to clear the aircraft before pulling the ripcord, and where the ripcord is located. To me, that sounds like instruction. Beyond that there is no way to instruct you further, as the circumstances of your jump will be unknown. The altitude, attitude and condition of the aircraft are all unknown, but assuredly they will not be idea (otherwise you would not be jumping).

Sport parachuting is another story. Many of the 'unknowns' involved in an emergency bail-out are 'known', and can be accoutned for and you can conduct yourself in such a way to minimize the irsk to yourself and others by properly accounting for these factors. Like I said, there's more to than you realize.

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I'm a flight instructor

I have to say, I'm shocked to read this. Go back, and read your words, and replace 'skydiving' with 'flying' and think about what you would think if a guy with zero time was saying them.

"I've done a ton of research online, I already know who to preflight a plane, the take-off checklist, and how to do touch-and-goes. It's just staying in the pattern, it's not that hard. I haven't flown yet, but I feel I'm ahead of the curve."

What sort of response do you think that would get from high-time, expert level pilots?

The 5th ranked aerobatic pilot in the US told me to clear the plane and pull the handle. He answered my question. Not go into some other discussion about my learning process.

I'll show up with Mountaineering gloves meant for Everest that can barely hold a rope let alone be manuvered through a strap above my head. I do have a brain. I would like to learn more about wind chill and glove use as it is gettting cold outside and I'll probably jump when it is cold.


If you were my flight student and came to me telling me you have a lot of information about flying I'd say: GOOD JOB, lets go flying. If you came to me wiith blinders on, never asking me a question, telling me you knew nothing I'd tell you to buy a book, go take a ground school, ask another instructor questions, view youtube video, talk to other pilots etc. and get back to me as if you didn't take the time to even learn anything shows you're not very interested in learning and you'd make a piss poor student. The reason I'd tell you this is for me, as a competent instructor I'd perfer you had knowledge. Plus I'm so good at instructing that if I detect that you've learned something incorrectly I'd be able to change that in seconds.

Now go tell others they shouldn't be informed before going to the DZ, as it is not working for me. I've already been to the DZ and I asked a lot of questions there. May I suggest you re-read this thread. Perhaps you'll come to the same conclusion other more experienced skydivers have concluded: OHCHUTE has his answers, has made good decisions based upon the information he's received and is weill on his way to becoming a good student.

Thanks guys!

Thanks to those guys who actually answered my question.

Have a great day.

[davelepka 4]

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I've already been to the DZ and I asked a lot of questions there.

Just not about student gear, that one never crossed your mind. How important could a parachute be to making a skydive?

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The 5th ranked aerobatic pilot in the US told me to clear the plane and pull the handle

Which qualifies as instruction, so you did indeed recieve instruction. As I stated, due to the high number of 'unknowns', the intent of the jump, the gear being used, 'Clear plane and pull the handle' is the best prep you can get.

Sport skydiving is more deliberate, and involves more equipment and systems you need to consider before making a jump.

[OHCHUTE 0]

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I've already been to the DZ and I asked a lot of questions there.

Just not about student gear, that one never crossed your mind. How important could a parachute be to making a skydive?

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The 5th ranked aerobatic pilot in the US told me to clear the plane and pull the handle

Which qualifies as instruction, so you did indeed recieve instruction. As I stated, due to the high number of 'unknowns', the intent of the jump, the gear being used, 'Clear plane and pull the handle' is the best prep you can get.

Sport skydiving is more deliberate, and involves more equipment and systems you need to consider before making a jump.

You are hopeless.


Look you didn't read the thread. I did ask about student gear . He recommended a 230, the reason I asked the question to begin with.

Now you're not adding one thing I don't already know. And you never supplied information that was asked for.

Here's what I've learned. Only discuss things with those who answer questions, and ignore those who don't.


Goodbye!

[davelepka 4]

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Thanks to those guys who actually answered my question.

Just because you didn't get the answer you wanted doesn't mean you didn't get the right answer.

You can argue your points with me all you want, but if it's about skydiving, you're just not going to win. Again, I ask you, as an accomplished aviation professional, to think for a moment about the wealth of knowledge and experience that have in flying, and then realize that I have an equal amount of that with regards to skydiving. Now consider if a non-pilot (or possibly a skydiver) was trying to tell you about the best way to do anything involving flying airplanes. Crazy, right?

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If you were my flight student and came to me telling me you have a lot of information about flying I'd say: GOOD JOB, lets go flying

That's right, and if you wanted to do a tandem, which is the equivialnt to dual instruction, I would say read or think anything you want before your jump, because your instructor will be strapped to you the whole time and will take care of any 'mistakes' you will make.

Let's say you were not offering dual instruction, just some sim time and than a solo flight. The instruction you would have to give would be more in-depth, more specific, and all it would do is slow down the process if you need to 're-teach' mistaken notions that the student had when they walked in the door.

It's a different world. I know this because I am an expert skydiver and a student pilot. One of the best lessons I learned from skydiving is that being an expert in one thing has no bearing on your standing in another area.

We see new jumpers who try to progress too quickly all the time, and often times their defense is that they are an 'expert' motorcycle racer or snowbarder, and that they're used to 'high speed' or 'extreme' situations, and almost always, we see that this is no help to them in the sky.

The same goes for pilots. There are some things you may understand better, or quicker than non-pilot when it comes to jumping, but the operative word there is 'may'.

[OHCHUTE 0]

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Thanks to those guys who actually answered my question.

Just because you didn't get the answer you wanted doesn't mean you didn't get the right answer.

You can argue your points with me all you want, but if it's about skydiving, you're just not going to win. Again, I ask you, as an accomplished aviation professional, to think for a moment about the wealth of knowledge and experience that have in flying, and then realize that I have an equal amount of that with regards to skydiving. Now consider if a non-pilot (or possibly a skydiver) was trying to tell you about the best way to do anything involving flying airplanes. Crazy, right?

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If you were my flight student and came to me telling me you have a lot of information about flying I'd say: GOOD JOB, lets go flying

That's right, and if you wanted to do a tandem, which is the equivialnt to dual instruction, I would say read or think anything you want before your jump, because your instructor will be strapped to you the whole time and will take care of any 'mistakes' you will make.

Let's say you were not offering dual instruction, just some sim time and than a solo flight. The instruction you would have to give would be more in-depth, more specific, and all it would do is slow down the process if you need to 're-teach' mistaken notions that the student had when they walked in the door.

It's a different world. I know this because I am an expert skydiver and a student pilot. One of the best lessons I learned from skydiving is that being an expert in one thing has no bearing on your standing in another area.

We see new jumpers who try to progress too quickly all the time, and often times their defense is that they are an 'expert' motorcycle racer or snowbarder, and that they're used to 'high speed' or 'extreme' situations, and almost always, we see that this is no help to them in the sky.

The same goes for pilots. There are some things you may understand better, or quicker than non-pilot when it comes to jumping, but the operative word there is 'may'.

Still, you've not offered anything I don't already know. Of course instruction during tandum is far differnt than AFF. You are an experienced jumper yet you say I may not have gotten the right information. Well all the information is written here and based on that information, as an experienced jumper was I provided accurate information about the size chute i should wear on my first jump? Simple question.

Dave, I'm not asking for a college paper here just a number. Here I'll make it easy for you:

180,190,200,210,220,230,240,250,260,270,280,300, Circus Tent.

Just type three keys so that we can end this honorably without a lot of BS and if you can't do that then we really are done talking.

I'm saying 260 which invited further discussion at the DZ with the guy who recommended 230

[davelepka 4]

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I'm not asking for a college paper here just a number. Here I'll make it easy for you:

180,190,200,210,220,230,240,250,260,270,280,300, Circus Tent.

Just type three keys so that we can end this honorably without a lot of BS

What you're going to jump is up to the discretion of your instructor after they meet you and spend the day training you. Factors will be the weather, field elevation, and available equipment.

If you were my student, and your body weight was 215 lbs, I would not have jump anything smaller than a 280 for a first jump. Once you add 30 lbs of gear and clothing, your exit weight will be pushing 250lbs, and a 280 would be my choice at my DZ (field elevation 980ft msl).

[OHCHUTE 0]

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I'm not asking for a college paper here just a number. Here I'll make it easy for you:

180,190,200,210,220,230,240,250,260,270,280,300, Circus Tent.

Just type three keys so that we can end this honorably without a lot of BS

What you're going to jump is up to the discretion of your instructor after they meet you and spend the day training you. Factors will be the weather, field elevation, and available equipment.

If you were my student, and your body weight was 215 lbs, I would not have jump anything smaller than a 280 for a first jump. Once you add 30 lbs of gear and clothing, your exit weight will be pushing 250lbs, and a 280 would be my choice at my DZ (field elevation 980ft msl).

Perfect. Thanks Dave for supplying the information. I will most definitely talk to my instructor about any recommended chute size considerably less than what has been suggested by you and others.

Best regards-- OHCHUTE

[suuz83 0]

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I'm a flight instructor and a learner. I'll decide what is best for me in learning anything.

Flight instructors are Skygods and know everything. In case no one noticed. They are better then anyone else.

offtopic: not sure if you EVER want to join an airline but with this attitude will be REALLY hard to join and survive.

good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere

[OHCHUTE 0]

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I'm a flight instructor and a learner. I'll decide what is best for me in learning anything.

Flight instructors are Skygods and know everything. In case no one noticed. They are better then anyone else.

offtopic: not sure if you EVER want to join an airline but with this attitude will be REALLY hard to join and survive.

The conversations I was having with others were productive and successful and if you were reading along you would have noted the conversation had pretty much ended.

Your comment is off topic. Not only that it's not true. Just because I have control over my life does not make me a God. Yes as a flight instructor I might be better disposed to knowing what questions to ask. As an independent thinker, not dependent on handouts, I can choose what instruction I want to receive, pick instructors or schools. In this case I was qualifying information, a normal process for me to ensure survival in this sport, a good thing that obviously you think is a bad idea. You've offered nothing. And I think any jump instructor who has read this thread in its entirety would agree with me.

And thanks again for those who stayed on topic and discussed the matter.

Happy Skydiving!

[suuz83 0]

Noticed that indeed with some good advice from Dave in the end.

My comment was not really appropiate to your topic though but reading through it and through the lines I had the impression that you really wanted to point out that you know a lot because you are a flight instructor. But it doesn't matter what you are and what you do! And in my opinion it doesn't really work in any aspect of aviation when you point out to much how good you are. And that was just the feeling I got reading here.

Anyway good luck with your course and just really start from scratch when you join your FJC, and even put the 'things you learned online' a bit to the background that day and have fun! I think then you'll be most open to the new things people teach you.

good girls go to heaven, bad girls go everywhere

[OHCHUTE 0]

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Noticed that indeed with some good advice from Dave in the end.

My comment was not really appropiate to your topic though but reading through it and through the lines I had the impression that you really wanted to point out that you know a lot because you are a flight instructor. But it doesn't matter what you are and what you do! And in my opinion it doesn't really work in any aspect of aviation when you point out to much how good you are. And that was just the feeling I got reading here.

Anyway good luck with your course and just really start from scratch when you join your FJC, and even put the 'things you learned online' a bit to the background that day and have fun! I think then you'll be most open to the new things people teach you.

Suuz,

Ya Ya,

Nope, no boasting. Experience was only provided when the off topic training content commensed to allow for a more fluid conversation about the off topic content. Fortunately we got it back on track long before the "I have a lot more experience than you" squabbles started that would have accomplished nothing. I don't know about you guys but I'm pretty happy about how this ended up.

Thanks again!