the future of skydiving

[happythoughts 0]

Years ago, success in sports was the byproduct of natural ability. Size, strength, etc. In the last few years, it seems that arriving at a competitive level of talent is a result of a "grooming" process. Years of training. Tiger woods playing since he was a child. Many, many tennis stars who started as children with coach/dads. Baseball players who played Little League and had years of quality coaching.
With skydiving, the use of video has been a huge boon in the acceleration of the learning process. The coaching available, combined with video, has shortened the learning curve considerably. However, people could not participate in skydiving until they were young adults (generally).
With tunnels, we can now put 8 year old kids in a tunnel and teach them stability, turns, and techniques that used to take 200 jumps to learn. Imagine 8 years of tunnel time, turning 16, and getting competitive. Whew!20 hours a year. What kind of skill will 160 hours of headdown in a tunnel bring to the sport? New moves?
Just something to think about...

[AggieDave 6]

Isn't that sort of like Rook Nelson? He's my age and has an obscene amount of jumps, myself having only 225, merely because he grewup on the DZ.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Skitzo 0]

Yep, you've got me thinking.

"How do you keep your feet on the ground when you know you were born to fly?"

[happythoughts 0]

"Isn't that sort of like Rook Nelson? "
Exactly. Rook's dad owns an otter and a dz. Eliana Rodriquez (hope I spelled that right) was a coach in the Orlando tunnel before joining Synchronicity. Look how far she has gone? So...what if your dad owned a tunnel or you had one very available. Instead of golf club membership, your dad bought you tunnel time. Rook may be looking over his shoulder 5 years from now and saying "these darned kids!" It's going to be interesting.

[freeflir29 0]

Yep...heard of a Florida tunnel rat that did his first skydive. 4 point 8 way if I remember the story correctly. Apparently the other 7 were all AFF instructors. I wonder if he had to cover ALL their slots?

[geanky 0]

I think that tunnel training greatly increases your air skills and probably the tunnel rats will have an advantage when it comes to their learning years in skydiving.

But what I think is interesting is that until now there is no substitution for canopy piloting skills, so maybe a 20 jumps wonder (200 hrs. of tunnel) will be about your same skill level in the air but you can still swoop by then and give them something to think about.

[SkyDolphin 0]

Same thing with Andy and Keri Farrington and their cousin Luke Aikens. They grew up on the DZ and by the time they were 18, had thousands of jumps. And they have competed successfully in many areas of the sport. RW, Freefly, Para-Ski, Accuracy, and swoop, not to mention all instructors, tandem masters, riggers and pilots. What a life!

R

[ChileRelleno 0]

I see your ready for halloween.

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[happythoughts 0]

"...but you can still swoop by then and give them something to think about. "
Actually, I was hoping for some skydiving tips. It is certainly hard not to feel jealous, but hopefully this will give something back to the sport also. Help us all grow a little and get a little better.

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

I see your ready for halloween

Its one of my favorite holidays!

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[geanky 0]

Since when is Halloween a holiday???

learn to fly in 3d

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

Since when is Halloween a holiday

If you celebrate it, its a holiday. For me, Halloween is a great holiday, I look forward to it every year.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[geanky 0]

So if you celebrate something then it's a holiday.

This sounds like a pretty cool theory to me, sweet. Thx for the tip.

learn to fly in 3d

[AggieDave 6]

Yeah, just look at a calendar sometime, there's holidays almost every day. Each day seems to be a "something-er-other Day." Look at the French, they take a holiday 4 days a week...oh, never mind, that's their normal, regulated 15 hour work week...

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[christoofar 0]

A tunnel rat may out fly you in freefall... but they better have a big giant canopy in that container... cuz they have little experience flying a square!

____________________________________________________________
I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle.

[PhillyKev 0]

Quote

Since when is Halloween a holiday???

Ummm....about a couple thousand years ago. All Hallows Eve is 10/31, the night before All Saints Day, the catholic celebration of saints. But before that it was Samhain (sow-en), the Celtic New Year celebrating the end of summer.

Of course it's almost become as commercial as Christmas.

[happythoughts 0]

Quote

So if you celebrate something then it's a holiday.
This sounds like a pretty cool theory to me, sweet. Thx for the tip.

Jan 13th. The day in 1854 that Anthony Fass received the US patent for the accordion. Great party. Everyone dresses up as your favorite brand of accordion. Then, you get to squeeze everyone else. Infinitely more fun than "Presidents Day" and that is a holiday.

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

Of course it's almost become as commercial as Christmas

Yeah, I don't like the happy ghosts and children type of Halloween, I like the freaky pumpkin, sacrificing kittens scary Halloween...

(no, I don't sacrifice kittens, except in the normal sort of way--see attatchment)

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[flyhi 24]

Quote

Then, you get to squeeze everyone else. Infinitely more fun than "Presidents Day" and that is a holiday.

Back in the 90's, that is how they celebrated Presidents Day...at least in the oval office.

Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics.

[happythoughts 0]

Back in the 90's, it was Oral Office.

[ChileRelleno 0]

Its one of my favorites too.

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868