Significant others

[virgin-burner 1]

Trafficdiver

***You have to compromise. My wife is not a skydiving fan so we have a deal. For every dollar I spend on skydiving she gets to spend the same amount on what ever she wants too. Its worked out well for us.

She has a Ferrari?

and a lambo!

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[Kanga86 0]

I had been reading through this topic for a few weeks now and thought I had some ideas of my own. Don't spend all your time and money on it. Set some aside for your family/significant other. But I recently had a talk with my boyfriend about skydiving. I want to do my AFF in January and want to do a tandem and tunnel time before that so I can be ready. (And let's be honest, I just want to fly.) He wants to support me and come watch but hates that it would eat up some of our time together. I told him I could do my stuff on my days off during the week, but he doesn't want me to do it alone. He wants to be there. So basically he is unhappy no matter what option I throw at him. Pair that with the normal relationship problems, I can already see the countdown to the "I can't do this anymore" scenario. So now I get it when most of you say that it's best to stay single or date/marry a skydiver.

[Boomerdog 0]

After reading all the posts, I realize how very very lucky I was and still am to have my wife jumping with me 'cause it was her idea in the first place.
The clock it ticking, a little over four days to Saturday...and the DZ!

[radical_flyer 0]

Kanga86

I want to do my AFF in January and want to do a tandem and tunnel time before that so I can be ready.

Tandems are gay, why would you want to be strapped to an old man? I don't see the point or how you can learn anything that way, you definitely don't need to do it to be ready. As for tunnel time, I think that's a good idea, although not necessary. It would probably be valuable to practice stable belly flying and AFF skills. I'd say just go straight to AFF. Also that guy sounds like an annoying bitch.

EDIT: Oh I see you've already done one...why would you want to do another, especially when people have said to skip the second one?

[Kanga86 0]

You speak a lot of truth.
I loved my first tandem. Loved my instructor (no old man). And I didn't have to do a damn thing but pick my feet up in the end and fly the canopy a little. It was nice to not have to do any work for a change. But in all honesty, I just can't get a day off work between now and January to do ground school. So it's one of the only options I have to get back up in the sky. I couldn't go another month and a half without jumping, even if I do have to be stuck to someone else.

[radical_flyer 0]

Fair enough. When I did my level 1 I went to half flare too high then landed on my ass in the mud. It's really annoying, I can only go at the weekends but the weather's often really bad (UK) meaning no student jumping or a full DZ closure (except for ground schools I would guess). Maybe it's just my DZ, a few of the instructors look quite old, especially DZO, although I don't know which of them have TI ratings. Glad you weren't offended, I thought I may have been a little harsh.

[Kanga86 0]

Not offended at all, my friend. Quite the opposite. I feel like I'm offending all you fine folks by doing a second tandem. But it just so happens to be all I can work with at the moment. And hopefully by the end of January, I'll be flying solo and telling other future students that tandems are lame.

I imagine I'll be falling on my ass, face, probably anything but my feet. lol I think I'll probably only be able to go the DZ once a week. Tragic. Those trailers on the DZ are looking more and more like a cozy place to call home. Bring on the moving trucks!

[Squeak 17]

I've seen a bunch of these posts over the years.
The conclusion i draw from them is that the vast majority of folks are with the WRONG partner.

The should be NO permission needed for anything in a good relationship.
No one should be telling their loved other that what makes them happy is wrong.
No one should be spending all their time away from their loved one.

by reading through this thread and other threads most of you lot should probably be and stay single.

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?

[monkycndo 0]

So, you choose to use terms in a derogatory way about gays and women with your first post in the forums.

Great way to enter into the skydiving community.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[gowlerk 1,910]

monkycndo

So, you choose to use terms in a derogatory way about gays and women with your first post in the forums.

Great way to enter into the skydiving community.

Not to mention slamming old guy TIs. I resemble that remark.

Always remember the brave children who died defending your right to bear arms. Freedom is not free.

[monkycndo 0]

gowlerk

***So, you choose to use terms in a derogatory way about gays and women with your first post in the forums.

Great way to enter into the skydiving community.

Not to mention slamming old guy TIs. I resemble that remark.

Isn't it past your bed time to be posting this late?

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[Joellercoaster 6]

radical_flyer

Tandems... [homophobic slur omitted]

Oh I see you've already done one...why would you want to do another, especially when people have said to skip the second one?

There are entire training programs (the most recently invented, come to think of it) that start with multiple tandems. But what would those people know?

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[DougH 270]

radical_flyer

Fair enough. When I did my level 1 I went to half flare too high then landed on my ass in the mud. It's really annoying, I can only go at the weekends but the weather's often really bad (UK) meaning no student jumping or a full DZ closure (except for ground schools I would guess). Maybe it's just my DZ, a few of the instructors look quite old, especially DZO, although I don't know which of them have TI ratings. Glad you weren't offended, I thought I may have been a little harsh.

I get it, you are still in a macho stage. I am sooooooooooo bad ass, can't lower my bad ass status with strapping myself to a dude. Look at me everyone. Bad ass skydiver coming through.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Stumpy 256]

Shouldn't be long before we see the words "mad skills"

Never try to eat more than you can lift

[Rstanley0312 0]

bdawk

IF it IS or is partially about money, term life insurance, depending on age and health can be had for a very reasonable cost.

In fact I bet if you are under 40 and healthy you can get 1million in coverage for less than $50/month.

Not a chance. You tell them you jump which you have to for it to cover jumping and it is way more than $50 a month.

Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

[Kanga86 0]

Quote

There are entire training programs (the most recently invented, come to think of it) that start with multiple tandems. But what would those people know?

Thank you for that. I feel better about welcoming my second tandem and instructor with open arms. No shame. Maybe I'll even learn a thing or two.

And if I do what makes me happy, the relationship stuff either will follow or won't matter. At this point in my life, no one will define or restrict my happiness.

[radical_flyer 0]

gowlerk

Not to mention slamming old guy TIs. I resemble that remark.

Nothing against TIs or instructors in general regardless of age, only "students" or customers doing tandems.

Joellercoaster

There are entire training programs (the most recently invented, come to think of it) that start with multiple tandems. But what would those people know?

The only reason they're run is for drop zones to make money, which is fine by me, but there's this DZ in south west England that only does tandems as far as I can tell, they don't seem to offer any student programs or anything about learning to skydive.

DougH

I get it, you are still in a macho stage. I am sooooooooooo bad ass, can't lower my bad ass status with strapping myself to a dude. Look at me everyone. Bad ass skydiver coming through.

With my 1 jump, I actually don't think I'm badass at all, just not my idea of fun. I'll admit I was more than a little scared in the door of the beech, and on the hill, I don't think I hesitated too much though.

Stumpy

Shouldn't be long before we see the words "mad skills"

Not when talking about myself. I have like next to zero tunnel time and jump numbers, I flared too high and landed on my ass. From what I've read in articles on here about freefall disciplines and canopy skills it sounds really hard.

[megamalfunction 1]

You don't have to spend ridiculous amounts of money and/or time at the dropzone. You'll probably make a better husband making 50 jumps a year, than 200+ a year. If you're a fun jumper (not professional) making 1000 skydives a year, you're probably not going to make a very good husband/boyfriend.

[Joellercoaster 6]

radical_flyer

***
There are entire training programs (the most recently invented, come to think of it) that start with multiple tandems.

The only reason they're run is for drop zones to make money

The only reason any skydiving instruction program (outside the military) is run is to make money.

But the purpose of TAFF and other similar programs (I forget what the one in the UK is called) is to teach canopy piloting in a more controlled environment before the student is left to their own devices, and account for the sensory overload factor. It can end up cheaper for the student, since there are no two-instructor jumps.

The tandems are working jumps just like an AFF jump... just because your tandem was a carnival ride doesn't mean it has to be for everyone, or that you need to belittle them for taking a different path into the sky.

(My wife has never done a tandem in 1300 jumps, or an AFF jump... she says your training program sucks too because you had to have someone holding your hand when you jumped out.)

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[radical_flyer 0]

Looks like I'm fighting a losing battle. I concede, but my opinion has not changed. Not sure if you're being specific or general saying "your tandem", I haven't done one. How did your wife start then? I also think static line is inferior, but an understandable choice since it's a lot cheaper. I would also point out that it's an arm grip, not "holding your hand" and that AFF starts out as free arm flying (they let go of your arms) from level 1. It was not my intention to be inflammatory or make people on the forum hate me, although I did realise before posting that it was possible that my post(s) may have had the effect.

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

One jump and you think tandems are "Gay" and that S/L is "inferior." Basing those opinions on what?

You might take a look at the history of the sport.

Tandems were originally developed to be a "Dual Instruction" method, similar to what airplane pilots get. There is a huge wealth of instruction that can be done in the tandem environment. The thing it teaches best is canopy control. How to fly the canopy, traffic patterns, and the sight picture on final leading to the flare and landing. There are a number of DZs that do tandems for the first few jumps (2 or 3, IIRC). Then the student goes on to single instructor AFF.

The reality has become that many "students" have no intention of actually learning to become a "real" skydiver and are simply taking a ride. But that doesn't take away from the learning potential if the student wants to learn and the instructor wants to teach. If Kanga86 wants to do another tandem, fine. I'd suggest asking at the very beginning (when checking in at manifest) for an instructor who will teach. Make sure manifest understands that the intention is to go on to AFF, and the opportunity to learn a lot is there.

And S/L has some very strong advantages over AFF. One of the bigger ones is canopy control. Because the first 5 jumps are all "on the rope", there's no freefall. The focus is on body position during the exit and pulling the ripcord (or BOC, depends on the student rig). The rest of it is canopy control. Patterns, windlines, what the canopy does under different conditions, and yeah, landing without falling on your ass in the mud. PLFs are emphasized, and taught, and practiced. But that's different.

I don't "hate" you, but I'm a bit put off by your ignorance and prejudice. That sort of stuff belongs in SC.

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[radical_flyer 0]

Ok, you're right, it's just I don't see that it is being used for instructional reasons and agree about people with no intention of learning, just taking a ride. Especially at the DZ I mentioned that only does tandems and seems to have no interest in teaching. I get that you could learn about canopy control but not about being stable in freefall or other skills. I don't see your point about s/l canopy control though given that opening altitude for AFF is 5-6k, and s/l starts at 3.5k then goes to 5k (not really sure how it actually works), and I think ground instruction under canopy on the radio is the same. Although I agree about the exit position, I didn't have a great exit. Also what's SC?

[dthames 0]

radical_flyer

Looks like I'm fighting a losing battle. I concede, but my opinion has not changed. Not sure if you're being specific or general saying "your tandem", I haven't done one. How did your wife start then? I also think static line is inferior, but an understandable choice since it's a lot cheaper. I would also point out that it's an arm grip, not "holding your hand" and that AFF starts out as free arm flying (they let go of your arms) from level 1. It was not my intention to be inflammatory or make people on the forum hate me, although I did realise before posting that it was possible that my post(s) may have had the effect.

From my limited time in the sport I have learned that Tandem, SL/IAD, and AFF have specific value for different types of students and different situations.

I have spoke to people that would like to skydive and the idea of being solo on landing the first jump is not what they want. If that person knows their own self very well, then a tandem would be great for them to get experience while staying away from a situation that they know might not serve them well.

I was slow to learn basic stability. AFF instructors didn't want to let me wobble around too much, which slowed my progress and made the costs go way up. I switched to SL so that I could learn at a different pace and so I would be more on my own.

Many old timers insist that learning to fly the canopy well, before you start worrying about freefall skills has great advantages. (SL/IAD).

"Not my first choice" might be a better reference to the method that is not your first choice. SL was not my first choice but ended up being the best solution for me.

My wife is very supportive but doesn't jump.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[obelixtim 100]

General reply......

As well as being cheaper, a lot of people who do S/L think its better because its more of a personal achievement to do the jump on their own.

AFF is also inefficient.

As an instruction method, I can (with 1 assistant) train and jump 40 people in a weekend, as opposed to AFF which will tie up two AFF jump masters for a weekend, training and jumping with one student.

Over my jump career I have introduced over 10,000 people to the sport, via the SL method. Hundreds of them have gone on to become JMs, TMs, Instructors and Drop Zone owners. I doubt if I could have done that had I used AFF as my instruction method (in fact AFF had not been invented for a long time after I started training)

SL students can be jumping while the AFF guys sit waiting for the cloud base to lift.

Which do you think will progress the sport more?

Introducing 40 people to the sport, or one.

IMO, AFF instruction will bring about death of skydiving, albeit slowly.

My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

[Stumpy 256]

radical_flyer

Also what's SC?

Best not to ask......

Another advantage of SL - lots of students much more comfortable with low exits that AFF students can find quite intimidating.

Never try to eat more than you can lift