Tandem skydive vs. solo?

[kram88 0]

So you exit jumping towards the nose (front) of the plane? If you do it jumping towards the back your saying you will get tail swiped?

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

kram88

So you exit jumping towards the nose (front) of the plane? If you do it jumping towards the back your saying you will get tail swiped?

Nah! Sorry! Oskar blues beer got the better of me. If you jump up when you exit the plane it could happen. If you dive out with your ass pointing toward the front, the wind will catch your ass and flip you over. It's not really that big a deal. If you want to be stable when you exit, put your face toward the front. And never jump UP. You can dive out, you can step out, you can take a bow and do a flip. That's fine. Face the wind. Then you'll be falling the same way the plane is going and your exit will be stable.

If you dive out facing the tail and wonder why you're flipping over a couple times on exit, that's why. Face the prop. Problems solved.

If you jump up (depending on the plane) you could very well hit the tail. Don't jump up. I like the concept of taking a bow. If you do it all the way (And you bow with your right hand) your head should go over your right shoulder. If you keep going like that your heels will follow your head. Arch at that point and you should end up pretty stable.

If you're a wingsuiter you've probably received some instruction on how not to hit the tail.

If the pilot stalls there's not a lot you can do really. But really, that almost never happens and even if it does it's still bad luck if the tail hits you. It's not a "you hit the tail" at that point, it's "The tail hit you." The pilot can die if he stalls, which is very good incentive not to.

You have to make a concerted effort to jump up. It's really not easy at at the door. In the first couple of AFF classes, they drag you out of the door and you don't even have to worry about it. If you just step off into the arch, that's fine too. If you dive forward (toward the prop) you'll probably be pretty stable on exit. If you dive backwards (toward the tail) you'll probably flip over a couple times. It's really _really_ hard to screw up an exit to the point where you have to worry about a tail strike.

And now for your amusement, my first solo exit. I was in a hurry to get the hell off that plane! It was hot that day and we were all crammed in there. I didn't spread out enough to catch the relative wind and kind of plunged. This jump makes me laugh every time I watch it. At at around 15 seconds I was screaming at mysself "ARCH M---F ARCH!" Turned out OK in the end.

Once you get to AFF 4 or so, you KNOW how to get stable. It doesn't matter HOW ugly your exit it as long as you've gotten stable in a thousand feet or so. It's pretty difficult to get hit by the tail in most cases so for the most part you ought not to worry about that.

If you're still worried about that, talk to your instructor. He'll probably be less drunk when he tries to explain it.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[kram88 0]

Hahaha that was pretty entertaining. Is it tough to get stable or what?

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

kram88

Hahaha that was pretty entertaining. Is it tough to get stable or what?

Not so tough no. You just have to face the relative wind (coming from the front of the plane.) In that case I just didn't spread out enough to catch it. Up until that point I'd exited with an AFF instructor holding me. Retrospectively, you don't realize how much stability they add until they're not there anymore. A few jumps later stable exits just clicked for me and I haven't had a problem with them since then. Still, if I turn away from the relative wind before I get off the "hill," I have more trouble staying stable than I do if I keep facing it.

I was watching some students on a canopy course a while back and about half of them dove out toward the rear of the plane. As I watched them flip over I made a mental note to mention to them that if you dive out in the other direction it kind of works better.

It depends on what you're trying to do with the relative wind though. If you want to end up on your back, you want to face that end to the wind. I still back-fly a little torso heavy so I had to flip over pretty quickly.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[unkulunkulu 0]

Quote

The manager there said they werent looking for anyone to do anything.. but im gunna keep trying back and bugging them until they crack :p

Probably a wrong idea. If they said they don't teach skydiving then they probably don't. They will at least need student parachute systems to teach you, you'll not be able to safely land ones they have for themselves (if they have'em at all, looks like this is a tandem DZ?). So you should find a DZ doing AFF or static line near your location.

[kram88 0]

But they do teach AFF.. and they have student rigs b/c they teach students.. they just arent looking for any helpers atm b/c they have too many. Also what is the 'hill' you speak of?

[NWFlyer 2]

kram88

Also what is the 'hill' you speak of?

Something you'll learn all about when you actually start skydiving.

Till then, relax. Please please please don't be that guy who tries to learn to skydive on the internet. Trust me, you'll annoy your instructors at best, or be a danger to yourself at worst.

If you really want to do some light reading, start with the USPA Skydiver's Information Manual (SIM). You can buy a hard copy through USPA or at many dropzones, or you can read it online (they even have a smart phone version), or you can download a PDF version.

Because I'm all about empowerment, I'm not going to give you a link but you should be able to find it really easily.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[freakflyer9999 1]

Here is a link to the complete jump course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8F5MkP484E

[NWFlyer 2]

freakflyer9999

Here is a link to the complete jump course.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8F5MkP484E

*golfclap*

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[freakflyer9999 1]

Go to the wind tunnel in Austin and spend your money there learning to fly. In the long run it will save you money.

There are a number of other dropzones besides San Marcos in Texas. Check the Dropzones section of dropzone.com. I haven't jumped in San Marcos in years, but it used to be a great student dz. I've heard from a cameraman friend that it has turned into a total tandem factory, but even that info was several years ago. One of the friendliest dz's in the area used to be Skydive Temple in Salado. I haven't been there lately either, but it might be worth you making a run up there.

[kram88 0]

Just wanted to be prepared and have some knowledge before i start the school so i know what im getting myself into... I know im not going to learn to skydive on the internet. I need hands on exp but i can at least learn different things from this site. Thanks for being an ass...

[NWFlyer 2]

kram88

Just wanted to be prepared and have some knowledge before i start the school so i know what im getting myself into... I know im not going to learn to skydive on the internet. I need hands on exp but i can at least learn different things from this site. Thanks for being an ass...

You're gonna need to HTFU if you think *that* was "being an ass."

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[mrubin 0]

kram88

Just wanted to be prepared and have some knowledge before i start the school so i know what im getting myself into... I know im not going to learn to skydive on the internet. I need hands on exp but i can at least learn different things from this site. Thanks for being an ass...

There's nothing wrong with wanting to get some knowledge before starting your class. NWFlyer pointed you in a very good direction to gain a lot of that knowledge.

The problem with learning things from this site is that you might learn things differently than how your instructors teach it and that could lead to problems.

My suggestion is to read the SIM. If there's still more that you want to know, take a case of beer to the dz at the end of the day and listen to the stories of the experienced jumpers. You'll learn a lot and make a bunch of new friends.

"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

kram88

But they do teach AFF.. and they have student rigs b/c they teach students.. they just arent looking for any helpers atm b/c they have too many. Also what is the 'hill' you speak of?

Hill's the bit where your horizontal velocity from the plane is being converted to vertical velocity of falling. You don't instantaneously start falling down (out of a plane.) You have some inertia carrying you in the direction the plane was traveling for a period of time.

I have almost everything I need to qualify for a coach rating. Frightening, isn't it?

Maybe next week at around 6000 feet or so I'll get a buddy to help me reenact this scene for the benefit of the AFF level 1 students on board. Meh heh heh.

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[freakflyer9999 1]

kram88

Just wanted to be prepared and have some knowledge before i start the school so i know what im getting myself into... I know im not going to learn to skydive on the internet. I need hands on exp but i can at least learn different things from this site. Thanks for being an ass...

Maybe you should go hide under the rock from which you came. Calling a long time respected member of this group an ass for offering reasonable advice won't get you very far on here.

[theonlyski 3]

dzswoop717

THERE IS NO STUDENT RELEASE SYSTEM ON A STANDARD TANDEM RIG!!!!

Well, my Sigma had a student drogue release.

The Strong Dual Hawks have student drogue release.

"I may be a dirty pirate hooker...but I'm not about to go stand on the corner." iluvtofly
DPH -7, TDS 578, Muff 5153, SCR 14890
I'm an asshole, and I approve this message

[kram88 0]

lol dude she didnt take much offense to it. No need for you to. She came off as rude. I get what she was saying but she could have said it in a nicer manner. I came here to learn more about the sport and lingo/terminology. Ill just stick to reading then if you guys have a problem with me trying to learn and ask questions. I get i will learn all this stuff when i start taking my classes but i dont know when that will be and i want to be prepared for when the time comes and also so i dont get myself killed out there. Whatever.

[dzswoop717 5]

theonlyski

***THERE IS NO STUDENT RELEASE SYSTEM ON A STANDARD TANDEM RIG!!!!

Well, my Sigma had a student drogue release.

The Strong Dual Hawks have student drogue release.

[dzswoop717 5]

If you read the first post, he says that someone told him that if there is a problem, that the instructor will cut the student loose. Meaning that the passenger (student) falls to his/her death. I have never seen or heard of a standard tandem rig with a release system to drop the student to his death. Yes there are handles that the student can pull to release the drouge, but that was not what I was refering too.

[pchapman 261]

dzswoop717

I have never seen or heard of a standard tandem rig with a release system to drop the student to his death.

There, that's clarified.

Now, what about the non-standard ones?
I think Lodi has one, but the release jammed due to lack of maintenance.

[freakflyer9999 1]

kram88

lol dude she didnt take much offense to it. No need for you to. She came off as rude. I get what she was saying but she could have said it in a nicer manner. I came here to learn more about the sport and lingo/terminology. Ill just stick to reading then if you guys have a problem with me trying to learn and ask questions. I get i will learn all this stuff when i start taking my classes but i dont know when that will be and i want to be prepared for when the time comes and also so i dont get myself killed out there. Whatever.

There was not anything in her post that was rude.

As for asking questions, your best bet is to follow her advice and go read the SIM. A lot of information is in that document and it has been learned and proven by a lot of other people's blood.

If you still have questions, go sign up for a course and listen to the instructor.

If all that isn't enough then just simply watch the video that I linked to and you should be good to go.

Personally, I think that you owe the lady an apology, but if you truly think she was being an ass, then you are going to have a tough time learning to skydive.

[kram88 0]

Im sorry I just took offense to her snarky reply, she could have came across a little more friendlier than that..

[PixieUK 0]

kram88

Im sorry I just took offense to her snarky reply, she could have came across a little more friendlier than that..

I think possibly people are worried that newbies like us will learn too much that isn't necessary at first and can be confusing or even dangerous if we over-think things. I know my skydiver boyfriend is being VERY careful about what he tells me in answer to all my questions - some stuff he could answer, he tells me I'll have to wait to see what my instructors say because he doesn't want to tell me one thing and have them tell me something else, which could cause me to hesitate at a critical moment due to potentially conflicting advice.

A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

[RichM 0]

Hey there

*I think* the point is that if you try to learn too much from this site you may be at risk. A 1st time AFF student should look up and if the parachute isn't big & square then cut it away and get the reserve out. No thinking, just as automatic as it can be taught. Later on after x hundred jumps and y cut aways you may start to learn variations on that. But if you have a malfunction on your first jump (ridiculously unlikely but it does happen) there is a risk you will be trying to remember what x said about dealing with that malfunction in a thread here rather than chopping the parachute and getting the reserve out *at a safe height*.

Its an interesting sport where knowledge is king, but it needs to be proportionate in some cases to experience to be safe.

Stay safe, have fun

Rich

Rich M

[kram88 0]

Got ya. Maybe im trying to move too fast then... Just wanted to be prepared. Thanks for the reply!