Sjaak 0 #1 January 6, 2012 I want to start skydiving and looked some around on youtube and forums like this and it all looks super easy.. basically you just jump out of a plane, fly some around, have a very great time and open your parachute in time? Im pretty sure I already understand the steering and landing part by just using logical reasoning and experience from kitesurfing. I understand you need to discuss some with your co-jumpers so you dont crash on each other etc.. So im just like give me a parachute, tell me how i fold it, tell me how it opens, tell me how my reserve opens, and let me jump? Please explain me why I need to pay a huge amount of cash for instructors, theoretical course etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #2 January 6, 2012 It is super easy and generally accepted as a scam to get money so that instructors can maintain their high lifestyle. There is a little known secret, though. If you go through a FJC, ace the test and then do the jump perfect and land standing up in the middle of the peas, then you get to do the rest of your required license jumps for half-price (and you get a refund of part of your first jump money). So get signed up and go do it. You'll do great.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #3 January 6, 2012 There is a little known secret, though. Quote It WAS a secret...ya big-mouth! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #4 January 6, 2012 Skydiving is a scam. They take all your money no matter how good you are. Have you considered base jumping? It's almost free if you can avoid the cops.Just buy a chute on the internet and jump off a bridge (with the chute already open of course) for the first few jumps til you get the hang of it. You'll meet people who can gve you tips for like wingsuit base jumping... the ultimate rush... which is actually pretty easy, just scary. You tube is your friend. It will save you a ton of money. Good luck and keep us posted. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #5 January 6, 2012 We need some moderator to delete your post ASAP Dave...Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DiverMike 5 #6 January 6, 2012 Have you ever landed your kite with you attached to it? Could you post the video? It would probably be more expensive in the long run as you would have to pay for all slots on the airplane (assuming you are jumping at a US DZ). As an unlicensed skydiver, only instructors can be in the air at the same time as you are. And you have already seen through the scam that keeps instructors in their high lifestyle of ramen noodles and borrowed beer. Go for it. What could go wrong? For the same reason I jump off a perfectly good diving board. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #7 January 6, 2012 Like someone is going to do a perfect jump their first time? reminds me of a carnival game. It's just a scam to get people who think like the original poster that they will do a perfect first jump. Then they charge you. I say we get this kid a used base rig and give him a few pointers. He can then spend all that money on cameras and wingsuits and oh yea, maybe we'll make him buy beer. There is no getting out of that for his first jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #8 January 6, 2012 You're right, it IS very easy. After watching a bunch of youtube videos, you're ready to go. All you need to do is fool the drop zone management to get on a plane. So to do that, you'll need two things: 1) Join the USPA so that you have a membership card, and; 2) Buy a logbook and make a bunch of fake entries in it so that it looks like you have a lot of jumps. Make some fake signatures too, verifying that the jumps are genuine. Then all you need to do is go to the drop zone, show your "credentials", explain that you're visiting from out of town and left your gear at home. Ask to rent a rig, then manifest, get on the plane and jump. You'll do just fine. What could go wrong? And just think of all the money you saved on all that unnecessary student training! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sjaak 0 #9 January 6, 2012 Okok, I understand that looked a little bit arrogant, but my question was serious.. I understand im overlooking a lot of things, the problem is I just don't know what Im overlooking... :) Please tell me some of the basics and what are the difficult things about skydiving Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sjaak 0 #10 January 6, 2012 Quote Have you ever landed your kite with you attached to it? Could you post the video? It would probably be more expensive in the long run as you would have to pay for all slots on the airplane (assuming you are jumping at a US DZ). As an unlicensed skydiver, only instructors can be in the air at the same time as you are. And you have already seen through the scam that keeps instructors in their high lifestyle of ramen noodles and borrowed beer. Go for it. What could go wrong? What do you mean? I always land my kite while im attached to it, as its harder to land it without being attached to it :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ps5601 0 #11 January 6, 2012 John, there is no way any of that will fool the DZ management. Everyone knows you need matching gear to look cool and experienced! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnRich 4 #12 January 6, 2012 QuotePlease tell me...what are the difficult things about skydiving Packing the chute is the hardest part - the actual freefall and canopy flying is EASY! And you can pay a packer to pack for you, so that's an easy work-around. Just strut like an experienced skydiver and offer someone $5 to pack your chute for you. Then you're good to go! You might want to hang out at another drop zone for a day, incognito, and study the swagger of the experienced skydivers, to make sure you get the act right. Learn a few key phrases to utter to make yourself sound highly experienced, like "Dang, that opening sniveled for like 5 seconds!", or "That funnel right before break-off and tracking was rad, dude!" Do all this, and no one will suspect a thing. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocheese 0 #13 January 6, 2012 You must learn how to fly, pull stable, and then fly a parachute to safe landing without hurting yourself or others. Even baby birds mess this up. You are right, it is simple and easy, but you first must learn how to fly and not die. Just the fact that we have several forums for this simple thing, should tell you there is an unlimited amount of things to learn. But yea, basically we just fall, pull, and flare. Simple. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Austintxflight 0 #14 January 6, 2012 go to a wind tunnel, tell them you got this, and to crank it up to full power, fly around on your head and feet for a few minutes, then come back and report to us the results. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 137 #15 January 6, 2012 Quote I understand im overlooking a lot of things, the problem is I just don't know what Im overlooking... :) You already understood one of the fundamentals : you don't know yet what you don't know did you consider trying a tandem jump ? just to feel how much dofferent it is from what you imagine ?scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olmed 0 #16 January 6, 2012 Quote It is super easy and generally accepted as a scam to get money so that instructors can maintain their high lifestyle. There is a little known secret, though. If you go through a FJC, ace the test and then do the jump perfect and land standing up in the middle of the peas, then you get to do the rest of your required license jumps for half-price (and you get a refund of part of your first jump money). So get signed up and go do it. You'll do great. +1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrokenR1 0 #17 January 6, 2012 If it's highly recommended to get training for kite boarding don't you think it would be even more so for skydiving? I'm hoping to get into kite boarding in the next month or two if I have time. I'll be finding me some instructors over in St. Pete, preferably with jet skis for retrieval. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rap is to music what etch-a-sketch is to art. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
guitar_nut 0 #18 January 6, 2012 Hi Sjaak. I've been kiting for years; the chute feels a lot like a Flysurfer or other large foil. You'll be fine, especially if you've been doing 4000 foot high jumps.-------------------------- That which can be asserted without proof can be dismissed without proof. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
prada 0 #19 January 6, 2012 QuotePlease tell me some of the basics and what are the difficult things about skydiving ok - I spoil the game and give you a few hints (which ultimately proves how much of a noob I am, BTW - and you should never ever listen to a noobs advice, but that is a logic bomb you'll have to deal with)... first of all, unless you haven't tried already, you never know how your body will react the first time (and the couple of following times) when he is thrown out of an airplane in 4000m height and rushed towards the earth at terminal velocity. Some people react with a sensory overflow, which for example results in them smiling and doing nothing else anymore - also or especially do they not open their parachutes, and would die an ugly death, if not the instructors or the AAD does the job for them. then the flying or falling itself - believe it or not - requires skills, which are learned quite slowly since the learning time is reduced drastically by means of a ball of rock in your flight way (called Earth) coming at you with 300km/h after only approximately 50-60 seconds . So each time you repeat you only have less than a minute of learning time. flying skills are best tried instead of explained. then - when you're aware enough to open your chute in time - there are a few different ways how the opening sequence can go wrong, eg. resulting in a tightly packed ball of fabric which does not break your fall at all and does not serve as a wing either... what you would like instead is a parachute, but you keep closing in hard... what you do then and how good you do it and how fast (because time is running out quickly) is 90% of what you learn during the first 2 days of a decent course... further questions or did I spike your fantasy a bit? best, Prada Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,428 #20 January 6, 2012 QuoteSo im just like give me a parachute, Ebay. Quotetell me how i fold it, Like this. Quotetell me how it opens, Pull the handle at the bottom. Quotetell me how my reserve opens, Pull the handle on the left. Quoteand let me jump? Go for it.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
beowulf 1 #21 January 6, 2012 I can't tell if you are serious or not. Just because something looks easy doesn't mean it is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #22 January 6, 2012 Just because something looks easy doesn't mean it is. Any guy dating a redhead can tell ya THAT! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BrokenR1 0 #23 January 6, 2012 Quote Just because something looks easy doesn't mean it is. Any guy dating a redhead can tell ya THAT! Some things I just feel the need to try out myself. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Rap is to music what etch-a-sketch is to art. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #24 January 6, 2012 Finding time and money....to skydive! Diffiuclt....wow....let me see....packing....not that hard really! I mean it's just some folds and what not stuffed into a lunch box. the flying thing is rather easy, look left go left look right go right. pull left go left pull right go right. and don't worry about pulling anything there is this thing called an AAD that will do all that work for you. And landings....sure they are hard to figure out....but you stick a few computers in your lid and tehy will beep and buzz and tell you what to do. Not hard at all! Hell I can even do it! Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rastapara 0 #25 January 6, 2012 Please tell me some of the basics and what are the difficult things about skydiving ------------------ In my opinion: The sport has an absolute factor (once you're out you cant go back) that takes a certain mindset and philosophy to be able to do this stuff safe. Unlike kitesurfing (or other sports) where you can stop at (almost) any time. It is vital you understand your equipment, not just what to pull when, but how it actually works. This ads to the philosphy/mindset of skydiving. There is also a part of muscle memory and doing something your body has never done before (I.e. falling for a long time while staying in control). This takes practice, on the ground, and in the air (with someone who knows what he's doing for coaching/refrence). Then there are a bunch of traffic rules. The sky is big but not infinite, and I dont like other people crashing in to me or visa versa. And when you go make your first skydive - you have to be able to handle all of these things, you cant really skip the hard parts because you are new. (Unlike many other sports) And to grasp al of these aspects of skydiving instruction is vital, and if you look at time spend teaching vs money you pay, you get a pretty good bang (educational experience) for your buck. But the hardest thing is: making those youtube video's of your own skydive look "so damn easy!" Parachute gear garage sale at :http://www.usedparachutes.eu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites