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Tatetatetate

Tell me non UK skydiving isn't like this

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Texas is BIG. Some counties are as big as your country. It can be snowing north of Dallas and be in the 90's south of Houston. But right now we are in a major drought so we have been jumping non stop for months now. The cracks in the landing areas could eat a child.



Uhm, no.
Brewster county= 16,040km sq
United Kingdom= 243,610km sq



was replying to the guy from luxembourg which is 2,586km sq
So Uhm, YEAH!

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You're talking about Gap Tallard right? 2 PC-6 (both turbo, rated for ten skydivers each).



Nope, am talking about OJB Parachutisme, in Mimizan (on the coast).

Only one PC-6 ! Gets an extra Twin Otter for the summer boogie.

VERY active club...when the weather allows it (and the south of France is great for that) there is no downtime what so ever. I love the place.

Now Gap - Tallard is very busy as well, great place.

My heart is in Mimizan where I got my skydiving wings though, but both clubs are great.

Mimizan --> the coast, view on the sea
Gap --> south of france as well, but in the mountains, view on the Alpes & the Lacs.

I highly recommend both !

Bluesky!

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The tunnel isn't the same, plus the tunnel in Manchester is booked solid for weeks and weeks and you can't get stickers from tunnel work.

I've got feck all stickers in my book s'ok when you've got your stickers but wanting to progress and not being able to. First by a DZ who didn't give a damn about progression. (One coach jump in 4 months)....

Then going to other DZ, where the coaches aren't there are ill, or they aren't jumping, AND the weather getting in the way as well. It kinda drains the fun out of doing it and I can see why a lot of people quit. I'm getting bored tbh and every which way I turn I'm blocked by something be it weather no coaches, no kit, broken plane, too busy etc....

All so very frustrating.

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The problem in the UK, its not just the weather that stops you jumping.

Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....

When everything is 100 % perfect for skydiving, they'll stop for a cup of tea. Then whinge that they've run out of daylight....
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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The problem in the UK, its not just the weather that stops you jumping.

Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....

When everything is 100 % perfect for skydiving, they'll stop for a cup of tea. Then whinge that they've run out of daylight....



Yes, that's right because nobody really wants to go skydiving over here or make any money. Brilliant use of stereotyping to add credibility to your argument by the way.
Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

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Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....



Clearly, you have never been to Hibaldstow :P

Oh how I wish I were in new Zealand, with its tandem mills, crazy politics and total lack of sport skydiving scene instead.

Wait, sorry, that's an ill-informed stereotype from the past - and those are stupid. I take it back.
--
"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?

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Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....



Clearly, you have never been to Hibaldstow :P

Oh how I wish I were in new Zealand, with its tandem mills, crazy politics and total lack of sport skydiving scene instead.

Wait, sorry, that's an ill-informed stereotype from the past - and those are stupid. I take it back.



I've jumped in many different countries since my first jump in 1974, and I've never come across the politics and petty point scoring I've seen at 5 or 6 DZ's in the UK. Coupled with the old boy power trippers who pretty much control skydiving in the UK and I've found it a pretty underwhelming scene.

I witnessed the stereotype first hand.....

I do know quite a few British skydivers however, and they are all nice people. All of them comment how nice it is to skydive outside the UK.

I've been lucky to spend a lot of time sport jumping in the 70's and 80's in NZ, it was a great sport scene.

Tandem factories evolved with the increase in tourists, and do a lot to provide facilities and aircraft to jump from that were never available before. If you put a bit of effort in, organising a few sport loads isn't that difficult.
My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing....

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To the OP, I keep an Excel spreadsheet backup of my logbook, so can quickly sort any of my jump stats. In visiting 51 dropzones in 31 countries (which includes DZs in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa & Australia) my lowest ratio of jumps per day by DZ visits are the UK DZs – and this is where I live?

Yes, we do have some good dropzones, but over the past nine years my most enjoyable and memorable jumping is always abroad. So what airfield do you visit to build up your jump numbers and have fun? Heathrow.
"Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes"

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The DZ is not a fast food shop. I probably spend more time at a DZ than at home. If you really wanna jump, you will be there every weekend, and the time will come to jump. You will progress and be able to jump in higher winds as well. You could also meet up with more jumpers, get their numbers, and phone them if the weather starts clearing.

OR, emmigrate.
You have the right to your opinion, and I have the right to tell you how Fu***** stupid it is.
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Whatever you do, don't listen to ChrisD.

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The problem in the UK, its not just the weather that stops you jumping.

Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....

When everything is 100 % perfect for skydiving, they'll stop for a cup of tea. Then whinge that they've run out of daylight....



What a crock. NZ is as full of politics as anywhere I have been. The NZPIA debacle springs to mind!!

As for weather it is much the same as the UK. When I worked there we had 60% down days.

Things have changed since the 70's, so catch up with the times or don't post antiquated non sense.
Journey not destination.....

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Texas is BIG. Some counties are as big as your country. It can be snowing north of Dallas and be in the 90's south of Houston. But right now we are in a major drought so we have been jumping non stop for months now. The cracks in the landing areas could eat a child.



Uhm, no.
Brewster county= 16,040km sq
United Kingdom= 243,610km sq



Ummm, dude, he meant in terms of hat size, obviously. With the exception of the 11th Doctor, when have you seen anyone in the UK wear a stetson?
Skwrl Productions - Wingsuit Photography

Northeast Bird School - Chief Logistics Guy and Video Dork

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The problem in the UK, its not just the weather that stops you jumping.

Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....

When everything is 100 % perfect for skydiving, they'll stop for a cup of tea. Then whinge that they've run out of daylight....



What a crock. NZ is as full of politics as anywhere I have been. The NZPIA debacle springs to mind!!

As for weather it is much the same as the UK. When I worked there we had 60% down days.

Things have changed since the 70's, so catch up with the times or don't post antiquated non sense.



It must suck to not be American?!?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M

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The problem in the UK, its not just the weather that stops you jumping.

Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....

When everything is 100 % perfect for skydiving, they'll stop for a cup of tea. Then whinge that they've run out of daylight....



Yes, that's right because nobody really wants to go skydiving over here or make any money.



You do have to wonder sometimes. You must admit that some British DZs are masters of getting two planes to do the work of one.

As a f'rinstance, at one multi turbine DZ I've frequented it was a regular occurence that a plane would reach the end of a lift cycle as planned and on schedule, land, taxi to the bowser, shut down... and then DZ control would send out a tannoy call for a refuelling party to head over. Cue ten wasted minutes every time the aircraft needs to be topped up with go juice, behaviour for which the only explanation I can think of is sheer lack of giving a fuck. I can only really think of one UK DZ I've visited that didn't have at least one glaring, recurring efficiency fuck up ingrained in its operation.
Do you want to have an ideagasm?

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The DZ is not a fast food shop. I probably spend more time at a DZ than at home. If you really wanna jump, you will be there every weekend, and the time will come to jump.



Oh that's all right then, doesn't matter how many more loads they could send up with better admin, as long as the DZ condescends to get you a lob eventually it's all good.

I can't help but remember once when in perfect weather, two planes running, no mechanical issues, no special events, I was on a 5 hour call. Can any other country do that for you?

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You will progress and be able to jump in higher winds as well.



You know you just replied to a guy with at least 600 jumps and a C cert? He won't be progressing to jump in higher winds.:P
Do you want to have an ideagasm?

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The problem in the UK, its not just the weather that stops you jumping.

Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....

When everything is 100 % perfect for skydiving, they'll stop for a cup of tea. Then whinge that they've run out of daylight....



What a crock. NZ is as full of politics as anywhere I have been. The NZPIA debacle springs to mind!!

As for weather it is much the same as the UK. When I worked there we had 60% down days.

Things have changed since the 70's, so catch up with the times or don't post antiquated non sense.


It must suck to not be American?!?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M
NOPE Being an Aussie ROCKS, here on the West Side, we get about 320+ jumpable days a year, jump number are limited by funds here not weatherB|B|B|
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?

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The problem in the UK, its not just the weather that stops you jumping.

Its a place where "problems that stop you skydiving" were invented....

When everything is 100 % perfect for skydiving, they'll stop for a cup of tea. Then whinge that they've run out of daylight....



What a crock. NZ is as full of politics as anywhere I have been. The NZPIA debacle springs to mind!!

As for weather it is much the same as the UK. When I worked there we had 60% down days.

Things have changed since the 70's, so catch up with the times or don't post antiquated non sense.


It must suck to not be American?!?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhnUgAaea4M
NOPE Being an Aussie ROCKS, here on the West Side, we get about 320+ jumpable days a year, jump number are limited by funds here not weatherB|B|B|


Sorry didn't mean to include my aussie brothers in that. :P

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BPA= Ban Parachuting Altogether



What's your experience of the BPA Grimmie or are you just repeating a tired cliché?[/

None, darn it, you caught me.:P


Busted :P

A s aNorth American who lived in the UK for a few years, and thought he wouldnt do many jumps because the weather would suck too much, we were pleasantly surprised.

Yes, it rains more than in NA. Yes, the jumps are more expensive. And yes, some of the DZs make it hard to do more then a couple jumps per day.

But, some DZs are well run, and you could do 6-8 jumps a day as a fun jumper. The weather didnt suck THAT badly. And if you make pounds, then the pricing didnt seem as outrageous.

We enjoyed our time jumping there (at Langar in particular).
Remster

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And if you make pounds, then the pricing didnt seem as outrageous.



Kinda drifting OT here, but: have you seen how much it costs to jump in Australia?

Crikey.

The US has gloriously cheap jump tickets, that's one lesson from this thread.
--
"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?

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And if you make pounds, then the pricing didnt seem as outrageous.



Kinda drifting OT here, but: have you seen how much it costs to jump in Australia?

Crikey.

The US has gloriously cheap jump tickets, that's one lesson from this thread.



Pretty much every country is fairly expensive, except the US. Even Canada is much more expensive than the US.
Remster

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