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guineapiggie101

any really short skydivers out there???

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In the early 80's Jim Wallace employed a female dwarf who learned to skydive. Jim had to order custom made gear for her. She was tiny but I don't remember her actuall height. I don't remember her name either but I do remember that she was really good looking and blonde. She also had a license plate that said SMURFET on it.
Green Light
"Harry, why did you land all the way out there? Nobody else landed out there."
"Your statement answered your question."

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32 posts and no real assistance


Try PMing Rosa (Vanillaskygirl) or Gia (Guppie01), both of whom you can find at Elsinore on occasion and both of whom are relatively short (although I am not sure how short compared to you).
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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Just curious.

I'm 4'5" and haven't seen many really small skydivers around.

Hoping to have my license by end of summer



At 53" you are likely to be stuck with custom gear as your only option. I have known people to be able to use "children" sizes for some sport gear, but skydiving does not have a large assortment of gear sized for youngsters.

Also, there is the issue of weight. Scaled against a low-fat person my size, you are talking under 75#, and most canopies are designed for more of a load than that is going to provide. Openings are likely to be softer than the same canopy with a higher loading, pressurization will be less, speeds are going to be slower, and low-speed handling is going to be different.

Be advised that when you get on the small end of the spectrum, scaling performance gets decidely nonlinear. 2:1 loading under a 60 is going to be greatly different than under a 120, and 1:1 loading under a 100 is going to be quite different than under a 200. Do not take much for granted, and play with any canopy up high before you see what it does near the ground (a good policy in general).

The bottom line is that you are likely to be enough outside the envelope that many rules won't quite apply.

The good news is that there are jumpers out there who are well shy of 5', and much can be learned from their success in the sport. If you stick around, you will get to know them - it is a small community.


Blue skies,

Winsor

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Just curious.

I'm 4'5" and haven't seen many really small skydivers around.

Hoping to have my license by end of summer



At 53" you are likely to be stuck with custom gear as your only option. I have known people to be able to use "children" sizes for some sport gear, but skydiving does not have a large assortment of gear sized for youngsters.

Also, there is the issue of weight. Scaled against a low-fat person my size, you are talking under 75#, and most canopies are designed for more of a load than that is going to provide. Openings are likely to be softer than the same canopy with a higher loading, pressurization will be less, speeds are going to be slower, and low-speed handling is going to be different.

Be advised that when you get on the small end of the spectrum, scaling performance gets decidely nonlinear. 2:1 loading under a 60 is going to be greatly different than under a 120, and 1:1 loading under a 100 is going to be quite different than under a 200. Do not take much for granted, and play with any canopy up high before you see what it does near the ground (a good policy in general).

The bottom line is that you are likely to be enough outside the envelope that many rules won't quite apply.

The good news is that there are jumpers out there who are well shy of 5', and much can be learned from their success in the sport. If you stick around, you will get to know them - it is a small community.


Blue skies,

Winsor



Is that a short joke?

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it is a small community.


Blue skies,

Winsor



Is that a short joke?



Nope.

If you stick around, you will see familiar faces wherever you go. There are not that many people for whom skydiving is a lifestyle, and you are likely to jump with a lot of them if you get out and about.


Blue skies,

Winsor

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it is a small community.


Blue skies,

Winsor



Is that a short joke?



Nope.

If you stick around, you will see familiar faces wherever you go. There are not that many people for whom skydiving is a lifestyle, and you are likely to jump with a lot of them if you get out and about.


Blue skies,

Winsor



I agree. In fact I have met you (and jumped with you) on more than one occasion. Actually you showed me a way to fold my pilot chute many years ago that I still use.

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We had a dear friend Tom Racho no passed away from "Agent Orange " that could stand in the door of a C-182. Miss Tom still . About the "Short People" song.by Randy Newman. during this time. There was a resturant in New York City that had a horizontal bar in it. If you could pass under it your meal was 1/2 off. They got to pick though. You got shrimp salad. short ribs and strawberry short cake for desert. It was said the line went almost around around the block.I worried as a kid in the ninth grade I was 62 inches , then when i graduated I was 73 inches.We got a vertically challenged frien a T-shirt that said "Elevators dont always smell the same to short people". When you are in freefall no one knows the difference. Proud of you for jumping

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Just curious.

I'm 4'5" and haven't seen many really small skydivers around.

Hoping to have my license by end of summer.



I'm 5'0" which makes me way taller than you. I've never been able to say that to anyone before :D.

Welcome to skydiving! There are other short skydivers out there. I've jumped with others that are my size or a little smaller.

Getting gear to fit will be difficult. Just plan on getting a custom container. Get a jumpsuit that fits well to help you fall faster, you'll probably need weights too.

Being short is not at all a disadvantage in skydiving. We can do everything the tall people can do :)

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I was kinda thinking the same thing. I'm 5'4 but pretend I'm 5'5 (and we all know that 1 inch makes a huge difference). My best friend who jumps with me is 6'4. He's a FOOT taller than I am, it is really strange. I have the fastest fall rate at my DZ (skydive delmarva) because of my height and bulk (stocky build).

I am in the process of buying a rig that was custom built for a female because nothing else really fits me well.

OP: I was reading about your AFF class. Props for keeping it up. It seems to me my 6'4 friend has an easier time flaring because his arms are so much longer and he can just pull those toggles waaaaaaay down.

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I was kinda thinking the same thing. I'm 5'4 but pretend I'm 5'5 (and we all know that 1 inch makes a huge difference). My best friend who jumps with me is 6'4. He's a FOOT taller than I am, it is really strange. I have the fastest fall rate at my DZ (skydive delmarva) because of my height and bulk (stocky build).

I am in the process of buying a rig that was custom built for a female because nothing else really fits me well.

OP: I was reading about your AFF class. Props for keeping it up. It seems to me my 6'4 friend has an easier time flaring because his arms are so much longer and he can just pull those toggles waaaaaaay down.



I'm not a instructor but i'm short for a dude. 5'4" when someone asks I tell them 4'9". :oNo....:ph34r:Yes....

With a well used canopy I would take a double wrap of the brake lines prior to landing to get a good flare. Please try this up high first to find out your stall point.

Beware if tall jumpers. I had to cock my neck slighty to stnd up in caravan or was it the otter[:/] Tall dude in front of me stands up a little later than everyone else.

My head got jammed between the dudes reserve and the acft ceiling. Popped out one of the lense's from my eyeglass's. My head was pinned and the tall dude didn't have a clue.:D

Tried to buy a real business suit in tall people country (tex). The kids suits weren't bad except the lining with all the disney characters[:/]

R.I.P.


'
One Jump Wonder

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