mitsuman 0 #1 September 26, 2008 Personally i have mixed feelings. Due to being a new "skydiver", i feel like after your first aff1 jump you can say your a "skydiver". I have a tandem under my belt and tomorrow will be my AFF1. i wouldn't count tandem just due to the fact that you dont have to really do anything. but then again i think once i have my license, i wont consider anything less a real "skydiver". What do you all think?Hi, my names Jon, and I love to skydive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeNReN 0 #2 September 26, 2008 Once you save your own life without instructor assistance.....1st solo AFF...1st freefall IAD/SL. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
npgraphicdesign 2 #3 September 26, 2008 How about once you make your first off site landing without anyone telling you what to do or how to do it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Deisel 35 #4 September 26, 2008 You're a skydiver from the first time you jump out of a plane! I've just never considered myself an 'experienced' jumper. But now that we have a lot of new guys on the DZ asking me questions it's kind of wierd. They almost fooled me into thinking that I know what I'm talking about The brave may not live forever, but the timid never live at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chubba 0 #5 September 26, 2008 The first time you jump your own (unsupervised) packjob is a good milestone imo. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zoobrothertom 5 #6 September 27, 2008 Personally, I don't feel there is a minimum jump number to become a skydiver. IMO, it's a combination of knowledge, skills and reaching that moment of transition when jumping becomes part of your soul. For some people it is almost immediate. For others, it takes a while. What measures can be used for "part of your soul?" Are you comfortable? Have you learned to balance the rewards and risks in your mind? Do you constantly look skyward and day dream of jumping? Do you look forward to that next challenging skill set you're learning? Maybe something else... So, whether it's immediate or later, everyone of us woke up one day and realized we had crossed some imaginary line in our minds. "Hey, I really am a Skydiver!" So, Mitsuman, if you're thinking constantly about your next jump with anticipation, you're either there or really close! ____________________________________ I'm back in the USA!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
npgraphicdesign 2 #7 September 27, 2008 Quote Personally, I don't feel there is a minimum jump number to become a skydiver. IMO, it's a combination of knowledge, skills and reaching that moment of transition when jumping becomes part of your soul. For some people it is almost immediate. For others, it takes a while. What measures can be used for "part of your soul?" Are you comfortable? Have you learned to balance the rewards and risks in your mind? Do you constantly look skyward and day dream of jumping? Do you look forward to that next challenging skill set you're learning? Maybe something else... So, whether it's immediate or later, everyone of us woke up one day and realized we had crossed some imaginary line in our minds. "Hey, I really am a Skydiver!" So, Mitsuman, if you're thinking constantly about your next jump with anticipation, you're either there or really close! I've been dreaming of skydiving the last few weeks or so...ever since my concentrated weekend of 3 jumps. Can't wait for next time!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aresye 0 #8 September 27, 2008 I say you're considered a skydiver when you do your first solo exit, freefall, and canopy flight.Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonyfellows 0 #9 September 27, 2008 Quote How about once you make your first off site landing without anyone telling you what to do or how to do it? Cool .. I'm a real live skydiver now? My leg still hurts a bit from tripping over that fence while I was coming out of a corn field after my first off site landing last Saturday. Who wants to kiss it for me?Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
npgraphicdesign 2 #10 September 27, 2008 Quote Quote How about once you make your first off site landing without anyone telling you what to do or how to do it? Cool .. I'm a real live skydiver now? My leg still hurts a bit from tripping over that fence while I was coming out of a corn field after my first off site landing last Saturday. Who wants to kiss it for me? Being clumsy on the ground doesn't make you a real skydiver. Only up in the air... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Broke 0 #11 September 27, 2008 When you wake up next to the bonfire naked with a hangover and drawings all over your bodyDivot your source for all things Hillbilly. Anvil Brother 84 SCR 14192 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydude2000 3 #12 September 27, 2008 Amen!! We have a winner!! When you know better than to pass out with your shoes on at the DZ.PULL!! or DIE!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackfox 0 #13 September 27, 2008 There is a different between making your first skydive and being a skydiver. I think your a skydiver after your officially certified by USPA with an A License. Also I think you need to be currently jumping, and own your own gear. Consider other sports: Are you a basketball player because you shoot one basket? No. You are a basketball player after you have played several games and live the lifestyle of a basketball player. So if you have not jumped in about a year, or sold all your gear, or are a 25 jump chump, the thing to tell people is that you have gone skydiving. but thats just my opinion Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,400 #14 September 27, 2008 You're only a "real" skydiver after you have taken a medal in at least one Nationals competition, saved a plummeting unconscious skydiver from certain death by swooping down on them and deploying their reserve, jumped into a stadium of at least 20,000 people and done gear testing on non-TSOed gear. Until then, no "real" skydiver should give you the time of day. How's that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonyfellows 0 #15 September 27, 2008 QuoteThere is a different between making your first skydive and being a skydiver. I think your a skydiver after your officially certified by USPA with an A License. Also I think you need to be currently jumping, and own your own gear. Consider other sports: Are you a basketball player because you shoot one basket? No. You are a basketball player after you have played several games and live the lifestyle of a basketball player. So if you have not jumped in about a year, or sold all your gear, or are a 25 jump chump, the thing to tell people is that you have gone skydiving. but thats just my opinion Dammit .. .I almost made it. I'm only a 24 jump chump, but hoping to upgrade that to a 28 or 29 jump chump tomorrow :)Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PeregrineFalcon 0 #16 September 27, 2008 I kind of relate it to "getting my shit together" in real life. When I was 12, I said to myself, "Man, when I was 9, I was really stupid, now that I'm 12, I'm pretty smart." When I was 21, I said, "Damn, I was a fucking moron when I was 18; now that I'm 21, I've got my shit together." At age 41, I said, "Yeah, I finally got my shit together, but back when I was 36, I didn't know jack." I'm guessing it's like that with skydiving. There's so much to learn and experience that I'm guessing it's going to be similar; "Wow, I finally learned this; I finally experienced that." On a similar note, I don't feel I'm qualified yet to say "Blues Skies" to anyone. Certainly not experienced enough to get a tattoo with a three-ring or a closing pin in the design. There was this girl who did AFF 1 and called skydiving a hobby instead of a sport and this guy corrected her. She explained that she didn't feel qualified enough to call her involvement in it a sport and thought saying that it was a sport to her would be an insult to the sky gods. I totally understood her point of view. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmie 173 #17 September 27, 2008 You are a "skydiver" when... Your credit card is maxed out... You think you can fly the otter better than the pilots... You've been barfed on at a boogie... You have slept with three of your jumping buddies ex-girlfriends... You almost get killed load organizing... You think being a packer would be a cool lifestyle... You think Scotty Carbone is a good cook... You wait at the mailbox like you're waiting for an IRS return check, but really you just can't wait to open this months Parachutist to see your picture in a crowd shot of some dudes "gold wing" presentation pic... You think being on a serious 4 way team will be fun... You go to Nationals and two people tell you that you owe them money... You make 42 jumps and are ready to do a BASE jump... You show a newbie how to pack, and he has a malfunction... You land downwind on a 20 way and crash land in front of the entire DZ... You have such canopy madskillz that you have a pair of crutches in your garage... But when you really know you're a skydiver is when you don't have any of the same friends you used to, have been through two wives and $180,000 and 87 boogies...I'm just kidding, sort of!Welcome and have fun and BE SAFE! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #18 September 27, 2008 I'm become a skydiver between exiting the plane and deploying my canopy. after deployment, I am A Parachitist until i land. Then i'm just some dude walking on the grass. I've never called myself a skydiver, and likely never willYou are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azakeus 0 #19 September 27, 2008 I take the same view as when I learned to drive, I wasn't a driver till I passed the test up until that point im just a student learning a skill."If your chute malfunctions, you've got the rest of your life to fix it" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr_music11 0 #20 September 27, 2008 I think I'd say after your 1st totally un assisted jump. However, I think that my brain considered itself a "skydiver" after the 1st tadem as I knew from that point forward, if I had anything to say about it, Id be skydiving. So you could almost argue that you're a skydiver that moment your brain says "we're going to do this again, and again , and again" and commit to the course of classes/learning the sport. Blue skiesIf flying is piloting a plane.. then swimming is driving a boat. I know why birds sing.. I skydive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyjumpenfool 2 #21 September 27, 2008 Every moment of my life! It doesn't take a million jumps, just a willful mindset. It's not about when I consider you to be a skydiver, it's about when you consider yourself to be one. Since your asking this question, I suspect your already one.Birdshit & Fools Productions "Son, only two things fall from the sky." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JustChuteMeNow 0 #22 September 28, 2008 If a person has jumped out of an airplane in flight then it makes a person a skydiver. How fast a skydiver lands determines if there is an option of skydiving again. Think of how stupid the average person is and realize that statistically half of them are stupider than that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
squarecanopy 0 #23 September 28, 2008 Quote Personally, I don't feel there is a minimum jump number to become a skydiver. IMO, it's a combination of knowledge, skills and reaching that moment of transition when jumping becomes part of your soul. For some people it is almost immediate. For others, it takes a while. What measures can be used for "part of your soul?" Are you comfortable? Have you learned to balance the rewards and risks in your mind? Do you constantly look skyward and day dream of jumping? Do you look forward to that next challenging skill set you're learning? Maybe something else... So, whether it's immediate or later, everyone of us woke up one day and realized we had crossed some imaginary line in our minds. "Hey, I really am a Skydiver!" So, Mitsuman, if you're thinking constantly about your next jump with anticipation, you're either there or really close! WELL SAID Just burning a hole in the sky..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #24 September 28, 2008 Where's the "why does it matter", option (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #25 September 28, 2008 Quote Where's the "why does it matter", option here 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? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
