HELP: Canopy Control Courses

[mentalblonde 0]

I've got my A License
As the UK weather is SHIT especially this time of year, I'm looking for somewhere that will do the course in a couple of days, with excellent weather.

Anyone got any suggestions?

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

You can get professional canopy coaching at pretty much any major dropzone you care to visit. In Florida, I would go to Deland (Jimmy Tranter, Scott, Jay). In NJ, Crosskeys (Heath Richardson). In AZ, Eloy (Dusty Smith and Jason Peters), in CA, Perris (Team Extreme) or San Diego (Icarus Evolution), or Elsinore (Bryan Harrel). In Texas, Skydive Houston (Eric Butts).

Chuck

[el_chester 4]

i took the course with Clint from team extreme @ Perris. Even with my limited experience I found it was money very well spent.

Even when my approaches and landings are on the conservative side, it is great to know my canopy a lot better now. I feel more confident knowing its limits, and having stalled it up high with toggles and rear risers, and played with recovery after a 360 from toggles and from front risers. I hope one day be a good fast swooper, but since I intend to keep safe until that day, I am in absolutely no hurry. I am learning one step at a time, and up high.

Your approach in looking for help in learning canopy control skills is very right. Being humble and not pretending to know more than you know and your experience level allows you to know is IMO the way to go. There was a locked thread here recently started by a 50-jump guy who is so sure nothing will ever happen to him. He's so ready to start swooping, and doesn't really sound like he wants to listen to the experienced people advising him on a safe learning path. I hope he's right and never hurts himself, but... he doesn't sound like one of the safe ones.

--
Be careful giving advice. Wise men don't need it, and fools won't heed it.

[piisfish 135]

from the UK, maybe the closest will be in empuriabrava.
the courses are given by Reinier Bos and Bruno Brokken.

Flights to Girona or Perpignan with ryanair and stuff like that.

If you go there say hello to them for me.

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skytash 0]

Brian Vacher also does courses in Spain, if you check out uk.rec.skydiving he has posted links etc there.

tash

Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Being alive is a special occasion. Avril Sloe

[mr2mk1g 10]

Or quit whining and do it in the UK. The weather's perfectly fine for skydiving all year round. Yes the hours close in and we start to get a lot of bad weather days but the answer to that if you want to jump is simply to avoid them.

If you want you can jump right through the winter with only a couple of weeks off here and there. If you're unlucky or miss a good weekend you might end up with a longer break but it's far from a certainty. All it takes is a little effort.

[mentalblonde 0]

Skydiving takes some balls in the first place, but I like to know that my hand will function when its time to pull!

Yes I agree.............when it's sunny in the UK its brilliant but when its cold........your on your own!

[vibeke 0]

See in the Swooping and Canopy section of theese forums, Brian Germains schedule is posted there.
We have had Brian Germain come to Denmark two times this year.
I recommend him, as all issues of piloting your canopy are covered, in his two or three day course. Including design and psychology.

Everybody gained from his shared knowledge and found things they wanted to practice... Beginners and Novices began to understand and play with their canopies. Swoopers became like little kids with new toys. Only they were pilots with higher understandings and new tools.

However, this course is based primarily on theory.
If you are searching for the jumping and videodebreifing, youd perhaps be better off by simply bringing a videocamera to your DZ, filming friends and asking them to do the same for you. Just watching your own - and others landings, can teach you LOTS!

Be carefull to take advise from "just anybody" on your local DZ. Everybody has their own way of doing things and if your not a pro, explaining that "feeling" is difficult. Maybe find a skilled person you trust, and have that individual de-breif with you. At your level simply understanding the dynamics of your canopy will be of great value to you.

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Your success and happiness, is in direct proportions to your commitment to excellence, regardless of your chosen field of endeavour.