How do you count years in the sport?

[Marios 0]

I did my first tandem in 2002, my second in 2004 and then got much more seriously in the sport in 2005.

So how many years do I have in the sport and how do you guys count that?

[AggieDave 6]

I tell people to count from the date of their first serious jump for training towards their license. Be that a S/L, AFF or Tandem. Some people count using their USPA (or similar) membership.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Peej 0]

December 12th 2002 was my AFF Level 1. That was the day i first entered the sky and the sport, so that's where i start counting from.

Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky

[bigway 4]

i count from when i joined the sport, i would say tandems is not part of the sport, (in the athlete way) (big part of the sport to keep us going though) more like you paid for thrill seeking rather than being involved as a sports member.
Being part of any sports you need to be a player, and consider it your sport, not so much going out for an adventure.

On the other hand though there are many dropzone babies that have been part of the sport since they were born never jumped for 16 years and i would say they have been in the sport all their lives.

I guess being part of the sport is from the day you started contributing to the sport, i would not call tandem customers as being part of the sport, though they are being welcomed to our sport with open arms.

My conclusion is you have been in the sport for as long as you have made it your 'sport'. It is a sport when you are taking part with your own rig, until then it is someone elses sport that you like very much and want to make it your own.

I would say you have been in the sport a year from your posts.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
.

[jacketsdb23 45]

I grew up on the dropzone and started packing at age 11. I did my first jump at 16. I did a few jumps over the next two years but my father about that time left the dz he was at and life sort of got in the way for a while (college, work, blah blah).

I got 'away' from the sport for about 8 years and just started again back in February. I put 10 years down in time in sport because I counted ages 6-16. I have no real logic for it other than I feel that is when I was actively learning about the sport and participating in one way or another.

On a related note: My dad was out of the sport for about 7 years and for his 50th birthday (this july) i bought him a rig and we did our first jump together. It was awesome! He is now 'back in' the sport as well.

Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen
God is Good
Beer is Great
Swoopers are crazy.

[za_skydiver 0]

I count my years the same way. I started in 1995. Stopped in 2000 (long story), then started this year again. So i count it as 5 years, because i was not involved in the sport for the last six years.

Some dream of flying, i live the dream...

[slotperfect 7]

My first jump out of an airplane was a military static line jump in August of 1984. My first sport jump was in march of 1985. I made regular military static line jumps in between those two dates.

Since most people seem to count their first jump out of an airplane as their start date, I use the Aug '84 date.

It's a personal thing - up to you!?!?

Arrive Safely

John

[DBCOOPER 1]

Did 5 static line jumps in 1976,then took 23 years off to find my balls.

Replying to: Re: Stall On Jump Run Emergency Procedure? by billvon

If the plane is unrecoverable then exiting is a very very good idea.

[kkeenan 13]

Quote

I did my first tandem in 2002, my second in 2004 ...

Start counting from when you learned to jump by yourself. Prior to that, you were merely ballast with a credit card.

Kevin K.

_____________________________________
Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[matt1215 0]

I first stepped onto a dropzone 1/7/06. Did a tandem that day and started AFF the next week.

I'm gonna go by calendar year, starting 2006, assuming I continue to jump.

[Tonto 1]

I didn't do much for the first couple of years after I was born, but those years are still counted in my age.

I did my 1st jump 02 Feb 1985. I certainly never took it seriously for the 1st few years, but that's still when I did my 1st jump.

t

It's the year of the Pig.

[MB38 0]

I've been in and around the sport for almost nine years now. That said, I just started jumping a little over a year ago. Accordingly, I have about one year of experience.

I really don't know what I'm talking about.

[BIGUN 1,071]

That's how I count it.
First jump in 1981, but took a nine year break, so...

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[airtwardo 6]

Kind of a Bill Clinton definition of the word "in"...the sport.

D~1 whom I believe has the most consecutive years 'jumping' in the sport, defines it as that....actually made a jump sometime during the year.


But I know another current jumper that has a few more years 'in' than D~1, but took a year off during the 60's at his wife's request for the birth of their son...etc.
This guy ran a rigging loft and was a jump pilot during that year, just didn't make a leap.

So who has more years 'in' the sport?

Depends on your idea of what IN means I guess!

Personally, I've made at least one solo free fall every year since 1976...even in 1994 healing with a broken spine and against the lab-coats orders, so MY definition 'must' be making an unassisted free fall parachute jump.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[bozo 0]

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Personally, I've made at least one solo free fall every year since 1976...even in 1994 healing with a broken spine and against the lab-coats orders,

..you are seriously as dumb as I am.

I did the same thing in 97.....boy did those 47 staples bleed.

bozo
Pain is fleeting. Glory lasts forever. Chicks dig scars.

[darkwing 4]

However you want. I count 33 for me. Started from my first jump, and count even the years I didn't jump, because my heart was still there. But for the details, see the graph on my webpage. Link below.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[Samurai136 0]

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I did my first tandem in 2002, my second in 2004 and then got much more seriously in the sport in 2005.

So how many years do I have in the sport and how do you guys count that?

Years in sport is from first jump.... ex-milllitary?... hello?

OTOH: in 35 years no one will care when you started jumping.
It is your story, tell it.

"Buttons aren't toys." - Trillian
Ken

[peckerhead 0]

It starts from the day you make your first jump.


Why is this a hard question?

[airtwardo 6]

...you are seriously as dumb as I am.

***

And here's to us and those like us!


Damn few of us left!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[Airman1270 0]

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It starts from the day you make your first jump.


Why is this a hard question?
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

That's how I've been doing it. My first jump was in 1982, so that's the date I use.

However, the first time I took the FJC was in 1979, so I could stretch the definition if I really thought it necessary.

Cheers,
Jon S.

[DontPanic 0]

I did a single static line jump in 1997, but didn't jump again until 2004.

Even though I took the FJC and made a successful static line jump, it didn't seem right to count the intervening years as participation in the sport, so I just consider myself to have started in 2004 in regards to "years in the sport".

[steveorino 7]

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Did 5 static line jumps in 1976,then took 23 years off to find my balls.

Sounds like me (except I had lots more static lines and I knew where my balls were, but I was busy raising kids on the West Coast)

First military jump 1977

I don't count years until I started "freefalling" 2001

steveOrino

[steveorino 7]

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It starts from the day you make your first jump.


Why is this a hard question?

My first jump was 1977 (military static line) made lots of those until 1980. I started freefall in 2001. Which years in sport do you think best reflect my experience?

29 years (from 1st jump until now)
8 years (3 years of static - 5 years of freefall)
5 years (years of freefall)

Obviously I think the latter best represents my time in sport, but maybe you could convince me otherwise.

steveOrino

[Andy9o8 0]

I think any and every parachute jump out of an airplane in one's lifetime counts toward total number of lifetime jumps, whether military S/L, civilian/sport S/L, tandem or otherwise. Each time, you experience and overcome door fear, make the jump and land under a parachute.

As for total time in sport, in my opinion it depends on whether you've maintained an active connection to the sport if you've taken a hiatus. In my case, I was out for over 15 years, but I did make a couple jumps here and there, I was active on the "business end" of the sport in one way or another for most of that time, I spent a fair amount of time at DZ's, and I stayed up all on the technology and evolution of the sport. So, since I made my first jump in 1975, I count 30 years. I know I have less "raw experience" and skills than someone in the sport for 6 years who has twice as many jumps as me, but I also know, from experience, that the past 30 years involved in the sport sometimes gives me better insight into some things than someone who's only been jumping a few years.