julesshrew 0 #1 November 14, 2004 Well after a truely infuriating day at the DZ the one day a week its open, perfect weather, two planes in use I sat there for 6 hours and still didnt get chance to jump as it began to get dark as I got to the top of the manifest list So as a newbie 3 SL jumps done, dummy pull briefing completed am I able to pop along to other DZ's to try and get some progression? or as i've heard do I have to of progressed to freefall before I can jump at another DZ? I just really want to get onto freefall asap as there are sydiving trips to the US being discussed atm and I feel a bit premature saying i'd like to go as i'd need to be on freefall to be able to go Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewnewell 0 #2 November 14, 2004 At this time of year the UK is pants for skydiving. Go some where hot. Check out different DZ on this site. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paulipod 0 #3 November 14, 2004 I have spoken to alot of people in the UK about their learning time length.... Obviously depends on cash... but I went to Florida... 2 week holiday... 50 jumps + 2 hours tunnel later I had had an awesome time and passed AFF and FS1 done my first 10way and could do what I liked when I got home Takes so much time back here to go through the system... and even when youve done your courses... there is still alot of sitting around Hopefully will get better one day! Bodyflight Bedford www.bodyflight.co.uk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
reddevil1 0 #4 November 14, 2004 Take a week off work and just try to hammer the jump numbers in,try fishing ,siting round all day to get one bite, but it worth it,just like parachuting,you only get better.blue skys The point of no return what a rush. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
yoink 321 #5 November 14, 2004 It sucks... but isn't that uncommon for a SL student in the UK to sit around all day. To answer your first question easily, phone the other DZ. Each have different rules about accepting students from other training centres, but I wouldn't bet on being able to do a DP straight off - I'd think they'd want to see a good SL first but I might be wrong on that though, so give them a call first. There are other options that may be worth investigating, such as finishing your course abroad if you're in a rush. Getting qualified over winter in the UK can be a bit of a nightmare. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lou_lou 0 #6 November 14, 2004 I haven't jumped in the UK at all yet after hearing stories like yours. I go to Empuriabrava in Spain - cheap to fly there and cheap to jump and if you give them a ring they are really helpful with sorting you out as to whether you can jump or not and what you'll need to do. You can jump all day there and it's a really nice place too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 102 #7 November 14, 2004 I agree......most DZ's in the UK couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery.....don't waste your time there....go abroad......save yourself a lot of time and frustration at the hands of pedantic no nothings.....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #8 November 14, 2004 QuoteI haven't jumped in the UK at all yet after hearing stories like yours. I go to Empuriabrava in Spain - cheap to fly there and cheap to jump and if you give them a ring they are really helpful with sorting you out as to whether you can jump or not and what you'll need to do. You can jump all day there and it's a really nice place too. Ampuria dosen't cater for SL. AFF no problemo Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
moth 0 #9 November 14, 2004 what DZ are you using at the moment? where do you live? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
julesshrew 0 #10 November 14, 2004 Quotewhat DZ are you using at the moment? where do you live? Tilstock is my DZ, I live in Shrewsbury so next closest are Langar or Hinton Im guessing Id still need to do the 3 good DPs at Tilstock to be cleared for freefall there (I want my T-shirt and cant relent on the responsibility of getting the beers in) I just wondered if there was a chance of getting extra jump experience in as lack of daylight hours isnt going to help getting the 3rd dummy and the 1st freefall done on the same day (Tilstock only open on Saturdays) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efex 0 #11 November 15, 2004 If your only able to jump on 1 day of the week at Tilstock then I would recommend going to Hinton. We send our RAPS students there and most of them are jumping throughout the week. Blue skies, p.s Silk glove liners frickin rock!! Warwick University Skydiving Club Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BASE813 0 #12 November 15, 2004 I have PM'd you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vt1977 0 #13 November 15, 2004 All DZs seem to have different policies about accepting students from different DZs. If you plan on visiting another DZ, I suggest you give them a call in advance and have a chat with the Chief Instructor who will be able to advise you. Obviously make sure you take your training record card, log book and BPA membership card (provisional or full) along with you so they can see where you are at. Good luck! Vicki Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,260 #14 November 15, 2004 QuoteTilstock is my DZ, I live in Shrewsbury so next closest are Langar or Hinton If you are close to Langar it wouldn't be much further to Hibaldstow. Both those dropzones have turbines all year round and I'm pretty sure Hib takes students still on static lines, Langar probably will too. The BPA web site has contact details for all those DZ's so you can call them and find out what the deal is. It may be cold at this time of year but there should be plenty of jumpable days over the winter, if you're brave enough.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ernguru 0 #15 November 15, 2004 I went up through the raps system in the UK, I was in South Africa and did static lines, dummy rips, first freefall and 5 secs then came to the UK and had to go back on the rope. Looking back now I can see why they do it as youhave so few jumps and such little experience but back then I was angry. I recommend finding out from different dz's about their system and sticking there till you are cat 8. The weather also does not help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 102 #17 November 15, 2004 Not harsh at all....I've experienced DZ's in 8 different countries over 30 years, and trained thousands of students (many British) and I've never come across a country with skydiving run by such incompetants as I've found in Britain. The BPA is run by a bunch of self serving fuddy duddies who think that they are gods gift to the sport......but who haven't got the slightest idea of what is necessary to run this sport in the 21st century...... The British scene is a good 35-40 years behind the rest of the world in terms of professionalism and attitude...... I've never ever come across a national mindset which is so overwhelmingly amateur and negative, and puts so many obstacles in the way of having fun. This is why you see so many Brits taking up skydiving in countries where the attitude is "make it happen". The story that starts this thread is so typical of Britain. An example of this attitude is an occasion when I accompanied a friend to a first jump course...it took one and a half days to train 10 students, and 4 hours to jump them all out of a turbine aircraft. After they had jumped there was still 4 hours of daylight, perfect conditions......and not ONE of them was even asked if they would like to do another jump, yet most would have done so. So 10 potentially good jumpers, all potential future instructors, jumpmasters, or quality competitors, were lost forever. No one will ever know......and how many times has that scenario been repeated...... The chief instructor was an arrogant, incompetant dolt.....who, I found out later, was a very big cheese on the BPA executive. I've trained a group of 20 first jumpers (S/L) on a Saturday morning, and jumped them all out of a 4 place aircraft, by the Sunday evening some had done 9 jumps, and were going to 9 grand doing 30 second freefalls......the plane didn't stop except for fuel, and we had 4 student rigs to jump.....and there was just myself and one JM.......we worked our butts off.....but it shows what is possible.....my job is to make jumping happen......... I'd love to see the turnaround times of the aircraft on the DZ this thread originates from.... Of course there are probably individual jumpers in Britain who are exceptions to my experience, but I would bet they have experience of efficient DZ's in other places, and despite that, are still subject to the antiquated attitudes of the BPA. Plenty of British jumpers agree with me....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoter 0 #18 November 15, 2004 I have to say i do agree there are some truths in your post.....some.... And certainly I have moved on from at least one UK DZ just because of this pompous type of attitude... However I also would like to say that I have not met a more friendly , helpful, 'lets get you up in the sky' dropzone as I have experienced at Hibaldstow....they break their backs to make sure both students and experienced peeps are looked after.... Heck I'm more than happy to travel three hours to get there when I have local DZ's within 45mins's.....for me its worth it. Its as close to a US or European philosophy on 'the customer orientated way to running a DZ' that I have seen in the UK after jumping at 5 different UK dropzones...and a few international ones. I still have a few UK DZ's to get around that I am sure are great....so no disrespect intended....but It might take a while....Hibs has got everything i need Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #19 November 16, 2004 QuoteAn example of this attitude is an occasion when I accompanied a friend to a first jump course...it took one and a half days to train 10 students, and 4 hours to jump them all out of a turbine aircraft. After they had jumped there was still 4 hours of daylight, perfect conditions......and not ONE of them was even asked if they would like to do another jump, yet most would have done so. I'm afraid to say that this is pretty standard here. I see it virtually every weekend. Nowhere, not even the DZ's mentioned in this thread as being exceptionally good are immune to this. I was at one of those mentioned in this thread – apparently one which doesn’t have these problems with students. My friend was trying to get on an S/L jump this weekend. He was current and had jumped only a week ago, yet he waited best part of 3 days and kept getting shifted down the cue... finally got done on Sunday evening just before dark. Even with three planes they still didn't even get past the tip of the iceberg in terms of the money they could have earned from the students they had. Most got 1 jump, but not all... and they had 3 planes available. If they'd pulled their finger out they could have had all the students jumped several times and made much more money that weekend. The students would have been far happier for it too instead of just having to sit around and watch the exp. people jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Plummets 0 #20 November 16, 2004 QuoteThe British scene is a good 35-40 years behind the rest of the world in terms of professionalism and attitude...... QuoteThe chief instructor was an arrogant, incompetant dolt.....who, I found out later, was a very big cheese on the BPA executive. I hear ya ! Some very strange attitudes at some UK DZs and in the BPA. "Life is a bowl of deadly nightshade, stay way way out on the rim brother" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skreamer 1 #21 November 16, 2004 Hibaldstow is by far my favourite UK DZ (out of the 6 I've jumped at). I haven't skydived since January, but when I showed my face there recently it was as friendly as always. They have some sensible rules, like a 500 jump requirement for the experienced landing area. The wind limits are strictly enforced for students, which is probably why they sometimes incorrectly think they are being neglected when they see the experienced jumpers in the air. Bottome line - exit altitude is minimum '14 500. Will PS I used to drive up from London to jump there (150 miles each way) and will gladly do so again if I decide to give airplane assisted freefall another go. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DZJ 0 #22 November 16, 2004 Mr2mk1g, are you referring to the BCPA meet at Hibaldstow? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tilly 0 #23 November 16, 2004 Fair enough - I can certainly agree with a fair part of that - arrogant incompetent dolt on the BPA - surely not . And true a lot of the time these people are running the dz and therefore not injecting enough enthusiasm and effort in terms of getting these students in the sky - I know that from first had experience from the dz I trained at which is not the dz I jump at now and was impenetrable in terms of this unfriendly, unhelpful sort of attitude. Funnily enough thats why I dont jump there anymore. However that is not the same with every dz. And on the smaller scale - theres a mixture within each dz. I know its really elementary and you heard it enough before but generalisations like that are mostly a fallacy, not very helpful and quite annoying. Whilst my dz has a healthy share of pain in the arses, they generally are not allowed to prevail. Unfortunate that this sort of attitude exists anywhere, but in terms of making it happen, that needs to come from the student as well. I could quite easily have been put off, but you have to look beyond the first obstacle, because theres going to be plenty more. And it is Britain with crap weather and to a large extent crap planes, when was the last time you felt yourself staring at lightbulbs through lack of daylight. Don't mean to go on, but just sticking up for my good guy instructor friends - one day we'll get rid of all the baddies. Oh that and I'm at work and trying to perfect the art of timewasting (in terms of market research anyway!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 102 #24 November 16, 2004 I did say that there are exceptions...I've met plenty of switched on British jumpers....but my "generalisation" of the negative attitude about the way jumping is run is one I will stick to.....and it perpetuates itself because not enough people know any better..... As you say, there are many obstacles to jumping...weather, planes etc....but that is exactly why the obstacles put up by humans are by far the worst.....and in my book are totally unacceptable and unforgiveable....... To quote a well known phrase...."if you arn't gonna piss......get off the pot....." Too many tossers are spoiling the scene in Britain, and need to get out of the way and let things happen....My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #25 November 16, 2004 Quote Plenty of British jumpers agree with me.... I'm one. The problem with the BPA is to many military on the committe and most of the voting members don't even know that they are voting for a double standard candidate Let the Military run JSPC how they want and let civilians run the BPA Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
