Going to WFFC with Less than 50 Jumps?

[Thanatos340 1]

I am trying to decide if it is worth it to go to the WFFC for a 4 day weekend if I will not be able to jump there?
I will be borderline by the time the WFFC rolls around with the required jump numbers and probably will not have the Required 50 Jumps. Part of me really wants to go just to see what it is all about and see what I can learn while I am there but I know it is going to suck to be sitting on the ground while everyone else is jumping.
Is it really worth it to make the trek just to hang out?
Any suggestions on ways an low-time Jumper can get the most out of WFFC if they are not able to jump?

[larsrulz 0]

There is a cessna dropzone 10 miles north of Rantoul in Paxton, IL which will be jumping all convention, not to mention they'll have a turbine there the whole week before the convention, so you can head up there to make some jumps during the day and then party the convention at night.

I got a strong urge to fly, but I got no where to fly to. -PF

[bch7773 0]

why not just jump like crazy over the next few weekends until you have 50 jumps?
your profile says you have 30, and so 20 jumps isn't all that hard to do over 3 or 4 weekends.

MB 3528, RB 1182

[happythoughts 0]

The reason for the 50 jump minimum is the environment.

There is going to be a lot of people in the air with you. A lot of them heading for the same landing area. Are you comfortable landing with 30 people around you?

[Thanatos340 1]

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Are you comfortable landing with 30 people around you?

No, I am not. That is why I am not trying to bust my ass to get the other 20 Jumps I need in the next couple weeks so that I can squeak by the minimum Numbers. I understand why the 50 Jump Rule is in place. Even if I do happen to get the required Jumps in time, I still may not be completely comfortable jumping airspace that crowded.
Which brings me back to my original question: If I can’t (or dont plan to) jump, is it worthwhile to still go to Rantoul?

[flyangel2 2]

You can get a special wrist band to jump with only coaches from the LO tents. See here and here to find out more about it. Or, you can sign up with these guys and do some coach jumps.

There is a big landing area just for students, and as an LO there, I make sure to go over that with low time jumpers.

Even if you don't jump, you can look at all the cool and newest gear since there are lots of dealers there.

May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey

[billvon 2,379]

>>Are you comfortable landing with 30 people around you?

>No, I am not.

Good man for making that call! Far too many skydivers say "Yeah, I can handle that, no problem" and then end up getting the _other_ helicopter ride when they get cut off, or have to land in a back yard, or collide with someone. WFFC is not a great place to be as a new jumper.

[footbagman 0]

There is nothing wrong with just going to watch. There is alot to learn about landing by just watching.
I know I have. Go have some fun.

Life's a Beach, Not a Mountain.

[DJL 232]

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Are you comfortable landing with 30 people around you?

At 250 jumps I'm not comforable with 30 people around me. Especially 30 people unfamiliar with the DZ and each other and especially knowing that some of those people rushed to get the 50 jump minimum. That's still a measley amount of time under canopy.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[SkyPsycho 0]

my bro in law did aff at the convention in 3 dayswith only a tandem 3 years before. monday aff 1, 2 and 3, tuesday 4, 5 and 6, and was done by lunch time. he saved 7 for the next day because he was out of money and wanted to be able to jump one more day or would have finished in 2 days. so yes, you can actually jump there with less that 50 jumps safely, just have to be heads up. also, there are alot less people landing in the tandem/student area near the pond. but if you arent comfortable with the air traffic, then good call on you and wait till youre ready.

_______________________________
HK MP5SD.........silence is golden

[mustard 0]

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so yes, you can actually jump there with less that 50 jumps safely, just have to be heads up. also, there are alot less people landing in the tandem/student area near the pond.

Yes, you can have a *great* time at the WFFC without jumping, or just make one or two with a coach, but remember that just the experience of seeing so many skydivers from so many different backgrounds and countries is an experience in itself. However, I've got 3400 jumps and my neck hurts from looking around for other canopies after a few jumps at the WFFC.

You've just got to put yourself in the right hands. Come to Tent 4 and introduce yourself to the organizers, and don't expect to make more than a few jumps and socialize madly the rest of the time!

The WFFC is really worth it, whether you jump or not, because it brings skydivers from all walks of life together in the same place.

But you do have to be careful, no matter where you jump, right? And not get in over your head...

***
DJan

[GravityGirl 0]

And if I see you wandering around with nothing to do, I'll put you to work in my booth, shlepping T-shirts!

I too think you can have a great time without jumping. You can learn a lot and meet a ton of great people.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Peace and Blue Skies!
Bonnie ==>Gravity Gear!

[Snowwhite 0]

Don't forget about the free seminars that happen every night. You can learn from the best, and they are happy to walk you thru any questions you might have, even tho you aren't necessarily going into the air with them.
DJan and Mary are very humble, but just the experience of meeting them, and watching them coach and mentor those who will be accompanying them into the air on the next load will be a learning experience for you.
The DZ.com tent will be filled will lots of the folks you have seen post here, some of them may even be sober enough to talk with you during the day!
We KNOW they won't be during the evening...
There are free bands everynight, and free shuttles during the day.
Gear manufactures from all over the world are going to be there, and the area known as DropZone Row just DOUBLED since last year, so even as the biggest event in the world, it's still growing..
If you run out of something to do, look me up, I'll put you to work shuttling folks hither and yon, and you'll get to talk to even more folks that way.
All in all, it is the most amazing experience you will EVER have skydiving!
beth

skydiveTaylorville.org
[email protected]

[Harksaw 0]

If the 50 jump rule is in place to be sure people are comfortable landing in crowded airspace, how would jumping with a coach help? They're not going to be with you under canopy.

__________________________________________________
I started skydiving for the money and the chicks. Oh, wait.

[drakeshelby 0]

Stay home!! It is not worth traveling for however long you have to travel just to sit there and watch everyone else jump and sit in the hot weather. There is always next year for the convention. Besides, it is not like it is the only boogie that is going to happen all year. There are plenty of boogies that will give you the opportunity to see what skydiving is about. The convention is a really extreme boogie!!! It is not like that at all boogies.


drakeshelby

drakeshelby

[LawnDart21 0]

I say go the WFFC. You are a skydiver, and this is your boogie as much as it is anyone elses. There is so much to do on the ground (as mentioned above) that you will still have a great time. Most important though, is its a chance to meet all the cool people that jump from around the world, some of the friends you make there are gonna be friends for life.
I showed up last year with a nagging shoulder injury and made one jump the first day I was there. My should said it wanted to stay on the ground after that, so I spent the next three days just hanging out with my friends, having a great time. I ended the week with only 10 jumps, where as the last time I was there I made 40 jumps, and I had just as much fun each time. Go to the WFFC!!!!!!

--
My other ride is a RESERVE.

[AndyMan 7]

Also, there is an AFF concession there, usually run by the folks at Chicagoland. If you're shy of 50 jumps, you can always hook up with them.

_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[Zoso 2]

I was in your exact situation at about 50 jumps and went just to watch and check it all out. I had a blast and left knowing what it would be like the next year when I was more qualified. Simply watching how many jumpers land at the same time is educational if you have not been exposed to that environment before. I was lucky though, I only had to drive 2 hours to get there.

Oh yea, you could go and jump solo out of a hot air balloon, thereby avoiding the landing congestion.

[FallinWoman 1]

GO!!!

Go and party like crazy.

Go and talk to other jumpers and learn.

Go amd talk to gear manufacturers and learn.

Go and have a blast.

~Anne

I'm a Doll!!!!

[AndyMan 7]

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Oh yea, you could go and jump solo out of a hot air balloon, thereby avoiding the landing congestion.

I'm all for encouraging the newbie, but this is not good advice.

Balloon landings are often the most chalanging ones you'll make, since they're almost always off-dz, and into unknown teritory. Jumpers often find themselves landing up or downhill, or flying towards a previouslly invisible obstacle. They make this realization often at the very last minute.

If someone is avoiding a landing area because they're canopy skills aren't great, balloon jumps are equally not appropriate.


_Am

__

You put the fun in "funnel" - craichead.

[kelpdiver 2]

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If someone is avoiding a landing area because they're canopy skills aren't great, balloon jumps are equally not appropriate.

Point well taken, but landing on uneven terrain is a different concern than landing among 30 people for the first time.

with the high pulls and the smaller DZ or student LZ, I don't think I've ever had to worry about more than a half dozen people in the sky with me. Often it's just one or two others.

[happythoughts 0]

Ok, 30 is just a number, but I saw 30 people land with me a lot.

The solution is to land across the runway where no one else is. That won't idiot-proof you, but there will be less people, so less chance of finding one.

I spend a lot of time landing by myself. My fav line is "It's better to walk a long way, than get carried a short way."

I am in tent 5, right next to Mustard. Behind us are the loading tents. Last year, I saw a guy swoop between them and then carve across the whole area, cutting off 20 people. His attitude, "Oh, yeah, I do this all the time." "Well do it somewhere else."

I also landed in the spectator area and watched a guy do a 90deg hook and swoop down the fence. We were all landing 90deg to the fence. His attitude, "Oh, I was watching, it was ok." "Umm...no it's not. The one you kill is the one that you don't see and an apology won't be good enough then."

Those are just a couple.

Here is my point. If you barely have 50 jumps and go to a new and crowded dz, be smart. Before people jump, they should watch the landing area for 30 minutes at a busy time of day. Then pick a safe, lonely, alternative spot.

This isn't just about me or anyone in particular. It is about everyone being safe. It about not breaking ourselves and others. Trying to protect ourselves from others also.

[WFFC 1]

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Oh yea, you could go and jump solo out of a hot air balloon, thereby avoiding the landing congestion.

remember that balloon landings are not always that ideal... (watch the tail end of this video if you want to know what I mean)

-----
~~~Michael

[kelpdiver 2]

yep, these are all good reasons to meet that requirement well (I'd not want to cram in 20 jumps the week before to make it) and scope the landing area as you advise.

Aside from the basic canopy skills you have to deal with unpredictable traffic. Only with experience do you learn to predict what others are likely to do.

Have fun out there! (Maybe next year...)

[Zoso 2]

Sorry if I gave bad advice about balloon jumping.

Unfortunately my only experience was watching someone do a balloon jump at Rantoul at about 6:00 a.m. with 0 wind, straight above the huge alternate landing area. The only hazard I thought of was morning due (?) on the grass.

Gary