WFFC

[firstime 0]

I am going with a friend of mine to help out with his
booth. When I tell ppl about my trip to rantoul they either roll their eyes or say "good luck". Is it that crazy out there??? I will probably work more than jump and to have hundreds of canopys in the air is
not something I am comfortable with. What the hell
am I up against. And I am told that when you get home that my liver is going to jump out of my body
and run down the street yelling "no mas". WTF

[PhreeZone 15]

WFFC is a week of all you can drink free beer at night. 2002 I had to quit partying on Wednesday since my body could'nt take it any more.

Canopy traffic can be chaotic most the time and downright dangerous the rest of the time. Lots of people are coming from Cessna DZ's that have never had more then 3 other people under canopy with them and get tossed on plane loads with 23-32 people and they fly with blinders on and ignore everyone else.

Land off and things are a lot better.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[windcatcher 0]

Well, I've never been, but if you don't want to get wasted every night and wake up with a hangover, wishing someone would shoot you, just simply don't drink too much

Mother to the cutest little thing in the world...

[bch7773 0]

ok i was there for several days last time and never had anything dangerous happen under canopy. i think that people who have never gone to WFFC perpatrate the "at WFFC you'll have a canopy collision" myth. hows it more dangerous then any large boogie flying several planes?

MB 3528, RB 1182

[Tink1717 2]

WFFC canopy traffic is no more than any other big, multi-plane boogie. If you're worried about it, try spending a weekend at a place like Cross Keys, ELoy or Perris (or any other place that has more than one plane like and Otter in the air at the same time) and see what the traffic is like. After that you should have a good idea. Personally, I've never had the traffic at WFFC get scary. Just be very alert, keep looking around and pay real good attention at the briefing and you should be OK.

See you there.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[firstime 0]

thanks tink,
been to Eloy and xkeys and Eloy was quite a bit more
busy than xkeys, but thanks for the heads up. Just gives me idea of my surroundings

[skydiver1717 0]

It's much better landing than Eloy or Perris as there is a tremendous amount of grass landing area, even an area for students and people of lower experience. I have never had a problem finding a non crowded area to land.

They have great free coaching at the organizer tents for all levels of experience. I learn more in 10 intense days at Rantoul than I do during the rest of the year.

After 8- 10 jumps, a few beers, sleeping is no problem. There is one dangerous aspect of Rantoul and that is merry making skydivers in golf carts without lights that hit poles, etc in the middle of the night. Use a flash light when driving your golf cart at night, put your tent in the middle of a row, then make merry with the best of them.

The air up there in the clouds is very pure and fine, bracing and delicious. And why shouldn't it be? It is the same the angels breathe. — Mark Twain,

[plowdirt 0]

Don't believe the hype!! well I was there last year and I watched close. the best counsil I can give you is:

!! KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVLE !!

YOU MORE THEN LIKELY SHOULD BE GETTING OUT TO THE LAST, OPEN HIGH.KEEP YUR EYES OPEN.

nOT MANY WERE LANDING BY THE POND THERES A COUPLE OF FOOT BALL FEILDS THERE.

WATCH OUT FOR RUNAWAY GOLF CARTS, AND VISIT WITH A "HISPA" AND A ROCK STAR.
HAVE FUN IT'S A BLAST.

BALLONS.

[peek 20]

plowdirt:
!! KEEP YOUR HEAD ON A SWIVLE !!

peek:
always excellent advice.

plowdirt:
... OPEN HIGH.

peek:
Please do not do this!


From WFFC documents:

At the Convention there will be multiple aircraft dropping loads of jumpers over the same areas at short intervals. In order to insure that jumpers from an earlier load have descended below the opening area for the later load, you must not open high!

You need to plan your deployment altitude so that you have a fully open canopy no higher than 3000 feet AGL, and you are expected to be familiar with the opening characteristics of the canopy you will jumping in order to do this.

If you are jumping a demo canopy, you should consult the supplier of the canopy for advice on its opening characteristics.

If you experience a premature deployment or other situation that places you above 3000 feet under canopy, you must either quickly descend below 3000 feet or fly your canopy away from the jump run in order to provide clear airspace for the later jumpers.