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ojf1982

Freefly schools

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I am considering attending a freefly school to improve and enhance my freeflying abilities. They way it looks like, Sebastian, Skydive America PB, Deland, and Z-hills are the closest to me and am likely to pick one of the latter.
Does anyone recommend any freefly schools in Florida?
Omar C-32248

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Everyone over in Florida does a great job, although the main focus should be to get your moneys worth. I had the opportunity to spend a few days learning some organizing skills from Dave Brown(from The Freefly Training Center) at Project Horizon. He is extremely thorough and to really get your moneys worth, he can set you up for some tunnel training. Atleast check their website out at www.freeflytrainingcenter.com. If you talk to Dave tell him Bryan from the Gravity Rats told you about him.
Good Luck and go big,
Bryan
GR-2

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This time of year I would imagine Fla is pretty much cleared out. Cooler climates up here and all. I havent jumped with alot of the bigger names. But Pahokee seems to have alot of excellent coaches. Even if you cant or dont want to go with Olav. I only did one jump with Nathan Gilbert-Team Method -and changed my entire stance. Im completely relaxed and made huge impeovements afterwards. My two cents

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Below you will find info taken directally from Olav's web site, it explains why the TM was applied for, I only do this to make sure everyone out there has all the proper information on a particular subject before making assumptions and then passing on unfounded statements. The TM is used to distinguish the difference between his own training program and is never used to try to gain any monatary value from other persons conected to or engaging in freeflying. A word is a word, however this word means so much personally to someone that they went through this process to aid in showing his connection to it and to furthering our micro sport in general. Sure does make great conversation though, everyone likes to talk about it, and having all the info is good when doing this. I will always stand up for friends and things I believe in by trying to show just the facts, and this often leads me to being a bit long winded, on that note c-ya
Dave
the bellow text is taken from www.freefly.tv
The Freefly™ sets the quality standard for human flight instruction and education.
Freefly™ is not just a word with a trademark, it was used 14 years ago for the first time by Olav Zipser. He imagined and discovered new ways of human flight performance and decided to called it ‘Freefly’. For Olav Zipser, this word involves a structured human flight program FFP, which encompasses safety, human flight performance test and a worldwide licensing system, as well as a commitment to the continued progress and development of human flight.
The ‘Freefly™’ program provides trained instructors who educate ‘Freefly’ students on how to achieve their first human flight performance test, the Atmosphere Dolphin "A" License. If students are taught under this structure this will help to ensure the safety of human flight performance. While at the same time allowing us to establish other statistics about our sport.
Olav Zipser appeals to you to use this word only with the respect and integrity associated with it. The trademark is used to support the structured freefly program FFP that has been developed over the preceding 14yrs. Olav Zipsers’ name and his life’s work are directly linked to ‘Freefly™’.
We hope that you can understand the necessity of putting the trademark on the word ‘Freefly™’ and the genuine request for it to be used in a respectful manner.

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Thanks Dave, I always wondered what the trademark was about.
If you are a committed freeflyer for any time at all you begin to respect the people that came before you. I got my AD test from John Matthews and it means more to me than most any other thing I own.
I have a great deal of respect for Olav - not because he is the greatest or better than me - but because he had the vision to do what noone did before him.

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I would suggest going with www.freeflytrainingcenter.com located in Sebastian. Mike Swanson, Dave Brown, Rob Silver and Chris Lynch are some of the best in the scene, and have been around for many, many years. The best part about them is they are real people, down to earth and easy to undrestand. They are professional, but not so serious that they intimidate you. I would suggest emailing them to find out who is where because some of them may be training this summer up North. Good luck!
-Rap

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"I have a great deal of respect for Olav - not because he is the greatest or better than me - but because he had the vision to do what noone did before him. "
Well said Bryan, I am constantly amazed by people 'dissing' Olav....
Cya
D
GR# 37
Remember how lucky you are to see and touch the sky; the blind may only dream.

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I am constantly amazed by people 'dissing' Olav....

Really?
It's human nature for people to want to knock the leaders a bit. Some of what Olav has done is truely amazing, some is visionary, some isn't, some is down right laughable. In other words, he's just like the rest of us, only much, much better at one particular thing.
quade
http://futurecam.com

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Nac, same here... I don't get it either, but that's their business I guess.
I am thrilled that he will be at our Canadian Freefly Festival this summer and I personally can't wait to meet the man... and freefly with him too. We're actually very fortunate to have Olav and Dave Brown (2nd year) attending!!
Cheers,
CanEHdian

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"It's human nature for people to want to knock the leaders a bit. "
Pont taken Paul, I do believe he has done more to progress and develope a side of our sport that was previuosly overlooked.
However, you don't see Mike Ortiz, or the Flyboyz, Stephania, Steve O or Rook etc getting the same level of disrespect....
Also I've never seen or heard of camera fliers such as Norman Kent, Patrick Passe, Mike McGowan, or Jo Jennings getting slagged off, and they do a lot to further the sport while trying to squeeze out a living from it too.
Just idly musing that's all.......curious, more than challenging IYKWIM....
Cya
D
GR# 37
Remember how lucky you are to see and touch the sky; the blind may only dream.

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... and freefly with him too.


OK I'll just note the two problems I have with him that I don't have with the other top-notch freefliers mentioned. Now granted, I'm going off hearsay, since I've never met the man, but my sources are pretty reliable and they are pretty consistent themes, which makes me give them some credence. If someone would care to dispel either (or both) of these I would be glad to hear it.
1. Referencing the above. It is my understanding that the only way you can jump with Olav is if you are taking the AD test or have passed it. This just strikes me as a little SkyGod-ish. This sport is all about helping each other and passing on knowledge. Even if he does it for money, which I have no conceptual problem with, why is a newbie's money any less good than an AD hopeful?
2. His statements that he "invented" freefly. He didn't invent it. The Freak Brothers were doing sit/back/head down flying long before Olav was on the scene. Did he elevate it? Turn it into it's own discipline? Innovate the hell out of it? Absolutely. And I give him full credit for it. But invent it? Nope. Can't take it that far.
Like I said, I could be totally wrong on the first one. And I really hope I am, but it seems to be the case from all the reports I've gotten. As far as the second goes, he's on tape saying it, so it's hard to refute that.
"Zero Tolerance: the politically correct term for zero thought, zero common sense."

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Also I've never seen or heard of camera fliers such as Norman Kent, Patrick Passe, Mike McGowan, or Jo Jennings getting slagged off, and they do a lot to further the sport while trying to squeeze out a living from it too.

Ya ain't looked in the right places then! Gossip, jealousy and backstabbing run rampant throughout the entirety of this sport.
Anyway, with regard to Olav, I think the thing that threw most people over to bashing him was doing the trademark thing. I think most people saw that as a just a bit over the top. Yes, he's a master at it, but he didn't "invent" it. Talk to Pat Works some day about how it's all a long winding road of evolution and you'll see that people have been freeflying for at least 40 years. They just didn't call it that.
Olav -may- have coined the term freefly, but there's certainly nothing that documents that and his claims as the one true protector of the term freefly by virtue of his holding the trademark are again, a little over the top.
I personally think the whole AD thing is kinda cool, but I wish it wasn't controlled by a single person. Not that it actually affects me either way, but I do know that some people would give the idea a bit more credibility if it wasn't.
quade
http://futurecam.com

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The USPA Freefly Millenium Award is more impressive than a regular AD any day yet does not require the ball, and requires more skill and sort of gets rid of the one agency 'Olav' in order to give you permission to be 'good'.
Now ADC and ADD...that is another thing
and I do like the ball test, it is fun and a challenge when you are at that transition point between student of the field and really learning to freefly with others.
Olav was nice to me when I met him, but I paid his coach for 5 jumps and a ball test...
"wee girls on a skydive road trip on big bikes...... yikes, dykes and bikes kinda thing...... ", David McKelvie

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