andymarch

Depends on DZ I guess. In my case they made a facebook event this May, and were waiting for 10-15 people to attend to run the course, but then it was $100 per person for class $96.00 - two eval jumps $35.00 - rating fee and I've borrowed a book from a friend. Course was Fri night and both full weekend days. So you might check if they make a discount for more people and ask around.

Landed short, but never wrong direction at night. Yes, hopefully things have changed, jump numbers is where we get into various situations, conditions and get experience. However F/A-18 analogy is for slightly different point: to put someone in charge of it, yes, certain training is required, but not the hours alone. I've seen examples when some has 1000 jumps on 190 that I wouldn't suggest to downsize, as well as people with 400 jumps that fly sub-100 and don't make me worry. I would never say, make 1000 jumps on 150, then you are ready for 135, without seeing, how are the patterns, flat turns, 90s.. well Brian's check-list for example; what the person is working on and what are the limiting factors if any. So, "PATTERN, awareness and canopy classes" is a good feedback, "make 400 jumps on a bigger canopy" - not too progression or goal specific.

It's a friend of mine, who re-packs the reserve and hooks up main. He is a rigger, and packs reserves all the time, has quite a few saves too, so I have no reasons not to think he's a good one. Always does very thorough inspection and has detailed systematic approach, which is kind of hard to see by the process that took 2 hours and then crammed into 1 min time lapse :)

Why do people ever make and post skydiving videos on youtube? Showing-off, of course! I do love my videos and am proud of my progress. Here's a few tunnel videos, because we're so awesome :) Blocks training: http://youtu.be/6KFH0wNIFsk Before Nationals: http://youtu.be/2IyZIjoOYZ4 Besides, you know the saying: if it's not on GoPro - it's a PLF :) On a serious note, I wasn't the one who posted here originally, but the response did help a lot. So the main reason is to get feedback and sync my goals with people with knowledge who've been where I am now. Not so much on this forum, but several local friends and people I've personally met while jumping, watched my landings and gave more specific drills, points and hints (even a simple 'landing # - start leveling earlier, but slower next time') that improved my flying a lot! Not sure, what could be the other goals, really.

Thanks! Wing suit proxy flying is one of my dreams, I do realize lack of experience, so for now just working on pieces and getting mileage. Another 300-400 jumps on Katana, eventually moving to 270s. I have 30 wing suit jumps and a docking camp on P2. Plan to get more experience, then move to Havok that's on the way. Also in the plans go to Perrine bridge for a few days. Definitely, 4-way Nationals next year too... To much fun awaits (besides skydiving too), not to be careful :)

Hi Kris

Wanted to start a new post in swooping forum, but it's more technical and specific questions there, while this is not really swooping and still matter of general safety and training. First of all, I'd like to thank all of you again for feedback, any feedback, very, very helpful indeed. This is probably the most important advice I carried from this: showing your progress to experienced people, the more the better corrects you attitude, goals and most importantly delusions; and is not only critical for everyone's safety, but greatly improves the learning curve. So I plan to keep you all posted. Main advice to experienced jumpers: if someone makes bad decisions, don't assume he knows he does! Main advice to newbies, if in doubt - downsize ask! If you are sure you're right - definitely ask :) If you are too aggressive and cutting some corners, it definitely helps to be fully aware of associated risks. So, 198 jumps on Safire2-129, 315 total. Traffic and pattern awareness becomes natural. I really like how accuracy gets more and more easy, teammate that lands first and can film your fly-by is a good incentive for that ;) Nailing those 90s, becoming more staged and controlled: brakes, fronts, offset, harness, level-off.. Really wanted something with lighter front riser pressure and not such short recovery arc so got myself Katana-120 as a next canopy (loaded at ~1.48), winter is hop'n'pop time anyway. Since the plan is get back to straight-ins and high pulls, openings concern me even more than landings. We'll see. Here's the updated video (new stuff from 5th minute): http://youtu.be/kAsZNm8-4Co Again, any thoughts welcome!

I mostly did tracking, docking and sit-flying as a student :) For better deployments you can practice stable flying with one arm behind your back. Also if you have some tunnel time, you can do a few fun belly jumps with your D-licensed/Coach rated friends (up to 4-way with ratio of one student to one experienced jumper permitted).

So far I'm inclined towards Havok. If it's "pretty much the same" in terms of glide and speed, I'd sacrifice a few seconds of freefall for an extra bonuses in acro and maneuverability.

Bumping up the thread, any personal thoughts from who flown both Havok and Ghost-3? People I ask all say something within: "Ghost is awesome, get a Ghost!". Then I ask, what about Havok? and the answer is "Oh, they are identical, Havok is just gripless" Doesn't help much :) Havok seems to have better ratings in everything: http://www.phoenix-fly.com/products/wingsuits/phoenix_fly_havok however people seem to be not flying it much. Which one to buy?? Anything Ghost-3 is better at? Anything Havok is better at?

Correct, fixed. Always heard expression, knowing it's gravel, but without putting much thought about the exact words :)

Let me stand on the "other side" for a bit. It's not the size, it is how you use it :) I am almost sure I can land a Velo-79. No turns, no risers, straight-in, flare, plf. No problem. The same way I can get the stiffest GS skis and pizza my way down any black slope, or get the most powerful bike and fire it 180mph on a highway, no skill there. One guy was telling how he went from average commuter to an autocross instructor in just a year, while others are still going through the basics. And how one big reason was that they first bought their porches, M3-s and what not, and then started racing, while he learned on average sedans, where you have more time for everything and actually have enough reaction to train the right things, vs fighting with situation. As I told you in person, I am too holding myself not to downsize too quickly. Speed is exciting at first, but you get used to everything, and it's not the fast straights or 90s we're looking for, right? It is those million-degree turns with cutting a line through water and landing right in the peas that glitter somewhere in the future! Downsizing actually pushes you back in skill improvement, increasing fun as a trade-off. Fine line here too: downsizing too fast reduces fun, since taking too much control away, hence forcing to conservative landings. And after some training, not only I realized that I can actually theoretically do the above on my current canopy (well, maybe on XF2-114 ;) ), but it is the fastest way to get there.