Whamie

Good afternoon all! And a happy post vets. day to those who have served...Thank you.

I'm looking to get my own gear...used. I'm tired of renting gear...not that renting gear is a bad thing, but on some days there's actually a line to rent gear and it's first come first serve.

I'm a first year A lic. and wanted to buy a used 210 main and 210 res.
However, I'm only 5' 5" and 130lbs. In looking at the classified I can find 210 main and res, but looking for a used container/harness in my size is hard to find.

So, i'm looking to just purchase, perhaps, a Mirage G4 that fits me and fits the canopies (i believe the Mirage G4 version M6 accomodate the canopies per Mirage's website).

I'm not interested in swooping and actually like flying the larger "cadilac" canopies. (I call my rented 210 canopy a cadilac
I want to stay on a 210 (or higher) for 2 or more years. That should give me time to really learn the canopy.

My question is what do ya'll think about buying a used main and reserve but just buying my own harness/container?

Congrats SkyMama!

Good afternoon.
Any groups here in SoCal fly at iFly in Hollywood? I'm interested to find out if I can join a group to book a block of 30 or may be 60 minutes. I guess what i'm looking at is splitting the cost.

I have an account at iFly but they are usually booked with tourists...which i usually fly with because it's only $10/min versus $15/min if i just reserve. And that's if there's space for me because i'm considered a walk-on.

Thanks much,

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There was a cartoon in a comic strip a while back that showed 2 guys having a conversation in a bar:
First Guy - I would skydive, but I have a wife and six kids.
Second Guy - So do I. That's why I skydive.

You'll get different answers from different people on this. Here's my answer. If you're going to skydive, you need to be focused on skydiving. If your doubts about whether you should be there are a distraction, don't skydive.
Note that you can always skydive later in life, but raising a family can't be put off 'til later.

LOL, Bertt. I'm that 2nd guy that skydives to get away from my GF and her kid :D

Don't forget the beer! Congrats!

My parents were present for my first jump...before i boarded the plane i kissed my mom, told her i love her, and said i'll be back soon.

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rant GoPro( tndm *stdnts ){

i HATE when people come in and assume they're bringing their own hand mounded/chest mounted/head mounted/what ever the f*** mounted GoPro along with out asking anyone including the instructor who's taking them. i cant be the only that bugs.

return frustration;

} /*end rant*/

if GoPro() = 1 then {
echo "If you would like, we can place your SD card in the instructors hand mounted GoPro for a fee. However, you cannot wear your own camera!";

return cash;

} /*On the other hand, I do joke that it would be funny to allow them to wear it on their head mount (elastic headband that comes with it) with a waiver signed saying they may loose it and we're not responsible. On exit, I could swipe it off their head before it gets blown off and pocket it. Sell to staff members at discounted rates. */

LOL! Yo man that made my day!! Good to know there's a few coders out here that skydive too!

Hi everyone!
Thanks for your insight!
I was just curious about the topic.

When i went through AFF i would spend 4x the time in the tunnel before a jump. I found the tunnels much harder to fly (maybe cuz of the enclosed space).

oh ok..just a through i had brewing in my mind.

Hullo everyone!
I saw a post somewhere (sorry can't remember) where a topic about tunnel time being used to practice for AFF.
In that post it was mentioned that a mock parachute rig are sometimes used in the tunnel to practice manuvers and to help with muscle memory.
my question is, are there such mock parachute rigs for rent? if so where can one aquire one?

Thanks

Greetings.
I'm by no means an expert as I have just finished AFF; basically means i'm cleared for solo and can work on getting more jumps to get the A license.
Sounds like you have the same hobbies as i do; girlfiend, scuba, snowboarding, motorcyle.

From my experience, the past 3 months was dedicated to doing AFF; for me, which also included over 30 mins of tunnel time since i didn't want to retake and repay for a repeat AFF jump. And to be current I had to jump every 30 days, which is not too long from jump to jump if you think about it. I momentarily put scuba diving on hold because my weekends were spent at the DZ...not to mention I only had a cash flow that would allow me to pick one or the other.

In short, the AFF course is really what you want to put into it. I think the extra time i put into the tunnels helped me out but at the same time it costs time and money. With a full time job i really had only weekends to do a jump or do some practice tunnel runs.

Good luck and hope to see ya out there. I think you'll love the sport and community.

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We have a wind tunnel close to our DZ, and 5 min tunnel time is included in the price. It's too soon for us to say if it's helped reduce the AFF-level repeats (the tunnel is quite new), but we haven't had a lot of repeats this year! I think it definitely is positive for most people, but it's not a "sure thing" that will guarantee you to pass all the levels. We've had students that just doesn't seem to "get" it, that end up doing more tunnel than what is included in the AFF-course.

If you can afford it, I'd go for it. Wind tunnel is a great tool.

EDIT: Just want to add that I didn't do any tunnel before my AFF course, and I did fine. I've done 6 hrs tunnel now though, it's awesome.

I agree, it's not a sure pass or a guarantee but it's worth the investment to get the practice before an AFF.

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Hey there. I'm looking at dropzones to do AFF and obviously there's a big jump in price when there is a windtunnel available. My question: Is windtunnel training that much more beneficial? It seems like it would be but I have only had one tandem jump and don't really know anything. What are your experiences? It certainly doesn't seem like it could hurt. Is it worth an extra $200?

FlytoDeath, hullo. If i may please add my experience as a recent AFF graduate.
By no means is this any advise as i'm still new but I hope my experience will shed some light to your question. This was my reply to a similar topic.

This is just my experience using the tunnels and transitioning it to AFF.

For every minute I spent in freefall (or each jump) i spent 8 minutes practicing in the tunnels. Usually i'd practice in the tunnels the day before an AFF level qualifying jump so that i'd retain some muscle memory.

The techniques I learned in the tunnel were the same techniques I flew in AFF..i just needed to let the tunnel instructors know i was practicing for an AFF jump...They even gave me the same hand signals and made sure i checked my wrist as if i were wearing an altimeter.

A bad habit in the tunnel, that the tunnel instructors kept reminding me of, is that i kept my knees bent too much. I told them i wanted to make sure i wasn't touching the walls. So in AFF i had to consciously make sure my knees were not bent so much.

As slotperfect(he's an instructor/admin from the post i replied to) mentioned i do agree the tunnel is relatively harder to fly. However, that being said, from my experience if you can hold a stable position, for example, in the tunnel, it will be much easier in AFF.
slotperfect also mentioned "The biggest thing I notice is that when the students are in free fall on their release dives they spend a jump or two moving around the sky quite a bit because they don't have the walls of the tunnel as a lateral reference." This held true for me too as evident on my debrief videos. The first 2 release dives i was moving around the sky. HOwever, on the 3rd release dive i was stable as a rock. Don't know why this is true, but as slotperfect mentioned, the first 2 release dives for me were spent flying around.

From my experience the more time i spent in the tunnel or jumping the more relaxed i got. I guess it comes naturally after awhile.

Overall, for me, i think the time I took in the tunnels helped me pass all AFFs. It was either practice first before performing an AFF jump or just make an AFF jump. I thought of each AFF level as the final test to move on to the next level or as the qualifying jump. For me tunnel time was to learn and make mistakes and an AFF jump was not the time to learn but to perform and show the instructors you can perform the required moves.

Hope to see you out there soon, good luck, and Blue Skies.

I just realized the OP's post is from 2006!

DOH!

OP must be licensed by now. oh well,,,tunnels have helped me out!

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I'm sorry to invade upon the instructor forum but I think this is the best place.

What has been your ovservations involving AFF students who have a significant ammout of tunnel time; specifically those who are resonably capable of the six directions of movement in the tunnel before doing AFF.

What techniques/habits learned in the tunnel are bad for AFF? Which ones are good?

Does relaxation ability in the tunnel lead to the same in the sky?

How much of an impact does the large & heavy student rig have on stability & body position?

btwitche,
If i may please add my 2 cents to your tunnel questions. I'm certainly no expert as i just finished all my AFF. This is just my experience using the tunnels and transitioning it to AFF.

For every minute I spent in freefall (or each jump) i spent 8 minutes practicing in the tunnels. Usually i'd practice in the tunnels the day before an AFF level qualifying jump so that i'd retain some muscle memory.

The techniques I learned in the tunnel were the same techniques I flew in AFF..i just needed to let the tunnel instructors know i was practicing for an AFF jump...They even gave me the same hand signals and made sure i checked my wrist as if i were wearing an altimeter.

A bad habit in the tunnel, that the tunnel instructors kept reminding me of, is that i kept my knees bent too much. I told them i wanted to make sure i wasn't touching the walls. So in AFF i had to consciously make sure my knees were not bent so much.

As slotperfect mentioned i do agree the tunnel is relatively harder to fly. However, that being said, from my experience if you can hold a stable position, for example, in the tunnel, it will be much easier in AFF.
slotperfect also mentioned "The biggest thing I notice is that when the students are in free fall on their release dives they spend a jump or two moving around the sky quite a bit because they don't have the walls of the tunnel as a lateral reference." This held true for me too as evident on my debrief videos. The first 2 release dives i was moving around the sky. HOwever, on the 3rd release dive i was stable as a rock. Don't know why this is true, but as slotperfect mentioned, the first 2 release dives for me were spent flying around.

From my experience the more time i spent in the tunnel or jumping the more relaxed i got. I guess it comes naturally after awhile.

Overall, for me, i think the time I took in the tunnels helped me pass all AFFs. It was either practice first before performing an AFF jump or just make an AFF jump. I thought of each AFF level as the final test to move on to the next level or as the qualifying jump. For me an AFF jump was not the time to learn but to perform.

Hope to see you out there soon, good luck, and Blue Skies.

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Ask around if there is a beer fridge. If so, put it in there, then when the beer light goes on (usually when the last load is "wheels up") grab a few, walk around offering them to folks and say "I brought beer for these firsts." Introduce yourself, chat, make new friends with .

If not, keep it on ice in your car till the beer light is on. When said light goes on, pull the cooler out and put it in a central location. Repeat the steps above, except when people see a cooler of cold beer, they may come to you.

I like the 2nd idea!
Thanks!

did ya send the PM already? I haven't see it.

Thanks!

...a case of brew to my next visit to my dropzone.

I'm off whuffo status (see whuffo status post) and wanted to bring a case to the DZ.

What is the proper etiquette for dropping off brew?
Do i simply walk up and yell out "case"!?
Do i turn in the case of brew to my instructors?
Do i make an announcment "may i have your attention please,,,i have a case of brew just to thank everyone"?

Thank you

10 years!
Well, at least i'll be off whuffo status. I thought tourists are the tandem jumpers (not the instructors but the passengers)?

In any case, for being off whuffo status i'll bring a case of brew the next time i'm at Perris.

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You have jumped out of an airplane several times now solely because you want to.

You are no longer a whuffo

Thank you for your response! *Whew* off whuffo status! However, when am i considered a genuine skydiver?

...whuffo status?

I am currently in AFF up to level 4.

Just out of curiosity, when would i be considered off whuffo status?

Thanks

Good afternoon all!

I was looking at the fatalities database on http://www.dropzone.com/fatalities/ and noticed the graph from "Total Fatalities since January 1, 2004". From what it shows it seems like there is a steady rise in fatalities.

With new technology, refined teaching, and regulations is there a reason why there is a steady rise? Please note that the graph ends at 2010. However, the trend suggests it is still rising at a steady pace. Can you please give your insist as to why this is so?

Thanks

Hullo all!
I'm still a whuffo AFF student. I've looked at my calendar and planned out my last few jumps by the end of August (minus the wind tunnel practice).

I was wondering what the common practice/tradition for an AFF student after they pass their graduation jump from AFF status.

Do i buy beer for my instructor? Do i bring beer for the instructors that helped me along the way? A thank you card?
What is the common practice?

Thanks!

Ahh ok! That makes sense. Though I haven't had trouble finding the handle to the pilot chute I can see where wearing gloves can make it looking for the pilot chute feel "weird".

Thanks for your reply.

Greetings all!
I'm just still a whuffo going through AFF. I've started to gather some gear (helmet, goggs, and gloves) and wanted to know what is the common thought for students in AFF and wearing gloves. I've read some books and was even told that students should not wear gloves.
The reason why i bought gloves was that i took 2 dirt landings and skuffed up my hands.

Is there a reason why students are discouraged from wearing gloves?

Thanks!