sammielu

Looks like a snag hazard to me. Every TI at my dz jumps a cilustom made glove that they made or a rigger/friend sold them. The part that encloses the camera is a combination of clear plastic, cutouts for the lens and buttons, velcro (to let the camera in/out) and fabric. Tight fit is key, adjustable angle (using different wrist strap location options) is great, no snag hazard is a must.

No, it's not about how you describe it (well ok, the way you describe what you think is happening is also pretty bad), it's that the phenomenon you are trying to describe doesn't exist. You don't get more wind in your face flying upwind and you don't get less wind in your face flying downwind. You will come out of a given dive with the same airspeed whether you're going upwind, crosswind or downwind, and airspeed is exactly what it says it is - speed through the air. This is the only thing that governs how much wind is in your face. Oh this reminds me of a student who couldn't read the windflag, so he turned in each direction and spit to try and tell which way the wind was blowing. He landed downwind with an awful lot of spit on his face and helmet, but boy was he proud of himself for "figuring it out". :)

It depends on the students body. Bigger folks (fat) and anyone who might not get their legs up for landing do better in a more seated position that the overly tight MLW causes. Personally I set the shoulder connectors in different places for different body types, and for anyone with big thighs I have them sit down when I tighten the leg straps (gets them much tighter so their bodies will sink down less in the harness when the thigh fat squishes - also prevents the leg straps traveling so far and so fast that it strips the fat in their bodies, a cautionary tale/horror story discussef in my TI training). 0 pukers in 300 tandems (just finished my first season). 1 person was SURE he was going to puke, told me when we met on the ground, and a couple others felt pukish under canopy. Talk to them and be receptive and see what they need before you entertain yourself with big spins. Also letting them fly the canopy helps - show them how to turn and let them control how much they turn. I spend a lot of time turning in 1/2 brakes telling them "we're going sooo fast," it keeps them happy, me puke free, and my arms can make it through 15 in a day. PS. Drogue Fall is a great time to stretch your hips, one at a time and you give them some nice turns and give them their "ride".

Certainly some instructor are more thorough than othets, I'm sorry you got a bit of the run around. Read through the student training modules in the Skydivers Information Manual (SIM). The license requirements are outlined there including examples of what to do on each jump. Think of your instructors like college professors: they have the answers, but you have to ask the questions. If you just go by what they feel like covering that day, you go at their pace. You can go at your own pace, you just have to set that pace! Remember to always log your landings as specific distance from target (3 feet or 1 meter or zero feet). There are accuracy requirements for your A, B, and C license with the distance from target getting smaller for each. That first time you stomp your target counts for all 3...but only if your logbook includes distance (just writing "accuracy" won't tell me much next year when you're trying to find your 25 accuracy landings for your C license card!).

It is a combination of where the chest rings fit on your body, how big the yoke measurement of your rig is, and how wide the top of your container is compared to your body. Basically: does your main lift web go straight up and down or does it bend in or out in more of a )-( or (-) shape... Get with a rigger who is experienced with the rig you are going to order to discuss how things will fit on your body. And always get measured by an experienced rigger or dealer who knows how to measure properly for the manufacturer you choose. It sucks when people order rigs, wait however many weeks for them to be made, shipped to you, and then assembled... and then have part of the fit be off. Your rigger is your best friend if you're nice enough (and respectful of their expertise and time), they really are a good resource!

How do you know you are giving the same input in your example and not giving different input that is giving you a different result?

Think of new canopies as requiring a packer for 5 packjobs, virtually requiring a packer for the first 25, and boy will you be a happier skydiver if you get packjobs for the first 100 packjobs on them. I'm guessing your main and reserve are both on the big size for your container, right? That makes it even more difficult to get the canopy in the bag (and is super common because everyone "plans to downsize" and leaves room in their equipment to do so, terby torturing themselves with an oversized new main when they're just learning to pack). Consider shopping for a well-used main and switching to something that will be easier to learn on (how much is it worth to save your frustration?). I learned to pack on some very broken in rentals and now have a habit of buying $500 old canopies with 1k jumps on them because they're easy to pack and easy to find (I have 3 at the moment). Don't make changes to your packing methods now. You'll just have to re-learn whatever you change (including if you change the bag type and stowing lines method). Go slow, use weights, take breaks, and remember that it gets easier every time if you do the same thing every time.

At me dz, we keep the proficiency card in the student's file. Fill them out, yes, potentially let a student lose them, bad idea.

It is possible that your instructors have been filling one out, but each dz operates differently. You will need to complete each of the objectives on the A license proficiency card and get them all signed off by a USPA instructor (or some by a coach) to get your A license. Practicing for your check dive and practicing the other skills required are great exercises to do on your solos, as are the accuracy landings. AND outside of jumping there are gear information objectives including packing. Time to talk to your instructors about what's next for you specifically, in addition to your 5 jumps. Congratulations on your AFP! You're so close! All that's in between you and your licence is more jumps and more talking about skydiving... not bad, right? :)

1 - Icarus Tandem 2-29 PD Navigator student (200, 210, 230) 29 -100 190sf Sabre2 or Triathlon (rentals) 101 - 189 170sf Spectre or Sabre (rentals) wL 1:1 190 - 885 Safire 162 wL 1.1 885 - 1530 current Safire 149, wL 1.2 - 1.35 (varies according to beer belly) Plus 48 on Lightning 160/144/126 and a couple on other 150 sf canopies to try them out 300+ jumps on Icarus Tandem... I'm back where I started :) I'm conservative but started getting canopy coaching this season with the end goal of swooping. It's a long road paved with fun and I won't need to downsize for s long time unless I drop a bunch of beer weight :)

The "oscillations" are covered in PD's Flight-1 101 course, the entry level course. You should take it, then 102, then 201... that will leave you with a 300 jump checklist of skills to perfect before you even start to work on turns, which are covered in 202 after you've completed that 300 jump checklist of successful maneuvers used for landing. Canopy cycles (what you call oscillations) occur after all canopy input as the pendulum (person hanging under wing) returns to balance. Think of a swing on s swing set. Push it forward, it swings back a bit less, then forward even less, then back, etc until it comes to a stop. You do the same thing under canopy, every canopy, whether you perceive it or not. If you do a maneuver too low to the ground for your canopy to recover fully and your body is in the backswing portion of the pendulum arc, your landing input will be a mushy flare = either a crappy landing or similar to landing from a braked position. The Flight-1 course progression works through understanding these dynamics and using them to anticipate what your canopy is going to do. 102&102 courses illustrate these basic canopy principles and applying them (including proper debrief methods so you can continue to learn). The 201 course specifically deals with adding airspeed using pitch only, no turns. You say you have a swoop coach but you don't have the basic concepts of canopy flight dynamics... Get a new coach. Personally I recommend Performance Designs Flight-1 coaches because they have the long track record of winning competitions along with an established curriculum of how to train the next winners. Get a Flysight and you can see the oscillations after canopy input and see your exact path over thr ground to use during debrief (and clear up any wind/distance/lift/airspeed, etc confusion). Get a few PD courses and talk to the instructor about getting 1:1 coaching.

Airspeed = lift. More headwind = slower airspeed = less lift... however you can add airspeed by adding input to your canopy via a pitch change or a roll+yaw+pitch change. It's time to get a flysight and take some canopy courses (all this is covered in depth by Flight-). The best possible feedback will come from flysight data played simultaneously as video from the ground. Those two together will show you exactly what input you are giving at exactly what altitude, for how long, and exactly what your canopy does in response. Varying any input strength or duration (including your body position) will change what your canopy does, including speed/diatance/time of recovery. The difference could be you.

How about: I'm happy. I found the thing that makes me smile and makes everything else in my life make sense, and I hope you find yours too. To people who don't want to skydive, I tell them to try new things. Try things you don't think you'll like. Try things you don't think you can do. You just might find your thing that makes you happy... I did (still afraid of heights though, haha).

Patches are made by crw dogs for crw dogs, uspa only gives the stickers these days. So, yep, hit up the raw dogs, they have them.

Hire a coach and get video to see how your tracking skills are and how you can improve body position and angle. Then use flysight data to back it up. Flysight is amazing for learning canopy skills (how many feet does it take my canopy to do X and recover). You can change the body inut you give so much with only slight movements, I think the flysight data would be most valuable when paired up with outside video to account for body position changes (so you can see where you dipped your head to check altitude, finally pointed your toes, or have your legs closer or wider apart).

Good stuff on here so far!! Don't be afraid of your first cutaway, be prepared. Handle it and you'll be confident that you can handle emergencies!! The best way I've heard beer explained: experienced jumpers don't care about the first time you went through a cloud, launched a 4 way, did a hybrid, or had a cutaway. But, hand me a beer and we'll happily hang out, listen, and share our own stories. The best way I've seen the A-license beer: buy a bunch of different 22oz bottles, bring cups, and introduce yourself to everyone that hangs out for beer time. Using cups and trying different beers naturally brings conversation. The best way to handle advice or lessons about jumping: know who you are talking too. Your instructors, tandem instructors, and anyone with over 1000 jumps is more likely to have good advice... though the newer people often like to talk/share more whether they know what they're talking about or just like to talk like they're an expert. When you seek advice, take the damn advice!!!! If you have the answer you want to hear all figured out before you ask, and you're going to try whatever you're asking about anyway, please don't even ask. If you want to do stupid or crazy shit, go ask the jumpers who have done it how you can do it safely and what safety concerns you need to figure out before you do.

Aftermarket stuff not purchased from rig manufacturers = no go for me (I'm just a roboot who does exactly what my rigger says). I bet I can do all my line stows faster than you can coil your stowless lines :) :)

Rig size can be a bit of a pissing contest. Sounds like you're on the right track looking at the whole picture, not just the trendy tiny container.

The cheapest way to your own gear is used. You can definitely save $$$$ on used helmet, jumpsuit, altimeters, all the accessories. A used rig that fits you perfect, is in your budget, and has the right size canopies is obviously the perfect scenario - and is likely a unicorn that you won't find. Second best: a used rig that fits you at the yoke (width across shoulders) and fits the ideal size canopies for you. Buy a used rig, sent it to the manufacturer to have the harness resized (approx $550 and 3 weeks - APPROXIMATELY!) How to do that: talk with your local rigger (who will be doing your assembly, future repacks etc). Tell them you want to grab some time with them to discuss used gear for you, and that you will bring pizza/dinner and a beverage of their choice or pay them cash for their time and advice and promise you will listen to what they say. Show up on time with said items. Get completely measured for a rig. Ask them which manufacturers they prefer to work with and which harness sizes/container models make sense for you to look at according to canopy sizes. Take their advice. Result: now you know what to look for. Look for used stuff in the following order: Complete rig Container + correct size reserve Container only Buy container, follow your riggers advice for how to send it to the manufacturer. While all that happens, look for: Reserve canopy (if buying separate) Main canopy AAD Ideally all that would be used but budget for a new AAD (Mars M2 is the cheapest, $999 new, search some threads on this site for details). Note: Don't bug your rigger with a million questions about every single rig you see that is: close to correct, fits your budget but not your canopies, the right color, past the age they agree to inspect or deal with equipment for you. Do recognize that riggers are essential in this sport, put a ton of time into gaining their knowledge, and are paid less than anyone else in skydiving. All I'm saying is be nice to your rigger and they will be nice to you (and give you their time and advice). Alternate option: buy new. Contact any dealer and spent twice as much as above. Personally I bought a complete rig, with the right size canopies (I'm the 2ND owner, main was quite used) and no AAD, $2800. AAD $1000. Harness resize during winter $550. I'm 3 years into a $4300 rig that will fit me and my canopies as long as I want... the other advantahe to buying equipment separate is that the monetary cost is spread out over time. For me, I was spending $100-$400 a week on my student jumps and was only constrained by my budget ad it fluctuated. Every week I put all the money I coukd into my skydive fund and that's how much I could jump, some weeks more than other. If we were weathered out, the fund grew. When I got licensed, jumps were cheaper, (not a lot cheaper since I was renting gear) and I did the same thing. Fall, and then winter and the jump fund grew since we were weathered out often. Then I bought my rig. A month later I bought my AAD. My rig was an ok fit (to big on my back) so I waited a season before sending it for the resize, but I still budget my skydives that same way - sometimes the funds are spent on jumps and sometimes on more gear (upgrading the used helmet, jumpsuit, etc to ones I really wanted and adding audible altimeters, coaching, tunnel, and eventually coach and instructor courses so my jumping can pay for itself somewhat). Well that was a long story, thanks for sticking with me... PM me with questions if you want, late nights with a beer and a laptop and I will pretty much try to help with anything.

Personal opinion: anything where you have to sign a waiver probably isn't good to do while pregnant. Serious injuries can happen and have happened in the tunnel... plus I don't like to fly at all when I'm fatigued (sky or tunnel, it's just too expensive if I can't give 100%), and pregnant = fatigue for the next 4 years ;)

Lodi sells their Sigmas once they're 2 years old, and they stock a lot of rigs all the time (100+ rigs). Not sure if purchase is an option for you but maybe that's helpful!

Don't jump if it doesn't make you happy. That said, you're at the plateau between being excited to jump anytime, with anyone, and finding the part/s of the sport that fires you up. What I love about jumping is that there are so many disciplines and there is a bunch of practice (read: an excuse to skydive) to get there, and a huge sense of accomplishment once you finally meet your goals. I love love love jumping with s group and making improvement from one jump to the next (doesn't happen all the time, but after an ok jump it's fun to turn yo your jump mates and say "try again?" And go for the same jump and see if there's progress. So that's me. What sounds fun to you? Here are a few ideas: FS Competing at Nationals FF Artistic FF MFS CRW Wingsuit in Canopy skills (i.e. start taking courses now!) Head down Video flying Angle flying Instructing students Tandem jumps Video for competition teams (free jumps!!!!!) Having your name on a state, national, or world record Making the next viral skydive video for playing quiddich/swordfighting/eating pizza Traveling and meeting new people Traveling to jump in ____ location (Hawaii, over a mountain, in alaska, in the desert, in the top 5 prettiest dz's in the world, etc) Traveling to jump out of a skyvan/DC3/balloon/helicopter, etc Traveling with your local jumpers (makes for fast friendships) Doing THAT (your choice of skydive picture/video) Any of that sound good? Don't worry about currency. Review what the USPA says to review before coming back, go to safety day to help refresh, and do some physical practice with a coach or instructor before your first jump back. It's no big deal, just learn how to be safe again and realize that you might have forgotten important stuff so you should review all the stuff.

I'll add: stop watching Internet videos to try and learn skydive skills (aside from specific ones recommended by your instructor). The time you spend doing that is better spent doing physical practice - practice your emergency procedures, practice your dive flows, practice your arch. Spend one minute on each every day and you'll be ahead of the curve (and it's easier to pass jumps and handle emergencies if your body is prepared). Take your nerves as a sign: you think you need to be better prepared for emergencies to be comfortable. You're right, you do. Now get off the internet and go practice what you would do for the following: Line twists Slider stuck up Collapsed end cells One toggle untstowed during opening Broken line Parachute looks like a bow tie Parachute open but ou're spinning really fast on your back and can't see exactly what your parachute is doing Hard pull Unable to pull handle Handle pulled but nothing happened Left arm broken upon leaving the plane Right arm broken upon leaving the plane Bridle around your arm during deployment Bridle around your neck during deployment And then do the same practice for your landing patterns.

^^^ also if you're not doing crew and are just "flying close" to each other, or walking on each other's parachutes, bumping end cells, etc, it applies. All it takes is one little mistake since those pilot chutes trail a long way behind your parachutes. If you are flying close, get a bit too close, and turn away... theres the long bridle and pc that has to clear the other person and parachute. If that pilot chute tangles with another jumper (or worse, their parachute), there is nothing you can do to fix it. Cutting away may save you (if you have altitude), but you're going to cover your friend in a whole bunch of nylon and hope they climb out of it... not a good situation at all. All this stuff is covered in a good pre-crew briefing.

For new jumpers and students: make sure they understand what an RSL is, and how to hook and unhook it (USPA A license requirement) and how to identify thst it is correctly hooked up and won't kill you (i.e. it should be hooked to its own loop, not any part of the 3 ring release, not wrapped around the riser, further specific questions go to a rigger who can see what you're seeing). The ONLY time RSL stuff comes into play at that stage is landing related - to give you the option to ditch the main if it is dragging you off a roof or down stream in a river. In both those instances, stress that: 1. It's way easier to land near an obstacle than on top of it, plan the fuck ahead. 2. If you are on top of a roof, be careful, your saftey is #1. I always take the opportunity when talking about obstacle landings to ask questions to the jumper to gauge their understanding. What would happen on a roof if you left the rsl connected and cut away? (Not much = dont jump in extreme winds and dont worry about the if youre busy trying to land on a roof). What is easier than landing in a river? (Landing in the field next to it).How much notice do you have that you will be landing on any obstacle? (Plenty!!! Plan for landings. Stick to a decision altitude that gives you time to determine where to land after an emergency. Know the area you're jumping in, where the outs are, and what areas have obstacles - i.e. at my home dz there are very few options to the north, so watch out for winds that push north, don't track north on tracking dives, etc). Proper gear understanding is most important here. There is no reason to disconnect the RSL in normal jumping conditions. Show them the RSL lanyard snd be sure they understand what it does and doesnt do. If you want to do CRW, get a coach and use proper gear (trailing pilot chutes kill). If you want to do no-contact CRW, get a briefing so you undetstand why trailing pilot chutes kill (and other safety concerns that will kill you). When you are near 200 jumps and want to jump a camera, talk to an experienced camera flier to understand the risks and complications (i.e an expert, not the guy with 5 camera jumps). Good coaching is easy to come by if you're nice, not an asshole to your rigger or coach, offer beer/food/something, and are respectful of their time (which is more important than yours when you want something from them - planning ahead helps). New jumpers need to know that too :)