SecondRound

This Spring in my first Jump Course I was clearly and specifically told that radio was only an aid and that they had and could fail so the flare was ultimately MY responsibility. And yes I did flare a little high, but a PLF made that a non-event.

Now I see why family is referred to as the ties that bind and gag.

There is the problem. All the major DZs look good, yet they also are intimidating since they are home to such highly skilled jumpers. Deland is especially so since it is home to so many manufacturers and Factory teams. I do not want to get in over my head yet I want to work on improving my own skills. I guess some phone calls are in order and then trust my instincts to sort out the best choice from the usual suspects. Thanks to those who have offered opinions, I appreciate your taking time to respond to what is probably a repetitious question.

Here are my background and goals. Newer A license Cessna DZ with some Caravan jumps. 49 jumps since April 2013. I would rate individual skills B: group skills C-to D Canopy skills C+. Looking to get additional freefall time towards B license and take care of the canopy and water training requirements. I am in MN so coasts are about equal distance and I have reasons to go to FL, AZ and CA. At 61 I will probably look for a non-camping accommodation and night life is not much of a factor. My first trip away from my home DZ saw me making some poor choices and I am still looking to recover my confidence. My want is for some coaching and evaluation and a chance to practice in a comfortable environment. Tunnel is optional on this trip. I hope I am not coming across as whiney or needy, I mainly need an idea of the best way to get the info I need to make a decision

I am looking for a good warm weather destination to get me through the winter season and I am having trouble getting a good handle on which DZs are good choices. It seems like most websites are aimed at students or tandems and their event calendars are not filled out more than a month or two ahead. I have searched the forums and reviews, but these seem to be pretty much out of date. I have specific goals in mind and it seems like my only course is to touch base individually with likely choices either by email or phone. Am I missing something or is this an accurate assessment? Trips like this are a significant investment of time and money and I would hate to screw it up.

Welcome to Skydiving. I started last April at age 60 and now have 50+ jumps and hope to have a jump per year when I turn 61 next month. Yes there are differences and hazards in being a mature jumper and staring late, but you sound like you have a lifetime of preparation behind you. I have found that people who stay fit and active over a long period of time tend to be quite resilient or as we say, "tougher than woodpecker lips". Have fun, stay safe.

4 hours driving, 2 DZs, 0 jumps. Wind one day schedule overload the other. Guess a phone call ahead of time would have been smarter than just going out.

***I've got the perfect solution for you. Get married, move to Minnesota, or maybe Saskatchewan, have 3 children, end your career, encumber yourself with a mortgage, travel nowhere, and live a life where your principal sources of recreation are having vapid conversations in the bagel shop and watching your children play hockey. Then you'll feel truly fulfilled. OK, maybe that's not a solution, but it is perspective. This kind of describes my life. 3 children, live in Minnesota, married (then not married) same job 26 years and counting. At the risk of sounding like a self help guru, my biggest shift has been the idea that I am a Human Being not a Human Doing. My essential value comes from what kind of person I am and the values I show up with every day. I have seen strongly held values in what you have previously posted and if they are indicative of who you are, I would say that you are pretty darn valuable.

I was taught to cock the pilot chute early in the pack job, once before placing the bag in the container and then once before putting it in the BOC pouch. The last check is done by making sure the pilot chute catches air properly before laying it down to fold ala Brian Germaine. By the way Thanks Brian, your technique works great and gives me peace of mind.

Bought a used 218 Firebolt and I load it at .9 lb/sq. ft. started jumping it at 40 jumps. Learned that an elliptical canopy requires more attention to body position on opening if you don't want line twists and that at this wing loading and size, twists are very manageable no spinning and fairly normal flight. Also found that the responsiveness and range of speeds immediately improved my accuracy. Flares took some adjustment since the sweet spot requires about half as much control input. The snap toggles and line stows are much easier for me to set correctly and the hybrid canopy is a joy to pack after an all ZP student canopy. After a trip to DeLand for Flight-1"s 101 and 102 Canaopy control course I can add another big plus to this canopy, the people who manufactuer it and stand behind it. I walked into Parachute Laboratories to discuss my slider and walked out feeling like part of a family. It was clear to me that the people at Jump Shack are passionate about skydiving and care deeply about the equipment they produce and the people who use that equipment. My Firebolt performed well in class and during coached jumps giving comfortable openings , powerful flares and stand up landings (at least most of the times). Thanks again to all.

I saw it(the book) more as a story of a society who in desperation finds the best and the brightest then in a calculating manner forges them into tools to serve the needs of that society. The twist comes in the tools becoming the masters of society using all they were trained to do. I will be seeing it.

per girlfriend's request silk boxers, usually black.

There are other auto-immune diseases and they too will benefit from the research being done upon Lupus. Happy for the chance to support this cause.

Beer time!! A license as of last night. After a mere 35 years. Thanks to all who have trained me supported me and most importantly pointed out my errors. My plan is to help others as I have been helped. Thanks to all on the forum, hopefully I will be coming to a DZ near you.

As you once said, Pick one.

I am a mature adult and if I want to take my canopy loaded at .88 to a canopy course and then proceed to fly it until I have found out what it really can do, that's my business and buying a smaller canopy will just have to wait until I am darn good and ready. Of course if there were some goals and guideline in place to help me gauge my progress and some formal program that would be helpful.

This is purely an observation from a newbie, but when I do start carrying a hook knife it will be after I have become very familiar with my parachute and know it well enough to understand when and how to use the knife to make a problem better not worse. For me it will be a tool not the badge of a cool jumper. This is my advice and judgement for me and fortunately I have plenty of wiser heads to consult and you can believe me that I will ask.

Its a good idea to get some tunnel time in. Here are links to the two tunnel sessions I did at Perris valley between my static line jumps and freefall. I feel it gave me confidence and a grasp of the basics even though I was only in the tunnel 6 minutes total. added link to videos of both sessions http://youtu.be/YcuWJOwq2wc http://youtu.be/IDf4IV7HfNI

Family is not so sure about my judgement. I work in an environment that is so scripted and controlled that I need a place to cut loose. I have a co-worker who races in the Red Bull Crashed Ice and as he says " Sometimes you have to just let the crazy out." Of course that leads to discussions as to who is letting out the most crazy.

Had a pretty cool day today, made first door dive exit and moved to a throw out pilot chute on a smaller canopy. Even had an educational fuck-up, let a knee get low , went ass over teakettle and popped out belly down like a planned loop. Then to top it off, got home and found my new SOS card waiting for me with the number 1777. Oh, and there was a package from a gear company waiting for me. My A license is in sight and I am getting more enjoyment out of every jump. Plus now that the canopy I use gets PRO packed I feel better about packing. Yes I know that this calls for beer.

Good rule of thumb is if you pee clear, you are staying hydrated. Dark urine means drink more. Also, thirst equals dehydrated you are waiting too long.

Tandem to S/L to AFF