wicodefly

So I'm a recent AFF graduate and at my DZ (which I'm guessing is on the small side) it's really tough to get rental gear. I've literally had to sit for hours (especially on weekends) to get some. They've made it clear to me that that tandems, students, and then fun jumpers get priority for rigs, loads and packing.. I get it; it's a business. At the same time I've brought in 11 tandems (with more friends wanting to do it soon), and quite a bit of money too. I've taken a client or two skydiving as well. Anyway, they only have like three rental rigs that fit me (one of them is kind of scary to me). And one always seems to be broken. I suuuuck at packing (have only one or two successful pack jobs) and even though I've asked numerous times, they don't have a lot of packers and it seems no one really wants to help. They're too busy packing tandems. Anyway, maybe more a vent than anything else. Everyone there is great, just the gear situation sucks. Maybe I'll try a larger DZ. I've been meaning to check one out but haven't gotten around to it yet. I'm a little scared since it would be a different plane, gear, and landing zone. I have at least gotten used to my new helmet though :) Maybe I should just buy my own rig? Chance favors the prepared mind.

Where in WI? I'm in WI and in my DZ AFF students go last or before tandems with a few exceptions (solo jump of choice, etc.). #1 - You do realize that this thread is over 9 years old, right? #2 - She clearly said "main progression is static line" and "out of a C-182." S/L students often aren't going to full altitude. And get their own pass. Very different from AFF. Lol, obviously I read through it too quickly :) 9 years doesn't seem like that long to me anymore. Must be going senile. Chance favors the prepared mind.

Where in WI? I'm in WI and in my DZ AFF students go last or before tandems with a few exceptions (solo jump of choice, etc.). Chance favors the prepared mind.

I just bought the book on iTunes and apparently you can't open it on a computer, only on a iPod, iPad, etc. Should have bought it on Amazon, that way I could open it on anything... Looks like a good book though. Chance favors the prepared mind.

I would mention it to an instructor maybe. I PLF'd into a tarmac on Thursday and got scraped up a little. Did the roll and ended up on my opposite butt cheek. Definitely stung, but could have been a lot worse. I'm still working on landings and getting an A license and try to avoid butt landings; you really feel it in your back. Chance favors the prepared mind.

Wow. Chance favors the prepared mind.

To be clear, I am happy there and everyone is great. I just wish I could get on more often since I am on vacation and summer is ending soon. I am going to try SDMW though just to broaden my horizons if you will and see what's up there. Thanks!! Chance favors the prepared mind.

I won't comment on the OP's question, as I simply don't know enough. But I will say that it does feel kind of bad being an excited student and getting last priority behind tandems and everything else. Kind of a bummer. I've taken 11 people to my home DZ (and paid for them all out of my funds/company funds--some were employees and clients), talked two friends into taking the AFF class with me, have put a ton of money down on my account and been totally flexible with my schedule. Yet, it's often "oh we have a bunch of tandems and they push me back." Even when I do get in I have to wait hours just to go up. Albeit, the instructors are awesome and have helped me tremendously. Not knocking them in any way. I definitely understand business (I have owned a successful business for a loooong time that I started from nothing and know about A, B, C, D customers, etc.), but if you're not making money on something that is in demand... charge more... Pretty straight forward microeconomics. I'd be happy to pay three times as much to move things forward. Anyway, just my view from a student who is available, working hard, and just wants to get his A before summer is gone. I travel a lot and would love to hit some other DZs. Chance favors the prepared mind.

Well, I would jump a lot. Just about every nice day. Hard to put numbers on it. In my dreams, I'd do some Felix Baumgartner type of stuff. Breaking the speed of sound without a machine would be sooooo cool. Chance favors the prepared mind.

Take my advice with a grain of salt as I am new and had work on relaxing and my arch. Also I am in pretty good shape already as I lift, do martial arts, box, run, etc... Even so (and maybe because of my little bit larger upper body) I had trouble with feeling relaxed (my lats would tense up as soon as my scapulas came together) and natural in my arch (box man) neutral position. I would basically turn a lot without much control. I found two things that really helped me besides practice, visualization, and relaxing. One was back extensions. Like on this machine: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_extension I stretch my lower back out on it. Do some actual back extensions (first to a neutral position then to an arch). Afterwards I practice skydive flow on it visualizing and even saying some if it out loud. Gotten some weird looks at the gym when I "wave off and pull" but who cares. After a couple weeks my lower back is much stronger but also more loose. Obviously exercises like dead lifts, etc. help too but this are more advance so be careful if you haven't lifted weights before. Squats are awesome too. The other thing that has helped is practicing my arch and general skydive flow in the pool. Just in five or six feet if water. Take a deep breath, arms back, fall into it and arch. Helped my form and strength of some of those smaller, lesser used muscles. Swimming too. Hmm, today is cloudy here I think I'll head to the pool! Chance favors the prepared mind.

I am a newb, so grain of salt. My first AFF jump was awesome! I actually had a triple line twist when I deployed, didn't panic or anything. After trying to kick myself out of it twice and not being successful, I actually put my hand on my cutaway handle and found the reserve one. I checked my altitude and was falling slowly and was well above my decision altitude. I mustered up some more strength and was able to kick out of it the third time. Did all my checks and I was good to go. The flight down was beautiful. My instructor talked me through a nice landing. I landed in the secondary field and did my PLF. Flared a little high probably because I was looking down and not at about 45 degrees. The next two of three landings I learned a lot more and am getting better at it. The last few have been awesome! I was able to get a video of me landing that really helped me out. Best of luck! There is nothing like skydiving! Chance favors the prepared mind.

Looks like it is working on my iPhone 5 in portrait mode. Landscape mode does not. Cool though! Chance favors the prepared mind.

Good work. Work out the bugs and keep at it. From a fellow programmer, I'm digging it. Would be nice if it worked in Safari mobile for iPhone. If you want to collaborate let me know (I have some mobile platform experience and more). Good luck! Chance favors the prepared mind.

I saw on SkyDiveMilwaukee.com's calendar that it says balloon jumps next Sat 8/31). I am already scheduled to be there three times next week including Sat. so I'll find out. I am a total newbie and obviously they won't let me do it, but it sounds fun! Chance favors the prepared mind.

Glad he made it don safely! From this student's perspective I've been happy to have a radio (one way) during the first few landings. But they make it clear it is a backup device. At our DZ the instructor only talks to you if they think they need to after a few landings. Radio checks are done when the radio is strapped on and it's left on. One thing I will say is that the instrucor's tone of voice makes a big difference for me. I've had a couple where their voice has gone up quite a bit saying Flare or PLF. Certainly helpful and helped me land safely. But a little unnerving. I prefer a calm voice :). Chance favors the prepared mind.

Great advice, thank you. It's exactly what I'm trying to do. I'd love to have a rig to take completely apart and put together a few times. I've been trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible. Reading the SIM, my AFF manual, watching packing at the DZ, watching packing and rig videos, and asking lots of questions at the DZ. I was also reading the latest FAA riggers handbook to start understanding how rigs work. And of course reading through the wealth of knowledge here! I've read the many of the USPA and other accident reports to try to learn about the most common problems. I have an engineering background (mostly systems not mechanical), but I'm loving learning this stuff. One of the things we study in my profession is how one event (neutral, mistaken, sometimes seemingly insignificant, etc.) can snowball into a series of events to create a catastrophic situation. For example Air France 447. How the pilot in command didn't hand over command to one of the two co-pilots which led to lack of knowing who was in charge, which led to misunderstandings, which led to dual inputs, etc., etc. until they flew the aircraft into the ocean. There are so many examples like that. From the USPA reports I've read (and some of the other accident reports) it seems similar things happen in skydiving accidents/incidents. So the advice to "not get there in the first place" is good advice. However, there is no perfect person, system, procedure, company, etc. It simply doesn't exist. At the same time, I understand that I'm a total newbie and I will heed the advice of my instructors at my DZ. They've kept students there safe and I know I'm in great hands. The last few jumps things have really started to click for me and it's been sooooo much fun! Once I'm licensed I'll continue to learn and have fun. Quotes that come to mind are: “Diligence is the mother of good luck.“ – Benjamin Franklin and my favorite: “Chance favors the prepared mind.“ – Louis Pasteur Thanks and blue skies! Chance favors the prepared mind.

I meant that I was unstable early on. Had to repeat level 3 a few times and level 4. I have made progress in stability since then. Last 5 of 6 jumps have been stable and today I passed levels 7 and 8 in one try and stability felt great.. It was awesome! I've been working on my form mentally, in the gym (back extension machine for practicing arches and visualizing), and in the swimming pool. I hear you guys though. Work on the fundamentals, get stable, and stick to the advice I get from my instructors. They do give slightly conflicting advice at times, but I understand. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts! Chance favors the prepared mind.

Makes sense. I have been on the Internet a long time and take everything with a grain of salt to be sure. I will seek clarification from the more experienced instructors at the DZ. and at least for now I have been practicing the heck out of the emergency procedures they have given me. My only hesitation is I'd rather not lose an arm if it's preventable :) Thanks! Chance favors the prepared mind.

Thanks, the repeating isn't getting to me at all. I looove jumping and want to get things right. The problem I seem to be having is that I'm too "tight." Apparently, my having a larger upper body (as in being in good shape) is inhibiting me a little bit. But my instructor says it's more mental than anything. I'm planning on going to the Denver tunnel next week for a day or two. Thanks! Chance favors the prepared mind.

Hello, Apologies if I use the wrong terminology, I'm very new to this. Also, I did search around but did not find an answer to this. I've heard conflicting advice at my DZ as to what to do if your main's pilot chute gets wrapped around your arm, leg, neck, etc. (I've had a few unstable deployments and will be doing barrel rolls next...). The first is advice was to try to shake it off or unwrap it. Obviously there is only so much alititude to do that for. So if I'm getting to my decision altitude do I cut away the main (student rig has an RSL, but they taught me to always cut away main and pull reserve handle) and then pull the reserve? That's the emergency procedure I've been taught for everything. However, one of the more experienced instructors said this could rip your arm/leg off. But didn't provide more advice :) I spoke with another instructor (who I've jumped with a few times) who said it might be a better idea to just pull the reserve. I'd love to hear your thoughts on pros/cons of the choices or if you have different advice. I don't (am not allowed) to carry a hook knife or anything like that at this point. I'm on AFF level 7. Thanks in advance. Chance favors the prepared mind.

I only have 14 jumps. Obviously a total newb. I don't even know what manufacturer makes the rig that I've jumped. I know I'm supposed to take the "red" mediums that are, I believe 260s. I weight about 185 at 5.10 and am pretty athletic. Anyway, due to some stability issues that I'm working through (getting a little better and planning some wind tunnel time), I've had three line twists on this larger canopies. The first one was on my very first AFF (I already had a tandem before it). It was scary, I looked up and for about a second or two it was all I could focus on. Then the training kicked in and I checked altitude, and tried to untwist twice at no avail. I was stable, canopy looked okay losing altitude slowly. I checked altitude again and I was about about 3,500 - 3,800 feet or so (I had pulled at like 4,500 which wasn't great) actually put my hand on the cutaway and looked at my reserve handle, but I was falling slowly so I gave it one more try and got out of it. Felt good to get that out of the way. The second one wasn't nearly as stressful. Anyway, just my experience as a newb. Chance favors the prepared mind.

Congrats! Some good advice in this thread for us aspiring A license folks. Chance favors the prepared mind.

Been lurking on here for a couple of months and have learned a lot. Hopefully I'll get my A license at some point here. Have been making slow, but steady progress (had to repeat at levels 3 and 5, am now on 6). Total of 14 jumps, but two were tandems with friends/family. Anyway, there seems to be a lot of knowledge here and I'm soaking it in slowly. Maybe I met some of you at last week's big event in East Troy, WI (my home DZ). I'll probably post over in the tunnel forum as I'm planning a trip to either NC or CO to work on my stability, etc. Thanks! Chance favors the prepared mind.

Same thing I was thinking :) Chance favors the prepared mind.