kerb

i just found out, the dropzone had lost the two planes in the last two years. that's definitly a no no for me. too bad just have to wait until a new dz opens up with better equipment.

hi, could someone tell me on average how many planes does a dropzone lose over years of operation please? i am thinking about quitting my dropzone in mexico chuatla as i have just found out in the 6 years of operation they have lost 2! is this normal or should i quit? thanks, kerb.

hi folks, i'm looking for a DZ in the USA that is open throughout the week of most of the week to do my AFF course (with camping facilities). due to recent happenings i am about to lose faith with my regular DZ in mexico city. i'm looking for a DZ with a AFF cost of around $1000 to $1300. thanks for reading, hope you can help! kerb.

i am not exactly sure but i think they say there should a12 hours break between the period you scuba and skydive. hope that helps.

hey folks, i have been thinking about all the talk about being relaxed while jumping and while you hol dyour arch...well i tried being totally relaxed on one of the jumps and my hands and legs kinda collasped and went everywhere! =P~ so i guess what is meant by being relaxed is putting enough force into keeping your upper body and legs in position but not putting too much pressure/stress on them!! well any comments on this would be welcome to clear up my idea on this subject. thanks, kerb.

hi folks, could you people comment on how much is one charged for AFF level jumps once the paid 7 jumps have been used up and you still haven't completed the course. thanks. my dropzone is asking me to pay $80 per jump at the moment as i am on level 4 and have made 8 jumps and for the 8th jump i paid the mentioned price? is this correct? please advise. thanks, kerb.

hi folks, most of you have propably read my posting on my problems at AFF level 4 and the plane crash. well i did my first jump today after the crash..well i didn't pass again but i was expecting that..i was more concerned about just getting through the jump and landing safely and getting rd of my fear to crashing! i like checked my alti like 100 times during freefall!! and after opening the chute i was signing like hell all the way down filled with happyness! i plan to go to puerto escondido on tuesday and do 6 days of jumping..i think it will help more to do lots of jumps in a small period of time then to do 1 jump every two weeks or so..i think the brain forgets a lot of the info during the break. thnaks for all your kind comments in my previous post! will keep you posted! kerb =)

hi guys, i prepared all last week to try again but as i got to the DZ i saw one of the planes coming in but then something went wrong and it crashed..all 3 onboard died. they were not clients but 2 riggeres and the pilot coming in to start the day. i know they died doing something they loved and like all of us they knew the risks. i really want to continue jumping but feel a little scared after the event. has anyone else had to live through something like this? how could i deal with this fear better? i knew the poeple who died..that they were a great bunch of people..i just don't know how to turn up at the DZ or start over again with what has just happened! how do you call up the DZ and ask about when it will be open again? how do you deal with seeing someone just before they met their death? i remember sitting at the DZ and thinking to myself 'live man live! you can't die! jump out and live!' but thy all died..all i could see is the smoke rushing into the air for like 2 hours..i was picturing their final moments in my mind..how do i start again? i love the air..i love moment the door of the plane flies open..but at the same time i am so uncomfortable about thinking what i just saw..what just happened...i am so sad..and at the same time i don't know any skydivers here that i can share these moments with..i want to jump but i feel maybe there is something wrong with me to want to continue jumping..maybe i should be ashamed..maybe i could have done something to save their lives..so many thoughts... well thanks for reading..talk soon. kerb.

hey folks, im new here..and stuck at AFF level 4 but i have been having some most excellent dreams about skydiving! the one i would like to share is..i was driving past a beach..and i was a DZ right on the beach! so i poped over there and said i wanted to jump..but turns out there was a huge queue and i would have to wait for ages..so i went for a walk on the beach and somehow i found this inflatable matress..i filled it up with gas for a nearby baloon seller and got on it and off i went up into the sky..i went up for ages and ages until i couldn't see the ground so clear and then i decided to let go of my matress and begin my freefall! the fall was really cool..but as the gound became clear again i reliazed i wasn't wearing a chute..DAMM! i said..and decide to aim for the ocean for a safe landing..as i approached ground i could see all the people looking at me but a lot of them were dumbasses and instead of clearning a space for me in the sea they seem to be following my heading and thus i was having a tough time finding a bit of clear ocean for my landing.. but suddenly i had a pack! god knows where it came from! i pulled immediately..and had a dry landing on the beach after all! then i decided to go back to the DZ and get my JM's comment on my jump..i had to climb this mountain of some sort and there were a lot of obsticals..but i finally made it out to him..he said he liked my flying matress idea and the jump was a perfect 10 =P~ well i can't wait to pass level 4 to get some more real cool dreams in! thanks for reading! kerb. -- one of these days i will have enough money to pay for a return flight =)

there are no hard levels..although i am stuck at a point in my AFF course..if you can relax and visualize yourself doing it..you can =) kerb

hey guys! thanks to all for taking the time out to give me your input. since my last post i have done two more jumps but failed..but the problem is relaxing! but the three jumps i have done at this level have been really amazing..the first i pulled while i was spinning to my lines were all tangled up so i had to kick my way out of it..that was fun!! the second was at sundown..and the pilot suddenly decided he would have to go home so we ended up jumping from 7,000 instead of 10,000 feet, i was nervous but enjoyed it but my legs were all wrong again. but the high points of this jump was a tamdam jumped after me so after my chute opened..we were quiet close to each other under canopy and were shouting in joy..and the landing was way cool..for the first time i landed on my feet although that was due to the absense of wind hehe. on my third jump..i thought i was really relaxed and hyped up..as soon as my jump master went out the door i like followed him instantly..i took time to do all the steps but as i juped out..my arch was the worst..nearly flipped over (although i enjoyed the rush)..but never really became stable =( after the chute opened the winds were amazing..there were blowing from all directions and it was hard to maintaning direction..but all the same i managed to land on my feet again without any help from the ground! yeeaaa! so although i didn't pass that level..every jump has given me a new experience and i have just bought another ten slots to keep trying =) the thing is when i jump out of the plane the first 3 seconds i am kinda stiff..my feet stay in the same place while i was exiting the plane =( they don't wanna stretch out and make a nice beautiful arch =( i am going to jump on sunday again..i have a sofa in the house that kinda resembles the structure of the plane's exit..i am on it doing my drill and telling my mind to relax and let go while in free-fall! wish me luck! will keep you folks posted! kerb.

hi folks, i started doing my AFF about 4 weeks ago. Last week i did two jumps at level 4 of AFF but both times as soon as the JM let go of me a started to spin! both times anti-clockwise. seems like my legs are not staying position after the JM lets me go. i have tried counteracting the spin by moving my body against the spin but as soon as i take on my arch again i start to spin! please advise on how i can work on this so my legs are in the right position all the time. i am finding this really frustrating as although i am spinning, i have full control over my decent i.e. not getting freaked out and losing form (but still spinning). thanks for reading, please reply soon =) kerb.