betzilla

Is there a DZ out there that's going to do drug tests, and then say, "well, Pete does seem to be baked, but he passed that drug test last month, so he's clean. Let him take that student?" In the case of my DZ (obviously I can't speak for the others), drug testing is not intended to be a substitute for personal accountability, but a supplement to it. Where's my dixie cup? I gotta pee.

...except that I get paid to screw around, so... I work on the DZ for a living, (tandems and selling gear), while I'm trying to get my singing career (opera singer) going. Hey, it beats a real job!

I would say that about Chciagoland Skydiving, in Hinckley. And Space Center, in Titusville -- those people were so nice to me when I showed up there with 45 jumps and a HUGE rig! SDC has group called "Tean Funnel," that's completely devoted to the idea that nobody should have to jump alone. Nice idea, but I prefer to jump alone. Oh man, I crack me up...

I watched a student do a 20 sec. delay once when he was supposed to do a 5. Needless to say, he failed that one . It sounds like you're a MUCH better student than he was..! Congrats

I'll have to sneak away to do it, but I'll be at WFFC for a couple days this year. THAT's the DZ without politics-- I'd almost forgotten.

Good advice, unless you're talking about that Vector I with the Fury in it... No, unless you know the seller, or that the seller is reputable, I'd stay away from ebay too. But skydiving's a small community, so you could email the seller and find out who he/she is. Somebody at your DZ might know her, or even the rig.... Right> what IS a Rascal anyway...? I don't know if I'd want a canopy called a Rascal. Maybe a "Trusted Friend," but not a Rascal...

Dude, you gotta clarify that you're speaking metaphorically here, or people'll get all over you again....

the leg's good, it's the BILLS that suck

you should come by SDC (but if you don't wear that hat, I won't recognize you....).

I don't know that I'd say categorically that if someone refuses to be tested they shouldn't take someone's life into their hands. Just not mine.

Where's the non-political one? I wanna go there! I started jumping at a little tiny cornfield DZ. When I moved to Chicago, I went to SDC a couple times and felt TOTALLY out of place -- I had an old rig, and none of my friends with me. Combine that with the almost-freakishly nice facility, and I decided to jump somewhere else. Of course, I met my fiance (who runs the loft at SDC) before that happened, so at SDC i stayed. But I still don't really feel like I "belong" there. My attitude is just different, because of where I learned to jump. I know I'm not the only one to have that kind of experience -- DZ's can be intimidating.

Aww, that's so sweet... Sorry though, I've got to pay for my broken leg before I can afford a plane trip (at least one that involves a movie and a landing ).

No, the word has many meanings in english too. Somebody who refuses to test for reasons of privacy absolutely has that right. I don't have a problem with that. But I sure like knowing that my pilots and packers, and the instructors instilling safety standards in the new students here, and leading by example (not to mention strapping a student to their chest before jumping!), are willing to prove they're clean.

Moreover, I'd say somebody who makes that claim is kidding themselves about what people are really like. If there wasn't a problem (perceived or otherwise) in this area,. and therefore no need fro drug tests, this argument wouldn't even be happening. A person who promotes safety has plenty of integrity if you ask me.

I put 2 jumps on a way out-of-date rig, to see if I wanted to buy it. And I'd do it again But my fiance's a rigger, so it's a moot point for me now

They're great either way, but the crunchy outside on the stale ones is SO good! It just makes the fact that they come in colors nature can't duplicate that much better....

You got it. The best instructors get into the student's head, figure out how they learn -- what's their passion -- and puts skydiving in terms they'll understand. Some instructors are really good at the psychological part (that's my strength so far), some are really good at the technical part, and the very best have chops at both. At Eloy, you probably have tons of instructors in the last category (thumbs up to TM Greg Foster -- I'd let my 70 yr old mom jump with him. Say hi to him if he hasn't already left for the summer). As you get more jumps under your belt, you learn to make the translation yourself, and teachers become mentors, then jump buddies. But their technical expertise is always a bonus. Just don't be too bummed if it crops up every once in a while. When I was a student, I got freaked out enough to ask if I could please go back a level, before I ever failed a jump, because I was getting too far ahead of my comfort zone (As a student, you're always asked to attemptsomething just beyond your current reach or you wouldn't learn, right?). I wanted to devote one jump to relaxation. It worked. Keep 'em coming... You're not kidding. I've been meaning to get there since I started jumping. I was thinking the Xmas boogie, but my DZ is doing a Mexico thing right about then... But wait! Eloy is on the way to Mexico. ROAD TRIP! I'm glad you're making progress. Anytime you have questions, let me know. I won't get technical with you, but I'm here for moral support.

...or if your stupid, selfish, needless fatality causes enough bad PR for your DZ that it has to close, thus fucking over your fellow jumpers.

Yep, I think that was two summers ago here. The guy had been out partying the night before, to celebrate his birthday. I totally agree with you on this subject. People already think we're nuts for jumping out of planes in the first place. I can't see anything wrong with combatting bad publicity with a drug free staff. I haven't heard of anyopne refusing to work here because of the testing policy, and I think it's because SDC staff understands the need for it. It just makes sense to test people taking others' lives in their hands, whether that be teaching or packing. It would suck to test fun jumpers though, IMO.

There's usually not quite as much drama at DZ's as in those movies. But there is a LOT more skydiving

Welcome Kizza! The exit was my favortie part as a student too. It blew my mind that I could jump out of a plane and not freak out

When I was learning to jump, I worked with another jump student. Our boss actually stopped scheduling us together becasue he wa so sick of hearing our jump stories.... He got REALLY sick of us both wanting the weekends off

YEEHA -- now you're really a skydiver. When your old friends get so sick of hearing about your jumps that they won't talk to you anymore, don't sweat it: You don't need them anymore, because you've got us now

Not to mention that dying cordura involves all kind of interesting chemicals to get the dye to take, and ther are like, a million steps to the process. That would be why tye dying is such a high cost option on a rig...

When I got my first jumpsuit, I joked that I was going to wear it to the grocery store.