Joellercoaster

Definitely worth your time to investigate but: the SDK can allow you to specify a high frequency and obviously your application can sample as often as it wants, but if the hardware can only update once per second, a lot of those samples are going to say the same thing

The SDK may be future-proofing.

yoink

I've landed out in the desert sans shoes after a minor miscalculation on exit.

For me, a skydive needs: rig, helmet, shoes, gloves, altimeter (and the last one mostly because it's the law). Everything else is optional.

Damn nanny state, always making us keep records of things that happen and learn lessons from them that everyone can use.

Can anyone who has seen both, recommend which of the G3 and Kiss mounts seems better?

I will convert one of these into a GoPro carrier for the season coming up and don't particularly mind which... the fronts of the helmets are different though so it might mean the mounts behave differently. Or does it not matter?

I wonder if it would add drag and thus cost more to run?

I've heard the argument that not having knee pads will encourage you to fly better and not hit the walls.

If it's true, it takes a long time for some people to learn that lesson.

*winces*

(I don't wear knee pads. But I probably should. Let us know what you choose and how well they work out?)

wmw999

It's only gear. It doesn't make you a better skydiver, or make you look cool.

It totally makes you look cool

dive42

Empuriabrava
...
where they jump practically every day of the year

For what it's worth: Skydive Empuriabrava is a very awesome dropzone with superbly professional staff and world-class jumpers based there.

But although temperature-wise Spanish dropzones are blessed, Empuria has its fair share of non-jumping days due to wind, and as adamUK notes this goes double for students.

Nowhere is guaranteed!

FlyLikeARaven

should I really still be landing in the student LZ?

Sure.

Depending on the dropzone and whether I need to make a back to back, I mostly still do.

For one thing, it's less likely some swoop god who totally keeps his head on a swivel all the time is going to cut me up or worse.

ITYM "nazi's".

RockSkyGirl

Lots of visualization.

I cannot overstate how important and useful this is. No matter what your discipline or goal, good visualisation skills applied frequently are huge.

The best part is, it is perhaps the only part of skydiving that is 100% free.

I dunno... that's what I guessed the post was about.

Although lines are easier to cut than risers, I suspect.

radical_flyer

I would also point out that it's an arm grip, not "holding your hand" and that AFF starts out as free arm flying (they let go of your arms) from level 1.

That was a joke, son. It's OK. Just as I think you're a little too eager to dump on other people's way into skydiving, I care less how you're learning (though I am interested in general) than that you are learning to skydive, which makes me happy.

My wife makes fun of my AFF training, but - just so we're clear here - she knows how AFF works, and she is joking too.

Enjoy the learning-to-skydive ride, for you will only get to do it once, whichever path you take.

radical_flyer

***
There are entire training programs (the most recently invented, come to think of it) that start with multiple tandems.

The only reason they're run is for drop zones to make money

The only reason any skydiving instruction program (outside the military) is run is to make money.

But the purpose of TAFF and other similar programs (I forget what the one in the UK is called) is to teach canopy piloting in a more controlled environment before the student is left to their own devices, and account for the sensory overload factor. It can end up cheaper for the student, since there are no two-instructor jumps.

The tandems are working jumps just like an AFF jump... just because your tandem was a carnival ride doesn't mean it has to be for everyone, or that you need to belittle them for taking a different path into the sky.

(My wife has never done a tandem in 1300 jumps, or an AFF jump... she says your training program sucks too because you had to have someone holding your hand when you jumped out.)

radical_flyer

Tandems... [homophobic slur omitted]

Oh I see you've already done one...why would you want to do another, especially when people have said to skip the second one?

There are entire training programs (the most recently invented, come to think of it) that start with multiple tandems. But what would those people know?

FWIW, all of the above except the last one ("do whatever you want") seem fine to me.

For example I'd definitely get a rigger to do a reline.

Hooking up risers though? C'mon. Admittedly the last couple I have actually gotten a qualified person to do, but that is entirely out of laziness disguised as sensible caution.

jakee

His wingsuit is a 6ft tall, 6ft wide square?

That doesn't sound totally crazy.

I mean, it does when thinking about early wingsuit designs I guess.

Truly, we are living in the future!

If you have an Android phone, then this is excellent:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hydragyrum.skydivingdraw&hl=en

[edit: Having said that, 8-way is very different to 4-way in that a team will often have multiple ways to build the same point, and different teams will have quite different continuity plans (which is to say, which slot does what and when), so just having a copy of the dive pool is not quite as useful. But this will at least let you see the shapes, which is still good.]

I have one skyhook-equipped chop... 5-6 twists but flying pretty straight. I thought at the time it was because I was rotating on more than one axis but hey, mains open in twists sometimes even when you're flat and level. Reserves aren't magic any more than the skyhook is.

I think it's possible to overthink this.

Different dropzones in the UK have certainly done this in the past. It takes some planning and instructor skills that aren't to be found everywhere, and there is added difficulty and (thus) risk, so don't be disheartened if the first place you ask says no.

Call around, you will find someone who can do it.

I think that's why "skydiving bloke, horse riding woman" is such a common combination around here

Consider 4-way. Fast fallers are often more welcome there; speed is power and adding lead is the normal way for teammates to match speeds

The people saying do tunnel are right - learning to radically change your fall rate is really useful (but parking in a slowfall position for a whole skydive is a drag (no pun intended), and I know that of which I speak). But you'll really benefit from spotting things before they happen; that will come from doing a bunch of jumps (or tunnel time) with other people. Anticipation is everything!

Hang in there. This is definitely one of those things that gets easier.

There are plenty of reasons to downsize past 1:1.

None of them apply for quite a while.

The 170 is just plain too small to be a good for you at the moment (and I can hear all the guys - always guys - saying I don't know you and nobody who doesn't know you should recommend anything because there are special people. The thing is, there are limits to that, and a bad idea is sometimes just a bad idea).

A 190 will turn up, and you'll love it. You may even love a 210, if you find the right 210 - they are definitely not all the same.

Anyway, it sounds like you basically know all this, so that's cool. This answer is mostly for other people who might read the thread later.

Hang in there, winter is coming and second hand gear shopping is about to get easier!

+1.

I have an I23SN that has a Stiletto 135 in it, and it is very snug indeed. Nothing bigger is getting in there, even if it is a hybrid.

VSE were really, really helpful when I had sizing questions though.

Kiwiskydiving

And yes I'm considering a bigger canopy. Maybe a 210 that loads me at 0.9. I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Excellent, excellent call.