packerkevin

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Gear

  • Main Canopy Size
    190
  • Main Canopy Other
    axon 170
  • Reserve Canopy Size
    176
  • AAD
    Cypres

Jump Profile

  • Home DZ
    desert skydiving center
  • License
    D
  • License Number
    27873
  • Licensing Organization
    uspa
  • Number of Jumps
    1275
  • Years in Sport
    7
  • First Choice Discipline
    Formation Skydiving
  • First Choice Discipline Jump Total
    300
  • Second Choice Discipline
    Freeflying
  • Second Choice Discipline Jump Total
    100

Ratings and Rigging

  • Tandem
    Instructor
  • USPA Coach
    Yes
  • Pro Rating
    Yes
  1. We offer 3 different altitudes during the summer. 8,000 9,500 11,000 personally, I LOVE the 8000' tandem. mostly because we are jumping a 182 and the ride is quicker. Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  2. Having worked at my buddy's dz in the bahamas, I c an tell you that the red tape SUCKS! There is currently no operating dz on the island and probably never will be. Sorry about the bad news Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  3. Is this the world famous crazy-ass porter pilot zing? Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  4. I would add just 1 more thing...DO YOUR HANDLES CHECK.. I might have missed my primary yesterday Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  5. 351 tandems out of 418 total jumps. got my TI in march and i have a "real job" during the week. I am going to back down from that this year tho. Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  6. "Dehydration was a serious hazard - despite sucking down gallons of ice tea." As a T-I here in sunny, HOT arizona, I can tell you without a doubt that this is worse than drinking nothing. Drink LOTS of water! Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  7. I am rated in 2 systems and they both say drogue toss needs to be done 2000' before opening. Still don't think I would do tandem rw, but that's just me Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  8. "I jumped that container for my *last few student jumps *and I recalled it being a smaller reserve. It is just my recollection but I thought it was a *PD126 to match the 135* main I jumped in that container. " Did I read that right???????????? BTW, the video has made it out here to arizona.. nothing like spending my day telling people that 1) it was not me 2) i dont know what happened Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  9. OK, Here is my .02. At the dz where I work, We do offer tandem progression. 1 is the initial jump, 2 is a/w and ripcord pulls, 3 adds turns and forward motion, and 4 adds fall rate.Then the go thru the fjc and solo aff jumps after that. While I am not a aff-I, I do get the opportunity to watch nearly all the first jump aff videos. I have noticed that some of the tandem progression students seem more relaxed in freefall and more altitude aware. We dont just throw them out in the first 4 jumps , they actually have to pass each level. I have trained 6 students in the last 4 months, all of whom passed the aff part with flying colors. Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  10. My home is a small dz (just the way I like it btw). If one of our student who has been with us the entire time needs a little help "getting" something, I kinda feel its my place to give as much help as possible. After all, where did we learn everything that we know? When I was in the early stages of my learning, It was the "old timers" who helped me. Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  11. "I have a better question for all you TM's out there. Do you share any tips you get with the camera person?" I split any tips I get with my packers and vidiots if he did not get tipped as well. I agree that the best tip I get is when the mother/father/spouse/child of my student comes up and thanks me for taking care of them. I really get a kick out of seeing someone I took on a tandem before return and request me! That being said, I do get the occasional tip, usually from someone who is in arizona on vacation.
  12. QuoteDo you track your tandem retention rate? How many come back for at least one more training jump? *************** I have found that since I started spending a little more time with each student, I am getting about a 10% return rate. edited to repair my f'ed up spelling Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  13. I do have a couple rigs. My only problem is that I make so many tandems versus fun jumps, I spend the entire ride to altitude repeating to myself... "no drouge toss on exit, no drouge toss on exit.. Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  14. Quote funniest thing i have ever heard. this week anyway.[s wonder how many other people realize leadville is 9900' msl to begin with. Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional
  15. Yes, I have. We had a tandem student who was being coerced to jump by her husband, and was already complaining of her back hurting. Growing old is mandatory, Growing up is optional