DanglesOZQld

Has motivated me to place my "oh so non existant" handcam from the tandem skydive that gained me my nickname........... BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Nah - "A.R.M.C.W.F". Accidentally Released Moving Cotton Wool Fibre LMFAO!!! Did most of my jumps in Melbourne - The white stuff is nothing but going through that, ice , hail and then rain sucks like nothing else!! (Fond memories!) BSBD!! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Yeah it is certainly no easy ride to be going at it full time - you have your good days as well as your really bad days but considering what it was like for me being stuck in a factory being paid shite even as a tradesman I would not do anything else. There is a better job though!!! Took Steve Irwin's camera dude Doug for a Tandem a few weeks ago. There were some interesting stories there I can tell you! Basically not something everyone can or will want to do but if you have around 500 jumps or so you can speak to the guys and girls and draw on your own experience and either stay a weekend warrior or go the big step. Basically really do your homework! Happy to chat about this to anyone wishing to email me. Email is on my profile ;) BSBD -Mark AKA Dangles. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

NO YOU DON'T!!! AND I WORK AT A DZ THAT IS PURE PROOF OF THAT! (And the rare fun jumpers we do allow to jump with us are more of a threat to the business than an aid!) BSBD -Dangles. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

NAH!! THATS WATERMELON!!! OR AT WORST *MAN* PINK!! ;) BSBD! -Dangles. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I have only been a full time professional skydiver (7 days a week) for about 2 1/2 years now having been in the sport about 12 years this coming January. Basically you need to do your homework re whether the dropzone you are thinking about is going to provide you with enough work week to week and also for a long term. There are in most places no superannuation , no paid holidays and no sick leave and a paid per jump basis with regard to remuneration. Bad weather for a week or more?? Mmmm - lets get some of that money that you saved (!?) and pay the rent with that. With most places you must have a minimum ability to do camera work , Tandems with handcam and be a teaching instructor. The more ratings and skydiving related skills you have the better your chances of making a living from the sport. I was a Printing Tradesman for some 15 years before I started full time skydiving and most of the guys would not know what a real job is like - It makes me laugh when I hear about some of the trivial complaints that they sometimes have. You also have to stop and smell the roses again every now and then. For example I got into this sport because I love it and would never want to treat it just as a job. I still have to do fun jumps otherwise I would in my eyes be turning the sport I love so much into a chore and I will eventually leave for good. Even doing this I have nearly given up the sport after a personally horrific intro to Tandems hence my nickname. True when they say what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger but with every Tandem I do now the thought of that day is still clear in my mind. Easy to look relaxed on the outside and a lot harder to deal with when you are by yourself. Sorry to ramble on. Basically (and I am sure the more qualified guys AND girls out there will add to this) these are my main points - 1) Dropzone choice - Make sure the work is there and that you are able to save money when the going is good for when times or weather is bad 2) Ratings and skills - You can never have enough!! 3) Keep smiling!! - Do a fun jump every now and then and think of what it was like the first time you jumped from a plane. Don't be a skydiver with a huge ego and talk to anyone no matter what number of jumps they have. Sorry to ramble on so much ;) BSBD!!!! -Mark (AKA Dangles) PS- I am from Australia , the above is my opinion only and countries such as the USA with larger populations may be easier to get full time skydiving work. I will let the USA pros comment about that ;) "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Diablo's advice should be correct , in Australia and with an Aussie Talon that is also the way to find the size of the harness etc. It isn't hard to find and is on the rhs ;) -BSBD! -Dangles. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Often sinus pain is due to an oncoming cold or one that you are getting over. I had no warning one day that a flu was approaching and on my 6th camera jump had unbelieveable pressure which did not clear on the ground at all easily. I have had the flu once this year and was able to jump using a sudafed equivalent and nose spray. Basically if you cannot equalize on the ground DO NOT JUMP. If you feel fine at every other time except for just after the freefall part of your skydive perhaps take a sudafed first thing on the days you jump. The above are only my personal thoughts with my limited experience. If in doubt SEE A DOCTOR for the best advice. I have always had sinus problems from my previous job and deal with that with the snoz spray ;) BSBD! -Dangles. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

As staff we get heavily discounted slots in the plane if it is doing tandems and often organise jumps at normal prices for milestones (jump numbers / yrs in sport etc). Jumping onto the beach in the sun who wouldn't!? We also would jump if it were for free - this usually only happens after we turn up for "work" and find that someone has not turned up etc and offered a slot for our troubles. Ah life is sooo hard here on the coast in Qld Australia ha ha!! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I would say it would be at the minimum allowed age just as when I was gaining my pilots licence there were plenty of guys and girls getting their ratings at the minimum age chasing their dream. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

There are sooo many variables involved. Most of the guys and girls here working full time jump crossfires.....beautiful slow openings on heading and plenty of flare.... I jump a BT series Pro 120 - An old "Blue Smack" as a lot of ppl call it. NEVER had a really bad opening on it and actually do the four cells into the centre cell and roll the tail to suit the sniveling. I can get 1,000 feet out of it on opening no probs ;) Hope you sort your problem out. Note though that sometimes you will get a kick in the butt or something strange on opening every now and then no matter what you do. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

As far as leg locking goes I found it was good for me very early on but on exit now I do nothing with the legs and fly my own body until after drogue throw where I then go the legs if possible. I have seen many tm's stuff up the video trying to control the legs of a student for too long and spinning or rocking with no control. On exit I find if you fly your own body you can hold the heading pretty much no matter what the meat bomb strapped to you is doing. As far as video help I feel that the camera is second in priority to the tandem. Yes the tandem master can help you out but YOU are the one responsible for the video so do your job!! We do both where I work full time and I have NEVER gone low or stuffed a video due to fall rate. I can still remember video 8 and huge camcorders involved with skydiving many years ago so fall rate problems are small fry compared to other hassles in years past. LEARN TO FLY! BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Apart from one horrendous incident that nearly killed myself and my student (long story email me if ya like!) I have since done about 850 tandems and not had any problems at all with varying students. Definitely exiting with stability and aggressive throwing of the drogue is good as is the ground instruction. I have also never had anyone sick in the jumps done nor had any refusals. What you say to the student for the brief and on the way to height has a lot to do with how they react on exit and landing. The biggest problem thus far I have had has been with tall light students. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Ps- Anyone out there who says for the money is kidding themselves! Most full time jumpers could do a lot better in a normal job. The LIFESTYLE is what we are in it for! "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

1) The reaction to their first jump out of a "perfectly good aeroplane" 2) The joy of doing skydiving as a job rather than being stuck in a factory with some fat prick telling you what to do / filling in time sheets. 3) The ability to make a living doing the above "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Definitely agree with most of what has been said here. DO NOT buy new. The harness is only made to suit differences up to a point including canopy and reserve sizes. When I bought new with everything I thought was perfect for me I still changed after some time for something smaller. Also make sure the second hand gear suits your body size to at least be comfortable. You do lose out not buying new and custom made to your height and size but it is worth it not losing the money buying new then selling shortly after. DO stick to the most popular gear manufacturers. Basically do a lot of research and ask a lot of questions with the experienced guys and girls and instructors and they will lead you in the right direction. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Interesting to see lately how highly loaded some canopies are meant to be to fly their optimum. Like the previous posts have suggested talk to those instructors and other experienced pilots close to you before making a decision. Learn to walk before you can run and be patient to step down to a smallish canopy without the necessary experience. Trust me I know personally!! BSBD -Mark aka Dangles ;) "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Doesn't bother me if people do or don't do fun jumps but I do them where possible to remind myself WHY I am in the sport. It is not just a job to me and I would never want to think of it in that way. There are skills you can only keep current by fun jumping or at the very least jumping your own gear as well. Here I am lucky in that we are not chucking cameras on our wrist and calling it good video just yet ; we still have the outside camera guys and girls and as I do both can use my own gear on some of these as well. BSBD -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Done plenty of fast down winders on grass and sand/beach. Learnt one main thing in that if you land fast SLIDE! Both feet out in front together on a mostly upward angle and out to either side if you can't do that. Have done it too many times and still have a grass scar on one leg but walked away from all of them! Easy to say after the fact and not knowing the situation but plan everything with height available!! A good ol pilots rule also lol! -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Maybe start a thread called "Skydive and Advertise" or something? I am sure that most of the guys and girls jumping would like to know of special deals or offers week to week. It costs to have a site and that is fair enough so maybe a small fee or similar for anything involving a $ symbol in a post??? ;) -M. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

I agree RON with most of what you are saying but not that if you have an aad fire and not being knocked out you should not be jumping. AAD'S are there as A LAST SAVIOUR and there are far too many situations to list here to simply ban people from jumping who fit your situation non unconcious status you mention. Very much like the two canopies out at once issue there are a great many VARIABLES involved. -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

If it was my girlfriend or partner and they did not have an aad I would probably die chasing them. Something I have thought about long and hard over the years especially after my incident. I have actually "screwed the pooch" myself once before and dumped at 1,000 feet after chasing a student WITH an aad. Ask a lot of instructors out there - it is very hard at times to stop chasing someone, even a student with an aad but if they have one you should get out of there!!! Sounds harsh but there really is nothing more you can do. I did not have an aad at the time of chasing the student WITH one so more the fool I! ;( -Mark. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

You will find I think a lot of long time many numbered jumpers who have broken nothing and also not injured themselves in other ways jumping. The biggest dangers to most jumpers I have found is BEING BORED when they could not jump for one reason or another , bad weather being the biggest. Staying for the weekend and nothing to do now you are not jumping? Ok , lets get the skateboard/tennis ball gun etc etc out and play! I have done nearly 3,000 jumps myself and my biggest injury was when I tried an accuracy jump way too early with a dog canopy that did not know how to flare (Much like me as well at the time!). Basically I landed hard and punched the ground with both hands still in the toggles with forward movement. Fractured two fingers at the third knuckle. Nothing since before or after ! -M. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

4 Tandems 1 Video/Stills Saturday and 7 Tandems Sunday ;) Niiiiiiiiice! -M. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

Gotta wind down after 5 jumps Sat and 7 jumps sunday!!!! -M. "A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"