mik

QuoteDo not go to Dubai without first ensuring 101% that they are operating. They have had huge problems with aircraft the last couple of years. It would be a pity to get all the way there only to find no jumping that day / week / month / year ... **************************************** Make that a check of about 200% - and don't believe what you are told by the people who answer the phone and tell you that there are loads of lifts going on... took my rig all the way to Dubai from the UK on that basis (and what was on their web site) and didn't get a jump. Got to sit around in about 100 degrees heat waiting about an hour for a taxi to take me a couple of hours back to my hotel though *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Citrusdel might me a place to check out... can't remember how far from Cape Town but was worth a visit when I was last down that way a couple of years ago. Also, you might find cheapie flights to Jo'burg -JSC (based in Carletonville) is a place to visit at weekends - you can almost certainly get a lift from the airport to the dz for the weekend if you contact JSC directly... (can't remember the name of the low cost airline in SA - something like Kaloula I think - but was not expensive to fly between CT and Joburg...) *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Sounds good. Unfortunately i am unlikely to make it this time but I wondered what sort of altitude are you expecting for the Dorniers and the Balloon jumps. *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

I think they jump at JSC on Fridays from time to time (I have jumped there on a Friday a year or so ago) but it was a case of the plane arriving late afternoon and doing a load or two. Things might have changed though - I have not been down there for over a year. Have a great time *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Thanks mate Will do.... *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

I will be working in Memphis the week after next and may get a little spare time on Thursday / Friday - maybe enough for a jump. Can anyone recommend a dz that operates during the week? Thanks *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Hi Rosco Is that your home DZ? I will be arriving in Pisa on a Saturday night, staying for a week (leaving the following Saturday morning) so need somewhere that is open during the week. Mik *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Does anyone know of any good DZs in the Pisa are that are open during the week?? *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Bella Rosco (Beer) I was there too Lambretta....... *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

No mention at all of a tunnel - but I didn't ask *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

If you are thinking of travelling to eg Dubai and getting a jump or two, my experiences may be of interest. After checking out Umm Al Quwain on dropzone (planes listed are King Air and Grand Caravan), I phoned from the UK (on the day before I travelled) to be told that at the weekend there would be a lot of lifts and I should have no trouble getting several jumps on my one free day. Later the same week, I made contact with some of the jumpers and was told that they are currently using a small Cessna, but I should still be able to get a jump or two in. I travelled to the drop zone (taxi ride of nearly an hour), document and gear check, got manifested for the next load then before long I was taken off and remanifested for a jump almost 3 hours later. The reason given was that they wanted to make sure the tandems jumped before it got dark. So I left (20 minute wait for a taxi, another hour taxi ride back to the hotel). So my advice to anyone thinking of jumping there is to find out exactly what planes are operational and if it is just a Cessna 182, think hard before taking the time and effort (and expense) to make the trip, especially if, like me, you find it frustrating to be taken off loads to make way for tandems. I can cope with waiting to be manifested, but once manifested, I like to stay manifested.. I have got to say that the people I met there were really nice, but I felt I wasted a lot of time and didn't get to jump. This is just my experience of today. I am sure that once they get the larger planes operational, things will be much better. *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Again, depends how far you want to travel but Table Mountain, Cape Town in South Africa is pretty awesome... .. DZ nearby last time I was there (a couple of years ago) *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

Anyone know of any DZ's in Khazakstan? *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

worked in the US (Atlanta) on a project with a guy - met him a couple of months later by chance in Sydney, Australia.. one night when we were both pissed he told me he was going for a tandem and asked if I would like to... beer goggles (not afraid of anything when drunk) came into play and before I knew it I was on a tandem at Picton.. Terrified but refused to let it get the better of me so did AFF in South Africa a month or so later.... *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

It's taken me a while to post this but here goes.. About a year or so ago I was still pretty new to this, just bought second hand rig, knew nothing about the kit, relying on others to pack etc.. Anyhow, just after a jump the packers asked me if I had seen the link (see photo).... Seems to have come undone and the thoughts of people who seemed to know much more than me was that damage was done on opening. I moved on to soft links pretty quick... For information, I had a reserve re-pack only a few jumps earlier at which I had asked for a full check of the gear. The main lesson for me was about the importance of learning about my gear and checking before jumps.. *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

If you are in the vicinity, try it - you wont be disappointed if my experiences (two trips)are typical

Can anyone give me any advice on the best DZs near Lisbon - I am likely to be there for a few days next week and want to know whether it is worth taking my rig with me. Thanks *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

I had a similar experience after completing AFF jumps overseas but only doing half of the consolidation jumps. I called Headcorn to see whether I could go to the dz to complete the consols - the response I got was that I could come to the dz but if it was a sunny day I should expect to sit there all day and probably no-one would have time to talk to me. Like your mate I was unimpressed with that comment so I went to Hinton and after a dz briefing, running through emergency drills, and one jump with an instructor I was allowed to carry on.. a totally different response... BUT the people at the shop there seem really friendly - and I only spoke to one person at the dz so I am aware that their attitude could totally misrepresent others at the dz... *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example

I can't receive email ([email protected]) - I know people have sent me mails and I can't see them in the inbox - any ideas on what I am doing wrong? *********************************************** I'm NOT totally useless... I can be used as a bad example