JustRelax

On a load today there were four of us, all under 100 jumps - no clear senior jumper. We discussed what we would do beforehand and then at the plane one guy in particular started taking over with a new idea. I was thinking @$$@% and this guy makes me nervous. The DZSO called out that we should do two ways and came over to suggest a pair up. I was really thankful for that and was happy with who he paired me with. Later in the plane this same guy was changing the dive on the guy he was paired with. I was thinking this guy is way unpredictable. Later on landing setup he spiralled down to my level, so I had to change my landing to be further downwind from this character. The DZSO seems to have a number of discussions with him and he is pretty defensive when that happens. Two lessons I am thinking: 1. If people are going to be unpredicatable like this I better avoid them wherever possible. I was thinking this through the day. Since we're at a small DZ I guess that means I have to become someone that when asked about a load, sometimes says no and that I keep my eye on the manifest. Is it okay to have a quite word to the manifestor to not put me on loads with certain people or is it better for me to keep that to myself, since we can manifest ourselves at this DZ? 2. The second is to tell the DZSO how I feel, talk with him about the manifest thing and thank him for making some decisions for us at the plane. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I developed these routines and startegies while doing AFF. Trr them out on your Jumpmaster. Gaining knowledge and training is the best thing you can do, I beleive. Line twists are not a big deal with student canopies - easy to kick out of them and you have plenty of time at your pull height to do that. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I was very happy to do one AFF jump a week or fortnight. I spent a lot of time working out and training myself what to do and sometimes in the pool, so I would do it subconsciously, nomatter how scared I was. Other people that I have seen don't like the homework approach and they seem to do better getting as many jumps as close together as they can. But if you try and do two in a day it might be too much to remember. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I had that sort of trouble and got it by: 1. check with someone on where setup should be a 1,000 feet and landing pattern 2. run a small landing pattern on the ground - get out on the grass and pretend you are flying in. 3. keep thinking it. 4. when the plane takes off look out the window and make a small landing pattern with your finger - it looks different from above so this is important. 5. after opening at about 3,000 feet do a pretend landing pattern - helps you get your bearings. 6. think to arrive at your setup place at 1000 feet. 7. Just do it again - this time you actually land - land aimed in the direction of flying into the arse of the windsock. Good luck. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I jump at a small DZ so we pretty much jump with who we jump with. There are a few characters that have passed through where a sort of social warning goes round and they tend to end up doing solos. Our CSO was talking to us about hypoxia the other day and mentioned something about personalities. He said there are all sorts of skydivers. Some who take lots of care about everything, others that want to have a good time and others that are sort of into unpredictable fun. He meant it as a personality thing. So he said that learning about the type of people you are jumping with is important. Since we are a small DZ I would jump with any of the regulars. They fit into the categories above. I am probably the careful type. So if I know the types of people I am jumping with then I can take certain precautions. Its also about other in your plane because they can be in your setup space prior to landing or not observe exit separation. Since I am new at this sport I figure I am going to learn defensive flying techniques, much like defensive driving. Be aware and predict what people could do around me and be at the ready and skilled to avoid what they could possibly do. I am not the sort that wants to say to someone's face that I don't want to jump with them, but I will talk to people about what scares me and ask them to agree to some jump rules. I would tend to avoid, where I have a choice, jumping with people with bad reputations. Like on the road, my emphasis is that I'll go for being a defensive driver on a busy road, rather than only drive when I am completely confident of the skills of the other drivers. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

What is different about skydivers? I have noticed they dont tend to watch sport on TV If they watch sport on TV its car racing, so they are into speed. They come from all walks of life? They seem to be all quite different and independent in their own ways. what else? and debate it, I am sure you will. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Thanks. good to check out my thinking ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I am on a three way. 500 feet above break off I see one of the others go into a sit and drop below me. I think #$&%# and turn to track off fast. As I turn to track I see him still going down. I track off, looking back, forward, left, right, slow, wave, reach with a glance over shoulder and pull. On the ground I mention to the other diver what happenned and he tells me he was trying sit at 1,000 feet before break off, only I didnt notice him. He though the oher guy maybe picked up on him and followed suit. I said to him I would talk to the other guy who scared me more. Then later when we were with the DZSO I talked to the others and said to the guy that went below me in a sit, that it scared me and that they just couldnt do it to me coz it scared me not knowing what they were going to do. Coz I didnt know here he would be when I tracked off. The DZSO stated that noone should change their dive from the agreed dive during the dive. We all agreed to follow the rule. In this scenario and after did I take the right approach? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Will it work as long as I track across the line of flight and as long as I have a good flat track? Remember it's a defensive move. If, even though I should do everything to avoid it, I end up low nearing break off and am SURE I cant get up. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

but if I track off earlier, wont I get more distance so that others above would not be able to track over me? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Yes I agree. Getting up to the others should be a priority, but the 1,000 foot early break off is if you are nearing the bottom of the dive and, as you say, KNOW you cannot get back up to the others. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

That is what hapenned to me 2 weekends ago, when I was the low one. In my case a guy above me didnt look for me. After I openned I saw and heard him streaming past me about 20 feet away. Close call! I talked a bit about it in the "Look out from below" thread. A good rule I have picked up is if you are the low one, beak off 1,000 feet eariler than planned and track off. Keeps the low person out of a possible collision path. Since I may be in your situation one day, I figure when I track I should take a moment at the end to scan below me just in case. Does that sound like a good strategy? I suppose the priority is to be aware of where all other jumpers are in relation to you, something I am working on but not quite nailed yet. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Got this rule now: If low when doing RW or freestyle break off and track 1,000 feet earlier than agreed break off height to ensure separation. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

>If all three of you are new at it and are having >trouble staying on level with each other the group >size needs to be reduced and more experience >needs to be added to the dive. Yes. I wond do that again. Previously I did some freestyle training with an experienced jumper, who wasn't with us that day. In hindsight, I should not have agreed to do it. One thing I have decided is to always do the first jump of the day by myself, because it helps me to orientate myself and get confidence for any other jumps with others. The example above is another where I need to set my rules and sy to people "I would only want to do on the condition that . I am finding with skydiving that you have to establish these things clearly for yourself and tell others. Thank you very much for your comments. I will think and talk it over untill I clearly understand my own rules ... and N, I wont set myself up in a situation like that again. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Yes, when I practice tracking I track 90 degrees to jump run. The idea of looking under my feet while tracking was suggested by an experienced jumper. It was suggested that when starting a track, looking under your feet is a good way to verify that you are tracking in a good relation to the other RW divers tracks, which after all, is the real issue, isnt it? Seems like a good defensive strategy. After checking I presume I will then look back ahead to keep heading and at the ground for orientation and ... as I flatten out I want to be scanning below so that I do not open above another freefaller ... if for any reason they are below. Sound good? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I had a very similar senario last weekend, when another jumer wizzed passed about 20 feet from me as as he was openning at the time I just ot under canopy. The issue was about tracking and probably trying freestyle with others under 100 jumps! - perhaps not so smart. I had been practicing tracking on my own , where I looked under through my feet for other jumpers and direction during the track. I thought I had worked it out. Then 3 of us jumped together to practice sit flying - somthing we were just new at. I am heavier so I fell below the other 2. When I tracked off, one the others that tracked wasn't watching me and I think tracked over me. So after I opened he streamed past me about 20 feet away. I think I need to practice tracking on my back also, so that If I am ever lower like this at break off, tracking on my back will enable me to check that I am tracking away from others (defensive driving). When we are at the same level, a track where I look under my feet should work, but if they are above better to track on my back to stay defensive. Do you agree with this approach? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Have done this twice now. When threading the brake handle end through the eye, I have done so above the ring and then tucked the end through the elastic keeper. It should be threaded through below the ring ... result ... when the canopy opens it rips the elastic keeper off the risers ... also one may rip off first causing line twists or spinning chute. The second time I stowed one right and one wrong, so the chute jumped to one side in a sort of spin. ... I remembered to reease both brakes and later had tp pay to get keepers resown. Any body else make the same mistake? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

If I get a new RW suit with booties can I tuck the booties in and how can this be done. My JM want me to learn to fly witout them first, but if I get an RW suit it seems better to get one with booties. So what's a good way to tuck them away? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Very Happy and double very happy coz my wife wanted to try skydiving...we're having a ball in marriage and learning to skydive. We've been married 5 years. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

How did you get along with finding out about blade running. I am new to skydiving but am interested in flying down mountains - might take me a few years! Still, I am interested in finding out any information, because It will at least help me to strategize my learning curve focussed on canopy skills. Hope you enjoyed your trip to the mountain. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I saw this in the Gallery at the wings website and got one exactly like it. I love it. I Have ordered a suit using the same disgn, should arrive any day. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I've just bought a new Wings (and the other bits second hand) as my first rig. I went with the wings because on checking out the different threads there were a lot of skydivers prefering the Wings container. Secondly I have in mind to do wingflying one day and the wings manuafacters design their rigs with that in mind, which means they have covered any openning issues so the container enhances the bag coming out squarely. That's why I went wings... I am just saying how my buying decision went...i'm too young in the sport to say any more than that. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

I've just gone through this process and ended up with a new container and second hand everything else. This way I got what I wanted, paid less than brand new, but paid more than a one buy second hand rig. If you do it this way, the process went like this...ask JM advice on what canopy would suit...start looking on the net and dropzone.com...find difficult to get good rig my size...tried and failed a few negotiations...ordered new container because new technology best and best fit a bonus...then got other bits second hand from three different people on line...one of those deals not as good as advertised actually...that's it... It was a huge effort... Next time for my wife I'm going to take longer to try and get a complete second hand rig and if i cant find somehing just right Ill go new via somewhere like http://www.skydivesupplies.com/ when you get a new container, you can ask them to make it a tight fit so you can downsize without needing a new container. Oh, on downsizing, that would depend on how much you jump...so I'm a weekend jumper with weather that's sometimes off...maybe some of these people can jump so often that they are ready to downsize very quickly, in which case I would agree with the full second hand option as the best way to go at the beginning. Hope this helps. ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Thanks for the avice. I am talking with the supplier to change from a combo to an RW style...will still have some bagginess, I think because I am 95 kg. Don't think I need booties because I dont plan to be hard core RW. Why not add booties on later if I get more into RW late? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.

Do I really need inside leg grippers? I am ordering a combination suit which is freefly but with grippers so I can still do some basic RW. I have thought that I don't need inside leg grippers...haven't seen them used in any videos of RW, so are they necessary? What's your view? ________________________________________ Taking risk is part of living well - it's best to learn from other peoples mistakes, rather than your own.