TrickyDicky

If none of you saw it already, go vote for skydiving at this poll http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/CNBCTV/Promos/P92123.asp edit: cos Im rubbish with links UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

I heard that one reason any skydiving related sport wouldnt be allowed into the olympics is because it is considered a powered sport, and powered sports are not allowed in the olympics. But yeah, there are the spectator problems too. Though I think it would be great to see live RW coverage :) UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

At my DZ I think S/L instructors only get paid 4 free jumps for teaching a course plus the free jump every time they dispatch a lift. I think the Tandem and AFF get paid cash, but not much. Its only a small DZ (getting bigger) and the DZO is only just covering costs of expanding atm, if not making a loss. I know at one small DZ (2x piston 206) in this country they get £60/tandem (£40 if use centre kit). And there are at least 20 tandems every saturday. Do the math. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

When I had coaching, I just did some 2-ways with an older WARP coach at my DZ, but he sees how outdated it is. We just tried to work on various levels in 1 jump. I then took part in a BPA FS skills weekend which had Sarah Laughton from VMAX, Andy Scot and Rotti from VNE and Al Macartney. I just did a couple of 2 ways using many skills at once, finishing on a blinder of a 4-way. Whenever Ive seen coaching its been done focusing on people's weakness's, not working on a level by level basis. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

I thought empuria broke 20000 last year? and they have 2 porters and an otter. Dunno if they own them though UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Packer at my DZ who charges £30, but he wont pack 2 pins UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

There is a guy at our DZ who has pretty much quit because of this. He tried to make Skydiving his job, and as a result hes now quit after 20 years and into bike racing. He was a tandem instructor, RAPS instructor, Rigger (British, so does work on rigs) and veteran of over 7000 skydives, including 3000 tandems and has done over 700 base jumps. He tried everything except fly a wingsuit (may even have done that) And afaik he hasnt done a solo in 3 years, except for one load of students he dispatched. He has ended up now having big rows with the DZO about the rigging loft. He's not rigging anymore but he wont move his stuff out, much the DZOs annoyance. So I get the feeling making it your work isnt the best thing for everyone. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

If you're up in the north east try peterlee. members.aol.com/skydiveamy/ The website is a bit shit a cheesy but at the dz we have the SMG or a dornier from hib at weekends, never many tandems and getting on lifts is a piece of cake. I could easily see you being on every other lift. We're also very friendly

The bedford wind tunnel is 16ft diameter and can hold a 8 way star, so good for 8 way training too. Aparrently its openning in August and will cost £6/min off peak. Check out the web page http://www.extremebodyflight.co.uk/ edit: to fix link UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Even if it was someone pretending, what would be the point? He may have never jumped, but looked on DZ.com and followed all the links to all the kit, and if hes read the forums enough he'll have seen almost everything. And speeds, 100-300 mph. Generally belly to earth isnt much faster than 100 (~120) and some slow fallers can fall at this pace (and birdmen can go much slower) Then there is speed skydiving, which has speeds greater than 300mph (Isnt the world record currently around 330?). Deaf guy at my DZ just managed 280 over the weekend. So dont go trashing him. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

From what I have read I assume you have no bridle cover ie. to put the bridle under from the topmost flap to the BOC pouch (or near as possible). Without this the air can catch the bridle and gradually pull the PC out. As you were solo there was no one there to see it, so you wouldnt have noticed. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

There is no UK rules on jumping BM suit, only guidlines. Its down to the CCI whether he lets you. There is no Rule preventing you from jumping one as soon as you get Cat 8. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Friend of mine was only a few jumps from Cat 8 at the DZ local to our Uni. When he went home for the holidays he phoned them up and asked if he could carry on from where he was, or at least repeat the last jump he just did so they can see he really was at the stage he said he was. The reply he got wasnt exactly the best. He was told he would have to sit the first jump course again and start all over. Needless to say he went to Hinton (about an extra 90 mins from where he lives) and got his Cat 8 no probs. But another of my friend's did his instructors course there, and said it was ok, but thats cos it had to be really. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

No fixed rules in the UK, just guidlines. My friend has about 300 jumps, (250 in last 12 month or so) and he just started flying a wingsuit, without 1on1 instruction, just advice from people that had plenty of flights on them. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Ive heard if this happens, cut from the Inside out. Apparently someone once did have a reserve lineover and cut at least half their lines and made it down safely. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Yup, had the velcro replaced last october and only done about 30 jumps on it since. All nice and new. Going to get end of break lines replaced with this repack too... Silly Velcro risers UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

I have a 2 pin tear drop and on my way to empuria end of June. I have a AAD so no problem there. I also dont do any freefly in it, only FS. Ive just heard they can be really really strict about kit, if its not perfect its grounded. Am I going to have problems? My spandex pocket is tight enough according to my rigger, and theres nowt else she has a problem with. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

The only problem with mandatory AADs is that most AADs out there are cypres's. Should for some reason (I know very remote) Airtec find a fault and have to ground all cypreses, you are gonna ground the whole of the UK (and many other countries). Not good. Also, if you go back to old STC minutes you will find out when these different panels were set up. I think The RAPS working group was set up in 2001 after a death at Tilstock and another centre. Dont quote me though. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Hail to the bus driver, bus driver, bus driver, Hail to the bus driver, bus driver man. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

MI-8 Helecopter? 35 jumpers I belive, and a tailgate. Plenty out in russia and eastern europe UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

There are DZs in the UK with their own bar, so as you arnt allowed to take bought beer in, the custom is to ring the bell and put £15 behind the bar (amount varies from DZ to DZ). Generally, if this bell is rung, people suddenly appear from everywhere. You can hear it in the packing area

I agree with throw-away, but I would have thought student geer with ripchord gear with good reserve pin protection would be more FF friendly that most gear. Have you seen some of the shit some AFF students get up to? Olav would be proud. Come to peterlee and we can show you the funniest AFF ever. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

The let at peterlee actually only had 1 set of controls because it was an old reconnisanse/map making plane, hence the seethrough glass nose, and the "Mini-bar" with all the stuff that should normally be in the nose. Nice having a toilet in the back of a jump plane too :) I think this let was supposed to fly with an engineer if he was there, as I am sure thats what they were doing at hinton when they had it. It also went back to Hungary for servicing because in the UK it would cost loads and they dont have the let fixing experience, so actually not as good. If you do jump this plane (HA-somethingFC) say hi to Jan the pilot from me :) UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

In the Uk you have to wear a hook knife as soon as you get your A-license. But you are not allowed one at all as a student. This can be a bad point as often it is not explained to new graduates why they need one, just that they must have one. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

I know if you book in advance at peterlee you can get a tandem for £198. Depends if you wanna go all up north though UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.