TrickyDicky

Advanced packers are expected to be up to date on any new kit and how to pack it. Their only hurting their own business if they dont know how to pack a type of rig. Afaik the advanced packing course clears you to pack any type of main/reserve (except tandems). UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

As people probably know, at the BPA agm is was voted that German jumpers should be able to jump at any BPA dz without BPA membership. This looks like its a great step forward, and hopefully the rest of the world (with valid 3rd party insruance) should be able to jump at a UK dz without having to become a BPA member. But, after some discussions with some people, it was brought to my attention that the BPA policy states that ALL jumpers on a lift should be members of the BPA, and if one person isnt, then nobody is covered. If we were to get separate policies (like the german system), where instructors pay more, then the prices for everything would skyrocket - all student jump prices would increase, briefings would no longer be free, and then some costs would be added onto normal jump ticket prices (which are already some of the priciest in the world). Also bear in mind that at present, we only have one insurer willing to insure the BPA. Is this unwillingness to insure the BPA because we are trying to insure the BPA as a whole? why wouldnt insuring individual jumpers bring the costs right down. I dont pay my car insurance to cover some irresponsible 17y/o with a flash motor. Would trying to change the policy just put the insurance prices up so much then that skydiving in the UK would stop? Ive also been told that CCIs will be given the discresion to turn forein jumpers away without BPA membership, reguardless of the ruling made at the AGM. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

What about drug running jumps? Ive heard they make rigs with 3 rings made of carbon fibre or something, to try and get rid of as much metal as possible to remove any radara echos. Then dump high and float over the border. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Its a shitty situation, but all foreigners (except germans now) HAVE to be members of the BPA to jump at BPA DZs. We have shitty backwards insurance. At some point it might change, but with what we have we're fucked if even a non-bpa member gets on a lift, even if they're allowed. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Just general safety awareness. You may be able to fly , but can you track? I heard there was a guy at langar a few weeks ago who had just put in lots of time at a tunnel, and he had a cypres fire. Remember that altitude! UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Im guessing (and only a guess) that it might be the laidies coach? They were at Bodyflight a few weeks ago training with someone I assumed was their coach. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

They may see the reserve pilot chute as a projectile in the cabin UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

You will be using centre kit for jumping. As you're listed as being in bradford you'll probably go to hib to jump. Student jumps are £35 and are not just made up of slot + rig hire. Theres instructors fees covered aswell. Plus, you wouldnt be allowed to jump your own kit unless the circumstances are exeptional (I know a girl that was 4'10", about 6 st used a 150 for all her s/l!). Id say stop worrying about all this kit business, and just jump. Worry about your training now. Worry about kit when you've finished being a student jumper. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

You will learn how to deal with any emergency on your FJC. If your instructor doesnt think you would be able to deal with ANY emergency, they wont let you jump until they think you can. Ive seen students on their first jumps deal with it fine. I think 99/100 they will do as they were trained with no problems. I do know of 2 incidents at my old DZ within 5/6 years where the student didnt do their reserve drills at all, and in both cases the students got lucky (extremly lucky in the 2nd instance) and came out with no more than compress vertibre. They also never came back. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

At my DZ on a 182: Instructor: "CUUUUUT! ON THE STEP!" The student climbs out on to the step. Instructor "Look In!" Student looks at instructor Instructor "GGOOO!" Student "What? NOW??" UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

APA - Army (UK) Parachute Association DFV - The german organisation (cant remember the words cos its german. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Probably been said before: But a tandem master was asked "Whats that handle for" "Thats for cutting away the main canopy" "And whats that one for" "Thats for cutting the student away." Normally shuts them up. Also for cocky tandem students, Ive heard one TM scare the shit out the student by telling him he's going to disconnect him completly under canopy. Gets them to stand on his feet, undoes lower clips as normal, makes noises like hes undoing the top ones, telling the student they're not connected to anything anymore, then quickly moving their feet. Again, shuts people up. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

If you get new kit, and want a 190, ask for it to be made for a 170. Then, although it may be tight when you first get it, you have alot more downsizing potential and it will last longer. Plus it will be built for your dimensions so should be comfy for ages. Maybe even get a new container/reserve/aad and get a cheap 2nd hand 190 main for a few jumps. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

But in the UK, the pilot wouldnt lose ratings, it'd be the jumpers for going. So like I said, when the green comes on, the pilot has said its ok from his point of view. Why should a pilot lose ratings for something others did? (like leaving when he thought it was safe, but it wasnt). I think its part of blame culture. Always try and go as far up the chain as possible to cover up your own stupidity. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

There is a difference. The for BPA A you need level 8, 10 consoles and CH1. CH1 stuff can be done during AFF and consoles. The 25 jump "A" is the requirements for the FAI A licence. Im not sure which countries use this licence, but the BPA A is good enough for most countries. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Surely though, technically when green light comes on he's declared it safe for you to jump. Whether you jump or not wont affect his licence/rating, he's already broken the rules. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Theres a jetranger at peterlee in 2 weekends time UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

The Peterlee Refreshers boogie is on 25/26th of February. Now featuring a Jetranger assuming good weather and enough ethusiastic jumpers to cover positioning fees (£620). Jumps will be approx £35 from 5k. Chopper should be there all weekend. Head over to the Northern Skydiver pages for more info. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Thats a UK number that looks like a mobile/cell number, but as its +44(0)70, its actually a premium rate number. There are scams here were you get a call from these 070 numbers, and hang up quickly so you get a missed call. Because it looks like a mobile number people ring them back, and cost them 50p/min to phone. edit: goofed with the prices. But still 070 numbers can generate income for the owner UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

What, no skyvan or jetranger this year? UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Im just wondering when other rig manufacturers might licence the skyhook? Or whether Mr Booth wants to Licence it at all? All manufacturers offer a normal RSL, but surely it has been seen that a skyhook is far superior. Or has it not been proven enough yet? UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

The UK is similar, but theres hard levels. Students/people with round mains and or reserves 15knts Everyone Else 20knts. These limits are called in if you get 2 gusts over the limits within a 5 min period. If this occurs then jumping is called off for at least 30 minutes. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

I have an interesting, but sad annecdote involving cloud that I was on. It was a cloudy day, but broken over the DZ. The cloud base was about 4k. 10 jumpers left on board (5 had got out to do a demo at 3k a few miles from the DZ). Red and green go on as normal, jumpers start to exit. When we've all opened, we realise we're at least 2 miles from the DZ, the other side of national grid powerlines. 2 jumpers made it back to the DZ because they pulled high. Unfortunatly on this load was a guy new to the DZ with 150 jumps, a 150 he'd never jumped before and an out of date reserve (at the time, the owner didnt see how it was his responsibility to ensure peoples reserves were in date. The Ops manual actually says jumpers are responsible for their own equipment). Plus he'd never jumped in the UK (having only jumped in cyprus and the US before because he was UK military). This guy made a low turn to avoid a fence about 1.5miles from the DZ and spanked in. The aftermath meant the JM was banned from being JM for 6 months, and the DZO got a severe bollocking for not checking kit (even though its not his responsibility, and he went in through no fault but his own). This guy (that went in) was B licence so qualified to check his own spot/cloud but made the decision to jump. Many people at the DZ though the punishments (mainly for the JM) were a little unfair. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

2 in 350. Jump 12 and ~150 First one involved entanglement and bag lock after I went unstable on a 5s delay. Bit scary, but I didnt go in. UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.

Not true. In the UK we have to be able to see opening point AND LZ from Exit point, and it must be clear in between. But luckily, often when there is cloud cover, a hole opens up just at the right moment to see the ground. From the OPs manual: "3.1. Cloud Parachutists may not leave the aircraft if, at the point of exit, the ground between the opening point and the intended landing area is not visible." UK Skydiver for all your UK skydiving needs.