schattenjaeger

I like "I had to go to the bathroom really bad, and it was the fastest way down"

You would've failed you? You're harsh, I'd of still been on level 2 with you as my JM

I think it got mentioned a few times during my training(around level 3 when it was sposed to be)but somehow I kinda got missed on that whole thing >_>

I sold a trombone to finish my AFF and I've since depleted that money

thanks. The thing is, even if I try, due to my lack of funds, I'd probably still go uncurrent and wind up repeating something or paying some charge(which at the time would be even harder for me to pay)

At the moment I'm fighting a financial battle that I'm losing pretty damned quick...I got through AFF with some heavy financial assistance from my mother, whom I'll have to be paying back also in a fairly timely manner, so I was thinking I might be best off just taking a few months off, and saving up a bundle, but I was wondering what would happen if I did do that, as a student without a license but finished AFF. Would I have to repeat all of AFF? Or just some levels? Or would I be better off just financially battling my way through

hmm, ok...how about like a soccer game then? Nobody skydives into soccer stadiums so it won't be missed!

But he's not gonna have a strong arch on his first few jumps. I weigh 125, and my first three jumps I was in a skintight jumpsuit, and going like 115-120, then all of a sudden on my level 4 I found my instructor way up above me and desperately giving me a leg extension hand signal and fighting her way back down to me. I was going like 130+, so I got to wear a baggier(and FAR more comfortable)jumpsuit.

and here I've got another question, there's like what? 30-40 skydiving fatalities every year? and that's spread over like the world(or is that just the US?)and spread over the course of a whole year, so I mean, it seems to me the odds of knowing anyone who's died, much less several, seems kinda quite low. Not trying to be disrespectful, but I'm curious

*puts that on his list of things to do before dying*

I second skybytch

Umm, I think my Vicad(en? in? on?) frazzled mind is still missing the point. So you're saying if you don't know these particular people you aren't gonna get to go with them, or because you won't be able to go up 'cuz they're using up all the load space? 'cuz either way doesn't bother me, so long as they all pay, I understand them needing to go up as a group and there being a lot, and I also understand if they'd rather do it with people they knew.

Hell, kinda going back to my "playing catch" analogy, if you're there to play a friendly game of catch, you shouldn't be trying to play with the hardcore guys who are there to break their opponent's kneecaps or something(not saying skydiver's are tryin...well, dammit, it's not a GOOD analogy, sue me)

Well in all fairness, I wouldn't even consider asking at 150 jumps. Hell, I'm the type of guy who if I get asked if I wanna go do a 4-way or something with some people, I'll let them know way in advance my skill level and make sure they won't mind if I make a mess of it! And if I were jumping with younger less experienced jumpers, well, if I'm in the mood to do a GOOD 4-way for whatever reason, I'll let them know in advance, otherwise I wouldn't care if they screwed it up.

No problem! What size Depends do you wear?

I'm kinda with Jeremyneas on this, I don't see any of this at my DZ(which I'm not gonna name outta fear that I'll learn something about it that I'd rather learn directly than from some stranger online)and I know I only have 8 jumps, but 5 of those 8 took me a mininum of at least 2 whole days at the DZ, and my level 3 alone took around 4 or 5. So I've been there a lot, and I see a very simple world compared to what some of you have been describing. The cameramen are there to film, and jump when they have the chance, the riggers are there to pack, and jump when they have the chance, I've seen the instructors funjump occasionally but rarely, but they still seem to enjoy their jobs(which is good, I'd feel bad if my instructors were clearly bored by the whole thing)and so on. And in some ways I don't even consider this a sport. Sure, there are national compeititions and things like that, but the vast vast majority of us are never gonna be there doing that. This is as much a sport as going outside and playing a game of catch is with your friends(and obviously not keeping track of who's the best catcher!)and it should be approached with that same laid-back, friendly, let's go do it' cuz it's fun, attitude(with the obvious difference that much more care must be taken for safety)I've never met a jumper yet(and it's not a tiny DZ)that I haven't been able to walk up to, say hi, and get into a friendly conversation about anything(usually jumping)with! And I'm usually VERY shy! Now maybe I just haven't seen the racy underside of my DZ, but if every DZ was like mine(or at least my current intepretation of mine)then there'd be far fewer people leaving the sport. And yes, that's a bit rambly and disjointed I know, but I'm distracted and just had my wisdom teeth taken out. Yay for painkillers!

Yup, only 9 more!!! ...and 5 accuracy landings and 6 jumped self-packjobs, don't forget

Aw, don't feel bad that you failed a couple of levels:( I failed 3 twice, barely passed it the 3rd time, and am still not entirely sure how I passed 4 and 5 on one shot! And I know a guy who failed 3 a grand spankin' total of 5 times, a lady who failed 5 four times etc. People fail these things, be surprised when someone DOES make it through in 7 jumps

This topic's depressing :( Are they any skydivers here with numerous hundereds of jumps who HAVEN'T at some time or another left the sport or come within a hair's length of doing so?

Plus working out your legs wouldn't hurt, for the odd bad landing, plus strengthing your back for the odd bad opening

5 jumps per weekend is a little on the low side? That's 240 a year, ya know...

It seems to me that skydiving is a lot like any other activity in that if you do the same thing over and over again you're gonna get bored. You need to be constantly doing new things and learning new stuff, and staying challenged, and the beauty of skydiving is that there aren't really any other activities in the world as utterly unnatural as that(humans weren't meant to fly, need proof? Watch the average[hell, the above average] student doing AFF)and because of that there is ALWAYS room to improve and new things to learn. You'll never be able to land as accurately and consistently as a bird, so heck, there's a challenge right there that'll keep you trying until the end of your days! I have seen some posts of people losing interest because they have no one to learn anything from anymore near them, and that's an understandable problem. If that ever happens to me, I think I'll take up instructing

From what I've heard, CReW canopies for the most part open bad and land bad, since that's not why people are sposed to buy them. Since typically they're designed to be pitched going out the door, terminal openings will thwack you pretty good, and your landings...well, obviously they land fine, but it's not their specialty. Again though, I've got 8 jumps and this is just what I've heard, I'm sure someone knows better

I just had my first real "PLF or get seriously hurt" landing on jump number 7:) Immediately following my first stand-up landing to, what a day! I flared a bit high, got down to about my chest with the flare, realized it was high, and with a typical intelligent student reaction, I popped the toggles pretty much all the way up. And downnnn went my nose! Feet and knees together, legs bent and flexed, went ahead and finished out the flare for what it was worth, but it was obvious I was coming in hard(thankfully with lots of forward momentum to make this next part easier), feet touched, and I rolled over my left shoulder, and wound up rolling over again on my side for good measure. Stood up and waved to the crowd to let 'em know I was ok. Everybody who saw complimented my reaction, and I was quickly sobered up when a couple of people pointed out that I probably would have broken something without the PLF...and with the PLF I walked away with style points. So, important lesson learned of the day: Landing will always be the most dangerous part, the parachute just makes it a bit less dangerous!

I've heard nasty stories about people jumping all congested and having their sinuses rupture. It's not fatal, but having a bloody nose for several weeks is probably annoying...and unsanitary, at best