skipro101

I guess I, like aggiedave, just want the coach rating as a means to an end. Its too bad there isnt a FF based USPA coach rating that would allow one to teach first jump courses (under sup of instructor) and also sitflying.... im going to have to look into that SDU program..do they have freeflying ratings?

Agreed.

I'm seeing less and less of this. I see it going the way of RW - it started out as fun, challenging enough just to do simple docks. Now, as the teaching methods get better and people are accomplishing more and more I find "if it looks like a grip, it's a grip" dives less and less. Those kind of dives can be great fun with a good group of flyers, but often the good flyers are looking at more structured skydives anyway. Nowdays 90% of the time, I have way more fun on a sucessfully built FF dive than I did/do on "free" dives. Blue ones, Ian I never really thought about it that hard, but i can see what your saying. perhaps when I get good enough to not be estatic about making a dock or two in a sit, I will look for more challenge through doing a preplanned diveflow.... untill then ....

"Also, being on the USPA board doesn't make anyone special." I never said it made anyone special, please read what i wrote not your interpretation. All im saying is that some suggest that once one has more experiance, he or she can see that its better to start with RW. There are many examples of people who have thousands of jumps who do not feel that way. it has nothing to do with USPA, perhaps i should have just stated her jump numbers since thats what i was trying to get across...experiance.

Ok, I was very careful to say that I got coaching and am safe. That said, I ought to be able to spend my jump ticket $ the way I want. Thats all im saying...that AFTER we determine a person is safe when FFing, then all the other comments really are moot...because beyond saftey, I have a right to spend my money as I wish....and its not because im a spoiled little right kid...quite the opposite actually....which is precisely why im not going to start off with RW...because I dont want too and its my money that i worked extremly hard for. Now, to the original poster,...why is it I feel I want to ff? Thats a pretty hard question. Im sure a lot of it has to do with the freedom...no creeping..no slots.. you just fly they way you want too. If I feel like doing a circle around person A. I do it. I dont have to worry about stairstep, slot X, bla bla bla creep creep crepp ughhh..its so structuralized. And no, im not the type B, dont care about progressing just want to play. Rather, if anything, i am over ambitious...with plans on competing within the next couple of years. Still, the entire reason we are out there is to have fun. And to me, FreeFlying offers me the opportunity to have fun, yet still be challanged and progress at a skill that is very difficult..arguably moreso than RW. thanks for listening

jmfreefly i was responding to wrongways post. Look at the top of my reply...you can see "Re:wrongway"

additional food for though, Aerohio's AFF progression..level 17 and 18 are sitfly jumps. And the st&A/owner is on the USPA board. Obviously some people with experience share a view that more parralles mine than the (100RW jumps before FF)

lol thats hillarious. Why dont you just ask them instead of guessing about what you think you know. Your making general statements about a crowd....its not surprising that you dont describe me at all. (one of your younger/newer jumpers) I started sitflying on jump 30. Now, with around 70 jumps, I am flying with other people and docking sit. I am stable, can prevent corking, hold a heading, 360l, 360r, fall rate control, etc. Im safe in a 2 way. And no, I dont have 100-200 RW jumps. Furthermore, I am not some kid who "wants to be part of the young, spirited, baggy jeans, tattoos, spikey hair, piercings, "look at me im so cool cuz im into extreme sports" crowd," Actually, I started freeflying because I felt like it. The same reason I started skydivig. BECAUSE ITS FUN. RW is not as fun as freeflying to me. So THATS why i started it. Its my money. I sought out coaching and am safe..so who are you to tell me how to spend my jump ticket $? Instead of making generalities about a generation of young/newer jumpers, why dont you stick to what you know...structure, rules, slots, and all that other boring crap. And yes, I know RW is a good skill to have...its the basics of skydiving. However, like i said before, Its my money. I dont give a crap if im not going to be allowed to geek a tandem. I'm safe. Ill do as I please. Edited to add.. Just to clarify. I have every intention of working on RW eventually...but only as a compliment to my FF...with the intention of making my FF better. Edit#2-- and oh yea, I am not being sassy, yelling, personal attacking, or anything of the sort. I cant really express my entire point/posisiton without writing more than I wish too, so there is a lot that I left out. I see your point and all, but simply do not agree. Perhaps when I have 1k jumps+ ill feel as you do....regardless of that ephiney, I just dont feel that way right now andwill continue my FF progression.

Yea, after thinking about it since reading the replies. I think im just going to concentrate on having fun freeflying this summer and just take it as it comes. later people

I would love it if there was a USPA FF coach rating. But to my knowledge there isnt. Plus, I want to be able to teach the first jump course. Perhaps I should explain further. its not that I want to do the min. RW to get a coach rating and leave it at that. Rather, I intend to do both FF and RW and be competent at both. I intend to moonlight as a skydiver and wish to get AFFI, possibly tandem, etc etc. What i was trying to convey with the "minimum" statement, is that I a) want to get my coach rating so that I can share my enjoyment for the sport and help others b) want to eventually be very competent at both RW and FF c) FF is first choice for me (hey, ya gota have a fav!) online forums are very hard to use and accurately get one's point across. Simple fact is, I want to do both RW and FF, but i want to get into coaching asap. Naturally the easiest thing to do would be to work on RW untill I am good coach material and then switch to FF....but I cant resist FF..especially with my latest succeses. If there were a USPA FF based coach course where I could teach a FJP but only level 17/18 of AFF progression (sitfly) then I would surely go for that. But thats not availible. anyway, I guess i just cant have my pie and eat it too. Im buying an RW suit and will focus mainly on improving that untill I can do the coach course and then will start to work on FF. ah hell who am I kidding, i cant resist FF. maybe ill just go after camera flying. That way I will have an excuse to spreadmyslef thin over the two disciplines.

Well i have been a ski instructor, full time in Utah, for years. I teach because I love to, im certainly not getting rich off of it. I understand your post, but im still in the dark about something. a measuring stick. I understand its not so...black and white...if you have 99points you good to be a coach but if you have 98 your not. i know its not like that. But...there ought to be a general guideline that I can use to asses myself. I guess ill just have to ask the local I/Es thanks

I have 67 or so jumps. 50 of those jumps were made within the last 1.5 months. 37 of those jumps (the last 37) are all sitfly. I just had my second coached jump (number 36) and it went great. Jump 37 was the best yet with being stable, holding a heading, finding the dropzone while in a sit and sliding horizontal to it, basically, its coming along nicely and I cant wait to make it better. However, I want to get my coach rating this summer. I understand one needs 100jumps. But the coach rating is based on RW not FF. I know it sounds bad, but I want to know how little i can devote to RW to pass the coach course. I do want to be well rounded and be awesome on my belly too..but I dont want to spread myself too thin early on and desire to focus on sitfly.... but i want my coach rating. So...how can i measure myself to know what i need to do? be able to make a 8point 4 way? 6 way? how good is good enough for coach? Thanks

its an option that you have to ask for... so if yours doesnt have it you need to find a rigger like was said

From an unknown aircraft waiting in a very long take-off queue: "I'm f...ing bored!" Ground Traffic Control: ! "Last aircraft transmitting, identify yourself immediately!" Unknown aircraft: "I said I was f...ing bored, not f...ing stupid!" haha that was the best one!

wow i am so there!

Where are paraski competitions? I am a level III PSIA ski instructor and have been teaching out west for years. The combination of skiing and canopy flight is irresistable to me. I must do this hehe.. so how big is this discipline and how many events are there per year? (in the US) anyone on here a paraski competitor?

Im starting to feel better. I do practice flat turns and know 3 different methods of executing them. Im anxious to take this canopy course...should be good stuff. Thanks people

I am kinda freaking out about all the incidents where people are hooking in but are described as conservitive...and whom would never try to hook turn. Right now, I have this feeling that I dont understand how a hook turn happens. I mean.. i know...a turn too close to the ground. But too close is defined differently for different canopy and pilot. Im taking Scott Millers canopy course fairly soon (already signed up) but untill then.... Im just kinda freaked...I mean I keep reading that these people just did a 180 to get into the pattern or even worse...a completely unexplained move..just all of a sudden hooked in...and then got F-ed up. just read the incidents forum..you dont have to look far. So for me, hooking in feels like some ...phenonomn (sp) that is going to sneak up and bite me when I least expect it. I always make conservitive left hand approches my 500ft downwind to base turn is slow and easy and my 300ft base to final turn is even more slow and I barely pull the toggle down... but that sounds like most of the incident people do most of the time as well..then all of a sudden on jumpX..after many many conservitive left-hand approches, they all of a sudden hook in and die. scared and confused.

wtf.. I bought my hornet new and I didnt get a manual ?? anyways, I star the slider,roll the entire nose (no split) several times real tight and push into canopy and roll the tail really tight and alot. I do this every time and my openings have all been soft. My last two openings today were off heading but I suspect that im not consistant with my body posistion on opening... I want to try psycho packing it...need someone to show me how.

5 total not to bad i guess considering sunday was a total bust...damn ohio weather.

Im 30 min from AEROHIO (Superotter) 30min from CAS (182) 37min from Skydive Ricks (i think its a turbine?) 40min from Cleveland Parachute Center (otter) HAHA!

What The Hell?

lol

I sat here for 10 min trying to make another poem but for the life of me I just cant do it. oh wait...i got one Beer is bought ready for drinking open your mouth feel it sinking down down into ah shit this is just getting weird. lol...i got beer for ya!

lol that was actually pretty good! see ya out there!