elfanie

I can answer that...money. It is much less expensive to go the route that they did. They also said something about lighting...and I'm not sure if there was a question about the photo quality or something... *shrug* -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Yeah...I knew I was going to be in the ad...just didn't know when it was going to start running. It was kinda fun, actually. Harder work than I thought it would be (they strung me up by ropes...so I had to try to arch while artificially being held up by these ropes for 3 hours. That's why my 'arch' is so flat....I just couldn't convince them to let our camera jumpers take pictures of me actually in freefall...) but still fun. My husband was sure that a lot of ya'll were going to give me crap about doing it...but I still thought it was fun. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Please give an example, this seems confusing....Unless you ment the Reserve loop, and that only works on a few rigs....A Jav will cut the loop even if you pulled the reserve. I took this to mean that they had a cypress fire before they had pulled their main... in other words..it wasn't a main malfunction, but a loss of altitude awareness that caused the fire... (could be wrong, but that was my guess) -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

ya know...when I had my first reserve ride...I couldn't get my handles away from my fast enough. My thought was "look red, grab red, look silver, pull red -ALL THE WAY *toss*, pull silver - ALL THE WAY *throws D-ring as far away from my body as I could get it*".. later that day, my DZO razzed me a little by talking to another rigger about D-rings...and looked at me as he said, "We need to get some more in stock...people keep THROWING THEM.." and he grinned. I looked him square in the eye and said, "my EPs consisted of look red, grab red, look silver, pull red, pull silver...at no time was I taught pull red - KEEP THE HANDLE- pull silver - KEEP THE HANDLE..." he got VERY serious and said, "absolutely...you did exactly what you were supposed to...good for you..." That was the last 'crap' I ever got for it.

I'll let someone else more qualified answer your question about different student progressions and options... but I did want to point out that when you are finished with your progression, whether that's 8 or 18 jumps...you are NOT licensed yet. To aquire your USPA "A" license, you have to have completed a minimum of 25 skydives as well as have everything on your proficiency card signed off. so regardless of what progression you sign up for - you don't finish the progression as a licensed skydiver. That takes a bit more time and work.... -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Ok...debated about whether or not to say this....but here it goes. for my #100 down at Rocky Point, I didn't go naked...but I did go in lingerie - very stretchy lace lingerie (catsuit type) with underwear underneith (the lingerie was open-crotch...not what I wanted to be landing on the beach in front of everyone in). Before this, the only things I'd ever worn were jeans, jumpsuit, etc. I didn't have a hard opening...but when I did open, I thought I was going to cry. the stretchiness of the lingerie did nothing to keep my butt cheeks together, so the leg straps yanked my butt cheeks apart from each other (I actually wondered if I didn't slightly injure myself) and my underwear went so far up my butt - I'd never had such a severe wedgie (and I have an older brother! ) I yelped...and spent quite a bit of time trying desperately to fish my underwear out from inside my butt. that was just not something I'd ever thought of happening when I was getting dressed...so yes, for me there was most definately a difference in what it felt like to open normally - and what it felt like without the protection of a jumpsuit or jeans or something like that... -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Nobody would get hooked into a tandem harness and jump out of an airplane unless they wanted to. If I talked to someone and "recruited" someone and they jumped and got hurt..I'd feel bad, of course...but certainly not responsible. they are adults, they are making an informed decision.. it's not for everyone...and everyone isn't going to jump just because one of us said, "it's awesome!". Nothing wrong with advertising and spreading the word...which is all that person was talking about doing. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Just curious, what does your dz see wrong with putting a 100# girl under a sabre 230 even on jump #1? That is still a really light w/l. fwiw, I weigh more and made my first jumps on a sabre 190 and was fine. Angela. No comment on the instructor's choice.. but I was about 135 going through student ASP progression..and I was on a manta 288 until I was through my progression where I went down to a nav 240, then a nav 220, Sil210, PD190, and finally what I fly now is a Sab190. (although now I weigh about 145 and I'm pregnant...still flying my sab190) -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Hey Wendy...

I have had a total...a hard pull. I went through my EPs - red then silver. I landed with my main still on my back. My instructors (all of them, actually) who I trust explicitely (one has over 8K jumps, golden knight member for years, leap frog, 'big wig' in the skydiving world) said absolutely right...you touch it, you chop it...doesn't matter if anything is out or not. We lost someone about a year ago with a PC in tow (I know...that's a partial, but still) that went straight silver. Watching the video...most agree that he would have been 100% fine if he'd chopped first...not chopping killed him. My instructor explained that the only reason there is even a bit of controversy over this is because there was ONE fatality of a well known jumper who had chopped in which things got tangled up and it was questions that it might have been better in his one freaky instance not to have chopped...and thus the debate began. I had a hard pull...tried 3 times (yup, dumb!)...chopped and pulled silver. If it happened again, I'd do the same thing. it all seems to come down to training - follow your training. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

I learned at a small DZ, although we ran turbines (still do, depending on how many people are there. occasionally we run the cessna when it gets really slow). I used a ripcord until probably jump #15 or so...around there. Maybe more l ike #20...I'd have to check my log book. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

I read this thread because I half expected it to be someone commenting on the preview/commercial for it that I noticed....and I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned it. I've never watched the show...but did notice that they will be doing a tandem on the show. Things I noticed in the 1.4 second of preview showing the tandem.. first...they are jumping through what looks like AWEFULLY thick "industrial haze"..heh. Second...watch closely...his reserve flap is open. Thirdly...as they leave the plane, the tandem (whoever it is) is "flying" as they leave the plane...arms out, legs straight. I'm yelling for 1.4 seconds, "ARCH!" heh anyways...interesting. Anyone know what DZ they did that at? -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

-------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

This was several weeks ago...but I loved the video. No sound (sorry, no music yet)....but we did an awesome rodeo jump. Giving the count in the green/blue jumpsuit (ie. the horse) is my husband...on his back with the red/black jumpsuit is myself. We are flying with 6 other people... At one point you'll see one of the people we were jumping with (a VERY experienced jumper...8000+ jumps) come up and dock with us in a sit/backflying position. and what you can't see very well was the fact that at the very end, when I give a thumbs-up sign and right before a last alti-check and wave off.....everyone we were jumping with (who previously were flying all around us) had settled into this perfect little semi-circle in front of us...so there I am, sitting up on my husband's back, and everyone was in a sit in a semi-circle... it was so cool! I felt like breaking out a book for story time. heh. anyways...sorry for the lack of sound, but happy viewing! (and congratulations to my husband on his #100! Yes, we pied him with 3 pies afterwards..hee hee.) Rodeo Jump Video -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Would do you guys see as the increased risk of flying a pen-camera inside your helmet with the recording camera in a pack inside your suit? (belly mount) That eliminates the entanglement issue (the camera is inside your helmet and the size of a sharpie pen, about)...eliminates the weight concerns with a hard opening and flying and such.... the only increased risk that I can think of is if you are more concerned with the camera than what you're doing (flying) and your altitude... What other increased risk is there to flying this type of setup? -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

I'm rather torn on this issue... I understand that an experienced jumper wouldn't want to encourage someone to do something that is dangerous... however, I also believe it is up to us to protect ourselves and decide for ourselves how much risk we're willing to take....and if someone wants to do something stupid like fly an aggressive canopy at a low skill level, why is it up to anyone else to stop him? especially a canopy seller? Either he's going to fly it fine... or he's going to hurt himself. if he's a danger to others in the sky (or landing area), then wouldn't that be an issue for their DZO or S&TA? not a canopy seller? I'm not sure that I wouldn't sell the canopy to him...after saying, "this is an aggressive canopy that should only be used by highly experienced jumpers and you should have a good understanding of wing loading before using it..." after that...if he bought it from me...that's on him, not me....so long as s/he's an adult.... although, again, I understand not wanting the guilt if you felt responsible somehow if s/he got hurt or injured.. I just don't really believe that it would be your responsibility... like I said...I sort of see both sides and am torn..although obviously I'm leaning more towards the, "all of us adults are responsible for our own choices and decisions with informed consent..." -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

I know of the Extra skydiving gum that lands in the tree... Then there's the "what would jared do?" commercial..doesn't SHOW skydiving but does mention it. Then there's the breath mints (I think that's what they are)...where it shows skydiving as the original, and a chick in a hammock on a beach as these new tropical flavor ones... -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

AAAHHHHHH!!!!!! MY EYES!! That leg looks N A S T Y!!! Yegads.....*shudders* Blech! I'm so sorry to hear about your leg...that just looks...ICK! -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

My #100 was a lingerie rodeo jump in Rocky Point this past weekend... Will post pictures soon... -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

When I broke my ankle..first estimations I was told were 3-6 months before I could jump again. 4 weeks after surgery...doctor said he was amazed at how well I had healed and that he wouldn't be surprised if I wasn't back to jumping within the next month. He also gave me a specific goal of when I could jump...ie. 'when you can stand on that one foot and jump up and down without pain, you can jump again.' I did exactly that...waited until I could jump up and down on that one foot without pain, and I jumped. That was 6 weeks after surgery...so I jumped 6 weeks after surgery. I voted give it adaquate time to heal...and did not vote to allow it to get to 100%, because I don't know if it will ever be "100%"...I'll always always always have to be careful about twisting it...and according to my doctor and physical therapist, I gave it adaquate time to heal. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Ah yes...I forgot to mention... She left behind 5 absolutely beautiful children - 4 daughters, and her 5th a son. -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

I'm so upset right now...very very very very very upset.... One of my very very best friends...her name is Tammy. I was at the birth of her last baby which was an amazingly beautiful birth outside in a hottub..she caught her own baby while I took pictures...it was truly magical. When I miscarried, she brought me this poem framed with this little teeny tiny handmade blanket (sort of like a receiving blanket) that she'd made and was really super understanding. She is now 37 weeks pregnant...and I was working as her midwife. She didn't want ANYONE else at the birth but me...not her husband, not her children...nobody but me. I was doing all of her prenatal care and everything was going great....at the ultrasound I saw that it was a boy, but she didn't want to know the sex of the baby until it was born and I wasn't to tell anyone so I was the ONLY one to know that she was carrying a boy... I saw her last night for several hours..did a prenatal on her, baby was doing great and was head down and probably a good 7.5 pounds already. Good strong baby thumping my hand...then we took a bunch of pregnancy portraits (you can see them here..

Here's my skydiving tattoo...fairly new (the jumper and hand was done 2.5 weeks ago, the cloud was finished off this past monday) -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings

Yup...multiple things that led up to it that were stupid, too...and it was such a dumb little *dink* nothing kind of landing. I flared a bit late, my toe caught on the grass and flipped my leg underneith of me with my toe pointed to the outside instead of the inside and I came down on it and *POP* broke it. I'm definately going to call on the PT on Monday...and this weekend, depending on the weather, I'm still undecided about jumping. I don't want to jump in no wind...and of course never jump in high wind. I'll just see what God throws at me.

Has your doctor recommended physical therapy? Could it be possible your ligaments have tightened up? That describes the problem I'm having with my ligaments after having what's considered a "severe" sprain. After 3 therapy sessions this week, I'm a new woman! The therapist did electric stim, followed by ultrasound, followed by therapy where he pulled back on huge rubber bands that were around my foot while I twisted and turned it. It hurt like hell, but I've gained a good 2 inches of flexibility in just 3 days. He was actually upset that the Orthopedic Surgeon didn't recommend therapy until 4 weeks after the accident. He said I should have been in there at least a week after I hurt it. It wouldn't hurt to ask your doctor though in my opinion. I'm going to jump tomorrow with my ankle taped in athletic tape, and only if there's some wind. He asked me if I wanted PT....said that it didn't seem like I needed it, but went ahead and wrote me a script and said I could if I wanted to but it was totally up to me. Maybe I'll call them on monday and just see what exercises they recommend that I haven't been doing..*nods* Edited to say: I didn't even realize who I was responding to!! I wondered how your ankle was...that looked positively ghastly!! How is it doing? Are you back to jumping?? I've thought a lot about you (and Sunshine..how is sunny doing??) (and yes...doc said that the ligament damage that I occured when my ankle broke - ie. the severe sprain - is going to be the source of any problem I have from here on out and that tightening of my ligaments was my #1 enemy....and that's why walking on it and doing all that I'm doing is supposedly so good for it..) -------------------------------------------- Elfanie My Skydiving Page Fly Safe - Soft Landings