Reginald

In an appendix the SIM tell you what chapters to study for the A, B, C and D license exams. Couldn’t be easier.

There are a lot of skydivers with fusions. Including some world champions. Personally, I have a fused C6 C7. My surgeon recommended a minimum of 6 months off before jumping again and a CT scan to assure the bones were fusing properly. He cleared me to jump again. This surgeon works on some professional athletes including professional
US football players and is understanding of the desire and reality of these things. His comment to me was, “you may break your neck skydiving but not where I fused it”

All that said my injury and yours may be totally different, you could be risking your life or paralysis by jumping again. My recommendation is that you not jump against Dr.’s advice. However, some Dr.’s are more educated on “sports medicine” that others. Have a realistic talk with your Dr.’ and understand why he doesn’t want you to jump. Get a second opinion with a Dr that works with professional athletes also and seek his opinion. If they both agree than don’t jump. If the Dr that works with athletes thinks you are safe and can explain why than you have a choice to make.

BTW: 3 surgeries is a lot. Your Dr. may be perfectly correct in that you should not be jumping again. Find out WHY he doesn’t want you to jump.

Hmm, about how long is the drive from downtown SF?

I'm visiting the Bay Area the weekend of June 7th and would love to do some jumps. What are the turbine DZ's in the area and which has the best scenic views? I'd love it if one were close enough to the bay to be able to get a good pic in free fall with the bay in the background? Any suggestions?

And remember AFF is only part of the cost of obtaining an "A license". Visit the local DZ and talk to them about the whole student progression.

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I have worked with a lot of people with many solos and few coach jumps. Every one of them has had backsliding issues and often assymetry issues, problems with their exits... they just keep making the same mistakes over and over with no idea how to fix them, so they keep doing it repeatedly. Then as an instructor, I don't just have to teach, I have to break ingrained habits, which is MUCH harder to do. So at this level I do see lots of solos as a bad thing.

Amen sister!

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People need to do more CrW - a lot of canopy paranoia would go away if that happened.

I would but I only own 2 hook knives.

Okay first some serious business. The Who Rocks…long live the Ox.

Second, I’ve seen a number of people let go of their toggles (including a student on his A license check out dive) and then the toggles get tangled. Then they pick them back up and pull down on them tying a knot in the brake line. Now they may have a cutaway. I think this is due to having the toggles pulled down and letting them “pop” back up and over when they initially let go of them. I’ve got no issue with an experienced skydiver letting go of toggles momentarily for a good reason, but for a student I don’t see any need and advise against it. I just don’t see any benefit to letting them go and do see some real potential drawbacks.

On a personal note, after deployment and clearing my airspace, I spend about 3 seconds opening my full face, collapsing my slider and loosing my chest strap a couple of inches and then unstow my toggles. I never let go of the toggles after that. If I’ve got to use my toggles in a hurry before getting around to that stuff, I can do all of the above with the toggles in my hands – albeit with some added inconvenience. The only time I can think that I’ve let go of my toggles after I’ve unstowed them is on demo type jumps where I need to confirm I’ve got a good canopy before unstowing a flag or something that takes two unencumbered hands. And then I’m very careful about letting go of the toggles such that they won’t get entangled with anything.

Mel with take care of you. Elsinore is a great DZ for a visiting low timer. Fear not they will take care of you. Go have fun!

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Mirage recommend 200-400 jumps but this seems over-excessive. Mine are approaching 400 and on close inspection there is no sign of wear whatsoever.

Anyone change them at 200??
Anyone go over 1000??

What wear point are you looking for? Most people totally miss the most important one. The white loop for the cutaway cables...

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Some people might be ready at 100 jumps to be a coach or at 6 hours of freefall to be an AFFI. But I think the majority of people are NOT.

And those are the people that should not pass the coaches or Instructors course.

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Vector v4 with triathalon 160 main ,175 reserve. Tri 160 standard colors ,DOM NOV 94

RESERVE- Glidepath Firelight 175,DOM APR 88.

Don't worry about if it is a good deal unless you first figure out if it is good gear for you.

I see you are a corrections officer. I presume you are a big guy? How much do you weigh?

I take a rig with an appropriate size main and reserve (I usually have several of the same size to choose from) and take the one that I guess has the right length MLW. I then put the rig on the student and tighten the straps. If the MLW needs to be adjusted I take the rig off the student and adjust it. I then put it back on the student to check the fit. I repeat if necessary.

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Quick question, I have over heard people at my dz and I just want to see if anyone has the true, positive, 100% correct answer.
How do you count jumps for your license? ie can you use jumps made for your A-license that meet the requirements and use them for both or once you are finished with getting your A you have to start over again?
I looked it up in the SIM (tried at least) and looked in other post but couldn't really find an answer that I was happy with.
~El Josh AKA Ruby

Honestly, your question is poorly phrased but I think you are asking something like this, "If I had a landing 5 meters from target on jump #20 that I used for my A license accuracy requirments can I use that same jump/landing for my B license requirments also?"

The anser is yes.

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A “D” license can substitute for a coach rating

I don't think that's quite true, but I might be wrong. D-license holder can jump with students, but they can't perform the things that require a coach rating (ie where an "instructional rating holder" is required). So a non-coach can't sign off coach jumps on the A-license proficiency card. Our DZ doesn't allow it at all... mainly for liability reasons.

Dave

You are correct, I meant simply in that they can jump with the student, but an instructor must still sign off on any of the requirements.

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No that's changed recently. From the SIM:

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6. Students training for group freefall

a. Student freefall training for group freefall jumps must be conducted by either:

1. Student freefall training for group freefall jumps must be conducted by either A USPA Coach under the supervision of a USPA Instructor or;

2. USPA D license holders provided there is a minimum ratio of one D license holder to one student with a maximum of a 4-way.

Yes and no. You either misunderstand the change or selectively choose parts of the SIM to make your point. You missed the part where it is specified that all student (defined as non-A license holders) training must be under the supervision of a USPA instructor. In other words D license holders can’t just go jump with students, they need to be approved by the "I" in charge of the student program. This is not automatic. Most DZ’s keep a tight reign on this for a good reason. A “D” license can substitute for a coach rating but the intent is still that they are training in the proper teaching techniques and understand the material they are trying to cover. Unfortunately most skydivers have no clue about the current Integrated Student Program.

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I don't have a problem with that and you can learn more faster from someone who makes it their profession to teach. But I really think the sport has gotten a "if you're not paying for it, you're not really learning something of value" attitude over the years and it's just not true.

I completely agree with you in terms of learning AFTER obtaining a license. I completely DISAGREE with you as far as students. Unfortunately, to many jumpers (always the ones without instructional ratings or old timers that were taught via the “Truman” school of skydiving) are clueless about the modern teaching curriculum and the training that is supposed to go into all of the AFF and coach jumps.

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

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What is the cheapest DZ for AFF? I found one in California, Lodi, that is $1000 for the whole thing with all videos. There is on in Tulsa, Ok that is about $1100 no videos though. I live in Texas and want to go soon. Thanks for any help.

A couple of points here. First getting through AFF is only part of the progression to make you a licensed skydiver. You need to be looking at the whole student program not just AFF. Second shopping for the cheapest skydiving instruction is not necessarily a good idea. Frequently you get what you pay for. That’s not to say that there is not inexpensive, high quality instruction available, it’s just that the two things don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Third, you have a major DZ near your home, I guarantee it is not the cheapest in the country but it is an excellent DZ with a very high quality and modern student program. Have you thought about visiting it and asking questions about the student program?

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If you want to fall into the trap of paying a coach feel free but at many DZs there is plenty of people that will jump with new jumpers for free including me.

If you are talking about jumping with someone that has their A license that is great, but there are restrictions on who can jump with students (unlicensed jumpers) much less teach them what is needed for the A license card.

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I've ridden the otter down...

That means your smart.

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Talon? Looks like a V3 to me. They're stuffing large "old-fart" ( ) accuracy canopies in there too.

Nope, not a V3.

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Unlike other AFF programs out there - the SDC AFP has 18 levels to clear before you are off student status

What SDC has done is simply "combined" AFF and the USPA outlined coaching program into “one” program. And 18 jumps does not get a license it is simply the number of jumps required to complete AFF and Coaching. More jumps are required (25 total) to get a license and truly be “off student status”. The program simply is SDC's twist on the current USPA Integrated Student Program. Many DZ across the country have done the similar things.

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All I said is that it is nobody's business to tell a jumper how much risk they should take. It obviously becomes your business if they are a danger to you.
It would be wrong thought to prohibit people to make risky choices. If we start doing that we might as well prohibit skydiving completely.

The reality is that skydiving IS regulated in many areas. Jumping a camera or wing suit for example requires a certain number of jumps. (and the word ‘should’ is interpreted as ‘will’ at most DZ’s for anyone that wants to parse the regs)

The best general saying I’ve ever heard on this topic is, “You’re free to do whatever you want, just not at my place of business.” If you want absolute freedom go do it on your own property, with your own plane and paid crew.

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With the majority of fatalities and injuries resulting from canopy incidents and that number not really going down much, you would think that the S&TAs would be enforcing wingloadings a lot more with these lower experience jumpers.

Exactly what wing loading standards would you like them to enforce? The last I recall the USPA has not regulated wing loading. I don't know any S&TA's that will let a 100 jump wonder fly a crossbraced 2.0 because it is clearly stupid. But should they be stopping someone with 100 jumps from jumping a 1.3 WL, which is just a marginally questionable decision? Most S&TA’s use their “power” on the big issues not the marginal ones, because if they run around a DZ stopping every marginally questionable decision then they lose credibility in general which detracts from their ability to handle the big issues. Until the USPA firmly dictates WL don’t expect any S&TA’s to be weighing in jumpers every morning before the first plane goes up. Clearly stupid is one thing to stop, marginally questionable is another.

And just to note, I'm an advocate of conservative WL and slow progression myself.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/02/25/flight.death.ap/index.html?iref=newssearch

This sounds about right.

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what is the max wingloading anyone would ever recomend flying as a student? also canopy brand or style?

An interesting question. May I ask why you are inquiring?