adamUK

man, the higher the better. 5k+ if I can persuade the jump master & CCI to let me. I just dig the canopy ride...

man.. hilarious!!

I totally recommend doing a canopy control course. We did Chris Lynch's Wingtips course last week. There were jumpers with thousands of jumps as well as newbies like me. We all got something from the day and the added bonus that i am really getting much more enjoyment out of flying my canopy

My routine: Check rig Put on rig. Check legs, chest (aggressive tugs), cutaway, reserve, hackey. Get someone else to check everything Re check lid, alti, goggles & hook knife then get in plane. At 4000ft examine neighbours alti and check my own to make sure it reads the same - check handles, pads, visual on leg straps & chest strap. Check guts to ensure impending fart is not going to explode. At 9000ft, check handles, another check on others alti, visual. Another check to ensure fart has got to 50 psi. Start feeling worried about jump and possibility of poisoning fellow passengers At 10k put on lid, goggles, check legs, handles, pads, hackey and chest strap, by touching. Internal gases now causing excruciating discomfort. Eyes start watering. red light - it's too much so let rip. Fellow jumpers start retching and looking green. Hopefully not affecting timing between exits as people become desparate to leave. Green light - wait my turn and exit plane in a flailing mess grinning from ear to ear. I am just chest-strap paranoid I guess. And why do I never fart in freefall?

no idea here either mate...

ref your avatar...OMG!! are pictures of wayne allowed on the web? I thought that was too adult in nature even for the net...

Nope, the England away strip is red too...

Thanks to Jumpmunki for this. Slightly anglo-oriented but good nonetheless http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/footy.php

Same thing... It seemed ages between jumps and every weekend hanging out at the DZ even though it was unjumpable... then it all came together and whammo... I got 7 jumps in a weekend. It will work. S**t does happen in this sport - take a mate of mine, took 3 weeks holiday to CA, first day out there took time in the tunnel, got nerve damage and couldn't jump. After spending a gazillion USD on getting out there, accomoadation, tunnel camp, etc. Sometimes you just gotta grit your teeth. Good luck! Ad.

You haven't got any exit pictures of you doing the 'C' sign then? I am dissappointed.

So will he be doing AFF level 2? At this rate he will get onto his consolidations by about 2029. . Bummer if he has to repeat a level

Hmmph, you must have dial up internet cos your phone's busy.. Hey! - Sent you an email too. I am hanging round the UK for a few years until I get myself back in to a position financially when I can travel again. I accidentally and totally unintentionally took up skydiving so I might have to add an extra few months on to the 'got the wedge in the bank' bit. Reckon I will get down to Lilo in a coupla weeks though to see Dave C - flights are so cheap these days. Glad to have you back online.

Waaaa! That's not fair. When we first met we were both on student status and now you have you B licence and I am still on student. Pah.. British weather! Hmm.. wonder if I can sell the TV and video for some jump tickets. Still - I am glad you had an awesome time. I bet everyone was glad to see you again. take care Adam.

I had to repeat level 4 because I could turn left but not right... I think just about everyone has to repeat a level or 2. Just becasue there are 7 levels, it doesn't mean it has to be done in 7 jumps. The relax bit helped me a huge amount. I was quite stiff - your instructor will no doubt be making all the right noises so listen to them.. and good luck!!

Usually your time is divided into short slots so you don't get tired. It's a huge amount of fun and improved me no end. I used helmet, goggles, jumpsuit, kneepads and earplugs. What to expect? An unhealthy addiction to the crackhouse. Say goodbye to your wallet! Cheers Adam.

Me and Liz jump and work at the same office... it's soooo cool to get some enthusing in when the drugery of monday comes round again.

Similar experience: Recently went to the local bank and my personal banker (the bank gives you an inexperienced new hire to cross sell you stuff to make you feel as though the bank values your custom). Anyway, today's thing was life insurance. So I patiently listened to the spiel and then got to the questions bit when I told her (smiling) that I enjoy rock climbing, ice climbing, have a motorcycle licence, surfing, snowboarding and have just taken up sky diving. I think she relised that I just been intentiionally wasting her time. I do the same with those turkeys who ring me as soon as I get home from work: I let them patter on for a good 5-10 minutes thinking that they will get the sale - then tell them I am not interested and hang up - buggers they are! Hmm, looking at the list I seem to be a bit of an adrenaline junkie but I am actually a scaredy-cat.

then it steals your wallet and refuses to give it you back!

Seville? Which DZ is that and how did you find out about AFF courses there? I am intrigued! Good luck with the course... sheesh.. another addict going to get their first fix

Where are you doing your AFF? Empuria? I second the relax thing. I found it much easier once I had learnt to relax (tunnel time helped too!!) Ad.

Yes, I felt bad too when I failed 6 dummy ripcord pulls and 1 AFF level (4) but I know how you feel when you are learning something you just want to do so much and you just want to get in the air. Don't be too hard on yourself though. I only know one person who went straight through the course and that extra time on one level gives you more time with your instructor which is only a good thing (they just happen to let slip other information and training into their programme to help you pass the level which comes in handy in the course later). I recommend tunnel time. It really sorted me out. I spent half an hour in it over 2 days. With my first slot I was totally lame but by the time I was finished I was doing the breaststroke, controlling my height, clasping my hands together, flying with one hand behind my back and all sorts of other fun and games (Sally Hathaway: Thanks! - you rule!) So I would give the tunnel a shot. I bottled out of my first 3 second delay and nerves were always a problem for me: the tunnel was a safe environment where I could concentrate on what freefall actually feels like rather than having all the other stuff to think about. - Aside: if you spend too much time in the tunnel you become a tunnel junkie and you end up selling your own body parts for more time in there - the other is: don't lose altitude awareness on your jump after the tunnel. As for the cash, ask your instructor. At my local DZ you can do the course and pay it back over 12 months which has helped a lot of the students here. Maybe that can be an option for you? Stick with it bro, it's worth it. Yes, it's frustrating but the rewards are there. The irony of it is that as soon as you start jumping without an instructor it all seems so easy because you don't have to prove to anyone you can do it so you relax into it so much more. Best of luck!!

A guy at our DZ had a Tshirt made up with a big square on the back labelled 'place rig here' thought it was quite funny...

Is Don sponsored by a brewery or something? I can't think of any other way of getting that much beer in every 100 jumps.

Dunno about the places you mention but Spain is inexpensive and flights within europe are ridiculously cheap if you use a budget carrier.

Peterlee in the UK has one if that's any help? - http://members.aol.com/skydiveamy/ Cheers Adam.