Jeth

Thanks guys!

Congrats!!

That is awesome. I am a recent AFP graduate and I really wanted to take Scott Miller's course. Unfortunately, he cancelled his visit to my dz, so thats not going to happen this year. But I really hope to take a canopy control course ASAP. I could definitely use some coaching on my landing pattern and getting stand-up landings. (Not to mention I'm sure it would give me more confidence in my canopy and my ability to fly it.) "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Owie! Big > coming your way from Chicago!

> My dogs are my kids, I know how you feel! I hope you get him back soon!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

You don't have to jump. We'll entertain you. Just watch the videos of Jeth and I at the scrambles until your sides hurt from laughing Excuse me -- I don't know about you, but all my videos demonstrate pure perfection in the air. Nothing to laugh about there. "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

ROFLMAO!!!! Dude, that is hilarious!!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Theres a team at SDC called "Nitehooker and the pimps" "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Oh, nice! Way to hijack my thread AJ!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Congrats! Its so great to have your own!

Aw, bummer! I had to do family time for the 4th. But I'll be there this weekend for the rookie scrambles!!

Oh, man, these pre-seconds are getting out of hand! But I WILL be paying my debts this weekend! I think I need a bigger cooler.... "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Woo-hoo!! Its official!! I got my A number today!

Yes! That is one reason I love this sport, too! When I am jumping, there is nothing going thru my mind -- I love it!! I am also one of those people who's always thinking. But when I'm in the sky thats the one time that my mind is clear and free of clutter!

Ok, maybe thats it. He knows he's competent, so he thinks the only way the landing will go bad is if he makes it so. So like he thinks there is nothing in the situation out of his control? Yup, I am worried about something bad happening. But I think I am also insecure about my feelings. Like, what do I know! Maybe he is a really good canopy pilot and he won't have any problems and he'll turn out to be a world-class swooper. I guess its like this -- I hope I am wrong, but I really don't want to find out that I'm right. He made a comment that our instructor probably wouldn't be too happy to see him under the 170. Now its a 150!! Should I say something to her? I'm afraid she'll tell me its none of my business and I'm just a rookie too so I don't know anything, and he's totally fine under that canopy. Geez... I don't even know him that well, why do I care so much! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

This thread got me thinking about a guy I have been worrying about. He's such a nice guy, and I don't want to see him get hurt. He's been off student status for about a month (he graduated a week or so after me). When he was a student, he was on a Sabre2 210. After he graduated, he went to a Sabre2 170. On that canopy, he was telling me about some hard landings he had. It doesn't sound like he PLF's. He said he almost broke his shins trying to stand it up. Then this weekend I find out he's now on a Stiletto 150!! This guy told me he weighs 195 lbs, and he has about 40-some jumps. Several people were there trying to tell him that thats a HP canopy and he's loading it pretty high. He was talking about how he's had great landings on the 170. I told him to try and land it downwind or off-dz before he thinks he's got it mastered. He just joked about how he's not going to land off. The thing is, I don't think its entirely that he's trying to be a bad-ass. But why else would you go from a Sabre2 210 to a Stiletto 150 in a month!? I keep joking with him that I'm gonna kick his ass if he ends up with a broken leg. But he could end up worse than that. Especially if he starts trying to swoop that thing!! He jokes all the time about how he's gonna wait for 10 more jumps before he takes up swooping (or something along those lines). Does he not realize how fast a landing can go bad? Or how that canopy is going to respond a lot faster to inputs than he's used to? Does he really know and just doesn't care? Or does he really think he's invincible? Geez.... I really hope he doesn't break himself. I don't know why this is bugging me so much. I guess its because he is the first person who I've known to do this. Most of my fellow recent grads are pretty conservative. I guess he did pretty well in AFP so he got a bit cocky. But he is a really nice, funny guy and it will really suck if he does himself in. "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Its $30 a jump from manifest (includes packing). The gear shop rents rigs for $75 a day, but they don't have very many in rookie sizes. Also, that doesn't include packing. "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Yep, I think every student starts out flaring way too high (I know I did). Oh wait, I take that back -- there are a few perfect people who do it right and stand up their first landing. Well for the rest of us -- PLF's will save your ankles and tailbones.

Sweet! Sounds good to me!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Yep, that was me. Sorry I didn't say hi, I was rushing to get my rig ready for my next jump. Come introduce yourself next time you see me!!

Nice try! Didn't I buy U a jump for your birthday? I think U need to buy me a jump in honor of my graduation! But more importantly, whoever pays, when the hell are we gonna do a jump together?!?! You were supposed to be my 1st post-AFP jump and here it is a month later and I still haven't jumped with ya! Lets do it already!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Ya, that was pretty awesome for AJ to bring that stocked cooler this weekend.

So I had an awesome weekend of jumps. Most of my landings were okay, but I did 2 that weren't so good. First one was WAY off-dz in a corn field. I had to go cross-wind to avoid some trees. As I touched down I made sure my feet and knees were together and I rolled it out. Except a tiny scratch on my hand from the corn husks, I got up totally fine. Thats good cuz I had a long walk back. Later in the day I mis-judged the wind and turned too soon on final, so I overshot the landing field and was on a direct course with the taxiway. I thought to myself "this is gonna hurt". I did a full flare and PLFd. I slid a little on my back, but my rig and my body suffered no damage. I was fine! I almost couldn't believe that I'd just landed on concrete and didn't even feel a bump. The reason I am telling this story is because I know I would've had some serious scrapes if not broken bones had I not landed the way I did. On my jump #10 I landed somewhat downwind and I didn't complete my flare. I knew I didn't want to butt-slide cuz I was going so fast, but I didn't really know how to PLF. My legs were not together when I came down and as a result I tore my MCL and was out for 4 months. And that was on grass. After I got better I practiced PLF's a million times, but I was always worried about actually doing it under canopy. But I am happy to report -- IT DOES WORK.

It was an awesome time and I learned so much. I hope you can make it in September!

Thanks for those tips! Yep, I have already benefitted immensely from other people's experience, wisdom and mistakes. I don't mind paying beer for that, and hopefully in the process learning even more.