axe96bam

MAtt has a valid point. SDC is one of the busiest DZs. they make thousands of jumps every Sat and Sunday. So if you take percentages, they are not large at all.

I like Free Falling even though it is pretty cheesy because everyone uses it.

this is very cool. It is true as well.

I have not been to any DZs in the south part, but around SF the one I liked the most was Byron

I have done one out of a King Air a couple of years ago at 3,800 ft. The left engine shut down during the climb to altitude. There were 8 of us, including a tandem pair. I let everyone and the tandem go in front of me. The tandem passenger was really scared, the JM was great - he kept his cool the whole time and the two of us were calming down the student in the plane in the short 30 sec before everyone bailed. I figured I can get out of the plane easier than a tandem could if the plane started getting funky. It was flying level though and landed OK.

guys, I think we should try not to scare Geo. Do we all agree that the Spectre will be a nice canopy for someone with a 100 jumps, provided it is not overloaded?

I hope the people who use the term "ground hungryness" are not considering a long snivel as part of it. That would be wrong. One can always pack the canopy for faster openings. A ground hungry canopy is a X-braced one.

You can safely use a Spectre at a 100 jump as long as you get the right size. Load it close to or a little over 1:1. That is a very nice canopy made by PD. You will enjoy it. it is reliable. You can land it either as a demo canopy (straight down) or like a Sabre with a surf. Your wing loading will really determine how well you get back from a short spot. And I have not found the Spectre ground hungry. Not any more than a Sabre. Just chose the right size! Have fun with it.

I jump at East Troy, Wi - Sky Knights

I have not seen anything like that at our DZ. It is a mid size DZ and we still keep everyone in the close circle. We party every Friday and Saturday night and all are invited no matter if you just took you FJC or have 5000 jumps

I thought of the VX, but they require that I put about 500 jumps on an FX or Velocity first. Would an VX be to much for me or not? I thought it is even higher performance than the FX or Velocity.

Ok, I just want some opinions from those who have jumped both canopies. I demoed 2 FXs a 99 and than an 88. I also borrowed another jumper's Velocity 90 and put a couple of jumps. I hear different thing from both sides. I am still thinking which one should I get. I am leaning towards the FX 88 at this time. I guess I did not really like the "velocity dance" during opening, but the trade off was lighter front riser pressure on the Velocity. Any suggestions?

yeah, I might have to visit the warmer states more often this winter. Jumping when it is only 20 on the ground is pretty cold!

I have seen the skydiving movies and don't really care that there are a bunch of little details missing, which only a skydiver could notice. What concerns me is that in all skydiving movies our sport is connected to something bad - drug smuggling, mafia, crime etc. I wish the skydiving movies would put our sport in a positive light and stop connecting us to crime.

Well, we have 9 months of winter and 3 months of summer here in the upper midwest, so I too have spent numerous days on the ground waiting for a hole in the clouds. I still refuse to consider myself a whuffo on those days.

Michele, I think that had you jumped with a suit that fits, you would have done great. A larger suit gives more surface area, so it takes a lesser movement of your body parts to change your heading. Plus, as you found out, it could be difficult to read your atli. Don't beat yourself up over this jump. Do it over and you will do just fine.

Agreed, 2 weeks is plenty of time as long as you have the cash. At a full time DZ you can do a jump a day and still graduate in 2 weeks.

I do mostly RW and now am in the process of working on my ratings. I also like swooping and have started working in that area as well. There is just so much out there to learn, it keeps the sport interesting all the time.

we use direct bag and we use break cord (25 lb) to keep the pin from extracting on the strut. We tie it through the grommet of the closing flap and the loop at the tail end of the pin (which is also attached to the S/L) This ensures that the drag from the relative wind will not open the container as the student is still on the strut.

Chris, your program sounds a lot like the new ISP. Well, I guess Roger did have a big part in developing the new ISP so that explains a lot. I just wonder how much is too much for students to pay in order to get off student status? I think there is a price where we will push lots of people away? What do others think of this?

I just wonder how easy is it going to be to sit in the plane on the way up to 14,000?

Is the Jet confirmed? I thought they said last year that they would never fly jumpers again. I hope the Jet comes back. I have never jumped it!

I hope that all the booze you drink will take the pain away.

Just a few more hours left till the weekend starts. I am counting the minutes already. Can't wait to get out of here and go jump.

You can get your D from USPA. It is good anywhere in the world.