Rhonda66

What terrible news. I never had the pleasure of meeting Roger Nelson either, but I was shocked to hear this news. Despite never having met him in person, I am very familiar with his name and all that he has contributed to our skydiving community. Something like this happening makes me really realize that we are all very much vulnerable in this sport My condolences go out to all of his family and friends and everyone at Skydive Chicago. BSBD. Rhonda PP ASEL

I know, it's just hard to believe. You would just think that pro players would be reeaalllyyyy careful with such things. Is it normal protocol to use a corked bat to show off for the fans? Is there a such thing as a "demonstration bat"? Rhonda PP ASEL

He claimed to use a cork bat during warm-up to show up for the fans. i'm sorry, but what a crock - he used the corked bat "once" and it just happened to split and they found the cork - SUUURRRREEEE! Rhonda PP ASEL

I always jump with my husband and always have him check my gear prior to exit, but I'm biased because my JM on my Level 7 AFF jump 6 year ago dislodged his reserve pin in the plane on the way to altitude. That made for a very interesting Level 7 jump and was definitely not something I want to ever witness again. Check your gear - don't just assume it's fine - if it can happen to a JM, it can happen to you too! Rhonda PP ASEL

I think it's a good idea to try another plane, especially a Cessna. I remember being afraid of it because the door was small, but I jumped both an Otter and a Cessna during AFF and it was good experience. Rhonda PP ASEL

Oh man, was I ever scared during my first tandem and pretty much all the way through AFF. I was such a wuss pre-skydiving. I'll tell you that if you do stick it out, it will get better with time and it will give you a confidence in yourself that you never had before. Since skydiving, I became a private pilot and went back to school and got my BA. I feel like there is nothing I can't accomplish now and nothing that I will let fear keep me from trying at least once in my lifetime - I want to try everything and do everything I possibly can because life is just too short to let it pass right by. As far as the fear goes, it's all mind over matter. Tell yourself "I can do this". Look at all of the people who are doing it and think about how much fun they are having. If they really thought it would kill them, they wouldn't be doing it - they do it for the fun and the rush of it! Push all of the bad thoughts away and concentrate clearly on the task at hand. You couldn't be any worse off than I was and you sound like you handled your first few jumps much better than I did. I freaked out during my first tandem. I was afraid of the plane and when we got out I just closed my eyes and pretended the freefall was a carnival ride. Under canopy, I swore the canopy was going to collapse. I also swore I would never torture myself like that again. However, my husband came down from his tandem and thought it was the greatest thing ever - he signed up for AFF right away. I sat on the ground watching and worrying about him for nearly a year before it sunk in - I must have missed something on my first jump. I also realized the plane hadn't crashed and my husband wasn't dead after a year of jumping - no, he was actually enjoying this skydiving thing. So I signed up for AFF too. I bombed level I twice!!! Freaked out and essentially went headdown while dragging my JMs. One JM actually told me "skydiving isn't for everyone" and that's when I was like "I have to get over this fear and just make my brain work or forget about it". I still continued to struggle with AFF, but I got through it eventually. Now the fear is finally all gone and I can really enjoy skydiving. It's really like riding a bicycle - once you get it, you got it and the fear just melts away. Don't ever let fear overtake you because it doesn't do you any good to be afraid. It sounds to me like you CAN do this. Anything can happen - the plane *could* crash, you *could* have a malfunction - you *could* also get killed in a car accident at any moment, yet we all still drive. If you jump as safely as you can - make the extra effort to check your pins on exit, wear your helmet, jump with a Cypres, you can feel better knowing that you've taken every possible precaution to help minimize the risk of something bad happening to you. If I could do it, so can you. Rhonda PP ASEL

Yes, it sure is or at least can be if given the chance. My husband and I jump together all the time - we pretty much only jump with each other. Both of my sisters, a couple of cousins, and my husband's sister have all made at tandem jumps. Rhonda PP ASEL

My husband jumps a blue dolphin - I swear it's the same rig too. Looked an awful lot like a Dolphin to me too Rhonda PP ASEL

None in 200 jumps for me. 1 bag lock for my husband in 450 jumps. Rhonda PP ASEL

Here's a positive view of EBay from the seller side too - I sold my Falcon 175 on EBay to a guy in CA who bought it for his wife who already had another Falcon. We were both quite happy with the transaction - he got the canopy he wanted and I got what I wanted for it. Rhonda PP ASEL

My husband and I are both skydivers. We go to Eloy once a year for our vacation. Wouldn't have it any other way BUT, we were together before we started skydiving. Rhonda PP ASEL

or Skydivers Touting Really Exposed Ass and Knockers Rhonda PP ASEL

How about this? Skydivers Trumpeting Really Exposed Ass and Knockers Rhonda PP ASEL

Hiya - I'm just about to take my checkride and I started with the intro. (also sometimes known as the "disco" or discovery) flight for $49 last summer. Like some of the others said, most flight schools offer these reduced cost intro. flights that last about a half an hour. The problem is that you take the nice, cheap innocent little intro. flight, get hooked, and wind up spending a heck of a lot more than that to get your PPASEL. Here in MA, lessons in an old minimally-equipped C-152 cost me $108/hour, $68 for the plane and $40 for the CFI with most lessons racking up 1.3-1.6 on the Hobbs and they want you to fly at least twice a week. If she just wants to make an intro. flight, then it's a great deal . Flying is the best though - it's almost as fun as jumping and it sure has taken over my life in the past year. It would make a great gift. Rhonda PP ASEL

Hey all - Thanks for the responses. One of the threads over at studentpilot.com turned into a discussion on this subject between some of the skydivers over there and you've answered our questions - thanks! Rhonda PP ASEL

Anyone know who holds the spot for most jumps ever made at the moment? Rhonda PP ASEL

All of our rigs are with our rigger right now for some TLC - normally they're in the closet because they haven't gotten enough use lately - but they'll be in the friendly skies over Eloy in a couple of weeks Rhonda PP ASEL

There's a thread over at studentpilot.com about this too. I feel for the instructor. What a horrible way to end your life Rhonda PP ASEL

I'm grateful to my husband (then my boyfriend) for suggesting we do tandems with some other guys he worked with because I never would have even considered making a skydive before knowing him. My sister joined us too and we all made that first jump over 5 years ago now. My husband loved it right away and started AFF - It took me another year and another tandem before the bug bit me - I love jumping with my husband - Can't imagine doing it with anyone else Jumping gave me confidence in myself that I didn't have before - Last week I soloed in a 152 - I can do anything now - it's awesome and it's even more awesome having your best friend to share it with . Now if I could only talk him into flight lessons... Rhonda PP ASEL

I hope to get the PPL in the spring - just starting cross country's now. I wanted to fly out to Orange, MA to make a jump at Jumptown while I'm there for one of them, but it's only 48 miles - go figure! The 152 is a lot of fun. I thought about switching to the 172's and my CFI talked me out of it - he said it would be a waste of money at this point because I'd only need a couple of hours to get checked out in the 172 anyway... I started out just doing it for fun, but I really would like to go for commercial now...If I knew that I would love flying so much back when I was 18 or so, I think I would have taken out loans and gone straight for the airlines. For the most part it will be just for fun even if I do get my commercial, but I'd at least like to be able to fly jumpers someday... Rhonda PP ASEL

I thought you meant hooking up in the air, like RW!!! Guess I can't help you here - I'm happily married Rhonda PP ASEL

I soloed in the 152 a couple of weeks ago

My husband (then boyfriend) put it on his plastic and it took about a year to pay if off. Rhonda PP ASEL

I'm .82 on my Sabre 170 and my husband is 1.31 on a Sabre 107... Rhonda PP ASEL

28 here - started jumping when I was 23... Rhonda PP ASEL