NWFlyer

It's Ottawa. You can go to that one restaurant ... or the other one. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Who's going? Whatcha doing? What's your team name(s)? Just 4-way Intermediate for me this year, team is 5th Wheel. 4th time doing 4-way at Nationals, but time with a full-season team with a meaningful amount of training. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Based on the collection of videos the user has uploaded, it's someone from the rival DZ on the same airport who is seeking video evidence of violations at Pacific Skydiving. So this type of video fits right in with what he's seeking. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK1E0JEmLlUT9298hiXI_rw/feed (I don't huck tandems, I've never skydived in Hawaii or even been to either of the dropzones there, so I've got no dog in this hunt, but the rivalry between the two DZs at Dillingham is hardly a secret). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

This immature, pointless, and attention grabbing comment only suggest that you are in fact the 5'9" ish, buzzed dark hair, 50lbs overweight, sexist, moron that couldn't find a job to save his life numb skull that has just purchased his tandem rating from who knows and is tossing drogues at a 182 drop zone in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. If not, then you're right, its a rumor at this stage because I can't provide proof. I didn't GoPro the event. Stay tuned, I'll post a picture of exactly who I'm talking about... I will probably be sticking a boot in my mouth and/or ending my career shortly but I will always stand firm when I say that there needs to be more education into people that need to leave the sport due to safety reasons.... I'll take Super Random Thread Drift for $800, Alex. Krip's been around these forums for quite a spell. He's nowhere near 5'9", ain't huckin' drogues in Colorado, and based on your description is not the droid you're looking for. Boobies is a long standing (albeit immature and sexist, I'll grant you that) poll option "requirement" in the Bonfire. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Apparently now Smokey Bear is a tool of our totalitarian overlords. Or something like that. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

It's a fuckin' blog post, not a law or regulation. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I think the point is more that you're likely to make some mistake that could kill / seriously injure you, but probably won't cause much damage after all. One that you thought you'd never be stupid/careless/whatever enough to make. You're right that the odds are high that it won't be an AAD save. But it'll be something. That's not a knock on you, that's just playing the odds that if you stick around long enough to get a lot more jumps, you'll screw up somehow, probably multiple times, because you're human. Assuming you survive, you'll hopefully get down, beat yourself up a little, examine the event or chain of events, and figure out how to make sure it doesn't happen again. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Perhaps it's time for anyone who thinks they'll never [insert mistake here] to spend some time reading this thread: Stupid Things I Have Done We're all human. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Skip Hollister, come to Davis (Skydance) instead. Byron if it's a weekend and they're open. And I second what Remi said - if it's July - October, chase the weather. Go Northeast-Southwest. No one wants to be in AZ in July and August, even those who live there - that's why half the DZ operational folks come up to Lost Prairie the first week of August! "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

I'd back off a hair (trying to indicate that I want to stop the planned skydive), and probably do something like point to my own handle then point at them to indicate they should check theirs. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

We are having fun, I swear (though sometimes around jump 8 or 9 I have to remind myself of that!). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

As a student, you're kind of in limbo for a bit as folks figure out that hey, you're not just a one-or-two jump wonder and you might actually stick around for a while. As mentioned by a previous poster, bringing refreshments and sharing them after hours (with an introduction) can be a good way to meet folks, no matter what "group" they fall into. You may have to make a little effort to introduce yourself, but a beer and a question can open some doors. Dropzone drama will always be there, but I'm a firm believer in DZs as anywhere else, drama attracts drama. So if you're the kind of person who feeds on gossip (either dishing out or receiving) or the kind of person who prefers to address issues by bitching behind someone's back vs. bringing the topic up directly in a civil fashion, well, you can find plenty of drama. People will always find something to bitch about; it's up to you whether you decide to indulge in it for very long. Teams may seem antisocial during the jump day. I know that for me when I'm team training, it's not that I mean to be antisocial. It's just that we train on a tight schedule to maximize our day and time with our coach, and training that fast doesn't leave much time on the ground for anything beyond dropping gear with the packer, debriefing/planning jumps, gulping down some water, maybe hitting the restroom or grabbing a snack before it's time to gear back up and do it all over again. On the plane, I'll chat a bit, but I also need to take a good chunk of time to close my eyes, focus, and visualize the jump and what I want to work on. So it doesn't give me much time for being social. But catch me on a fun jump day, or after hours, and I'm happy to be social, or to talk about 4-way, or what being on a team is all about, or what the hell a zircon is. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Very clever! Can you share the link to your winning video? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

http://www.netflix.com/WiMovie/80005542?trkid=2734329 "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Reason I'd fire a packer? Attitude. Human beings make mistakes. Throwing a wad of fabric and lines at the air at 120 MPH introduces some elements of chaos. If the same mistake gets made again after we've talked about it, then I'd likely fire the packer. If the packer throws me attitude after I point out* a mistake, then I'd likely fire the packer. A special sub-category would apply to team training - when we're doing team training, we make arrangements with packers ahead of time to take care of the team for that day, with the understanding that if (and only if) they have down time and all our rigs are ready to go, they can pick up other jobs. If the packer(s) have committed to prioritizing the team's pack jobs and then don't prioritize those pack jobs over others, we'd have a discussion about that, because our day's schedule is planned assuming timely access to packed rigs. Like other issues, repeat offenses would probably lead to firing. I take care of my packers - I bring my gear to them ready to pack, I pay in a timely fashion, and I tip well and consistently. I don't expect them to kiss my ass because of that, but I also don't expect attitude if I'm fair in the way I bring up issues. *Edited to add that how you point out a mistake matters. My approach is always to be proactive and positive, not throwing blame, just saying "Hey, this is how it should be done on this rig" or something like that. Or if I have a really funky opening, I might mention it and ask "Did you do anything different on that pack job?" And approaching it that way, I've never had any issues - we've had productive, friendly discussions. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

And this is how you get sucked back in ... "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Suck it up, cupcake, you may have to get up earlier than you like to make this work. And you've got one big advantage that a lot of job seekers looking to move to the U.S. don't have, which is that you don't have to worry about visas/sponsorship. (But yes, job seeking when you're not actually there is an extra challenge, even within the same country). "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Looks like the bastard stepchild of the G2 and the Phantom X. Seriously, though, I'm intrigued to take a look at one of these - looks like a nice new addition to the full face market, and I think it's great that a cutaway is being included in the base design. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Whoa. Look who grew up! Where's she headed to school? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Check out the NCSL - we have lots of events that are appropriate for newer jumpers and it's a good chance to meet others. https://www.facebook.com/NorthernCaliforniaSkydivingLeague And don't be afraid to ask more experienced folks to jump with you - yeah, there are a lot of folks who are working, or doing team training, but there are plenty just there to fun jump - you just need to ask and meet them. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Cons: You can't put it in some rigs. You can't jump it at some dropzones. Pros: cheap. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Post a wanted ad here. Post a wanted ad on the facebook groups. Ask around at your local DZ. Put up a sign at your local DZ. Check the listings multiple times a day. Be ready to jump on the right deal with cash. And you still may not find what you want; it's a relatively new canopy (first came out in 2009) and the used market (as you've noticed) is pretty limited. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

Byron is weekends only. Skydance is open 5 days a week (6 currently but not sure if that will change come fall). That may be your deciding factor. Weather then will probably be good but it's not a sure thing. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

180 lbs + 30(ish) lbs of gear puts you at about 210 exit weight, give or take. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3470220 The recommendations in this thread are well-regarded within the skydiving community and might be worth considering as you decide what to buy. As for rigs, a fair-priced used purchase that is well-maintained will hold its value fairly well, and buying/selling really isn't that big a deal if you do decide to downsize later. Also, some components (AAD, potentially the reserve) can transfer to a new rig. "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

a/c. It is. If you're the primary breadwinner in the family, or even if you and your wife are both bringing in an income, you'll want to think carefully about financial planning and appropriate insurance. Good idea in general, especially important if you're going to jump. No matter how you look at it by adding skydiving to the list of things you do, you're increasing the risk that you won't be around and could leave your family in a financial lurch. In the shorter term, can your family budget handle the costs of skydiving without sacrificing other things that you've prioritized as a family? Think hard about that. b/d. Well yeah. Most relationships benefit from more time together. However, there are lots of people both with and without kids who don't spend every weekend at the dropzone. Especially in your dreary climate. But again this is a matter of your priorities and your family's priorities and figuring out how and if skydiving fits into that. It may mean picking 1-2 weekends a month where you will skydive if the weather is good, and planning family activities on the other weekends. It might mean you only skydive one day out of any weekend, not two. If your attitude is just "I'm gonna skydive no matter what" then... well, yeah, things aren't looking really great because you're prioritizing your self-interest over everything else. I know lots and lots of people in skydiving who are raising (or have raised) kids, and who have non-skydiving partners. The ones who are willing to work at it, to compromise, and to decide how to balance competing priorities are the ones who've managed to make it work. (But then again, even without skydiving in the picture, isn't that just what we have to do for all successful relationships?) "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke