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So skymama when you visiting us down under ??

I am really inexperienced but this is my view on it. Pretty much my DZ only runs on weekends so when I return after 3 mths off I plan on jumping 3-4 times on the weekend doing solos. I want to jump at a DZ i know and with instructors that know my limits. I will not do B-Rels even though I really want to get them over with and will not jump with others or try anything fancy. After I am confident I am safe again in the sky I will do a conversion to a non student canopy and again no special moves on the canopy and basic landing. After this I wish to bring this canopy to another DZ and jump for the week. Again I wish to progress slowly jumping solo for the first few jumps then starting to do my B-Rels. Unfortunately after my week of skydiving I probably wont get my B license like I hope, but I think I have increased my chances to jump the big blue in the future. For me if I do anything new (alti, suit etc..) I like to have a few jumps doing nothing special to convert to it. Some of my friends have rightly so encouraged me not to go to other DZs or boogies until I get my b license which I agree with. However since I jump at a small DZ I may have to go to another DZ to get the jump numbers up, in this case I will try to convince an instructor to come with me to minimise the number of new things. So depending how your friend approaches this will depend if it will be a problem. If she takes it one step at a time, I do not see it being any different to any other

I think the jumping in bad conditions is rightly the main topic in this thread. On my 25th jump I decided not to jump because the 25 knot wind socks were gusting and horizontal at times. I made the decision as I was getting into the plane to not jump that round, even if it meant there were not enough people to make a load. Some people commented with "you have to learn to jump in all conditions" but the winds were coming from the direction of the forest so I was not comfortable. Of course there were a number of people who gave me alot of respect for my decision (love my DZ). Later that day there were some interesting landings from others, but fortunately none were hurt. The smartest thing I believe I have done is learn as much as I can while im on the ground, so it is natural in the air. I watch everything I can get my hands on, read as much as i can, and ask heaps of questions. And of course before I put this into practice I pass it by my DZSO.

You would wonder if you had enough energy to pull the chute after a climb like that.

hi, welcome to the forum and hope you enjoy your stay. Hope to jump with you in the near future since i will be jumping at picton in the next few months. Blue sky.

Yeh just watch it when you put an alti, coins, keys and headphones in the same pocket of your carry on luggage. I got the weirdest look from the security guards when they saw my alti in the xray. Took them a few minutes looking at it, asked me to remove what was in the pocket etc.. Was more amusing than anything. Made all the more amusing since I obviously count jump because I had one leg in a cast.

The below thread looks like a good overview. How stuff works is also good. I sent you a PM just let me know if there are any other questions. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=573965;search_string=lock;#573965

Chica, I think its a valid point that 16 may be a valid age for some people, but definately not for all. Your dad being a skydiver, and your life around the DZ I think would have alot to do with the frame of mind you have about skydiving. However I know alot of people (over and under 18) who definately do not have the frame of mind (not skydivers and hence why I do not encourage them to come to the DZ). I believe this applies to all sports and things we do in life. They have to have the respect for their own skill, others, and the natural elements, in order to give and recieve from the sport. I mean have a look at driving. There are alot of people who wont do stupid things behind the wheel when they get their license at 16/18 but then again there are alot that will. Now we may get laws to prevent hp cars to be placed in the hands of provisional license holders. If you look at the son/daughter of a racing car driver, I would bet they have had the training and have learnt the respect for the road and car not to be a git behind the wheel of a hp car. And because of others these people have to wait 3 years before they can get a hp car. So if you start skydiving young, you are so lucky. I personally would suggest to think of yourselves as rolemodels for your age group. I would suggest to ensure you uphold a good reputation so you do not ruin it for others. As I have said before I have met DZ kids, and DZ kids who now skydive and you can definately tell they have lived the DZ atmosphere.

In regards to Traversing and Bouldering, I always used the term bouldering and so did many others. That is what you get for climbing a cliff in the middle of the city, many people who don't know what they are talking about, lol. We used to call it freeclimbing when someone would climb the 17m routes without a rope. Also climbing gyms are great, but you get out of them what you put in. If you only power your way through them you will suck on a technical climb and visa versa.

Thanks for that, I totally forgot about Gore-tex. That is what my sky pants and jacket are made out of. It does rock. Has anyone got a windstopper soft shell jacket and can comment on how well it is water resistant? I am thinking of getting one of these for skydiving in winter next year, does anyone use one of these. http://www.gore-tex.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&productId=208051&activityId=10011&genderId=10024&typeId=10020&pagenum=5&categoryId=10024&seed=1103544102640 http://www.gore-tex.com/

I would suggest starting at an indoor climbing gym. This will give you basic skills needed on the rock as well as the strength and flexibility (and calices). There are great courses on rigging and so forth and they are well worth it if you are serious. There are some introductions to rock climbing entities around; they are worth it if you cannot find others. If you are a uni student, I would first look to see if there is a climbing club, they are more likely to teach you things and it’s a better atmosphere. A climbing gym will let you meet climbers of different levels that may also do outdoor climbs. I would find experienced climbers that are willing to show you the ropes as well as someone about your level that is willing to advance with you. Like in skydiving it is important to find people that play it safe and that you can trust. Also check that they actually have experience and have not just been climbing for X amount of time. Ask a few others what they think of the person. Also outdoor shops that sell climbing gear may also know of people looking for climbing partners or a good place to start. Learn your gear and learn how to do the knots. This way you can see if your buddy is doing a good job or not. To start with I would buy a comfortable harness and climbing shoes and a chalk bag. Hopefully you can start with a top rope outdoor climb and use someone else rig, make sure if it is mates rates, you ensure the gear is safe yourself and that you buy the guy beers for his trouble afterwards. You will be looking for the same things you are looking for in their gear as you do in skydiving gear, cracks in metal equipment and frays in the ropes and harnesses. If you are going to climb out in a national park or similar think about the safety equipment and training you may need. Get a first aid certificate, bring a first aid kit, space blankets, torches, mobile phone if it works out there, tents and the list goes on and keep this in the car at the very least. I personally would not rely on someone else to bring this stuff. Like any sport that you are exposed to the elements for extended periods, make sure you have enough fluids and food and use sun cream etc.. Nothing worst than flaking just near the top. Also if you have a cliff nearby, never be scared to boulder (climb sideways) as this teaches you great skills. It is my understanding that boulder’in gives you more of a workout than standard climbing. But make sure you always look up, not only for other climbers, but also for things that may dislodge. When I was climbing in Brisbane we had a cliff in the middle of the city (about 15meters I think) there was also the possibility of whuffo’s being above dropping rocks down. Mind you boulder’in can be done even on a building that has interesting brickwork or even a rock wall. If it is too easy for you then try having less of your finger and foot touching the rock, and try missing holds. I would suggest asking around for good places to climb and a good climb to start with. You do not want to rely just on the people you are climbing with to recommend climbs. This way you do not try too hard too fast and actually work your way into harder climbs. Normally outdoor shops and climbing gyms will have guide books for your local climbs that have grades so you can tell how hard a climb is. Most of all have fun, when you stop having fun find another sport. I had a string of bad climbing partners (or the good ones moved away) and this affected my ability to trust the person below and hence I stopped having fun. My solution was to start boulder’in as much as possible and I loved this. I have since moved states and stopped climbing about three years ago. Also I would just like to add that I climbed a lot for 2-3 years about 2-6 nights a week for a number of hours (we had lights on the cliff) a night. I only climbed this one place and climbed indoor so I would not consider myself very good source of knowledge for (say) climbs out in national parks etc. Pretty much I was similar to a B license in skydiving, could do some things well but overall I was still very much a novice. So use the information above appropriately.

Depending on what activities you wish to do. I normally wear a ski jacket (only the outer layer of a two piece jacket) and ski pants when I am riding my motorbike in the rain. I make a little bit of noise when walking but it seems to work. Alternatively you could wear something similar to the drizabone, mind you it is questionable weither or not you look like a git in this and they are expensive. http://www.australianoutback.com.au/drizabone_coats.html www.drizabone.com.au

I consider myself a student at 27 jumps (I know people with over 200 jumps who consider themselves a student). To get my A license I was required to do Riser turns at height (above 1000'). I have only done about 3-4 jumps where I have played with risers but I wish I did it a lot sooner. I think canopy skills are the most important thing for me to learn early. When under canopy only my experience (or lack there of) in flying the canopy is keeping me from eating dirt and colliding with objects. At least with freefall I do not jump with others until I am deemed safe (ie passed my B-Rels), and hence avoid dangers (to myself and others) of collisions in freefall. I was probably told this before in my AFF but when doing the riser exercises it re-enforced things such as using the rear to get back from long spots and avoiding some objects. I want to get comfortable using my risers so that if I have a near miss in the sky I can use my risers with confidence. It is my understanding that toggles may take too long in this case. I shall be asking my instructor about front risers in high winds to get more information about this as I jump a 270' and you do not always get a lot of forward speed. When you are a student you are more likely to use a canopy, which is affected by turbulence and high winds. Also the APF recommends that when you get a new canopy you should try riser turns at height, if you do not do this on student canopies then how can you compare. Would it not be more sensible to have people practice these things on relatively safe student canopies before they get their hands on a more HP canopy? I do not advocate that all students at (say) jump 10 should play with risers like crazy. I think it is more important for them to focus on target assisting themselves. But I found great value from the riser exercises and especially the discussions and thoughts that these exercises provoked.

Thanks for the story, video and picture.

Sorry I swear I do not mean to place a serious response in this thread. The Australian Parachute Federation released a number of posters for dropzones to use. If you go to their site under "services" then "publications". Some of them are plain funny and you can tell some are intended for whuffo's. I have included a direct link to my favorite below. APF site http://www.apf.asn.au/ Parachute landing area http://esvc001114.wic013u.server-web.com/apf_admin/downloads/posters/look_out_landing.pdf

Welcome to the addiction.

Welcome to the forum and hope you enjoy gettings your knees in the breeze. You can always hang out at the dropzone and maybe they will teach you to pack. You pickup great info at the dropzone, but like picking up information here make sure you ask your instructor before you put this information into practice. Tell or not to tell parents http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=758337 The Skydivers Handbook http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1568600623/qid=1103495661/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl14/104-3917803-7627127?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Jump! http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0071410686/ref=pd_sim_b_2/104-3917803-7627127?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance The Parachute and its pilot http://www.dropzone.com/gear/Detailed/482.html

There are a few things you can do around the DZ that you will not feel out of place. You can always manifest. In Australia we have packer ratings and when there are large courses on packers definately are very much needed. Packer B lets you pack mains and Packer A lets you pack reserves. A skydiver without these ratings can pack for themselves and a licensed skydiver (so no student rigs). But what I have read America does not really have packer ratings they have either rigger or normal skydiver. Rigger appears to be alot more detailed, as they can "carry out repairs and modifications". And manufacture parachute parts. In the Australian OP Regs I could not find anything that restricts "packer" or "rigger" ratings to only licensed skydivers. Mind you I could have read it wrong, I hate trying to read those sorts of things. Please let me know how you go, I would love to get my packer ratings and eventually rigger ratings. Mind you I have to get alot more proficient before I even pack for another skydiver.

Please only use this information as a guide and if you are serious approach the army recruitment people. My understanding of the Australian Army and its riggers is that they are hired as riggers from the general public. So you do not need to become a digger then work your way into the parachute section. If you were to go in as a digger you may not end up in the parachute section as it is fairly popular, depending on their openings for your rank etc... You do not need to have any previous knowledge about rigging or any skydives under your belt. It is my understanding that not all riggers get resonable amounts of freefall time, as this is not their job. Mind you if you are posted to Nowra you can always jump on the weekends with us civilians http://www.defencejobs.gov.au/default.asp?p=48&j=322 Mind you if anyone knows any different please PM me. Hell if I could get freefall time and get paid for it I would think about giving up my day job. If people PM me things that are drastically different I think we should start a new thread.

I am like nate and pretty much pack when I can. As there are not an infinite amount of loads at my dropzone I do not really want to miss my third jump because it might be the last for 2 weeks, so sometimes I grab another student rig. I also think that I am not a uni student any more and if I have to pay $5 so I can make one more load, then so be it Also I jump student rigs at the moment and my understanding of the rules are that I can not pack a rig that a student may jump. So I pack if I know that a licensed jumper is going to use it next, but otherwise the last jump of the day I need to pay $5. This will probably be different when I convert to the non-student hire rigs. Mind you when a student rig comes in I try to help out as much as possible and flake out the canopy and set the lines and so forth till a point that someone else can follow on and still be confident that everything is in working order. I would like to get my packer qualifications, but I think I will pack a few more for myself before I start packing for others. What are the rules for USA dropzones in regards to packing. In Australia you have to "have the approval of the chief instructor to pack a main parachute for his or her own use or a licensed parachutist." in order to get your A license.

Or someone could send the CD to pilotdave. Since I do not have cable I missed this as well. Damn it sounds interesting as well.

I always had the asumption that scuba diving was more dangerous. Mind you we are the only sport that place incidents in their national magazines (at least that I know of). Mind you I have seen a number of adults that do not have the maturity to skydive let alone people under 18. But I do listen to the airforce cadets seeing other skydivers swoop and so forth saying that they will try that next. I know sometimes they are only talking big but you place peer presure or something similar in there and it could get messy. I would not have trusted myself skydiving at 16 (and I had a firm view on life) and I definately would never have trusted any of my school mates at 16 skydiving. Having said that I see some dz kids who you could tell would be great, they have seen the ups and downs of the sport and can put actions and reactions into perspective.

I just got my A license in Australia and we have Photographs. So this is not the case in USA? I think its good but im only new so bleh! One of my friends gave up loggin when he was at about 750 jumps. Now recently taken up the sport after a few years off, I think he regrets it because he would be well over 1000 jumps and is starting to go for instructor ratings.

Damn at 16 I could barely afford snacks after school, let alone skydiving. In Australia tandem is 14 and AFF is 16 if I am not mistaken. Under 18 you need parents approval.

I read about your jump in the Australian Sydiving Magazine. Congrats, what a first jump.