Emma

Skreamer - JMs don't get their slots paid for - at least not a my DZ. I had to be the JM for the first time a couple of weekends ago because I was the most experienced on that load. I have to say I was shitting myself, I'm so used to letting someone else take the responsibility. However, it was a good thing in the end, I really enjoyed it (after I found out everyone made it back to the DZ!). It did make me realise how lazy I'd been up till then, I mean, I have my IC1 and Cat 10 but I never really used half of what I supposedly knew because 'Someone else knows more than I do'. It's worth making sure you would know how to JM a lift just in case you get called on to do it - and if you're at a DZ where they don't use JMs, I still think it's worth being aware of JM responsibilities because at the end of the day, you need to be able to take responsibility for your own safety. Emma

Ugh. Nightmare. Not looking forward to my next mal. One good thing about the handles.....last time I cutaway I didn't lose the pad cos it got stuck in my hair. God knows how, but the Lord works in mysterious ways Thank heavens for velcro. Another little tip on the subject of reserve rides....Your reserve is probably smaller and faster than your main, and you might come in quite quick...If in doubt, PLF Anyways, glad you were alright...shits u up a bit doesn't it!? emma

I wish there were Jumpmasters on every lift, not just in the UK. It doesn't take longer to get lifts up because the JM is just responsible for checking that everyone has been checked. He doesn't carry out every check himself, instead, everyone checks each other and signs against their surname on the manifest list. In Spain they don't have JMs and it can cause problems. While I was there, a mate on a dive with me nearly went through a skysurfer's canopy because he deployed at 4,500 and didn't think to mention this to the 4-way that went out after him. A JM would have modified the exit order to prevent this happening. Similarly, while we were there at Xmas, there was an incident where the Otter stalled due to too many jumpers moving from one end of the aircraft to the other at once. No-one had told the pilot there was a big-way going, so when they got out he didn't compensate for it and the plane took a nose-dive. The last guy out missed getting smacked by the plane by centimeters. A JM could have probably prevented that sort of thing happening. I think the problem can sometimes be that everyone gets on the plane without checking what everyone else is doing, so the exit order can be a bit random, especially on boogies. No-one takes responsibility. But a JM can. However, I have heard the argument that more rules and regs like compulsory JMs will end up making the sport more and more controlled, and turning skydivers into mongs who aren't capable of taking responsibility for themselves(yes, like the age-old CYPRES debate). Personally I'm all for safety procedures; it's just a question of where you draw the line. Emma

Hey Joolee, Empuria has to be one of the best eh? When I went at Xmas it was my first time there....I just have this really vivid memory of jumping with my boyfriend for the first time in ages. England was freezing, and we got out of the plane in Spain into this gentle warm air, Pyrenees in the background, some hazy cloud around their peaks, bright blue sea behind....and my bloke in mid-air in front of me! It's quite surreal sometimes when you stop and think. We didn't even do anything on the skydive, just got out, looked around, had a quick snog and grinned our tits off for 10,000 feet! It still makes me smile. And since you're British you'll know how cool it is for Cat 8s being able to jump together in Spain? Seeing my 2 Cat 8 friends in freefall for the first time on a totally funnelled 3-way exit that ended up head-down (huh...was supposed to be a star. A flat one at that), my friend flying towards me laughing so hard she was crying.... Whuffos can keep their weekend DIY and tanning by the pool in Majorca once a year..If you don't skydive you really don't understand.... I also find it's difficult for people who've only done a tandem to really appreciate what it's all about. I did a tandem last weekend cos one of the instructors needed to renew his license, and I really felt like, 'Oh...was that it?' It was still a buzz and that, but nothing like the feeling of flying when you do it yourself - it's such a shame 95% of tandem passengers swear they'll be back to do AFF and then disappear, never to return again. They seem so enthusistic and then .....nothing. Oh well. More slots for us! Emma

U r all freaks. Speak English. Ok then, American English if you must E

In reply to: Johnny1488: SNIP>And this crap about getting slammed if you cant steer your reserve, any a-hole saying that doesnt need a rig cause they think they have a better chance of winning a 120 mph head on with a big ass planet! For people that need to be smart some of us sure are stupid.

Hey Freaksis, how's it goin? I was chatting to you last summer (as Daisy - decided it was a gay name and ditched it) - back then I believe we were on the same number of jumps or thereabouts? Wotcha up to now? My boyfriend works at a DZ in England, they get 6 free jumps a week and a basic pay, plus £4 for each pack job. I reckon you can make up to £500 a week in summer which is pretty good. I thinkit varies depending on the DZ you go to.... Anyway, glad to see you're thinking about making the sensible move to DZ employment...I keep fantasising about it myself...he heh Blues and all that... e

Have any of you gone on the training camps run by Arizona Airspeed? I know they do 4-way training but I'm thinking about going solo...not sure if this would be as valuable as going with a team... Anyone got any ideas/feedback/experience? What's the ideal experience level to go on a camp like this? Emma

Hello Joolee! I drove down to Empuria at Easter this year. It took us 12 hours from arrival at Calais so we were really caning it! I woke up at one point and looked over the driver's shoulder to see 120mph on the speedo......as we appraoched hair pin bends....Just like terminal velocity i spose... Anyway...at Xmas I actually took a plane with Ryanair. I believe these guys are the cheapest, we paid about £100 for a flight to Barcelona from Stanstead, but then you add on costs for parking at the airport (about £40 for the week per car) and a taxi between 4 to Empuria (ok, we should have got the train but we couldn't be arsed ) so it can add up if you aren't careful. I have heard runours of flights for £30 if you keep your eyes peeled though. Good luck, e

I once went on a 4-way warp jump with a guy from the Brit 100 team...went to turn the first point and I took out the whole formation by popping up and over the lot of them...Then sunk out on all of them and that was the end of that...God, I still cringe at the memory.... After that jump he was very kind but suggested I should 'Stick to doing some fun jumps for a while'...:( I prefer jumping with my friends really cos there's less pressure (ie - we are all crap!)...Although watching ANOTHER video of me and a mate hovering 5 feet away from each other and failing to dock is getting embarrassing too... Guess you too are at work and unable to get on with anything due to fantasising about skydiving? Monday (or Tuesday in this case) to Friday are just a limbo of mundane procedures to get us to the weekend... Hope the Langar boogie was good btw, I just couldn't be arsed to leave Hinton in the end, lazy bitch that i am emma

Hello Skreamer, Don't feel bad about the crappy 3-way.....In the whole scheme of how much money you're going to spend on skydiving over the course of your life, this will seem like a pittance - God, how scary!..... I have lost count of the number of jumps I've spent skating around solid 2 and 3-ways like a demented lunatic...Very frustrating..You can SEE where you want to be and just CAN'T ARSING WELL GET THERE!!!...However, it does sort of 'click' if you stick at it. I've just spent my weekend funnelling...oooh, at least 8 4way exits...In fact, they all funneled as I think of it...BUT! It wasn't so long ago that I couldn't even get a 2-way out the door without disaster striking! So i know we'll crack this eventually too... Incidentally, like the sound of your free CrW coaching, although the idea of CrW scares the shit out of me so I wouldn't be up for it myself ..(First time I heard the phrase CANOPY relative work I assumed it was a joke...honestly)... I jump at Hinton, and we often get guys with over 1000 jumps offering to give us some free RW coaching (Warp or flying camera for us) - and they pay their own slots...Even the DZOs....Although it has been pointed out by some (rather cynically I feel) that having breasts might be an advantage.... Anyways....the sun is shining here in London...must get some work done and then contrive a reason to be out of the office ('working from home' is a good one heh he) for the rest of this sunny week! e

This debate crops up over and over again.... Personally, I have a Cypres, I could afford one and I never wanted to be in a situation where I ended up thinking, 'Arse...wish I'd splashed out the £700....THWACK!' However, it's your own choice, I think we are all intelligent enough to be aware of that...Which doesn't mean it's not worth discussing... I think the comments about having a Cypres making you more reckless are a bit off the mark though, really...This is nothing like having an airbag in your car! (Maybe that stat relating to airbags and ABS just indicates the type of wealthy company car tossers who drive like it's a penis extension....whatever ) One thing to think about, which no-one has mentioned, is that even if you have to rely on a Cypres, you could still get badly hurt...and if you think the Cypres is the answer to all your prayers you are wrong. Imagine what your body might look like after your Cypres saves you because you're unconscious for some reason....so you take a downwinder into concrete on a small F111 reserve without being able to flare.....same goes if you can't fly your canopy for any kind of injury. Yes, it might prevent a 120mph impact, but to assume 'everything will be ok' because you have a Cypres, and to use this as a subconscious excuse to jump like an idiot...well...please don't tell me you really think skydivers DO that? God, I HOPE they don't anyway..... Emma

I've only ever jumped a Sabre (135) and I assumed everyone quartered the slider anyway....If you don't quarter it, what else do people do with it? Anyway, I also picked up another tip re the slider only last weekend, which has worked really well. When you quarter it, make sure you pull out more of the slider towards your body so it is not divided equally into quarters - ie, there is more slider material towards you than there is in front...Geddit? Helped me a lot, I am finally looking forward to saying farewell to 'Sabre back', that well-known ailment... E

Firstly - In reply to: 'Sometimes hanging out with whuffos is like being among the walking dead. There is just something missing.' That is the best description I have ever heard..... I think the whole whuffo/skydiver relationship thing (which has been done to death last year actually but it's still interesting so let's revive it!) is really really difficult. If my boyfriend wasn't a skydiver too I think we'd have some serious relationship problems by now....I knew him before either of us started jumping, and when he took it up again after a few years off I decided to try it out too, since I'd always wanted to... Now, I think this is the thing here...wanting to jump out of aeroplanes has to be a pretty fundamental indicator of the type of person you are...so maybe he and I get along because we are BOTH that type of person... Although God knows what 'type' of person it means you are...I have pondered this for some time and still don't know. 'Wanting to skydive' is such a unique thing, maybe we should consider it a character trait in its own right? Hmmm..... I do know that Whuffos' eyes cloud over when I mention the fantastic big-way/ tracking dive/ exit I did at the weekend...and it obsesses me so much I would feel really misunderstood by my partner if they didn't jump. You can't share those things unless you both do it, and since skydiving is just so bloody fantastic...well, I think you're better off with someone who understands! Plus....as I have said before on previous posts, skydiving men are just so much sexier than whuffos...in fact, it's one of the additional benefits of the sport ....hehheh.... See y'all e

PS - thanks for the offer to share ya bunk bed Skreamer....(ahem)...If anything would sway me, it would be that Em

arse...don't know if I can make the Langar boogie now after all....However, i've got 5 tickets, anyone interested in buying them at a knock down rate? Will have to check it with my friend first, but make your offers in the meantime e

I still like to backloop out the door from time to time, especially with a friend, or just run out of the plane and jump into a ball and hold it for as long as possible... I did a big-way at the weekend and we launched an absolutely perfect 6-way star as the base...It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen....and the most surprising.... CLlimbing out on the camera step is also pretty cool, especially if there's a big linked exit in the door that you can float down in front of...Not quite Patrick de Gayardon but maybe some day.... E

Skreamer - I know you'll know the answer to this one - My friends and I are thinking of heading to Langer this weekend for the boogie: Do you know if it costs to register for it? Also, anyone know what planes they've got? And finally.....are there any bunk houses? Anything else anyone wants to tell us about it would be much appreciated...I've managed to buy 5 jump tickets for Langar at the much reduced rate of £10 each ...he he....so would be a shame to waste them.... See ya there, E

....or, if you feel like having some fun after all that work, you could try a Rodeo.... Skydiver 1 gets in the door (depending on your door, it may be easiest to sit in the door or crouch a bit), while skydiver 2 clings on his/her back (be careful of things like Cypreses and handles) - I find it's easiest to put your hands under the harness on either side, just below the shoulders. Then, Skydiver 2 clings on VERY tight with the knees around Skydiver 1's hips.... As long as the person on the back keeps really small and tight for the exit, and the front person gets themselves big and flat and wide, and presents to the relative wind, after a few seconds it should start to level out. Then, the person on the back can sit right up and give a few crracks with the imaginary whip...he he... Looks wickeeeed on a video and is excellent fun...Just make sure you separate by at least 5,000 feet and keep aware of altitude because you will be motoring like an extremely fat tandem! Have fun! Emma

Hello Ben. I'm going out on Wednesday with three friends - we all jump at Hinton, and are hoping to get some Cat 10s out of the experience (as well as some general crrrrazy skydive fun, and serious boozin!) We're driving down (oh God, I shudder at the thought) so hopefully might end up seeing you eventually! Where do you jump? Em