Emma

Ron. Are you flirting with me? Sure, you are probably right. The point I am making is simply that there are skydivers with or without ratings who will jump with lower experienced people for free. For 'fun', if you like - radical concept as it is on an RW forum... You can learn stuff without always having to pay someone. In fact I know some World Class jumpers who still jump for fun and don't charge, nice people that they are. True enough. You can also learn a lot with people who will jump with you and not charge. I think 'friends' is the commonly used term. Not quite. The benefit of being coached by skydivers of this calibre is not in their ability to pass on all that vast and superior knowledge. It is their experience as coaches that counts. And being on top teams generally means they have done a lot of coaching. 90% of their knowledge (of 4way block technique, for example) is not needed. But 100% of their skill as a coach IS. To continue your analogy, I am a school teacher. 90% of my degree, or subject knowledge, is irrelevant in the classroom. But 100% of my teaching skill and experience is - whether I'm teaching kindergarten or 'A' Level. Selection of a coach should be based on whether you get on with them and how experienced and effective they are as coaches. It will be different for everyone, but from what I've seen, the more experienced a coach is at coaching in that particular discipline, the better the coach. Yes - whether they are actually on a top team is not as relevant as their coaching experience - but generally those who are on, or who have been on, a top team - have done a lot of coaching. This is why ASPD/ Majik/ XL come so highly recommended. And why they can justify their charges. If you only have 60 jumps and are looking for a good coach, word of mouth is probably better than looking for an FS coach's rating. And if word of mouth recommends paying that person's slot, probably makes sense to do it. You don't have to do a skills camp with a top team, or a tunnel camp, although if you do your learning will accelerate dramatically, even with only 60 jumps. But that doesn't mean you can't fun jump with non-charging friends. There are people who will take money for their slot without really benefitting the student much. This is what everyone wants to avoid - hence the discussion. Does that explain where I stand? And I have no idea of whether you are a good coach or not Ron. Please don't take things so personally. ps and Ron? Nice use of bold...

The implied difference, I think, is in the quality of the learning experience. In general an Airspeed or XL skills camp will provide better quality coaching than a 2-way with someone who happens to have more jumps than you. IN GENERAL. There are many decent skydivers who will jump with newbies and not expect to get their slot paid, because they know they aren't as good at coaching or skydiving as, say, someone off a World Class team. However for a qualified Skydive U / FS1/ WARP coach I don't see anything wrong with paying for their slot.

I can't believe BASE hasn't got more votes. For one thing they jump F1-11. Mincing gaylords. For another, Skreamer and Mac do it. Case closed.

Wins gay quote of the thread award.

NOw don't BEND the truth...

3. Loose; dissipated; lewd. [Colloq.] Yep, and this one closes the deal...

Remi - I love you! I mean...ah...yes, I am actually, 22, yes indeed!

gay \Gay\, a. [Compar. Gayer; superl. Gayest.] [F. gai, perhaps fr. OHG. g?hi swift, rapid, G. g["a]h, j["a]h, steep, hasty; or cf. OHG. w?hi beatiful, good. Cf. Jay.] 1. Excited with merriment; manifesting sportiveness or delight; inspiring delight; livery; merry. Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay. --Pope. Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed. --Gray. 2. Brilliant in colors; splendid; fine; richly dressed. Why is my neighbor's wife so gay? --Chaucer. A bevy of fair women, richly gay In gems and wanton dress! --Milton. 3. Loose; dissipated; lewd. [Colloq.] Syn: Merry; gleeful; blithe; airy; lively; sprightly, sportive; light-hearted; frolicsome; jolly; jovial; joyous; joyful; glad; showy; splendid; vivacious. Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc. In the playground it has its own connotations. Don't set the PC police on me....

Hahaaaa! Managed to simultaneously piss off all non-straight skydivers and anyone over 30! I LOVE it when a plan comes together....

Er...Remster..How old do you think I am???? LOL

That's funny..I could swear my 4way team had three blokes in it...and FUCK ME! I have a muff! Oh yeah...and Synapsi...and Airspeed...and the Norgies...aren't they all mixed? And this is just at World Class level, never mind Intermediate and Advanced classes... 2 blokes in a vertical freefall 69-er with another guy on video...now THAT's gay....

No...This is exactly the type of juvenile post I desire. And 'felching' is directed at which discipline, pray? The famous felching French 4way team?

I once saw freefliers do a genital dock. It was way dodgy.

Ok, the choice is yours - please back up your vote with evidence... [*Disclaimer - the word 'gay' here is in no way intended to be derogatory to people of same sex-sex persuasion. For the purpose of this poll we will use the term 'gay' in the playground sense, that is, not 'hard', not 'tough', not 'kick-ass' and not 'gnarly'. Hope that clears it up. Again, apologies to my gay sky-brethren.]

Nice one, thanks :)

Well deary you did make it sound so specific... Am ONLY doing the hot places! When they are hot. Cold is one thing I plan to leave behind. Along with a 9 to 5..heheh

A boogie tour sounds good...Is there such a thing as 'The' Boogie tour? What is it? How do I find out? But yes, I want to visit actual DZs Thought Fla, AZ, California...Hmmm. Where else? Might even look for a camper van when I get there (hopefully Jan 2004 sometime)... Vallerina - I would love to come and visit, thanks :)

Sort of links to MochaSkyChick's post re new DZs... I'm thinking of taking a 3 month tour of US Dzs, do some fun jumps, meet some people, drink a lot (probably). Anyone done anything similar and have any advice, or have a particularly cool DZ they want to plug?

Watch it Satan!

Oh no dude...Not Bobby... {{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}} to all who knew him and lived for his work... http://www.canada.com/entertainment/story.asp?id=EB3DA16E-BB9E-4392-9954-9AE5B316F42D

Who's Joe Mahma?

Whereas I, on the other hand, am always DEADLY serious {{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Let the shit-stirring commence! {{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Awww...you guys.....

Awww, sorry, I forgot where I was for a minute...Almost thought I was on a skydiving forum for a few seconds when I logged on this morning...Silly old me. {{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}