Speed2000

Henry, I have no experience with jumping in China, but just got back to the US after living in SE Asia for three years. Thai Sky Adventures is a "regular" DZ not too far (in global terms) from Shenzhen. It is about an hour south of Bangkok and the DZ can arrange fairly cheap transportation to/from airport, as well as reasonable lodging. They fly a Pilatus Porter, which is a good aircraft, and turn it pretty well. 4-5 jumps a day, once you have your license, is not unreasonable. They are ATC restricted for some of their jumps (I think it was to 9000ft IIRC but don't quote me), but the rest are to 13,000ft. Landing area is spacious and flat. The Philippines is a different story. Great for scuba, not so good for jumping (though the people are wonderful). The two small clubs in the country fly C-172s to 6000ft. They are quite expensive and you'd be quite lucky to get more than two jumps in a day (I never did). Most of the other DZs in the other countries in SE Asia (Indonesia and Malaysia) are reputedly similar. Don't rule out Australia for a winter trip either. Ngambie is great and I have heard very positive things about Tooloowah as well (the rest may also be fantastic but I don't know). Please let us know if you find a DZ in China.

Awesome! Only 20min from my house. Thank you very much!

Thanks for the updates! Where in Ashburn is the site? You can have a lot of fun skydiving without ever making a hook turn, swooping, or flying a tiny highly loaded canopy. - 377 No, no; without good grammar, skydiving is meaningless - Andy908

Personally I think AN-2s are fun - once in a while. Language is Russian, BTW. You can have a lot of fun skydiving without ever making a hook turn, swooping, or flying a tiny highly loaded canopy. - 377 No, no; without good grammar, skydiving is meaningless - Andy908

From Chantilly, Chambersburg should only be about 1.5 hours. It was under two for me from Manassas. You can have a lot of fun skydiving without ever making a hook turn, swooping, or flying a tiny highly loaded canopy. - 377 No, no; without good grammar, skydiving is meaningless - Andy908

She was on top, too. Very nice!

AC105-2C would disagree with your interpretation: E. The key to determine if an authorization is or is not necessary is the word "into." The following examples may clarify the intent of FAR Section 105.15 and help to determine when an authorization is necessary. 1. A jump will be at a town just east of a large lake. The jumper wishes to exit the aircraft over the lake and drift eastward to land in an open area. Authorization is not required. 2. At the same town, the jumper wishes to change the landing site to a school playground in the eastern part of town. The playground is several acres in size, completely fenced in, but surrounded by residential dwellings. Even though the landing target can be placed 500 to 600 feet from the fence, the jump is into a congested area. Authorization is required. 3. An exhibition jump is planned for a county fair. The fairgrounds are on the north edge of a town with clear, open land on three sides. The jumpers plan to exit their aircraft on one side of the fairground and land on the opposite side. This is a drift-over jump. Authorization is not required. 4. At the same fairgrounds, the target will be placed in the middle of a racetrack, enclosed by a wire mesh fence, and located near the center of the fairgrounds. The target is more than 500 feet from the fence. This would be a jump into an open air assembly of persons. Authorization is required. 5. Jumps made into large areas, even though near or within a populated area or near an open air assembly of persons, do not require written FAA authorization. This provision applies to open areas large enough to enable the parachutists to exit the aircraft over the area and remain within the area during descent and landing. Since at no time would a jumper be over a congested area, jumps of this nature would not impose a public hazard. However, parachutists should ensure that the landing area is completely clear of assembled persons other than the ground crew and other show performers. Oddly enough, the framers of the federal regs seem to have taken a common sense approach...

Gotta love Class E airspace.

Hmmm, from my reading of regs, the above listed information is only required if the parachute operations are to be conducted into Control Zones (105.19) or Positive control Areas/terminal Control Areas (105.21). The paragraph you omitted is: FAR Section 105.25 prescribes that applicants for an authorization under FAR Section 105.19 or FAR Section 105.21 and those submitting a notice under FAR Section 105.23 are to include the following information in that application or notice. For a friend's farm with a grass strip (presuming it doesn't have a tower ), it appears 105.23 would govern, to wit: No person may conduct a parachute operation, and no pilot in command of an aircraft may allow a parachute operation to be conducted from that aircraft, over or onto any airport unless- ... (b) For airports without an operating control tower, prior approval has been obtained from the management of the airport to conduct parachute operations over or on that airport. Edited to add: AC105-2C expands on this with: 20. Jumps in or into other airspace FAR Section 105.23 prescribes the advance notification requirements for parachute jumps in controlled and uncontrolled airspace other than those previously covered in paragraphs 15 through 19. The ATC facility or FSS nearest to the proposed jump site should be notified at least 1 hour before the jump is to be made, but not more than 24 hours before the jump is to be completed.

What he said.

Who was the author of said reports? He/she had a wicked, if black, sense of humor.

LeMorte, First off, congratulations on deciding to learn to skydive! I've known quite a few long and short distance haulers over the years who also skydive, seemed to me that they really enjoyed the freedom the job gave them to travel to different DZs and events. Can you get your license through a bunch of different DZs, in different states, with different instructors? Sure. There is nothing in the FARs, BSRs or anywhere else that limits you to one DZ or one group of instructors. I split my training between two DZs. Hell, my best friend jumped in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Kansas, and South Carolina before finally doing his check-dive back in Pennsylvania. That said, bodypilot has a very good point. Traveling around to do your training may be fun and exciting, but it has its' own problems and risks. Here are some things to think about: First of all, just because the ISP supposedly standardizes the training program doesn't mean all instructors or DZs will teach the same way. So the first thing you'll have to prove to a new instructor at a new DZ is what you already know. Maybe that won't bother you, maybe it will. Secondly, different DZs have different gear, so you'll have to adjust to a new set of gear at each new place until you get your own rig (skydiving rig, that is). It may seem trivial now, but spring-loaded vs throw-out, ROL vs BOC, SOS vs. regular, can all make a big difference. Third, different DZs have different landing procedures, obstacles, and prevailing weather. There is a lot to be said for learning one area and sticking with it until you get licensed. Fourth, if you do decide to travel around during your training, make sure your logbook is as detailed as possible. It will be your first introduction to each new instructor. In short, you can do it whatever way you want. Traveling will expose you to a lot more different airframes, methods, gear, and landing areas, and if you can absorb things quickly and have a good head on your shoulders, you may be fine with that. It'll make you a better parachutist (which is a little different than a better skydiver). If you want to get in a groove, though, get to know your instructors and fellow jumpers better, and knock out your stduent jumps, go to one place and do it there. Then, once you have your license, let the world be your oyster. Many flight schools recommend student pilots do their flight training up through solo on one airframe, at one location, with one flight instructor so the student is focused on learing to fly rather than on new variables. It's something to think about. For jump numbers, plan on only doing one jump your first day. After that, it is hard to predict. Maybe one, maybe four, maybe zero each day. So much depends on variables like: level of business, weather, the airplane, and other things. Talk it over with the DZO and instructors there. Hope this helps. Blue skies, Johnny

Rebecca, The Faqtor is an all z-p, semi-elliptical, nine-cell canopy targeted for intermediate to advanced jumpers. The leading edge is square, but the trailing edge is tapered. It is built for fun-jumpers who want a solid, fun canopy, not for the professional swoop circuit. It has one quirk in that the slider is larger than many other mains, but the flight characteristics are very impressive. There are several reviews in the gear section of this website. The NRG is a brand new canopy being released on the market this year and might be another option for you. You should be able to contact Stefan or Eva at Paratec through your rigger, or directly, and get a demo of either canopy to try before leaping in headfirst. Hope this helps. Blue Skies, Johnny PS - A Speed 2000 reserve would be infinitely preferrable to the Tempo in your old rig. You can have a lot of fun skydiving without ever making a hook turn, swooping, or flying a tiny highly loaded canopy. - 377 No, no; without good grammar, skydiving is meaningless - Andy908

Normally no, however, the IRM recommends one notch of flaps for IAD CAT A and B jumps out of C-182s to ensure the pilot chute passes under the horizontal stabilizer.

Trivial Trekker, Glad to help. As far as losing sight of the plane, don't worry about it, it's normal. Remember, when you let go of the plane, at first, you are moving faster forward than down. As your acceleration downward builds and the energy from the `throw' of the plane bleeds off, your body position becomes less vertical and more horizontal. At this point, assuming a good arch, the plane will disappear from the upper edge of your field of view. This is normal.