Plucky

re: "...When it is pull time it is pull time. If your on your back and it's pull time it's pull time. When you need to pull, pull..." Punky_monkey's post reminded me of the best advice I got - the priorities of freefall: 1 - Pull something 2 - Pull at the right alitude 3 - Pull at the right altitude and stable

Quote: "... but, yes, I would take it down to avoid a possible collision (and have done so in the past). I would then get with my group on the ground and discuss ..." This assumes you haven't been grounded from that DZ for life, as I've seen happen to others in exactly that situation (ensured he was clear of others above him before pulling - too low). Of course that's not what you should think about in the air, if you'll be grounded or not. It would take a lot for me to intentionally pull low - i.e. an even more life-threatening danger. - Citizen of the World -

Is it any easier to get a visa to the states now? I've heard it's become a real pain with interviews, fingerprints, photos, etc. etc.

As ITDiver said, I agree it must be comfortable and safe, but if it's your first rig made for a 150 and a 135 reserve, it will feel like it takes up too little room on your back ... every downsize felt weird for me .. although, it's only been three!

here here Airman. I've had so many 're-currency' jumps over the last three years, due to moving around, bad weather, working weekends, and lack of money, that I'm actually used to being uncurrent ... which is good in my opinion. I don't try anything new on my first jump after a layoff, and am so aware of being uncurrent, that I'm more aware than when I'm nicely complacent/confident at the end of a jumping weekend. I know the fear that settles in after a layoff very well, and know what to ignore and what to take careful note of. I'm not saying it's good to be uncurrent all the time, but a break now and then could be good, to help keep us in check. I do also think that people who aren't as current as they 'should' be (according to what guidelines?), shouldn't be treated as careless or dangerous, just be sure they are aware of the risks, and not to take any more. Just my 2c. - Citizen of the World -

I was on the ground a few years ago, when my buddy's decellerator 150 was accidentaly deployed by another jumper ... in terminal head-down! Even he laughed (although not much due to his cracked ribs) when he saw the video frame by frame with us. Reserve condition afterwards? Perfectly airworthy and still in his rig.

M ; 29 ; 0.2062

___ D'oh! Forgot the patriotic options. ___ So you're French then? The stripes are a tad eighties (but they seem to be coming back, in bits ) The Baron I'd be sick of in twenty jumps, maybe 'cos my first (and only) FS jumpsuit is red and black, and it went outta fashion quicker than pre-cypres AADs did when the cypres came out! The Hawk is a bit gaudy? Hey, just my opinion though ... The Fade is the way I'd go - it's contemporary without being over the top, although maybe a bit ... er ... conventional (it's tough being PC these days!) Oh, and I've had a pink number, and mostly got away with it - but trust me - not with a brand new pink one! Blue ones - Citizen of the World -

I have personally seen the video, directly after the jump, where two friends of mine did a head-down jump a few years back, and one "docked" on the other's reserve handle The resulting opening was, to put it mildly, quick. Frame by frame of the opening took up maybe three frames on an old hi-8 video. The reserve was perfectly fine after that, although the jumper had a few bruises and cracked ribs. It was a Decellerator 150 from Chute Shop, SA (now called parachute systems I think). Guess which reserve I have! - Citizen of the World -

Hell yea I'd take her! She'd be seriously pissed off if I went alone to the DZ, and definitely if I went to a boogie! Two points first though, why it's not techncally the same in my case; 1- I've yet to go to WFFC, so "RB initiation" and "altar", whatever they are may affect the situation, but I doubt it, boogies are boogies, DZs are DZs and skydiving traditions are numerous and yet similar all over. 2- She doesn't jump ... anymore. A few static lines, then a few AFF jumps a few years later. Will probably never jump again. Not so sure of her 'whuffo' status. Nevertheless ... how much time do we actually spend off the ground? At boogies, the rest of the time usually comprises of: - Meeting others with a common interest. Ok a true whuffo may not 'get' it all, but why not still chat? If they're interested, it doesn't take much to learn at least some skydiving small talk from a skydiver once they get started talking about skydiving - Partying. Need I say more? - Escaping. No matter how much you've jumped or not, a boogie is certainly not a place where everyday worries are given much thought. - Packing. "Hmm, I could do that for five bucks while he plays" - Inexpensive relaxation. - Sleeping. ...with a boyfriend who gets into bed with a big, fat grin on his face every night. - Being with the coolest bunch of people to be with. - Tanning. I nice side-effect of good jumping weather is the healthy tan, s'pecially if you live somewhere cold. If she's been to a boogie, or had a briefing from you , and knows what to expect ... ... maybe I've just got too much time on my hands - Citizen of the World -

I also have a Gecko and Pro-Dytter. My skytronic fits a little better, but eventually I stufFed some foam in the recess and velcro'd the audible down on it. I also glued some velcro along the chin strap as mine just didn't seem to stay on tight. P.s. I'd turn the Dytter over, so the little hole is facing your ear. ;) - Citizen of the World -

Here's a similar question posted in gear and rigging earlier this year. http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=879691;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread - Citizen of the World -

My rig-bag is very snug ... I have to wiggle my rig into it, and it looks like a rucksack. It just fits into their hand-luggage dimension specs. (prob more than 7 kgs though) Carried it on my back as hand-luggage and had no problems. (stansted - emp & back) Of course it's a risk - I wouldn't like to have it thrown into the hold without being in a hard case, but the hard case is too big for hand-luggage. Smile, be early, and don't bring it up.

_________________________ Ha haa, Ok I'll post my own stupidity so perhaps you all can get a laugh... _________________________ We'd get a better laugh out of it if you posted a pic before it gets better On a more serious note, thanks for the reminder; we all get a little slack at something at some time or another ... and sometimes we're lucky; we only get a slap to bring us back to reality (or even better, somebody else gets it! ). 'I jumped, dumped, and didn't die - a great skydive' - Citizen of the World -

Perhaps another thing that helps women fall a little faster (IMO), everything else being equal - is the fact that women's hips are naturally tilted more forward than men's. So they're already starting with more of an arch than guys do when relaxed in a belly-to-earth position. I knew a dancer who wore a weight vest to flatten her out a bit, and slow her down. Not sure how well it worked, but she stuck with it.

I heard www.my-skyworld.de/albatros/english/ is good, they've a good selection and a nice canopy/rig designer too...but I've never bought from them. I have bought loads of stuff from DZsports though - I highly recommend them.

I just spent six days there. Maurici park is nice, haven't tried nimbim, but there's a url: http://www.nimbin2000.com . I hate to dampen the vibe though, as it's truly a great dropzone - very organised and super-friendly ... but I did one skydive in my six days there - spent five days watching a horizontal windsock!

Try this one - http://www.my-skyworld.de/albatros/english/designer.asp?mscssid=QTJBJ87CH8XN8L0XD54R6BMJ00AJD5X5&tn=8

In reply to: "Daffy is a leg position when flying head down that allows you to catch more air, making you slower, and it also has the effect of slightly more stability. One leg is out in front of you, the other is behind. " Also, the name Daffy has been used in freestyle skydiving, skating, etc. for ages, it's the same position, but head up. Essentially its your legs split apart, front to back. A daffy swivel is where you switch legs, usually combined with a cool, smooth twist/loop.

I flew Lufthansa on a European trip, and had to check my rig (in a rig-bag), as it was simply too large for the smaller plane's on-board luggage compartments. More recently on a long haul flight (SAAirways), the rig was completely ignored as carry-on, and all went well both ways. The links above provide some good general advice on the topic - which helped me get through without any hassles on this last trip (in rig-bag, hook-knife in checked luggage, etc.). - Citizen of the World -

My dad told me when I was 16 and got my first motorcycle, not to paint my helmet, as some paints have lead in them, and if in an accident, they might like to x-ray your skull through the helmet before removing it. Not sure if this is just rubbish, or if it still applies. Just a thought.

I had a similar thing happen - I replaced my batteries when it warned me the first time, then after a jump or two it started flatlining after the 1000ft notification! I then took the batteries out again, left them out for more than two minutes (as per maunual), and made sure that when I put them back in again, I didn't fiddle with them...works fine now! My reasoning was that when I replaced them the first time, I probably broke the two minute rule simply by "adjusting" the battery position before closing the cover. This probably made contact, then broke the connection momentarily as I fiddled with it. Not sure if this is just coincidence, but it may be worth a try.

Woooohooooo! At last, I'm going to jump at the world-famous EmpuriaBrava! Thanks very much Teresa! I saw the post, and just booked it! That quickly ended my procrastination about when and where to jump this winter. Of course the airport taxes aren't mentioned until you check dates, but I still got a return for less than 20 quid! aaah, two weeks of skydiving in November ... hope the weather's gonna be ok

Where's the best jumping gonna be this bank holiday weekend? I'm pretty low-time, but have got to change that ... soon! ..and next week?

Hi I'm no expert but... I, and some other students at the time had similar problems during our student progression. Around the five to fifteen second delay jumps ('old' progression, not AFF). Your body-awareness gets better each jump, but until then, you may be just slightly assymetrical without realising it. Dirt-diving and visualisation helps - as realistically as possible (hear the engines, the wind, feel the cold, etc.). Make each visualised jump a good one ... on heading, in control, having fun... A trick which happened to work for me too, was to pick a spot on the plane's wing, and look at it, but not just in the general direction of the plane - actually stare at a tiny spot of dirt, or the hinge on the flaps, until you really can't see it anymore ... by that time you'll have a good airspeed, you wouldn't have been too conscious of your body, thereby relaxing into what your body knows it can already do - fall stable and straight. There are loads more tricks which work for some, not others, ask around ... that is what helped it 'click' for me. ...and that's assuming you're facing forward on exit! If you're diving,jump out about 45 degrees and just let the air take you that bit more to end up facing 180 to the direction of the plane. Enjoy it! Blue skies