Don.Key

Two flies come to McDonalds, first fly says: I'd have pile of shit with garlic, bulbs and pepper. The second says: I'd like shit only, I have to kiss tonight.

Reading all the fatality reports resulting from low hook turns I was wondering why no one build a device with a integrated gyro which would calculate rate of decent, turn + altitude and make an alarm if this hook is to end in the ground.

Quite the opposite, I'd say. Far more hard core jumpers. But while the experienced divers tend to ignore the new people, I've rarely seen anything but positive words from the people in this sport towards the low timers. (At least at the physical DZs) Oh well, if they do not bother anyone but just ignore them, then that is pitty but no serious problem, I rather meant people which actively make other's life miserable. This I am VERY allergic to. I also found out that many of those bullies "melt" if you tell them directly and clearly to cease that shit. Unfortunately most affected just absorb.

Last time I checked most Skydivers where grown up people and as most of adults know asking questions, doublechecking things and rethinking is mostly something good. Especially when making decisions which are directly linked to injury or even death. If sport in general is full of people who think otherwise, then it is a wrong sport. This was partly a reason why I quit Scuba, I tended to setup my gear very carefuly, check and doublecheck myself and my buddies and refused to accept any rush. But on almost any boat there where "Instructors" or "Hardcores" which where terrorizing everyone with "GOGOGOGOGOGOGO" rush as soon as boat stopped. I ignored it but it slowly got on my nerves. In my short carrier as an aowd I have personally seen several malfunctions because asshole standed there rushing people, including newbies and as a result those divers did not setup / check correctly. I hope very much Skydiving is different from Scuba and rushes + cocky "hardcores" will be an exception.

Just wondering: Did you ever had someone break bones during this training?

What movie was that?

Jimmy might get bruised. Hehe look here, this video was shown on german TV some time ago: http://www.phdtop.com/sky/

Go to skydivingmovies.com look under malfunctions, you will see lots of reserves deploying :) Which kinda brings me to a question, that Cypres video on skydivingmovies in which 2 cypres fire and save skydivers, the one which is filming ends up with biplane, very close to earth. How come? Isn`t cypres firing the reserve only? Also he cuts away his main almost immediately, why would he do that on such low altitude?

Thanks for hints,I will order it from Brian`s site. I know, I used to work as a teacher for several years myself, so I have seen some book overloaded "know it all already" newbies come in and the effect was actually mostly negative. But I still love to read the books on any matter, then just before training kinda "flush" and go there as if I knew nothing.

Thanks tdog, do you have an ISBN for "The Parachute and its Pilot"? I cannot find it on Amazon.

Hi, Can someone recomend me some books on skydiving / canopy control which would be useful to read for a total beginner? Thanks! Don

If you are able to keep stable position you can concentrate on drilling in the attitude awarness. I can imagine it greatly helps (Thats why I will spend good time in tunnel before my aff)

I am a complete newbie, with AFF infront of me. I was assured by skydiving school with that typical "You are safer here then in the car" and actually believed it. Until I came here and read, read, read, all them threads in safety, incidents and general forums, for several days now. Also watched the malfunction videos from skydivingmovies. For me, this sounds like a moderately dangerous sport and I will continue jumping past 20 jumps only if I will decide for myself that fun I am receiving is worth the risk. I gave up motorbiking, skiing, diving and some other activities because for me, the risk vs fun ratio was just not right. On another hand freediving and recently kitesurfing are some of my pasions where risk vs fun is justified. So, for me skydiving is every bit "Extreme" now, I will prepare very well for the AFF (Get 30-60 mins in wind tunnel) and latest after hard deck of 20 jumps I will sit down and make a "yay or nay" decision for myself.

Thank you everyone for the great input. I am pretty much reassured now. I will start a new thread with some basic questions. Cheers

Thanks everyone! This gives me some confidence, My main problem here is not even my own worries but those of my family, everyone is completely against me taking this course. You see, in the past I managed to land in hospital after some sports no one would ever consider "dangerous" (I have dozen screws in my arm from arm wrestling for example). So for some years everyone is trying to limit my activities to swimming and alike. I am not afraid of dying, but I have fear of my wife! For now I think I managed to convince them that this is a very, very safe sport. I guess AFF training itself is much safer then later jumps on your own, so I will do it and maybe the attitude of my family will change after that.

Hi there, I am thinking about doing an AFF soon, so I came here for some read. Hehe, this probably sounds wicked, but after some time on the boards it all seems like everyone has some fractures or popped joints from skydiving. Are there skydivers with many jumps and no moderate/serious injuries whatsoever? Also, does anyone have a approx total number of jumps plus recorded number of accidents and fatalities for skydiving? Is that really "safer then driving a car" as people in my future AFF school said? Cheers Don