yamtx73

Things I wish I had?
A way to control the weather/winds so I could jump, my license, more experience!!

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Smaller canopies are less forgiving than large ones. Paragliders have VERY flat glides (on the order of 6:1 to 8:1) whereas skydiving canopies are generally closer to 3:1. They also dive a lot harder. All this means that skydiving canopies are many times less forgiving than paragliders of mistakes near the ground.


Smaller people generally prefer lighter loadings, because overall small canopies seem to give the jumper more performance. (Whether they _really_ do or not is another question.) So a 230 lb jumper on a 1:1 canopy may have a similar canopy experience as a 120 lb jumper on a .8 to 1 canopy.

Thanks Bill, that's the type of information that makes it easier to determine what would be suitable. At the moment I'm NOT looking to buy my own rig, but when I do start looking I have a general idea as to where to start looking.

I'm a newbie too and I'll be honest about it, I'm looking forward to getting up to Orlando and put in some time in the tunnel. Why? Because I feel that it can only help me hone my skills (not that I actually have any at the moment) and make me a better skydiver.

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"I read a more recent report that states that the death rate is now 1/100,000 -- those still aren't very good stats. "

The murder rate in Washington, DC was 46/100,000 in 2002. 1/100,000 does sound all that bad.

I'd rather take my chances skydiving than walking thru DC at night (or NYC or any other major city).

women in skimpy clothing?? I may not be able to jump but I can definitely look and drool... lol

Weather in Florida in Feb. isn't too bad plus there's 14 dz's to choose from.

Is it possible that you asked about skydiving while the nurse was telling you that you can't give blood for 2 months (8 weeks)? I'm too new to skydiving to comment on the time between giving blood and jumping but I've given blood enough times to know you can't give for 8 weeks (when donating whole blood).

Thanks all... it's been a while but it's even better than before!! Hope to see some of you at the dz soon!

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Q: about canopy control: what is the difference between SL and AFF concerning canopy control? I can't figure it out. Static line: is just about canopy control, no freefall.
AFF: you have the freefall, but then, next is also canopy control.
Or am I way off? I don't see the difference.
You have to land anyway...

Actually you're right on the money, with a static line it's all canopy control where as with AFF you learn to freefall as well as learn canopy control

Yeah, it's been a long long time and things have changed drastically from the old round military parachutes we used to the square they use today, and going from an SL to AFF.. what a jump!
I've noticed quite a few from Florida here, after I get a few jumps in at Clewiston I'll start hitting some of the closer dz's (i.e. ones I can drive to in under 5 hours).

If the weather is nice tomorrow (should be) I'll be going to the dz to get in AFF2 & hopefully AFF3

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Quasar rigs, They are adjusted as small as we can get them with out having to alter. I jump at a small dz in Florida and there is not that many students there that are as short as I. Weight wise, sure but not shortness.

I jump at a small dz in southern Florida, gotta love the weather down here.

Greetings all!!
Let's see, where to begin?? I did my very first jump Dec. 24th 1977 at Fort Hood, Texas (static line) before shipping out to Germany. After the service other things in life took priority (not to mention no drop zones in the area where I lived). So it's been a while since I jumped.
While visiting my brother I mentioned going sky diving, my sister-in-law was all for it so.... for my birthday (Nov. 19th) 5 of us went for tandem jumps. From there it was the same old story.. one freefall and you're hooked for life. Dec. 2nd I took my FJC and that afternoon was my first AFF jump. Looking forward to making my second tomorrow if the weather holds (nice thing about southern Florida is the weather).

I did my first tandem and AFF at Clewiston, if you get down this way at Christmas give me a shout!