shortkid422

Got back from going about 4 hours ago... Wow! That was just unbelievably amazing. I need to find a way to support my new addiction ($$$). It was just an amazing experience. It was sweet to be able to go through a few light clouds, gave me a good perception of how fast we (Tandem Master and I) were really traveling. Since I weighed almost nothing, I had a really nice, long canopy ride. What was weird though was the fact that I found the canopy ride scarier than the actual jump/freefall. I think this was attributed to the fact that I was hanging from my harness and not directly connected to the canopy. Hopefully when I do AFF I wont have the same fellings. It wasn't a severe one, I was just more tense under canopy (until we were under 1000ft). In case anyone is wondering, I went to Skydive Midwest and jumped with Bear. There was another tandem who went with Andre. Best birthday ever!

Honestly, I would vote for Barack Obama. Haven't had a problem with him yet in Illinois and that means alot in this state (just check out our governors and the Chicago government to see what I mean).

Like I said, I'm no expert, but Newton's 3rd law is that everything exerts and equal and opposite force. Therefor, the force of the canopy to the air (Fca) is equal to that of the air on the canopy (Fac), which yields Fca = Fac. These forces are coming from all different directions, so if it changes suddenly, the tension in the canopy and lines will change as well, which creates turbulance. The reference to the kite on the homepage seems trivial, but offers a perspective that we might remember from when we were younger. When that kite was flown in violent wind, it often shifted direction and velocity, which was a result from the quickly changing wind. In the end, the only controllable factor is yourself, and you have the decision (once you're off student status) to risk those winds with your ability. Like I said, I'm no expert so either what I said is right, or as it was said in Billy Madison, "Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it."

I haven't gone through my training yet (so I'm not 100% sure on the accuracy of what I am say) but I imagine they can be very dangerous. Your canopy relies on the force it exerts on the air as well as the wind to stay inflated. If this wind were to change suddenly, with those gusts, there is potential for a canopy collapse. Sure it seems disappointing to not be able to jump, but it's a saftey precaution to prevent new jumpers from creating problems due to inexperience. There will always be calmer days.

He he. Actually, I usually have to go to the kid's section in some stores to get clothes, so I'm kind of used to it. I'll be sure to reply back to let everyone know how it went.

Well, the title says it all. On Saturday, April 22, I plan to make my first skydive for my 18th birthday. I've been reading up on the forums and checking out the movies at skydivingmovies.com, which has only furthered my interest in the sport. On a side note, I am 5' 1" and 110 lbs. Due to my short stature, is there anything that I should pay more attention to while skydiving? Thanks, Matt

Yes! Anything that conveys pure energy in my opinion is perfect, as long it is not overdone. Constant overdone screaming in my opinion is a big no no, but nice guitar work with a fast pace beat goes perfect for pretty much any skydive vid. Just remember to match up the pace of the video with the speed of the beat, otherwise everything will look odd. Btw, I saw In Flames live, nothing but energy and excitement. Hope it will compare to my first skydive experience in 10 days (I'll finally be 18).