wildfan75

Ummm...you live in Arizona. Ummm...boy....hmmm...how do I say this.... PULL UP THE SKIRT!! Jumping in Wisconsin during winter...now that's cold. It's maybe going to hit mid 30's this weekend...heat wave!!! I'm not flaming at you. Maybe a little jealous that you can do naked winter jumps and I can't!

Yep, I had such an easy time...not. I may be in the mid 5' range, but I'm sort of a "big boned" girl, so to find a rig that was short/small enough that would fit a main big enough was not easy. See the attached picture. That is how my thigh used to look while jumping our club's transition rig, until I started putting oven mitts down my jump suit so I could get the leg straps tight enough because the container was too long. I wouldn't have had this problem if I was 6', 200lbs. So this might be a 'grass is greener on the other side'. I would think it would be easier to find a beginner rig for someone 6', 200lbs than for me. There's more men in this sport, more people that look like you than me. It's all perspective.

I agree, one path is not better or worse than the other. They are different. Unfortunately is seems that some (I said some, not all, I'd even go as far as to say a few) of those that could afford AFF and a brand spanking new rig think that those of us who did static line and jump old rigs are old fashion and some how less worthy to be on the plane with them. I'm just sticking up for the little guy and making sure that people just getting into the sport know that they don't have to keep up with the Jones's. It doesn't have to be mega expensive. Sorry if I offended anyone. That wasn't my intention...at all.

Hahahaha...I caught that Lindercles!! Very funny!

They don't have to. I know they don't have to. I'm one of the newbie's that didn't but for every one of us, there seems to be 100 newbies that just have to have a new rig. Everything new and shiney. Nevermind that you're going to have to spend 45 minutes packing that brand spanking new slippery ZP canopy before you can jump again. Oh, wait...no they don't...I suppose if you can afford a new rig, then you can afford to hire a packer. Dang...I need to go find myself a Daddy Warbucks!!

That actually depends on where you jump. In The Netherlands, SL jumps do NOT count towards your A license! You need (among other things) 25 freefall jumps, not just 25 total jumps. No clue if tandems count though True, which is why I checked his profile before I made that statement. He is from the USA. USPA rules.

Firstly...leave my underware out of general skydiving discussions Second, depends on where the cloud layer is. Let's say they are at 4000'. A static liner gets to jump (and if they're on to free falls will have a 5-10 second delay). The AFF'er sits on the ground cursing mother nature. If a static liner can't jump, neither can an AFF'er. If an AFF'er can't jump, doesn't mean a static liner can't.

I think the subject line for this thread would be... Why do new jumpers insist on buying expensive new gear that they'll out grow in a year or two and then complain that gear is so expensive and that they don't have money left over to jump? I'd rather have someone respect my skydiving abilities than think my rig is pretty. And for the record: My 1st rig--Vector 2, Silhouette 170, PD reserve and a cypress with 4 yrs left--$1700. It is possible to get a more than just barely air worthy set up for cheap.

Urban Legend http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/cell411.asp That link has all the info you need on this. The cell phone directory is an opt in thing. You have to call and ask to have your number included in the directory.

Check with the dropzone that you plan on attending for prices and compare. AFF is not safer than S/L because you're not leaving with an instructor. You don't need an instructor to jump with you when you do static line because the plane is essecially pulling your rip cord and since your canopy is deployed almost immediately, you have little time to become unstable. They each carry their own risks but I don't think that either one is safer than the other. I'm sure that someone will chime in that AFF is safer than S/L because the possibilty of line twists is greater with S/L. I didn't have line twists until my first 10 second delay. And you'll have plenty of time to deal with a malfunction in a static line jump from 3000'. Whoever told you that your static line jumps don't count towards your A license is either A) full of shit, B)don't know what they're talking about or C) a representative of a dz that makes big money from AFF and is looking at you with dollar signs in their eyes. Your static line jumps absolutely count towards your A license. The jump requirement to get to your class A license, whether they're static line, AFF, solo, or tandems for that matter (yes, even your tandems count towards your A license), is 25 jumps. Period. If the person that told you that is in fact representing choice C above...run...run...like hell from that dz. But whatever you do, talk to the dz(s) you plan on going to and ask about their prices. Every place is going to be different. In my experience, I did my 5 static line jumps for the same amount the first AFF jump would have cost me. And I got my 25 jumps (to my class A) for about 75% of what the first 7 AFF jumps would have cost me, assuming that I wouldn't have had to repeat any levels. Don't let anyone talk you out of static line because it's not the cool thing to do. These are some of the same people who are jumping radiciously loaded elliptical canopies for their experience because it's cool. Being cool doesn't keep you alive. Find a few up jumpers that you can trust and always ask their advice. Advice is free. ER trips aren't. And have fun!!!!

Flat flying, belly flying, RW, call it what you want. I guess I'm growing up the old fashion way and like taking it slow. My next adventure will be to start CReW in the spring! Please do! I'm sure there is a certain dot commer that would thank you, especially if they were lacy!

Yeah!! Obviously I wasn't included in the survey.

Good for you! Not everyone is as fortunate as you to have oodles of cash laying around. But then again, I suppose not everyone has the priviledge of jumping with two world team members on a daily basis, cranking out 4 point 8 ways (from 10k) before they qualify for their B license, or to proudly say that they've never paid for a coach jump and when the time comes, will never charge for a coach jump. But wow...awesome that you're loaded. I could use a new pair of long underware so I can continue to jump through the WI winter and stay somewhat warm! I also wonder how many world teamers were static line students, and with the onslaught of AFF'ers, if we'll ever see a formation bigger than 400, given that the number of jumpers are down.

Sweet Baby Ray's...hands down

I'm glad I wasn't the only one thinking "5000? That's at least a 15 second delay!". I remember....My first 5 SL jumps were from 2800 ft. and my 1st freefall on jump # 6 was from 3200. #7 was 5 seconds from 3500 and #8 was 10 seconds from 4000. On jump #9 I went all the way up to 5000 I did a 15 second delay. I remember too...it was only 7 months ago. Ditto...almost. My 5 s/l jumps and 1st FF were from 3000. Spoiled us kids are today! And I am neither an old timer nor an unfortunate English student. I'm a newbie American that got to their A license for $740. It really was nice to have all that extra money I didn't spend on AFF to buy a rig.

Yes, at it appears from your post that you got it twice this weekend.

I hope to God this is true!!! If it is, I will grow up to be a generous, smart, employed, strong, thoughtful, caring woman. I wonder if my egg donor's found a job yet?

Does the change in your response have anything to do with your sig. line? I think the number would be much higher if that was the case. Coincidently I was 2:0:0 for the weekend. Too gusty on Saturday to make the load and had to head home early on Sunday for my niece's b-day party.

Sorry, Todd...this door only swings one way...exit only, no entrance. Besides...there's poop up there.

I used to have American National...I damn near had to drop my pants everytime my premiums were due. Told them that I was looking else where before renewing and they told me that I would never find a lower rate (Ummm...note to that beech...a great credit score and a perfect driving record goes a long way!) Now I'm with West Bend Mutual through an insurance broker. The broker is an agent for multiple insurance companies and gets you the best rate and coverage. My rate is about 35% less that American National for the same car insurance and a better HO6 policy. Editted to add: I did have a claim with West Bend. I was rear ended while stopped at a stop light. Completely took care of everything for me, got my car fixed, a rental car in the meantime, and it didn't cost me a dime...not even my deductable because they went right after the driver who hit me's insurance and got all my repair costs from them. So service was not lost in the lower premium.

Yeah, I get the car references, but if you forget your blinker or forget to put the clutch in on your Ferrari or Lamborgni, you're probably not going to die. Aren't cross braced canopies far less forgiving of errors where the results could be severly injury or death? And to do it for the cool factor...I don't understand that at all. Are we that stupid of a group? (Sorry if it sounds like I"m talking out of my ass...because I am, but I'm doing it with good intentions...I want to learn.)

I am one of the jumpers that Todd's dz has given and is giving sooooo much to. I was also one of the jumpers he took to SDC. I am in great debt to Skydive Wissota, and don't know that I'll ever be able to pay enough forward. But for now, I am the first one to start packing student rigs after student's make their first jump. I was the one that cleaned out the fridge last weekend when we couldn't jump. I'm the one that steps up to help with manifest, often forgoing jumping to take care of the books. Do you think I do this because I like to do these things? No. I do them because I'm trying to pay it forward. When the time comes for me to be in a position to instruct others, I'm sure the hell not going to say, "Yeah, I'll jump with you and "coach" you....for $50". Student jumps are the most expensive that any jumper will do. Why on earth do we want to make it harder and more financially strapping for these jumpers to continue? Funny thing is that I meet the jump number requirement for the coach rating. There is no way that I feel I have the skills at 130-something jumps to jump with a student and be able to give them contructive critism, more less charge them for it. Hell, I'm still learning myself (and I hope that I never reach a point that I stop "learning"). And before I get ripped apart with comments like, "Well, maybe you just suck", I'm not the greatest 1st year skydiver but when you have an up jumper ask you if you have 250 or 300 jumps after a skydive and you have to respond with, "Neither, I only have 130", I know I'm doing alright. When I first started skydiving, I just assumed that all dz's were like mine, and I thought, "What an incredible sport! What an incredible "family"". Then I started frequenting dz.com and realized how incrediably lucky and fortunate I am and I now understand why USPA numbers are down. Holy Cow...I truly hit the jackpot of dropzones!!! Popsjumper and Todd, you don't ever have to worry that you're the last generation of the "pay if forward" skydivers. I will be there to take the torch and pass it on when the time comes. So, if you're "this guy"... http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2442802;sb=post_latest_reply;so=ASC;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;guest=30858532 ...again....THANK YOU!!!

Or you could come up here for a weekend, get a taste of what cold jumping is really like, and then go back and you'll have a new appreciation for 40 degrees, and you'll keep your planes running. Shit...40 degrees...that's nekkid jumping weather

Post it! And then I better not hear you complain about, "Oh...it's 40 degrees out...we can't jump. That's too cold". Buck up little campers!