crashtested

Maybe i'm in the wrong show... but i like skydiving for the people the time at a DZ, and the jumping from planes. not for a perspex tube 45 min brief and a jd weatherspoon meal. I don't think it is vital to be in a tunnel, it is vital to get people into the sport proper. that is not done at airkix

I'm firstly raging on the BPA for setting up shop with airfix. their idea behind it is that peoples first experiance of skydiving is in a tunnel... Rather than at a dropzone... you should in theory go to a dz for a skydiving experience. Than i'm raging on about the lack of effort put into people when they come to a DZ. i think tandem students are more often than not treated as a cash cow. rather than a possible new skydiver. maybe I don't get tunnels... but small DZ's could do with the money a lot more than Airkix, yet the bpa is in fact taking the very soul from these places by encouraging bpa memebers and there buddys to spend money on tunnel time rather than there local DZ. It won't last

Not one tunnel trip.... I would have though that was clear!!!! i would rather fly flat for the rest of my days than give the corporate monkeys any of my money. I do this becasue i love sport.... and that sport involves jumping from planes...

As a new comer to the sport, I do wonder what is going on in this sport. The BPA seems to have gotten into bed with 1 wind tunnel franchise over another. MIlton vs bedford. (Which is horse shit) And seen more people spend good weather days in tunnels rather than at the DZ, practicing for comps. When did this sport become about flying indoors... have i missed somthing. Was not the point of this sport to meet great new people. share our experience. sit at DZ's in crap conditions and get to talk crap, maybe even pass on advice to noobs. show someone how to maintain the rigs. teach previous knowledge on jumps, on just.. you know having fun. the sport is going to die in this country unless more people spend time getting new People into the sport. This means loads of demo's, Big Screens of fun jumps when spectators are on the ground Share the good the bad and beautiful with them. Not treating new jumpers or Dare i say it tandem Rookies like crap when they arrive at a DZ and ask Whuffo questions. This happens a lot.. and a lot of you big time tandem boys and girls need to look how you are treating Students. Because at 5 of the dropzones i have been to it aint always pretty. And if it were my first jump i would not come back. This really aint big or clever. Now for the BPA.... And now the BPA's soloution to the lack of new jumpers is to link up with a wind tunnel so your friends can "experience the thrill of skydiving". This is crap. A wind tunnel has nothing to do with skydiving. You may as well put your hand next to a dyson hand dryer. And Funjumpers... So you might get another couple of points at your AA meet. Well done. enjoy your medal. but seriously that can't be why 99.9% of you entered this sport. These things are killing the sport as is the BPA's lack of Ideas or imagination, unless people start worrying less about your extra 2 points and more about thoughtless leadership, there will not be a sport left in this country. Its seriously time to think out of a perspex box, otherwise we might as well look for another way to scare the crap out of ourselves.

If you feel confident and can land in most condtions than drop it down a bit... 230 to a 210 if sometimes you shit yourself coming in. stay where you are. Good luck either way DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE, you are comparing a ZP canopy to an F111 - I bet the difference you are seeing is MORE due to the fabric than the canopy size. 1.5 at 60 jumps ? on a F111 canopy ? You are walking (for now) incident report. Wake up before you break up. And this is not a smartass remark. Read than re read than think....... cause this bit was key!!!! - ... oh now do you see, its all in the detail my old mucker. Rather than worry about my skills or lack off. Help the guy out with constuctive advice... any how i may be a world class kite surfing champion landing on 40 square foot canopys at high speed... my jump numbers would then be in the 10000's wing loading of 7.15 hell yeah

I have limited experiance, but here is my bit . cause of my weight (286 lbs exit) started on a pd340. this gave me a wing loading of 0.8 which after 16 jumps felt super slow. So on gaining a licence 2 jumps l8er. took advise from both my new found fs coach. my aff instructor and the CCI and one of the chief riggers. All of the guys had seen me progress and knew my mentality in jumping and how i was handerling the canopy.. definetly the best people to ask. I went on to a sabre 210 on there advise. This gives me a high wing loading around 1.3 but i have had no problems in all conditions, have landed up wind, down wind, and cross wind landings, (not in exterme conditions but to give me practice for when shit goes wrong, which happens.) I have a few more jumps now and have been flying a 9 cell 190 (wing loading 1.5) which comes in like shit off a shovel.. so i have gone back up to a 210 b4 shit goes wrong. it was not a problem in wind but no wind was scarily fast. I guess at the end of the day you pay your money you take a chance, i feel confident at 1.3 in all conditions. i pushed it to much on the 1.5.. but could have flown it till i broke myself. Take the advice of the people who have looked after you so well so far, your in 1 peice after all so they must have some idea. If you feel confident and can land in most condtions than drop it down a bit... 230 to a 210 if sometimes you shit yourself coming in. stay where you are. Good luck either way

The guys from finland. there is not a lot of sun there at the moment due to there latitude, it makes people act and behave quite abnormally.

hello mr chip, how are you doing..... Sorry i did not recognise the canopy, i did not want to add to the drama... but it would have sucked had someone been scammed. Thought the best advise was to get anyone intrested to phone you guys at the airfield. (good advise me thinks) anywho, nice looking bit of kit. I've been jumping a fair bit at hinton as they were doing progression course's up there, meant i could get my b and fs1 quicker.. and not have to ask for someone to go through spotting with me for the millionth time. its boaring i knowbut give me a break. Anyway will be back b4 jan when i get a few off maybe a trip to langer on the monday*??

I jump at the center that nitro is advertised at.... bit strange as i don't regognise it... its to big to be any of the riggers there as he flies a 98 and 109 or somthing to the like.... It might be cool and a real sale. phone kim or mike at the dz... north london parachute center or chateris and find out who owned it...

I have ordered a cutom atom legend rig, with cypress, and all the extras minus hip rings. The rig came in at 2600 pounds or double that in dollars An idiot friend of mine thinks that these are badly made rigs, with poor mains. (a electra) And that it will have a rubish resale valule. I know its going to take a while to get the rig (BTW does anyone know what the time frame is on these things) What are peoples thoughts on these systems.. good bad or damm right ugly.

having been lectured on 1940 RAF procedures by my dear grandad, he told me with a glint in his eye. They used to do there first parachute jumps in this manner, on a biplane wing. I think they used to be tougher in those days though

nothing wrong with the ride down. in fact i seem to be at my calmest when just about to take the leap of faith through the door. Knowing that i have a 5 min pack job on my back, and an inabillity to exit the plane in a sensible way calms me no end.

I don't know why but every time and get in the plane between 2000 ft up to around jump o clock i start to freak out, not outwardly. I have this little voice in my head telling me that i am being irrational and should'nt be in the plane, the only way to get it to stop is by promising that this is my last jump. Anyone else have these kind of problems, i would love them to stop so i could enjoying the £18 plane ride.......

Until recently i have been using a Spec 210 before that a huge 340 student for my first 23 jumps. I have no problems with the landings or the speed this new rig goes yet i have been advised to stick at this size for a while, however i would like to downsize. The question i guess is what size do people think would be a good size to go down to, i am a big lad 16.5 stone / 108 kgs at 6ft 3in, but would like more performance out of the canopy, i also want a rig that i can stick with for my next 200 jumps as want to buy my own rig, rather than keep on using other peoples. Ideas or comments? Thanks

Chose to start training there because of the name, North London Parachute Center (Bit of a liberty) but it still is the nearest dropzone to London. I started with aff level 1, great training and good facilities, Gary and Lloyd are great guys and get you up for your first jump with confidence. Managed to get me on a 2nd lift to pass my level 2 that day as well :) Weather wise its England, and it was November, so it was ropey as you'd expect and a lot of long journeys to no avail, but its England and that would have been the same wherever I had jumped. I was back there over this weekend, the guys there all know my name now,and make me feel really welcome and its only my 5th time up (2nd jumping) Mike another instuctor took me through levels 4 - 8 in 2 days, then squished in my first Consol to finish Saturday night. Great for tandems (if you like that sort of thing) If your serious about jumping and get your tickets in early (7am) expect 4-5 jumps in a day on the weekend. If your really serious about jumping take tuesday - Friday off work. loads of room midweek. ...and they've fixed the road!