GLIDEANGLE

Will there be the opportunity for Anvil Brother qualifying jumps during the Deadman Boogie? The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Yep, I really thought of giving up after I scared myself half to death on jump 13.... loss of stability at deployment time... opened low. I chatted with lots of experienced jumpers and instructors. I practiced on the ground. I got the best coaching I could (Skydive University). I learned to apply "Slow is smooth, smooth is fast". I persisted. I got through it. I have been a bit slow reaching all the usual milestones... My accuracy sucks so I didn't get my A-License until I had nearly 40 jumps, because of lousy accuracy I didn't get my B-license until about 100 jumps. For ME learning to RELAX was essential. I remember exactly which moment the "RELAX in freefall" idea made sense to me. It was on my first NON-coached solo. I had no "dive plan" to hustle through, all I had to do was enjoy the jump. I suddenly understood what relaxing in freefall should feel like and how much it improved my freefall skills. Good Luck, remember that the objective is to stay safe and have FUN. For some of us it is very easy to turn skydiving into something that very much resembles WORK. Keep it fun and safe! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Skydiving at age 13 is probably going to be tough for you depending on where you live. The USPA rule has been descirbed above. Other countries may have different rules. Yes, a few kids in the USA with family links to drop zones have jumped younger, but don't expect that you can do that unless you already have the connections. There is, however, an alternative for you. At your age you can fly in a vertical wind tunnel. This allows you to experience the sensation of freefall without the risks associated with parachutes. Look here for more info: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?forum=42; The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I agree with tracing the ripcord. However... your comment about disconnecting the RSL suggests that you don't fully understand the RSL. If the RSL is disconnected and you are able to pull it (which may not be possible due to Velcro in shear, geometry, insufficient muscle strength, etc) it will still pull the reserve pin. I suggest that you discuss this with a rigger or instructor. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

OK... I thought that belly RW was fun. Yesterday Wendy Faulkner showed me the joys of CReW. I am hooked ... time to buy more hook knives and a CReW canopy. [bLUE]THANK YOU WENDY!!!!!![/bLUE] The whole story can be found here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3215307#3215307 So... what is next? Other than spending every free weekend at Skydive Temple.... where do I go from here? Are there CReW puppy camps? CReW web sites or listserves? Oh yeah... If I want to fit in with y'all is it required that my rig look like it was packed by a blind, one armed, drunkard? The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Wow, what a great weekend of skydiving! I am so far behind in beer fines that I ought to just buy a brewery! Saturday: Beautiful weather @ Skydive Dallas, great friends, great airplane, great pilot…. A couple of fun, routine Belly RW jumps. Angelina provided entertainment by FALLING out of the airplane. Yep…. She claims that she was blown out by the prop blast, but I swear she just fell out of the plane as we were setting up to launch a bow out of the Otter. We still managed to make 5 points despite the premature exit! I had a great time introducing Angelina and Jonathan to the joys of full altitude hop & pops. What a great day! An hour after sunset we had clear skies, light ground winds, a full moon and a plane full of idiot skydivers climbing to altitude for night jumps. For the majority of us it was our first night jump. It was pretty funny to watch us during the climb to altitude. Instead of our usual laid back “cool” behavior in the plane… we were all glued to the windows trying to identify the drop zone in the dark. The freefall was an exquisite mix of “damn this is beautiful and cool”, with “damn this is scary”. The winds during canopy flight were a surprise and only one of us made it to the lighted landing area. Determining our altitude for timing our flare was really tough. Most of us hit the ground in mid-flare (toes, knees, hands, face). No injures beyond bruises to flesh and egos. If you doubted my description that the plane was full of idiot skydivers… here is the proof: A little while later most of us did it again… this time most of us were doing relative work (that damn D-license requirement). Once again, freefall in the dark was magical. Docking on my partner in the dark was really cool. Some of us are really slow learners and made new mistakes on the second landings…. Wanna guess? If I flared too low on the first jump…..Yep, flared too high on the second landing. The good news was, that I realized that I was in for a hard landing and used a PLF to escape unscathed! Sunday: I drove to Skydive Temple to get an introduction to canopy relative work from Wendy Faulkner. OH MY G-O-D!!! The docking was cool, but the linked flight was AMAZING. On the third jump we built a downplane… HOLY C-R-A-P BATMAN!!! Hurtling toward the ground with our canopies flying beside us instead of overhead was breathtaing. OK, it is time to buy lots more hook knives and find a CReW canopy! My favorite line from the whole experience was when waiting to load the aircraft Wendy said “If you pull off my shoe please hang on to it and give it back to me when we land.” She said this with a straight face, like it was perfectly normal for skydivers to pull garments off of each other when jumping. As usual, the great weekend was the product of lots of folks giving extra effort: • Pilots Svein and Mark for keeping us safe and on target. • Matteo and California Dave for organizing the night jumps. • Wendy Faulkner for introducing me to the CReW kennel. • All of my fellow jumpers, Roland, Angelina, Jonathan, Scott, Walt, and the others who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty. Anybody know of a brewery available for sale? The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

For USPA A license, the exam can be either written or oral. (Mine was written, "fill in the blank"). Here is the section of the 2008 USPA SIM that addresses the nature and content of the A-License examination: SIM §3-2 A. LICENSE EXAM INSTRUCTIONS 1. A license: a. The examining USPA Instructor conducts a written or oral quiz of at least 20 questions taken from the USPA Integrated Student Program syllabus, with emphasis on the following: (1) cloud clearance and visibility requirements (2) equipment operation and maintenance (i) wing loading and its effects (ii) closing loop (iii) velcro and tuck flaps (iv) packing and authorization to pack (3) canopy flight (i) traffic patterns and collision avoidance (ii) braked turns and obstacle avoidance (iii) low turn avoidance and recovery (iv) downwind landing procedures (v) obstacle landing emergency and recovery procedures (4) aircraft procedures (i) during jump run and exit to observe balance limits (ii) distance between groups to maintain separation (iii) aircraft emergency procedures (5) group breakoff recommendations (6) parachute emergency procedures (i) deployment malfunctions (ii) cutaway decide-and-act altitude (iii) two-canopies-deployed scenarios (7) accountability for FAR compliance This is from Appendix B of the 2008 USPA SIM: Study guide information for the USPA A license exam is listed in the “Book Stuff ” at the beginning of each Category of the Integrated Student Program in SIM Section 4. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Like you, I had a handful of hard openings at about your jump numbers (not very long ago.) In addition to the comments above, don't forget the important role that body position at deployment plays. This article helped me stop hard openings by learning better body position at deployment time: http://www.canopyskills.com/Docs/BodyLanguage.pdf In addition to careful attention to body position, I learned to psycho pack. I find psycho packing gives me much less chance to lose control of the slider. Here is a video which is an introduction to psycho packing (aka: precison packing). http://www.precision.aero/packing/mvc-002v.mpg If you want to learn to psycho pack ..... talk to a rigger to get supervised practice. Stay safe, have fun. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

1. I am not a rigger....(yet). 2. Holy C__P Batman! Given the data you have provided, it appears that some of your lines have shrunk as much as 10 inches! If you look carefully, the shrinkage is NOT homogeneous (which is exactly what we would expect). For example, the line you have labeled as A1 Left has shrunk 10 inches, the line you have labeled as A4 Left has shrunk 2.5 inches. As a result the A1 Left is now 6.5 inches SHORTER than A4 Left, instead of A1 Left being an inch LONGER than A4 Left in the original set. As a result, the shape of your wing has changed as these lines have shrunk different amounts. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

1. I screwed up. 2. I nearly killed myself and a team mate. OK, with that out of the way, here is my ugly story. It was a 4 way belly flying RW team training jump. Freefall was uneventfull until break off. When we broke off, I turned from the formation and tracked. I was concentrating on de-arching and tracking far. During my wave-off, I saw a team mate's canopy deploying about 50 feet below and 50 feet to the LEFT of me. We did NOT collide and I was able to deploy without difficulty. Review of the video explains how this happened. At break off, my team mate on my LEFT turned 180 degrees from the center of the formation and tracked off screen. I turned about 210-220 degrees clockwise from the center of the formation and tracked off. The video ends here. Presumably my path crossed my team mate's radial path, which put him on my LEFT (he should be on my RIGHT). During my track and wave off, I was looking DOWN, not DOWN AND TO THE SIDES. LESSONS LEARNED: 1. At break off turn 180 degrees from formation center. This is elementary, but critical. 2. During track and wave off, look both down and to the sides. This is elementary, but critical. 3. We were lucky....VERY LUCKY. 4. My team mate is a nice guy. He did not pummel me (vebally or physically) after we landed. I hope that this story may help others keep from making this potentially catastrophic error. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

My interpretation of the BSRs in the USPA SIM is that no wavier is required for D licensed jumpers to jump with unlicensed jumpers who have been cleared to self-supervise: SIM 2-1, E, 6. Students training for group freefall a. Student freefall training for group freefall jumps must be conducted by either A USPA Coach under the supervision of a USPA Instructor or; b. USPA D license holders provided there is a minimum ratio of one D license holder to one student with a maximum of a 4-way. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I agree. The DZ waviers fully disclose the risks of death and injury. What they don't say is what happens if you don't die or get injured.... obsession, aleniating friends & family, poverty, and the idea that eating Ramen while living in a trailer at the DZ is a step UP in life. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

It isn't in the SIM. Look in the USPA Instructional Rating Manual (IRM). An abridged version of the IRM, "Essentials", is available for free here: http://www.uspa.org/publications/manuals.pdf/2008IRMEssentials.pdf Best I can tell, the complete IRM is only available on paper for a fee. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I won't tell you what to do... but I will tell you my story. Beautiful day, wind ~22 mph. I am eager to jump. I get on the airplane (mistake #1 ). I jump out of the plane (mistake #2 ). Under canopy I note that I cannot make headway against the wind (canopy 210 sq ft loaded at 1.07 lb/sq ft.). I turn downwind (mistake #3 ). Everything begins to happen REALLY FAST. I let myself get too low before deciding to turn into the wind. (mistake #4 ). I realize that I am low, headed downwind with a groundspeed of ~40mph. I freak out (mistake #5 ). I decide to turn into the wind WAY TOO LOW (mistake #6 ). I make a terrified braked turn (flat turn) and have a hard but harmless landing. Damage... Ego. Lesson #1 ... If I had not made mistake #1 (getting on the plane) none of the other mistakes would have occured. I will be sitting out marginal winds for a long time until I am more experienced and skilled under canopy. Lesson #2 ... occasionally a braked turn will save the life and limb of a stupid skydiver. I jump for fun.... I did NOT find terror under canopy to be fun. Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Perhaps I was imprecise in my statement. Once we were aloft, the pilot said we were only going to 9500. When we were on the ground I asked if that was due to air traffic control and he said yes. The specific details of his conversation with ATC are not known to me. However, going back to the OP's question... there are air traffic issues related to DFW from time to time at this location. But let's be clear, usually there is no problem with getting altitude. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Skydive Dallas has to work around DFW airport traffic. Just yesterday I was on a load there that could only get up to 9500 ft because air traffic control would not let us higher (presumably to keep the airspace above 10,000 open for airliners). The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I found the attached Rigger Proficiency Cards in Poynter, Dan. The Parachute Manual A Technical Treatise on Aerodynamic Decelerators Vol II, Ed 4. Para Publishing, Santa Barbara. 1991. p:44. Because this book is now 17 years old, the content of these cards is partially obsolete. There are both obsolete (or at least old and uncommon) rigs included and more current rigs omitted. If you were to create a modern Rigger Candidate Proficiency Card, what would you include? In particular, I am interested in what sorts of rigs you would include on the list for packing for back and seat. Perhaps rather than listing specific rigs, it might make more sense to list them by characteristics: one pin, two pin, skyhook, square, round, etc. Thanks! Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

US Academy of Parachute Rigging: http://www.usapr.com/ The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I hope that you have had better jumps since you first posted this. In any case, there is a expert jumper (instructor and world record participant) who has posted her student logbook on line. Her name is Wendy Faulkner. To quote her: "I was a VERY bad student..." Many of us have taken hope from her funny student misadventures! If she can do it... any of us can! See her student logbook here: http://crwdog.servebeer.com/CRWdog/HowCRW.html Blue Skies! The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I am a newbie, & I struggled too. Here are a few things that helped me: 1. I made friends with a rigger/packer who is always on the packing floor. I watch her a lot, and she offers suggestions constantly. 2. I asked another rigger for help with packing faster. He taught me to hold the nose of the canopy in one hand (BEFORE putting it between my knees), lift it up, and flake between the A & B lines. Then put the nose between my legs. 3. Psycho pack. Packs easily, and deploys nicely. 4. Practice. Practice, Practice. Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

If there is no traffic, two hours each way. If there is traffic....who knows how long. Fortunately, I usually travel at times when there is no traffic... zero dark thirty. The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

I am a newbie and my AFF was not so long ago. These things helped me: Certianly I found practice on the floor helpful. However I found visualization very helpful. I would visualize the entire jump from boarding the aircraft through landing. If I had trouble seeing a specific part correctly, I would re-visualize that part a few times until I could see the entire jump perfectly. Lastly, the most important thing of all was the very hardest. That which seems the most absurd, was the essence of the task. Unfortunatly I didn't even begin to get this until after AFF. This key is to RELAX.. I thought folks were nuts when they said that to me.... "Don't they understand that we are jumping out of an airplane? Don't they understand these AFF jumps are frigging expensive? I have to get this right!" Later I learned that they were exactly right. The more I relax, the better I fly. The more I relax, the more fun I have. I eventually found that I could include feeling relaxed in my visualizations for jumps... On the ground I would visualize breathing, smiling and relaxing before boarding, several times in the plane, before exit, after exit, and in FF. Of course, During the jump I would be sure to breathe, smile, and relax at each of those times. I have found that the way for me to arch more is to relax more. I found the term "arch hard" to be unhelpful. "Arch Hard" meant "work Hard". Working hard meant muscular tension, which goofs everything up. When I want to arch more I relax more. I don't become a floppy rag doll... I simply relax my back and my belly and allow myself to ooze into a deeper arch. (I am a 51 year old guy... so my flexibility ain't what it used to be so I have to think about arching.) Hang in there... it definitely gets better. Good Luck Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Regarding the above suggestion: Get a SIM (Skydiver Information Manual) and look at all the tasks you must accomplish in those 7 jumps...it can be alot if put into 2 days. You can find that here: http://www.uspa.org/publications/manuals.htm Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

In my experience, the biggest factor which slowed my progress was the WEATHER. I cannot count how many hours I sat waiting for the wind to settle down. On many days I arrived at 0800 for my pre-jump training and didn't jump until the wind settled down just before sunset. It took me six weeks to complete my AFF levels 1-7. At that point I was cleared to self-supervise in freefall. Of course, I had much more training before I was licensed. It took me to jump #40 to complete all my license requirements (my landing accuracy was a challenge). Between completing AFF and getting my license I had many, many more delays because of poor weather. Blue Skies The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

Thanks for the clairification .... we all agree that the containers have an unusually large volume of main canopy. What is your opinion about my concern regaring the risk of entraping the bridle and inducing a PCIT? The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!