Glitch

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...I'm just wondering if maybe i'm kidding myself about my actual abilities.

Once again, you're not alone- I think most of us kid ourselves about their abilites. Unfortunately it takes an incident of some sort for the smart ones to figure it, and some never do. ...and before I get flamed and blasted, I include myself in this group.

Riddle me this... when faced with a life/death or highly stressful situation requiring an immediate course of action, do you a) think to yourself damn, this is going to suck if I don't do "this" and then do it, b) curl up into a fetal position and pray for your mommy, or c) think "God has a plan for me and this must be part of it..." resigning yourself to whatever the fates have in store for you?

If you answered B or C, then perhaps the TUG/TUB speech is in order. This being said, you haven't mentioned anything about actually receiving the speech, so I can only assume your instructors are confident in your ability to make a decision and do something (right or wrong). EP's and such can be taught and learned, but the ability to "deal with it..." is something that comes from within and can't be imparted from one individual to another. You either have it or you don't.

Your not alone with having a list of injuries incurred by skydiving. My list includes, but isn't limited to the following: fractured tib, numerous sprains, scrapes, and bruises, dislocated shoulder, broken tail bone, compressed/bruised back stuff, etc... So ask yourself "Is it worth it?". For me, it most certainly is worth it (but that's a different thread...) but the price I'm paying is as Tombuch describes and is associated with aging (on this note is does kinda suck getting old...). I've also had 4 reserve rides and should of had two more (we won't go there on a public forum though!)

So now, I guess your at the point where you need to decide if you'll ever regret getting out of the sport of skydiving and all it has to offer. I got out of the sport for a number of years, but came back because of regret. I had regret that I gave it up for family, school, career, kids, responsibilities, etc... AND I knew that I would always regret not coming back when my life would allow it because skydiving really does make me happy. I didn't want to be laying on my death bed with the regret of not skydiving again. So here I am, not making as many jumps as I want and fighting for the time to actually get out to the dropzone after taking care of all the other responsibilities in my life... But I'm here, jumping when I can...

So what are you going to do?

I think flat packing does help students learn the canopy and how it all comes together, but after learning that and doing some of that type they need to move on can learn other packing methods and decide for themselves which method to use. Pro is safe, functional, and reliable, but than again, so is flat packing. Flat packing for up jumpers is considered by many (especially the "ultra-cool" FS yuppies) to be old school, and 99% of the time it one particular type of pack job is not needed.


There...fixed it for ya!

What reserves, other than rounds, don't you pro-pack???

I'm not a swooper so take whatever the hell I say with a grain of salt...

I think it's safe to say that everyone with more than a couple of brain cells to rub together can figure out that we (collectively as a community) have a problem that needs addressing as soon as possible. I don't think this is a "swooping" problem, anymore than I think it's a problem with the USPA not having a rule that explicitly covers this...

What's the answer? Hell, I don't know... but until, and IF, something is mandated for all to follow, I'm going to educate myself a bit more on swooping. No, not to swoop... but as a means of better being able to ID those flying patterns that indicate that someone is setting up for a swoop so I can stay the hell out of the way JUST IN CASE (s)he doesn't see me...

I'd love to be able to offer a suggestion as to what we can do about collisions at low altitude, but I think most of the decent ideas have already been expressed by someone previously. So... whenever you folks decide that we should separate the landing areas and formalize canopy training requirements as part of the licensing structure then let me know. Until then, I'm going skydiving.

...and does it taste like chicken?

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...after I started committed swooping I lost the enjoyment of holding other men's hands in freefall

For me it never was about holding other men's hands in freefall ...it's all about playing grab ass and tickle with da hotties during foreplay (err... I mean 4-way) so that I don't get smacked around by the wifey!

*sigh* We should start a pool for how many times a year this gets posted...

Aren't/Shouldn't waivers be re-signed yearly at all dropzones? ...or just the ones I've been fortunate enough to frequent?

For me, it was a combination of location and the willingness of the DZO/Instructor to take on the task of training my dad (100% disability: missing R leg from the hip down, no stump, and needed a custom harness built). This was in the early 80's.

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Not as easy for a girl.

So use a funnel!

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It's when they get high before boarding that plane when it becomes an issue.

So the Sunset H&P at alti, to enjoy the peacefulness and beauty granted to us by God, whilst burning a big fatty isn't an issue.... other than gettting the damn thing lit anyway.

I did a bit of searching through the forums, but didn't really find what I was looking for... The subject was broached here, but didn't really answer the question other than to indicate that the responsible parties are leary of reporting anything other than major incidents or fatalities.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has any idea what the frequency of incidents really are? I'm defining 'incidents' as any skydiving related injury requiring a doctors visit (sprained ankle, hurt neck/back, etc...) but not necessarily at the time of the injury. I myself have dislocated a shoulder, broken my coccyx, jammed up my back pretty good, and numerous other 'incidents' that never made it to Parachutists or the annals of Dizzie.com.

So what's the scoop? Where are the majority of the accidents happening (...and don't reply "at the DZ" or "upon contact with the earth" or someother such nonsense, please) in our sport and whats the typical injury? Is there anyplace for these types of injuries to be reported? If not, than why?