Baksteen

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I haven't met those people...

I have.. A fellow student at my DZ once told me that he had "no problem with doing radical turns below 2k, because the [student] cypres would only activate at 750 feet. Besides once the canopy is fully open, nothing can happen to it anymore." In fact, I believe he even said that he'd be right as rain just so long as he'd level off at 1k, but I hope I don't remember that correctly.
I sent him to an instructor, and when he waved away my concerns, I sent the instructor to him.

I've said this before, but I would suggest that expereinced dz.commers simply modify their reply a little.

If you know that a topic has been discussed before, why not simply include a link to it? That way the "repost police" can actually make themselves useful with their experience and replies

I jump right next door - in Hilversum
The forecasts for the weekend unfortunately are not superb, but I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - and for myself obviously.

>
All of the Netherlands is close to Schiphol, dude!
A mixed blessing at best...

I'm really curious:
How did this end?

And to JoosVos, I don't mean to be disrespectful but how can you say stuff like that after what everyone else said? "She should not jump" is a really easy solution to the problem.

I don't usualy post to this forum, but can't have just "Belgen" reply to this now can we...

Hello Ilona, and welcome to the forums.

The secret to jumping in the cold season is wearing a lot of thin layers, or just some old skiing garments under your overalls.
Not sure exctly when you'll be allowed to go High, but the heights on the A-license card are *minimum* heights. So it all depends on your general progress :)

But "clear and pulls" from 6000 are loads of fun too, and they'll allow you to work on your canopy skills - which you'll need for your A as well.

Just get out there, and have fun, that's the most important thing.

Have them deliver it.

You'll get it for free if it arrives cold, and then all you have to do is to pop it briefly in the oven at 200 Centigrade.

Enjoy!

I'm at work, but it's time for my coffee break.

Be back soon.

If I've read you correctly money is the limiting factor for you.
So maybe it's better to save the money of the second tandem for after your AFF, or for when you need to redo a level?

But if you insist on doing this tandem (it's your money after all) tell your tandemmaster that you're considering AFF.

I bet he didn't..

His arms are in a suspicious configuration, as if holding something which is just out of sight.

I hope to GOD 'tis indeed the sheet of paper...

I used to go green when i flexed my muscles.

I have no relevant experience or advice to offer, but I just want to wish you the best of luck in your recovery.

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I the time between then and now, I've ready just about everything I can find on the internet, watched about a million videos, dreamed and planned and schemed, and talked my friends blue in the face.

I even went so far as to watch an utterly terrible movie starring one of the Cage brothers, Tom Berringer, and Dennis Rodman. It was called "Cutaway," and [..] it was re-damn-diculous! (But filled up a rainy Sunday evening.)

Well, you've got all the peripheral makings of a skydiver...

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I know myself very well. I love new experiences, become very fixated on them, maybe even obsessive. Then after awhile, I calm down a little, pick up something new, and I'm on to a new obsession. [..] blah, blah [..] And while I constantly pick up new things, I keep up with the old ones as well, just not as much as I used to.

I'm no dummy. Regardless of how exciting and challenging skydiving will be, it's probably not something I will eventually want to devote all of my time to. For awhile, yes. Forever, no.

Famous last wrods. We'll talk about this again once you finished AFF. Even when you finish AFF, there are still a great many things to learn.

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Soooo. Given the right frame of mind, dedication to safety and continual learning, is skydiving something that I can do "casually?" If you know what I mean?

Actually, this is how I approached the sport myself. However, the very first time I was under canopy, I knew I was hooked. I just didn't care about my other hobbies anymore, and the further I get in skydiving, the more time and money consuming it becomes.

Can skydiving be done casually?
Some people make a few jumps every year, half of which are recurrency jumps. Is this safe? Is it even skydiving?

Can YOU skydive "casually"?
We'll see...

I think I'm developing breasts...

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Regarding your question about notification - I'll probably post the letters as they were written.

OK, then I'm not worrying anymore. I was thinking, what if he wanted an essay of about fifty words, instead of fifty pages...

When I downsized for the very first time, I went from a Manta 280-ish to a Falcon 215 (my instructors thought I could handle it, and had in fact recommended it to me).
When I had about ten jumps on the 215 (which was loaded at 1.0) I was telling one of my instructors how I enjoyed the control and the responsiveness I was getting out of the Falcon.
He smiled, and said that in that case I might enjoy the Navigator 240 even more.
That was the only reason I upsized.
And he was right.
Canopy control jumps on a Navigator that size are loads of fun - the thing just doesn't want to come down meaning that on a H&P from 6 you can do all the exercises you want, and then some.

Will the people who are selected be notified beforehand, and given the opportunity to revise/shorten their essay as needed?

But more importantly:
We told you our stories, Joe.. What's yours?

Did someone say "first"?

Edit: Hmm.. they need guinea (sp?) pigs.. Don't these get paid to take risks in untried circumstances?

I agree..
I think that, if he'd gotten a tattoo of Graham Norton instead of Dumbledore, he'd actually look less of a dick.

But(t) wait! It suddenly becomes clear what's happened! it's all a conspiracy! Dumbledore is not actually gay, Rowing is just slandering Dumbledore in order to make Paulie look bad

In that case, you are not aiming the camera correctly

Mine is a subtle hint about my flying skills and aerodynamic properties.

All PW's and lurkers who frequent the Bonfire have a degree in amateur knowitallology, you know.
That's like psychology, only better.

So tell us all about your hoorible trauma, and we'll laugh at comfort you

So that's what your face looks like...

-sigh- low jump numbers, not an instructor, yadda yadda yadda

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I did neither tandem, nor AFF but I know one thing:
The instruction you'll receive in AFF is a lot different and way more extensive than the instructions for a single tandem.

The first freefall can be overwhelming regardless of the course you choose - it was that for me, even though it only lasted five seconds.

As I see it, once you decide you want to become a skydiver, loose tandems are just a waste of money.
I'd save it for your AFF course, if I were you.
You may or may not forget to arch (or whatever) during your AFF level 1, but your instructors can probably remind you.

As to what may happen, don't sweat it, two very experienced instructors will be holding on to you during the freefall part of your first AFF jumps. Tell them about your worries when they are training you, and they probably can say a lot to boost your confidence, way better than anyone over the internet can.

Me, right after being savaged by a pride of snowflakes.

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Baksteen, were you there? Did you hear this sentence in context? I didn't. My point overall is twofold.
~I didn't hear the comment, and based on the way the post is written, it may not be in context.

~it seems there may or may not be a personal issue. The multiple subject points of the OP make it seem so, rightfully or wrongfully.

All DZ's have asshats. I'm sure some think I'm one of them. Others don't. It's not for me (nor you) to judge whether "Yahoo" is a terrible skydiver or not. He may or may not be just an asshat who made a stupid comment in or out of context.

On the other side of the coin, if this guy truly said this in the presented context, and has demonstrated this sort of attitude (outside of this one incident) then the DZO or DZM should likely be proactive and remove him from the DZ.

Upon reading it again, my post seems a little harsher than I intended. My apologies for that, it wasn't meant to be directed at you.

You're absolutely right, i wasn't there, and don't know OP nor Yahoo nor context neither.
My blood just boils when i consider that some people out there actually DO think like that.