degeneration

Thanks! At least now should the situation every arise where I have to flightline check a wingsuit, I'll know to ask "are your leg straps on?"... It is a great shame that for lessons to be learned mistakes usually have to be made. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I haven't been keeping up to date with incidents but have gathered from some of the posts (and probably the reason for this thread starting) that there was an incident recently where someone jumped without their leg straps on? Where this happened, was there no flight-line checking? I jump in the UK normally and on every lift once you've checked your own gear etc and suited up, before you get on the plane someone has to check your gear over as well to double check it is ok and then sign the manifest showing that they've done so. I thought this was the norm until I went to Sweden for jumping last summer and was surprised to find that this practice didn't happen where I was jumping. Now I'm not saying that people should gear up with llittle concentration then rely on the person checking to spot their mistakes (if any), but the double check by someone else has spotted things people have missed. I'm assuming there wasn't a flightline check for the person who jumped without the legstraps on, but if there had been maybe the incident could have been avoided? I am a novice jumper with a little over 100 jumps, so apologies for any ignorance I am showing in this post! Also apologies in advance if this topic has been discussed at length in the past and for any can of worms that may have just been opened by making this post! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

If freefall is your immediate aim then AFF may be the better option. It is more costly than RAPS, but you are in freefall from jump #1, being coached as you fall. With RAPS it is several jumps until you are on freefall. One big plus that I've heard for RAPS compared to AFF (I did AFF in UK and Spain) is that as you start off at relatively low altitudes, RAPS students are generally more comfortable exiting at these lower altitudes than AFF ones. I remember when I did my 5k hop and pop to finish my AFF, as all my other jumps had been from 12 or 15k, I was absolutely bricking it, thinking that the 5k was VERY low. But a 5k hop and pop is nothing for a RAPS student as they start in the system at about 3.5k I think (correct me there if I am wrong). Like on here, this discussion has taken place a lot over at ukskydiver.co.uk and it does seem to be that as far as the end result goes, it doesn't really matter which method you choose. If you get good weather and are good at the RAPS course, you could possibly proceed through it quite quickly, but the AFF course will probably be the quicker option. Check your budget and see what you can afford, then decide which option appeals more to you. You'll love both regardless!!! Whichever you choose, once you start kiss goodbye to most of your disposable income for the rest of your skydiving career!!! Welcome to poverty! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I'm with the above. If I put any kit on for a boarding, even if before the boarding call, I put it all on, or at least get it all with me. Rig goes over my shoulders first and then down to my elbows to get the leg straps on. Tighten leg straps, then do my chest strap. Then left glove and alti, then right glove, then helmet (full face). Don't see the point of starting to gear up if you aren't going to do it properly!! My opinion anyway.. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Can't comment on any specific DZ as not been to any, but my site linked to in my signature has listings of some of the DZs mentioned so far and others not. The site simply gives details of jump ticket prices, regular altitude and a few other details like aircraft, kit hire, and if ticket discounts are available, for DZs around the world. There are quite a few listed (but not enough! hint hint!!) for USA at the moment. The ticket price can be converted to one of many currencies to hopefully give you a better idea of what it will cost you in your own currency! It is user updatable and only meant as a guide, so don't take the info as gospel, I'd confirm anything first if it influences your decision - but hopefully it will be a useful guide to you (and others!). Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

With the choices of beers available, that will probably have to be a completely seperate site!! Ok, updates since last post - altitude can now be set to metres if you really want. More currencies added. And USA is now sorted by state. Thought this was a good one to add given that each state is bigger than most European countries!! But more importantly - 100 dropzones are now listed!! Countries represented are: Oz, NZ, Namibia, South Africa, Belgium, Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Canada, USA, Chile and Uruguay. Not got as many for USA as I'd like though given the size of the place. I know people on this site have been to Perris for example, and it is not listed. People in the USA may not find other USA DZs listings that helpful, but for me and other people in the UK/Europe and other parts of the world, it would be very helpful and informative, so please add more DZs if you know the details for any!! Cheers to all that have contributed. I imagine DZ additions will be slowing down a bit, but hopefully there are still loads more to come! If you make a jump anywhere that is not on the site, please remember to add it! Thanks, Kris Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

From a turbine Islander in Swansea, UK. Also was my first serious attempt at trying to sit fly. Didn't manage, but it was fun!! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Most of the canopies being mentioned so far are PD ones. Maybe it is a little restricted only looking at that brand? I can 2nd the Aerodyne Pilot. I'm on 113 jumps. I'm jumping one at the mo' and absolutely loving it. Not had a single problem with it, opens softly and flies brilliantly. All my landings with the exception of my first jump on it (I quickly learnt it had a different flare height than my previous canopy!) have been very soft touch downs, even on nil wind days. A lot of my friends jump saffires and they rave about those - they sound very much like my Pilot from what they've been saying. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Ok, due to popular request I have now put fields in for Altitude Kit hire cost (Per Jump/Day) Bulk Ticket Discount Available - Yes/No answer - if you want details of the discount refer to the DZ website or contact them directly! DZ Aircraft The latter 3 are all in an "Additional Info" hover over info thing, altitude in the main listings. I don't plan to make any more changes to the database fields now. I think there is more than enough info to be put in for each DZ. I hope this satisfies everyone's requests and doesn't make the site too complicated. I also hope that the database gets populated for around the world, and that people can find it useful. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I recognise the cause of that error... Will get it fixed soon. Edit in: have fixed it and made sure it worked by inputting the data from your post. Thanks again. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Good ideas for both. I've had a decent amount of suggestions for other additions to the database - kit hire cost (per day or per jump), bulk ticket discount being other ideas - my concern is that if there is too much info to initially fill in, then people will not take the time to fill it in at all. Also, and this is purely aesthetic, everything neatly fits on one line at the moment (sized for a 1024x768 monitor) - more info won't! I'll start playing around with new layout ideas to accomodate more horizontal line space for each DZ. Thanks for the feedback.

I'm trying to put together a database of the cost of jumptickets at DZs around the world. I've set up a website to catalogue this information as I think for people who are going to look for skydiving holidays somewhere new, it could be a good resource to have. The website is linked to in my signature. If you could enter your DZ and its jump ticket price into the database, I would very much appreicate it. It only will take a minute to do. I plan on using this as a guide for where I'll be going on holiday in the coming years, so the more info I have on DZ prices around the world the better. I'm from the UK where jumping can be quite expensive (although with the changing exchange rate it is now comparitively less so) and last summer I went jumping in Sweden and the money I saved per jump pretty much covered the cost of me getting there, but it took me a while to find out that Sweden was a good country to go to. The site I've set up would make it so much easier. Cheers all. Mods - if this is in the wrong forum then please move as required. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Just got my new Wings thanks to Bigway of the KarnageKrew!! Can't wait to jump it. Been so use to wearing a hceap and cheerful, no frills rig that I had gotten used to that, and this one suddenly feels weird, but it looks so much nicer! I'm sure as the material relaxes it will start to feel like I was mad putting up with a container that only just fitted!! Only minor complaint is that the pinstripes on the midflaps don't go all the way to the top of the red midflap stripe, but both stop about 4mm short. Would have been nice to not see the end, but other than that I'm well happy! Well, except for the brand new Pilot being one hell of a bitch to pack!! Go Bigway and the KarnageKrew - highly recommended!! Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

You mean I could have got my rig at a cheaper price than you gave me?!?!?! Oh well... too late for me now!! It has arrived safe and sound and is currently at my reserve packer to get the AAD fitted. Shame he went to Perris for 2 weeks today! Kris Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I'm kinda in the same boat with regards to the colour coordination. At the moment my jumpsuit and rig are both second hand. The rig is mainly black with a little red and white on it, the jumpsuit is purple, green and black. Not my favourite colours, but it does its job and that's what matters. However, on downsizing my rig I decided to treat myself and buy new. So I got my own choice of colours on my rig, which will be mainly black with some red and then neon yellow on the pinstripes. The main I originally intended to match so would have been mainly black with some red and probably yellow in there too.. but then I thought a black main might be harder to find after a cutaway so it is now mainly neon yellow, with red end and centre cells. Still matches the container though! And now I'm wanting made to measure jumpsuits - both FF and FS. Now I picked the colours for my rig cause I like those colours, so naturally those are the colours I'm thinking about for my JSs. If you get them custom made, I think it would be rather strange to deliberately choose colours that will clash, unless the deliberately clashing is the look you are going for! Would you wear green tie-dye jeans with a yellow with pink-polka-dots t-shirt in your every day life? Probably not, cause you probably dress with a bit of style and at least want to look quite good - if you are spending money on a new set of kit, why should it be any different there? Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

hey, I may have it (or will when my couriers finally get it to me), but I'm not jumping it till my CCI OKs me on the canopy! 170 is what I'm on, and will be staying on until then!!

I think I'm about the same exit weight as the OP (about 162lbs going by the 1.2 loading on a 135) and similarly have pretty much exactly the same number of jumps (98) and i'm only going to be downsizing to a Pilot 150 quite soon (a rig that I got through bigway) and that's where I plan to spend 100+ jumps I imagine. The thought of me jumping a 135 would scare me a bit just now, but then maybe the OP was cleared on a 150 a while ago for whatever reason and has had quite a few of his jumps on it and feels comfortable. Maybe I'm too sensible and boring these days, but I've heard/read too many stories of people getting over confident and dellusions of grandeur to risk me becoming another statistic in that area! Each to their own and at my level if I was feeling confident and an instructor gave me the thumbs up, I'd assume he knows what he's talking about. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Good points, well made. Have decided to leave Frexer for my FS jumpsuit now and go with someone else. Cheers. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Yeah, I'm serious. It is the price that is appealing - less than half that of the more brand name manufacturers. As for the quality - the Asia region generally do fantastic things related to sewing etc. If I was ever to get a custom made shirt and tie suit at a great price, I'd get one while in Asia. If I send them my measurements, I'd hope it would fit properly, just like I would hope if I went with Bev or Tony. Maybe I'll be disappointed here, I don't know, but I don't see why the tailoring standards would not be up to scratch. I've read stories about people having their Symbiosis, Tony etc suits coming apart, so it can happen to any suit! If anyone has one of these suits, then it would be good to hear opinions on quality. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Has anyone on here ordered a jumpsuit from this company recently? (www.frexer.com) I've been in touch with them and their prices are very good, but am just a little concerned about the lack of proper order form to order with - so no specific place to give your measurements. I would just email them my measurements but then I wouldn't know for absolute certain that they knew exactly where I was meaning for each measurement, if that makes sense. I'm thinking of getting an FS suit from them (the Expounder) and have been told by them in an email that they can make it with padded knees, pockets etc. but was just told to send them colour options and size. Which also makes me think without a template to define my colours on, how do I make sure they know exactly what colours I want?! If I order the FS suit and it turns out ok, I think I may order an FF suit from them too, but just wanted to know if anyone on here has had recent experiences with them and if so, how did you go about ordering? Cheers. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

Price aside, that is one of the reasons that I'm definitely going to go back. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

I came to Sweden to skydive in Gryttjom, but when I got there they had had about 2 weeks solid of rain, so their grass runway was flooded and the place was shut cause the planes couldn't take off and land. Oh crap. I managed to get a lift to Aros where I did my jumping, but as all my train tickets were booked too and from the station near Gryttjom I had to return on a sunday evening so that I was able to get my train on the monday morning. And that is where the staff/members at this place were absolutely amazing. They picked me up from the bus stop on sunday evening, to save me from having to walk the 3km to the DZ. The three that were there talked to me all night, and helped make sure I was getting the right bus in the morning. I could stay the night on site in their bunk house, without any issues. Then one of them gave me a lift to the bus stop in the morning, insisting the night before that I wake him up regardless so he could give me the lift. Now the key point here I think is that I hadn't made any jumps there, so I had spent no money at the DZ, yet the people went out of their way to make me feel welcome, make my trip easier and help me out. You really can't ask for much more than that from people. I'm definitely going to be coming back to Sweden to jump in the future cause it is so much cheaper at the moment than jumping in the UK, and I'll definitely be giving Gryttjom a visit when I do.

I went here recently as Gryttjom was shut due to the rain that had been in August. Over 2.5 days I got 13 jumps in, but probably could have got a few more in if I had manifested faster and packed faster. I went there as a solo traveller but managed to jump with other people on most of the jumps. The staff were friendly and took time to talk to me and one guy even made sure I was involved in a speedstar on a lift. The facilities are good. Canteen for your food, kitchen area to self cater in, bunk beds on site, ok sized packing area, but outside is used too if the weather is good. There's a sauna and shower block, where you may have to leave your inhibitions at home as they are mixed, communal showers. I had a good time there, met some fun people and with it being so much cheaper to jump there just now than in the UK, I'll almost certainly be going back.

Well, I'm almost done with my time in sweden, but I have finished the DZ side of things so thought I'd let people know about my opinions in case they are thinking of going. Went to 2 DZs - Gryttjom and Aros (Vastaras) Gryttjom - had 2 planes - a twin otter and an AN-28. Has a grass runway, which as I discovered means that if it has been pissing it down for quite a few weeks non-stop, the runway can become too wet to be usable. So the DZ wasn't jumping. So all I can really comment on is the place and not the actual jumping. First off the people there are top notch. I only met a few of them but they were incredibly friendly and helped me get to a DZ that was actually open. After I was done at the other DZ I came back here as my already booked train left from a station nearby. I got to stay there for free, they picked me up from the bus stop (3km away from the DZ) and another person got up early the following morning (despite being up late with other people) to drive me to the bus stop to get my bus. And the night before he spent time with me to make sure I had the correct bus times, etc. I can't speak highly enough of them. I didn't do a single jump at their DZ, so they got no money from me, yet they went out of their way to help me and make me feel welcome. It seems as though it has really good facilities. Loads of bunk beds to stay over in, a large sauna, communal mixed showers (so hope you are not shy), lots of kitchen facilities and a large social area with a cafeteria. Aros (vastaras) - again very friendly, but smaller than Gryttjom. Beds for 20-30 people or there abouts. The stay over is free, but non-club members have to pay a fee of 30SEK (about £2.50 or $5) for each day they are there. They got a caravan and go to 13000 feet. They have a small cafeteria serving good burgers, good kitchen facilities, TV, DVD etc, a sauna and again mixed communal showers. This can be good, bad or indifferent I suppose. Depends on whether you are male and have one of the rather fit female jumpers coming in for a shower around the same time as you!!! Lifts at both places were 160SEK, or about £13. The weather wasn't too good in my time there, but I got 13 jumps in Aros. My home DZ costs £20 per jump so I saved about £91 by jumping in Aros, which just about covered my travel to and from Sweden. If you go at a time when the weather is better (luck of the draw, I know) and can pack faster than me (not difficult) I highly recommend you go to either of these DZs. Particularly if you are in the UK. I will definitely be going back to do more jumping there assuming Ryan air still do cheap flights to Sweden in future. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).

SOLD!!! Gryttjom it is then! Got a reply from Nykoping and they are only open weekends and the weekend I am there they don't have a plane... so rules out that DZ. Still waiting to here back from Aros. Sky Switches - Affordable stills camera tongue switches and conversion adaptors, supporting various brands of camera (Canon, Sony, Nikon, Panasonic).