kmills0705

We used to always get Chinese food Christmas Eve when I was growing up... Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

I think the AFF thread should stick to the question at hand. I think the coach rating discussion should stand alone in its own thread. I think it is a great question Rob. Basically does a jumper with 100 jumps have what it takes to be a good effective coach and be an essential part in our students progression? That would all depend on the candidate in my opinion. I was part of Rob's coach course and I can without a doubt say you were ready to be a coach. You took the rating and the responsibility seriously and demonstrated the skills to effectively work with students. I also knew someone getting ready to go through the coach course this past fall. I knew this person quite well and was working with him on his air skills in preparation for the course. After a dozen or so jumps I had to sit down with this person and tell him that I just didn't feel he were ready to be a coach. At just over a hundred jumps he was still having great issues with various aspects of his own skydiving. I didn't feel he could be effective with students. It was a difficult conversation but I had to be honest. He chose to take the coach course, but didn't complete it. He failed his first evaluation jump and chose not to do any more. Being a coach isn't something a skydiver does when he reaches those minimum requirements. It should be something they want and are willing to work hard to obtain. More often than not those with 100 jumps are not ready. I would definitely support the requirement be 200 jumps/C license. Can it really ever hurt to have more experience than needed rather than less? Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Nice! Hey I am signed up for night jumps on the 31st! See you then! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Ok, maybe that was incorrectly worded. I definitely don't have an "I can handle anything" attitude. I am not a cocky person and hope I don't come across as such. I will always look towards those with experience for advice and guidance. I know I have a lot to learn and hope to gain experience over the years to pass back on to those just starting out. I valued and respected the knowledge and insight from one of the AFF I/E I came to know. But when I took the course through another I/E it seemed I was no longer worthy of such knowledge and insight.... which is quite sad honestly. Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

So it seems to me we have a couple different topics going on here. The original question posed was "Is the AFF Rating too easy?". To me that means is the course too easy. Is it? I don't know. I never went through the "old" course. I certainly didn't think it was easy. It was one of the most mentally and physically challenging weeks of my life. I don't really hear many suggestions on what the requirements should be to pass such a course. USPA has it written out pretty clearly. What would you all suggest be done differently? Maybe the question needs to be reworded to "Are the requirements for qualifying for an AFF Rating too liberal?". I am from the era of BIC, JCC's and ICC's. I first went to a BIC, then received my S/L JM and then went on (with a year requirement as a JM) to get my Static Line I. I have spent years teaching static line students and first jump courses (static line). With times changing and the sport evolving my little drop zone determined the need to introduce AFF to our student program. Several of us with varying backgrounds went through the AFF I course. Not all passed. The course was not easy and I believe those of us who did pass all earned our rating. There will always be I/E who will let someone slide or who have lower "standards". Those really aren't standards they just simply don't care. How they got to an I/E status makes me wonder. As a newly rated AFF Instructor should I have to spend a year as a reserve side jumpmaster? I have mixed feelings on this. I feel I should be qualified and ready to be able to handle anything (main side or reserve side). If I am not then I shouldn't be in the air. On the other hand I do look to work with seasoned AFF I's simply to continue my personal growth as an Instructor. While the "in-air" Instructor skills are crucial there is so much more to being an instructor. If you teach a student correctly and well on the ground (by actually spending time going over each and every objective on the ground through explaination, instructor demonstration and student practice) then you are going to produce a better student in the air. If we go back to the JM rating with a year "apprenticeship" then what is the role of the JM while instruction is taking place on the ground? Just one last thought. A good I/E will encourage newly rated AFF Instructors to continue to learn from those who have been AFF I's for quite some time. It was recommended that to gain experience we offer to work with a seasoned AFF I and just cover our jump rather than getting full pay so that we can be in the air and gaining the experience that will make us better Instructors. Some of us do take this seriously. Some of us have a true love of working with students and are not doing this to make a few dollars. Kimberly Mills D21696 S/L I, AFF I Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Merry Christmas! I will see you next week at ZHills. I will be there Tuesday. Want to get on a helicopter load but not sure what time I will be there on Tuesday... Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

It's confetti! And I love it! Lisa H is as magical as Santa! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Bill, you should try to get everyone at Zhills to get all gussied up like that for a party.

Kip, please do not make assumptions that the above post was from me. It was not. Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

It is really disheartening to me to hear young jumpers with this mentality. "I jumped a 150 for 50 jumps and nothing bad happened so I am ok." Nothing bad has happened YET! Would you like a list of fatalities due to improperly sized canopy paired with inexperience? I really hate to see you added to the list because you got the gear for a "sick" price. Think of how "sick" you will feel once you are injured (perhaps fatally) under that canopy. Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Impressive Vertifly! 10200+550=10750 6+1=7 10750/7=1536 Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Sigh. Did you ever take a first jump course? No PLF?! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

We can all only speculate on who is being selfish if anyone at all. The thing is you shouldn't be asking us for our opinion you should be having this conversation with her (in a non-confrontational way). There are so many possibilities but I will throw one more out at you. Maybe her family is putting a lot of pressure for her to go to California immediately. Maybe she is trying to appease them thinking you will understand (have you said it was important to you for her to be with you for the week). Maybe she thinks that since you are working you won't be able to spend a lot of time together anyhow. I don't know... but I do know being a jerk won't help. It's hard when you are pulled in so many directions. Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Is for my girls to have the best Christmas ever. I already have ever thing I could ever want. I just hope I always do. Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Welcome to the forums! Its good to hear you are having a great time over at Start. I have not been there (yet) but will make it a point next season. There are some other really good smaller dz's in Indiana you can check out next season. Richmond is pretty close to you and they have a great group of folks there and I jump in Franklin, IN and the people there are phenomenal as well. Come visit when this frozen tundra starts to thaw out! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

I bought some Freefly plants from EG when he was at Chicago for Summerfest this past August. When talking to him he mentioned he would be traveling over winter... maybe South America... I can't imagine he wouldn't honor a sale or refund money. Keep us posted. Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Just copying that in case someone wants it for their new sig line. Hey Skymama... apparently I am not the only one he thinks this according to the poll in The Bonfire! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Ok. I am ditching Sebastian. I will be in ZHills from the 29th - 2nd or 3rd. I am manifested for night jumps (thanks Mark for the info and TK for taking care of me this afternoon). I am in for a dizzydotcom jump... but I am a belly girl... though I can fall unstable and on my head and call it freefly! But bring on some RW - the bigger the better! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

I saw this on ZHills website. You probably have seen it, but made me think of you. Enjoy :) Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

Quincy with his girls Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

I called ZHills... night jumps there too. Sebastian or Zhills for night jumps.... hmmmm.... Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

I will be there around the 28th or 29th of December through the 3rd. Tell me more about night jumps. I want to be in freefall for the New Year!!!! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

I plan on being in Sebastian sometime around the 29th through the 3rd. Might head over to ZHills. Do you know if they will do New Years Eve night jumps in ZHills? Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

I found this interesting as well. I owned a Diablo 190 that I sold through the classified. It had 10 jumps on it when I sold it. I was never a big fan of it. My ex husband loved loved his Diablo 170 and surprised me with a new Diablo one year at the WFFC. You either love em or hate em! Anyhow, I verified jump numbers before selling it. I had offers from people with 100 jumps and wouldn't sell it to them. I couldn't in good conscience. Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I

ohhhh I missed that! Guess I need to go find that post! Kim Mills USPA D21696 Tandem I, AFF I and Static Line I