asolomon

this is an advice from one inexperienced jumper to the other... 1. I think YOU need to know your landing pattern first before you make comments about TI and cameramen. On most of the dropzones there are two landing patterns - one for junior (non-pro rated) jumpers and another for pros's (these are the TI's and cameraman). Often the pros have right-hand pattern and the less experienced would have left-hand pattern. 2. When you get to new dz, you got to get a proper briefing on the landing patterns and area. You got to getit from the person who is designated to give it to you. 3. You need to know how you are going to land before you board the plane - plan A and plan B, in case the wind changes the direction. 4. You need to watch the wind and you might have to adjust the landing pattern, if the wind has changed on your way to altitude. 5. The reason someone might have come past you, might not have been necessary their fault. There is number of factors here - one could possibly be a separation in the plane. Another would be tracking... 6. Tracking - if you have tracked for too long and even with slightly wrong angle, you might have been in their space... dangerous (please read some other threads about tracking and how important it is... ) 7. Dont take it all too personally - learn from others, their posts... ask questions that will make you safe in the air! Blue skies :)

got the main out yes. No problem ;-) I like when OTHER people can see clearly where my handles are - so they can stay the hell away from them! Doing some more night jumps this saturday, if the weather permits.

have fun ;-) i only did 3 night jumps and from my limited experience and my friends' comments: 1. whatever you do, DO NOT look at the orange or green light in the aircraft before exiting - cause this is the only thing you will be seeing during your jump. 2. if you are doing a day jump prior to night jump at the same place, make sure that you watch the area on take off and you can orientate yourself with directions. My first two solos were easy, but hell - once I did a two way and tracked, had a feeling of being very lost. 3. glow sticks - people put them all over the place. On my load, I was the only one to put them on my cutaway and reserve handles. DId not use these, but hell, its good to be able to see. 4. Do not wear the sunglasses goggles (I heart of people complaining about lack of visibility). 5. If you land on the well lightened area - try avoiding landing on the edge of the dark and light. Gets very confusing. 6. have fun ;-)

From another perspective... My husband and I were in car crash almost 6 years ago. He didn't make it. After 3 years of wondering what to do with the wooden box, I have decided to scatter it during a skydive. This was my first ever jump. The tandem instructor was probably as nervous as I was, thou he probably knew more what to expect... When we landed, I could only say "I want to do it again. I just dont have any more ashes". He asked me to do the aff. I am 2.5 years later with 320 jumps, jump master rating and training as a judge. I found different meaning in life, new family and amazing place when the door of the plane opens... The TI should be proud of our jump - indeed it changed my life ;-) Kevin - thank you! it definitely was memorable for me. ;-)

We had an incident, that could have been a fatality (the guy got really lucky in all his stupidity, survived the impact with the ground) - the safety officer on the day asked to have the scene and equipment photographed before the ambulance arrived. I am not experienced sky diver and I normally do other type of photography, but was asked to do so. I am not sure has it been used for anything, but the detailed shots were taken of the body, rig, reserve - placement, condition, handles, etc. Something that could be always put in place, should there be no rigger present - surely, there is plenty of cameraman on each drop zone. Ok, it takes a bit out of you to come to the scene of incident and take photos, I know...

try south african way - naked ;-) thats how we do it here. If you lucky, your friends go with you and you might got the whole load wearing nothing but rigs, helmets and shoes ;-)

At our dz on each load we got a "load master" - responsible for deciding the exit order. All comes to count - what type of jump, how many people, what is the break-off and opening altitude, etc... Stick to what the dz rules are on exit order and exit procedures and you should be fine - everybody says... and there is a lot of merit in it.

never in the air, touch wood... thou once was closed to loosing the rig in free fall... been in a car crash. one second see my husband in the car, the car is rolling and flying over the road, next - he is gone. second later - i am out the window, still attached barely with the safety belt, but legs and torso are going to be smashed by the car... the time stretches and the adrenaline kicks in. basic instinct - survival. i walked away. my first sky dive with his ashes in my bra, scattered him on the way down. i was sure i had no chances surviving, thought "f..k". the body reacted, the brain reacted faster than i could think. makes you love life ;-)

It feels like yesterday... Of course will be there. No question. Taya, can we do a jump together? Agnieszka

Hi All, "Has everyone here jumped on every calender day of the year? I have. I've done a jump on every day of the calender over the last 22 years. 366 days. It's just that bothersome 29th of February had managed to dodge me for 19 years until I got it on 29 Feb 2004. That 366th day.. Are there enough people who would like to do a "Leap Year's Day" at the DZ on 29th of February next year? It's a Friday, for those of you who are interested. The next one is Wednesday 29th Feb 2012, and in 2016 it's a Monday. The good news for those who are prepared to wait, is that in 2020 it falls on a Saturday! (Better hope the weather is good that day!) Drop me a mail if you're keen to do a leap with me on leap year's day 2008! (I like to plan ahead!) Blue Skies, t" There’ll be a braai going and beer flowing like Dumoina…..let’s just do it!!! email your booking to [email protected]

Yes, was refering to the fear factor... and i am "she" not "he"... they say females have the 6th or 7th sense, or was it the cat? Still, there were few times I had "strange" feeling, should have known... check my other post ;-)

I have been reading all these posts here and cannot stop thinking - how human it is to be afraid, how human it is to feel uncomfortable about it and how unhumanly ashamed we get about the feeling of fear... I had an amazing teacher once - he said to me - whenever you are ready - jump. If you are not ready, just dont. You must enjoy it... ... I have learned that if I dont feel right, I dont do it. Its like you cannot be half pregnant, you are or you are not. And if you are not, nothing wrong with it. I still have butterflies in my stomach (and a small amount of 37 jumps on my record) - they say that one day they might disappear. Fear is good. If you dont fear, means you are or dead or about to be! The fact that you come to the dz shows that you already have balls of steel. And the beauty about sky diving is that this is all about you only. It really does not matter - you do not prove to any body that you can do it. But if you jump, you better enjoy it to the full! When I sit in the plane, looking at the clouds, cannot stop wondering why it took me so long to realize that sky diving makes me feel alive. Why I only started it recently, why it never crossed my mind before... and then, when the door opens, there is that nervous feeling while I crawl towards the door... and... the sky, the clouds, maybe the spirits of all the people that are not here any more - feels so uplifting and safe. Feels like the right place to be!

Hi Tonto, I have no words to describe what has happened. I have to thank you for the amazing privilege that I have been given to be your last student. Normally, it would have been me writing you an email today saying how much I am still smiling after the weekend jump. Today, when I close my eyes, I see your smiling face as I was pulling, as instructed. You always smiled, but this was the Cheshire Cat smile, the big one and I am sure you still had it when you were reaching the ground. I have only jumped 5 times with you… well, if we do not count the tandem jump that I did with Kevin and you were at the same load… and not really too happy for your just-to-become-student to do too many of tandem jumps before the proper training, as relying on someone else and skid landing was not what you wanted me to learn; I certainly hope, that one day my skills will improve enough, that my back side will not be in direct contact with the ground after landing ;-) – your comment here sure would be “LOL”. You have thought me in the past months patience and how to enjoy the day at dz just waiting, look and watch, learn from others, read the clouds and watch the blue sky. I thank you for sharing with me thoughts, feelings and jokes. Thank you for sharing with me the enjoyment of Saturday sunset jumps. Thank you for all you have thought me ;-) to believe that I can “jump out of completely normal plane”, which (the normality of the plane) of course could be very debatable… and land with a big smile on my face and feel so incredibly free and happy ;-) Our chat about life as we waited for the plane to refill – I told you that you are an amazing instructor and you are so inspiring and it is such a pleasure to know you, a man that found his passion and happiness. Not many of us are as lucky to realize what makes us happy, fulfills our lives. And the chat in the plane… when you said – “the sky is blue, it’s a perfect day! Think, you could be trying to find a parking place outside a full shopping mall right now, instead you are doing what you love…” and we crawled to the door, ready, set and we jumped… level five, arch, report the altitude, one practice touch and you were smiling in front of me. 360 degrees left, whaw! that went ok; right, ok, almost 360 and instead stopping I am upside down, my butt down, can see you there, following me… you said “arch and you will be ok and open the shoot… “ I arched, looked at the alti – exactly 5000! You said to open at 5000, this was one of the best arches I made, you were maybe three four meters in front, smiling… that was a big smile! I pulled the cord… Landed really nicely, thinking you would have been really proud of my landing this time (ok, the minor gravity again, but we will talk about it later…) … I can see someone had an accident… one of the boys playing with my son says “its Tonto!”. It cannot be , its supposed to be a perfect day, I am suppose to learn new lessons, smile till Monday and we were supposed to still talk about so many things, your daughters, your girlfriend, my boyfriend, the life in general and the power of universe… I was supposed to snick a photo of you or two, while you were doing your amazing landing! Thank you for being my teacher! Thank you for sharing your passions with others, you showed me and others so much, much more than just jumping out of the plane… Agnieszka Solomon PS ...and thank you for calling me "a crazy polish woman" ;-)