PinPointer

I guess I have a few questions I can research before getting coaching and training. * How do you pack a parachute? *What do you look for when inspecting a packed parachute? * How do you use weather reports and navigation maps to guide the selection of a location for jumping to a targeted jump zone? * What methods of jumping out of the plane can be used for various situations? * How do you steer or guide the chute, once it is deployed? *What are the methods of placing your feet when landing, under which conditions? ..

Trusting an instructor is not one of my strong points. I have an oppositional tendency to do the reverse of whatever I am told to do. So Self Instruction is probably a better route for me. Maybe maybe if I am going out the right side of the aircraft, I can push off more forcefully with my right leg, to get a forward push, away from the tail. Maybe crouch, and roll forward, and push off with my legs as I start to get pulled by the wind from the plane. Maybe take a running leap from the left side of the plane, toward the right side and out the door. ..

Thanks for pointing out the pitfalls of my "Learning First" approach. I am trying to learn how to reduce the chance of accidents. I am not sure how to best exit the plane with the best chance of avoiding a tail hit. ..

I talked to a lady who used to skydive, the other day. She explained that pulling the left handle downward turns you to the left. This seems logical as pulling the left handle down puts on the brakes on the left side, and forward motion on the left would be slowed down, and the right side would continue, un-slowed. So as long as I am going forward, into the wind, then I will turn to the left, as I pull the left handle down. If there was no forward movement in the air, then pulling the handles would not turn me. I would need some forward air speed to turn. I am recalling a friend who had a lot of jumps in the Army. He said his ankle got messed up, when he did not land just right, when he had to use his reserve chute. My Army friend said that the guy who packed his chute for that jump, was a jerk. I asked him, "Didn't you check your chute before you jumped?" My Airborne friend replied, "I never learned how to pack the chute. I just did the jumping." I thought to myself, that before I jump, I am going to learn how to pack the chute. Another friend who sky dives said he learned to pack his chute before jumping, as part of the training. I talked to a Skydiving place nearby. The guy was a certified Rigger. Said I could come hang around and watch. Maybe I could sweep the floor or wash their cars to be useful. What simple chores are helpful around the hanger? ..

Dear Pat, I am interested in learning how to parachute without taking the risk of actually jumping, for now. I enjoy risks, but I recognize that I am the type of person who likes to push the limits, which is not a good idea for motorcycles or skydiving, which are both fairly unforgiving. Both also entail unforseeable circumstances, which can be unavoidably hazardous. One advantage of being ABLE to parachute, is to have the potential to land in remote locations, so that I can offer instructional services to people in remote areas. What instructional services do you think might be important for people in remote parts of the world? I watched some more of a beginning Paragliding DVD last night. I am surmising that the Handles are brakes for that side of the Parachute. The brakes close down the trailing edge of the Cells, slowing forward movement. Landing is usually done by stalling, which is by pulling on the D Straps, or "Risers", for the trailing edge, which creates an upward direction, but creates a stall when pulled far enough. ..

Dear Pat, Thanks for the input about Muscular Memory. Has to be learned by actually jumping. I watched some of my videos lasgt night. Still learning the terms. A coach would have spend most of the time teaching me the terms, to be able to coach me. I am so unfamiliar with the Sky Diving concepts and terms, that I am really uncoachable. Not that I am that good at following directions, naturally, in th first place. A lot of the success of a jump depends on what is done before the jump. So I have considerable more gound-learning potential. Best skies to you!

Dear Sky Mama, As I am posting, I am learning. I have printed out the DZ glossary, and the SIM Glossary. I am not ready to jump yet, so I am just making preperatoy, learning moves. I have spent more time getting aclimated to the DZ forum, than I have spent watching my Paragliding Instructional DVD's. I should probably shop on E-bay to see if I can pick up some Instructional DVD's at more reasonable prices. I still have no clue what the handles do, on the parachutes, or how to recover from a stall. I need to learn more about cross winds, prevailing winds, and updraft situations. On a paragliding site, it recounted two paragliders being lifted some 10,000 feet, while paragliding near a mouintain, some seemingly safe distance from thuderstorm clouds. ..

Dear Sky Mama, It appears that a jump is not required to become a Certified Parachute Rigger. 52 Page FAA Certification Guide http://rgl.faa.gov/Regulatory_and_Guidance_Library/rgAdvisoryCircular.nsf/0/9a2a098126ceb0ec862569dc00722032/$FILE/ac65-5b.pdf http://www.dropzone.com/safety/resources/handbook/gloss2.shtml#C

The Main DZ glossary is here: Certified Parachute Rigger See Glossary Rigger, or Rigger's Certificate. Certified Parachute Rigger's Test: http://www.parachuteshop.com/Becoming%20a%20Parachute%20Rigger.htm FAA Regulation requiring a Certified Parachute Rigger: http://http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/11feb20051500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/janqtr/pdf/14cfr105.43.pdf The Current DZ Glossary is Linked Here: http://www.dropzone.com/safety/resources/handbook/gloss2.shtml#C Link to USPA SIM Manual, PDF, Glossaray: http://www.uspa.org/publications/SIM/2008SIM/glossary.htm ..

Dear Sky Mama, I was Googling for Parachute License Qualifications, and found this free PDF on parachute packing: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/11feb20051500/edocket.access.gpo.gov/cfr_2005/janqtr/pdf/14cfr105.43.pdf I also found this Flight School List: http:///www.flightschoollist.com/skydivingparachute.htm Here is the Link to a Directory of Sky Diving Schools in the US: http://www.flightschoollist.com/skydivingparachute.htm The Home page also has a Link to a directory of Paragliding schools. USPA Parachute Website Home http://www.uspa.org I found this Link to the USPA License requirements, Levels A through D. http://www.uspa.org/licenses/index.htm ..

Dear Danny Dan, I don't feel that I am ready for a coach just yet, as my first dive is months away. However, I did try to follow up on the concept of finding a coach. I did some searching and was unable to find a Parachute Coach Directory. I found a thread talking about a button on the "top", but I don't see it. "I am unsure if it's going to end up being a database that you can access by hitting a link at the top of this forum or simply a big, locked, sticky post that will remain at the top and be edited as I receive notification from qualified individuals. Just a quick note about that. "Qualified" is a very nebulous term when it comes to instruction and coaching in disciplines which are not regulated by your nation's governing parachute organization. There are quite a few people out there who are fantastic teachers with other "real" ratings, but have never competed in canopy competition in any of the at least three sub-disciplines: swooping, classic accuracy, demonstration accuracy. " http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2505063;search_string=Coach%20Directory;#2505063 Any Coaching Directory references for me? ..

Dear Danny Dan, I am such a beginner that I can't even understand the posts. I need to understand the words and abbreviations, before I can even start commenting on Swoops and Canopy Control. I need to get some basic words and references to even start. Can you get a license without actually jumping first?

Dear 174 fps, Thanks for the link to make links work on DZ. I have been spoiled by the automatic feature on some forums. http://www.gossamer-threads.com DZ Glossary [url]http://www.dropzone.com/safety/resources/handbook/gloss2.shtml /[url] [url]http://www.dropzone.com/safety/resources/handbook/gloss2.shtml Maybe a technique would be to copy up to the http://, and then copy into the Gossamer format The first url jumped up a line on one of my attempts. I have been posting on a forum where links to resources are expected and demanded, so maybe posting Links is not so popular on DZ. I just like to have a place to post my links for references. ..

Dear Loretta, I am new to parachuting, and I looked up AFF. I found Accelerated Free Fall. It seems there are more than a few schools that teach AFF. Sounds exciting. Best of Luck!

Dear Sky Mama I found the SIM manual for sale, for $25.00, on the USPA website. It took me a few visits to find the link to the free download PDF copy. http://www.uspa.org/publications/SIM/2008SIM/SIM.htm I am watching my Paragliding DVD's as I have time. I am trying to understand the terminology and headings for the DVD chapters. I am not familiar with many skydiving terms and abbreviations. I found a Glossary of skydiving terms: http://www.dropzone.com/safety/resources/handbook/gloss2.shtml I may utilize this thread to keep Links to useful skydiving learning information references. Here is another free PDF manual on Parachuting I found: http://parachutemanuals.com/ Here is a link to the free PDF Arizona Parachute Manual http://www.dropzone.com/safety/resources/handbook/index.shtml The links I put in this post to other DZ threads and other info do not seem to work. I put the links also in Word on my computer, so I can make the links work. I searched the DZ form on Links, but did not find anything about how to make links work. I know there are rules about spamming, and I was trying to observe that by only citing free stuff.