B1029384756

Making monthly payments on something that continuously depreciates in value is a stupid decision, especially when one is forced to maintain full coverage insurance that can add up to thousands. I've seen too many people end up owing more than the value of a car. Nor do I need another car right now - I have one, and can afford to replace it with something comparable if it suffers irreparable damage. Luckily, I don't need to rely on you to make my decisions for me, as I'm perfectly capable of doing so myself. I spoke with Hans on the phone, he told me that he's a big guy himself (much shorter than me but fairly heavy, he said. I'm probably in much better shape unless he's a bodybuilder), and that he thinks at my size I'd fall too quickly. Like I said, if I were to manage to lose 20 lbs, he told me that I'd be able to go there. If I ever manage to lose the weight, I'll keep that in mind. I didn't ask him anything about gear, I assume he has it available if he'd be willing to take me at 260 lbs, though. I've been in contact with another DZ that said they'd be happy to have me at my current weight, though, so we'll see what happens.

It's not that I can't expect another 1000 miles from my truck. It's just that it's a bit older and sometimes needs work. I replaced the torsion bar bushings, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, ball joints, idler arm, pitman arm, front shocks, front brake hoses, and the pulley on the power steering pulley. I've also fairly recently replaced the entire ignition system minus the distributor itself, the fuel pump, entire rear brakes from the wheel cylinders on down, fuel pump, and some other things. I'm able to do the work but it just took a bit of time. My concern isn't that it won't last another 1000 miles, merely that there's a chance something unexpected might break over a 2400 mile round trip. Still, this is true of any vehicle and I believe that I've exercised due diligence in making sure it's in running condition. I'm prepared for most common roadside problems and can perform some repairs on the side of the road, though it most likely won't come to that. Also, I've never owned a vehicle I didn't pay cash for, so putting a down payment on a truck I couldn't buy outright isn't something I'd be likely to do. I can swing $500 for another truck if I really need one, and I don't mind doing the work that such a truck would undoubtedly need. I do plan to get at least another few years out of this one if I can, though. My priorities might be different than some people would choose in my situation, but it's been so long since I've done something like this for myself and have an opportunity to do so now while still being able to provide myself with basic survival needs.

That's easy. I am. If I want to do something, and if a reputable company is offering the opportunity, I won't pass it up because others have previously refused to do business with me. I have another place lined up that also was highly recommended to me, for larger people in particular, just waiting to hear from them after they talk to their instructors. It's about a 1200 mile drive, more than I wanted but I'm glad you guys warned me about ASC's affiliation with Skyride, I suppose the extra 400 miles is worth it to deal with a better company.

Crosskeys was one of the first places I contacted. I hear that they have a good reputation but they told me that I was too big. I forget exactly what their limits are.

I just called the place that was my first choice in Ohio...they finally checked with their instructors and told me that they don't have anyone willing...it's a shame that they have the equipment that can easily handle someone well over 300 lbs but can't make use of it. I've been struggling to lose weight for quite a while but it's always proven exceedingly difficult, particularly as I'm not in bad shape to begin with. I'm about 50 lbs heavier than when I reached my current height at 18, and most of that is muscle (which I realize is fairly meaningless for skydiving, extra weight is extra weight). If I end up quitting smoking (which I think I need to hold off on for a while longer), I don't know how I'd be able to do it. Limiting food always results in severe headaches (which take anywhere from a day to a week to start), I've tried running more often but it's difficult to fit it into my schedule during daylight hours when it's not likely to get me in any trouble, and also difficult to stay motivated for such a boring sport. Last night I swam across a river several times, probably a bit unwise to tackle swift currents alone at night, but it's something I've always found very enjoyable, one of the few ways I can seem to get good aerobic exercise. I might try to make it to the ocean tonight, but both of those cost me $30 or so in gas money each and every time I go. I'll try to see what else I can do...maybe 260 is somehow possible so that I could go a little closer. If I'm not able to lose much more, than it looks as if I'll need to figure out how to scrape up some fuel for a 2400 mile round trip, now, and hope like hell that my truck will make it. I know that in the long run financially I'd be better off waiting until I can afford to get a class A license all at once but I think I'd be taking the chance on quitting smoking, possibly gaining a few more pounds (I'll try to avoid it but I realize that the odds are against me), and never being able to jump at all. At least this way, I'll have gotten in a couple. Besides, if all goes well, if I do a couple of jumps now, they'll at least count towards my 25 even though I'd have to pay more for a refresher later on.

N/A

True...it's bad enough trying to find size 14 shoes. I usually have to pay twice as much (full retail price rather than buying at an outlet) for them. The height isn't an issue at most place, most say that have no limit. It's only my weight that's a big problem at most places. I've tried to lose some weight recently...didn't do so well, only having a net loss of 5 lbs (though it does seem that I lost more fat than that and replaced it with lean mass). I do have some extra body fat, but overall I'm much closer to the aforementioned rugby player than the couch potato. My biggest problem is my cigarettes, and I also recently had someone I know die of lung cancer. He wasn't the first, but this one was only 30 years old. Since 30 really isn't all that far off for me, it's definitely time for me to stop smoking. I want to jump ASAP, then immediately quit smoking, and if I happen to not be able to lose weight for a while or even gain 10 lbs temporarily, it won't be a huge issue as I'll be healthier overall and won't need to be a specific weight for anything, once I've done this. Having spoken to nearly every place listed in USPA's database, it doesn't seem as if availability of equipment or instructors is plentiful, or even exists at all. Limiting myself to a 2-hour drive is impractical if I can't jump when I get there. If I need to go far, I could take a Greyhound bus, but I'd much rather be able to drive, and for that 1000 miles would be my absolute limit due to fuel costs and vehicle reliability.

That might be a good long term solution, but right now I'm in bad shape financially, and have about $1000-1200 that I can spend to make a few jumps now, and get back into it later when I'm not so strapped for cash.

The Farm is an option if I can somehow get down to 260 lbs. Any place closer that I've called have limits of 250 lbs or less (some as low as 200), and a few have height limits of 6'1" or 6'2". I wasn't very interested in tandem anyway, I want to make a couple of AFF jumps. Almost no place has any gear rated to my weight, or if they do, they don't have instructors that would be able to keep up, or the DZ is simply unwilling. Bigun was who I talked to when I posted a thread a few months back when I knew almost nothing about the sport and had no idea where to go. He helped me out quite a bit with information, and I've done some research on my own since then. I tried to contact him again before making this thread but haven't gotten a response, so I assume he hasn't been on the forum recently. As for wingloading, ASC said that they have a 300 ft² canopy, which would put me at 1.08:1 assuming 40 lbs of gear. From the research I've done, my understanding is that under 1:1 is ideal for students, but that lower wingloading is more important for smaller people (that, for example, a 160 lb student with gear with a 150 ft² canopy would be at much more risk than me at 320 lbs w/ gear and a 300 ft² canopy). Am I correct in this belief? I don't know if other places have such equipment available. I've heard about Skyride and didn't realize ASC was part of them. I'll be avoiding them, then. I just wish I had a suitable alternative.

In what way do they screw the students? Their prices seemed to be in line with most other places. I'm in Trenton, NJ, nowhere near GA. I really didn't even want to drive that far (my first choice is about half that distance), but I have few choices. I have no health problems, but I am 6'4" and 280 lbs, in pretty good shape. ASC told me that they have a 285 lb weight limit. which is why it seemed like a good plan to me. Alabama Skydiving Center also told me the same thing (but I think it's the same company, and Atlanta is closer if I were to go to one of them). I really don't want to drive much further than 800 miles if possible, since my funds have become limited lately (I have money put aside just for this that I won't touch otherwise), and gas is expensive. I also drive a truck with 235,000 miles on the original engine and transmission, and though I've made extensive repairs, I don't know if I'd trust it for thousands of miles at a time.

I still haven't made my first jump due to various problems such as getting my truck in good running condition and various other things. The place I was originally supposed to jump at, that I've been remaining in contact with, seems to be having second thoughts about me. I won't mention their name, in case I've just gotten the wrong impression about them, I don't want to make potentially false statements. For a backup plan, I've called nearly every place in the country listed on USPA's website about jumping, and, so far, the only one that definitely seems willing to take me is Atlanta Skydiving Center. Does anyone else have any experiences with them? I want to know if this is a reputable DZ. My other options are very limited at this time. Thanks for any information that you can provide.

Yeah, Bigun's been great with information. My plan is to make my first jump at my current weight simply because I'm anxious to try it, then try to drop a few lbs while I'm getting money together to get a class A license. Thanks to all who posted in this thread. I'll post something to let everyone know how my first jump goes and then I'll proceed from there.

I see. Good to know. I found the anvil brothers website. Are most of those people big like me, or are most of them only slightly over the 200 lb entry requirements? I would have suspected the former before making this thread, now I find the latter to be more likely. Done. So, I gather that I want at least a 280 ft² parachute so that I don't load it at a ratio much higher than 1:1, correct? Also, if I'm reading people's comments correctly, when I manage to do this, I'd be one of the top 10 heaviest skydivers in the country? That's truly astonishing. Honestly, when I first posted this thread, I expected advice from a slew of 300+ lb skydivers who'd tell me where to go. I see that isn't the case now. That is unacceptable. If I'm really forced into it, I'd have to leave the US to go somewhere that it's legal. I don't think it'll come to that, but I'd choose that over abandoning the idea. Also, how is it that it's a good idea to force manufacturers by law to not make safer parachutes for larger people? This would only seem to encourage us to try to do it with the smaller ones, at a higher risk. That it's illegal and unsafe obviously wouldn't be a bar to some people, otherwise there'd never be prosecutions for illegal BASE jumping. I realize you were probably being facaetitious with your suggestion of contacting the FAA, but if not, I obviously have no political influence to make such a thing happen, so my words would carry no weight like space shuttles. I live in NJ and would be willing to travel a reasonable distance. I'd prefer to spend a few hundred dollars or less on gas, though if it's more, then so be it. It is the AFF program that I'd be interested in. What types of terminal velocities would I likely be looking at (roughly, of course)? If an average skydiver hits 120 mph (correct me if I'm mistaken)...something like 170 mph? Now that I know what weight belts are for, why wouldn't an instructor be able to wear those to fall at the same rate as me? I assume that a 140 lb instructor having to haul his own body weight in iron would be completely unsafe, but are 200lb instructors that would only need a few extra lbs able to work like this? I'd guess that if they could get me around the gear limitations, they'd be able to do the same for themselves with the extra weights. I'll definitely keep SkyDance in mind, I bookmarked the page. If I don't find anything closer, I'll call them and explain my situation. I'm not a member at any boxing gym (or any gym, as I have plenty of my own equipment) at the present time. The only thing I worry about for nutrition is getting enough protein (I try to eat 300g/day), sometimes creatine if I'm in the mood to train hard. Other than that, I don't really monitor it. It's difficult for someone who can't cook (I set the oven on fire trying to heat a frozen pizza before) to eat right. I know I need to step up the cardio more. Luckily, I live an hour from the ocean, and am either physically conditioned or genetically predisposed to endure extreme cold to be able to swim all year round. I don't really have much of an excuse for not doing that more often, I know I really should. Thanks for all of the replies, this is great to have all of this information so quickly. Even opposing views are considered, though I can offer no apologies for being unwilling to abandon my plans. Some of you say that it has been done before, so I don't see why I can't do it, and even if it had never been done, there's always a first time for everything.

Do those figures include most people who've ever jumped, including those who might have only tried it a few times or even once? I don't know what percentage of skydivers become "registered", if it's nearly all of them, then your figures make sense, but if not, that needs to be taken into account. I only don't know what percentage of the adult male population is over 220 lbs, I'd guess at least 10%, though. So, there's still probably at least several thousand heavyweights who'd want to do it if the option was there, if not tens of thousands. Well, there's always that possibility. I'm aware of it and accept it. That said, there must be ways to minimize the possibility aside from avoiding the sport altogether. From my experiences such as playing football and colliding full speed with 400+ lb men, it seems counter-intuitive to think size doesn't matter, but I'll take your word as the voice of experience on this. That's what I suspected...that if they're accepting at least some measure of responsibility for me (even if not legally, their reputation is on the line if there's a string of incidents involving fatalities novice jumpers who bring their own inadequate gear). That does compound my problem, though, in that I can't jump with their gear because it's not rated heavy enough, and I can't jump with my own (even if I could afford it, which I doubt) because I'm not experienced to make judgments on its suitability. I searched for "weight" before posting and mostly found threads about weight belts (not that I know why would someone want to be heavier for this). Thanks for the info, it's all useful to me in one way or another.

Not trying to seem cocky or offend anyone. I don't have a good understanding of exactly how things work, and am asking those questions to find out what would be a good idea and what isn't. And, my original question was about DZs that accept larger jumpers, so I'd assume that if anyone knows of any, it's reasonably safe if they have the equipment to handle me. I also don't know how tight the tolerances on the equipment are in real-world situations, how much breathing room the engineers use when rating the equipment for weight, again because this is all new to me. I do realize safety is the primary concern, and would like to find a way to do this safely, but I am willing to accept a greater risk if that's the only way. I know that there's danger involved regardless and am not trying to game the system, but I do find it surprising that the technology so that I can jump isn't readily available. From a business standpoint, wouldn't any DZ that maintained the equipment and offered such services basically have a local monopoly, as heavier students from the entire region of the country would flock there as their only option? Or am I missing something? As for losing 60 lbs, there's no way I'd be able to do that. At 220 lbs, I'd most likely look like I belonged in an eating disorder treatment center. I'd like to become more physically fit for reasons unrelated to skydiving anyway, but 240 lbs is the smallest I could ever see myself, so that I'd still maintain my strength and muscle mass. My short term fitness goal is to be 265 lbs with more muscle mass, but that's a second priority compared to quitting smoking, which I can feel is starting to take its toll, so I might not lose the weight this year. So, if no one has heard of someone my size learning to skydive, what is the largest you've ever heard of? Thanks for the info, I'm open to any ideas that might work for me.