mrubin

Nice. Congrats to you too. Congrats to both of you! "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

+1 "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Nobody... really?? NOBODY is taking this one?? Fine! FIFY I think everyone was saving it for you. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

legit 10/10's at the dz When You REALLY know you're a skydiver... "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Awesome photos! "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

GO CHARGERS! "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I love it! I wish it were like that in real life. My company actually expects me to share the company jets. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

That's great! "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I plan on flying into ONT Thursday evening and flying out Monday morning. I will likely rent a car, so if anyone needs a ride in either direction let me know. Can't wait for this boogie. It's going to be awesome! "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Santa Barbara was my home dz until I moved a few months ago. I showed up there shortly after finishing AFF and they were very helpful in my progression. There are a lot of tandems, but most of the time you can find some fun jumpers to jump with. The people there are great and you will make a lot of great friends. Plus the view is incredible. The drive is a bit long, but it's scenic. It is definitely worth checking out. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Try a yoga class or work with a trainer that can teach you the proper form. Tell them what areas you need to improve and they should be able to help. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Yoga. It strengthens muscles used for stability, increases flexibility, and teaches you how to stay relaxed when your body is being stressed. It will also increase awareness of body position. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

This will be a lot of fun! "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I wear a full face because I do a lot of RW and there are a lot of arms and legs moving very close to my face and I would prefer that they did not hit me directly. If I'm not mistaken, you need something like 50 jumps in the UK before you can wear a full face. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I'm pretty sure that's what it was. I didn't end up getting it because if I rented their gear, they had the insurance and I wasn't planning to jump that much while I was there, so it made more sense to pay a little extra for each jump than to get insurance. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

When I jumped in Switzerland, they told me that I needed additional insurance because what's included in the USPA membership wasn't enough. They suggested I use a German insurance company because it was a better deal than any Swiss company. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

That said I think the BASE/Wingsuit stuff is worth the admission fee alone... i thought the film as a whole was pretty shocking LOL A hot girl and fancy effects cant mask michael bay LOL The wingsuit scenes, hot girl, and sweet cars make it worth it to go see. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Talk to instructors and coaches at your dz. They can watch how you fly your canopy and give you specific advice. Stay current, and I don't mean doing one jump a month. Try to get out to the dz a couple times a month and do multiple jumps each trip. The fact that you are recognizing some of the troubles you are encountering and are working to fix them shows that you have a good attitude. Don't rush yourself. Everyone progresses at a different rate. Do what you need to stay safe and improve your ability. Learn from the mistakes you've made and the ones that others have made. Relax, have fun, and be safe. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I recently moved to Tulsa from California and needed to find a new dz. Before I arrived in Oklahoma, someone from Airtight had responded to my post on the forum inviting me to jump there. The fact that they reached out to me impressed me and was the main reason I decided to try Airtight before any of the other nearby dropzones. When I first showed up, everyone was very welcoming and very friendly. I immediately felt accepted and quickly became part of the dz family. I started jumping in California and got spoiled by always jumping out of turbines. Switching to a 182 takes some adjustment, but you eventually get used to it. The only thing that could make Skydive Airtight better would be a turbine. I feel like I've found a great new home in Oklahoma.

They are a labor intensive product with an extraordinarily limited market. Try making one from scratch and see how long it takes you. Then multiply how much you value your time by the time it took you to make it. $200 isn't bad. Ok, fair point - it's a volume issue to divide the fixed costs by. For my own edification - can you guys who have been around tell me when a helmet proved it's worth? I understand slamming yourself unconscious in the plane, but is it really that dangerous to jump without one? I've had my head slammed against the door on an exit that didn't go quite as planned. I've been kicked and bumped and knocked around in freefall. I won't do any RW without my helmet. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I spent 4 weeks carrying my rig around Europe and it was a hassle. Its extra weight to carry and you have to worry about it getting stolen or damaged. I also found that I didn't skydive in as many places as I thought I would. I kept meeting new people and exploring new countries. I would not take my rig on another trip like that unless it was a trip specifically for skydiving. You can always rent gear. Its more expensive, but its also a lot easier. In my opinion, you should just take your logbooks and whatever other gear you don't want to rent. Skydive Switzerland in Interlaken has some incredible views. The Irish Parachute Club has a lot of great people, but its difficult to get to. Have fun! "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Man in the Iron Mask "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I had a cutaway on my 16th jump. It didn't scare me that much, but it did help me trust my training and myself. You've had your first cutaway. You know that you can handle it. Don't let the fear take control. Use it as a reminder to always check your gear. Just relax, be smart, and have fun. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Just keep showing up and hope for good weather. If you're sitting around waiting, go introduce yourself to people. Make friends with people at the dz and you'll be a lot happier. Best of luck with the weather and welcome to the skydiving community. "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Agreed. There is no substitution. As a matter of fact, the knock-offs are pretty heinous. He owes you Oreos and, IMO, he should buy two packs. Punitive damages and all that. +1 "I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery