TommyM

I've done several ballon jumps at Perris, there should plenty of good places to land, try to pick a spot with your fellow jumpers and try to land in the same place for safety and convenience. Why is having 55 jumps such a big deal? I think I did my first one at 30 or so, and trust me, I was not an exceptional jumper. Just leave the basket however your comfortable, get stable and pull when appropriate. Rope swings? you might not need the extra excitement. Watch out for the non jumpers, they can be a real pain in the ass and quite a distraction unless briefed on jumper procedures, tell them to shut up unless spoken to at exit time, don't let them crowd you if possible. I also recommend you be the first to jump because the tension and stress builds when your a later jumper, you can also pick the landing direction instead of having to follow or be influenced by someone elses possible poor decision. One load I was on had a refuser who rode the ballon down rather than jump....seeing the other jumpers exit and fall away freaked her out, she had 100 or so jumps. --Tom in Ca.

I've heard of people being forced to pack in a dz bathroom (I believe with the lights out) and jump it before being considered 'worthy' Packing anxiety will dissipate with experience and doing a lot of pack jobs, there are only a few key things that make a difference...parachutes really want to open. One time I had to pack a wet parachute in a car at the WFFC while awaiting a storm cell to pass, another time I packed up in an Otter with a full load on the way to an off-site drop zone. One more; While climbing to altitude one day it dawned on me that I didn't remember putting my slider up, so my rig came off and partialy unpacked to correct the mistake, yes I bought beer...for myself! -TM, El cap 699

Hi Stuart, I can appreciate your enthusiasm but your asking questions about the honeymoon, wedding and children before you have gone on the first date! You might be surprised at your reaction to a first jump, it affects people in very different and unpredictable ways, I did not like it much...it was too stressful, but I took it as a challenge and learned to love it. You should focus on doing one jump, a static line would be good, absorb the gravity of what you have accomplished then go from there. Regards from California, and don't forget to get photos or video, even for static line (very important)

I think my number is 699, my unnamed mentor/guide called in my jump to Jean, and it was given to me over the phone, this was August of 1993 Myself and 3 others hiked in from the back side. We got a late start, and I struggled with the hike so we didn't get to the top until way after dark...as in pitch dark. My guide and I stumbled uncomfortably around edge and finally found the Cave where I pretended to sleep. We rose at dawn, listened to the rangers chatter on the radio, then stepped off the lip in two groups of two. I got off clean and stable, tracked away from the wall and pulled just past the Towers, totally in control and loving every second. I easily made it to the far end of the meadow, weaving between the pines and landing in chest high grass. I naturally scurried away into the woods like a damned rodent. I cooled my heels next to the river and in a foxhole like depression before slinking off to the rendezvous point. I now felt like a criminal, or maybe how those soldiers felt on D-day parachuting behind enemy lines. I was on post jump high for weeks, even better than my first skydive, the experience still occupies my dreams, both day and night. tommy #699

That's my grandma, asshole.

I'm quite sad to hear this news. Steve and I shared countless jumps and many adventures. I knew he had gotten into Base jumping and was living his dreams. He was always quick with a smile, generous with his knowledge and always a gentleman. He was already a veteran of the sport and a fixture on the dropzone when I was a student. Although I had not seen him in several years I can still remember his voice and see his face in freefall...... -Tommy

Ok, now I get it, yes if your flopping around or can't hold a heading, this could distract from a safe jump. I looked at some of my old AFF video's and I look like a rocking, spinning piece of plywood, but barely in control. In hindsight I'm shocked they let me pass, and trust me, I had the best training in the world, but I still had to slug it out 60 seconds at a time. It wasn't long after graduation I calmed down and relaxed into the classic windblown belly flyer arch...you will too Keep at it, keep safe, live the dream --El Cap 699

You don't mention what this "problem" is causing. Unless your wonky leg position is causing severe control or stability problems, I would stop worrying about it. At your level you should be focusing on making a safe parachute jump. Tunnel time will not likely help save your life nor will someone's notion of good leg position. I've seen very good skydivers have very strange (to me) body positions. Remember, right now your learning to make safe skydives, the polishing of technique can come later. Heck maybe I'm old fashioned as I've been out of the sport for 10 years, and maybe instructors want good style too, but I'd be more concerned with safety, because skydiving sure is fun but it aint no game.

Oh my. Hand jive. Beer. Boobies. What have I gotten myself into? What else should I be on the lookout for? Let's see now...there's kiss passes, rodeo dives, packing lessons, night jumps, getting pied....

She could always pay with boobies rather than beer. I am sure that is acceptable. Come on now let's be civilized, everyone knows boobies are for extra altitude

It's nice to see a new jumper concerned about stepping on toes, but you'll quickly learn that a drop zone is no different than many other types of businesses and they don't expect to keep you captive. Unless your having great sex with your instructor or someone else at that distant DZ, try out the closer one. Jumping at many DZ's will quickly increase your confidence, independence, and network, which will be very valuable attributes as your jumping career progresses. Tom, El Cap #699

I don't have much to add except my own experience which is based on a relentless curiosity about my physical surroundings and my relative position in them. I've spent countless plane rides to altitude looking outside the airplane and playing a mental training game by guessing and verifying my altitude. I became remarkably accurate judging my altitude. The result of my little habit is that I looked at my altimeter less and less. Toward the end of my active years, on regular skydives, I rarely looked at my altimeter in freefall, instead relying on the visual cues such as the horizon, size of houses, landmarks, etc, There is usually also a pretty distinct "thickening" of the air and an increase in temperature that alerts your senses to your impending doom. I also developed a pretty good subconscious sense of time in freefall. Another habit I had was looking at my altimeter while deploying to confirm my saddle altitude...I was never surprised. Durring my last malfunction I didn't look at my altimeter because I pretty much knew my deployment altitude and if I didn't cut away and launch my reserve PDQ I would be dead anyway. As for using a beeper for pattern work, I would find it a distraction, but I've trained myself to judge how high I am. Trust me, I'm no brilliant guy with superman senses, it was just a byproduct of curiosity. I've also made plenty of low jumps between 2k and 3k, and a few quite a bit lower, which really focuses your altitude awareness. This is why a ballon jump is so damn scary...you have plenty of time to look at the ground and see how much closer it looks when you can observe at lesiure instead of at 120MPH. Perhaps it would be wise for newer jumpers to observe the horizon and the ground in a thoughtfull way in order to train their biological sensory systems in conjunction with a regular old altimeter, maybe make a few low jumps now and again, certaintly not to end up with my habits but to sharpen their general altitude awareness and mental acuity.

I've toured Europe extensively and did some jumping on several trips. The first time I lugged my damn rig all over the place...what a mistake, but since the actual jumping was really fun, the second trip I planned to have my rig shipped to the drop zone office (empuriabrava) waiting for my arrival. When I was done jumping I sent it back home. I don't remember (about 20 years ago) what the cost was but since I'm a cheap bastard it must have been worth it. If your going to one country and one drop zone just to jump, bring your rig with you. I attended the first Moscow boogie, circa 1991, and since I had doubts that anyone at the boogie would be able to repack my reserve, I had my rigger give me a "crash course" on packing my reserve but as back-up plan I had my second rig all packed up back home, in care of my family, and ready to be shipped if required. Oh yeah, a hard helmet is an awful PIA to carry at all, so I brought a leather brain bag instead.

Try this: take a car on a fast highway/freeway with your buddy driving...say 75 or 80 MPH, stick your arm out the window with the palm forward, simulating the relative airflow that would be hitting your arm in FF. Experiment with a completely relaxed state and a stiffer controlling attitude, think about what your muscles are doing and not doing. Arch your palm and fingers, let the air blow your arm into a natural shape and balance...everyone is going to have a different position because everyone has different flexability. In freefall, let the air blow your body into the shape that it wants. It's a cheap and fun way to get nearly unlimited air time for your arm....an important controll surface to be sure.

This thread reminds me of another leap me and three other buddies did many years ago at Elsinore out of boredom. The ceiling was barely 2,000ft but I convinced my three friends (Jim McKormic, Rick Martin, and Dave LeClerque) to do solo hop-and-pops from the Otter, which we turned into a 4 way on the short ride to altitude. We pulled the 4 way piece out, turned 1 more point, whistled by the previous pass who were already under canopy then pulled about 1300'. I remember looking at my Alti when I got settled in the saddle at 1000' Was this wrong? Apparently the DZ management thought so as we were grounded for the day...pretty lenient for such a deliberate act of foolishness that I dare say would be looked upon with a harsher eye these days. Looking back it seems crazy but at the time we were all competent, current and experienced....we were having fun but we knew it was no game.

Does a static line count? I did an intentional jump from 100M (325ft) at a Russian DZ, South of Moscow circa 1990. When the jump master strapped the belly mount reserve to the harness I confessed (all through an interpreter) that I didn't know how to use one. He laughed heartily at the same time I realized the foolishness of my question as there is no chance to use a reserve when the exit is at 100m, they put it on as a formality and a counter-weight. The jump plane was the familiar AN-2 bi-plane and it was a novel experience to have the plane DECEND to jump altitude after climbing out of the field and circling back on jump run. The canopy made about 3 or 4 oscillations before I did a stand up landing. The whole jump took not more than 15 seconds from exit to touch down...an odd experience to be sure. I dispelled the myth of the "soft American" that day to more than a few Russians and they demonstrated their new found respect for me with much back slapping and Vodka that I bought that evening.