R6F4orR1

Thanks foe the info, I will try to check it out. I am hoping to jump again sometime in mid-September so I will definitely try to get to Arezzo sometime soon.

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Sorry for posting here, but the "International" section is mostly foreign languages or specific areas that are not Italy (at least from what I saw). I am in the military and have been recently stationed near Pisa which means I will be living about 20 minutes from a DZ in a town called Lucca (here is their site: http://www.paracadutismolucca.it/) . I haven't jumped since 2011 (had to buy a car, that wiped out my jump $$ for awhile) but I am now looking to get back to it. I am still waiting for my car to arrive from the US, so I can't drive to the DZ yet to check things out for myself. Here are my questions: 1. Have any of you ever jumped in Italy, and if so, have you jumped at Lucca? Did you like it? 2. I am an A license holder and having been inactive for so long, I know I will need some refresher training. I have met one other person in my unit that has jumped at the DZ and he told me most of the jumpers only speak Italian. Any suggestions for getting refresher training when language is a problem? 3. Should I go ahead and mount my GoPro on my full face helmet now? (it's a joke, calm down...) Thanks for any assistance! Ted

When I started skydiving last summer I noticed a few people wearing these funky looking shoes. Over the last year, I have noticed even more people wearing them. Now that I have done some searching on the net, I am interested in getting a pair. The Women's forum had a thread about this awhile back (found here: http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3903942;search_string=vibram;#3903942) and in 2008 they were briefly discussed here http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3213879;search_string=vibram;#3213879. The ones I am specifically looking at are the Vibram FF KSO's, http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/products/products_KSO_m.cfm. Has anyone worn them? What are your thoughts on them for running? Skydiving? General wear while out and about? I normally wear Adidas Sambas for everyday wear and skydiving. The Sambas are comfortable and have a fairly thin sole, although not as thin as the toe shoes. Let me know what you think. I want to get some when I get back to the States.

#1 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/detail_page.cgi?ID=97756;d=1 Found this one, I'm interested in it. From what I have found on Sunpath's site, this will fit up to a 280. It has a 265 F-111 main in it, 220 reserve. I have requested some pictures of the rig and main. Previously I posted about looking for something around a 210, but I have no problems with a larger canopy. My main concern is the age of the container and the fact it sat in a basement for so long. I will NOT purchase any used gear without first having it inspected by a rigger I trust. I'm looking for opinions about the age of the system and if there were any issues with the older Javenlin's that would be reason not to pursue this rig. Also, what kind of downsize options would I have, or is the 265 it currently has the smallest that would work? #2 http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/classifieds/detail_page.cgi?ID=97760;d=1 There is also this rig. I haven't heard much about Dolphins, but since I don't recall seeing anyone jump them at my DZ, I haven't really considered them as an option. Does anyone have any info about them? I am mostly interested in RW, but I do want a rig that I could try freeflying, if I wanted to. Thanks!

I went through AFF at West Point. The person with the radio on the ground would have a slip of paper with each students name on it and color of the canopy. Since each canopy was different it was easy to tell people apart. They would call you out by name over the radio and have you do a turn to make sure you could hear and they had eyes on the correct person. We never had any problems with it.

I feel your pain. I have been looking for a decent rig that will hold a 230. Being 6'3" and previously weighing 220-225 it was almost impossible to find something to accomodate me. Being a tall & heavier individual in this sport is a little frustrating. In a year of searching I have only found a handful of rigs that would fit me and hold the canopies I need, most of which were old or overpriced. I've decided to start piecing a rig together, saving the AAD for last since it's cost is determined by remaining service life. Good luck with your search, it has been very frustrating for me.

Thanks for the info. I plan to get current as soon as I can (hoping I'll be back in the States by mid-September). Before I left I had been doing most of the drills on the 240, I just needed to work on the downwind landings. One of the reasons I'm asking is because I'm having a hard time finding a container to fit my body and fit the canopy I want to fly. Being military I'm looking at buying new since the discounts are pretty good. Any suggestions about that?

Hahaha, most people never understand what that means. I started using this as a screenname in 1999, been using it ever since. Now I ride a 2008 Honda CBR 1000RR. Had a 2001 Kawasaki ZX-6R for 4 years before I bought the 1000. And yes, I agree with you about the undertail exahaust, I can't stand them!

Okay, I am in Afghanistan right now and dz.com is about the only resource I can access for information/opinions. Before I left to come over here I was jumping a 240 Navigator student rig with a WL of about 1.0-1.04. I am 6'3" about 210 lb right now and still losing weight. By the time I get back to jumping at West Point I should be around 200-205, so I have an exit weight of around 230-240. If I remember correctly I have 34 jumps under my belt. I have also taken the PD beginner canopy course Ian Bobo taught. I plan to take another one since I am a pretty safety conscious person. I have been browsing the classifieds for over a year now looking to buy a used rig. I was looking for something with a large harness that could hold a 230/240 main for a decent price. From what I have seen, finding a decent rig to fit a 230 is tough. I have seen a few 210's, but alot more 190's. Comparing the WL of the different canopies, if my exit weight is 230, a 190 would be 1.21 WL, a 210 would be 1.095 WL. If my exit weight is 240, a 190 would be 1.26 WL, a 210 would be 1.14 WL. Obviously, the lower the WL the better off I will be. I teach motorcycle safety, it's the same idea. Just like I recommend people start on the smallest motorcycle they can, I'm not trying to hop on the equivalent of a 1000cc bike. So, here is my question: would I be pushing too much to go from the 1.04 WL I was previously jumping to a 1.21 WL of a 190? Oh yeah, yes, I have searched and read the different WL threads and I plan to talk to more experienced jumpers when I get back in October. Also, this is not something I am going to buy right now. I have to get current again since I haven't jumped in several months. I'm looking to buy my rig around New Year. Thanks!

Concerning the OP, you can ask those questions of just about any activity, not just skydiving. I have been riding motorcycles for 10 years and teaching motorcycle safety for 2 years. I am confident in my skills on a motorcycle, so much so that I don't get nervous anymore. It's not because I feel the risk isn't there, but because I know I have the skills necessary to make the split second decision necessary to save my ass. Does that mean I will be safe 100% of the time? Absolutely not. There are still factors outside of my control, but I have honed my skills and prepared myself for those "OH SHIT" moments. When starting any high risk activity, whether skydiving, riding motorcycles, rock climbing, etc., you will notice many of the possible risks. Once you have become experienced in that activity, hopefully you are not overlooking the risks, but instead you have learned how to manage those risks and respond to them accordingly. Teddy

Hey all, I just made my first ever jump (it was an AFF) on Sunday, 19 July, and I am now a junkie. I have been wanting to go skydiving for years (I'm 28), but never really had the extra cash/time for it. Well, I finally had the cash, so I made the time. I sat through the AFF class on Saturday but didn't have time to jump that afternoon due to weather delays, so I went back to West Point Skydiving Adventures (West Point, VA) on Sunday for my jump. I wasn't nervous at all, but the rush was way more than I thought it would be. I want to say thanks to Harry and Dave S. for helping make my first jump as good as it was. I have already joined USPA and ordered & received my SIM. My goal now is to have my Class A license by the end of October. Teddy