Chiquita

I figured you all would enjoy this story that was posted on FB, not my post. And I figure we all someone that can relate to this story and landing "When I closed up the coop last night, I didn't realize one of my ladies was still outside. I heard her cooing this morning in the trees. She let me pick her up and put her in the run. A little later, I found this impression on the coop roof (from my bedroom window). Holy face plant! She must have worked up the gumption to try a flyover and overshot the landing. The legs/feet made me lol! There aren't any footprints walking away from the scene, so she must have flown back from that spot. Not that she would've gotten in anyways, because of the netting, but she gets a 10/10 for her perfect, chicken snow angel."

I've been jumping a Sabre 1 150 for nearly 20 years, and mine is older than 2001. Only be whacked 2 times, but both were due to packing errors, I pack for myself so I know. I have been psycho packing it pretty much the entire time, not sure if that effects the openings. I also packed it slightly different than most psycho packers and I always made sure the slider was nice and spread out, and a few other things. I weigh about the same as your customer and have always jumped a 150, so a 170 might open differently seeing it is weighed less than a 150. When I used to pack tandems and sports rigs I always packed psycho packed them and most said it was the best openings they had, but who knows.

I agree with both. I tried colored ones ones, because they look cool, but they do seem to be slightly different and not last as long. And I never understood why people were scared of them, I've heard people say they don't break, which is true they don't break as often as bands, but they will if they need to. I also psycho pack and don't understand why people are afraid of that either. I used to pack tandem and student gear that way, and the TM always said my openings were better. The regular jumpers always liked the openings as well, most said it was the most consistent openings. And my Sabre 1 loves it, she only got me once and I had rushed that pack job so I probably missed something. To me, it seems that certain new/different things it is like a type of cognitive dissonance, something that they just can't get beyond. With tube stows, 'they don't break' as often or easily as bands, and that is where people get stuck. Psycho pack, it is the 180 flip, 'but you put a line twist in it', even though you flip it back over and can check the lines to make sure it is right. But most people can't get beyond the first flip. It is crazy to me.

I personally have used tube stows forever and love them, I don't like rubber bands. I know some people say don't like them because they don't break, but I've never had an issue with them where I would need them to break. I think if you put them on so the overlap part (where it joins together) out of the way, there is no reason for them not to work and need to break. Eventually they do wear out and break, but need to be replaced far less often than bands do. The downside is, if you don't have extra and/or at a dz with a gear shop that sells them, then you might be out of luck.

My cousin would be jealous! He loves pinball machines. And has built some game machines with a lot of the older games on it. I'm sure you've heard of it, but in case you haven't, have you gone to Pinball Hall of Fame in Las Vegas? http://www.pinballmuseum.org/

Something to think about, this is the first time your body has experienced freefall. It could be multiple factors that made you nauseous. Some of the combination factors could be blood sugar, nerves, your nervous system being overloaded, adrenaline rush, and emotions. So, give yourself some time to process all of that and then try it again.

Cookie just posted the notice of the new helmet on FB Cookie's FB annoucement skydiverek - I was sure, I haven't been that active in the sport the last few years.

No problem :-) I was kind of curious. I thought at one point Cookie was supposed to make an impact resistant helmet, or something like that, so I was wondering if that was it, though it doesn't seem like it.

According to their FB page (jedi wear) it is a new helmet that is in production. However, it is weird that there is no mention what so ever about it on Cookie's website or FB page Jedi Wear FB Post

My aunt shared a link with me about Adeline Gray and her live jump on a nylon parachute. It is from the Manchester Historical Society and on a public access tv channel, so I cannot attach a link directly to the video. I also think the video will only be up for this month. If you are interested, you can go to patv15.com, select Manchester, then Manchester Program Schedule, and "see the entire schedule", go back to Saturday 1/15/2022, and select the Manchester Historical Society show. It was on at 12:00pm and 8:00pm est.

I have only jumped in Eloy, but there is Skydive Phoenix in Casa Grande, south of Phoenix. And Skydive Buckeye, in Buckeye, west of Phoenix. Both have an Experienced Jumper tabs on their websites. There is also Phoenix Skydive Center, but I do believe (and could be wrong) that it is mostly tandems there. I did not see anything about experienced jumpers on their website.

Fear is completely normal, you body is going through all kinds of new sensations and experiences. It Do you best not to over think things. Trust what your instructors say and listen to them. Stop trying to over-analyze things. Also, RELAX and breath :-) It may be difficult at first, but keep working on it. And the more you do it, the easier skydiving will be. This is not a competition and you don't have to be perfect, especially when you are first starting.

Has anyone seen this yet? https://www.youtube.com/c/TheFreakBrothers/videos https://thefreakbrothers.com/pages/the-show

Skydive Arizona should be able to help you with that, though their school is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. It should be sunny and warm during that time of year and there is generally little chance of rain. But like bsipe said it might be difficult to get all 25 jumps in during 1 week, 1 1/2 - 2 weeks is more likely to get it all done.

Nabz & Dudeman17 - thank you!