DudeNZ

Hi UpstateBonehead,

Really late to this conversation, but I am interested to find out what you did in the end? left handed BOC?

I am very much like you, I had a hard opening on Jump 27 and resulted in a C6/7 herniation and resulting surgery and fusion. In fact I ordered my new rig a week before my hard opening. (Sigh)

I am also about the same age, height and weight, so interested in what you did.

I have mobility issues with my right arm and have had a few horrific jumps that I have not been able to get to my hackey. (one was a AAD fire, long story, very scary) the other was a coach jump the following week after the incident, and the instructor had to pull.

I found tho, I could do practice touches ok in the air. But as soon as I waved off....

My right arm could NOT reach it at all. it was short about an inch or I tried really hard, I could get my finger tips on my hackey, but not fully to deploy.

I still have the video somewhere. So instructor pulled for me.

I do admit, I came back to jumping too early after surgery. And end up taking 3 years off after those jumps. Also some PTSD along with that.

But I am slowly getting back into after 3 years off, but I am not confident in my right arm, even after physiotherapy and constant mobility exercise. I can pull, but its a chore.

I was considering going to spring loaded PC with a rip cord that was attached to my right Lats. Which i have no issues getting too.

So keen to hear what you did in the end and how is it going for you now.

many thanks,
Andy

thanks man, put my mind as ease. Got badly hurt a few years ago and it was freaking me out a bit after being away for a few years.

Andy

Hi Gang,

I bought a second hand rig from a guy who is 5'9 and I am 5'11 closer to 6'0.

Now when I put the rig on and tighen it up, the hip rings dont sit on my hip bone. But just above by about an inch.

The rig feels good and secure. However I am told by my rigger that the laterals should sit on my hip bone.

Container is a Talon FS.

Any advice on this? Should I be worried when I go to jump it?

Andy

Hi Dragon2 and Cloggy,

Many thanks for your assistance guys. I have emailed Alti-2 for advice as the forums seen to be locked down and I cant register.

So I will wait and see what Alti-2 say!

Blue Skies!

Hey Cloggy,

I bought it second hand from a guy in the USA that was leaving the sport about 12 months ago and I just put up with it.

So not sure how old it is.

But the firmware 3.2.1D and not sure where I can find out if it is the latest. It seems that there is no support at all for these anymore from anywhere.

Yes backlight is off.

And thanks for the helpful reply.

Andy

Hi All,

So I have an N2 and find that they suck battery life like crazy. I am changing battery every two weeks..

Looking at the manual I can find anywhere to actually switch it off.

Anyone else got any experience with the N2? Is this a fault with the N2 or simply the way life is with a N2?

Andy

Hi All,

I'm Andy and I have done a few jumps here in New Zealand and I wanted to do my AFF in New Zealand....

2x static line and 1x AFF and 1x tandem.

However my AFF instructor (Bless him!) has gone to northern hemisphere for Summer up top and wont be back until late this year and due to other conditions such as "A Job", Kids, Bills and other stresses of being an older person I dont have the ability to just drop everything and go somewhere else for my AFF in NZ at this moment in time. I would LOVE too, but I simply cant. Being 40+ just sucks some times.


So in the meantime my Lovely Girl Friend and I are off to Las Vegas for 2 weeks holiday from 29th of October till 10th of November and I thought that this would be a great time to do my AFF and get my USPA A license in the US and then come home and do a few coach jumps and get my license for NZPIA back home.

Can anyone advise if this is possible or are all American instructors heading south around this time?

Or put me in touch with a AFF instructor in Vegas that can assist or should I post back at this forum a little closer to the time?

Thanks for the time and advice...

Regards,
Andy

Quote

Nope, you have to create a new one. It was frustrating having to start over with awful guns at the beginning, but just kill someone and use their gun to level up quickly.

I am prestige level 7... I have spent 6 months getting to this point... that would suck.. really suck..

Ok that is slight embarrasment. But final deathcam with you in it and being taken out by a girl would just be the worst....

The only thing that annoys me about PSN (other then 4 weeks of being down) is that I cant rename my PSN account. I would have liked to rename it to "SkydivingGeek" :-)

But sony simply wont allow it...

Quote

They didn't mind me jumping, but went nuts when they found out I played rugby. I had to tell them when the season started and ended. Said they couldn't depend on rugby players being there in one piece on Monday's.

Rugby?? If you did that in NZ you would probably get a cuddle from the boss for playing a game over the weekend... :-)

Quote

for around 3 1/2 hours for me now..

My old friend PSN... Oh how I have missed you.... I really have missed beating the shit out of 12 yr olds on Call of Duty Black Ops...

I find that Playstation is great.. it helps me to stop thinking about skydiving...

Many thanks to everyone who responded and I know feel reassured about what I am experiencing is perfectly normal.

So today's important lessons...

* Dont be a pussy, suck it up...

* If you like breathing... Dont be complacent...

* This is the most fun that I will ever have...

... and the remaining 99.9999% of the population who dont do this dont know what they are missing...

Andy
again thanks!

Hi All,

Just wondering if someone can assist me here as I am sure that plenty of fellow jumpers have gone thru this same experience?

I have started my student course and done a couple of jumps and I know I have a great big parachute on my back to assist me down.

But as soon as I look at our lovely 206 I start to get that sick feeling in my stomach and that "WTF are you doing??!?!?!" in my head.

Now I clear my head quite easily and I sit in the plane crammed in like a sardine and think "Im Doing this" and I always do.

Very quickly we get to alti and I sit there looking at the houses getting smaller underneath me and the sick feeling is now worse then before. I look at the closed door and the JM opens it.. I feel like I am going to lose my lunch... I shuffle to the door and assume my exit position...

I now exit and very soon a lovely big canopy is above me (Static Line NOT AFF) and sick feeling is now gone.

However I go thru my procedures and list and toggles in hand I look down and find my DZ and I know start to get a slight panic from the height.

Now can someone tell me if this feeling is quite often normal and will it go as I progress?

I really dont want to get to 100 jumps and feel like I am going to puke every time I see a plane...



Andy

Thanks Highfly! :-)

Really thanks for this mate!

So true on the Yamaha, they can make some wonderful guitars. The tone on my yamy is just lovely with a nice set of strings and depending on how I play it its just so sweet to listen too.

Yamaha got a bad name here for being guitars for student players with cheap and nasty.

Can you tell me what is the deal with licenses in NZ, If you get your A license at a DZ in NZ. It can be used at any DZ in NZ?

I see on some groups in facebook that there is multi organisations in NZ and your A license may not be valid at another DZ is that correct?

Or is this crossing into the realm of politics here?

Thanks for the info Steve... Will try and get some accomodation for Sat night and Sunday...

It is ok for newbies to come and watch mate?

I bet that Martin sounds just gorgeous. I love Martin guitars always such a wonderful tone on them.

Steve, Would love to Jam with ya mate, just checked with my better half and we have no plans for easter weekend. Is there a website with details on what is being held and when?

Also do you have any reccomendations for places to stay in matamata...

I would only have my acoustic as I am selling my Strat and Amp / Effects to pay for my AFF or Static line courses...

And I am not sad that I am letting my strat go I still have my Yamaha. Its been with me 8 years and I love it. But I rarely play electric now days.

I just hope someone buys it. Not many Lefty strats out there. Particular good quality american made strats.

But Skydiving is just so addictive... and I am so into Skydiving..

Never thought I would but what an amazing feeling from my first jump and I guess it's all old hat for you now.

What is the requirement for POP's I know its jumpers aged over 40 but are there any other requirements? How regular is the POP's meetings?

Any info on the Nat's drop me an email Steve or point me in the direction of a website...

Cheers

Andy
PS the youtube clip funny as hell mate.

Hi Wayne,

Now that would be a nice holiday in Sunny Motueka...

:-)

Thanks for the information Guys...

Matamata DZ seems good and not that expensive as well as some others...

Hi Guys,

Im looking for static line or AFF or static courses in Auckland and who would you recommend?

I know Auckland Skydivers Inc. in Whenuapai. But they dont have any dates on AFF or static lines courses but are priced very reasonably.

I know there is one guy in parakai and used to be one in Mercer. But what is around the Auckland area now days?

All help would be grateful to this old bloke...

Cheers

Andy

G'Day Kevin,

Being obsessed is fine when it comes to this sport. What other sport can give you this same feeling or rush.

People REALLY dont understand unless they have done it.

If my local DZ doesnt get itself sorted soon. I will have to go to a further out DZ to do a AFF course.

Everyone here seems to be doing AFF but SL seem to be rare.

Are you based in the US Kevin? What is your cost you are paying for your training?

Hope your training goes well mate...

Cheers

Andy

Hi Jumpers.

I am a SkyDiving Newbie, but did a 16000 foot tandem two weeks ago and I am hooked.

Completely addicted to this sport.. I never thought I would be but I just cant stop thinking about it.

I should be working but I am just watching Skydiving videos on youtube and reading articles on drop zone...

Now Im just waiting on my local DZ in Auckland to start a SL first Jump course so I can start down the path of this wonderful sport.

REALLY looking forward to the unknown start date.

Happy Jump's People...

Andy