Namowal

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Posts posted by Namowal

  1. Quote


    Sit down with Matt and have a chat about gear this weekend.


    Will do. (If I'm not grounded by working this weekend).
    Thanks, Squeak.


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    And you'll have figured out by now that this sport is very much a 'head' game.


    That's true in many contexts, it seems. I'm surprised nobody's done a study on the psychology of the sport. Or maybe they have.
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    I think the only danger is in getting the idea that you can't stand up. For example I've seen low-timers who habitually do sit-down landings from a perfectly timed flare, just because they've got used to them and convinced themselves that if they put their feet down they'll get hurt.


    Isn't a deliberate sit down landing potentially dangerous? I've been told to contact the ground with my feet first, even if I think I'm going to fast to remain on them. That way I can PLF. A hard sit down landing sounds like a good way to break your caboose, (in my noob opinion, at least.)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

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    Great job, and congrats on your new shiny toy!



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    Nice. Enjoy your bling - you've earned it!

    Thanks! I can't wait to take it for a "ride!"



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    So when are you going to shell out for a new canopy?


    Heh heh. I'd be looking into getting my own rig/canopy already if I knew more about my choices. The only reason I haven't asked about this here is because I figure it's safer to get the info from my instructors.
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    When I knew that I was going to stay in the sport, I shelled out for my own rig (a nice flaring zero P that was the same size every jump) and low and behold, my canopy control and landings got better (though still needs work, at least I can stand them up now, on cross wind and down wind landings to bootSly)


    You can stand up on downwind landings? I'm impressed!
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • Nice stuff.
    There's a corny old song I like that goes "In the sands of time you're only a pebble..."
    This video is a more eloquent reminder that our home is a pebble of sorts too.
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • I've gone on a cruise by myself. I think I had to pay a bit more for the cabin, but that was the only drawback.
    It was one of those outfits that used a smaller boat instead of a jumbo ship, so I got to know all the other passengers. That was plenty of company for me. It was fun!:)

    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • Quote

    That was OK, You dropped your knees when the prop blast and throw forward from the plane is still in effect, and thats what flipped you over.


    Yep. The instructor pointed out that my leg position was the culprit.

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    My first low altitude jump came because of low cloud, at 1800 feet the JM snarled at me to get out the F@#$%$# door. Things on the ground were BIG.

    5 grand....luxury.......


    1800 feet? Yikes! I wouldn't like that.
    I have heard that I'm a spoiled student for having such a high practice emergency exit. Others have told me they left the plane much lower than 5000 feet.
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    Nil wind landings....usually you will fall over, expect it, no big deal.


    I should have figured out that the fact that I could get up and walk away from my "crashes" was, in fact, a good sign.
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    You'll learn a LOT about skydiving around the campfire....The long time jumpers are a gold mine of information and advice....


    Guess I'd better stick around more often! B|
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • Quote

    I think playing on train tracks with an oncoming train approaching would be more along the lines of "What my mom thinks I do."



    ...or taping a "kick me" sign on the Grim Reaper's back.;)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • Sorry it's been so long between blog posts. I've done a few more jumps (and drawn several pics about them), but work is keeping me busier than usual so I haven't had time to put the latest together yet.
    Please stay tuned.
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • I'm post AFF but pre- A license. Most of the jumps I need between now and the A are solos. That being said, I still need the help of instructors for completing the quizzes, signing off card details, recommendations as to what gear I should get etc. The instructors are nice folks, but they're often quite busy and I feel bad hitting them up for stuff (with the exception of gear checks, as the prospect of a preventable mal trumps the prospect of bothering people).
    What's the best way (or time) to ask for help? And what's an acceptable way to thank them when they do help?
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • Quote


    I also agree with the idea of getting together with an instructor (preferrably someone with a strong canopy control focus) and getting some solid advice on patterns particular to your home DZ. Learning how to adjust the pattern for differing wind conditions is a skill that takes time and practice. And just like landing, you only get one shot per jump.


    Good points.
    During the weekend I found an aerial photo/diagram of the landing patterns at the DZ, studied it, and imported it into Google Earth as an overlay.
    This weekend (back at the DZ) I arranged for my landing to be videotaped (between my poor pattern and my rough landings, I wanted to see what was going on!)
    I went over my concerns with an instructor too. End result- nice pattern and decent (if not stand up) landing. Whoohoo!B|
    (Not that I'm getting cocky)
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

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    just like leaving the plane... the best way to make your landing better is to relax. Things will go smoother and you'll enjoy it that much more.:)


    I bet you're right! :)
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    Nothing worse than an advice-resistant student, ya know.


    Yep. Actually I was sort of resisting myself at first- I couldn't believe I'd done something so sloppy. Then I thought, Stop the "I'd never do that" crap and listen to what they have to say. How do you know this wasn't you? How do you know you're not unintentionally messing up?
    Sure enough, as the details rolled in, it became pretty clear I was the culprit.
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    Don't be too hard to yourself. I know what I'm talking about, I've put myself so much under pressure, was my hardest critic, often too hard.


    Thanks.:)
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    Do what all of us do when we debrief: fist, you find something you did well. Only then you find something you need to improve on


    Good point there. I did get some stuff right (a few miles higher), but none of that made it to the logbook.
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    Better to have a small mishap to get you to really examine yourself than a big problem later!


    That's a good way to thing about it. Maybe our runway mishaps have saved us from becoming propeller kibble in the future.B|
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • Student question here:

    Recently my landings have been getting softer and better, but the two I did yesterday were surprisingly rough. I used the same student parachute I usually use. The only difference was that it had its lines replaced since I'd used it before. Can this change or affect the flaring ability? Or did I just have a bad day?

    p.s. I think it's probably a "bad day" :S but I'm curious...
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • After reading the "most stupid student" thread, I thought it would be fun to hear if there where any students who started off as a disaster but, over time became very skilled.

    And if you nominate yourself, I want details (please)!:P
    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

  • I'm still a student but this is what I've noticed...

    *Falling in dreams isn't a bad thing anymore (but it's much colder!)

    *When I find myself "fighting" everyday objects (for example, trying to pull something out of my purse that's stuck,) within a few seconds "Cutaway and pull your reserve!" pops in my head.

    *I eat a lot of home made sandwiches (on the cheapest bread I can find).B|

    My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.