SCOTT735

I never thought about naming a canopy , until I just bought my first canopy, a brand new pilot. I am learning to pack this new canopy...the canopy's name is now "Slippery Bitch".

Hello again, Just finished my A license today. This sport is AMAZING!

any opinions on the difference between a triathlon vs silhouette for a beginner. I've just been told that a triathlon may be a good starter canopy as well.

I go to a DZ that is 2hrs drive from my house. I never thought twice about. It's absolutely worth a 2hr drive (each way) to jump out of a plane...even once.

Babydoll, What day are you scheduled to jump? Please let us all now how it goes....you are going to LOVE it!

I would think it wouldn't read more than 6000ft or whatever they keep the cabin pressurized to.

Well, I am almost done with my A license and have been considering options for getting my own gear. I know this topics has been done often and I have done searches, talked with instructors and other jumpers. Just though I'd see if anyone here has any additional advice. I am 5'10", 48 yrs old, weigh 205lbs and have been using a student PD Navigator 260 (which has worked great so far). I'm not looking for anything too "sporty", just want to get something I can continue to learn on and have fun with (soft landings and soft openings preferred). From what I hear so far, a PD sillhouette seems like a good choice (probably 230). So if anyone in a similar situation has any words of advice I would appreciate it, like: would this be a good canopy? would this be good size? how do you go about possibly finding a used one (I'd buy new if I have to, but used seems to make sense if I could find one that I could trust)? Thanks.

peregrinose, He has achromatopsia, with 20/200 vision. He can see enough to do many things. He can't drive and bright sunlight almost complete washes out his vision. He is pretty amazing with how little he let's it affect him from doing things well (he is a freshman in college now and doing very well). It's pretty cool to hear some of the examples here about sight limited folks doing solo skydives. He'll do some more tandems and then we'll explore some of the possibilities with a local DZ. Thanks

texascrw, Thanks for the advice. I have read that there are examples where blind folks have learned to jump (the DZ has to be very well equipped and willing to allow it). I do tell my son he can do ANYTHING (but some things take MUCH more effort and do boarder on unrealistic...but achievable if you're willing to work out the issues). I have a hard time understanding how a blind or sight impaired person could safely judge the condition of their canopy after opening to know if they need to take action (could radio help them with that as well?). I have almost no experience (student) so I can't judge that sort of thing. For now tandem is still a big thrill for him. Thanks.

My 19yr old son is sight limited (he can't drive) but he can see enough to do many things. We did a tandem last summer. The only special thing they did was allow him to wear sunglasses under his goggles. They nomrally don't want the tandem studnet to do that at the DZ we jumped at, but the sun light makes him almost completely blind. Even without anything special, he LOVED IT. He has been asking when we can go again (now that the weather is good again). He would really like to jump solo, but understands why he can't.

I do have a couple grand to spare (I'm sure my wife disagrees with that) and plan on throwing it at the DZ for AFF training in APR. But somehow I bet that's just the tip of the skydiving cost iceburg.

Thanks for the info. I live in St Louis. There doesn't appear to be a tunnel in easy driving distance from here. I guess the TN option is out.

I would love to go now, but I had surgery 2 days ago for an inguinal hernia. I expect I'll be ready to go again by April (I hope). I am walking around now (sore though), so I hope to heal and get back to working out soon.

Hello, I hope to do AFF traininng in April 2012 (I did 1 tandem and 4 static line jumps last fall), Is there a big advantage to going to a wind tunnel prior to starting AFF training? Has anyone been to Flyaway Indoor Skydiving in Pigeon Forge Tennessee? I am thinking about driving there in Mar for their 15min (5 three minute flights) Coached session (maybe two) in Mar.

Thanks for all the responses. It does sound like a great place to train. The "April showers" don't sound like a bad thing. Maybe they will soften the ground, so that combined with my newbie PLFs, I will get through learning how to land without any serious injuries

I plan to go through AFF training in Apr 2012 and have been looking into DZs near St Louis. West Tennesse Skydiving looks like a great place to go for a week or two and get through as much of the AFF program as I can. Anyone go through AFF there?

I am looking for the best DZ to go through AFF training in mar or apr. I want it to be in (reasonable) driving distance from St Louis (

Thanks popsjumper, It's all starting to make more sense. Now it's a matter of getting the feel and putting it to practice WITHOUT breaking a bone. For now: PLF, PLF, PLF.

pchapman, Thanks for the advice, it makes sense. I don't really like the idea of "running it out" or "sliding" based on my inexperience. I just wasn't sure if a PLF was meant for absorbing the forces from the horizontal speed. I'm sure it seems alot faster to me than it really is (due to inexperience). I will dicuss it with my next instructor when I am ready for my next jump...just trying to figure it all out. Thanks.

OK, this is probably a dumb question, but I am really trying to understand the best way to land safely while still learning how to perform a well timed flare. So, when you're a beginner, and during the landing the flare still leaves you with a fair amount of horizontal speed (and some vertical speed) should you run it out, slide (baseball style) or PLF? I am not sure if you are supposed to PLF if you have alot of forward speed.

guineapiggie101, Well it sounds like you will take your time and make the decision that is right for you. Sounds like you will stay involved (jump tandem instead of solo at least). Even if you never jump solo again you should still feel really good about what you have accomplished so far. I don't know many people (outside of the DZ) that have jumped out of an airplpane 26 times, so you are way ahead of most of us. Good luck with your decision and heal well.

Airtwardo, Thanks for the advice. I like the idea of reserving the same canopy to reduce the number of variables while I learn. By the way, I am not an althelete, but not in terrible shape either. I have found this sport has given me motivation to loose some of the extra weight I have aquired over the years (another reason I want to continue with skydiving). I am in no rush to learn too quickly, just want to stay safe and eventually get to experience the solo jump from higher altitude. My first goal though is to better understand the landing so I don't break another bone every five jumps. Thanks again for the good advice.

guineapiggie101, What happened on your jump? Sounds like you got pretty far before the injury. I understand the concern with jumping again (don't want another break). I am trying to learn all I can so that I will have the nerve to jump again after I heal. I don't like the idea of quitting, it is just too amazing of a sport (I hope I can work it out). My first jump was a tandem, but after the static line jumps, tandem just doesn't sound as fun (but I may try that again too before I get the nerve to continue my training). I hope you heal well.

I weigh 215lbs, 245lbs with all the gear on. I have tried both 260 and 290 Mantas. I felt the 290 landed me softer, but don't know if the wind conditions were the significant factor. As a new student (only 5 jumps on static line so far) should there be a noticable difference between the 260 and the 290? I always ask to use the biggest canopy possible, but they are not always setup for static line. The instructors said that I should be OK on the 250, 260 or 290 (I used all three). Since I just broke my hand on jump 5 (landing with what seemed to be alot of forward speed...and I did a crummy PLF), I am just trying to learn everything I can before my next jump (while my hand heals). Should I insist on the 290 next time or are they all about the same?

I just broke two bones in my left hand during my landing of jump number 5. I am doing the static line training. I was coming in fast (even though I flared when the radio said). I had my hands down on the side of my thighs instead of in front. I think I landed with my hand between my hip and th ground during my crappy PLF. We never practiced PLFs in my traininng (they said more students were getting injured during PLF training than during th actual jumps, so they stopped doing it as part of training). Well, I am going to practice PLFs ALOT before I jump again. It sucks to be grounded this eary in the training. I hope to sort this out and get jumping again in March (weather will be bad before I heal). Good Luck!