New to skydiving and site, but woe is me

[rj2163 0]

Hi, I lurked on the site for a couple months but I decided to “come out” and say hi.

We have barely seen the sun her in Kingston, Ontario, Canada for a few weeks. It was beautiful on Friday and I was pretty excited about jumping this weekend but the weather has sucked and it’s raining today.

I hadn’t intended to partake in the usual banter but I just couldn’t resist a thread a couple weeks ago and made my first post.

Actually I’m just fishing for a welcome by Skymama. I don’t think its official until Skymama welcomes you to the site. She (and some others) seems to usually welcome people to the site. Kudo’s to you Skymama. There are so many that make this site what it is and you are big part of it ………and you’re a babe

I’m always interested why people started in this sport so I’ll tell my story.

I used to do all manner of fun and adventurous stuff. About 22 years ago I talked a few friends into doing the IAD jump (3000 feet still with round canopies then). I was the 4th of 4 to jump. When I saw the others jump I thought “I don’t have to do this!!”. (lol – of course they made the one girl in the group jump first) I think we did a go around because I remember we did a steep turn and gained altitude because the blood rushed out of my head and things were going black. As soon as my head started to clear the instructor yelled “lets go”. I thought I was going to die. But I ended up having a blast. I wanted to take the freefall program but couldn’t afford it.

In 1990 I was sitting in traffic at a stop light after work one day and a guy went thought a stoplight and smashed into me from behind. (so, yes skydiving is riskier than some other things but it just goes to show you can play it safe and shit happens anyway). The pain got worse over time and to make a long story show up to about one year ago I was in misery virtually bedridden most of the time. However, I tried some radical treatments and it was like a miracle. I was up and around doing things again and worked at building up my condition and strength.. I felt I had a second chance at life so I wanted to do some things and freefall was one.

Like I said my first IAD jump was a little scary and I thought freefall would be scarier. This thought had festered for years. Maybe 5 years ago I went through a short phase where I felt good so I dropped by the dz to inquire about the freefall program. They said the twin otter was there and we could do a tandem right now from 13,000 ft. I said I would think about it. I went back to my car, sat there for a bit and just drove home. I just wasn’t mentally prepared.

I dropped by Skydive Gananoque a couple months ago to look into it again. Again, they “don’t think about it, lets to a tandem right now”. This time I did it. I had a BLAST!! I went with Will. These people are total pro’s. They inspire confidence but keep it fun. I got the video (by Simon) and I went home got drunk and watched it over and over. The great thing was I was the only tandem on a 206 so a few other jumpers came along. The first guy (Chris) did a hop and pop and tracked away out the door on his back – I thought that was on of the coolest thing I’d ever seen. At altitude two others (Kara and Trevor) jumped sitflying – awesome. I watched these people on the video I thought I just had to try this myself.

NOTE: I know the tandem is expensive and the video is more but I highly recommend people get the video for a couple reasons. First, it is a great memory because the first jump is a bit of a blur. But also, having the camera man there makes it a completely different, better and more interesting experience. You can’t see the tandem instructor behind you so instead of just looking around and hoping your parachute is going to open: you see this other person a few feet from you who is relaxed, smiling and having fun so you relax, your focus becomes clowning around for the camera, it becomes a little party of 3, and it’s extraordinary seeing another person in freefall and when the camera man falls away when your parachute opens.

So, I took the freefall course with the view I only wanted to get the point of jumping myself. My instructor Rick was great. Other than having some difficulty finding my pilot on the first jump ( so I just kept doing them all the way down until I opened) things went way smother than I thought it would. A guy at the dz was selling his rig. It only had about 300 jumps in virtually new condition. It seemed perfect for me so I bought it a couple weeks ago.

So my new (used) rig and I have been bonding for a while and I shall name it Pris (if you figure out where that name comes from, you get……well, nothing).

I was concerned about hard openings with a Sabre 190 (1997 with 300 jumps) as I saw many really negative reports on this site. I tested it a couple times before I bought it and they were “brisk”. I bought it about 3 weeks ago and have only been able to jump with it twice since then because of the bad weather and they were the softest openings I’ve ever had.

It’s getting cold here so the season is almost over. I’d rather be plummeting to the earth at 120mph at the moment but here I sit pining watching the rain outside writing this super long post. So, woe is me

HOWEVER, I’ll be around Phoenix starting November 11 for a week and maybe I can get to Skydive Arizona to run and dive out the back of…..well, one of those planes that you can run and dive out the back
Later everyone.
rj

[skymama 37]

Welcome to the forums!

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There are so many that make this site what it is and you are big part of it ………and you’re a babe

Let me just say, you're starting off here on a good foot. Thank you for the compliment, it's very kind of you. I'm glad you are joining in the posting, especially since it may be too cold for you to jump for a few months. It's a good way to pass the time when the weather is bad.

You should join the Canadian invasion of Skydive Arizona. I think it happens in January.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[rj2163 0]

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Welcome to the forums!

Hey, there we go!! Thanks Skymama, (sigh) I am complete
rj

[artistcalledian 0]

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Actually I’m just fishing for a welcome by Skymama.

i once did that.....

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I don’t think its official until Skymama welcomes you to the site.

its even more official when she gives you a verbal spanking

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and you’re a babe

i don't think i dare say that, she might punch my lights out

welsome to the site

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drive it like you stole it and f*ck the police

[Broke 0]

Pris- are you an anime fan because he BGC is a pretty rocking series, and one of the main characters happens to be named Pris. Then again maybe I am just reaching here

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[rj2163 0]

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its even more official when she gives you a verbal spanking

I don't know what that's about but, I'm not surpised your in the doghouse bro after the thread with the girl who lost her dog. I remeber the crossbones. You sould have bailed out of that one a lot earlier.

but welcoming newbs to the site is a good way to get out of dropzone purgatory.
rj

[rj2163 0]

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Pris- are you an anime fan because he BGC is a pretty rocking series, and one of the main characters happens to be named Pris. Then again maybe I am just reaching here

Nope, that's not it. But it is from and entertainment type thing
rj

[mdrejhon 8]

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I dropped by Skydive Gananoque a couple months ago to look into it again.

Heya, nice to hear from you!

I am hoping to make it to Gananoque one last time before winter sets in. Unfortunately, I'm moving between two apartments, so I have to hope that Gananoque is open for the first weekend of November (brrrr -- skydiving below freezing at altitude, anyone?)

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HOWEVER, I’ll be around Phoenix starting November 11 for a week and maybe I can get to Skydive Arizona to run and dive out the back of…..well, one of those planes that you can run and dive out the back

Make sure you have an A license before you do so -- That gives you the passport to visit other dropzones. Hopefully you've already read CSPA's A license requirements and filled them out in your logbook...

I got both my CSPA A and B licenses in less than one month (Sept 9th and 27th respectively) -- partly because I was pretty slow at getting a couple of A license requirements out of the way (jump #78), but I had pre-emptively done quite a bunch of B license requirements in advance. The hardest one is the five 2-way jumps.

I had CSPA Expresspost me the B license, since I needed to bring it to show I could meet the minimum entry requirements of joining 20-way formation skydive attempts at Deaf World Record (although they had to remove a few people, myself included, before doing a 16-way successfully).

Other than the 5 jumps exercising 2-way skills, all the A license requirements are otherwise pretty easy, except for the need to study the PIM 2A for the A license exam.

[artistcalledian 0]

"pris" is the name of the android played by Daryle Hannah in Blade Runner

________________________________________
drive it like you stole it and f*ck the police

[Broke 0]

I never watched Blade Runner. I would try but I was never able to get into it...

Divot your source for all things Hillbilly.
Anvil Brother 84
SCR 14192

[rj2163 0]

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"pris" is the name of the android played by Daryle Hannah in Blade Runner

You are correct sir! Yup, yer basic "standard pleasure model". I liked the movie and I don't know why but that name has always stuck in my head.

Also, I think it came out in 1982 which was the year I did my first IAD.
rj

edit: Also, I was thinking about it because the scene in Kill Bill 2 after Daryl Hannah lost her eye was obviously a flashback to Blade Runner where Pris was killed.

[rj2163 0]

Hey, Mark, how's it going. Man, you were a man on a mission this year! You accomplished a lot. Way to go.

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Make sure you have an A license before you do

Tom encouraged me to try to go to Eloy when I'm around Phoenix and I asked him if I could jump with my USPA student status. I believe he said a solo jump could be arranged.

I've mostly just been doing fun stuff so I haven't looked into the licenses too much. I briefly checked and there are a couple minor thing's I haven't done on the USPA license requirements like front riser turns. As far as group stuff I only did some basic docking with Andrea. I just won't have time to do any written stuff. I emailed skydive arizona explaining the situation and asked if I could jump and exactly what they would want and am waiting for a reply.

I actually signed up for USPA because I thought it would be more likely I'd jump down south in the winter than at another DZ here in Canada in the summer but I really didn't think much about it at the time.

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I was pretty slow at getting a couple of A license requirements out of the way (jump #78)

What was that?

Also, what did you end up doing about insurance when you went to Florida?

So, if jumping doesn't work out Tom encouraged me to visit anyway just to see the place and I've already emailed the Wind Tunnel guys about some RW lessons if I do visit.
rj

[mdrejhon 8]

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Hey, Mark, how's it going. Man, you were a man on a mission this year! You accomplished a lot. Way to go.

Thanks! 130 skydives is a lot for 7 months for most Canadians, among people who don't work at dropzones! Considering that we only get the turbine aircraft only three times a year (miraculously, I jumped almost 50 times solely on those three weekends alone - 12, 17 and 18 times respectively.)

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Tom encouraged me to try to go to Eloy when I'm around Phoenix and I asked him if I could jump with my USPA student status. I believe he said a solo jump could be arranged.

You're USPA? That does make things easier, yes -- a few coached jumps should be easy to do.

Wonder if they find it funny that you are a USPA license holder training at a Canadian dropzone. (Gananoque is right near the border and provides dual USPA/CSPA certified instructors).

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***I was pretty slow at getting a couple of A license requirements out of the way (jump #78)

What was that?I was not meticulous at recording my A-milestone accomplishments in my logbook at first, so I had to do some re-jumps. Also, I developed a nasty dearch and backslide habit for a few dozen jumps, so getting the five "2-way" jumps out of the way took time.

Please remember, I am CSPA and you are USPA even though we share the same home dropzone. (We must be one of the few dropzones in the world that support training towards parachuting licenses from two different countries with dual USPA/CSPA certified instructors.) Being a dropzone of a border town...

I'd like to joke that we're an (unofficial) USPA dropzone located in Canada because we attract a lot of people from down south, and that it seems that USPA licenses are more frequently done than CSPA licenses.

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Also, what did you end up doing about insurance when you went to Florida?

Nothing. I ran out of time before I got that cleared up. So I may have been taking the risk...

Then again, I'm somewhat overinsured as is (I have double health/dental/medication insurance, having duplicate coverage from two insurance companies, and really techically should cancel the one I am paying for and stick to the one supplied by my business). I need to clear this up soon, to free up funds. The effects of having been a consultant that turned into an employee gaining free health benefits, but not cancelling my former health insurance. (Partially because I wasn't sure how they would cover my skydiving. This will be cleared up soon.)

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So, if jumping doesn't work out Tom encouraged me to visit anyway just to see the place and I've already emailed the Wind Tunnel guys about some RW lessons if I do visit.
rj

Definitely. Tunnel time will do you a lot of good. I did 15 minutes in Florida, and I regretted not pyaing for 30 minutes at a time. Try to pay for 30 minutes at a time. It will cost you a pretty penny ($375 USD for 30 minutes!), but will definitely make you more RW-friendly, which may accelerate your ability to get your A and B licenses. If you must skimp, don't buy less than 15 minutes of windtunnel time.