Natural abilities

[riddler 0]

One of the things I try to impress on whuffos that ask about skydiving - it's a great sport because it is incredibly varied. There are many things to try and many things to get good at, and each one is critical. Whuffos think it's just a matter of jumping and pulling your "ripcord" (this is why I don't watch television), but you all know there's a lot more to it than that.

Anyway, what strikes me is how everyone seems to have at least one thing that they are naturally talented at. I don't mean something that you started off being bad at or even average at and got better. I'm talking about something that you were good at from your very first jump, and probably didn't even know you were good at until you jumped 20 times and realized most people don't do it that well.

For me this was canopy control. From opening altitude down to landing, I think I have a good sense of winds, relative speed, etc, and almost always land very close to or on target. From talking to and watching others, I think I have much better canopy control than most people at my experience level. How this helps me, I don't know, but it's nice to have a sense that I do at least one thing well.

And I see that other people seem to have natural talents in other areas - some people are good at everything, and others maybe only one thing. So I'm wondering - what are your natural skydiving strengths? I think everyone is naturally good at one thing at least, but let me know if you suck at everything, or if you rock at everything

FYI - how I feel about my other abilities:

packing - below average.
exits - pretty good.
belly flying - pretty bad.
free-flying - way, way sucky.
relative work - worse than just about anyone on the planet.
spotting - I can't tell honestly - my DZ has GPS and I think winds are more of a factor than the spot.
landings - below average.
CRW - never tried.

I'm sure I missed lots of other skydiving skills, so feel free to fill them in.

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[quatorze 1]

packing - below average.
exits - pretty good.
belly flying - pretty good
free-flying - way, way sucky.
relative work - Going on what a 500+ jump coach is telling me: way ahead of the curve. Maybe he is just trying to build my confidence but I seem to have a natural ability to fly my body. Not saying that I don't need a lot more time in the air but... what else do I have to go on?
spotting - not too bad great instructors
landings - average.
CRW - never tried, too many trees to land in at home

I'm not afriad of dying, I'm afraid of never really living- Erin Engle

[drenaline 0]

packing - average.
exits - good.
belly flying - pretty good.
free-flying - sucky.
relative work - very good.
spotting - did it onece on a cessna and it went ok, but it was on low altitude about 5k feets.
landings - average.
landing near the spot - way waaayyy wwaaaayyyyy sucky (almost everytime I do a 100, 200m walk)
CRW - never tried.

HISPA 21
www.panamafreefall.com

[Viking 0]

Packing-i packed a tandem once.....the reserve stayed the freebag
Exits-if its my first jump of the day they suck.
Belly Flying-They say i have masive potential b/c of the range i will be able to acheive.
Freeflying-I flipped on my back once
RW-ahhhhh most i have done was a three way with two freefliers that went bte for one jump
Spotting-I haven't spotted the load but i check mine before i get out. never landed off.
Landings-I have stood up 90% of my landings. I had to PLF once now mind you i am jumping a tired old Manta 288 sooooo
CRW-Never want to try it.

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[TheBile 0]

No natural ability here. I pretty much suck at everything but that won't stop me from doing it. It'll just mean a greater sense accomplishment when It all finally comes together.
After my fourth jump I got laughed at by a tandem instructor who said, "Still haven't landed on your feet yet then ?" Not to worry. After 50 jumps under my belt I'll make it a point to land on his big-ass head !

Gerb

I stir feelings in others they themselves don't understand. KA'CHOW !

[sunshine 2]

Quote

spotting - I can't tell honestly - my DZ has GPS and I think winds are more of a factor than the spot.

Umm...of course winds are a factor. You need to take them into account to decide where to make the spot.....

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[Remster 30]

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Umm...of course winds are a factor. You need to take them into account to decide where to make the spot.....

So THATS what you're supposed to do!

Remster

[ChileRelleno 0]

Packing-average,a little slow but meticulous.
Exits-average
Belly/RW-good,biggest way yet is a 1pt 22way.
Freeflying-slightly below average,my sit skills rock,standup hohum and my headdown is nonexistent.
spotting-Above average,emphasis as student.
Landing-Good,I can put it in the peas 75%.
Crew-Good,I have my 4stack with compliments,Wendy Faulkner popped my cherry and shes among the best!
Ya'all forgot TRACKING-very good,human bullet!

ChileRelleno-Rodriguez Bro#414
Hellfish#511,MuffBro#3532,AnvilBro#9, D24868

[sunshine 2]

Quote

Umm...of course winds are a factor. You need to take them into account to decide where to make the spot.....
-----------------------------------------------------------
So THATS what you're supposed to do!

I learned everything i know about spotting from Skreamer.

___________________________________________
meow

I get a Mike hug! I get a Mike hug!

[Remster 30]

I shall then bow my head faced with your superior skills.....

Remster

[Zennie 0]

Hmmmmm......

packing - average speed-wise. I like to pack at least one line twist every jump though.
exits - pretty good
free-flying - pretty good
relative work - way, way, way sucky
spotting - OK
CRW - never done it

I've definitely taken to freefly better than just about anything. It's something that just sort of "clicked" with me... both in terms of flying and general mindset. I'm no skygod or anything but I'm happy with my progress so far. Naturally there are many things I still need to work on (like my sitflying ) and I can't imagine ever stopping learning.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[SniperCJ 0]

Hmmm, good questions. He's where I think I rate...

packing - Above average to pretty freakin good. exits - Average to above average.
belly flying - Above average.
free-flying - Suck bad
relative work - Pretty good. Im in my slot more often than not. Need tracking work tho.
spotting - Dont really know. GPS and all that
landings - Above average. Probably get my PRO rating one day. I land pretty much where I want
CRW - Tried once. Scares the hell outa me. Probably try it again.

JC

[PhreeZone 20]

packing -banned from packing tandems again, riggers just look at me weird when I propack with them. (0 reserve rides for me *knock on wood*... 1 for tandems)
exits - pretty good, I only tumble a few times on RW exits. Freefly exits are rock stable.
belly flying - I can track really well... just ask those I pass as they sink out.
free-flying - Not that shady... can take docks in a sit/stand any day of the week and I'm slowing my zooming HD down.
relative work - pretty bad, I have'nt done anything bigger then 17 ways so I've got a lot to improve on.
spotting - I can't tell honestly - I rarly land near the airport if I spot the plane. My usual spotting goes... yep we're long... pull high!
landings - below average, I'm having problems getting my swoop longer.
CRW - issues on pins, rotations are ok, but I rarely clip canopies as I go down the stack so I can go faster...

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[riddler 0]

Funny thing, when spotting I often ask the pilot what the uppers are, expeciting to hear something like:

Winds from 13,500 to 9,200, 13 out of the southwest
From 9,200 to 6,300, 4 from the north
From 6,300 to 2,800, 6 from the east
From 2,800 to 100, 19 from the south
Watch out for those nasty crosswinds from the west as you are landing

Unfortunately, all I ever hear from the pilot is "GET THE FUCK OUT".

Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

[Jessica 0]

Yay, another bragging thread. I live for these.

I suck at everything. Or, to break it down,

packing - slow and sloppy
exits - embarassing
belly flying - pretty bad
free-flying - absymal
relative work - ridiculous
spotting - wha?
landings - that 6"x6" bruise I got 2 weeks ago has faded to yellow -- yahoo
CRW - sucky

Skydiving is for cool people only

[wildblue 7]

urinating - above average aim
tact - poor
physical beauty - below average
spelling - poor
drinking - above average
cunnilingus - above average
sensitivity - needs work
being a smart ass - excellent
boiling water - good
driving - excellent
annoying Jessica - excellent
public speaking - poor
chewing gum and walking - average
chess - quite possibly the greatest player that ever existed
having delusional views of myself - above average

it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality

[JohnJug 0]

packing - Only packed for myself a few times, and it was pretty slow. I suck ass at S folds
exits - Ok, I guess
belly flying - I can stay stable
free-flying - Pretty bad. Just trying to get a sit down
relative work - Haven't done any since I was cleared off of student status, so probably pretty bad
spotting - Uhhh... Never actually done it.
landings - I stand almost all of them up, but not too good at hitting a spot
CRW - never tried.

As you can tell, I am not very proficient in anything yet. I plan on fixing that once I get back in the air.

Bill

[Jessica 0]

Quote

annoying Jessica - excellent

Don't flatter yourself, Goatboy.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[Nick 0]

packing - it all fits in the rig and comes out ok so I guess it's good
exits - getting out is the easy bit, it's the rest thats hard
belly flying - for short periods
free-flying - for short periods (this and above normally in the same jump)
RW - most is 3-way so far and they didn't beat crap out of me so can't have been that bad
spotting - GPS is very clever
landings - yes I always land
CRW - scary!!!

Nick
Gravity- It's not just a good idea, it's the LAW!

[wildblue 7]

Quote

Don't flatter yourself, Goatboy.

I see you've resorted to juvenile name calling.
I'm disappointed, I expected more from you. Maybe some big words and well thought out sentences. Did the hair coloring seep into your brain?

it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality

[PhreeZone 20]

Couple of corrections here:
physical beauty - below average .... should be: physical beauty - the dog sniffs my face since he can't tell the ends apart
drinking - above average .... should be: drinking - gets drunk under the table by a girl
cunnilingus - above average .... I think we did'nt need to hear this
spelling - poor ... Should be: spelling - por
annoying Jessica - excellent : Should be annoying Jessica - results in having my (Wildblue's) ex's being called... all of them....

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[wildblue 7]

Quote

physical beauty - the dog sniffs my face since he

Really man, don't be so hard on yourself. I think you guys had everyone fooled - no one yet realizes the amount of ghb you feed Jessica...

I'm pretty sure no girl has ever drunk me under the table. You're the 150lb lightweight, remember?

Quote

results in having my (Wildblue's) ex's being called... all of them....

Just remember: waivers have phone numbers on them.....

it's like incest - you're substituting convenience for quality

[Jessica 0]

Quote

Just remember: waivers have phone numbers on them...

Some invite death. Others mistake it for a booty call and beg it to come over.

Skydiving is for cool people only

[nicknitro71 0]

Packing: I psycho pack

Exit: not bad for my jump #

Belly/RW: I'm finally getting a RW suit.

Freeflying: sit is ok, vertical is getting there, head down sucks

Spotting: military training: the door is open I jump out!

Landing: they suck. I pretty much land where I want but they suck although I stand them all up, beside with a PC.

Memento Audere Semper

903

[Vallerina 2]

Quote

I'm pretty sure no girl has ever drunk me under the table. You're the 150lb lightweight, remember?

I'll take that challenge!!!

There's a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning