CatBurger 0 #1 April 25, 2002 Hey, I'm goin over to a DZ saturday, gonna be taught how to pack some parachutes =) I'm 14, by the way. Just wondering if any of y'all woul be willing to give me an idea of what I'm in for...Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChromeBoy 0 #2 April 25, 2002 Guys will hit on you and then they will find out how young you are and then they will stop.If I wanted to hear from an asshole, I would fart. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #3 April 25, 2002 Huh, well, I was going to respond with something whitty/fresh, but then I noticed you were 14...You're in for a very different environment then your used to, very different. If you can get good at packing mains, then you do stand to make a decent amount of money for relatively not much work, though.A human cannonball, I rise above it allUp higher then a trapeze, I can fly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #4 April 25, 2002 Cat Burger? That's a riot. Did you mean to write burglar? Walterboro, huh? Tell that damn Tony Canant he needs to come on up to Raeford and visit me. ChuckMy webpage HERE Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hottamaly 1 #5 April 25, 2002 QuoteGuys will hit on you and then they will find out how young you are and then theywill stop.Chrome, did you look at the profile for "Patrick" (catburger) ROFLMAOHey cat, how did you decide on that name for a handle? Gives me a bad picture...SKYDIVING GAVE ME A REASON TO LIVE.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChromeBoy 0 #6 April 25, 2002 Oh, sorry. Your a dude. I thought you were a female. Nevermind my previous post.If I wanted to hear from an asshole, I would fart. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatBurger 0 #7 April 25, 2002 heh nope, I meant catburger =) was inspired by this picture: http://wolve.pqdot.net/pics/cat_burger.jpg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflir29 0 #8 April 25, 2002 Depending on the DZ you will probably be in for some pretty hard work. Not that packing a parachute is all that hard. It's just that the Camera flyer or Tandem rig you are packing needs to be done RIGHT NOW so they can get on the next load. We have a guy thats 15 packing at SD Atlanta and he loves it. He says he makes more money at the DZ in a weekend than he did working all week part time somewhere else. He thinks it's a great trade off. Pack hard for 30 or 45 minutes....then sit down and hang out for 30-45 minutes. Just depends on how busy your DZ is. Just remember to be very neat when packing...thats the secret when starting out. "It's all about the BOOBIES!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lindsey 0 #9 April 25, 2002 Look out for Clay.....he lives just over in Alabama, and he might be one of those guys who'll hit on ya' until he realizes how old you are......some days it's just not worth gnawing through the strapshttp://home.earthlink.net/~linzwalley Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhino 0 #10 April 25, 2002 Chrome he said catburger not Terdburgler.. Calm down boy!! lolRhino Blue Skies ..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #11 April 25, 2002 Most importantly, you're going to owe beer! Just because you are underaged does not get you out of it.If you're not confused, you're not paying attention.Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AndyMan 7 #12 April 25, 2002 If you get good, you'll be able to pack a rig in under 10 minutes. If you're at a big dropzone, you can make four or five hundred bucks in a weekend. WooHoo!Except that your hands will be bleeding, your back will be aching, and you'll fall asleep at seven pm on sunday night.But I'll assume you're not at a huge DZ. I'll also asume there'll be some people that won't want you to pack because you're 14, so your hands will probably NOT be bleeding after the end of the weekend.All I can say is never stop learning, an always listen to the people that you're packing for. Think of it as a business, and think about customer service. If somebody wants you to use a specific kind of rubber band, USE THAT RUBBER BAND. If somebody wants you to fold the nose of their canopy a certain way, do it. Expect people to be picky, and cater to that.Expect people to complain about some pack jobs, and compliment others. You won't know what you did differently. It'll come to the point where listening to the complaints just comes with the job... Remember that if your pack jobs were really that bad they wouldn't have you pack. Yup, that's a cat burger._AmICQ: 5578907MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com AIM: andrewdmetcalfeYahoo IM: ametcalf_1999 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CatBurger 0 #13 April 25, 2002 Thanks all for the reply's (with the exception of thos who thought I was a female, hehe). Sounds like its gonna be a lot of work at first but I should get used to it. Now I can't wait =) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GrumpySmurf 0 #14 April 25, 2002 Some advice given to me last summer by a guy who could do a 100 in a day -1) Don't let the parachute beat you. Keep at it till you get the thing in the container, there's nothing wrong with taking 5+ hours for your first pack job. And if you feel totally confused, don't worry - we were as well, when we first learned - some of us still are - that's why we resort to you guys (professional packers).2) Once you start a pack job, don't stop till you are finished (unless of course it's looking like a 5 hour packjob ), don't get into the habit of pausing to chat it up or get a coke.3) Consider investing in a power tool and a squash mat. The power tool is just a small metal bar with a piece of microline attached - great for closing containers and saving your hands from being ripped up from pull up chords - the squash mat is just a piece of heavy carpet that you can lay on a main after you have flaked it and set it down - it will push the air out of the main while you start work on the next main, once the second main is set on the floor, put the squash mat on it and move back to the first (now squashed) main and stuff it in the bag. Sort of an assembly line - the mat combined with gravity will push the air out of the canopy so you don't have to waste too much time doing it.4) keep your own stash of rubber bands - we (jumpers) never do 5) use your body as a packing tool, elbows, hands, arms, chest - whatever it takes to keep the bugger under control and get it in the bag.6) keep a bottle of water handy, you're gonna need it in the summer.7) and most importantly, never stop asking questions. The more you know about the different types of parachutes, the better packer it will make you. Each parachute make and model has it's own personality in terms of opennings, try to become familiar with them.Any riggers/professional packers, please feel free to add to or contradict what I said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lazerq3 0 #15 April 26, 2002 ) Quotekeep your own stash of rubber bands - we (jumpers) never do Damn I most be a geek!!! I have 3 diff bags of bands for diff sizes!!! jason Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Billy 0 #16 April 26, 2002 Best of luck to ya...I used a packer in Eloy and loved it,, "Mickey" was her name.. good openings,, I plan on using her again at Lost Prairie,, my thoroughly abused body hates ta pack an I usually have ta stand up an straighten my back and knees as soon as I get the first band on,, wish we packers at our lil DZ,, and I always give a good tip if the openings are good! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
