Kids Jumping

[leapinlizard 0]

Anyone know where I can find some pictures of kids jumping or maybe an article or two written about young skydivers? My nephew is 14 and wants to jump real bad and I'm trying to make a case for him... his parents are in the "NO WAY!" mindset. I think it would help if I could show them some inspiration shots.
-cya
Oh, the blue skies are calling me back again!!!

[SpeedRacer 1]

I don't think kids can jump in the US
Speed Racer

[SkySlut 0]

I remember reading some article about a family in the midwest...Iowa possibly??? where they owned the DZ and taught their kids to jump at a very early age...I think around 14 or so...but that is a whole different thing because they owned the DZ. I think that in some states, 16 year olds can jump with written permission from the parents and in some cases the parents have to attend the classes with the child. Sorry I couldnt be of more assistance...but they are out there. I think I saw the article in a Parachutist about 6 months or so ago.
-Slut
"I'll jump anything!"

[OmriMon 0]

hey dude, i'm 16 and i'm the youngest skydiver in Israel, if some one will do an article about me, i'll let ya know Free Skies,
Omri

[MC208B 0]

there is no minimum age for jumpers in the US per the FAR's but you won't find many places that let even 16 year olds jump. Mike Mullins kids jump from his King Air tho.

[Deleted 0]

I know the kids that you've heard about and have personally jumped with them. They rock and the're family has grown up around skydiving. They're older now, when I jumped with them one was 14-15 the other around 16. They are extremly experienced and could teach plenty about how the sport can be safe within the right environment. You proubly won't get their names, it's still a bit contriversal, I won't give there names either but their dad is quite famous in the sport.
There's nothing wrong with waiting though. There is no hury, the sport will just be safer when they are old enough to jump. In the meantime take some trips to a wind tunnel. No age limit.

[Slowfaller 0]

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I know the kids that you've heard about and have personally jumped with them. They rock and the're family has grown up around skydiving. They're older now, when I jumped with them one was 14-15 the other around 16.

Are you talking about that family in the mid west? if you are i think i've jumped w/ them too. Brother/Sister combo right? As far as not being controversial, are you sure? Ive read articles about them but i cant remember where.. somewhere on the web. Since your being anonymous about it and dont want to give out the names i suppose i wont either.
peace
chris

[skreamer 1]

Semi-related - perhaps you guys can tell me whether or not the following story is total BS or not. It was told as a true story but it just smacks of an urban legend, anyway here it is :
Kid in the northwest of the states learns to skydive at a ridiculously young age on daddy's non-USPA DZ. Kid turns 18, decides to play practical joke on USPA DZ. Enrolls for AFF at USPA DZ and sits through ground school. On exit of AFF level 1 loses both instructors and goes head down. When instructors catch kid, he corks and keeps losing them until he dumps. Messes around under canopy, then hooks (under student main???) landing. Both AFF instructors realize they've been had, tempers frayed, kid gets chucked off DZ (undamaged).
That is pretty much as the story got told to me. I think it is an urban legend but would be interested to hear if any of you have heard it or if there is an ounce of truth to it.
/s

[lazerq3 0]

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kid gets chucked off DZ (undamaged).

Maybe I'm over reacting but if I was the DZO I would have chucked him WITH damage. What the hell he's 18!!! If this story is true that kid needs an ass \beaten in my book. Didnt he realize the potential danger and panic he put on the Instructors? What would of happened if the 2 JM's hit each other or hit him while trying to catch him. I don t know ppl flame me if you want but I just think thats a bad joke to play.
jason

[skreamer 1]

Jason I have no idea if it is true or not, which is why I asked in my post if anybody had heard this story. So don't get too pissed just yet, because as I said in my post it could very likely be an urban legend. I was just interested to hear if anybody else had heard this story and if there was perhaps even a smidgen of truth to it.
So don't get too angry just yet, because it might just be a BS fireside story started one night after too many beers. It was told to me as being true, but I was sceptical initially and still am.
/s

[lazerq3 0]

Hey Skreamer, no worries man I'm not like fumeing over it or anything, I was just giving my thought s on it. I dont know though a lot of ppl do a lot of stupid things so I wouldnt put it past someone to try. I guess you could call it the old "calling wolf" joke!
jason

[skyhawk 2]

im 16 and had a story done on me it was pretty shit though

[skreamer 1]

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im 16 and had a story done on me it was pretty shit though

Was it as good as the one I did about you feeding the roo? Actually I wouldn't mind reading that story even if it was shit, is it available on-line on the paper's site or do you have it scanned?
/s

[gus 1]

I got this from Dave Morris' site, one of my old instructors and a very cool bloke. He's jumping tandem with his daughter who I think was 12 (???) at the time, over in Spain.
http://www.daleside2.demon.co.uk/" target="_new">Dave Morris' site, one of my old instructors and a very cool bloke. He's jumping tandem with his daughter who I think was 12 (???) at the time, over in Spain.

• Quote

[leapinlizard 0]

Rockon! Thanks Gus. Good shot.
Oh, the blue skies are calling me back again!!!

[mountainman 0]

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I got this from Dave Morris' site, one of my old instructors and a very cool bloke. He's jumping tandem with his daughter who I think was 12 (???) at the time, over in Spain.

DAMN!! That girl looks like she is going to fall right out of that harness on pull. She is one tiny person, and the harness looks a bit big.
blue ones.
NEW AND IMPROVED!!!
http://home.woh.rr.com/brandonandlaura/

[skyhawk 2]

dude i already told u it wasnt me feeding the roo it was my oh no wait it was a oh no not that either fine it was me but it was a very pretty roo u must admit :-)
the article is in the archives somewhere but i couldnt find it. seeings as i have to type i will add my own comentry :-)
Ipswich teenager Ben Hart has worked part time for the past year (read worked full time went to school parttime :-) ) to finance his dream of earning a parachute licence. this week he achieved the feat. Ben had been in training with the professional skydivers from across australia and overseas who are visiting toogoolawah to participate in the 2000 Australian Skydiving Championships (read i was there while a COUPLE of teams where TRAINING it was about 3 weeks befor the nationals. Ben, a st Edmunds student (conversation reporter: what school do u go to, Me: st edmunds but dont put that in there cause they ripped me off Reporter : ok (hm funny it IS in there ) recieved his first tandem skydive as a present and since then his love for the sport has grown (and his bank accout has shrunk) Ever since i did the tandem ive been hooked,(awww how cute) ben said "ive done 20 jumps and it keeps getting better ever time (woh d licence here we come) ......
dont u just love reporters :-)

[ditch9276 0]

hi leapinlizard,
in our skydiving club we´ve 2 youngsters the first one had made his licenece last year he was 14 years old, and the 2nd has started this year and he was 16 years old. in the germany it´s allowed, if your parents say ok, to make your license with 16 years, and if you ask the gpa then it´ll be possible to get the license with 14 years. it´s so simple or???
blues ditch

[leapinlizard 0]

Hey, thanks for the info everyone. Very helpful. I guess unless I move to Germany or send my nephew there, he may just have to be patient. But hey....... good things come to those who wait, right?
Oh, the blue skies are calling me back again!!!

[jake69 0]

I think there are some pics somewhere of Rook Nelson doing a tandem when he was like 4 years old. It might be on the skydive Chicago site.

[wingnut 0]

lizaed,
ya can send him over if ya want, i'll watch out for him. gemany is really a great place.....but i say he should probly wait though....can't have a 14 year old running around stealing all the beer could we?..lol..... remnind him it's only 4 short years untill he can sign for himself anyways...buy then if he saves he could have enough for aff and a new rig.

"if dreams are like movies, then memories are like films about ghosts"-counting crows

[leapinlizard 0]

wingnut...
if i sent him over to you, i'm afraid he might never comeback and then i would have nobody to corrupt. :-) thanks for the offer.
Oh, the blue skies are calling me back again!!!

[skybytch 273]

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he may just have to be patient. But hey....... good things come to those who wait, right?

Absolutely. My son has been hanging around dz's since he was 6. He'll be making his first jump (AFF) on or about his 18th birthday, 12/25/01. He's wanted to jump since the first day he went to the dz.
I can't wait to get him off student status so we can go do two ways!
pull and flare,
lisa

[SkymonkeyONE 4]

I am sorry to report that I was not allowed to jump before my 16th birthday even though I grew up on the DZ and my dad was the DZO. Too bad for me; most of my contemporaries too (I.E. the Thackers). I would have LOVED the opportunity to do it like Charlie Mullins and his younger brother!
Funny though, when Mike was flying around doing his $100 boogies about 10 years ago and he would bring Charlie with him, I generally was against him jumping with us. In retrospect I was totally wrong, as I was doing stuff just as "dangerous" when I was six years old; like flying a 182!. I think it has everything to do with several important things, but nothing to do with age. For example, I would have no problem taking my 12 year old nephew on a tandem if he wasn't such a chickenshit. His sister, now 10, was begging me two years ago to take her, but she was too small to fit in the harness. Bear in mind that both these kid's parents are "fair weather" skydivers that jump when they are at my dad's DZ. Now, if either of these kids showed me that they were mature enough to understand all the risks, plus had the aptitude to understand the lessons, I would certainly train either or both right away.
Chuck Blue
D-12501
forced to wait till the age of 16 (actually 17)