jlen 0 #1 August 12, 2014 Hi Everyone! I've only ever done a tandem and am looking forward to coming over from London to get my A-licence end of August I was looking to do it at Sebastian but I am concerned that its hurricane season and the DZ is on the coast! Is this going to be a silly idea? Is August a bad time to come due to high winds? I've got to take my holiday before sept 3rd so have to come then. It's expensive but looks great! I could do it in central spain but i really like the idea of the US and the look of the course. PLEASE ADVISE FRIENDS! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyhi 24 #2 August 13, 2014 The good news is hurricanes are not tornadoes. Tornadoes give no warning. Hurricanes that hit America usually start to form off the west coast of Africa and travel all the way across the Atlantic, fool around for a while in the Caribbean, and then hit the mainland. The trip across the Atlantic usually moves at the speed of the British navy on their way to the Falklands. This allows for plenty of warning. We have not been hit by a hurricane in four or five years, so all the weather geeks are more than ready to advise when it looks like a hurricane is forming. Prior to leaving, check the weather reports for us and if no hurricane is forecast, you will probably have at least five to seven days before one would hit. I would advise you to ensure you talk to the DZ prior to arrival, make arrangements for your class, be prepared to jam as much as possible in as early as you can in the trip. You’re not going to like this, but you should consider not partying during the training. Go to bed early, stay hydrated, and study in the evenings when not at the DZ. If a hurricane does pop up, consider moving to another DZ. Sebastian is a great DZ with good people and an incredible vibe, but there are others that can assist you. Hurricanes seldom move significantly south after hitting the mainland, so if one was to hit around Sebastian, possibly Clewiston, Punta Gorda, or Miami might be an option. If a hurricane is just hugging the coast, consider moving further west to Lake Wales or Zephyrhills. Note that I have attempted to use as many conditional words (probably, seldom, usually, ad nauseum) as possible here. Hurricanes can be wacky things. Exactly ten years ago, people from west Florida were told to consider evacuating in the face of Hurricane Charley. Many moved east to Orlando, exactly in the new and improved path of Charley. If you stay on your toes, you should be good. We have not had a lot of weather holds for students lately for winds. Most have been one to two hour delays for clouds and rain. That’s one to two hours to practice PLF, hanging harness, or discuss traffic patterns with your instructor. Not necessarily bad times. It would be hard to give you anything more definitive. Sometimes you just pays your money and takes your chances. Good luck. Shit happens. And it usually happens because of physics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cgriff 0 #3 August 13, 2014 I did my groundschool at Sebastian on Saturday. It was clear and beautiful all day long... until we got done with the test. As soon as I got manifested on a load for lvl 1, the rain came in. But that just meant I was on load 1 the next morning! Come on over and play with us! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkymonkeyONE 4 #4 August 13, 2014 Don't worry about "hurricane season" so much as the normal summer weather pattern: -Sunny in the morning up until around noon -Thunderstorm somewhere between noon and three PM -Clear and sunny from about 5 pm on. Never schedule a tandem for mid-day at ANY dropzone in Florida. Early morning and late afternoon are best. If you sit through a ground school which starts at 0800, don't freak out when it starts raining; it will clear and you will get up in the air so long as the DZ isn't backed-up with tandems for the rest of the day. If you do NOT get up that afternoon, be at the dropzone the second they open the following morning. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingRhenquest 1 #5 August 13, 2014 cgriffI did my groundschool at Sebastian on Saturday. It was clear and beautiful all day long... until we got done with the test. As soon as I got manifested on a load for lvl 1, the rain came in. But that just meant I was on load 1 the next morning! Come on over and play with us! Yeah, AFF students getting on the plane make it rain. It's a well documented weather condition.I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cgriff 0 #6 August 14, 2014 FlyingRhenquestYeah, AFF students getting on the plane make it rain. It's a well documented weather condition. Wait! That wasn't in the book! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jlen 0 #7 August 15, 2014 Thanks everyone! This has cleared it up for me beautifully! Just got to justify the cost to my self now...! Hopefully see you soon Florida! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
normiss 801 #8 August 15, 2014 Be sure to let us know where and when. So we can send you the proper hurricane evacuation routes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dokeman 0 #9 August 15, 2014 screw the boogies, its all about hurricane parties Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
