Justpin 0 #1 February 24, 2012 Who else isn't? I'm personally not renewing. I'm thinking of going USPA though and going overseas exclusively. I find it far too unrewarding, long weekends I can spend doing other things just sitting watching the sky. Also the total inability to find coaches even at big dropzones meaning I'm stuck on the bottom rung and not allowed to do anything but fall. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Melliandra 0 #2 February 24, 2012 Not intending to be rude, but intending to be blunt. So what? Do you want confirmation you're doing the right thing? Or do you want to post more bitching about the BPA? The BPA are trying (as far as I can see, I don't speak for them) to sort out the coaching "issue". But they don't run the DZs so can't guarantee you a coach. BPA membership isn't that much, yes it's more than others, but for the price of <6 jump tickets you'll be giving up jumping in the UK for the year and spending that much each time just to leave the country to jump. Vote with your feet if you want, as is your right, but even purely economically I can't see the sense. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #3 February 24, 2012 +1 well said (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mchamp 1 #4 February 24, 2012 Just siting and watching the sky because of the weather? If you're in the UK just hop on over and jump in Spain/Empuriabrava where the weather is a bit better Or France, Germany, Belgium etc etc considering that you said you'd just get a USPA license so sounds like you've got enough cash to travel around. Simple and done now go jump and get tunnel time so you won't just have to "fall" For info regarding lift ticket prices all around the world check out http://www.jumpticketprices.com/dropzones.asp Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ps5601 0 #5 February 24, 2012 If you want to be able to go and jump with random people who have little to no experience then going to other countries will allow that. If you want to learn how to skydive (and by that I don't mean how to save your life when you jump from a plane, but how to fully control your body in freefall) then you will have to pay for a coach no matter where you go. Coaches on a UK DZ can be hard to find (especially hard if you want to find a good one who does not want paying) - but no harder than on any other DZ I have been to iin or outside of the UK. It can be hard work, and it does take time to get good. Turning up for a couple of hours and expecting stuff on a plate then leaving again when you haven't got on a lift with a free coaching jump and bitching on DZ.com will not get you anywhere. Having said that, if you do decide to go abroad most people find that a short (week or so) burst of intensive coaching in a warm climate with good weather will get them better faster than spending the same sort of time on a UK DZ, mainly because you can do more jumps in that time. Maybe you want to do that, then come back and play in the UK when your skills are good enough to be able to jump with others and not need looking after. Good luck to you Blue skies Paul Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #6 February 24, 2012 But on the other hand, getting on a bunch of friendly skydives with good people... that may or may not work out to 'plan' ~ but after discussing it and trying again a few times it DOES ~ is another way for it to work. Depends on what your goals are I guess. Why i$ everything $eemingly alway$ about paying $omeone to help make you better? ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,297 #7 February 24, 2012 It'$ the economy, $tupid... Or, it could just be a continued deterioration of the educational culture that you and I come from years ago [a lot of fookin years ago]. "Pass it Forward" is more than just a bumper sticker. Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Croc 0 #8 February 24, 2012 I have no horse in this race, but I'm curious. Why with 82 jumps and a B license do you need a coach?"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so." Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #9 February 24, 2012 QuoteI have no horse in this race, but I'm curious. Why with 82 jumps and a B license do you need a coach? Even world class athletes have coaches... Coaching is a great way to improve skills.... They're not just for beginners. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #10 February 24, 2012 Quote I have no horse in this race, but I'm curious. Why with 82 jumps and a B license do you need a coach? If ya were to a$k a coach I bet I know what the an$wer will be! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #11 February 24, 2012 Quote Quote I have no horse in this race, but I'm curious. Why with 82 jumps and a B license do you need a coach? Even world class athletes have coaches... Coaching is a great way to improve skills.... They're not just for beginners. Competition is one thing.... ever seen a recreational, weekends for fun 'world class athlete' ? Ever hire a BOWLING coach?? Sure hope I don't get a bill from the guys at the pick-up-hoops game we played at the gym last night! Those guys were pretty good!! Ya know what they called 'coaches' in this sport not all that long ago? They called them SKYDIVERS, called 'em friends, whether ya ever met them before of not. ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Remster 30 #12 February 24, 2012 Remember: the USPA 3rd party insurance only covers you if you jump in the US, or elsewhere in the world IF you are a US resident. As a UK resident, you would not be covered anywhere else than the US. Similar situations exist with all national organization that offer 3rd party insurance that I know of.Remster Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMK 3 #13 February 24, 2012 Our renew rate at the equivalent of USD 182.00 / EUR 137.00 today is not exactly a stunning deal (a couple years ago it was over USD 320.00 equivalent). I’ll admit I haven’t been kind to the BPA in the past, but have to admit they’re trying/doing much better. That said every sport (unless it requires cold/wet/damp) is more enjoyable in other countries. Get over to Spain/France, get some jumps in, get all the “stickers” in your book to make them happy here and then it’s not so bad in the UK."Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rifleman 70 #14 February 24, 2012 Quote Quote Quote I have no horse in this race, but I'm curious. Why with 82 jumps and a B license do you need a coach? Even world class athletes have coaches... Coaching is a great way to improve skills.... They're not just for beginners. Competition is one thing.... ever seen a recreational, weekends for fun 'world class athlete' ? Ever hire a BOWLING coach?? Yep - and I went from a 163 to a 228 average Sure hope I don't get a bill from the guys at the pick-up-hoops game we played at the gym last night! Those guys were pretty good!! Ya know what they called 'coaches' in this sport not all that long ago? They called them SKYDIVERS, called 'em friends, whether ya ever met them before of not. Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #15 February 24, 2012 Yep - and I went from a 163 to a 228 average Quote 163?? Sounds like you needed one...hope they don't give ya the Skydiving speech! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rifleman 70 #16 February 24, 2012 Broke my wrist and after it healed couldn't seem to throw as well so hired a coach to get my game backAtheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tmccann 1 #17 February 24, 2012 Quote 163?? Sounds like you needed one...hope they don't give ya the Skydiving speech! Is it too early to nominate this for best response of 2012? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matthewcline 0 #18 February 24, 2012 Quote Quote 163?? Sounds like you needed one...hope they don't give ya the Skydiving speech! Is it too early to nominate this for best response of 2012? Not too early to nominate it, but to early to award it! But he will be the holder of three of the five best of's, for sure. MattAn Instructors first concern is student safety. So, start being safe, first!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pincheck 0 #19 February 24, 2012 Quote I have no horse in this race, but I'm curious. Why with 82 jumps and a B license do you need a coach? Most likely because he need a FS1 sticker to jump with other people. Its the one thing that has strangled the sport the most here, it was the change in the interpretation of that rule . I don't now what happened as i was not a member thenUsed to be a case that FS1 qualified jumpers would be able to jump with Non qualified to help them improve or just have fun, experience jumping with others without paying for a coach. Kind of pay back the way the experienced guys used to help the non experienced back in the day (before me ) Sadly the change in the rule interpretation is chocking new comers to the sport here. It used to be a lot cheaper when i started to travel abroad to Spain that depends on the exchange rate its your call justpin, we all at some point come up against this wall where we are not going as fast as we would like. Me i jump outside my country as there is not a place i want to jump there any more but then i just trail 3 hours out of Scotland to England to the nearest decent planesgood luck what ever the choice mate Billy-Sonic Haggis Flickr-Fun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Croc 0 #20 February 24, 2012 Thanks. That's what I was suspecting. Glad I jump in the good ole' USA! A friend of mine with a USPA C lived in England for a year and never made a single jump there. Instead she flew to Spain a few times and jumped there, explaining that it was "a pain in the ass" to jump in England."Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so." Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Krip 2 #21 February 25, 2012 Quote But on the other hand, getting on a bunch of friendly skydives with good people... that may or may not work out to 'plan' ~ but after discussing it and trying again a few times it DOES ~ is another way for it to work. Depends on what your goals are I guess. Why i$ everything $eemingly alway$ about paying $omeone to help make you better? Mr T Because they don't know anything different, and their you knowDudes Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mchamp 1 #22 February 25, 2012 Could you please enlighten us non BPA members as to what exactly is an FS-1 sticker and how do you go about achieving the requirements and attaining it? All I know is that within the States all you need to do in order to jump with whomever you choose to jump with is simply to attain your A license which usually takes 25jumps.For info regarding lift ticket prices all around the world check out http://www.jumpticketprices.com/dropzones.asp Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC1 0 #23 February 25, 2012 FS1 is a licence endorsement that allows people to do flat jumps with other FS1 qualified people. In order to get an FS1 sticker, you need to do a number of coached 2-way drill dives and complete a 4-point 4-way (B-O-M-J) qualification jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #24 February 25, 2012 Quote Quote Quote 163?? Sounds like you needed one...hope they don't give ya the Skydiving speech! Is it too early to nominate this for best response of 2012? Not too early to nominate it, but to early to award it! But he will be the holder of three of the five best of's, for sure. Matt I know that's true ... cuz he told me. (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ufk22 33 #25 February 25, 2012 So, if I'm understandign this, in England..... If I have 1000 jumps and this FS1 sticker, I could not jump with this guy to help him along, even though he has over 80 jumps and 2 years in the sport, unless I had a "coach" rating. I'm also assuming that the 4-point 4-way he has to do to get this FS1 sticker would have to be done with all coaches, so he'd have to pay for 3 coaches to get this done? Is this true throughout Europe, or only a BPA thing?This is the paradox of skydiving. We do something very dangerous, expose ourselves to a totally unnecesary risk, and then spend our time trying to make it safer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
