Carrapeta 0 #76 August 19, 2009 Quote do it like me, show up, nag an instructors ear, preferably the one that has a radio in hand, ask shitloads of stupid questions until their eyes start rolling; if you're fed up yourself, PROMISE them to come back.. that will really piss them off, especially if you DO turn up a month later to do your AFF! Damn!! We seem to employ similar tactics If your gonna be dumb ya gotta be tough. Your mom goes HandHeld Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SivaGanesha 2 #77 August 20, 2009 Quote It is. Glad to hear it ! See you and Keith (instructor Keith, not zen_mtn_climber Keith) there! "It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyHigh04 0 #78 August 20, 2009 I fall into this exact category that davelepka is talking about. I made a post last year about this very issue and because I didn't word things so well, I got jumped on. Now I simply read the forums in silence for the most part. I have 6 total jumps from last year and the only thing that kept me from the DZ this year was the cost. I currently work and go to college full time and barely break even every month. I know skydiving is still something I'm going to pursue but the cost is definatly a factor. I don't even have enough credit to pay for jumps via credit card, not to mention the 2 loans I'm already paying back. I'm not stressing the fact that I can't afford to jump this year because I know if I work hard and focus, I'll eventually earn my reward: being able to finally go for my A license. Good things come to those who wait right?"...And once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been, and there you long to return..." - Leonardo da Vinci Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SivaGanesha 2 #79 August 20, 2009 Quote... I'm not stressing the fact that I can't afford to jump this year because I know if I work hard and focus, I'll eventually earn my reward: being able to finally go for my A license. Good things come to those who wait right? It seems to me that the best strategy in skydiving is to be patient when you must but also to jump when you can. The most passionate skydivers never turn down a chance to jump. They'd much rather make one or two jumps now than not jump at all. If they can get in the air today, they'll do so, and let the future take care of itself."It's hard to have fun at 4-way unless your whole team gets down to the ground safely to do it again!"--Northern California Skydiving League re USPA Safety Day, March 8, 2014 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,447 #80 August 20, 2009 He's in college, it will finish, and the sky isn't going anywhere. Personally, I think he's doing the right thing. The fact that it's the same thing I did when I was in college has nothing to do with my assessment of his judgment Nothing says one has to be the most passionate skydiver; I'm not, and I've managed to stay around awhile. Wendy P. There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #81 August 20, 2009 Quote Quote do it like me, show up, nag an instructors ear, preferably the one that has a radio in hand, ask shitloads of stupid questions until their eyes start rolling; if you're fed up yourself, PROMISE them to come back.. that will really piss them off, especially if you DO turn up a month later to do your AFF! Damn!! We seem to employ similar tactics the thing is, altough they'd really like to get rid of me, i keep on coming back, the only difference now, i feel entitled to drink as much (free) beer as i feel like; that can be A LOT!!! “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chrismgtis 0 #82 September 9, 2009 Student jumpers down? I was out for about 6 months once. When I came back there were about 50 new people and I didn't know half the damn DZ anymore. I was like what the hell, you bastards been breeding.Rodriguez Brother #1614, Muff Brother #4033 Jumped: Twin Otter, Cessna 182, CASA, Helicopter, Caravan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #83 September 10, 2009 Quote Student jumpers down? I was out for about 6 months once. When I came back there were about 50 new people and I didn't know half the damn DZ anymore. I was like what the hell, you bastards been breeding. lmao! I feel your pain! I don't have the money to jump the way I used to. I made my first jump of the year just a couple of weeks ago. When I walked through the hangar, I felt like I didn't know anyone. And a few of the "newbies" from a few years ago can skydive rings around me now! Be nice to the newbies. In a couple of years, you might have to ask one of them to do a recurrency jump with you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crustySCSA69 0 #84 September 13, 2009 QuoteOne of the issues raised in the "AFF experiment" thread in "Instructors" was that the student retention rate is nowhere near as high as it should be. I tried to ask a question about that in there, but it got kinda lost in the discussion which progression is superior. This thread is NOT meant to become yet another "SL vs Tandem vs AFF" argument. What I want to know is simply: 1) What does your DZ do to keep students/novices/newly licenced jumpers coming back? 2) How does your DZ make new/inexperienced jumpers feel at home and/or part of the group? I read this whole thread ... I started on a little tiny dz (pre tandem) with about 10 people that knew what they were doing .. 10 (maybe) that were learning ... a bunch of us just learning... if you showed up for more than 2 jumps .. you were taken seriously .. i spun from my first 10 sec (you needed 3 good 10s, 3 good 15s and 3 good 20s and 3 good 30s to go for an A license) and spun EVERY jump up to my 1st 30 ... then I learned to stop it.... they never dinged me for a re-jump at any level because at pull time ( I kept track) I would go in a ball...stop spinning... arch and pull.. they said... hey, you pulled stable .. so try it again .. on a 20 sec, a jumpmaster followed me because they they were mystified and he said "I don't know what's wrong,..just keep moving your legs.. maybe that's it" my 1st 30 sec logbook entry (by the jumpmaster) was "no turns!!.. far out !! now try turns.." try that today ... how many K bucks for someone so obviously inept ??? ( I do have 1/64 of a world record) gear .. better be up to date ... how many K ??? I was on a world record with a rig that cost 200 $ and a main and reserve that were 100 $ each total gear = 400$ today ... that's just not 'cool' and someone like me would be too discouraged to continue ... if the cost is too much... the participant number declines ... it's not rocket science ... I don't care what you do ... if there is no reasonable cost option (and I think needing a 'Coach' between AFF and A is a total pile of bullshit ) then I don't care how you encourage newbie's, numbers will just keep declining... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
