Bri_W 0 #1 August 9, 2005 Any good skydiving books out there worth a read for a few hints and tips? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
white_falcon 0 #2 August 9, 2005 Im Surprised no-one has jumped on this one yet. The Canopy and Its Pilot by Brian Germain seems to be an unofficial "bible" Tom Buchanan (on this site) is also an author and has several books, I am sure he will chime in. Scott BTW --- Look out for the re-post police on this one - they are sure to tell you to do a search and you can find were this has been talked about a million times, but I thought, I'd just tell you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bri_W 0 #3 August 9, 2005 Thanks for the info and the warning!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #4 August 9, 2005 Many forum members generally recommend: "Parachuting: The Skydiving Handbook" by Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff "Parachute and its Pilot" by Brian Germain "Jump! Skydiving made Fun and Easy" by Tom Buchanan These are generally high-rated books, but my instructor says their word comes first as a student. Be careful with these books though till your jump numbers are high enough, but they do whet the appetite to purchase an AFF type program. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
calledisrael 0 #5 August 9, 2005 a few more comments on these, since i wished i had more info before i went out and bought them all: "Parachuting: The Skydiving Handbook" by Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff good book, but like mdrejhon pointed out, did not say the same thing as some of my instructors. i read it several times, and it was well worth it, i learned alot - just remember that your instructor might tell you something else or you might have a different system or whatever. "Parachute and its Pilot" by Brian Germain fabulous. i read it as i was finishing aff, and it helped me so much. i did skip the chapter on swooping :-) but i'll go back to it someday. i got convinced to love my canopy this way because some lights went on when i read this in a big way. "Jump! Skydiving made Fun and Easy" by Tom Buchanan this wasn't as useful to me, because i had already tandemed, and knew i wanted to skydive... but it seems to be a great one for me to give out to friends who are considering letting me drag them to the dz. it has worked. who has more? i want to read some more stuff... life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. (helen keller) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #6 August 9, 2005 Quote "Jump! Skydiving made Fun and Easy" by Tom Buchanan this wasn't as useful to me, because i had already tandemed, and knew i wanted to skydive... but it seems to be a great one for me to give out to friends who are considering letting me drag them to the dz. it has worked. Good comment. JUMP! is written for folks who wonder what the sport is all about and how to pick/evaluate a drop zone. It isn't targeted at experienced jumpers, but as you pointed out, JUMP! is a great give-a-way for friends and families, and helps an experienced jumper figure out how to answer all the common questions. It's also a good give-a-way for local media. The part that does seem to be appreciated by even the most experienced jumpers is the chapter called "Psychology." For a peek at JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy check out Amazon.com and click on the book cover for a look inside. I'm a big believer in Brian's books, and "Parachuting, The Skydivers Handbook." If you are hell bent on skydiving I would start with The Skydivers Handbook, then pick up The Parachute and It's Pilot by Germain. I'd also recommend The Skydivers Information Manual by USPA, available from their web site as a spiral bound book, or as a free download. .Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eule 0 #7 August 10, 2005 Quote "Parachuting: The Skydiving Handbook" by Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff good book, but like mdrejhon pointed out, did not say the same thing as some of my instructors. I read this book before starting AFF and I had the same experience. I deliberately stopped looking at the book in the week or so before my ground school class, to help me better absorb what my instructors said. I found that reading the book helped me understand ground school better, but I don't think any book can totally prepare you for the first jump. I am glad I read it, though. Note that this book seems to be revised every 3-5 years, so if you're looking for a used copy, it might be good to make sure it's not too old. I bought it new this spring and I think I have the latest edition - "Ninth edition 2004, completely revised". If you haven't already looked, there are some reviews of various books here at dropzone.com : http://www.dropzone.com/gear/Skydiving_Videos_and_Books/Books/index.shtml EulePLF does not stand for Please Land on Face. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mr2mk1g 10 #8 August 10, 2005 Just read "BASE 66". It's not a book for hints and tips but if you're merely after a nice (if short) read along the lines of a novel then its a good true story. It does move quickly along to BASE from skydiving but it's a good read for anyone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mdrejhon 8 #9 August 10, 2005 Good one. "Jump! Skydiving made Fun and Easy" Get this if you haven't done a tandem yet "Parachuting: The Skydiving Handbook" Get this if you're considering a skydiving program "Parachute and its Pilot" by Brian Germain Get this when you graduate from your AFF Does this make sense? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMURRAY 1 #10 July 3, 2008 QuoteAny good skydiving books out there worth a read for a few hints and tips? OK this is an older thread and I am stretching it a bit but my wife has a couple of books published which are based around local DZs..... R Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fastphil 0 #11 July 3, 2008 QuoteQuoteAny good skydiving books out there worth a read for a few hints and tips? OK this is an older thread and I am stretching it a bit but my wife has a couple of books published which are based around local DZs..... R Hmmm... "freefall" is nonfiction, maybe??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #12 July 3, 2008 It is a stretch, but since it does mention skydiving, and this is the summer reading season, I've added a link and synopsis for you. http://www.amazon.com/Freefall-Wendy-Lewis/dp/1554700132/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215112548&sr=1-1 From the Amazon listing: Sixteen-year-old Airin Marks is funny, bright, and has big dreams: to become a writer and learn to fly. But she also has a secret — a secret that comes with guilt, bad memories, and more than a few nightmares. Twenty-year-old Ry Truman is unorthodox, headstrong, and passionate about one thing above all others: skydiving. Like Airin, he’s got some baggage — in the form of an ex-girlfriend who’s left him with a particularly nasty parting gift. When the pair meets at the drop zone Ry has opened near Airin’s home, sparks fly... but this won’t be a simple summer romance. For one thing, neither is ready to dive headfirst into a relationship. For another, Airin’s overprotective stepfather has a thing or two to say about her new obsession. And then there’s Diego Montgomery, the strange writer who’s taken to hanging around the zone to research his next novel. Diego’s attention seems more focused on Airin than on anything else, and before long, both Ry and Airin start to wonder if Diego really is who he says he is. Told in the alternating voices of Airin and Ry, this perfect summer read builds to a devastating climax.Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jsaxton 0 #13 July 3, 2008 If you're looking for some tips check this out: http://makeithappen.com/spsj/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chuckakers 425 #14 July 3, 2008 Quote Any good skydiving books out there worth a read for a few hints and tips? Given some of the silly crap I see some jumpers do, I'd say the SIM would be pretty good reading material.Chuck Akers D-10855 Houston, TX Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
