DrewEckhardt 0 #51 May 23, 2007 QuoteYou hit the nail on the head here "fuck the skypricks, its usually the 2nd string players in this sport that have the "i'm too good4u attitude" " There are two general problems here. 1. The second string players who aren't on teams are stuck doing a few jumps a weekend due to time and/or money constraints are more likely to spend their jump tickets on dives that they find fun. 2. The number of jumps it takes to be able to fly straight down at the right speed and not cause safety problems is a lot higher for vertical body positions. You can plan a small belly-to-earth RW jump with experience ranging from 25 to 2500 jumps, expect the plan to work well enough, and expect to have fun (more experienced people dive and fly harder slots). You can make a small tracking or wingsuit dive with people of all experience levels, count on knowing where everyone is at break-off, and expect to have fun provided that the leader does their job and doesn't go too flat or fast (more experienced people can take docks, fly over and under each other, barell roll and stay up with the formation, etc.) I'll jump with pretty much anyone in those cases. You can't count on seeing everyone or being safe if you do see everyone when you start with three random people trying to fly in a vertical positions. Some one might be falling too fast, some one might be loosing control and corking, some one might be back sliding miles away from the formation, and that's not safe or fun. I'll do 2-ways with uncalibrated freefliers but aren't going to invite them on bigger group jumps for those reasons. Chances are that if I'm at my home DZ I have something planned with friends. Quote I have been skiing profesionaly for 10 years as well as other sports The analogy with skiing and other individual sports doesn't work well. When you're skiing other people can't screw up your performance unless they're bad enough to crash into you, ski areas don't limit you to 3-4 runs a day, and they don't charge you $25 for making one of your four runs down a bunny slope with a beginner. Competitive and group sports work a little better as an analogy because how your teamates do is important and leagues are organized arround ability (A and B or whatever). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Floats18 0 #52 May 23, 2007 Drew I think you've got the message of this thread backwards... Writing to 'f#$k the skypricks' doesn't exactly fit into the 'What it's all about' subject either. I don't care who's '2nd string' and I don't care if you've set 14 world records... I just want to have fun in the sky. I've come to realize a lot about this whole thing and more about life since stratostar dragged me into the sport about 3 years ago. Mostly I've learned that I need to surround myself by good people and then good times will follow. An important part of that is meeting new people and helping them find themselves in the sport. I know that I wouldn't be jumping right now if my 1st skdiving family in Indiana hadn't made the effort for me. Something that no one has touched on in this thread is newbie life on the ground as well. It not just about flying... its about flying and beers and dinner and bonfires and boogies, inside jokes, pies, tents, pelts, airplane kerokie, unexplained patches of missing hair, beers, trips, girls and beers. Skydiving is so much more for new people than just jumps! If you're frustrated because you don't make enough fun jumps in a weekend then you have the power to change your situation. Stress, frustration and anger do not belong in a recreational activity: Just do whatever makes you happy. In the grand scheme of life... if jump# xxxx gets messed up it doesn't really matter. The jump is free, the elevator is expensive. Free beer is in the fridge... its worth every penny.--- and give them wings so they may fly free forever DiverDriver in Training Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydave238 0 #53 May 23, 2007 Quote Something that no one has touched on in this thread is newbie life on the ground as well. It not just about flying... its about flying and beers and dinner and bonfires and boogies, inside jokes, pies, tents, pelts, airplane kerokie, unexplained patches of missing hair, beers, trips, girls and beers. Skydiving is so much more for new people than just jumps! I couldnt have said this beter myself! This thread put such a big smile on my face!what it's all about! Now lets all go drink some Ready...Set...Go..! SkydiveSwakop Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #54 May 23, 2007 Quote since stratostar dragged me into the sport about 3 years ago I didn't drag you into the sport, I just showed you the way to earn what you already wanted, and had I not you might still be trying to save the money for AFF.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Floats18 0 #55 May 23, 2007 Hahaha! True! And hell if I want anyone holding my hand during my 1st skydive! Dope Rope all the way! I still have those PM's from Nov, 2004... who knew what would result? God only knows where that bachelor party video went.--- and give them wings so they may fly free forever DiverDriver in Training Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #56 May 23, 2007 Quote Something that no one has touched on in this thread is newbie life on the ground as well. It not just about flying... its about flying and beers and dinner and bonfires and boogies, inside jokes, pies, tents, pelts, airplane kerokie, unexplained patches of missing hair, beers, trips, girls and beers. Skydiving is so much more for new people than just jumps! I love this paragraph. Even if you can't spell karaoke worth shit Very true words. Though I'm not so interested in the 'girls' aspect of it. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RandomLemming 0 #57 May 26, 2007 Amen! I can only jump 1 or two days a month because of work, so every weekend at the DZ, I struggle to find someone to jump with. Then I fly 9000kms back to SA and find true hospitality and friendliness. Tonto jumps with me on my first load. Then he organises another 3 days of jumps with people and they are all great - they don't mind that I suck, and on my last jump we actually turn 6 points. I learnt more with this crew than I have at home in months, because of their relaxed attitude at ethos. Not a lot of AFF schools seem to care about retention or keeping skydivers in the sport. Some instructors I've met do care about keeping students around until they become proper skydivers with their own network of people, but they seem to be the exception and not the norm. I've had some great experiences with people in this sport, but had I not met people like Ed and Tonto, my view would be a lot more jaded and I'm not sure I would have even stuck it out this far, let alone continued much further. Just that one jump every couple of months where some random person walks up to you and invites you to jump makes it all worth while for me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #58 May 26, 2007 <> - come to Old Bucky - I'd jump with you and so would others. (.)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
RandomLemming 0 #59 May 26, 2007 Thanks for the offer - Where's Old Bucky ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #60 May 26, 2007 Off the A11 between Thetford and Norwich. PM me if you plan a trip and I'll try to be there too. clicky (.)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
jumpwally 0 #61 May 26, 2007 awe some,,,,,, thats all..... smile, be nice, enjoy life FB # - 1083 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
