stratostar 5 #26 May 20, 2007 Quote I'm far what anyone would call experienced or a long-time participant in the sport, It wasn't all that long ago that in 30 more jumps (170 +30=200) you would have been called an expert. (based on your posted number)you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #27 May 20, 2007 Quote I'm far what anyone would call experienced or a long-time participant in the sport, but preventing someone from having to do all solos before they are licensed is a big part of why I want to get my coach rating. Its not as though I would be charging them for coaching really, just giving them the chance to jump with someone else. In the height of the summer, there aren't as many people available to go up with a student for a fun 2-way because most of the other people who can are doing working jumps. Even though I'm going to have a coach rating (soon I hope), its not really going to be about subsidizing the cost of jumping as much as it is going to be about trying to make someone's day a little bit happier That would be exactly why I'd get mine, too. I haven't gotten it because I'm not comfortable enough with my in-air skills - for about the past 18 months I've been keeping only moderately current (well within my comfort zone and USPA recommendations, but not current enough to really improve my own skills). I hope to change that this summer and the rest of the year, and get to the point where I'm ready to get my coach rating, and once I have it I don't plan on charging. But as for the licensed newbies, I try to keep an eye out for them and get them involved. I know that it can be hard as a newbie to approach the more experienced jumpers; often the newbie is afraid that they will "ruin" the jump for a more experienced person. I know I felt that way at first. I was fortunate to have lots of people who reminded me that every jump was fun for them and who made me feel like jumping with me was an opportunity for them, not the other way around. It has to go both ways, though. Newbies - don't be shy. If you're new to a DZ, ask at manifest who might be organizing. Ask for suggestions of who to jump with. Stick around after hours and get to know people and let them know you'd love to do a jump with them. And we who are more experienced need to keep our eyes open, too. I know that some days I can get caught up in the jumps I'm doing and the group I'm jumping with and not notice (or notice and not do anything about it) the guy who keeps showing up on the load doing solos. If he asked me to jump, I'd say yes, but I also need to make it a point to ask more often. Stratostar, I loved your stories and I feel very fortunate that I've had opportunities to interact with way more people who take the approach you described than the skygods who aren't interested in helping the newbies. I've worked with some of the LOs at Perris, who made the point of keeping jumps small enough to be successful and the experience level balanced so that the newbies were surrounded by highly experienced folks and got to feel what a successful skydive is like. I've done more jumps with Mad John at Byron and LP than I can even remember and no matter how many times I funnel something he still lets me come back. I've been to Elsinore on the Excel camp weekends and learned more in three jumps there than I do in a full weekend elsewhere. I've had Bill Dause match me up with people to jump and in typical Bill fashion, I wasn't given much of a choice. I've jumped with Airspeed and Divewerkz members at Eloy. I've jumped with World Team members who didn't even mention it till later at the bar when a "when I was in Thailand" story came up. And I've never paid more than my own slot for those experiences. I'm leaving out a bunch of great, highly-experienced folks that I've jumped with, but my point is that they're very much out there, at the large and small DZs. Truth be told, I can't remember a time when I've asked someone to jump with me and I've been told flat-out, "no." I'm more likely to pull myself off than to be told by someone else I can't do it (jumps that got too big for my comfort level at the time, etc.). Sometimes the answer is "we're team training all day," and that's fine. Or the answer is "we're doing some very fast, high-skill stuff, but let me introduce you to so-and-so who plans jumps for newer jumpers." But I've never just heard "No, you can't jump with me/us.""There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #28 May 20, 2007 "no." ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #29 May 20, 2007 Quote "no." Did I ask YOU to jump with me? "There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aheavenlytiger 0 #30 May 20, 2007 Yea, that may well be true, but I still consider myself a newbie. I've only been in the sport for a little over a year and there is more that I don't know than I do. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUDYJ 0 #31 May 20, 2007 I wanted to jump with you but you ignored me!!! IF you are going to be Stupid - you better be tough! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #32 May 20, 2007 Quote Did I ask YOU to jump with me? No you haven't.....ya big Sky Snob! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #33 May 20, 2007 Hey now we had drinks and dinner at least. And besides that you were doing the team thing. I guess I'll have to make it up to you in Chicago @ nationals. you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #34 May 20, 2007 WHO's the old fart?! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #35 May 20, 2007 Some old geezer wine'o who wouldn't leave the bar and jump........LOL we love ya Sparky. you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stitch 0 #36 May 20, 2007 It's not all about the BEER light?? "No cookies for you"- GFD "I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65 Don't be a "Racer Hater" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JUDYJ 0 #37 May 20, 2007 I don't know about you but this stuff scares me. Sometimes just have to close my eyes and hang on. Now what's this about making it up to me at Nationals??? IF you are going to be Stupid - you better be tough! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #38 May 20, 2007 Now what's this about making it up to me at Nationals???*** It's cheaper for me to meet @ SDC, then the left coast to jump with you. Hey at least you have had the honor of getting to jump with the "white top wise one", you'll learn more from him then me, anyway. you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Royd 0 #39 May 20, 2007 Larry[don't know his last name] jumps at Palatka, Fl. He was on the 400 way last year. I just went over 200 jumps. We did two 2 ways today turning 15 and 12 points and completing the dive plan at 3500 ft. Just what the doctor ordered. Great guy, and always patient. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #40 May 21, 2007 "white top wise one" Quote ................................................................................................ ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #41 May 21, 2007 Henderson, maybe???? I don't know where L.H. lives and jumps. I met and jumped with a WT Larry in skydive ATL last summer on some Carbone loads, but didn't get a last name (not Henderson I know I asked LH via email) I would like to find out who it was, because he walked up and handed me cash for my slot, I tried to turn it down but he refused to take it back. If I could find out who it was I would send him a cd of the still images. Edit to add attchment. Who is this Larry? Roy look like your friend?you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #42 May 21, 2007 Quote He said I don't have a license yet. I told him I didn't care and I was not a scared to jump with him and showed him my AFF rating to ensure him I was not a danger to him. I would have totally done 2-way RW with the dude. I mean, I got the AFF rating too. Who's gonna tell me I can't dock with him?But yeah, I still jump with noobs. It's all good. I make it fun for them and fun for me, too. Nothing beats those big smiles in the sky. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mnealtx 0 #43 May 22, 2007 Quote You be 'da MAN! I'm trying to do my part with FJCs and Coach jumps and just-bring-'em-along fun jumps. Yup...like the 4-way jump that you organized for Jennr8r, Nina, you and I at Skyfest last year...Mike I love you, Shannon and Jim. POPS 9708 , SCR 14706 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steve1 5 #44 May 22, 2007 I was invited on all the big ways that our club did back in the 70's. One guy I helped train back then was Blaine Wright. Then I quit jumping for 25 years. When I started back, about five years ago, it was hard just finding someone to jump with. Boogies were no fun at all because all the sky gods wanted only to jump with their own click. It's an awful feeling being shunned because of your lack of experience. I'm sure this chases a ton of people away from doing RW. But that was never the case with Blaine. He's been on about every RW world record, over the last 20 years, yet he always takes time to jump with a green horn or two. He even invites me on many of the loads that he organizes now, so I appreciate his faith and encouragement. It's easy to turn into a jumper who thinks his poo poo doesn't stink. Maybe more of us need to remember what it is like to be the new guy....Steve1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crum 0 #45 May 22, 2007 " No one came down demanding a lift ticket because someone was in the wrong slot or had the wrong grip" - people actually do this???? ******Today is one day too late.******** Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stratostar 5 #46 May 22, 2007 Quote- people actually do this???? Sadly yes.you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airtwardo 7 #47 May 22, 2007 Quote Quote - people actually do this???? Sadly yes. Of course they leave with a bit of a limp, if they ask ME! ~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butters 0 #48 May 22, 2007 To you and everyone like you, thank you! Thanks for jumping with us lowtimers. Thanks for not being upset with us lowtimers when we mess up a jump. Thanks for everything."That looks dangerous." Leopold Stotch Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrEaK_aCcIdEnT 0 #49 May 22, 2007 Ive had 1 of these jumps so far. I was sittin in the plane on the ride up and Mark Schlatter asked me what I was doing. I was trying my 1st attempt at a back track. He said he would go out with me and folllow in a track above me. My mind was going... oh shit. i warned him that it was my 1st attempt at back flying. His reply was ok. Great jump. of course i wasnt able to get a good track. My butt was low. Over and over again i would try track then flip over and endup loosing momentum once i flipped over. Not to mention heading control was a little shaky. Had to keep correcting. watched him sink effortlessly and track away when it was over. Let him know on the ground I have a long way to go on back flying. Overall it was a jump ill remember forever. Thanks Mark!!!I hope there are many others like this. ExPeCt ThE uNeXpEcTeD! DoNt MiNd ThE tYpOs, Im LaZy On CoRrEcTiOnS! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UDSkyJunkie 0 #50 May 23, 2007 A little blunt, but I agree with everything, stratostar. So far in my skydiving career I've been either 1) the low-timer getting a lot of help from the local experts, or 2) on a team, and unable to help the newbies out much due to time and money constraints. However... This year I find myself not on a team, and minus the fastrax guys (who are obviously 10 times the skydiver I am, but are also incredibly busy), I'm now one of the best local RW guys. We've got a bunch of OSU kids out here with 50-200 jumps that are kicking ass for their experience level, and it's been a blast to help them out when I can. "Some people follow their dreams, others hunt them down and beat them mercilessly into submission." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
