Any Unique Skydive lessons?

[Calvin19 0]

So, i was wondering, how many people out there learned how to skydive without any formal training(NON-AFF, static line, military, etc) as in were taught by freinds out of small airplanes without student gear.

I dont mean just freinds who happened to be AFF instructors... i mean real deathcamp. As in a few hours of explaning on the ground and going and launching a 3 way

...................

-SPACE-

[woodpecker 0]

I did my first static like that in 93. 5 of us....4 of us never jumped before. Showed us a rig/canopy, toggles, this is how you turn, arch, emergency procedures and off we went. I actually hairline fractured my wrist (flared way to high, put my hand down to brace, landed on my hand)

SONIC WOODY #146

There is a fine line between cockiness and confidence -- which side of the line are you on?

[NWFlyer 2]

It was back in '71... I'd just graduated from UT, jumpmaster was a guy named Truman Sparks.

"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

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

Lots of pilots and aircrew members on various types of aircraft during WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam, etc. learned to jump after having their aircraft shot out from under them leaned freefall and canopy piloting the hard way...

[blewaway5 0]

gotta go see Dom!

Truman Sparks for President

[airtwardo 7]

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It was back in '71... I'd just graduated from UT, jumpmaster was a guy named Truman Sparks.

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Oh WOW man!!

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[faulknerwn 38]

A buddy I work with had done airborne school and they decided they wanted to freefall. They borrowed rigs from somewhere and I think jumped some sort of military aircraft. He did like 5 solo freefalls - and I know he's telling the truth cuz he describes spinning, tumbling, lines going through his legs and brutal openings :-)

W

[Andy9o8 2]

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Showed us a rig/canopy, toggles, this is how you turn, arch, emergency procedures .....

Isn't that called a "first jump course?"

[Calvin19 0]

thats all cool stuff, i really wish i had learned that way, figuring it out on my own.

[woodpecker 0]

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Showed us a rig/canopy, toggles, this is how you turn, arch, emergency procedures .....

Isn't that called a "first jump course?"

Most focused 5 minutes of my life......the FJC as we are calling it.

SONIC WOODY #146

There is a fine line between cockiness and confidence -- which side of the line are you on?

[BIGUN 1,307]

One of the early Oklahoma skydiving pioneers (Richard Wolf) had just finished Airborne School in 1965. He came back to Oklahoma and really had a desire to skydive, but couldn't find anyone to teach him. So, he purchases military surplus gear. packs it up (no class) talks a friend of his with a 182 into taking him up to 5000' and jumps. Over the course of many jumps, he basically taught himself how to fly.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[John4455 0]

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It was back in '71... I'd just graduated from UT, jumpmaster was a guy named Truman Sparks.

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Oh WOW man!!

I know Truman. He was the head jumpin bean.

How do ya like it Johnny?

[riggerrob 643]

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thats all cool stuff, i really wish i had learned that way, figuring it out on my own.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You will not live long enough to learn by trial and error.

[funjumper101 15]

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It was back in '71... I'd just graduated from UT, jumpmaster was a guy named Truman Sparks.

When I was a student (1983) a transient jumper was at the DZ when I went out to do my second jump. I have no idea who he was. He had a video camera on his helmet and a belly mounted recorder. He also had a VCR and a TV that he carried around in his van. In those days that was a lot of $$ worth of equipment. In the evening after jumping was over and the beer was flowing he set up his stuff in the hangar and started playing videos. At one point he played a copy of "Proof". I have never laughed so hard. It was awesome as my first few jumps were on a 35' T10 with a belly wart reserve. The airport/DZ was very much like the one in Proof, right down to the airplane parts scattered around. It was surreal and hilarious. The videos shown that night totally hooked me on the sport.

Several years ago I was told that Jean Boenish owned the rights to the movie. I wrote to her asking about getting a copy. The letter included a stamped, self addressed envelope with a sheet of paper in it. I expected at least a note back from her. I never got a thing. Nice...

Around that time I was offered a tenth generation VHS copy. You couldn't really see most of the video and the sound was atrocious. I passed on it.

Is there any way to get a reasonably clean copy of "Proof"? DVD would be preferred. I have a DVD recorder and somewhere in my collection is the VHS deck that was retired several years ago. PM me if you can help.

Thanks,

Funjumper101

PS. Unique skydiving lesson - On every ride to altitude, at 1000', look at the ground and memorize what it looks like from that altitude. On every canopy ride, at 1000', look at the ground and memorize what it looks like from that altitude. If you find yourself in freefall and the ground looks like it does at 1000', pull your silver handle. You are about six seconds from impact...

[Joellercoaster 6]

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As in a few hours of explaning on the ground and going and launching a 3 way

Dude, that still sounds like AFF!

--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

[pilotdave 0]

'Proof' is available on SkydivingMovies.com. It's down at the moment (hopefully getting an operating system upgrade), but it'll be back up soon.

It's NOT DVD quality though. But watchable.

The scene from Fandango is also on there. Almost identical, word for word.

Dave

[Calvin19 0]

"You will not live long enough to learn by trial and error. "



Wrong.
You just need a bit more trial/thinking and less error.
I learned every sport i still do in that fashion alone, except for skydiving, and flying airplanes. where training is required by the rules. I took No FJC for Base, i taught myself how to hangglide,(built my own hang gliders), taught ourselves how to paraglide. we taught ourselves how to rope jump, practicaly re-invented it, i never got even a 5 minute talk on how to fly a wingsuit, never had a coach jump in my life, will never charge anybody for one.

now i have 130 base jumps,
55 hours in hang gliders,
10 hours in paragliders,
1700+ rope jumps,
47 wingsuit skydives,
and 180 freefly jumps, out of 380 skydives.

while i think schools that teach these things are important, i think that they can be avoided if a person understands the risks involved in a sport. I believe in formal training, for most people. I would not learn to fly airplanes any other way.