container size

[futurehighflyer 0]

I was just wondering......i wanna be a freeflyer(when i grow up) and was just thinkin..........is a smaller container better for freeflying? Cuz, when i buy my own gear i want a smaller container and not a big bulky one with a big canopy after student status. So, would it be a good idea to wait before buying gear right after student status, so i could down size in conopy size and get a smaller container. Or do you think that it would take to long to downsize enough to get a smaller canopy for a smaller container.

Another thing, im 16 , obsessed with skydiving and havent even jumped yet so ya.......i have no experiance what soever. .........unless you count a 10ft. base jump off my roof when i was 6 or so.. but i have been reading everything and anything i could get my hands on, and searching posts about everything that i didnt understand. And i know that i wont understand things fully untell i actually jump and do aff and learn about the equipment in person with an instructor ......so ya......

sorry if i seem like a idiot who thinks he knows what hes talking about im just obsessed with skydiving and think that you are the luckiest people in the world . ( been saving money since 9th grade to be able to get through a tandem and aff)so ya.................thanks for anything.

[Casch 0]

I'm not into freefly yet, but will eventually get into it. Yes I imagine a smaller container will help a little bit, but I don't think it will have a HUGE effect having a larger container. When you buy gear, buy it so that it fits you NOW and not later. When you have the experience, go ahead and start freeflying. You can get a smaller main/container as you progress and can handle the canopy size. Just curious, how much do you weigh? If you're an average sized person, you don't really have to worry about it. If you're larger like I am (250lbs @ 5'9"), it makes a bit more of a difference

[futurehighflyer 0]

im 6'2 about 165 now but who knows what it will be when im 18 . i imagine i wont change that much in a year and a half.

[Amazon 7]

6'2" and 165... oh great.. another floatybutt in the air....

Some of your questions might be put off till after you start jumping... you can start now with consent from your parents.

http://skydivesnohomish.com/skystatic.htm

I think in the long run you will find you need a rig that will fit YOU.... and until you get some experience with canopy control....you need to stick to the size parachute your skill level dictates. If you figure your exit weight will be about 190 to 200 lbs... that makes for a canopy of 190 SQ FT to 200 SQ FT to get the 1 to 1 wing loading. To go higher than that ( 1.2, 1.3, 1.4 or more... to 1 WL)you will be going faster when you land and have more of a chance to injure yourself. Swooping looks realllllly cool... but if you have been reading here on DZ.com for a while you will see LOTS of discussions about wing loading versus the desire to downsize too quickly. Get to be a good canopy pilot before you try it.

If you are 6'2" tall you will need a LARGE harness that has a longer main lift web. Most people in the sport are not so tall ( There are plenty.. but the average size is much shorter) so buying a used rig will be harder to find. USUALLY such a tall sized harness comes with a larger container on it for a larger canopy. When you are starting out... larger is good.

Good Luck

Jeanne

[AdD 1]

So why can't you jump at 16? At my dz all you need is parental consent from 16-18. I can't even imagine the anticipation that would cause though, I kinda decided to go with some friends out of the blue this summer, now i'm completely obsessed. If it had happened in reverse order i'd probly have pulled all my hair out waiting for the 1st jump. I'm actually sorta looking at buying a rig, but I'm thinking the bigger the better

Life is ez
On the dz
Every jumper's dream
3 rigs and an airstream

[schattenjaeger 0]

It IS legal for minors over 16 to jump with notarized parental consent, but it is entirely at the discretion of any DZ whether or not they'll allow it. So if they want to, they can, but they don't HAVE to. Plus his parents might just not want him too.

[futurehighflyer 0]

the places im near wont let me jump untill im 18 and plus , if i wait till im 18 my mom said she will pay for aff but if i was able to start now i would have to pay my own way. And yes i do have clumps of hair in my hands ........i cant wait, only 1.5 years left. until then i think im gonna hang out at a dz and get a feel for what its like and how things work.

[wmw999 2,447]

Quote

until then i think im gonna hang out at a dz and get a feel for what its like and how things work

Learn to pack or do the DZ gofer thing while you're at it -- good money once you get good at it, and everyone knows you.

Wendy W.

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)