GLIDEANGLE 1 #1 February 3, 2011 Dear New Jumper (or other jumpers who are trapped on the ground by winter weather): Congratulations on your new skydiving license! There is so much to learn to stay safe in this sport. Earning your A license is just the beginning. Below are some documents which will help your further development as a skydiver. You don’t have to read them all at once. If you read one a week, you will be doing GREAT! General Information: USPA Skydiver Information Manual If you aren’t familiar with sections 1 through 5 in this document, now is the time to review them. Reviewing at least part 105 of the FARs is a good thing too. You can defer most of section 6 and all of the other sections for a while. The Safety articles on Dropzone.com These articles vary by topic and age, many are really relevant and useful. Note that these articles have been selected by the website editors for their accuracy and relevance. They are NOT the usual internet discussion board stuff of dubious quality. A variety of useful articles on collegeskydiving.com . There are articles about canopy flight, relative work, rigging, freefly, and mental aspects. All are worthwhile. (Note that this is a multi-page list. Also, some of these articles have been borrowed from sites listed below.) Canopy Flight: The leading cause of skydiving death in the USA is pilot errors while flying a perfectly functioning canopy. Canopy flight and landing is the one thing that all specialty disciplines in skydiving have in common, so it is one thing that we should all study earnestly. The place to begin is with the USPA SIM Section 6-11: Advanced Canopy Piloting Topics . Don’t let the word “advanced” put you off, this content is quite relevant to all licensed skydivers. Brian Germain's Downsizing recommendations This 22 page document is way more than just information about downsizing safely! It has lots of information about how to learn more about your canopy by flying various drills which he calls “Essential Maneuvers”. Canopy related safety articles by canopy manufacturers. If you fly a PD canopy (and the odds are fairly good that you do), read the PD document on your specific canopy’s performance: Sabre 2 Spectre Storm Pulse Almost all of the manufacturer supplied information below is NOT product or brand-specific. Performance Designs Choosing the Right Canopy prt 1 Choosing the Right Canopy prt 2 Control System Malfunction Get the Best Out of Your Canopy How to Prevent Hard Openings PIA Dual Square Report Survival Skills for Canopy Control The Low Down on Low Turns Turbulence, The Invisible Hazard Wing Loading and It's Effects Aerodyne Aerodyne Flight Recommendations Big Air Sportz There is a variety of wonderful stuff by Brian Germain here . Never hesitate to make canopy drill hop & pop jumps! They can be a great way to get in the air when there is a low ceiling which prevents freefall or when you can’t find folks to jump with. The canopy drills in the SIM and described by Brian Germain are quite worth your time. There is no doubt that those drills have saved me from injury several times. If you read a lot, ask a lot of questions, and practice a lot with your canopy up high, you will grow to be a safer skydiver. Blue Skies, Jim McGraw D-30292 AFF-IThe choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #2 February 3, 2011 Good stuff! Thank you for that.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KollegeKay 0 #3 November 18, 2011 Thanks for posting this! I bookmarked this page so I could come back and read more! ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ---Kollege Kay--,--'-@ Newbie Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FlyingPortagee 0 #4 September 19, 2012 This stuff is gold. THANK YOU Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #5 September 19, 2012 Good stuff. thanks. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
