Dogwap 0 #1 August 4, 2003 I’ve been away a while. My last jump was in competition at the ‘97 Nationals. But after watching Manos’ lame ass, but fun “Cutaway” the other night on USA network, I’ve been thinking about coming outta retirement. I gotta get me one of those “maximum speed meters”! So, I check out the web, and find that things have changed a little since I’ve been gone. Bird manning? And pond swooping as a Nationals event? What the fuck is that all about? I’m not saying hook turns aren’t fun, and I know that kicking up a rooster tail looks cool and drives the chicks wild. But I noticed that the swooping forum has three times as many hits as this one. Is formation skydiving mainly for the dinosaurs these days? I'm still telling my self that I'm too young for VH1. So my question is, if I come back to do RW, will I be stepping aboard a sinking ship? Just what's the status of RW competition these days? ------------------------------------------------------- To those who say it’s a small world, let me tell you, I’ve seen the world, and it’s only getting bigger. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 August 4, 2003 Don't worry. Your old friend RW is alive and well and living in Florida, Arizona and California. There's more than enough hot RW action to go around and it's actually having a bit of a resurgence lately with all of the tunnel action. That said, you're not the first person to have drawn the comparison between S&A and RW. Pat Works, and he ought to know, has said it several times. That's not to say it's going away, but rather the feeling that "real" skydivers do RW and "freaks" do other things -- just like they said about S&A v. RW back in the late '60s & early '70s.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoltan 0 #3 August 4, 2003 Do not need to worry :) Our beloved sport is like a family. In the beginning there were only couple of children in the family so no surprise that children had got bigger attention then nowadays when year by year our family is richer and richer with new kids. RW is one of the oldest brother... it does not need any more any extra care. RW lives and will live. Personally I'm happy for the new kids... swooping, birdmand, freefly... they look good and even outsiders can understand them easily... and it is hard to say the same about 4 way formation skydive :) RW competitions are just fine... the avg. points of the top 3 teams are rising not only in the US but everywhere around the world. French guys were turning 45 point in 35 secs. Training techniques and equipment are getting better and better and even a few hundred jumped novice team can do with a good coaching the same points as 20 years ago the world class heroes :) Big ways age getting bigger and bigger... 300 way for 7 secs, 120 way sequential are keeping the world records and 60-100 way camps are regular events. So it is all improving and getting better and better :) and I love it :) z Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
harryskydives 0 #4 August 4, 2003 Hey Dog: This is a great time to return to RW. Especially if you want to do some competitive 4-way. Check out www.skyleague.com There are 4way meets every month during the weather season. They have 4 classes, and are probally within driving distance. Where do you live? As for getting current, a wad of cash and a trip to florida and soon Perris, will get you some serious training that would require months of weekends before the tunnels. Check out the Airspeed or Majik skills camps. Also Dan, Hammo, Jack and many others are putting on alsome skills camps perfect for some one like you. Hope to see you at the Nationals again. Don't run out of altitude and experience at the same time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BikerBabe 0 #5 August 4, 2003 As a new 4-way copmpetitor, I'd have to agree with what everyone else just said. I'd even say it's on the upswing. take a look at www.omniskore.com and check out the 2002 nationals results. RW (formation skydiving) still has the most entries by far, and seems to still be growing every year. Since you live in CA like it says in your profile, Perris and Elsinore have plenty of opportunity for 4-way, especially with the new tunnel opening in Perris this fall and DanBC as the new GM at Perris. I see a lot of young skydivers turning to freeflying because it's something you can practice alone, and it's a scary thing to be a newbie and try to find people to jump with, much less find people to do good, rewarding RW with. As for swooping, well, everyone has to fly a canopy, no matter what you do in freefall. I've seen swoopers from all walks of the skydiving life...it's just a larger audience. I'd say that the guys who badmouth "belly flying" as boring have never been on a 20+ point 4-way, the kind where you open your canopy and are actually breathing hard from the effort and adrenaline. Personally, my team and I are trying our hardest to encourage newbies into at least giving RW a try before throwing it out the window. What we've seen is that it's much more enjoyable for them if it's organized in a manner that's positive and fun, as well as providing them with the opportunity to be on some successful skydives. We're not claiming to be Airspeed, not even close, but those skills camps are out there, too, for the more experienced among us. Welcome back! AndiNever meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freakydiver 0 #6 August 5, 2003 IMHO its ALL a freakin skydive and we can all get along! -- (N.DG) "If all else fails – at least try and look under control." -- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dogwap 0 #7 August 6, 2003 Thanks for all the info. Looks like, I'll be comin’ outta retirement (again). But now I have a new and equally provocative question. But I'll start a new thread for that one. ------------------------------------------------------- To those who say it’s a small world, let me tell you, I’ve seen the world, and it’s only getting bigger. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 4 #8 August 13, 2003 QuoteIMHO its ALL a freakin skydive and we can all get along! Bingo, we all jump out of perfectly good airplanes.My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoltan 0 #9 August 13, 2003 I like this atitude... We all belong to the same family and we all land with some kind of parachute... and what we do before pull time it is what we like... z Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #10 August 19, 2003 QuoteQuoteIMHO its ALL a freakin skydive and we can all get along! Bingo, we all jump out of perfectly good airplanes. ???? ... "perfectly good".... ppppptttttppppphhhhhhh!!!! Have you ever looked under the hood of some of the CRAP we get into?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zoltan 0 #11 August 19, 2003 :) well I have seen as well jump plane where to jump was not an _option_ but a must :) z Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
