i feel like freefly is dead. What is your perception?

[IMGR2 0]

I grew up in the infant stages of freefly, when I was going thru AFF hardly anyone knew what it was much less could even do it.

In the next few years many people on my home dropzone were very efficient freeflyers, we were closing 8 ways and there were many freefly teams in Texas.

I can't figure out what has happened to our discipline.

Over the last 5 years I have watched an aggresive decline in freeflyer skills, I have been to several dropzone and foundit very hard to even get a 3 way to close, much less do multiple points.

I was curious if this is happening anywhere else other than Central Texas. Years ago Texas had one of the largest presence at Nationals in freefly and had some of the largest headdown state records across the nation.

[parachutist 2]

Quote

I grew up in the infant stages of freefly, when I was going thru AFF hardly anyone knew what it was much less could even do it.

In the next few years many people on my home dropzone were very efficient freeflyers, we were closing 8 ways and there were many freefly teams in Texas.

I can't figure out what has happened to our discipline.

Over the last 5 years I have watched an aggresive decline in freeflyer skills, I have been to several dropzone and foundit very hard to even get a 3 way to close, much less do multiple points.

I was curious if this is happening anywhere else other than Central Texas. Years ago Texas had one of the largest presence at Nationals in freefly and had some of the largest headdown state records across the nation.

Go to a wind tunnel and I think you'll be amazed at how FF has progressed. It's very popular at my local DZ. Myself and a few other local jumpers have been traveling to Odgen, UT to learn in the tunnel. Over there we met folks from Spaceland who were focusing on FF. There was a bigway record set in Perris last year. I think it's alive and well.

[IMGR2 0]

I will agree that there is some ff talent at the wind tunnels but this mostly consists of tunnel staff and wealthy skydivers.

And I am not saying that ff has not progressed, what I am saying is the talent is not as skilled in my area as it used to be.

[skymama 37]

Interesting. Most of the fun jumpers I used to jump with have either quit the sport or have had enough money to go to the tunnel and progress to wanting to do VRW with more experienced people. It is a little harder to find people to do a 4-6 way freefly with these days. Or, maybe they just don't want to jump with me, I dunno.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[hookitt 1]

Come up here for a visit. There is no shortage of skilled flyers. Maybe in your area due to whatever... but it's strong here and many other places.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[IMGR2 0]

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Come up here for a visit. There is no shortage of skilled flyers. Maybe in your area due to whatever... but it's strong here and many other places.

Ok, without a complete profile I don't know who you are or where you are.

[hookitt 1]

San Francisco Bay Area about 30 miles from SF.

If you actually chose to come up here, let me know.

I have a younger brother in Austin. When I finally get a chance to visit, I'll be hitting up the new Tunnel :)

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[IMGR2 0]

Yeah, don't see me coming to SF Bay any time soon but thanks for the offer.

[hookitt 1]

I didn't think so.

There are some DZs in the area where the skill is minimal but it is definitely on the upswing at most of them.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[IMGR2 0]

I don't know, just seems weird. Years ago when my teammate and I used to throw freefly competition/boogies there was a huge presence with a lot of skill.

I don't see anything going on anymore.

[dqpacker 7]

you're joking right.
just because it's not happening at your dz or not getting posted here doesn't mean it's not happening.
go to Spaceland and see what Steve jr, simon and all the other spaceland kids are throwing down.
are you not on facebook? seems like everyday there are new video's of some sick freeflying are being posted.

[IMGR2 0]

Yeah, I am aware of what's going on at Spaceland and I wish it wasn't a 6 hour drive away.

I was mainly refering to central texas and asking if it is happening other places.

[waveoff5500 0]

do you think there might be a new generation effect? maybe there is a cycle so to speak. ive seen many new jumpers eager to start freeflying at my DZ, and among the more experienced freefliers we have some decent skill. i think the key to this is in prep and planning though, we definitely have much more successful jumps when each person has a slot and a specific plan.

"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not"

1653

[IMGR2 0]

I don't jump very much anymore but I think in my area it seems to have a correlation to the management.

It seems that the dropzones that have a strong freefly community also have experienced freeflyers that are either on staff or at least supported by the dropzone management.

P.S. I wanna go to Spaceland so bad its killing me.

[waveoff5500 0]

yeah almost all of our staff does ff and its really supported at our dz. we even have an introduction to the ideas and safety of freeflying as part of our student progression

"its just a normal day at the dropzone until its not"

1653

[buff 0]

Well you can head to Dallas as there is usually a couple of WR Ffers there every weekend. And they have Ff Fridays. Its a six hour drive for me and all the way through OK but never a bad time.

It's called the Hillbilly Hop N Pop dude.
If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.
That's fucked up. Watermelons do not grow on trees! ~Skymama

[IMGR2 0]

I think everyone is misunderstanding my post. I am fully aware of the freefly skill at other dropzones and I am NOT saying that there is no quality freeflying going on. What I AM saying is that it has died where I live and was curious if it has happened elsewhere or if it was only locally where I live.

I have spoke to some of my close friends and it seems that what has happened is that some dropzones (maybe because of the economy or because of management ideals) that some dropzones don't care or support fun jumpers much anymore. Many successful dropzones support fun jumpers by having staff belly or freefly organizers, while some have done just the opposite by not supporting the funjumper.
It looks to me that if I want to participate in some large quality skydives that I will have to start looking at traveling farther from home.
Not something I really want to do but seems inevitable.

[buff 0]

Your post and title says ff is dead, perhaps you need to change it to Is fun/up jumping dead?

You will probably get the same answers given your location. Students and tandems don't FF. Tandem is the money maker and some DZ just bump everybody for tandems. Some will get you through your A and then abandon ya for students and tandems. It really depends on the DZ but it's been on here a million times that the smaller DZ doesn't make very much revenue off the funjumper.

I think that you need to go where the action is as those are the DZ's that support the funjumper.

It's called the Hillbilly Hop N Pop dude.
If you're gonna be stupid, you better be tough.
That's fucked up. Watermelons do not grow on trees! ~Skymama

[IMGR2 0]

Well it seems that my true intention for this post has not been taken as I wanted it too, so I will say thank you to everyone for their insight and experience.

Have a great weekend and I will see you around.

[genfreefly 0]

Hookitt's got Mad Style
Freefly For Life

[uberchris 0]

hookitt's got some mad byron love, as do the rest of us!

gravity brings me down.........

[IMGR2 0]

Well it looks like I will be leading by example. I was convinced by my local dzo to start teaching at his place. Time for me to quit whining and bring some young freeflyers up to par.
I hope I have the energy and ability, wish me luck.

And if any of you are in the Austin Texas area, drop me a message and we can get some freekfly on.

[Bignugget 0]

GL!

Check the new tunnel out. It is super sick. Tons of nice free flying going on down there.

[IMGR2 0]

There is a huge difference in watching the staff at the tunnel freefly then go to the dz and not be able to find 3 freeflyers who can fly relative.

There is alot of learning to be had by local skydivers this year. I really look forward to it.

[3mpire 0]

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There is alot of learning to be had by local skydivers this year. I really look forward to it.

This.