sikorsky 0 #1 January 25, 2004 If anyone is interested in learning to top-dock that can make z-hills every 6 weeks for 10 jumps per weekend please email me and I will arrange my schedule and hopefully Alan Gutshall, Raul, Mike Lewis (and others) will be on hand to help out. Ten jumps per weekend should result in 100 top-docks if we plan the dive right --that should teach this valuable skill. After a few camps we will begin attempting wide accordions if we have developed the skills. I promise to stick to the training schedule and be on time and will pay my own slot --all I ask is that you stay sober and alert and give it your best each dive. This is the best way I know to improve your overall skills as a pilot and flyer and I believe it will pay off in the future with regard to breaking the big-diamond mold and advancing to more interesting formations. My attitude will be to share what I know in a professional manner and to provide a safe environment for each dive --not party all night and be too hung-over to jump the next day, etc.. I would expect everyone else to really put in their best effort towards learning to top-dock, or teaching it to others safely. There's a lot of old-timers that never had the chance to practice and a lot of newbies that want to improve themselves under canopy --I know you'll come away with increased skills under canopy if you commit yourself to this every six weeks for four camps... it will be easy to dock low wing or lockup, etc. after you learn to top-dock. You're aiming with your foot when you top-dock compared to aiming with the whole cell of your canopy --much more precise... Dives would be from 13,500 and would progress from 2 way to +7 way accordions by July. --March 13,24 --April 24,25, June 5,6 --July 17,18 - That's about 400 top-docks ($700) if you attend all the camps. All I need is one person that says they'll make all the camps and I'll be there to pass-on what I know about top-docking. I'm doing this to help the sport because I love it and I want new people to learn this earlier than I did and with $less jumps. As for the old-timers, all they got to do is show up and skydive. There's no organizing to it really --just flying a safe base and setting things up progressively more difficult each time will do fine. It took me over 500 jumps to learn back in the late 70's going after strato-stars, merlins and with floaty and fat folks. Now that we are much more relative jumping Lightning's this is a good time to cut down the time it takes to learn. I can't guarantee no wraps, but at least 'your canopy' will be inflated! Any other competent top-dockers are encouraged to join in and teach what they know at the Hills or on their own schedule at their home DZ. Jon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
