GoGoGadget
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Everything posted by GoGoGadget
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Any recommendations for DZ's around Johannesburg and Cape Town? My wife is going to SA for work and I might tag along.
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I laughed out loud when your instructors pinched your nose. Haha
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That is my home DZ. And they have no refunds. At all. Period. Zero. Cash, credit, whatever. Once money is handed over, you will never see it again. It's not on their website, but at manifest, there's a sign. I fibbed myself on AFF-A, after putting like 500 bucks (cash) into account. Not sure if I will come back to the sport, I asked about refunds. Was told No. What if I will never jump again? Well, you can bring someone and they can do a tandem... I thought this was the norm, so I annoyed the shit out of DeLand manifest (first DZ after my home DZ I went to) by bring them cash for every jump. When they told me that they will just cash me out at end of day, I was shocked. What DZ so I know which one to avoid?
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Bravery is not a lack of fear, but doing what must be done despite their fear. One of my AFFI's looked at me once on the way up and said I was way too relaxed. I replied that nobody was trying to kill me at the moment, so I was relaxed. That does not mean that I don't have a VERY healthy respect for the dangers involved. I am by no means blase about any of it. I can easily make a list of the things I have seen at DZ's in my limited jumps that cause me discomfort. Whether my mistakes or others. I examine them and determine what I can do to mitigate the risks. None of that is based on fear.
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That is just sad. But your gear does last longer that way. :D
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I have a lot of questions. New Jumper
GoGoGadget replied to jbelanger86's topic in General Skydiving Discussions
You were at the DZ and talked about your dive flow within the 30days. :-) I think they usually count that. Another cold weather gear option is look for surplus USGI polypropylene base layer stuff. It is nice and toasty and you can get it cheap. https://store.glennsarmysurplus.com/polypropylene-c147.aspx -
Nice. I like it. I really like the one screen showing several DZ's and their weather all at once.
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Not to my knowledge. I'm getting a Tony suit, it arrives next week and I'll be disappointed if it's not the last suit I'll ever need. Especially when my Zute Suit has lasted 10 years with a few holes here and there and two repairs. Billy it has been almost ten years. How is the Tony suit holding up? I was looking for repair ideas for the booties on my used Tony suit and came across this so was just wondering.
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I am not an AFFI, but I have been a motorcycle instructor for years. When I have a student express fear, I ask them if they are nervous or afraid. Nervous I can work with. Fear, I cannot.
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I have a lot of questions. New Jumper
GoGoGadget replied to jbelanger86's topic in General Skydiving Discussions
Comparing synthetic base layers from Walmart and Target to quality polypropylene base layers is like comparing a steak from Applebee's to one from Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. I will agree that good merino wool or silk is better. -
My problem in the tunnel that first time was relaxing. I was trying so hard to hold the "correct" position that's I was stiff as a board and just making things worse. I went back in the middle of my AFF to work on some stuff when I had to repeat a level and everything went fine. My only problem was the tunnel coach wanting me to do things differently than the way my AFF coach instructed me.
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Skydiving was something I always wanted to do, but never had the money for. Empty nester now so my disposable income went up. I kept talking about it so a year ago, my wife bought me tunnel time for Christmas. I sucked so bad it was not funny. bounced all over the place dragging that poor tunnel coach with me. I was sore and tired after 2 two minute flights. So I gave up figuring I was too old to learn it. Then my son asked if I would do a tandem with him and his g'f's dad as part of a proposal. Sure son, no prob. I went up with no expectations. Just a passenger along for the ride. As soon as we came out into freefall at 13,500ft I was suddenly a giddy little school girl squealing. Had perma-grin the rest of the day. If I could have gotten one of the other two to commit with me, I would have signed up for AFF that day. As it was, I signed up a week later. 6 months later I am over 60 jumps and just got my B license. My only regret was not finding a way to get it done when I was younger.
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Not really, just something responsible adults with family should be doing regardless of what activity they are engaged in.
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^^^ This. There is risk in everything we do, you cannot avoid it. Being responsible in life is about accepting the risk and learning how to mitigate it. First through training and mindset. Then through being prepared for worst case scenario. If you have no insurance and your family will be out on the streets if you get hurt, then it would be foolish to assume the added risk. If you tend to make poor decisions and take unnecessary risks, then it would be foolish.
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When people screw me over, I start thinking vindictive thoughts. Like grabbing reserve handles of as many rental rigs as I can manage at once and then asking him if wants to refund my money or repack a shit ton of reserves?
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After posting, I realized I confused it with Dallas Skydive Center. They and Skydive 35 are closed both weekends.
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If you are between Houston and Dallas, would that place on I-35 south of Ft. Worth be closer? I am going to be in the DFW area for Christmas and was looking at places to jump. Unfortunately both places shut down for the holidays.
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Interesting. I had the same thought and considered using a retractible lanyard on a hook knife. Drop it and it retracts back to the reel and the line to it will stay under tension so you would not be cutting your own tether (I would not think) but I am a newb, so I defer to y'alls experience. http://i1.wp.com/www.roofingmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/gear-keeper-retractor-photo.png
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It is important to learn from your mistakes. Even better to learn vicariously from the mistakes of others. Life is too short to make them all yourself.
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^Yup. I got my A at the end of Aug and am in this edition.
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4 more jumps yesterday with the shorter control lines. Plenty of flare power. 2 downwind landings and I got that "Oh shit this is fast" feeling and was a little too aggressive on my flare. Even with a tailwind I popped up too much. So shitty landing but all my fault.
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^This I started in July. As the weather turned colder I started dreading the cold at altitude. Turns out, you feel it more in the plane getting to altitude. Once you leap out, you don't even notice it.
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Pay as you go and stretch it out. Stop eating out, skip Starbucks, work OT or get a second job. I got impatient halfway through my AFF so I took a loan against my retirement and took several days off from work so I could get it done. Used part of the loan for the rest of the AFF jumps and the rest for a used rig. Skydiving is like a divorce, it is expensive but worth it. :D https://www.instagram.com/p/BbNKirngTFl/
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Got my rigger to shorten them another 2", so 4" total, and got 3 jumps in. Light headwind for the first 2 and got a good flare and stood up the landing. 3rd jump was almost no wind and what there was, was 90deg crosswind. Still a good flare and stood it up beautifully. Added bonus of it being 3ft from the target cone. Yay me. LOL.
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I am 49y/o and have had 2 ACL repairs on one knee and two other surgeries on the other, so if I cannot land it softly, I will happily slide in on my ass. :D But for dignity sake, and simply being proficient, I would prefer to stand it up.