milkybar

drop me a pm with your contact info and i'll pass it on. Blue Skies

Pull my finger! All in!!

contact "sonic" at pro-shop, gardiner, NY. Phone or web.

Your information is correct: A small canopy is a small canopy regardless of wing loading. Your question regards 210 pilot and wingloading [1.04], depends on your abilities and where you are jumping [above sea level, humid location]. If you are considering buying such a canopy talk to your Instructors, they will guide you in your decision. Just because we "sign you off" doesn't mean we've "signed you out". What you got?? What you got??? Johnny 1488

First, many thanks to Randy Schroeder. We had a clash of heads during the course, however he remained professional and recognized [I think] my desire to be the best Instructor I could be [which meant lots of questioning methods and procedures during the course]. A season later I'm just being to learn, stepping back and watching our most experienced Instructors Pete Clark and Carol Sternberg work is an education in itself. Advice for new Instructors? Listen in on as many FJC’s, Ground training, and Corrective training sessions as you can, everything else comes from your heart. If you need a break - take it! Nothing worse than going through the motions, re-charge your batteries: You and your student will benefit. "What you got?? What you got???" Johnny 1488, April 1st.

"with us than against us"??? We are all "us" Brothers and Sisters. Freefly: Controlled flight on any axis. Re: Original posters question. You've got the right idea, save your money for jumping. There's plenty of clothing available of the shelf that's suitable and safe. {note: double check with instructors before you jump anything}. Team Sonic: Jeans and T-shirts with grippers sewn on, competing at Nationals. Enjoy the sport anyway you want to.

Experienced jumpers are more likely to be in these accidents than students for a lot of reasons: 1) doing high risk jumps and landings 2) landing at the same time as everyone else - unlike students and tandems that exit last, open higher and have slower descending chutes. 3) no longer under supervision, so can get sloppy or complacent. IMHO 3) is the number one factor. Do your utmost to stay humble. Too many of our brothers and sisters get hurt every year.

Save your money, go old school. You don't need a suit to jump, there's lots of suitable/save clothing off the shelf to jump in [always doublecheck with your instructors]. Don't rush into buying something, also lots of 2nd hand suits usually knocking around in other jumpers closets. Welcome to the Skies

Anecdotal statistics??????????? 6*7 is the answer to everything. What's wrong with being drunk? Ask a glass of water.

I have seen many of the things you have seen, at the Ranch and at many different Dropzones, including CK. It is not my intention to bash or trumpet one DZ over another, I simply asked Vertifly to provide the source of his "Statistics". P.S. Yes, Billy Richards is a crazy bastard: He's on medication and it appears to be working.

*** If you have a problem with what I say then have the gonads to pm me and debate away. Otherwise, show us what you got. Publicly you stated "Statistically more safe" Publicly I asked you to state your source or withdraw your claim. There's no debate to be had, either you have a reputable source, or you are stating an opinion. P.S Apoliogies to Yonatan, my mistake. Post edited.

David, Please provide source of information or withdraw the very serious claim.

Started at The Ranch 2002, amazing scenery all year round. If your looking to get started they have some of the most experienced and friendly Instructors around (recommend weekdays, weekends get very busy). For fun jumpers of all disciplines and levels there is free organizing. Rain or shine weekends are party time, always mischief on the ground and a roaring bonfire. Pizza 1/2 mile, Cafe (killer breakfast & lunch) 1/2 mile, Deli/grocery 2 miles, Bar 2 miles. CAVU bar 6 miles: you can skydive in and fly out to skydive back into the Ranch [did that in the Bi-plane = Living Large]. College Town 8 miles away, tons of restuarants, bars and nightlife. You can camp, or sleep in the Great Hall at the weekends. Showers are free. If you like hiking/biking/climbing the Shawangunks are 6 miles away, and rental equipment/bikes are available in New Paltz. There are many fine winerys that offer tours in the area. Back to jumping, if you have the stamina,funds, and equipment you could make 20+ full altitude jumps in a day. Quieter days (weekdays) they'll fly the Porter, 13.5k fast. The sunset loads are always spectacular. Shawanga...Fly baby fly

Go to http://theblueskyranch.com/events. for full details.

If you got your A license in 2005 the Ranch (check website for details) is offering discount jumps for the 8th and 9th April, plus lots of other incentives. This is open to all, no matter where you graduated. Come play where Angels die in ecstasy. Blue Skies

N/A

If you are a fairly average size person (height/weight): Then good used gear is the way to go. As mentioned before, unless you like waiting for your new rig, & deprciation, & packing that slippery mofo. Contact all the Gear stores local and national [Pro-Shop/Aerostore/Paragear etc] you'd be surprised the number of complete rigs that have low jump numbers. Once you've got a couple of hundred jumps under your belt you'll have a greater understanding of what you want from your rig/canopy. Find a rigger who you trust, they will be able to guide you in your gear selection. Talk to your instructors regards canopy selections. Fashionable??? Matching colours???? Spend your money on jumping and coaching, nothing looks better than being smooth in the air or under canopy. Substance comes from within. Buying inexpensive new? If you can't find something to fit [you're fairly average] and there's a good possibilty to keep it in the family, sure. Look around the DZ area and see which inexpensive rigs are popular. Weird, but your region can determine the popularity of rigs. You're going to have to do your homework, talk to jumpers/gear stores/riggers: Build a consensus and make an informed desicion. Overwhelmed???? I've found the gear stores informative and helpful, they want a long term relationship with the customer. Just looked at your profile, check out the Ranch 8 and 9th April, if you graduated in 2005 [no matter which DZ] free seminars (gear/canopies/ etc) discount jumps and other goodies. it should be on their events page by the end of the week.

I was trained not to make low turns (I forget the exact altitude, I think it's either 300 or 500 ft. I have to check my notes :-)). If you need to make a low turn to avoid a downwind landing, then you make a downwind landing and PLF on touchdown. So obviously this girl screwed up. Part of the reason I didn't consider returning for so long was that, after walking away from the DZ that day, I then ended up travelling for work-related reasons for several weeks. I thought I could bang out the course fairly quickly, but I realized that I need to pace myself and take each jump one at a time. Dolphins are fine for students. Relay your concerns to the instructors at the DZ, they should take the time to demonstrate the "airworthiness" of the rigs, if they don't talk to the DZO, and inform him why your switching to a different DZ. You never mention how the instructors treat you: Do they take time to explain things thoroughly? - Answer your questions? - Full detailed debrief of your jump? - Treat you as an equal? Follow your gut instinct. It's very important that you are completely confident in your instructors and equipment. Blue Skies And welcome to the place where Angels die in ecstasy.........Freefall.

Consider break-off altitudes, and deployment altitudes: Consider experience level of jumpers on Hybrid, jumpers following hybrid [new freeflyers = horizontal drifting] Seperation is paramount: Many times organizers will alter the exit order to ensure safe separation. A hybrid has the potential to drift horizontally. A good organizer takes many things into account to determine the safest exit order. If I doubt the organizer's judgement or those in his/her's group, I state I will be deploying higher than them and stick to the plan, enjoy the extra canopy time, and the uncluttered airspace as I come into land. As with most things in skydiving there are many variables to take into account. Disclaimer: All the above is the opinion of an idiot. Signed: Ab Normal

Luv' my Rawa and would like to attach video to side: Anybody have opinions on the Rawa marries? Good fit? Correct size etc?

Thanks, I'll check them out. Also looking at Sony V1? or newer models, understand there is a lag factor. looking at the specs it says 0.5secs between pics: surely this is fast enough for most applications. Seems the biggest drawback to this camera is the difficult bite switch/remote. The Canons look the biz, just trying to save a buck. [probably bite me in the arse later] There's some top class people on this forum ............then there's me touching cloth.

Starting from scratch: What would you recommend for a novice photographer, i.e. I know squat. I'd like to buy a digital under $500, and another $200ish on a lense, extra battery?, nick nacks. Not looking to become the next Norman Kent, just shoot a few Tandems and friends.

"Will it be worth it" ??????????????????? Holly molly, this is the place where it all began. The first National Swoop Contest was at the Ranch. The creme de la creme will be there. Come watch, come play, come partaay: Yes, P.A.R.T.A.A.Y. I say. Blue Skies

The more experienced instructor insists that the student's torso must be angled about 45 degrees relative to the floor, and that their shoulder close to the top of the door. He believes this prevents the student from putting too much energy into the exit. P.S This is a solo instructor dive.