dvdcoon

Can't you just let it soak in the washer with mild soap or something?

I was kidding about the squid thing. Honestly dude, I dress for the crash, not the ride...even when I'm not at the track and/or it's 100+ out.

Am I the only one to see the irony in the fact that you dont feel safe without an AAD, but you ride a CBR6000RR in a jacket that fits you very badly (and will ride up your back and arms in a slide) and jeans. Nice bike btw :) Blue skies AND Ride safe :) I agree. Save your money for a leather jacket that fits...squid;) I'm more scared riding to the dropzone than actually jumping. You don't need an AAD anyway. Use your clutch hand next time...it's safer. How are you going to flip anyone off when your up on one? Nice bike BTW.

Exiting

$71 ?? I only had to pay $20 after I got my card filled out...and that was sent to USPA for the license. Anyways, congrats. Feels great, huh?

Agreed. I am probably in the minority, but not everybody loves kids. Personally, I don't come to the dropzone to hear crying babies and screaming kids. And who is watching the kids when the parents are jumping? Somebody responsible or another kid? For me, the dropzone is a playground, an adult playground. Children will always be around, nothing I can or will do about that. But, just be aware that there are some of us who wish you would leave the curtain-climbers at home. No hard feelings, just an opinion. I also agree. All kids are different of course, but I doubt anybody is ever going to tell you to leave your kids at home because it's annoying. My 2 cents. Good luck with your baby.

$22 in Perris for 12.5

Talk to one of the head instructors at one of the new dropzones. Bring your logbook and he/she should tell you straight out what you'll have to do. I was in a similar situation as yours a few months back. I did 12 jumps under the static line program at a small dropzone. Then I moved to SoCal and did 13 more at Perris and got my A. I had to start at AFF level 3 in Perris which made it a little expensive, but I got better training. So it can be done. My only regret was leaving the friends I'd made on the farm.

I have thought about this many times since I started jumping. I have 19 jumps now, but I won't consider myself a "skydiver" until I get my A license. I think at that point I will have felt that I have earned the title and it will be more gratifying too. Plus the jumps will be cheaper...more jumps, more friends, more freedom, more fun. IMO

Never heard of her

He's right. I think you will start to enjoy unstable exits in the near future if you have not already. Your level six dive should have built up some confidence for you...gaining stability, and it seems as if you are doing okay otherwise. I know how you feel, relaxing is the hardest part. I was in your shoes just last week...hehe. Good luck to you.

I did level 6 and 7 last week and it was a piece of cake. I was very nervous for level six and I even closed my eyes as I was pushed out. Once I stopped flipping forward I opened my eyes and arched hard and that's all it took. I was smiling big. That jump built a lot of confidence for me. My instructors said that I would have lots of fun on that jump and they were right, even though I didn't believe them at first. It's not a hop n' pop so don't panic if you don't get belly to earth right away. You have time. The delta track went well too. Towards the end I lost my heading a bit because I started looking around too much instead of locking on to one point on the horizon. Just remember to check your altimeter frequently, between manuvers for sure! You must maintain altitued awareness. It's still one of the things you'll be tested on through AFF, but you know you should check it anyhow. It's easier to forget on level 6 because the AFF coach won't be in your face for the majority of the skydive. You'll be fine and you'll have fun. Good Luck!

If that's true...then I'm there

So what do you call it when you have to do the 9th grade all over again because you couldn't make the grades? You're still learning, right? I understand what you're trying to say, but lets face it...certain objectives were attempted and were not attained. How is that not failure? Look the word up. You don't just have to die or get hurt to fail. Then he/she has to pay $165 again to get it right and that is what makes a student feel more like a failure. Get it? At least for me last Friday failing level 3. I failed! Okay I said it. No fight, just my .02

That's a great shot. I wonder what that bird was thinking???

9 minutes later... Nine minutes after saying that watching someone hook it in would be "entertaining", you are agreeing with someone's criticism of similar responses? Please examine your logic... Not trying to be logical. Sorry for the confusion. I thought this was a BS post meaning a bad joke, not a newbie post. I wasn't taking it seriously, some other skydiver confirmed my suspision, and that's why I added my bad joke. Read his post and reply again, it sounds like a joke. If I thought is was real I would not have even posted because I can't give him professional advice because I'm a newbie. We have the same thing in the sport bike community. Idiots that can't ride or have little experience want to buy 1000cc machines with 160+ HP to the back tire. We call them squids not newbies. We joke about it too. They crash often and sometimes die. I've seen it, and it's entertaining sometimes. If this post is genuine, then I apologize to him and hope he listens to you all.

I can tell you from experience that posts like yours are not bothered with by some of us. I prefer constructive comments, like mine and some others on here who will point out in exactly what situations this canopy might be a problem. Those get someone to actually think about it instead of brush you off because you sound like an ass repeating the same old "you're gonna die" line. jmo, -A I agree. Fear of getting flamed is why I'm affraid to post up newbie questions. Normally I just point, click, and read...sometimes laugh at the people that get worked up on this site. I still think this is a joke post, so I'm playing along I guess that I canPM you if I have questions in the future. Are you anywhere near Sarasota?

I think it would be entertaining to watch. I'll settle on just reading about him in that USPA magazine I get now. "This skydiver had an uneventful freefall...swooped and struck a parked car. He broke his back and now his parents are changing his diapers again."

Thanks man. That's the funniest thing I've seen all day. Evil.

Real men don't care.

I intend to. My boss got a bit spooked today when I mentioned the idea of working PT elsewhere. I assured her I wasn't leaving. I just want to make more $, but she can only give me so many hours.

Yeah, that's one way of looking at it. The best part was last week when the dropzone newsletter was sent to me through email by the new manifest girl introducing herself to that dropzone community. I'm not upset about it. I have zero manifest experience, but the DZ owner still considered me. I had just moved out here and then read the ad in DZ.com classifieds. I figured I'd take a chance and see what would happen.

It's been over a month since I interviewed for a manifest job at this big DZ. I couldn't hold out forever so I took another job. No regrets so far. I got a good job with decent pay and benefits. Now the DZ owner calls me back and inquires if I've found work, and if I would still be interested working at the DZ. I promised my new boss I'd work there for at least 6 months so working FT at the DZ is out of the question for now. I'm also working my balls off with all the extra hours my employer has to offer. I'm wondering if it's even worth it for me to work PT at this DZ. I don't mind working 7 days/wk until I can get A licensed and geared, but it's a 100 mile round trip to this DZ. What can I expect working at this kind of place? Could it make my training cheaper or better in any way? Do you think they would let me stay the night for free if I have to work two consecutive days, such as a weekend and not want to ride back home at night? I know I should be asking these things to the DZO, but I don't want to sound bitchy or cocky on the phone. What's it like working and living on a dropzone?

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