L.O.

well said Erika. I have never been one who loves the winter jumps, but it has never slowed me down any. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Check out my earlier response. The difference from the time I got on the plane and got off was almost 200. Winter sucks. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Wildfan75 made mine and her's (see attached picture) and we're waiting for more closing pins to make more for two others that asked her. Just get a closing pin, go to an arts and crafts store and pick out beads you like. Lynn went to a bead store and all the metal parts are sterling silver so they won't turn my neck green. That way you can personalize it with team color, something to match your jumpsuit, the exact size and length you like, etc. They're really easy to make. Just a warning, if you go to a bead store and get the sterling silver it can get quite expensive. Mine cost about $28 not including the closing pin (that's cost--no mark up). HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

In February of 96, I was on my way back from Eloy. The temperature in Phoenix when we got on the airplane to come home was 68F. When we touched down in Wisconsin we were in the middle of record lows. The temperature we touched down in was -55F. That doesn't included the wind chill factor. I can't remember exactly, but the wind chill was about -120F, so factor in the wind chill and the "real feel" temperature was like -80F. No skydiving that weekend. We're currently at -16F with a real feel temperature of -33F. Brrr... HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

21 years old. 15 years ago. Almost 5000 jumps and I can't get enough. Skydiving rules HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Well done Gary. Good article. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Fear, fear is good. We fear at first because it's a natural response to that which we don't understand. As we become more and more familiar with jumping from a plane, the fear slowly fades. For each person it is different. My situation is not the norm. I was a Commercial pilot before my first jump. I started flying for skydivers the week after my first jump. I became familiar with the sport within my first 5 static line jumps. on my fifth (last) staticline, I let go of the strut with my left hand, waved, then let go. I had very little fear after that. Fear returned to me a year or so ago. I bought a FX 89. I couldn't get it to open well. It kept slamming me. I had several openings that took my breath away. this went on for about two months. I would jump the canopy from time to time, but only about 20 times in two months. I first experimented with packing, that didn't work. Then body position, that didn't work. Finally, I put different sliders on. Wala, this canopy now opens better then my other 89 with the X-mod. Fear is always there, it helps us not kill ourselves. I wish I had more fear. Fear is why I do video. Fear is why I put out more students then anyone else on the DZ. You can feel that fear, you can almost taste it. I feed on the fear of others, it's fun. If your not afraid, you'll wreck my day. So be afraid , be very afraid. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

If the monetary issues involved with the sport are a problem, go static line. You can buy good used gear. We had four kids start and get gear this year. The most spent from beginning to end was about 2500 including rigs, jumps and coachng. It gets harder every day to find them, but the DZs that are only there for the fun of it are still around. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

I am not sure what it is you would like to hear? I have a few jumps on a friends wizzard a long long time ago. My general impressions were, stable, decent opening F-111 canopy. If I recall correctly it was a 9-cell. I also seem to remember it was huge , like almost a manta. Why would a 160-70lb guy want a Wizard? Hope thats a help. cause thats all I got. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

I must say, you are one stubborn, hard headed person. To make it thru 15 AFF attempts and not give up til then "wow". I am the S&TA at the aforementioned Skydive Wissota, in Wis.. I would strongly suggest a highbred program like the one we have been using as of late. Go staticline, then after your confidence and skills are up for it, move back to a level 3 AFF. It has worked wonders for those involved at my place. Staticline would let you concentrate on one thing at a time. It sounds like this would be the thing to do for you. Cheaper and more efficient. Your more then welcome to head up to Skydive Wissota this summer. We will get you were you need to go. Good luck, in case you don't make it over here. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

I know my view is probably a little strange. But this is it. I wish skydiving would return to what it once was. Even though skydiving was out of its infancy when I started, it was still a sport that demanded competence. If you were unable to make it back to the DZ on your own, it sucked to be you. If you didn't flair at the correct altitude, oh well. If you couldn't fly your body or your canopy correctly you would soon fall by the wayside and fade away. Tandems allow those people who generally reside at the bottom of Darwins pyramid, to be skydivers. I have to say, that tandems have made my skydiving career much better. I make enough money to pay my jumpbill and then some. I would personally have to give up a lot of skydiving if we didn't have tadems. That said, I would still not mind if they didn't exist. Tandems make the sport I am so proud to be a part of, into a joke, a ride, a side show. If the DZ treats the tandem as a serious training tool and it is approached as such, by the student, we have a totally different situation. I have seen perhaps one or two DZs that treat tandems this way. If we can change the way we do tandems, we may be able to weed out the weak and cull the herd so to speak. but until that day, tandems will continue to make a joke of the sport. The numbers of regular jumpers will decline. I will still be here, forever, loving every second. But, when you look into my eyes you will see the tears I hold back for the sport, as it slowly fades. We must not allow tandems to be such a game. We have to change the mentality behind them. Make them into a serious training tool and we will change the way the public sees skydiving. Maybe at that point, we will become a greater attraction to those people who want to be part of something great. I know a lot of you out there were once tandem students. Certain people we will get weather we treat the tandem as a game or as a tool. It's people like me, that you wouldn't attract with the amusment park thing. The sports I have been a part of in my life have always been the most extreme. years of racing motorcycles, a black belt, flying airplanes, stuff like that. If everyone can be a skydiver a person like me wouldn't have started doing it in the first place. I am so melodramatic. I think it makes people pay attention. maybe after reading this and saying "wow, what a drama queen" you will remember it. We need to change tandems, not get rid of them. Thats the final word and that sums up all I've said. Thanks for listening. I have to head to the gym. later. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Yep, looks like my part of the country about now. We jump every weekend in this stuff. so lets hear you whine about how bad you have it. I have at least 1000 skydives sub zero C, on the ground. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

15 years, 7 months, 28 days, 17 hours and 51 minutes. for the first two years I did about 15 a year. I was at the DZ 3 days a week, but all I did was fly. Then I really started crank'n. 93 I did 100. I was hooked. so other then 10 months for a liquified femur I have been a full timer I can't get enough. Now I live on the DZ. It's so cool. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

If I had them, we would all have them. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

I know were she gets drunk...., and I like to go there as often as possible. I was there for NY last weekend. I don't know if Del could suck that much. MMMMMMMM HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

I just got DSL (after 10 years of 26.4kps). Wow, this stuff is so cool. The porn just pops up. masturbation is so much faster. Damn. Life is good. Welcome. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

The solution to just about everything, is to kill. When pulled over and breathalized, If above a reasonable limit ? , Kill them. This will stop the next guy. If this doesn't stop the next guy, then he dies to. Eventually they all die, and we are left with only those who abide by the law, or are smart enough to get away with breaking the law. we need to do something a little different. if we continue to allow everything, our way of life is doomed. We are Rome, just before the fall. if our love peace joy attitude continues, we will all perish. Or our children will. Grow up, and look at things through the eyes of reason. This is logic. Please read and learn. I am drunk, and take no responsibility for this post. It may be the truth, but I know it can never be. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

We are having such a good time (me and lynn(wildfan75)). We just needed to share with the world. We love you all. PEACE. Got some on my nose. She will get some on hers later. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Boy that sucks. Every full time skydivers worst nightmare. To be shut off by a doctor. I wish you could find some way. Find another doc. Another opinion. It may be the same, but it may be different. give it a try, what can it hurt. Good luck Love you sister! HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Does it have to bee just one? I would get a JVX 80 for speed, 90 for play, 100 for distance. All sailcloth. PD lightnings, 143(4), 126(2). All full Z-P. For the sponsored CReW team and camera person. I would put them in..., ?..., A Wings. black, for the most part, no RSL. I do hope they have the sky hook mod soon. I would get that on the freefall rigs. all the rigs would get the low bulk PD reserves (160). I would of coarse get a new Morpheus maybe a Mojo for base jumping. I guess I blew my lottery winning already. But I got the best gear. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

I live more then 50 ft, it's at least 235ft to the loading area. It is only 16ft from the aircraft in the hanger. They can't move an airplane without me knowing. Living that close makes my 450 jumps this year kinda sad, I should do much better. I always have a reserve to do a pilot to brief a student to dress and harness and blah blah blah. Living on the DZ is nice, but it has it's draw backs. To live this way, I gave up a big house in the country, a wife and two great kids. They all moved to Buffalo this week. My wife said she would be OK with me giving up everything else so I could fallow her and the kids. I am still considering it. I did my time as a long driver. I spent my first 8 years no closer then 1hr 45min. So I understand living far away. I am kind of a downer today sorry. I just got started and couldn't stop. Skydivers are my family, people I can whine to. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

Yes, the canopy is distorted slightly by the slider being collapsed and left up. This is a result of the risers being brought together front to back and side to side. The loss in performance is only a fraction of a percent. If you can keep it down without killing it, more power to ya. It seems unlikely that your slider will remain down without some type of help. The slider only needs a little help staying down. Putting a couple of tabs on the risers is more then enough. If you want to make any type of mod to your rig, consult someone at the DZ who knows about this stuff. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

I have already responded for myself, but now I'm responding for someone else because I'd like to take a little credit. Bob Stumm. Last reserve ride was March of 98. He had 2 in the previous two months. These were all packing errors (lineovers). Since Bob is my DZO, I felt I should step in. I don't pack for anyone but me, for the most part but I love this guy and wanted him around for a while. I started packing for him and he hasn't had a mal since..., that sounds good but it sounds a lot better when you consider that the guy does 700 a year at least. So it's been almost 9 years but thats more then 6000 skydives, all on 100 sqf canopies. I'm done patting myself on the back now, thanks. I also want to thank the other packers that have packed for Bob when he travels good job guys please keep helping me keep the streak alive. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

The collapsible slider does several things. It certainly reduces that irritating flap flap noise. It also reduces wear and drag. The best part though is it improves the performance or the canopy (only a few %). By pulling the slider down, you spread the canopy out a little allowing for a more efficient airfoil. You will get more from your canopy if you do this. As a side note, if you kill the slider and don't pull it down, you constrict the canopy more then if you just left it alone. The reduced drag from collapsing the slider, is a slight offset for the degradation in performance but if you have a collapsible slider you really should stow it. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.

It has changed a little, but given inflation, not that much. Re: [futurehighflyer] How much did it cost you from start to finish? [In reply to] Quote | Reply -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- . $230 for 5 static lines $500 for 20 free falls (including gear rental, "coaching" (if you can count having two World Team members and countless other with 1000's of jumps jumping with you and giving you instructing as "coaching"), and jump ticket) So I got my class A license for $730 (and that was April to June of this year (2006) (I had no repeat jumps was as able to get my card signed off on in 25 jumps...no, that is a lie. I did it in 26 jumps. I should have done it in 25 but got talked into doing a four way instead of my check dive on jump 25. When three jumpers with a total of 17,000 jumps between them ask you to be on a 4 way, you really shouldn't say no.) My rig was $1700 (all used, Vector rig, Silhouette 170, PD 160 and a Cypress with 2 or 3 years left on it). S/L training + 20 FF's = ~$800 Free rig. So, $800 to get my A lic Eh, maybe with beer and gas $$ it was more but that is pretty close These two kids started this year (Jeremy got a few late last season). They will most likely make some if not all the local NSL meets and nationals in Chicago next year. They are showing us all how it's done. It doesn't mater how much you spend, it's how you use the resources made available to you (free at our place). If you have people willing to teach, suck them dry. The license means nothing. It's all about what you can do in the air and these two can already hold there own with anyone. Be nice to people and spend some time at the DZ. Skydiving is about %40 osmosis. HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member.