srsand1960

I did my first 8 jumps static. Hop - n - pop altitude 3,500 - 4,000. It is a rush and it's easy to get the bug you've got. The DZ's around me are closed for the winter. However, I got some advise from a couple of people on here (like picking up The Skydiver's Handbook by Poynter and Turoff) and printing out and reading the Skydiving Glossary that is on this site. I had no idea that there was so much to learn. Though I am new too, I don't believe that anything can compare to experience, even if it is from other peoples experience. I also agree with the diver that suggested tunnel time. I flew to another State and did 69 minutes and learned a lot about body position control, burble and even did some docking

OH In my business it stands for Time Share Option for a Multiple Virtual Storage Interactive System Productivity Facility. Sorry... It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

This answers my question about the packing. I work with TSO/ISPF... I take it that tso-d is your session and that you are familiar with MVS It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Well, Rob there is some of this that is going over my head. However, I will find out what the definitions are on the words that I'm not familiar are then hopefully the parts of the puzzle will solidify in my cranium It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

That answers this question to where I understand it rob. If they are the same, just more cells, the rate of decent is a little slower on the higher cell. Therefore I am also concluding from this that I will be able to obtain a little more lift on the landing. What about the number of cross ports? Do they help lift by allowing equal air distribution? It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

If so many factors are involved with canopy openings then how does one determine what kind of configuration is the best? It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

So, there will be different results in the formula depending on what the manufacturing company is and where they measure the Span? It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

N/A

If a 240 9 cell canopy has a higher aspect ratio then a 240 seven cell with the same wing load, is the rate of decent faster in a 9 cell because of the difference in performance? Does the 240 9 cell have the same span and chord as the 240 7 cell? Does a 240 9 cell canopy take longer to deploy 240 seven cell or do they deploy about the same? Is there a difference in the way you pack them? It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

May I suggest if you don't like what I write don't read it. Another thing I would like to suggest is that you let everyone know when you are gonna pull your head out of your butt... because the sound of that pop will cause people to be as deaf as your own head is to what your heart wants to say... I don't know you, I don't appreciate your attempt at humor. I will not read nor respond to what you write again... It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Hexflyer, I'm definately jumping at CSC Hinkley this year:) My FJC certificate is hanging on my wall. Dated 10/8/95. Didn't know the acronym for it. This year was the first year I've really gotten into skydiving. Thanks It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Sr. Analyst / QA&T Project Manager for a major corp in Chicago

No offence taken, good advice. I would never dive skydive Chicago. I don't know where CSC is. I don't know what FJC is. I'm currently in AFF. I'm going to go back to Skydive Midwest in April. There is an instructor there named Bear that was just starting to teach me things. I also plan on trying Hinkley this season :) It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Sir, there is. I was a QA&T project lead for a major corporation in Chicago. There is a good market for your skills. I switched companys and went back to being a Sr. Analyst. But the framework that I picked up in QA was awesome and will carry me far. It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Bigun, I really don't have an instructor. I was doing static line jumps in Paw-Paw MI at Great Lakes Skydivers and the instructor, Dennis Johnson, was killed while flying his plane. From there I found another place to jump. I really didn't have time to bond with a teacher. There is this lady instructor down in Z-hills, who, in one refresher course taught me more about safety and landing patterns then I learned in all 12 previous jumps. I learn a lot on my own and I do analyze everything. It's what I do for a living and living is good. As far as canopy control there is still a lot for me to learn. However, I am comfortably safe with the skills that I picked up from static line training with Dennis. The tunnel training (69 minutes so far) that I am giving to myself is teaching me a lot. I respect my tunnel coach and his way of teaching suits me. He is not jumpy, nor impatient and will answer any question regardless if I have asked the question before. I will do another hour in Feb and another hour in Mar. That will give me roughly 180 min of practice. Each time I do that I will jump down in Z-hills, find that lady instructor and pick her brain for an hour or so. And with what I learn on here and from what I read. I will be a much safer skydiver when the season opens in Apr. It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Read the message... totally dug it. Your words hold truth. I understand the thoughts that drove them to the paper. Excellent advice Andy. There are actually 4 people here that I will ask advice from now and you are one of them. I don't think I will post anything due to the nature of those who know all and say nothing (in business I call that blowviating). I will be asking you questions when I can't find them doing a search or in the books I will be reading. Samuri136, You, Bigun and riggerrob seem to be interested in sharing experience and knowledge with others.... You four will be my giants and the shoulders that I will stand on when I need to learn something about skydiving. I haven’t even been a member on this site for a week. Already there are a couple of folks on here that I will not take advice from nor would I trust their own rig packing. Learning is fun and to me it is what makes life exciting. You live once and the quality of life within yourself is contingent upon how you treat others. Getting to a point where you can teach others is what it is about. The reason that people act like the person who wrote the comment about the legs and sandwich is because that person holds no value in their own words or ideas. They are empty and do not understand the dynamics of how to give freely of what they find, so that they can cultivate the wisdom to become one with what it is they are doing and with themselves. Though they may have many jumps and know much about the sport, they are unconsciously incompetent when it comes to what makes skydiving, scuba diving, archery, martial arts, music or anything else they do, a part of them. This also is a reflection of how they find their way in life. I feel sorry for them but there is nothing that anyone can do for them. So, I will not waste my time with response. I know I have found a couple of really good teachers I respect really quickly. That in itself is worth much to me. The information that you guys give to me I will pass on when it comes time for me to do so, just like I have with all of the other things that I have gotten consciously competent with.

Q: I take it that toggles are the brakes and steering lines? A. This question really causes me to pause and I need to echo Lisa a bit. When you took the first jump course, did they not cover the toggles, as part of the system of brakes and steering lines? Yes they probably did. However, if someone where to ask me what they were I couldn't tell them. Now I know. If one doesn't ask one will not know. It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Thanks AndyMan

Thanks Ken. I thought that I could ask you questions and you would either be able to tell me, or know where to go to get the answer. Bigun, told me about that book. I believe it was on the 24th when I ordered it on-line:) So, I should have it by the end of this week or early next week. I just joined the USPA the other day too. So, I'll start getting the parachutest mag. soon:) I also got a referral to the directory link that is on this site. I'm not sure how everything works around here but it seems like there are some malevolent, un-prudent people that are not afraid to voice their estimation of judgment on others. I almost reacted.... but better yet, I think I will kick back and watch what I've gotten myself into and email you with questions that I do have. At this point I don't have anyone else that I can ask and I do want (and will) learn. It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Thanks Andy. I will check out the term link you included

RiggerRob, I was out at Z-hill about a month ago and they had a little map where they asked me to show them what my landing pattern was. I found that to be helpful when coming in the plan was already formulated. For me there is still a lot to learn. My DZ is closed for the season and there is really no one that I have to ask with the questions that I have. In reading other posts it stimulates more questions and I will learn from the answers given. Thanks It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Thanks again Ken. I will check out the link you sent

The best way to avoid joining the third group is admit that you are mortal and practice all of Bill Von's exercises before down-sizing. They will quickly show you how little you know about your existing canopy. I know who Bill Wilson is 5/18/01, but who is Bill Von? It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

Thanks

After learning 6 trades, several long term hobbies, 12 years in my only profession and the experiences of my life.... I have learned the following to be a fact; when you start something new, doing it for the first time; (walking, eating, swimming, breaking bricks, sex, heck everything in life) you are unconsciously incompetent. "You have no idea what you don't know about what it is that you are trying to do". As time goes on and you learn from teachers, books, videos, your experience or the experience of watching others, you become consciously incompetent. "You realize how much there is that you don't know about whatever it is that you are trying to do". With doing whatever it is more and more, giving whatever it is more time, you gain more experience you learn more and you become competent. "You are able to do it with confidence". Then you reach a point where you just know and you are an expert at it, you are unconsciously competent. "You are able to teach". I am consciously incompetent…. though I do have good canopy control and competent at landing under normal conditions:). However, as far as I am concerned about me jumping into a canopy purchase.... I figure that I will take your advice and the advice of my instructors and it will be my (2006) Christmas present to me. Thanks so much for taking the time to advise me and try to teach me something! I have read some of the advice you two have given others and both of you give sound advice.... Though I don't drink, I owe you both a cold one Another couple of questions..... I was reading about skydiving accidents and deaths... there were a lot of accidents caused by collapsing your chute or hard turns at landing time. I read a post on here about pumping breaks so you don't "Stab" the toggles. Q: I take it that toggles are the breaks or steering lines? Q: What is stabbing the breaks? Q: Will stabbing the breaks decrease the life of your chute? Q: Why would someone want to collapse a chute or mess with a good canopy (outside of small corrections (where it doesn't take 3 to 5 seconds to obtain proper canopy control)) below 1000 ft? These seem like a stupid questions but since the readers of this post already know that I am aware of the fact that I know nothing...., I feel qualified to ask the dumbest of questions especially with you two giving me advise that will keep me safer and happier in this awesome way of life.... that some call a sport. Thanks Steve It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!