DavidKnise

what an astonishing pic, nice job man

I'm planning on doing a tandem, and then possibly AFF if I can gather enough money for it. I'll be going to Northwest Skydivers, or Skydive Snohomish (if they allow under 18 w/ consent) in Washington state.

it's also where the rigs came from that were given to D.B. Cooper. And famous for multi-Cessna formation jumps. And where the major student obstacle was landing them on the median strip of I-90. HW That's crazy! Man, I wish it were still here. Currently, the location that was the port is now a place for local food trade in a barn that is over 150 years old, and a Costco Wholesale store. I'm there, probably twice a week.

I'm in luck! about 40 miles north of my place is a dz which allows tandem jumps for people aged 16 and 17 with parental consent.

That's what I'm finding out. There are a few places that say "have your parents sign it," and a few that say I can't. I'm not sure which is true... so I'll have to look into that. Thanks for all the replies! I guess I didn't really specify that I haven't signed up for a specific class yet... which is a fairly important thing to note.;) I requested the age information from all the locations in the western Washington area, and I'll move on from there. It's pretty cool to see a bunch of Seattle people here, and even those who've been to the Issaquah heliport! Gear wise, I know it'll cost quite a bit, but it's worth it! I've been working since... ummm... an illegal age to help support my family, and I've found the true worth of a dollar, and also that experiences filled with adrenaline make great personal investments.:) Thanks again.:)

That's good to know. Infact, that's about $1000 good to know.

Well, luckily for me, I'm in line to get a free helmet, goggles, and suit from a very old friend... I'm seeing that most places, it costs about $20 to go up each time, $200-$500 for educational courses, and hefty dues on rentals if you don't have your own gear. I've seen a few videos online where people drag their canopies across jagged rocks, and as they pull it in, there are a bunch of tear marks that they don't even seem to care about... and I just sit there in shock wishing they hadn't done it, and just given it to me. Which reminds me, used gear. Is it reliable? Thanks Dave for the quick response. I'm a little anxious!

Fresher than the grass cut on Sunday morning, I'm David Knise from Issaquah, Washington, hoping to make my first jump soon. I'm a ripe 16 years of age, and enjoy experiencing life for all it has to offer. My other interests are music, in which I have an Ibanez RG1527, and commonly post on sevenstring.org. I also find work giving lessons (taking after Satch a little eh?), fixing guitars, and selling them. Glad to be here.:)

Hey, I'm David Knise. I live in Issaquah, Washington in the United States. In a few weeks, I will be taking an instructional course which includes a tandem jump. I've been looking into the sport, for about 6 months now, and have been interested in it ever since I could remember. My main question, is on parachutes and packs. How many people own their own pack? I know the packs cost around $1500, and renting each time could be fairly expensive. I currently live with my mom, who makes about $32,000 a year, and I make about $12,000 a year, so between the two of us... there's not much extra cash. I have been... on the other hand... buying and selling used guitars and amplifiers to get some extra cash, and yes, I've saved up $1200 so far! SO, my question to the people who've used the gear, which brand and which chute? I'm looking at many of the starter-beginner parachutes, as I'll use it for quite a while. They all seem to be described as stable, and easy to use, as well as well-rounded, which I like. After a few jumps, I'll hopefully be able to purchase one, and the I want to make sure I get the right one instead because it's a one-off chance for me. As it comes to design, I'm not sure what type of chute is more preferred, and smooth. If there is a site with any background info, (or if it's on here and I just overlooked it), could someone please point me in that direction? I'm a bit of a knowledge freak, and just find the science to it fairly fascinating too. Oh, I almost forgot, can anyone pack their own chute with a little practice? And when in the process of learning, is there anyway to test that it releases properly? I'm not exactly into the "lets try this out with jumping out of a plane" technique. If I can do my own packing... I'd want to know for a fact that it won't fail on me. Thanks!:) This is a great forum and site from what I've seen. It's been very helpful, and I hope it will continue to be helpful. -David