ddircksen

I don't think so, but it is nice to know where to turn if something did happen. I was just wondering what the procedure was if something should happen, but my paranoid heart has been laid to rest thanks to all the replies. Seems most of the risk lies with the DZ in any case.

Paranoid? Really? I guess I must be

After reading a lot of the posts on here and having been in the States for 2 years now, I've come to realise that sooner or later I'm gonna need a lawyer. Let's pretend the following happens: I do a jump, open normally at 3.5K and as I open up someone else who's under canopy flies into me. We get entangled, I get loose and live to jump again. The other guy/gal isn't that lucky. The scary thing is, this scenario has been described a few times before. What I'm wondering is: If the family of the deceased jumper sues me, who do I call? If you answered Ghostbusters, have a beer. In all seriousness, are there lawyers out there who defend jumpers? Do they understand the sport and the risks involved? Or do I get some whuffo and try to explain to him/her what happened? Not that I'm fatalistic or anything, would just rather be prepared .

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

So, I want to buy something on classifieds, but I haven't done so before. What are the methods of payment I should use when buying something from someone on classifieds? What's the way to protect both me and the guy/gal selling? Or is it just trust, i.e. I pay, he/she sends.

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Thanks so much for the post, Brian. I have learnt so much from this thread about canopy flying, turbulence, safety and wing loading I feel like a better skydiver already :)

Great! I can start sleeping at night again

I recently read a Bill Bryson book (Made in America) where he mentions women being chastized in the early part of the 20th century for using this phrase: "What a cunning hat". I've Googled it, Wikipedia'd it, no result. Anyone have any idea why this would have been a bad phrase to use? I might just be exceedingly daft, and it might be horribly vulgar, if so, my apologies

Yip, agreed, I edited my previous post

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I know you can have turbulence over trees, just kind of used to having more over the hangar. I totally agree with your statement about "not being a student doesn't mean stop being a student". I spoke to quite a few senior jumpers after the incident and decided to post to get some responses here, as the advice always seems reasonable. I also agree about the wingloading being a bit high.

So here's my weekend jump story

Me too.

Check this out... Skydivingmovies.com Seems the tandem went out with the upper hooks undone. Scarier than most I've seen...

Hmmmm, baie goeie idee. Afrikaans suig al te lank aan die agterspeen van die valzone...