blanken@uiucdcs.Uiuc.ARPA (07/25/85)
Well, from the size of this note file, I'd say that we are a minority. But that won't spoil my fun. I had no idea what the realm of skydiving really was until my first jump last Sunday on July 21st. I was out with Bob McClatchey and his small school in Danville, IL at the Vermillion county airport. He charged $75.00 for the whole day of classes and the first jump. We used surplus t-tens (dash-ones) to jump with and some other kind as a reserve. I really had fun. Although I wasn't sure about the hanging-from-the-strut- stuff right at the beginning, especially at 3000 feet. But the fear passed and the jump went without harm to me or the chute. If any one ever reads this note, you should try a jump sometime. You get full mental preparation(the most important stuff) and all the gear you need for the first jump. It's a blast. Eric Blankenburg University of Illinois Urbana, Illinois
kas@hp-pcd.UUCP (kas) (07/30/85)
Eric,
Congratulations on your first jump! And welcome to the sport. Sounds
as though you truly enjoyed your experience.
You're right about us being a minority. Activity on this net is very
slow, so if you have anything to say, say it! Tell us about your jump(s),
ask questions, seek advice, or anything else that comes to mind.
By the way, the reserve you used was probably also military surplus,
(I assume), and was likely to be a 24' round -- sometimes called a T-10A.
You'll get used to hanging from that strut after you do it a few times.
I will admit, though, that I prefer to 'bomb-out' the door. You'll get a
chance to try it after you've mastered the art of stability.
Always glad to see new names on the net, so keep us posted. Blue skies!
Ken Scofield C-9355
Hewlett-Packard PCD
Corvallis, OR
{ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kashhs@hou2h.UUCP (H.SHARP) (08/01/85)
I agree that skydiving is a blast. I noticed the cost for you (in Illinois) was $75.00. My first jump was in the Washington DC area for $65.00. The average price around that area was $75.00. When I was in Atlanta I could have done it for $45 in '81. Now that I am in New Jersey (Monmouth Co.) I notice the cost is $150. The reason I stopped jumping the first time was the cost and the drive to the nearest jump site. Why the cost here? It seems kind of ridiculous to me, but I guess that they have a demand without too much competition (this is Lakewood). Oh well, have fun.
al@infoswx.UUCP (08/04/85)
Having been an Lakewood jumper, and having jumped in two other states in the last year and 1/2, Skydiving in the NJ area is the most expensive! In Colorado, the First Jump Course is $90, and in Dallas it is ~$95. I know Lakewood has had a lot of nuisance law suits, so maybe that explains the high price. Al Gettier D 5850
richard@islenet.UUCP (Richard Foulk) (08/04/85)
> > I agree that skydiving is a blast. I noticed the cost for you > (in Illinois) was $75.00. My first jump was in the Washington > DC area for $65.00. The average price around that area was $75.00. > When I was in Atlanta I could have done it for $45 in '81. > Now that I am in New Jersey (Monmouth Co.) I notice the cost is > $150. The reason I stopped jumping the first time was the cost and > the drive to the nearest jump site. Why the cost here? > It seems kind of ridiculous to me, but I guess that they have a > demand without too much competition (this is Lakewood). > Oh well, have fun. > The instruction and equipment provided with first jump coarses probably varies just as widely as the pricing. Some outfits still use old T10's, some use Paracommanders, and some use squares. At the drop-zone on the north shore of Oahu they use big expensive squares and other fairly expensive equipment besides. And I think they charge about $125. One other thing to consider is that for many jump operations the first jump coarse is their main source of income which may have some bering on the price also. But remember you only have to take it once, so is it really that expensive? -- Richard Foulk ...{dual,vortex,ihnp4}!islenet!richard Honolulu, Hawaii or ...!islenet!bigtuna!richard
jeffh@brl-sem.ARPA (the Shadow) (08/06/85)
Can anyone on this { doomed? } newsgroup tell me where to find a
good school for a first jump? I am in the Baltimore-Philadelphia
corridor. I have wanted to try this for a long time, but have only
recently felt as if I might be able to absorb the financial drain.
Are there listings of this sort of information? Where should one
look for that sort of information?
"No good deed ever goes unpunished."
the Shadow
ARPA: <jeffh@brl>
UUCP: {seismo,decvax}!brl!jeffhgregp@bmcg.UUCP (Greg Pruett) (08/08/85)
Im glad to see some interest in sky diving on the net. Im kind of new to the sport and I'd like to hear some comments about other DZ's. My "home" zone is the San Diego Air Sports Center. The weather is great so we almost never have any problem getting altitude.(12,500) This place is kind of small but it is about the only DZ within reasonable distance from San Diego. I saw a posting from Corvallis (I believe). Where is your DZ? Do you have much trouble with the weather? I can just see it ""Well, we got altitude now where's the f___ing DZ."" How about some comments on gear. My main is a Maverick (Glide Path) and I use a Northern Lite container. The cannopy is great but the container is only so-so. I would to hear comments [and or] recomendations on other types.
kas@hp-pcd.UUCP (kas) (08/15/85)
Here's some responses to some responses... > Im glad to see some interest in sky diving on the net. Im kind of new to the >sport and I'd like to hear some comments about other DZ's. My "home" zone is >the San Diego Air Sports Center. The weather is great so we almost never have >any problem getting altitude.(12,500) This place is kind of small but it is >about the only DZ within reasonable distance from San Diego. > I saw a posting from Corvallis (I believe). Where is your DZ? Do you have >much trouble with the weather? I can just see it ""Well, we got altitude now >where's the f___ing DZ."" > How about some comments on gear. My main is a Maverick (Glide Path) and I >use a Northern Lite container. The cannopy is great but the container is >only so-so. I would to hear comments [and or] recomendations on other types. Gee, I didn't realize anyone outside of Corvallis had heard of Corvallis! Anyway, we don't have a DZ in Corvallis, so I do most of my jumping at a DZ in Sheridan, OR. It's about a 45 minute drive due North. It's not big -- we have one twin Beech and a couple of C-180's. Getting enough people together for a Beech load is a major accomplishment. And yes, we do experience weather problems occasionally, but not as often as you might expect. Sheridan is located in a valley on the east side of the Coast Range, and even though the coast is often cloudy, the clouds break up and dissipate over the Coast Range, leaving Sheridan sunny a surprising amount of the time. The summer months generally provide excellent jumping weather -- temperatures between 75F and 85F, with occasional gusts into the 90's. Humidity is typically between 20-40%. All this adds up to really nice, soft landings most of the time. Winter months are usually still jumpable, but you gotta watch for mudholes, and it's COLD at altitude. Fortunately, all the planes have jump doors, including the Beech. The only time I got "stuck" at altitude was when I jumped at a different DZ south of here. There were nine of us (an 8-way plus a cameraman) planning to do a formation load from two Cessna's (a 206 and a 182). The clouds had been very threatening all day, but in mid-afternoon a huge hole opened up. We piled into the planes and headed for altitude, but by the time we got to five grand the hole was beginning to shrink. When we got to 12,500', the airport was gone. We circled for a while waiting to see what would happen, but then the pilots decided to dump us at another airport about three miles away, which had a barely jumpable hole over it. Just as we turned onto jump- run, I noticed a hole opening up over the proper DZ, so I suggested we make another pass at it. No go. Too much gas had been burned already, so out we went. The jump was a disaster. The spotter put us out over the edge of the hole, so we punched through several chunks of cloud as we skimmed by. The star only built to about 5 or 6, because the last couple of us out of the trailing plane could see the star only about half the time. And I'll be damned if I'm going to dive through a cloud at 180+ mph toward a star I can't see! Concerning gear, I'm not sure what kind of comments you're looking for, so I'll describe mine. I recently bought a complete rig, consisting of a Vector harness/container with two Raven III canopies. The Ravens are TSO'd for either Main or Reserve use, so I figured it would be novel to have the same kind of canopy, no matter which I rode down with. The Raven has the highest glide ratio of any canopy I know of, so if the rider is within the recommended weight range, it tends to be a little "floaty". Something to consider if CRW is on the agenda, especially with older canopies that have a higher sink rate. All told, I like the rig just fine, but the main had a built-in left turn, so I sent it back to the manufacturer for (free) repair. The Vector comes in two styles -- "standard" and "narrow". I had to get the "standard" width because the Raven III reserve won't fit in a "narrow", even though the Raven III main does. The container is slightly wider than I am, something a certified "skygod" would shudder at, but I guess I don't know enough to know the difference. Ok, enough of this. On to the next response. ==== ==== ==== Response 6 to Note 2 brl-sem!jeffh 12:13 pm Aug 6, 1985 >Can anyone on this { doomed? } newsgroup tell me where to find a >good school for a first jump? I am in the Baltimore-Philadelphia >corridor. I have wanted to try this for a long time, but have only >recently felt as if I might be able to absorb the financial drain. >Are there listings of this sort of information? Where should one >look for that sort of information? Let your fingers do the walking. Many DZ's advertise in the Yellow Pages under such headings as "Skydiving", "Parachute Jump Instruction", "Sport Parachuting", and "Schools-General Interest". If (when) you make that first jump, let us know!! Some personal opinions: Skydiving does not have a reputation for being an inexpensive sport, so as long as you're committed to spend some money, spend as much as necessary to do it right! Don't just look for the "cheapest" drop zone (DZ), if you have more than one to choose from. While not absolutely necessary, nor legally required, I think the following will add to your safety and enjoyment, if you can find a school that offers any or all: AFF -- Accelerated Free Fall program. All jumps are free fall, no static lines as in the "conventional" training method. The first several jumps are made with two instructors who physically hang on to you to keep you out of mischief. But you get to "fly" yourself, and you'll learn much faster. Squares -- "Square" canopies instead of "Round" ones. Many DZ's are using big, docile "Squares" on their students because they are a hellava lot more fun to fly, and safer too, 'cause they land feather-soft. AAD -- Automatic Activation Device. An electro-mechanical device that will activate your reserve in the extremely unlikely event that both your main canopy and your brain take a vacation. * / \ |---/---\---| Ken Scofield C-9355 | Gone | Hewlett-Packard PCD | Jumpin' | Corvallis, OR |-----------| {ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kas
doc@cxsea.UUCP (Documentation ) (08/20/85)
> > AAD -- Automatic Activation Device. An electro-mechanical device that > will activate your reserve in the extremely unlikely event that > both your main canopy and your brain take a vacation. I know this is not fun to talk about, but would any of you frequent jumpers care to relate your experiences of chute failure? Such as how long it took to figure out your main was a streamer, etc.? I realize this doesn't happen often, but would like to hear from people who've had to deal with it. I haven't jumped since my first time in 82, owing to limitations on time and money, but I plan to get back into it.
al@infoswx.UUCP (08/27/85)
> I know this is not fun to talk about, but would any of you frequent > jumpers care to relate your experiences of chute failure? Such as > how long it took to figure out your main was a streamer, etc.? > I realize this doesn't happen often, but would like to hear from > people who've had to deal with it. I have had only two malfunctions in ~675 jumps. Both of which I can attribute to packing errors. The first malfunction was very minor, so minor I probably could have landed with it. It seemed like a good openning, but due to sloppiness, I did not look at the main! I was at 1200' when I looked at the main parachute, and all the lines on one side were twisted pretty bad. Since I was very low, afraid of the main collapsing and inexperienced, I elected to cut-away. No further problems & a standup landing under a 26' navy conical. The second was a radical spinning malfunction. Because it was very easy to recognize, I was open well over 1500'. I found that after both malfunctions, there was no hesitance to pull the reserve, nor any time delay at looking at the main. The only reaction was "RATS! I have to repack my reserve!" Also, there was an add in Skydiving Magazine my a reserve manufacturer. The add went something like: "You are at 2500', you pull you main. You have a malfunction, it is an [etc, etc, etc] You pull you reserve, it opens, and you land safely. Now let's face facts, that was kind of fun, wasn't it!" Al Gettier D5850
kas@hp-pcd.UUCP (kas) (08/28/85)
> I know this is not fun to talk about, but would any of you frequent > jumpers care to relate your experiences of chute failure? Such as > how long it took to figure out your main was a streamer, etc.? > I realize this doesn't happen often, but would like to hear from > people who've had to deal with it. > I haven't jumped since my first time in 82, owing to limitations on > time and money, but I plan to get back into it. I'm not a frequent jumper myself, as I've only made 360 jumps since I started in '72. In that number of jumps I've had two occasions to ride a reserve, and both of them were with old military surplus gear which was in common use when I started jumping. My first 'function occured when I had about a dozen jumps. I had just purchased my first set of gear (military surplus, of course). My 28' 7-TU opened into a Mae West which was slowly spinning. I was taught that with a "mild" malfunction it was better to hand-deploy the reserve before cutting away the main, so that's what I did. (By the way, that is an OK procedure for military surplus gear, but generally NOT for more contemporary gear, especially with square canopies). Almost as soon as the reserve opened, which of course reduced the hanging load on the main, the line-over which had caused the Mae West slipped off, allowing the main to open fully. This all happened before I could cut away the main, obviously. Since both 'chutes were now open side-by-side, neither one could be steered, so the only solution was to get rid of one of them. Interesting dilemma. The main was larger and would thus give a softer landing, but the reserve cannot be cut away. Cutting away the main would commit me to a hard landing under a 24' reserve. So, I grabbed handfulls of reserve lines and began pulling down one side. Eventually I "spilled" all the air out of it and it collapsed. I wadded it up between my knees and proceded to fly the main normally for the remainder of the descent. My second 'function was a "total". Same gear as before. Back in those days the container flaps were held closed with "pins" and "cones" -- rarely seen anymore except on old gear. If dirt or sand got into the holes of the cones, the force required to pull the ripcord could become quite large. When I had about 25 jumps or so, I experienced this problem and could not pull the main ripcord, even with both hands. I eventually quit trying (none too soon) and dumped my reserve at about 900 feet. I don't recommend waiting that long! Over the years I've made well over 200 jumps on Paracommanders (PC's), and never had a single malfunction. In recent years I've been jumping squares, and also have not had any problems. The only hair-raising incident I've ex- perienced is a mid-air canopy collision (see note titled "USPA Boogie Tales"). As far as recognizing a malfunction, it shouldn't take more than a FEW seconds. It takes about three seconds for a canopy to open, from the time you pull the ripcord (or whatever). Sometimes a canopy will "snivel" for two or three seconds before deciding to open, but then still takes a couple more seconds to completely open. A total of maybe five or six seconds. NEVER wait any more than three or four seconds, if it's snivelling. If it ain't making any noticable progress by then, it probably isn't going to. Thus, if you aren't sitting under a good canopy within six seconds, it's reserve time. I'm sure you were taught to begin counting at the moment of exit or pull. This is why. You'll probably never get to six, but if you do, don't go any higher! * / \ |---/---\---| Ken Scofield C-9355 | Gone | Hewlett-Packard PCD | Jumpin' | Corvallis, OR |-----------| {ucbvax!hplabs, harpo, ogcvax}!hp-pcd!kas