[scratt]

Hi all...

I was away for a couple of weeks in March down in the South of Thailand in Parchaub Kiri Ken.

It was the Thai Sky Festival..
I am busy editting video and pictures from it now but have done a really quick montage of video stills for familly and friends...

I thought some of you might be interested to see what I do to pass the time... We were so very lucky to have the people we had at this festival..

Eli from the Fly Boys (who does a lot of film work. He did the opening sequence for Gold Member.). Great guy to party with also!

Wendy Smith, probably the nicest skydiver in the world and also one of the best camera flyers..

BJ Worth.. the official 007 stunt man for parachuting stunts.

To name a few...

To get to jump with these guys, talk skydiving, drink beer and get some coaching myself was a real honour...

Anyway.. If you have the time have a flick through some of the pictures I have put on my homepage..

Thai Sky Festival Pics. Page 1

Thai Sky Festival Pics. Page 2

Cheers,
Scratt.

[Brad]

Bah. Anyone can fall out of a plane.

Seriously, though, it looks like fun. I want to try skydiving one day when I actually have some petty cash on hand.

[scratt]

Absolutely right! But you need to learn how to stop yourself hitting the ground..

Reminds me of a Hitchhikers quote.. "The art of flying is being able to throw yourself at the ground really hard and miss...". Something like that anyway!

Let me know if you ever decide to take the plunge Brad. If I can hook you up and make it any easier, or cheaper for you I will...

[cyrusmekon]

Much fun to be had.

Went for my second tandem jump just the other week with the Nagambie boys. Cloud was low that day, above it the most beautiful blue sky imaginable.

It was nice, i did the jump and felt like i left all my worries up there. A few of guys were the same. One guy at least 65+ told me he had to listen to his daughter talk all day the previous day. This was his way of relaxing.

Yeah i could do that i thought to myself.

Scratt, realistically how difficult is it to get a full license? Once you get it are jumps much cheaper? Iv heard but i could be wrong.

[Chinney]

Looks great Scratt. I'm not sure that I'll ever have the nerve to jump from a plane, but it's nice to dream. Actually, my main worry would not be the chute failing to open, but having a heart attack on the way down.

Also, let me finally get around to saying that I also appreciated the story you posted a few weeks back about your (now) wife's skydiving accident and recovery. That story has stayed on my mind.

Finally, what, exactly, is a 'Tandem' jump?

[scratt]

Getting a license is actually pretty easy..

The US is the cheapest place to do it and also has pretty good weather..
We have a Drop Zone in Thailand and run both USPA and BPA (The US and UK licenses repsectively) courses at it.

It works like this....

AFF Info

I will explain here also...

You start with approximately a day of ground training. Learning about kit and emergency procedures and body position.

Then between 7 and 9 jumps depending on the system. (You can do this in about three days at a busy DZ with good weather).

These training jumps are directly (i.e You have guys next to you in freefall) supervised by very experienced instructors who "get you out of the poo" on your first few jumps as you tumble out of control!

As you progress you learn to move, turn etc..
You also get a radio attached to you for landing the canopy. You could basically land it with your eyes shut if you follow the instructions given over the radio. Although that is not a good idea because the theory is you start to recognise visual cues so you can land yourself unaided!

Once you complete your 7 or 9 jumps (and any re-jumps if you failed levels - Most people fail one or two) you can then jump out solo on your consolidation jumps.

At some point during consolidation jumps you change from a rip cord which you pull out to deploy the parachute to a 'throw away' system which means you pull the pilot chute out of a spandex pocket on the bottom of your rig and throw it away. It catches the air and deploys the bag with the main parachute in... (The rip cord you use in training releases a big spring loaded pilot chute and is safer as it is similar to your reserve parachute and will open even if you are kicking and screaming on your back. This system is so that your instructors can 'dump' you if they need to. The difference is you do not throw the rip cord away, or you get charged!!! Convesely you obviously do 'throw-away' the 'Throw-away' system as it is still attached to your rig and if you don't your chute won't open! It's great fun learning to change over!! )

Once you have done 10 consolidation jumps and a Hop & Pop (Simulated low-altitude emergency exit from a plane) you can then apply for a license.

The AFF or IAF (Accelerated Free Fall or Instructor Assisted Freefall) course is the first 7 - 9 jumps and includes kit, tuition, plane rides etc. and can be anything from £1100 (Pounds) to $2500 (dollars). It varys from place to place.

We teach people in Spain for £1100 and at our Drop Zone in Thailand for £1250.

Once you have done that you need to pay for kit hire (Typically US$25 per jump) and jump tickets (From US$20 up to US$30 per ticket) and do your 10 consolidation jumps.. Most instructors and centers include coaching during this as part of the course so you will still be getting guidance.

The consolidation jumps and kit hire typically need to be paid for individually. You are kind of a skydiver on probation then. You have to pay, can jump solo, but don't have a license yet!

You then need to do a Hop and Pop which counts and costs the same as a jump but is from abour 5000feet. To pass this you need to get out, get stable and deploy your parachute in 5 seconds. This is to simualte exiting a plane at close to 1000feet which is going to crash.

Having done all this you will then apply for a license and have earned the dubious title of 'Skydiver'. You will be poor for ever more!

Costs of jumps vary around the world, but average is US$25.

So basically yes.. If you learn to skydive the cost of a jump goes down to US$25 if you have your own kit, or US$50 if you rent kit.. A lot cheaper than a Tandem, and you are in charge, can jump in groups and get yourself in and out of trouble!!

Kit costs about $3000 - $4000US. If oyu don't have kit you have to hire it, and take what you are given. Which while safe if it is from a decent center is not going to be the most comfortable or best performance kit in the world.. You can do the maths on US$25 per jump to hire kit versus US$3000 to buy it as to how many jumps you need to do to get your kit money back... But owning your own kit is essential if you are serious... and most people get custom designed stuff which is part of your identity at a Drop Zone.

I have spent $1000s on matching jumps suits, trousers, helmets etc.. Everything has to match...

PM me if you want any more info... It's not a problem...
Skydivers will do pretty much anything to drag new people into the sport...

[scratt]

Originally Posted by Chinney Looks great Scratt. I'm not sure that I'll ever have the nerve to jump from a plane, but it's nice to dream. Actually, my main worry would not be the chute failing to open, but having a heart attack on the way down. Also, let me finally get around to saying that I also appreciated the story you posted a few weeks back about your (now) wife's skydiving accident and recovery. That story has stayed on my mind. Finally, what, exactly, is a 'Tandem' jump?

Hey no problem.. Thanks for reading it...

A tandem jump is when you are strapped to an very experienced skydiver who has a special rig, with a large parachute.

You jump out of a plane strapped to his chest (both of you facing forwards).
In freefall you are suspended below him / her so you get a great view.

You need no real training to do this.. Just a safety brief.

The Instructor controls the freefall and keeps you stable. A camera man often flies alongside to film you screaming, smiling whatever..

The Instructor will let you try to turn while falling by using hand movements etc.. which is how people are taught in the first few jumps of the IAF system.

At deployment time the Instructor deploys the cannopy and flies you safely back to the ground.. They may let you have a go at steering the cannopy at altitude also, but not land it, although they may let you hold the toggles as you land...

It's a really cool way to have an experience that you will never forget, explore learning to skydive, and also start your training...

Hope that helps...

Some Tandem Info