Sorry to interrupt the political bickering, Kali did a thing today.....

[Serk]

So..... our family now has TWO fully licensed skydivers, as of tonight!

Kali earned her USPA 'A' Skydiver license!!!!!



It's traditional for the instructor to stamp the 'A' license on the forehead of the student when they've earned the license.... Since Tarynn is a 'B' rated skydiver AND has her coach rating..... they let Momma stamp her daughter! It was tear inducing beautiful!!!!!





Since I paid for the cursed thing, they let me get in one of the pics too.....



Kali (Middle) with Momma (left) and Momma's sky-friend Pressly after landing on Kali's 25th skydive (And the one that made her a licensed skydiver!)





Kali, packing the Mommy's rig after Kali's 25th jump (Momma's NEVER jumped her own pack, but lets Kali pack her rig!)



Anyway..... Sorry to distract from the productive political posts, but.... Proud daddy doesn't EVEN BEGIN to describe my current elated state tonight!!!

[f6gal]

Congrats Kali.   Sort of jealous though.

[Serk]

Congrats Kali.  Sort of jealous though.

.....we can fix that jealousy if you wanna do the thing..... Just sayin'.....

This place comes highly recommended:

https://www.skydiveaz.com/

[Valkorado]

 Very cool.  Strictly from an observational standpoint.   

[bassman]

Most excellent and C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S Kali !!!!!!

[bg]

  way to go Kali.......awesome........

[hubcapsc]

Carolyn and I did a couple of static-line jumps in college. She had to
cut away on her first jump, but she still did another... it is something
when they open that door and say " jump out". The instructor didn't
like the way I jumped off the little step outside the door, so the
second time he had me hold onto the edge of the wing and wait
for him to tell me to "let go"... so... if anyone has any trouble
with flying... it is better if you're outside of the airplane hanging
onto the trailing edge of the wing  ...

-Mike "no more for me, I don't need that much adrenaline..."

[Chrisj CMA]

Congrats Kali. Keep learning. You can never know it all but it’s so much fun trying 

[Jersey mike]

Congratulations to her.

Be safe and enjoy, that’s a great hobby from what I’ve heard.

Never tried it myself. I was going to but they closed the jumps school at the local airport near me.

It was a “Christmas present”.

I don’t know if I could ever go for my license, I don’t trust myself to pack my own chute.

[Oss]

That is a great accomplishment and she and you all  (all y'all) must be very proud of her

A wonderful young woman you have raised there !

As for me, so far I just ride the plane down after the engine has died (been there done that)

Oss

[Serk]

I don’t know if I could ever go for my license, I don’t trust myself to pack my own chute.

Tarynn (Spousal unit) is coming up on 200 jumps, and has never jumped her own pack. You don't have to pack your own rig.

You have to understand HOW to do it, but there's no requirement you jump your own pack job.

It is funny, Tarynn HAS jumped Kali's pack, but won't jump her own.



Also - Forgot I had video of Kali's 16th training jump if anyone cares to see it, I think it's kinda cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFMjY50iCAM

[Jess from VA]

I'm curious sir;  for standard training and students, what is the absolute low minimum altitude to pull your own chute. 

And if it's not too personal, what is the average cost per jump?

I don't mind heights at all, I really like them.  I was just on my roof 30 minutes ago.  It takes 50mph winds to clean it for me, and we don't get that much wind (except for rare storms and gifts from the Gulf).

[Jersey mike]

I'm curious sir;  for standard training and students, what is the absolute low minimum altitude to pull your own chute. 

And if it's not too personal, what is the average cost per jump?

I don't mind heights at all, I really like them.  I was just on my roof 30 minutes ago.  It takes 50mph winds to clean it for me, and we don't get that much wind (except for rare storms and gifts from the Gulf).

Wow that’s great.

Let me ask this if you know. I’ve heard many times people’s sneakers and shoes come off, are above the ankle boots or shoes optional?

[Jess from VA]

I'm curious sir;  for standard training and students, what is the absolute low minimum altitude to pull your own chute. 

And if it's not too personal, what is the average cost per jump?

I don't mind heights at all, I really like them.  I was just on my roof 30 minutes ago.  It takes 50mph winds to clean it for me, and we don't get that much wind (except for rare storms and gifts from the Gulf).

Wow that’s great.

Let me ask this if you know. I’ve heard many times people’s sneakers and shoes come off, are above the ankle boots or shoes optional?

Mike, did you mean to quote me in asking skydiving questions?  That's a mistake.   

All I know about it is that gravity works, and the farther you fall the faster you go until it levels out.  In stable, belly-to-earth position, terminal velocity is about 120 mph.  That seems pretty terminal to me.

[Gideon]

Fantastic...Congratulations!!! 

[bassman]

I don’t know if I could ever go for my license, I don’t trust myself to pack my own chute.

Tarynn (Spousal unit) is coming up on 200 jumps, and has never jumped her own pack. You don't have to pack your own rig.

You have to understand HOW to do it, but there's no requirement you jump your own pack job.

It is funny, Tarynn HAS jumped Kali's pack, but won't jump her own.

Was that Kali doing the flips exiting the plane?????   AWESOME for her 16th jump.



Also - Forgot I had video of Kali's 16th training jump if anyone cares to see it, I think it's kinda cool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFMjY50iCAM

[Serk]

I'm curious sir;  for standard training and students, what is the absolute low minimum altitude to pull your own chute. 

And if it's not too personal, what is the average cost per jump?

I don't mind heights at all, I really like them.  I was just on my roof 30 minutes ago.  It takes 50mph winds to clean it for me, and we don't get that much wind (except for rare storms and gifts from the Gulf).

I don't know what the absolute minimum is, Kali did a "hop and pop" (Low altitude, no freefall just jump out and release your canopy) from 3000 feet...

Most AADs (Devices that, if they detect you're still at freefall speed below a certain altitude release your reserve chute on their own) fire in the 750-1500 foot altitude.

Cost per jump has a LOT of variables.
If you're doing a tandem jump, around $200. If you're doing a tandem jump and want video/pictures, $350-$400.
If you're doing a non-tandem training jump, $200.
If you're a licensed skydiver and renting equipment $50.
If you're a licensed skydiver and using your own equipment but paying someone to repack it - $40
If you're a licensed skydiver and using your own equipment and packing it yourself (Or having your daughter do it) - $28

An interesting observation - I've developed a bad fear of heights, get really nervous riding over tall bridges for instance, but skydiving doesn't trigger those fears. You're so high up (Normal jump altitude is 14,000 feet) you don't get a feeling of height...

Was that Kali doing the flips exiting the plane?????   AWESOME for her 16th jump.

Yup, that was her! She does front and back flips, barrel rolls, etc... She's spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel (Her and mommy both do competitive wind tunnel stuff too) which translates pretty well to skills in the sky.

On her first totally solo (As in no instructor jumping with her, not just her not being tethered to one) Tarynn kept saying how boring that first jump was since as a student Tarynn just did her freefall, no maneuvering, and released her canopy at the prescribed altitude.

Kali, in her words, had a blast..... "How many 18 year old girls can say they did non-stop backflips while falling over a mile through the sky?"

[Jess from VA]

An interesting observation - I've developed a bad fear of heights, get really nervous riding over tall bridges for instance, but skydiving doesn't trigger those fears. You're so high up (Normal jump altitude is 14,000 feet) you don't get a feeling of height...

I think that's pretty common. 

Even at roof and tree heights, the height doesn't bother me, but if my footing is unstable, shaking/wobbly ladder/limb, my mortality suddenly makes me very nervous.  It's not the death I fear, it's the surviving with painful injuries (and having to see doctors) I fear. 

[scooperhsd]

I can fly and never get scared of heights. I can't do cliffs, edges in / on buildings, elevated ramps, ladders are not my favorite thing, etc. High bridges in or on vehicles don't bother me - if I'm in the middle of the roadway and can't see the edge. The elevated bridges inside Tysons II scared the piss out of me. I do not usually get close to the edge of one floor into open space. Do not like being on roofs (closer to the edge, the worse it gets. Also the steeper the roof the worse it gets).

[f6gal]

I'm curious sir;  for standard training and students, what is the absolute low minimum altitude to pull your own chute. 

And if it's not too personal, what is the average cost per jump?

I don't mind heights at all, I really like them.  I was just on my roof 30 minutes ago.  It takes 50mph winds to clean it for me, and we don't get that much wind (except for rare storms and gifts from the Gulf).

I don't know what the absolute minimum is, Kali did a "hop and pop" (Low altitude, no freefall just jump out and release your canopy) from 3000 feet...

Most AADs (Devices that, if they detect you're still at freefall speed below a certain altitude release your reserve chute on their own) fire in the 750-1500 foot altitude.

Cost per jump has a LOT of variables.
If you're doing a tandem jump, around $200. If you're doing a tandem jump and want video/pictures, $350-$400.
If you're doing a non-tandem training jump, $200.
If you're a licensed skydiver and renting equipment $50.
If you're a licensed skydiver and using your own equipment but paying someone to repack it - $40
If you're a licensed skydiver and using your own equipment and packing it yourself (Or having your daughter do it) - $28

An interesting observation - I've developed a bad fear of heights, get really nervous riding over tall bridges for instance, but skydiving doesn't trigger those fears. You're so high up (Normal jump altitude is 14,000 feet) you don't get a feeling of height...

Was that Kali doing the flips exiting the plane?????   AWESOME for her 16th jump.

Yup, that was her! She does front and back flips, barrel rolls, etc... She's spent a lot of time in the wind tunnel (Her and mommy both do competitive wind tunnel stuff too) which translates pretty well to skills in the sky.

On her first totally solo (As in no instructor jumping with her, not just her not being tethered to one) Tarynn kept saying how boring that first jump was since as a student Tarynn just did her freefall, no maneuvering, and released her canopy at the prescribed altitude.

Kali, in her words, had a blast..... "How many 18 year old girls can say they did non-stop backflips while falling over a mile through the sky?"

If I remember right, you gave her a licensing package deal for her b-day.  What did that cost/include?

Out of curiosity, what is Tarynn's rationale (or ir-rationale) for not packing her own?

[Serk]

If I remember right, you gave her a licensing package deal for her b-day.  What did that cost/include?

Out of curiosity, what is Tarynn's rationale (or ir-rationale) for not packing her own?

The A license package at our local DZ is $2900. It's setup so that if the weather cooperates you can live on site (Included in the price) and do the entire n00b to licensed in one week. (Kali did not, mainly because of work and school and weather.)

It was funny, Kali did more training jumps her first day than her mom did in 1.5 MONTHS when she started.

The $2900 covers:

Transition Class
Skydiver Training Program (STP) Levels 1-16
STP Level 17
STP Level 18: FREE!
Solo practice jumps 19-23
Instructor priority
FREE bunkhouse lodging while you train!
Parachute packing class
United States Parachute Association (USPA) membership
USPA “A” license application fee
Prerequisite: 2 tandem skydives

Since Kali already had 4 tandems going in, she was a few jumps ahead, and has a balance on file she can use to jump with, at least a few times.


Tarynn's reluctance is because she doesn't like fiddly things, and doesn't trust herself to do it right. Also, packing a canopy involves a lot of work with/on your knees (Shut up you in the peanut gallery, I heard that!), using your knees to compact the material down, and she doesn't have the best knees to begin with, finds it rather painful to do, and for $10 per repack, she'd rather just pay someone to do it...

[f6gal]

Also, packing a canopy involves a lot of work with/on your knees (Shut up you in the peanut gallery, I heard that!), using your knees to compact the material down, and she doesn't have the best knees to begin with, finds it rather painful to do, and for $10 per repack, she'd rather just pay someone to do it...

I'm with her on that!!  If I get down on my knees, getting back up is an iffy proposition.  $10... well worth it! 

[Farside]

  Way to go Kali, getting it done! I'm impressed

[BCoy]

  Great job, awesome memories with Mom.

[Chrisj CMA]

Kali. Now that you have your A license. Find some D license jumpers that will let you in on some simple relative work dives. Like four people, not crazy big. You won’t believe how much more there is to learn about flying. Good luck

[Serk]

Kali. Now that you have your A license. Find some D license jumpers that will let you in on some simple relative work dives. Like four people, not crazy big. You won’t believe how much more there is to learn about flying. Good luck

Yup, she's working on it.... Her 'B' rated mom (VERY close to 'C') is on a competitive 4 way team and Kali's shown interest in it too, although her current job situation won't support that much jumping quite yet...

[cookiedough]

thats amazing and courageous all at the same time.    I am impressed that your entire family has such a unnerving spirit and not afraid of much of anything.  I would never do it nor any of my family members,  too much of chickens I guess?    

My 22 year old daughter passed her WI teacher's license few days ago 1st try, so after her 2 month stint student teaching for the 2nd place back to back now, come 2021, she can actually get a full time job teaching vs. paying schools to get her there the past 4+ years.   She should be able to get a full time teaching job fairly easily making over 40K per year starting,  which is more than me after 30 years of working all the while only having to work say 9 months of the year.    I guess we have to be proud of whatever our kids do well.   

My other kid wants to be a teacher as well starting his 2nd year in same college.  No idea where they get the teaching bug from skipped me and the misses for sure both disliked school a TON. 

[henry 008]