Why jump at night?

Quote

A pilot who holds a commercial without an instument rating is limited to daylight only for commercial operations.

http://www.flightsimaviation.com/data/FARS/part_61-133.html

Look under (B)Limitations (1).
50 mile limit for cross country flights too.

Well, sumbitch... figures there is a law about that. I retract my previous statement.

Quote

Quote

I'm just asking why is it a requirement? Specifically, to get ratings that have nothing to do with night jumping. I still haven't seen a good answer yet.

I haven't seen a good answer either.

'Ya don't have to like it, ya just have to do it'


It's a requirement because it's about the most basic way of showing you have the skills to handle something out of 'normal' routine.

And it gives you a skill you may need sometime. Skydiving itself was once out of your comfort zone, then ya did it a few times and realized that it wasn't the boggieman...same thing with night jumps.

There's nothing wrong with showing you are able to jump anytime of the day to get a D license.
IF someone is that afraid of the dark, get the 'almost' D license...then give yourself a hug and order up a Shirley Temple to celebrate NEARLY completing the requirements.

I don't think making the 'Expert' or 'Master' parachutist license easier to get is a good idea, if anything they sould add 1/2 a dozen MORE requirements...same with the PRO Rating.

If one is to hold the highest designation in a sport such as ours they should be at least familiar with ALL of it's aspects, not just the ones they like or are easy to do.

Sorry for the late reply to this my computer died and had to replace it. I agree that requirements for an expert license should be just that. Expert. Perhaps it is time to revise the licensing requirements. Perhaps proving expert proficiency with canopy skills (glad to see some are to added to the B license beginning in Jan 2012), proving expert proficiency with FS skydiving skills, etc., etc., etc., I'm sure there are many more things others could suggest. What I don't see is how making 2 night jumps makes you an expert. All this does is allow you to check off the required boxes so you can get what you want. It is not a meaningful exercise. It's not about fear, I've done my 2 and I got my D so I could get my TI. I haven't leaped in the dark since and don't care too. I've made dozens of sunset jumps and it took 15 or so to really get comfortable flying my canopy in low light.
Oh yea, I have one parting thought. Does a blind skydiver have to do night jumps or do all of um count

Quote

>What I don't see is how making 2 night jumps makes you an expert.

It doesn't. Neither does proving expert proficiency with a canopy. Neither does proving proficiency in FS skills. Neither does making lots of sunset jumps. Neither does accuracy, or CRW, or wingsuiting, or spotting, or teaching skills.

But someone who can demonstrate all of that? That's closer to an expert.

Maybe we need an "Expert Skydiver Award" to satisfy those folks that need something to impress their friends. We don't seem to have much practical use for the "D" LICENSE any more.

Quote

Maybe we need an "Expert Skydiver Award" to satisfy those folks that need something to impress their friends. We don't seem to have much practical use for the "D" LICENSE any more.

That seems like a sensible idea. That ways the people who like to collect boy scout badges such as the SCR have something to go for and the rest of us can just get on with enjoying jumping.

Some of ya’ll have an axe to grind when it comes to night jumps; do you realize there is not much practical use for the entire sport of skydiving.

Maybe Bill Newell should take stewardship of the “D”, that could be a cool patch…

Quote

>What I don't see is how making 2 night jumps makes you an expert.

It doesn't. Neither does proving expert proficiency with a canopy. Neither does proving proficiency in FS skills. Neither does making lots of sunset jumps. Neither does accuracy, or CRW, or wingsuiting, or spotting, or teaching skills.

But someone who can demonstrate all of that? That's closer to an expert.

So then everyone who has demonstrated all of that except hasn't made 2 night jumps isn't?

Quote

Quote

>What I don't see is how making 2 night jumps makes you an expert.

It doesn't. Neither does proving expert proficiency with a canopy. Neither does proving proficiency in FS skills. Neither does making lots of sunset jumps. Neither does accuracy, or CRW, or wingsuiting, or spotting, or teaching skills.

But someone who can demonstrate all of that? That's closer to an expert.

So then everyone who has demonstrated all of that except hasn't made 2 night jumps isn't?

If you haven't made 2 night jumps, you are lacking the experience of .... 2 night jumps! This isn't rocket science people??

Quote

Quote

Quote

>What I don't see is how making 2 night jumps makes you an expert.

It doesn't. Neither does proving expert proficiency with a canopy. Neither does proving proficiency in FS skills. Neither does making lots of sunset jumps. Neither does accuracy, or CRW, or wingsuiting, or spotting, or teaching skills.

But someone who can demonstrate all of that? That's closer to an expert.

So then everyone who has demonstrated all of that except hasn't made 2 night jumps isn't?

If you haven't made 2 night jumps, you are lacking the experience of .... 2 night jumps! This isn't rocket science people??

Agreed, I've got my "2" and now I can say I've got the experience of it. This doesn't answer the question though.

Quote

>So then everyone who has demonstrated all of that except hasn't made 2 night jumps isn't?

They are farther from an expert than someone who has made night jumps, yes.

Thanks BV, I feel better now.

If the sun is below the horizon at exit~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys0323flUHQ

~is it a 'twilight' jump or a 'sunset' dive?

Quote

If the sun is below the horizon at exit~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys0323flUHQ

~is it a 'twilight' jump or a 'sunset' dive?

Twilight.
Obviously Civil twilight.

I got a real kick out of the flash cameras going off....
You're famous as a teensy-weensy speck on a photograph!