bmoore21184 0 #1 December 3, 2003 I am just curious if anyone else feels this when they jump. From the moment i let go of the pilot chute till the point i am sat up by the canopy, i get real nervous. The thoughts of nothing happening, something going wrong, and "did i make a packing mistake" all go running through my mind. It only lasts a second and is not going to keep me from jumping by any means. Anyone else get this feeling? Just got to thinking about that today. B Moore 'Turbulence is a bitch' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jtval 0 #2 December 3, 2003 that will happen until you are confident with your pack jobs....BE VERY AWARE of what you are doing and you will be ok! 99% of malfunctions come form packing errors..... Oh yea and a bit of personal advice...make sure your clothing doesnt have any loops or catches on it! My photos My Videos Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnny1488 1 #3 December 3, 2003 When I let go of the p/c I think, "now the real fun begins!" Johnny --"This ain't no book club, we're all gonna die!" Mike Rome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflygoddess 0 #4 December 3, 2003 not really I did a few jumps after Marc went in, but those dissappeard. However, I must say that I did my scariest yet funnest jump last Sunday (11/30). I rode in a raft with B^2 and boy was I ever scared at the thought of my altimeter not working right or my audiables... let alone the fact that if we did not exit the raft at the same time it could fold on us... it was fun and I got video, but I doubt that I will ever do it again...well maybe... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Muenkel 0 #5 December 3, 2003 I think everyone is different. My nervous time is suiting up. Once I'm on the plane to altitude I feel pretty calm. I do get a brief moment of anxiety when I realize it is my turn at the door, but it passes quickly. Once out the door, nothing but pure excitement. Disclaimer: I've only jumped out of an airplane 8 times. Chris _________________________________________ Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aneblett 0 #6 December 3, 2003 This doesn't surprise me. I read somewhere about a jumper doing studies that involved jumping with a portable pulse meter device that would record pulse rate vs time. After studying the information for several jumps it was deteremined that pulse rate spiked at pull time... so there may be something to it.. AgeS.E.X. party #2 ..It is far worse to live with fear, than to die confronting it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gmanpilot 0 #7 December 3, 2003 The only time I feel vulnerable is in the plane below 1,000 ft._________________________________________ -There's always free cheese in a mouse trap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ypelchat 0 #8 December 3, 2003 On the way to altitude, you should close your eyes, and relax. With your eyes closed, try to mentally rehearse your emergency procedures. The more you jump, the more you'll get more confident in your abilities to deal with a mal. Yves. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SeaKev 0 #9 December 3, 2003 Where's the video? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee03 0 #10 December 3, 2003 Honestly.. I think it is waiting for the canopy to fully inflate.. watching it and wondering is it going to open fully, do I have a bag lock etc. Once it blossums around, that's the really fun part begining. I LOVE flying the canopy! -------- To put your life in danger from time to time ... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities. --Nevil Shute, Slide Rule Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflygoddess 0 #11 December 3, 2003 um I have one view on my vhs tape at home... maybe betsy might have one as well? I am not sure... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #12 December 3, 2003 I think I'm with you here...I'm not afraid of any mal's with partially opened canopies...had one once, and I'm not afraid of those anymore ...but I am afraid of just nothing being there. I got a lil' panic-y once when I counted to five during my student progression and saw just a center cell above me and I was still falling fast o' course, but it did finish opening nice and pretty albeit SLOW as hell. I said to myself "Canopy, you've got another 3 count and then yer gone"...but it came around. Just nervous that (and I KNOW this is dumb so don't anybody say it )...that I'll cut away a perfectly good one some day and never live it down around the DZ...I know, I know, better to cut a good one then keep a bad one, but I just get embarrassed easily it would be hard for me to look people in the eye again without feeling kinda silly...~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ACMESkydiver 0 #13 December 3, 2003 QuoteAfter studying the information for several jumps it was deteremined that pulse rate spiked at pull time... -Do you think that might have something to do with anticipating the opening shock? Or no? I know I had a hard time holding my arms out right after pull, because the harness I jump is too long and the chest strap snaps up under my throat and chokes me out on deploy...so scared of that my hands instinctively started going to my neck, which tipped me head down, which made it worse... Took me awhile to fix that... But seriously, does that have something to do with other jumpers' anxiety at pull ya think -not the chest strap issue but just the fear of having a real slammer on deploy like Skymama did in November? edited to correct a detail~Jaye Do not believe that possibly you can escape the reward of your action. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Auryn 0 #14 December 3, 2003 QuoteThis doesn't surprise me. I read somewhere about a jumper doing studies that involved jumping with a portable pulse meter device that would record pulse rate vs time. After studying the information for several jumps it was deteremined that pulse rate spiked at pull time... so there may be something to it.. Age I have done this, at about 200 jumps or so. I got almost complete ratings on my heart rate, except for in the A/C.. the device worked on radio signals that were cut off in the A/C but the stronger radios. resting: 69 Suiting up: 130 Walking to the A/C 150 Immediately out the door 177 middle of freefall: 177 After deployment, during snivel, 188. the heart rate was maxed during deployment. D 27808 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freefallfreak 0 #15 December 3, 2003 I had a "slammer" once - a premature in the middle of a track....talking about hurt, wow. My chin touched my chest and a millisecond later my heels touched the back of my head. I felt like a pretzel for a week. But bottom line is, IMO, everyone had a few jitters at some point in time, whether he/she has 1 jump or 10,000 we all experience jitters sometimes. TripleF "Upon seeing the shadow of a pigeon, one must resist the urge to look up." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiles 0 #16 December 3, 2003 aint normal if you aint afeared my heart rate is MAX 50 feet from the ground, after 1030 perfect deployments (maybe 4 haven't been so special) but if anything deployment is time to be absolutely "in tune." I take real special care in every pack job so do not have to fear packing mistake. SMiles Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DickMcMahon 0 #17 December 3, 2003 The scariest part for me is driving to the DZ ... not because of an auto accident, but because I keep asking myself, "Why do I want to jump out of an airplane? This is crazy!" I almost convince myself to turn around and go home. The answer comes on jumprun when I'm at the door. The best part of a skydive for me is that brief moment jumping into nothingness. Luckily, I've had only one cutaway. It was probably a "good" thing because it convinced me that my rigger really DOES put a reserve in there sometimes. But I've got to be honest ... after throwing out the PC, I still say, "Thanks God", each time the main fills with air. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KolibrieLinda 0 #18 December 3, 2003 The most scary moment for me is while preparing for a jump. Once I'm on the plane I completely calm down. Mostly because of the views I suppose. And the jumping out is just pure joy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WrongWay 0 #19 December 3, 2003 Nah, not really. I always had a habit of yelling sweet things to my canopy as it opens, like "Come on baby, you can do it!" or "I love you sweetie, open for daddy!!", my canopy likes that. I bet yours would too. It helps, really, show it you care and it'll save your ass every time. Wrong Way D #27371 Mal Manera Rodriguez Cajun Chicken Ø Hellfish #451 The wiser wolf prevails. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerry81 10 #20 December 3, 2003 Reposted from an old thread; QuoteAnticipraytion That feeling you get between the time you throw your pilot chute and when you (hopefully) actually feel your main parachute pull you up. (by Speedracer) For me, this is the most intense moment of the skydive. It was a bit scary on student ripcord systems when pc hesitations were a daily occurence, but now I feel as if my whole existence narrows down to a single point in time and space when I pitch that piece of fabric into the wind and faithfully wait for the laws of physics to do their job. Naturally, I usually get much more pleasure from freefall and canopy ride/landing, but in a certain way, the deployment is the peak of every jump I make. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
weegegirl 2 #21 December 3, 2003 I think it's pretty normal when you start out. You just have to learn to trust your equipment. Your parachute wants to open... most likely it will. If not, there's always Plan B. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bean 0 #22 December 3, 2003 I can completely relate to the feeling you described. I'm usually asleep or totally relaxed in the plane. Everything slows down for me in freefall and prejump planning and instinct do most of the work. I haven't had gear fear since my first cutaway about 1K jumps ago and I totally trust my packing.... but there is that split second after a wave off when I'm letting go of the pilot chute when I get that feeling of anticipation you described. Hasn't ever changed for me and I don't imagine it will. Interesting enough I get the same feeling with a cord pull when doing tandems. -Biffin Swoo Rodriguez #1020, LawnDart, AR #007 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AggieDave 6 #23 December 3, 2003 Look at it this way, you can't get into a sidespin, since you're not doing tandems, those are fucking scary. This other stuff, don't worry about it, take a deep breath and jump.--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 273 #24 December 3, 2003 Quoteyou can't get into a sidespin, since you're not doing tandems, those are fucking scary. Only the first one is scary. If you've recovered from it once you know you can recover from it again. I'll have to show you my sidespin video someday Dave. Pull time only scares me now when I'm flying the wingsuit, and that's only because I've done so few wingsuit jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tonto 1 #25 December 3, 2003 My moment of greatest fear comes on Sunday afternoon as I put my gear in the boot. (That's trunk to you.) A week of work till my next dive... tIt's the year of the Pig. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites