Question for the experienced ones.

[jessefs 0]

I just wanted to ask the jumpers who have been around awhile how common it is to see newbies after their first jump up to their A license be soooo excited and driven, living in a new world eventually fizzle out and dry up. Seems to me like it is the vast majority. Maybe it is due to time/money/commitment?? What are your thoughts?

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[billvon 3,114]

>I just wanted to ask the jumpers who have been around awhile how
> common it is to see newbies after their first jump up to their A
> license be soooo excited and driven, living in a new world eventually
> fizzle out and dry up.

I think that's normal. Most of us start out desperately wanting to jump, excited about everything. As time passes and we get more and more jumps we're more able to sit out a jump when circumstances demand, to delay doing new things until we're ready, and to look at the sport with a larger (and calmer) perspective. Sometimes that larger perspective is "hey, this isn't so important to me," and they jump less (or give it up.) Sometimes it's "hey, my thing is 4-way, I'll hold off on freefly for a little while" and that's OK too. To each his own.

[ernokaikkonen 0]

At my DZ it seems that about 5-8% of people on the FJC continue in the sport. Why? I think for most people skydiving is "something I always wanted to do", and now matter how excited they are after their first few jumps, it's just that. "Something I always wanted to do". Now they've done it. No reason to go on.

Another thing, it's not the first jump that scares the most. Usually not even the second, but somewhere around jump #5 people really realize what they are doing, and ask themselves "What the hell am I doing?". For some, it just gets too scary. Some don't think it's worth the risk.

I had a very similar experience two years ago, when I jumped my first(and sofar the only one) BASE-jump off exit#7 at Kjerag. The feeling was simply unbelieveable. But it just seemed that if I went up there again, for another jump, I'd be hooked for life. Knowing the fact that BASE-jumping is extremely dangerous, I didn't want to do it again. And at the same time, I did want to. I'm still undecided on whether or not I should do another one someday...

The point being, most people are just too sensible to keep on skydiving.
Erno

[pilotdave 0]

I can't say I've been around too long, but I'm the president of a collegiate skydiving club so I've helped a lot of people give skydiving a try. I've seen lots of people make a first jump and get really excited about the sport, then kinda disappear. I've had plenty of people tell me they can't wait to jump again and will make any sacrifice to be able to do it, but they get convinced by family, friends, and their wallets that it was a silly thing to do. My club has probably brought a couple hundred people for their first jump, and maybe 10 people have actually gotten their licenses and continued with the sport. A few more have gone through most of, or even all of AFF before quitting.

I think the cost is the biggest reason people quit. It's hard to justify spending all that money on student jumps only to know you'll need to spend a whole lot more on gear not too much later. It seems like you can tell if someone will stick with the sport pretty quickly. They come back for more as soon as possible, and keep coming back frequently. The ones that say "can't wait to do it again, see ya in a couple months" aren't coming back even if they think they are.

Dave

[Deuce 1]

I'm really proud of any person who skydives. Most of them are terrified of all or part of the process.

It's nice to know you can confront a phobia, but it's uncomfortable to confront them every weekend.

I'm glad I bungee jumped, but I don't intend to do it again. It was real exciting at the time.

And for lots of people the question is "this year: 200 jumps for $3600 or a week at Club Med?"

[freeflir29 0]

Well...I have about 250 jumps now and have been in the sport since May 2000. I have had LOTS of bills lately and the bank account is screaming. I have about half the amount of money available that I did 1 month ago and all I see right now is more and more money going out. So, I have been doing some pretty hard thinking lately and I'm going to do one of two things. In the short term I'm going to cut back on the jump numbers a bit. I bought a new canopy and put about 100 or more jumps on it since May. A little longer term....I'm going to sink MORE money into skydiving. I know that makes no sense at first but listen up. I have been jumping with a video camera for about 50 some jumps now. Very comfortable with it. I have done several tandem videos for friends or just practicing. I have that down pretty good now. Just need to do a few brush up jumps with a ring sight and I'll be good. So, that leaves me in need of 3 things. A ring sight, a 35 MM still camera, and a camera suit. A mixing board would also help but I can put that off for a little while. If I go bargain basement I can get all that stuff for somwhere around $300-400. Then...I can start doing some videos and making my money back. In a matter of a month or two all that new stuff is paid for and I can start putting some money in my pocket from time to time. So...skydiving for me is both a problem ....and it's own solution.