first solo dive after aff

[heavydude 0]

Just did this myself a few months back; did a nice stable exit in my favorite floating position, good arch, did a practise touch( I do em every jump, makes me feel better) deployed w/ wave off at 5500.
Did two more jumps same day repeating the same but w/ turns and tracking thrown in, repeating AFF type skills. Several weeks later I took the packing class also, this at first is harder than jumping, but am comfortable with it now at 20+ jumps.

[WILDBILLAQR 0]

JUST F**K PULL!!!!!
BTW HAVE FUN!!

----------------------------------------------
"Thats not smoke, thats BUCKEYE!!"
AQR#3,CWR#49

[Stevetaylor 0]

Just a few cents worth from a hopelessly flailing newbie who started jumping on the older side of 40. (g)

My first solo after AFF was a hop n pop. It was a bit unnerving exiting the plane at the point I was used to deploying (4500'). I was in such a rush to get nylon overhead...well let's just say that it wasn't the prettiest jump in history. I started going head down a bit on exit (early exit stability problems still lurking around). Had I waited 3-5 seconds, I would have been fine. But... rached back and grabbed the pilot and deployed.

Er...forgot to bring my left hand in for stability, so As I deployed I flipped over onto my back. It's quite unnerving to see the lines going out in front of you (back to earth), and away past your legs (45 deg head down). As I saw the lines reach stretch, I though to my self "Shit! This is gonna hurt". I was flipped onto by belly again, and had a rather "crisp" swing upder canopy.

Given the "position" that I deployed in , no wonder there were line twists. But was able to kick out of them without too much problem. But on my first solo, seeing the line twists, my first thought was "where the hell is my cutaway handle"... My second thought was my instructor telling me that "line twists are really just a nusiance that you can get out of", especially jumping a 260 canopy at about a 0.7:1 loading...

The experienced jumper who was sitting next to me and watched by fiasco just shook his head and smiled at me on the ground. But in the essence that even the worst fuck-up while jumping still has lessons to be learned, one of the packers told me "See, even when in less than perfect position, the canopy still 'wants' to deploy".

Oh, and still flared too high and too hard... but got some practice on my PLF (grin). I did so many of those that one instructor actually wanted to video me "landing" to show students how a PLF in done. Somewhat of a left-handed compliment.

Other than sharing my first jump off of AFF, any "advice" that I could give would be inappropriate, foolhardy, or downright dangerous coming from someone who had had 50 jumps in 2 years.

Steve

The definition of insanity is to keep doing things the same way, but then to expect different results. -Einstein

[Goody_23 0]

Congrats for getting this far...Make obtainable goals. Talk with your instructors and lean something new.

But most of all, have a great time!

SKYDIVING = HAPPY

[blackout 0]

My first solo jump, I focused on a nice exit, followed by a nice stable relaxed fall and maybe a few turns to check out the view that I had never really seen before because I was so focused on my instructor and accomplishing my tasks. It was a most peaceful jump. after doing coach jumps, I apply those ideas on my solo jumps just to practice. Only 10 jumps from my A!!!