RoysPlayThing 0 #1 December 27, 2004 ...That doing some tunnel time even before AFF can help me when it comes time to be in the air... But then I've heard people say that the tunnel is a tool to better yourself when you are already a skydiver... In your opinion, do you think it Will benefit me to do tunnel time before AFF, or will it just give me a false sense of a real skydive....Is the tunnel just a great tool for those who already skydive?_______________________________________________ My mind is like a parachute...it functions only when open. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fab 0 #2 December 27, 2004 Well..you don't really need a tunnel with 777777 jumps in your logbook .. Getting some tunneltime is great...regardless if you have jumped from an airplane or not. I think you will be much more relaxed on your first AFF-jump if you know you can fall stable at one-point (not moving forward/turning etc). You can practise turns in the tunnel too...It will only make you go through AFF more easily. Have fun _______________________________________ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kneal 0 #3 December 27, 2004 I use the tunnel, when I can travel, between my jump saeson to stay current. I live in the Tundra. I feel it has helped me advance at an accelerated rate, atleast that's what my jump master said.. I guess it's a choice you need to make.... You aren't turning yet, with 7777 jumps? you are kidding! "Don't waste the pretty"! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #4 December 27, 2004 Tunnel training prior to AFF will help you immensely. You will learn skills like: -a comfortable free fall body position -leg awareness -how to stay in one place -how to deploy a (imaginary) parachute from a stable body postion -how to fall faster and slower -how to move forward and backward -how to make controlled turnsArrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #5 December 27, 2004 At an Airspeed camp I went to there was a guy with 2-3 jumps. First day he could hardly get in the tunnel second day he was doing everything including knee turns! His instructors didn't even know that he was going! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
djmarvin 2 #6 December 27, 2004 In early 2000 I watched about 8 Brits hit the tunnel before AFF (no real choice, bad weather) Each had about 15 minutes in the tunnel and all but 1 flew through AFF. Since then the DZ I work at had a tunnel for a few months. I worked with one gal from manifest in the tunnel for awhile. (not sure how much time she got in total, but my guess would be around 45 minutes) She did great through AFF afterwards. I also worked with about a dozne students in the tunnel (during their FJC) prior to their first jump and most of them stood out from the typical first jump student. Does it help? Not everybody, but yes. Does it hurt. I believe it doesn't in my limited experience of utilizing the tunnel as a training aid. Take this for what its worth and good luck with your AFF. DJ Marvin AFF I/E, Coach/E, USPA/UPT Tandem I/E http://www.theratingscenter.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelpdiver 2 #7 December 27, 2004 Quote In your opinion, do you think it Will benefit me to do tunnel time before AFF, or will it just give me a false sense of a real skydive....Is the tunnel just a great tool for those who already skydive? It won't prepare you for the adrenaline factor of actual ground below you, but it definitely will make your first release (aff3 ish) less "exciting", and you can do lots of (shoulder fatiguing) practice pulls as well. I failed L3 because I got tense and went butt high at pull time. But how much trouble will it be for you to go to Perris and spend $$ on it? And will you do the jumps there, or come back (immediately?) to Byron? It can't hurt, but it can be more or less useful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #8 December 27, 2004 It will help, yes. Be safe Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RoysPlayThing 0 #9 December 27, 2004 Thank you everybody for your help. _______________________________________________ My mind is like a parachute...it functions only when open. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dumpster 0 #10 December 28, 2004 Well let me tell ya this - My daughter Sarah, had an hour in the tunnel before going through AFF. In the meantime, I earned my Coach rating. So I take Sarah up on some coach jumps after she graduates AFF. She's flying great. And of course I go up with some other AFF grads who have NO tunnel time. I gotta REALLY work with these guys. BIG difference. Sarah flies like some one with 50- 75 jumps when she was just off AFF. I think the tunnel time is a big plus. There is still alot to learn, but still a big plus. Sarah had the added benefit of being around the DZ and learning alot there, too. Easy Does It Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyangel2 2 #11 December 28, 2004 Mailin (Jennifer) put in a few hours a couple of months ago. When she first go into the tunnel, she wasn't doing well. By the end of the weekend, my friend, who was our coach, said he would take her up and do a level four with her. In about ten days, Jen and I are flying to Florida for her to do her AFF training and jumps. We will be sure to PM you, if we have internet, daily and let you know how Jen is doing. Or, you could PM me or Mailin your phone number, and we'll be glad to keep you posted. I foresee Jen doing an outstanding job. By the time we were done with our tunnel time, she was doing two ways with Olaf, the tunnel coach.May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. - Edward Abbey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanillaSkyGirl 6 #12 December 29, 2004 I thought that you had already flown in the tunnel in Orlando, Lany. Are you thinking of doing more tunnel time, or are you hoping/trying to go through AFF? There is nothing like an actual jump, although tunnel time does benefit anyone's skills. When I went into the tunnel for the first time, I had 100 jumps. Even at such low jump numbers, I had some pretty good skills (for my jump numbers, anyway) since I had learned the mantis at jump #32 in the sky. I was able to build on what I already knew pretty quickly, so I am really glad that my first tunnel experience was when I already had something to work with. Edited: Keep us posted as to what you are doing with AFF, Lany. Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
timbarrett 0 #13 December 30, 2004 pre-tunnel - 8 jumps repeating basic AFF levels - really ugly stuff.. post-tunnel - A licence in minimum jumps required - so i reckon good value for money but....my spotting needs work, my tracking needs work and my landings need work... do it..."Work hard, play hard and don't whinge" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Superman32 0 #14 December 31, 2004 The tunnel sounds great but it missing that thing..... what you call it...... that big thing accelelerating towards your face.... Oh yeah, THE GROUND Inveniam Viam aut Faciam I'm back biatches! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites