StearmanR985 0 #1 November 6, 2003 Since I successfully completed my first two tandems over a week ago it was now time to start the AF solos. Wednesday morning, I wake up to a light drizzle of rain, GREAT!! Ed shows up at my house around 9:30am. Time for ground school. A few hours later, my brain is fried and my eyeballs are turning in opposite directions. Weather breaks right on time so we head out to the DZ. We'll be jumping out of a 182, something I am looking forward to but also a little nervous about. There are five of us in the little plane, me, Ed (my JM), Maui (video), Will (pilot) and a Hop 'n Pop dude (forgot his name). H & P jumps out at about 4k or so, pilot pitches plane over so we can watch through the door, very cool. We continue our climb to 11k where it is now our turn. Ed climbs out, Maui climbs out, I climb out (god help me). Then it is check, prop, up, down, jump and arch...don't look down... Hmm, not quite stable, what is going on here (later learned I was potato chipping just a bit). Get the "legs out" signal from Ed, done and stable now, sweet! OK, now what, ah yes, circle of awareness. Then I get the nod from Ed to perform my PRCD's, hey where is that damn thing, come on where are you (fiddling around), get a little help from Ed. Seems the ring got caught in between the bottom of my container and my right "cheek", if you will, so Ed pulled it out for me. Do two more PRCD's no problem. Do COA, and enjoy the rest of the fall. Check over at Ed, hmm, looks a little far away to be holding on to me...Brain kicks in gear, he let go!! And I am still stable, sweet. Oops, here comes an unwanted slow turn to the right (where did that come from) so I push down on the left and put it to a stop. COA again and say hi to Maui. 6k, 5.5k, time to pull!! Wait, don't forget to wave off dummy, then pull!! YAHOO!! Damn it, forgot to do check, check . But, I am under canopy now, so too late for for that. I do the visual on my canopy, looks like it is backwards, no line twist so I figure I must be looney and indeed the canopy is quite fine. Unstow breaks, turn left, turn right, full flare, and all checks out. Find the DZ and check point one and two with no problems. Now it is time to have some fun and enjoy the ride. At about 1.8K I get a little turbulence (bounce, bounce, bounce some more), somewhat nerve racking but kind of fun at the same time Back to the hangar to review the jump and watch the video. Ed says I pass with flying colors! Kind of funny though, the whole time during FF and while under canopy I was doing some hardcore critquing of myself, I should have done this or that better and so on and so forth. Ed reassures me that I did quite well. Thanks again Ed, I needed that. Can't wait to go up again!!!! I hope some of you people out there are willing to tolerate a newbie soon. I am looking forward to jumping with others after I am released from student status. Thanks for listening to me rample on, Jeffrey Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bodypilot1 0 #2 November 6, 2003 As I told you Jeff. For the first time being in the air with your own rig on, you did a 9.5 on a scale of 10. You made it easy. Edwww.WestCoastWingsuits.com www.PrecisionSkydiving.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lioness 0 #3 November 7, 2003 Sounds like your doing a great job! I'm a newbie at Lodi myself. Oh no Will was flying!! Watch out for that guy! hehehe j/k Maui is the best! But I'm biased. Glad to hear your enjoying yourself... hope to see ya out there someday soon. I'm praying for some clear skies and a break in the rain this weekend... need my jump fix bad!______________________________________ Be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StearmanR985 0 #4 November 7, 2003 Will, he is an aggressive pilot, very fun to ride with him though. I know what you mean about the weather. I would like to move on to my next two AF's. I have been watching three different weather sites, none of which are reporting good news for the weekend. Then again, none of these sites have been known for their accuracy as of late.. If the sun comes out I will stop by, perhaps we will have an opportunity to meet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
