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vonSanta

Skydiving is getting fun now :) (longish)

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Started off in 2000 with static line program - was scared shiteless every time I went up in a plane and sorta took a break after doing 15 jumps, even though I got some freefall time. The jumps were fun but the preparation and ride up terrible, My sister, being more courageous, moved on and got a certificate and whatnot and eventually poked me enough to get me started again a good three years later. By this time of course she pretty much kicked arse with regards to skydiving, at least to my mind.

Only this time I did only one static line jump before moving over to AFF. And, I've been semi-white with apprehension and whatnot from the start, but there appears to be a transition from thinking about 'this might be the last day I live' to 'don't f@rk up the exit'.

Had my 6th AFF jump today, and it was AFF level 6.
The fear had started to subside and looking down on the ground didn't make me want to hit the pilot hard on the head with a frozen chicken for letting me on the plane and my instructor with a small nuclear device for a) encouraging me to go up and b) smiling/sleeping/generally being totally relaxed in the plane. I still get a little more nervous when the door opens, but it's manageable. Nowadays I even ask if I can spot with those strange people who seem to enjoy the whole deal.

Anyway, it started getting fun after I got to do some turns on my own . to experience that *I* was in control of things. Being in control by myself opened my eyes somehow. I've since seen the video of my level 5 jump and true enough, I have a big grin all the way through.

Now with level 6 succesfulyl completed behind me, I begin to feel this...yearning. I was doing backloops and laughing. Had plenty of time after doing three of 'um, so I decided to play follow the leader with my instructor for a while, turning to face him and generally ignoring his signals for 'do another!' and focusing on grinning very widely for some stupid reason.

Then I tried out tracking when I noticed I was at around 6000 feet. Wooh, that is FUN. I've always wanted to fly a WWII plane; now I can be one. And bloody 'ell; looks good on video too!

It's just amazingly FUN. Like distilled life. It's uncomplicated, there's no hidden agenda, it's the kind of fun I had as a child. All pretenses are stripped away. There's no awkward 'social rules' and you don't have to pretend to be interested or whatever like in most other situations in life. Everyone is just having fun and it is clear that it is *genuine* fun, not forced in any way.

Sure, before every skydive I'm nervous - perhaps a lot of it is performance anxiety - remembering the program, worrying about the exit, don't screw up etc. But once out there in the air I cannot stop grinning. My mouth get all dried up and my saliva production gets set back a couple of years. I probably shouldn't be grinning after 'practising forward movement' and overdoing it so much that my instructor has to duck beneath me as I come charging forward like a freighttrain with little thought about actually slowing down. Oh, I thought about slowing down AFTER I passed above him. And the burble above himwas VERY interesting to experience first hand. And turning around to face him again. But I was still grinning. Heh.

It is very possible I've found that missing thing - that item everyone needs. Something to feel passionate about, something that generates genuine excitement, something to look forward to. During and after a skydive, hell, the whole time spent at the dropzone, well during that time all other problems just seem to melt away.

And the people I've been around have been very non judgemental, open, humorous, helpful and beer afficionados. My kind of people. I could find a home in this environment.

Oh yay, got my first skydive outta a big plane. An Antononv-28 or somesuch - room for 18 skydivers with a big door. Previously all I'd done was Cessna-182's and -206's. Ooh, and <200 sqft chute too, which was a hoot. Got a bit fast for my taste after 3 360s in a row so I didn't do more this time around, but will see how fast it can go next time, since I have plenty of altitude to toy with

On my very first skydive after returning to the sport, I was guided down by someone who dinnae take into account my light weight and the strong winds and I ended up in a tree, roughly three yards from the club house with 40 people watching/laughing. Great embarrasment and for a while I thought the sport just wasn't for me.

Perhaps, maybe, possibly, that thought was totally, utterly and completely wrong.

Level 7 jump on Saturday. The rules here say that you need 40 jumps to get certified. But, they also say that after completion of Level 7, and after some spotting, you can do whatever you want as long as there's an Instructor I at the dz. Then jump 38-40 you do the qualification jumps.

So who knows, perhaps on Saturday I'll be out there, free to laugh and play and do whatever I want. Like that backloop with a full twist I did accident...err, on purpose.

Yah, know I am rambling and I must ask the more seasoned people here to bear with me.. It's as if I am on drugs. Feel sooo good right now and am looking forward to saturday. Today I hung around all day waiting for the wind to lessen so I could jump. Sunset lift - not enough skydivers to fill the Antonov. So we paid a little extra and went anyway. I'm ready to do that any day.

Oh man. I've been blind and now have sight.

Wonder where the money to buy a rig will come from.

Toodlepipski :)

Santa Von GrossenArsch
I only come in one flavour
ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

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Ah, you also get the nervous yet IWANNADOTHIS feeling?

Thought I was the only one, as everyone else appear so relaxed.

And thanks for the welcome chaps :).

Wish I could go skydiving today, but I got two 18h work days ahead of me - that's what I get for staying at the DZ instead of working. Well worth it though.

And aye, it is FM Blahr :D

Santa Von GrossenArsch
I only come in one flavour
ohwaitthatcanbemisunderst

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