Second selfdeployment

[jaaska 0]

Soo... My first time posting here.

I just started skydiving (well until sunday I should have called it parachuting ) a month a go or so. I've progressed in S/L-program to the point where I get to jump w/o the static line.

My practice pulls went well and last sunday I did my first selfdeployment jump. Arching and getting the delta right has not been a problem, so far. Boy I was nervous. So off I went from C206 and then I experienced something that happened to me only on first ever jump - a black out (not really passing out or anything) for a 2 seconds or so.

I was supposed to do

101 (delta)
102 (looking towards the ripcord)
103 PULL with my right hand while left hand touches my helmet. -> back to arching 101-102...

WHAT HAPPENED was:

101 (well formed delta)
BLACK OUT
around 102-3 I noticed that I had totally de-arched (according to my jump master I was close to a sitting positin with my back and butt towards the ground) and my both hands were on the rip cord.

Somehow I did not freak out. I made myself NOT to pull on that position, got back to delta and waited until I was stable, then I pulled. The most weirdest thing was that I felt peacfull after I noticed the de-arched position.

3'' freefall was closer to 6'' or so.

First thing my jumpmasted asked was: "What happened? Why did you not do it the way you did on your last practice pull earlier today?"

I could not answer him. He said that since I got myself back to stable position before the pull I would not have to go back to the static line.

Now, the weather looks really nice today (a bit cold, but hey, it's Finland!) and I'm going to the dropzone after an exam I'm taking (yeah baby English to Finnish translation). I could not care less for the exam, but I feel quite nervous about my second selfdeployment. I only can hope that the "blackout" was similar as on my #1 jump and would not bother me this time since it's my 2nd S-D (#10 in all). I'm redoing my first S-D jump since it was not 3'' and because the circus tricks I've described.

I still feel very scared everytime I get into the plane and especially when I get to the door and wait for the GO... After I'm out, I feel wonderful...

So, you oldies who did the S/L-progression:
How was your first self-deployment? How long it took until you did not feel almost physically sick when getting ready to jump?

Jaakko

[skreamer 1]

Sounds to me like what you went through was more sensory overload than it was a 'black-out'. With time (and more jumps) this will grow less and less until you feel confident and are more 'awake' throughout the exit. Considering how few jumps you have it sounds like you did well and fixed your problem (just remember : pull, pull at correct altitude, pull when stable - in that order).

Good luck with the rejump!
Will

[nacmacfeegle 0]

Firstly welcome to the forum.

If your 'blackout' means you can't remember what happened, then we call it sensory overload, which is quite common.
If 'Blackout' means you actually lost conscious, then its something a little more serious.

Okay, assuming it was the better type of 'blackout' and you simply can't remember...stick with it, the 'blackout' periods get shorter as your confidence grows.

As for being sick with fear, well all I can say is fear is good, fear can keep you alive when over confidence can kill you. You will become more comfortable as you progress, I was 'scared' a lot doing S/L, and subsequent progression, I took about 30 jumps to overcome the fear.

I still get scared sometimes, mostly when I see things where people could get hurt, near misses etc.

On ething that might help you is to fully discuss your fear with the instructors, they are used to dealing with this sort of thing.

There will a whole heap of posts to follow this, once the US wakes up, and everyone will offer all sorts of tips and advice.

Bea in mind that skydiving may not be for everyone, at the end f the day, if you are not enjoying yourself, find out what is terrorising you and deal with it, or try something else, its supposed to be fun.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[lauril 0]

  Quote

Soo... My first time posting here.

Did I hear a word 'first' ? Or was it just the time before the second ? Take some beer with you when you come to the DZ today..

First time I see a fellow jumper around here.. (first ? did I say that out loud ? oops...)

Nice weather today ! So see ya at the dropzone in a couple of hours...you're gonna be fine with that jump, just arch hard and do your thing

[bobsoutar 0]

Felt s**t scared until I got comfortable with 10 second delays and much happier on 20 seconds. Messed up my first freefall and finally got off the S/L for good after 14 jumps. Would have progressed faster if I had done a tandem - to experience what everything felt like before going onto freefall progression.
Hope your blacking out isn't a medical problem. Might be worth seeing a doctor to make sure! Blooos - Bob.

[Kirils 1]

I think just about everyone has experienced sensory-overload as a newbie. It's just part of getting used to thinking at 100+ mph. Reherse everything on the ground, meditate in the plane ride to altitude.
Practice and know your gear checks and emergency procedures, breath deep and most importantly don't forget to savor the jump and have fun.
I wish you the best, you're in the most exciting sport on earth!

[jaaska 0]

Sensory overload was the term I was looking for...
Well, my examn went, grhm, not so well but the weather is really nice, so most likely my second attempt will be done in a couple of hours or so - keep your fingers crossed!

Blue skies,

Jaakko

[Hooknswoop 19]

  Quote

I made myself NOT to pull on that position, got back to delta and waited until I was stable, then I pulled.

Pull Priorities

Priority #1 Deploy
Priority #2 Deploy at assigned altitude
Priority #3 Deploy while stable

Hook

[cobaltdan 0]

i have a strong fear of heights. i can bearly climb a ladder (sometimes not...its making my A in base a bitch) anyway when i started jumping i also had visual black outs. i always pulled but as an exercise my instructors told me to try and read the tag numbers on the bottom of the plane after exit. it took about 20-30 jumps before i could....each jump your window of perception will expand , you will see and remember more and more until seconds in the air expand to feel like minutes.

stick with it !!!

and dont worry about being afraid. it just keeps you safe and ensures a bigger adrenalin rush !!!

sincerely,

dan<><>
www.extremefly.com

Daniel Preston <><>
atairaerodynamics.com (sport)
atairaerospace.com (military)

[jaaska 0]

My second attempt was a success.

Basically I just kept on thinking the right procedure during the lift and did couple of mental exercises and it worked out just fine.
Blue Skies!

Jaakko

[PhillyKev 0]

What Dan is saying about the window of awareness is dead on. I remember starting out and not being aware of anything except my instructor or coach. Then when I started doing solos starting noticing the horizon. Then later I would notice between the horizon and my immediate area. Not until 50 jumps or so was I able to actually seek out and find other groups who exited before or after me. Now I catch that stuff in my peripheral vision when I'm not even looking at it. It's all time and experience. Don't sweat it.

[riggerrob 643]

A few seconds of sensory overload is normal during your first few jumps.
Fear is also normal. As you progress, fear levels will decline, but fear should never disappear. On later jumps you will learn to focus fear on reviewing the dive, checking buckles, checking the spot, checking altitude, etc. Eventually you find yourself so busy checking things that you will not have any time left over for fear.

[masher 1]

I had my pre-second sensory overload about 5 jumps ago. My instructors put me on a dive exit because I was (am) having trouble exiting stable.

Dive exit out of the Islander at 6000. I can remember the count out, in, but not the dive bit. The next thing I know, I'm at 4500 in a box position, falling straight down, not spinning and watching my instructor going around me.

Apparantly I did all the things I was supposed to do (dive, arch, delta, arch), I just can't remember it.

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[markbaur 0]

  Quote

Pull Priorities

Priority #1 Deploy
Priority #2 Deploy at assigned altitude
Priority #3 Deploy while stable

The unintended consequence of these pull priorities is an association between pulling and stability. Many students who can correctly recite the 3 pull priorities will in the next breath tell you that if they are unstable at pull time, they'll arch to get stable, then pull.

How about this pull priority: If you are at or below pull altitude, pull.

Mark

[masher 1]

I had an interesting experience once. One of our briefs is if we get unstable and can't get stable then we pull.

This resulted in a back-to-earth, head down deployment. I got to see my d bag go through my legs, and I thought 'whoops'. I got swung through my risers and managed to cut my chin open on something. After that it was fairly uneventful...

--
Arching is overrated - Marlies

[riggerrob 643]

masher,
Your unstable opening reminds me of my student days.
On one of my early freefalls, I had a hard pull on my 4-pin ripcord. I was pretty unstable when I yanked on the ripcord for the fourth time, with both hands. I did a front loop through the risers during opening shock. My moustache tried to stop a connector link. The military surplus L-bar connector link did not want to stop. I spent the evening at the local doctor's office getting my upper lip sewn back together.
And people wonder why Canadian DZs converted to hand deploys for students almost 20 years ago!

[Hooknswoop 19]

  Quote

Pull Priorities

Priority #1 Deploy
Priority #2 Deploy at assigned altitude
Priority #3 Deploy while stable

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The unintended consequence of these pull priorities is an association between pulling and stability. Many students who can correctly recite the 3 pull priorities will in the next breath tell you that if they are unstable at pull time, they'll arch to get stable, then pull.

How about this pull priority: If you are at or below pull altitude, pull.

I see your point and it makes sense. I do feel that it necessary to address pulling on time regardless of stability.

How about: If you are at or below pull altitude, pull, regardless of attitude(orientation)? or: pull, even if you are not belly-to-earth.

Hook

[billvon 3,085]

>How about: If you are at or below pull altitude, pull, regardless of attitude(orientation)?

Same problem, I think. By emphasizing altitude, a student might start making efforts to determine his altitude even if he feels he is low, so he won't 'screw up.' I think the original priorities work as long as they are explained well i.e. an I explains why they are in that order.

[fred 0]

  Quote

>How about: If you are at or below pull altitude, pull, regardless of attitude(orientation)?

Same problem, I think. By emphasizing altitude, a student might start making efforts to determine his altitude even if he feels he is low, so he won't 'screw up.' I think the original priorities work as long as they are explained well i.e. an I explains why they are in that order.

Must say, I'm with markbaur here. The "Pull, Pull at altititude, pull stable" mneumonic needs to be retired. I'm a generally smart guy, and I didn't understand it until I discussed it on this board. The idea is fine, and, imo, absolutely correct, but two students it's too close to: "3 criteria you need to get a good parachute" instead of "this is the order of importance."