When did you start Free Flying

[hkf 0]

What are peoples thoughts on when it is a good time to start freeflying. I see a lot of people with way under 100 jumps wanting to start, and personally think it is way to soon.
I started at just over 200 jumps, and whilst my head up is now very good, I feel I am not so good on my belly as I didn't really consolidate what I learned in Skydive u before moving on.

[Chrisky 2]

Well, i started at like 130- 150 with my first solo sit-tries. Then i went to a boogie with some buddies, did 30 jumps in a week and had a pretty solid (yet extendable) sit. Now like 200 Jumps later, head-up is rock solid and i've been trying getting into solid&controlled HD for like 50-60 jumps, and progress is slooooooow...

I share your opinion that people should train their belly skills first to a degree where one can rely on them beeing able to hold level, track and have a general sense for where people are around them. This "Radar" is more easily buildt on "slower", 2D dives while increasing the number of people around...
Of course, proper separation procedures need to be learned prior to any multi-way, be it FF or RW!

The 7 P's:
Proper planning and preparation prevent piss poor performance!

The mind is like a parachute - it only works once it's open.
From the edge you just see more.
... Not every Swooper hooks & not every Hooker swoops ...

[AggieDave 6]

I started on jump 36. I kinda regret that since I've since had to spend time on my RW skills to get them even to a marginal level.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[ianmdrennan 2]

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I share your opinion that people should train their belly skills first to a degree where one can rely on them beeing able to hold level, track and have a general sense for where people are around them. This "Radar" is more easily buildt on "slower", 2D dives while increasing the number of people around...

Amen. The exact reason I try and discourage freeflying with low jump numbers. It's not that I don't think the person can't learn to FF without flatflying, but rather that they learn to spot bad situations at slower speeds (hopefully) and hone their "Radar skills" as you put it.

Of course, some think we're trying to ruin their fun, but I guess there'll always be those.

Blue skies
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[selbbub78 0]

started WAY TOO EARLY!!!!!! Attempted my first sit, before i even had my A license (i got that at jump 20)... Although every once in a while I do throw in a RW jump here or there, RW is So important to know, and learn. Although, I do Love freeflying

"Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone
"The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote)
"The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM

[hookitt 1]

13 years ago on jump number 8 I tried my first stand up. I saw a picture of some guy in bare feet witha belly mounted camera standing in the clouds. I liked the picture so much I had to try it. Coincidently, I met the guy 5 years later and he was my boss for the next several years.

Basically I started freestyle and such immeadiatly after AFF.

My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto

[Taz 0]

My first sitfly attempt was on jump #31. It was a three-way with my then-boss (who had as few jumps as me) and Roger Nelson. I beetled it, legs and arms waving the whole way down. As soon as I figured out that freeflying didn't require me to wear 100 million pounds of weights just to fall like a "normal person", I was hooked. I wished I had found a way to do some more flat flying, and every now and then I go out for some 2-way. Still, just got really tired of hearing that I'm too small to keep up... hookitt was the only one who could stay with me during AFF without the equivalent of a piano and three large cows hooked to my waist

It's the Year of the Dragon.

[lazyfrog 0]

around jump 65...

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Fumer tue, péter pue
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ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579

[SurfFlite 0]

My 1st sit was jump 8 after I passed AFF. I went out with my AFF instructors. I did nothing but sitflying for maybe 40 jumps. I think my 1st attempt at head down was around jump 75. Not as easy as a sit. Now, several hundred jumps later I still am not a skygod (thank god) but I feel comfortable going out of with groups up to 10. I think I have maybe 15 RW jumps total. I just don't see the joy in belly flying. Between the dirt diving and the ride up concentrating on your "routine" and the debriefing after the dive, it just seems like too much to do just for 1 jump. Even though I have seen an increase in FF dirt dives with some of the bigger ways. But it just seems more layed back to FF.

Kerry

[lazyfrog 0]

FF is cool, I do (or try) mainly that. But RW can be fun, gives you a goal to do special things. But I prefer bigger ways with less points. I'm really bad at remembering points...

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Fumer tue, péter pue
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ourson #10, Mosquito Uno, CBT 579

[grega 0]

I started learning how to sit, when i had around 30 jumps. but i was learning RW at the same time too.

"George just lucky i guess!"

[Caseadilla 0]

Jump 28 I think, been freeflying ever since. I kinda wish I had done a little more rw at first just for the sake of being able to coach and instruct. I have been doing more belly flying my past 100 jumps or so and it seems I've gotten better at it from freeflying all the time. What I mean is that my RW skills have progressed with out doing much it. But relative work is just flying relative to other people wo I guess I have been doing it. peace
Case

[alanab 0]

sit fly level 17 and 18 of my aff program got me hooked!!

[Newbie 0]

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What are peoples thoughts on when it is a good time to start freeflying. I see a lot of people with way under 100 jumps wanting to start, and personally think it is way to soon.
I started at just over 200 jumps, and whilst my head up is now very good, I feel I am not so good on my belly as I didn't really consolidate what I learned in Skydive u before moving on.

i started just after 100, which was about right for me. It comes down to how perceptive and controlled the indivdual can be, but having said that for MOST people, starting to freefly with sub 50 jumps seems pretty crazy to me. At that level most of us are (or should be) still coming to grips with jumping out of a plane, feeling the wind and working it, and also working with others in the air and working on essential survival skills like max tracking, separation and canopy piloting. Quite how someone thinks that it's appropriate to be trying hd at this level is lost on me, but there you go. When i have a ff'er who i know has low jump numbers (overall jumps, not necessarily low ff jumps) and is before or after me on the load, it scares me more than the jump itself.

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[hkf 0]

You've hit the nail on the head as far as I'm concerned, and your answer is the exact reason I posted the question

[doublespock 0]

I share your opinion that people should train their belly skills first to a degree where one can rely on them beeing able to hold level, track and have a general sense for where people are around them. This "Radar" is more easily buildt on "slower", 2D dives while increasing the number of people around...
Of course, proper separation procedures need to be learned prior to any multi-way, be it FF or RW!



I agree. Although I started freflying right after AFF. Im sure on my 1st solo dive I was trying to sit at some point. Actually, my 100th or 200th dive I think was a HD coaching type thing. But...........

On somewhere around 40-50 jumps I went sitflying with an experienced Head down flyer. Everything was fun and cool while i was trying to sit in an RW suit. Untill at about 4500 ft when my friend broke off, I figured it was was too fun to stop. Seeing him tracking away did not click in my mind what was going on.

Next think you know Im low, I pull my main but my FXC on the student rig fired at 1500ft. I had a fully inflated main with my reserve pilot chute trailing behind me. I land a 288 sf canopy at the same time as my friend on a 98 or something. I was lucky I didnt have a two out situatution. Maybe one togle turn could have dumped my reserve out of the pack tray.

Its real easy to loose alti awareness at those speeds, esspecially when you spend the whole dive looking up at the sky and not the ground. Typically new jumpers just off status dont have dytters let alone a real sense of alti awareness. Even if you cant make a 8pt 4way, by 100 jumps you've learned some of those basic skydiving survival skills.

Everyone will adapt differently, some will be ready before others. I think that a good 100 jumps belly to earth, before venturing into back and sit flying, will only make you a better freeflyer.

[Taz 0]

I'm tempted to agree on general principle, even as someone who started freeflying at 35 jumps. I had a low pull before jump #50 because of losing alti awareness (nothing too hectic, just ground rush and a reality check). Where I jump now, you're required to wear a hard helmet and audible for freeflying. I think that's a good idea. Wish someone had twisted my arm to get an audible when I started.

That said, I got uninterested in RW very fast because of my weight (105lbs soaking wet). With low jump numbers and therefore a rig that was already pretty big for my frame, being piled with huge amounts of weight didn't help me to feel comfortable in the sky. It just made me look like a tortoise with a big shell dragging myself to boarding point. Not to mention the weights on my chest striving for the center of the earth on every landing, dragging me with. So for me, freeflying was an easier way to jump with others in a way that felt natural, instead of constantly being told I was "too small" to fly with other people.

It's the Year of the Dragon.

[jazzjumper 0]

I started attempting sits at around 75 jumps or so, but I still spent at least 3/4 time on my belly. Now I've got a rock solid sit and stand, I'm still a respectable belly flyer (460+jumps). Next year starts head down (with a start in the Sky Venture Tunnel.)

You can start any type of skydiving at any level. Just remember that the foundations built now will support you through the rest of your skydiving career.

Since you (usually) pull from the belly position, it only makes sense that it should be the most stable and easy to get to position in your toolkit in the worst situation. My philosophy was to start with a sit, and when I could dock at will, fly fast and slow, I would move to a stand (which I did.) That is pretty much under control as well, so it's time to get inverted. Since my sit and stand are good, if I get wobbly, I can transition without screwing up the fall rate (i.e. corking).

Be safe...

No matter how good she looks, someone, somewhere is
sick of her shit!

[kansasskydiver 0]

my first freefly jump was a sitfly train. i have 62 jumps

<--- See look, pink dolphins DO exist!

[goose491 0]

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What are peoples thoughts on when it is a good time to start freeflying. I see a lot of people with way under 100 jumps wanting to start, and personally think it is way to soon.

Any elaboration as to why? I mean, if you're not ready to fly in a big-way, that's one thing... but to decide "I want to fall in sit/HD, I'm gonna start working on that solo."... why not?

I started sitting at Jump # 28.

Nick

My Karma ran over my Dogma!!!

[blueshrew 0]

Jump # 11, by #16 I had a solid sit, though no moving around, but my b/f is/was a long time ff instructor. my first jump with anyone else was at #80 or so.
I see your point in having people get automatic on their basic skills first, mainly to always pull at the right altitude and not lose awareness, but people learn differently, and belly is not for everyone.

[ianmdrennan 2]

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and belly is not for everyone.

Neither is buying the smallest canopies, but people don't wanna fly the bigger ones first. Same mentality with FF/flat flying. Learn on something slower, then speed it up if you want.

Blue skies
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[blueshrew 0]

I don't believe RW as a discipline will do anything more for your awareness.
As for slow speeds, girls like me can beat most belly fliers in a sit.
So I don't really think that's a fair argument, either you're overstrained or you're not and can deal very well. Older people tend to be less relaxed and "panicky" than younger ones.
But that subject has been discussed a million times here, and it's worse than the Cypres discussions.

[StevePhelps 0]

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... Older people tend to be less relaxed and "panicky" than younger ones.

What an idiotic statement!

One made from your vast experience I assume.

[hkf 0]

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Any elaboration as to why? I mean, if you're not ready to fly in a big-way, that's one thing... but to decide "I want to fall in sit/HD, I'm gonna start working on that solo."... why not?

Just seen instances of low timers going out Free Flying and covering large horizontal distances along the flightline, this gets compounded when head down, as they sometimes think they are head down when they are actually tracking on their backs.