Lazarus_762

once I admitted to myself that this stuff scared me silly, I started making good progress...well, *better* progress, anyway. The fact that you can talk about how scared you are is a big plus, in my book. Speaking of books, Transcending Fear by Brian Germain is a very good book on the subject, it helped me alot, and reading the Skydiving Duck was also helpful (google it)...it's OK to be scared, in fact, it's a good thing, just keep it under control, don't let it control you. You've done this 10 times so far? I think you are worrying too much - I know a guy that needed 22 jumps to finish AFF and he does just fine, and I personally needed 13 to finish AFF...chill out, relax, cut yourself some slack - you'll be fine! Breath, smile, and make a conscious effort to relax on the ride up. BTW, the best way to get over door fear is to learn how to spot the plane. You are sticking your head out the door like a dog in a pickup truck - pretty soon, you will *want* to sit by the door so you can do just that! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

actually, no...but I heard about 2 altimeters, a GoPro, and *a shoe*...LOL! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

indeed it was, drove me nuts, and was embarrassed as all hell when I found it *inside the canopy*...like I said, lesson learned. Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

I'll have to try that...thanks Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

After the first jump of the day, a nice little hop-n-pop, I found a spot in the packing room and got on with the job. I needed to cut off a broken rubber band, so I pulled out my knife, carefully cut the band off, replaced it, and stuffed my pocket knife down my shirt (no pockets, but the shirt was tucked). During the pack job, the shirt must have come untucked. Can't find my knife...looked everywhere, considered just jumping and looking for it later, decided I was not going to jump until I found the knife - cuz it might possibly be in my pack job. Looked all over hell and back, 45 minutes later, I said screw it, unpacked the rig, and sure enough, the damn thing had fallen into cell #4 and gotten packed into the rig. God only knows what might have happened if I had jumped it. Maybe nothing, maybe a royal screw up! Lessons - keep track of your tools, and if there is a doubt about your gear, check it out, don't just assume it'll be OK. Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

LOL....was probably still drunk that night... Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

it is??...musta been drunk that night Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

In the silly-assed movie, Dropzone, when Nessip enters the Burn-in Bar, there is a stage band playing a sort of reggae song...cool, with a good tropical beat...any idea who that might be? Name of the song? I have looked at the sound track CD, and tried to figure it out, but no luck... cool runnings, brah! much tankks! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

slightly sad? No, I'll confess, I fucking HATE Christmas... Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

indeed, you are correct. I took a packing class, did a few pack jobs under supervision, and the toughest, most frustrating part was trying to pull the bag around the stack without the canopy squirting out all over hell and back...experience seems to be the only answer to that obstacle, but that will come. Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

you have some very experienced and knowledgeable jumpers offering good advice...as a total n00b who just got off AFF 11 jumps ago, I'll toss my 2 cents in; just jump for the sheer joy of it for the next few skydives. Don't worry about how fast you can get that A stamp, just enjoy yourself, with simple dive flows that maybe work on one basic skill at a time. Practice the stuff you have learned, like stable exits, 180 and 360 turns, picking a heading and turning to find that heading again, etc...when you re-enforce the basic skills you just learned, you will be more confident and will solidify your skills base. At the same time, the lack of pressure to perform will make it more fun and make you more comfortable in the air. Even without a formal planned progression, you will learn something on every jump, if you keep your eyes open and your mind receptive...enjoy, bro, this stuff is fun, and it gets more fun as you go just jump!.....and listen. Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

now there is some damn good advice...on the first one, I had my eyeballs glued to the DZ...not a good thing to do! It was ugly as a shit-burger with a dead frog on top, I tumbled, was on my back, turned over, got stable and pulled, and I had a stable canopy at 3500...(we do Hop n Pops at 5000). At that point I realized my jitters were totally absurd. I know how to get stable, and I had plenty of time, as many of you pointed out. I enjoyed the ride down, got a sweet standup landing, and went straight to manifest and got another jump ticket! The second one was stable, clean, relaxed, and a buttload of fun! I think I may do quite a few Hop n Pops during the colder months - can't wait for my next trip to the DZ! thanks for all the good advice, folks! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

several folks have told me to just relax and stay aware of whats going on, but I'm a bit jittery...what would be your one best piece of advice, other than "remember to pull" ? Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

I was a terrible student, wound up way too tight, with huge expectations of myself, and ready to throw myself under a bus when I failed (which I did, many many times)...I'm still a n00b, still green as grass, but I've relaxed alot, learned a bunch (including when to keep my pie hole shut and *listen*), and I'm enjoying the hell outta this stuff now. I've barely scratched the surface here, and I'll be learning cool new stuff til....forever, but I am moving from terrible n00b, towards pretty darn good n00b. Maybe in 10 years or so, I'll actually have a clue! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

Funny you should mention that..I actually thought to myself, "Hey, a standup...and nobody saw it! Crap!" Luckily, there is usually at least one person at the picnic tables who likes to watch the n00bs land off. One of the guys there did actually witness it - he said it was less ugly than my usual landings... Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

I just graduated AFF this weekend, and I know one thing for sure...you are thinking and worrying and analyzing too damn much. As a fellow n00b, please take my advice - relax, listen to your instructors, do not expect to nail it every time, and do not beat yourself up when you screw up...cuz you probably will! AFF is a 7 jump course, right? Wrong! It is a 7 level of learning progression course, and most folks do NOT just cruise on thru it...it is a set of learned skills which may require you to repeat a few jumps. It's OK, if you don't nail it each time...in fact, you may learn more if you screw up a few of them! Let's just put it this way; I needed 13 jumps to make it thru this "7 jump course", my instructor needed 15 jumps to make it thru, and the best instructors are the ones who had to struggle some to figure it out... relax, smile, listen and learn, and go with the flow... seriously - smile! Big, huge grin, and just jump, baby! I know you can do it! If a knucklehead like me can learn this, I'm sure you can too! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

chill out, new guy... this not a sport where you are expected to get an A+ on every jump...it took me 13 jumps to finish a 7-level course, and I am still ragged and sloppy as all hell...cut yourself some slack, take a deep breath, and just-do-it! it gets better with every jump!!! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

I agree...I'm a total f***ing n00b, but I'm wondering WTF? so what? Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

On October 13th, on my 13th jump, I passed AFF 7...(I was ragged and ugly, but I passed ), and on the 13th Otter load of the day, I made my first solo jump...and got my first standup landing! It was off the LZ, in a patch of grass by the ramp, but I stood it up! WOOT! I feel like I have truly passed a major milestone in my life, and now the actual learning to be a skydiver can begin...thanks to all the awesome folks at Gold Coast Skydivers for your patience, your guidance, and the firm smack upside the head when it was needed...what a terrific day! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

The funny little secret is that you can apply this to everything else you encounter in life now too. + one...this lesson does indeed apply to pretty much everything else in life! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

Shit. Now I'm going to have to have someone chuck me out of the Otter three days after I'm dead! Thanks. I'm sure that will end well... can you really think of a better funeral? They wouldn't even have to dig a hole for you...you would auger in your own grave! I honestly hope to the Skygod that I do hammer in at about 102 years old.... age is NOT a factor, if you want it, go for it!! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

you can do it, bro! I lost 140 myself...and no, that's not a divorce joke. I really was freakin huge. Stay with it, stay strong, train with intensity, and keep your eyes on your goal - not a number on a scale, but the ability to do what you want to do! DO IT! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"

2 weeks after you are dead...but you do need to be physically functional. no need for extreme fitness, but you need to be in decent condition...as for an age limit, I've never heard of one. It must be that DZs local rule. Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!"