Jeth

My training got cut short this year cuz I injured myself on jump 10. So for next year... #1 Don't get injured! Then, 2) Learn a good PLF 3) Graduate AFP by April 4) Learn to fly my new canopy!! 5) Jump with my friends 6) Participate in New Wave Boogie 7) Have a ton of fun safely!!!!

I just wanted to add (in case you haven't figured it out yet) -- the main can be packed by you or a packer. I have seen good packers do it in less than 10 minutes. As a student you will be required to pack and jump your pack job at least once (but I recommend learning to pack for yourself, thats what I'm doing. It just takes practice. ) The reserve chute has to be packed by an FAA rigger. That has to be done every 120 days. There will be one at your DZ that would do it for you when you get your own rig. It usually costs around $40 for the repack. Just thought I'd throw that info out there for ya. I know what it feels like to have a million questions and you can't find the answers fast enough. But do get the SIM, I read it cover-to-cover after my 1st jump. Also the book "The Skydivers Handbook" is a great read to get info on the sport. Enjoy!

Ditto. I just bought my first rig and I intend on packing it myself. Now that I own my own rig, I can practice all I want!

OK, I will. Nobody there has ever mentioned it that I know of. If they have one, I'd think they'd use it with their students. But I will ask, thanks. "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

I don't think you have to stop talking about it altogether. My co-workers are often like that with the death-wish talk. This one guy is the worst - always comments like "You must have a death wish", "You're just falling, whats to learn!", "So when are we gonna see you in a wheelchair?". But then one of the coolest moments happened. He came over to my desk, and as soon as he saw the big picture on my desktop of me flyin, his eyes just lit up and he said "Oh my god - is that you?" He got this huge smile on his face and just sat there staring that that picture of me in the clouds with a huge smile on my face. It was like he finally got it, at least a little piece of it. Since that day, I don't hear all those negative comments anymore. Some people think its cool, some think its crazy, some are envious, some are disgusted, some don't care. But after a great jump I can't help but sharing, and I have found that most people like to hear about it (to a certain extent). Unfortunately, in my case the people who I'd expect to care, don't. My husband is very supportive, but his family is the complete opposite. I try to tell them about my jumps, they ignore me. I invite them to come watch, they say "I don't want to watch you do that stupid thing, how boring!". I expected them to take an interest in it because its something I have a passion for. But they didn't. It hurt my feelings. But at least MY family and friends want to hear my stories.

Well I still do wish that my school had one I could try. I agree with the people that say being off your feet is better preparation than just standing there pulling handles. I also like the idea of the shaking/yelling. When we were taught, there was none of that. She just said "ok, go ahead" and we did it. Doing it with some distractions would definitely be good. (Especially if you don't know its coming) But since I don't have access to one, I will just keep practicing on the ground. I like that suggestion of running thru it under canopy, too. I have never looked at my harness once I'm under canopy, so I don't know if my straps move. I will check next time. But I think the most important thing I will remember is to LOOK for the handles before going to pull them. Hopefully when the time comes I will keep a cool head and it will go just like I have practiced. Thanks for the comments everyone.

Wow, thats awesome! When I was hired I was told the bonuses here were "about a month's pay". But in my 3 years here I've gotten $250, $1500, $2000.... WAY less than a month's pay! (But I seem to be in an upward trend, so I have high hopes for this year! ) I'll be happy if I get at least $2000 again... "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Ditto for me. Did my last jump Sept. 18th. I came in hard and screwed up my knee. But I was out of money, so I needed to take a break then anyway. I have already saved $1000, and I will be sooooo ready to come back and finish AFP in March!! Its going to be awesome to have it all paid for so I can just jump, jump, jump!

Another post got me thinkng. Actually, I have wondered about this before. My school doesn't use a suspended harness. We learned our EP's in an old harness with an empty container. We just slipped the straps around our legs and shoulders and then did the pulls. I was thinking that a real cutaway situation will feel a lot different. I'm just wondering how people feel about suspended harnesses? Is that much better to learn on? How does that work, are you hanging from the risers or actuallly belly down like in freefall? Do most people learn on one of those? It would be nice to feel the procedure on an actual rig. Since I am now the proud owner of my own gear, I will definitely be trying it on my rig. (On the ground before a repack, of course. ) But I still think perhaps the school should have a suspended harness for the students to learn in. Your thoughts? "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Hey Belinda, Congrats on keeping yourself alive!

Reading this thread makes me long for the day when I can look back 5 years to recall my skydiving career.

Hi Kelly, Welcome to the club.

The freefall is the best part!

I am about an hour 15 to an hour 30 from SDC. (From downtown Chicago) But I don't even own a car so when I decide to go to the dz I gotta go rent a car first! Man, I must really love this sport! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Congrats, Randy! I'm so happy U got it!

Hey AJ, I find that the reviews on http://www.pcphotoreview.com/ are really great and theres lots of them. Also try epinions.com. I've always had Olympus digital cameras and they have been awesome.

It doesn't make sense to us, here, because we're all junkies to the sky. For other people, it's a square to check off - "been there, done that". It doesn't hold the same attraction to them as it does us addicts. Ain't that the truth! After my 1st jump, I went through all the possible reasons why I shouldn't keep jumping. But in the end, none of them were even close to enough to keep me from AFP! And they were pretty major -- no car, no extra money, live far away from DZ, starting grad school... But I have found a way to get halfway thru AFP, and I'm sure I will get back there in March to finish it. And I know I will be jumping for a long time after that cuz I just bought my first rig!!

LMFAO!!!!!! OMG, I am literally in tears!!! I had to bury my head in my arms so as to not disturb my co-workers with my gut-wrenching laughter! Priceless!!

The original post was about how many quit after AFF, not after a tandem. I am sure there are many 1000's who come to do a tandem for the bragging rights or self satisfaction, as mentioned. And only a tiny portion of those people go on to AFF/AFP (like me!

Hi Chris, I'm a student, too. I had a similiar problem on one of my jumps where I landed in the corn. I, too, felt like I shouldn't make a turn. I think it might be because we get drilled so much on NO LOW TURNS that we think we shouldn't turn at all. But my instructor told me that I still need to steer. So I should make small corrections, never past the green zone, when I am on final. What helped me was to hear their corrections on the radio. I would be thinking of turning, and then I'd hear them tell me to, so that would reinforce what I thought. My approach still needs lots of work, but I do have a better feeling about when/how to turn to put myself where I want to be instead of in the corn. Just my experience...

Ok, I just have to say... 2 months is a "long layoff"?? What about those of us who live in the cold states where the DZ's close for the winter?? Unless we take a trip, we won't be jumping for at least 4-5 months! I always figured that skydiving had a "season" like so many other sports, but there are many of you that jump year-round, so I guess that makes us that take the winter off very un-current, huh? (Although I have to admit, I have been out 2 months due to an injury and it does feel like forever since I jumped! But I figured that as I got more experienced that the breaks wouldn't be such a big deal. Hey fellow mid-westerners, is this true? ) "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

I didn't realize that. The dz I learned rents student rigs for just $5 a jump plus you pay the packer. I always thought the $25 a jump was a bit steep. My DZ (SDC) charges $30/jump for their gear. (Most of it is brand new.) The gear shop charges $75 bucks for the whole day but they only have a couple rigs for rent. Jump tickets are $20 so to use student gear it's $50/jump, pretty steep! (Thats why I just bought my own gear! ) "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

I want a Cypres for my new rig, and I want a Palm Tungsten T3 to replace my Palm that was stolen this year. Happy Holidays!

I agree. I took my husband's name just cuz I wanted us to match and make it obvious we were husband and wife. (We were together a long time before so the marriage was a new chapter.) Ideally I would've loved to take his mom's maiden name, a beautiful Italian name. But instead I got stuck with his Dad's family name, a yucky German name. Oh well. I still like that we match.

Dude, You are WAY overthinking this! i bet you a buck your problem is not RELAXING enough. Yes, Yes!! I did the same thing!! I thought my position had to be perfect to stop my turning. But once I got relaxed and stable I was actually waving and hi5-ing my instructor and none of that affected my stability. My legs always move a little bit in freefall, but it still doesn't cause me to turn. Stop trying to analyze it, you just need to RELAX. Seriously, I know it sounds so simple, but its true! Just take a deep breath and exhale like if you just plopped down on the couch. It will work!!