AdrenalineBluez

120+ jumps later I still get nervous. I have even gone through a stage where I could not make myself get on the plane. I think everyone deals with a certain amount of nerves when they enter the sport. Even now I still get a case of nerves every now and then. So in my short time skydiving I have rationalized the nerves and fears. They are there, they will probably always be there. However, I wont let them take the joy of flight away from me. It is mine, I earned it, and I will keep it... Keep jumping, have fun, learn all you can every time you visit the DZ, stay focused, stay safe and sooner or later the nerves will go away, or be less invasive in your thoughts. "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

Gah!!!! And I had to go to that B-day party!!! Grats on the A!!!! Oh wait.... BEER!!!!! "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

I have to go along with the idea its not that we are hornier... We are just less inhibited... *short pause* Then we throw beer in to the equation... :^) "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

Ahemmmmmmmmm... I have seen you pack Nate... DOH!!!! "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

I recently has this happen as well. Though I was not as low as you were. However, I was well below where I should have been. I didn't have any other distractions other than I was in a rush because the dive plan allowed only a 1000ft from break off to deployment. Being a newbie I like more time after break off to make sure I get a good track. I just flat out tracked too long and dumped in a hurry when I heard my final warning go off while staring wide eyed at my alti... It scared the sh*t out of me, and is nothing I want to EVER repeat... I should say it's nothing I will EVER repeat... "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

I have a different perspective. I did the AFF tandem thing in reverse. I had never done a tandem. My idea was to get the most out of the ONE jump that I planned to do. I never looked beyond making more than one jump of any sort. In my warped thinking AFF was the way to go in order to learn as much about the sport as I could before leaving the door of an airplane. Whoops!!! I did AFF 1 on a sunday (got hooked in the WORST way on jumping) and had completed the AFF program by the following Friday. So much for ONE jump. In any case I had the chance to do a tandem last weekend when a TI on the DZ was getting rated on a different type of tandem rig... I was "volunteered" for the cargo slot. Although not a regular tandem, it doesnt provide the same sensory feeling as AFF did. Yeah you are in free fall, and yes you are indeed on a sky dive. It's just not the same feeling. Not to mention I felt naked on the plane without a rig on my back. In any case my .02 cents worth is that if you are going to go make a choice. Make it based on the best information you can get. Figure in there the financial aspects of the game. Put it all together and pick whichever suits your needs. "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

What really pisses me off at the drop zone??? What really irks me at the DZ???? Is that there are loads going up as we speak and I AM STUCK AT WORK!!!!! *kicks rocks* And goes back to puter dweebdom... oh and when the soda machine eats my last bit of change... "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

I had been thinking all week we need to get that six way done... Can I chase this time??? hehehehe KIDDING!!!! Good job sunday Bro... BTW How was that rental gear ??? ha!!! See ya sunday!!! Oh yeah uhhhhhh emmmmmmmmm I am looking for a word here.... *thinking* OH!! YEAH!!! B E E R ! ! "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

That ROCKS!!! Very cool story!!! Not to change the direction of the thread I do have a question. I have only been jumping a VERY short time. However, my son (14) wants to go so badly he can taste it. I know the age limit of 18 as posted by the USPA? I also noted that a legally notarized waiver as per the story can bypass that??? Is that DZ specific??? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated... PM so I dont mess with the thread... Thanks!!! Shannon "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"

I was just out of AFF, on or about my 5th solo. I had what I deemed (yes in all my rookie experience) An opening that sniveled FAR too long. Long enough for me to actually grab my cut-away handle. Right about that time I was rewarded with the comfortable whump of my main fully inflating. Anyway, the next time I went up. I got to the door. Looked out... Paused... Then promptly went and sat down. I just couldnt exit. Something to note here. The plane ride down is scarier than jumping!!! Pilots are whacked!!!! (kidding) I have coined this condition as "dive lock". For me the pucker factor got to be so intense the vaccum it created made it impossible to break the seal my arse had on the seat. Thereby making it impossible to exit the aircraft. I literally spent the better part of two weeks going to the DZ every couple of days, and both days of the weekend. I would sit there from first load to the sunset load trying to convince myself to get on the plane, or even rent some gear for that matter. Eventually I got myself to make some coached jumps, using the AFF linked exits. Made several of those. I flew fine, the gear works. I still couldnt exit solo... I had NO IDEA why!!! Finally on the 5th coached jump the instructor refused to link in the door. He actually sat down and crossed his arms. Plane load of people, and knowing what the ride down was like. I Just hucked myself out the door. Once I was out there I was "WHAT THE HELL WAS I SCARED OF!!!" I am sorry for the length of this post. I guess in long or in short. Go to the DZ as often as you can. Be as calm as you can get yourself. Be persistant, and dedicate yourself to working through this. Talk to the instructors at SSD. Spend a whole day learning your gear inside and out. sit down with the riggers, or someone experienced and watch em pack. Trust me, what we learn in AFF is just enough to get by. The extra knowledge you can pick up is a very cool thing. Find out everything you can about it. Knowing how your rig ticks top to bottom is a huge confidence builder. Watch a lot of video's. Anything you can do to immerse yourself in the sport. Smile A LOT!!! It will pass... You can do it!!! "Cats and woodchippers are friends" "Uh oh! This is gonna hurt!"