airricks

I started last year at 24...which Id started earlier

Thanks for the reply. I know that's why you would cutaway before deploying the reserve, but I guess what Im asking is...say I decide that Im going to cutaway a pilot chute in tow. If I pull the cutaway will the pilot chute have enough drag to pull the risers off since it didnt have enough drag to open the canopy or will I just have a released main still there....I hope that makes more sense.

This may be a dumb question but I was learning the preflight check last weekend on my level 5 and we were talking about how an uncocked pilot chute would result in a pilot chute in tow which lead to talking EPs (cut away or dont, just choose ahead of time). Personally I think that if anything is out there I would want to cut away and get rid of it before deploying the reserve, and I know the decision is something to discuss with my instructors, but my question is if there isnt enough drag to pull the main out of the bag then would there be enough drag to pull the risers away? Just something I though about while watching the rain today, hopefully it will clear and I can do my level 6 tomorrow...

Hey thanks for all the great replies guys! I am trying to get to the DZ more frequently. Money is an issue and so is Ohio weather but Im trying to go every week. Im definitely the least apprehensive about skydiving right after Ive jumped, so thats probably the best time to do another jump! I shouldve tried level 4 again the same day and I probably wouldve passed. Im going to try again thursday assuming weather cooperates. Thats how it is for me too. Every instructor Ive had tells me to just relax, take a deep breath when that door comes open, but it seems like trying to be less nervous ends up making me more nervous. The only good thing about my instructors constantly telling me to relax is realizing that they see how nervous I am but still feel it's natural and are willing to jump with me. One instructor told me she was going to give me a "complementary" relax signal in freefall whether I looked relaxed or not. Thats why I said I mean I get to repeat in the subject because I knew I would be told it wasnt a failure. I totally agree, and I dont feel like I failed. I jumped out of a plane 3 miles above the ground and stepped gracefully back onto the ground, so in my mind I passed. It is a goal of mine to get my A, but honestly whether im doing 90 degree turns or backflips or Im on level 4 or 14, Im still skydiving and I love it so thats all that matters. Yep the link at the top of my post is the video from the jump. From level 3 on at my DZ they video all your jumps. Ive watched it in slow motion lots of times to try and see what I did wrong, but also Im trying not to over-analyze and just relax. Thats how I am, when I see that door open and hear the wind and the engine cutting back and see the experienced jumpers just diving out my stomach turns. I know that once Im out of the plane Im fine so I just try and concentrate on what I have to do to get out of the plane one step at a time, then worry about the rest when Im out there. Anyway, thanks for all the replies guys! Its great to talk to people who understand what I actually am experiencing. I can talk to my nonjumping friends all day and theyd never really understand what its like to have the door of a plane open at 14000 feet and know youre going out

Ive put links to my level 3 and level 4 if anyone wants to see them... My level 3 http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=2418 My level 4 http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=2487 Ive read the DZ forums almost daily since I started jumping last September, I just havent posted much. I did levels 1 and 2 of AFF last September then quit for the season for financial and weather reasons. I did level 2 over again last april to get current, but waited too long to jump again. Earlier this month I did another level 2 to get current again, then level 3 the next day so I actually progressed a level! I passed level 3 but I didnt feel too stable once I was released. If I didnt have an instructor on both sides to "bump" into, I probably wouldve been turning, but my instructors said I had good heading and altitude awareness, I was just a little "potato chippy". Anyway I did level 4 last Saturday, and was pretty nervous about the jump. For one, I only had one instructor and no outside cameraman so it was just the two of us. Plus I knew I would be released soon into the dive again. I was supposed to do a COA, a PHT, then the JM would come to the front and we would nod and I would do a 90 left, a 90 right, then hover until 6000. Hanging outside the plane by myself without a RS instructor was very strange! Everything went good until the release, I looked left and lowered my left arm, but turned right! I shouldve done more to correct the turn, but my mind got caught up in the fact I was turing the wrong way and before I knew it the JM stopped me after doing a 360. I got legs out and got rereleased and since I was close to 6000 I was going to try and just hover. Instead I started turning to the right again. This bothered me and I decided to just pull at that point. I was surprised at how still I stayed during deployment until watching the video and noticed my instructor had ahold of my left leg to stop me! There were 2 AFF groups that exited after me that landed first since I pulled so high. Anyway, I have to repeat level 4, which will be my 7th jump, I am going to try and do it Thursday. If you pause my level 4 video about 180 degrees into the 1st turn, my right knee is a LOT lower than my left, could this be causing the turn? I thought a lowered right knee would cause a left turn though. My arm are bent at the elbow a lot wider than 90 degrees too which I was told to try and bring them back in. My instructors biggest advice was just to relax, which obviously Im going to listen to my instructors above all, but I was just trying to get some more opinions and advice. Skydiving in general is a strange thing for me. What I mean is that I would have never expected myself to be able to do something like this. Ive never really been into sports too much. I can remember when my uncle wanted to take me up in his cessna when I was 10 or so and I cried and cried and they had to drag me on the plane, although it was fun once I was flying. Now Ive jumped out of a plane 6 times! Each time I get ready to go skydiving, starting with the drive to the DZ I get very nervous. I keep thinking, why am I doing this to myself? Ill jump one more time then Im never coming back... On my level 4, I was SO nervous going to altitude. I tried to remind myself Id already done this 5 times, but it didnt help too much. I kept looking at the empty space near the tail and thinking, Ill just sit there and let everyone else jump and I'll ride down. I have to make myself jump, but once I let go of the plane its just the opposite. Its so incredible and I then remember why I do this. I love freefall and challenging myself to do something so exciting. I love the canopy ride and the great views and planning my landing pattern. Ive read a lot of posts here so I know its common (I think its called door fear) but its still there. I think if I could relax more before the jump, I could be more relaxed in freefall and the jump would go better overall. I know this post is rambling more than anything but I think about skydiving so much anymore I figure who better to vent to....my friends get tired of hearing about skydiving. Anyway Im glad to be a part of such a great sport.

OK Thanks guys for all the responses. I will probably jump once a week and then as Dave said, the jumps get a lot cheaper after level 7. Hopefully then I can jump more frequently. Ive thought about trying to see if the DZ needed packers, which would give me something to do on my days off while earning $ to do what I want to do anyway! Are packers usually needed at most DZs or are those jobs kind of hard to come by? The advice about enjoying every jump since no matter what, you're skydiving is true and I'll try to keep that in mind. I tried to enjoy my first jump as much as I could at about $380 with video Thanks again for the replies Eric

Hello. Ive always wanted to skydive but never really got myself to do it. Last september a friend wanted me to go so hed have a large enough group to get a discount so I said ok. I didnt really even expect that I would jump though. I went through the course (we went aff btw) and when the time came I jumped, and it was the best thing I've ever done. I was very scared (and still am) but at the same time I had the time of my life. I went back and did my level 2 the next weekend but after that money got tight and then the DZ closed (I live in OH). On march 12 the DZ is having safety day with free refresher training and then I could do a level 2 and be current. I love skydiving already and am looking forward to jumping again but financially it is expensive for me right now. I realize I will have to jump at least every month to not have to redo levels and Im hoping to be able to afford to jump once a week(end). Does that seem to be too infrequent to pursue my A license? Im going to skydive when I have the money to because I love it, but I feel like jumping infrequently, I might have trouble. How often should I jump to realistically pursue my A license? After that, could I jump not so frequently as I would be more trained? Hopefully someday soon Ill get a job that pays well enough I can jump whenever I want but until then this is how it will have to be. Any thoughts?