Mike111

Glad i aint the only one

kl! could i ask you a question - when in freefall im really tensed and chippy, and don't enjoy the freefall as much because im scared, but when im not jumpnig i can't wait to get back though and miss it - is that normal door fear which when overcome make you enjopy the freefall? Thanks Mike

Same,, i got school essays to do but i cant be arsed. to good weather to stay indoors

Im always thinking about how to stay calm and not panic and not shit myself.... i wish i was in your shoes!!! Mike

Hey, tips- enjoy yourself! have fun!!!

Hey, Thanks for the help.

Hey, No probs. What i meant was radios sometimes fail for some reason or other - they just fuck up, lose battery whatever, but its very rare. Don't worry about radios failing, it really wasn;t a massive concern and everything was cool - point being you will be fine, absolutely fine.

Hey Gordon, I was really nervous to with regard to the AFF level 1 and had done a tandem once myself. Although you are technically doing a solo jump, you have two JM's with you HOLDING ONTO you at all times until youve deployed your parachute so they will be there to help you all the way through it should you need it. Furthermore, the LO's are pretty ok so don't worry yourself to much! Im only a student so can;t really offer much, but i think it would be fair to say it is challenging, but easily doable if you follow your instructions - you should have a radio on your AFF jumps through which you are told literally what to do, where to turn, when to flare - they get you to the ground etc etc. However, through your training you should have adeqaute knowledge to be able to land without radio - sometimes radios fail . Unfortunate but true(that happaned to me) However in your ground school, you will learn all the stuff you need to do - your JM;s won't let you jump until you are fully capable, so have confidence in yourself and go and enjoy it. I would however suggest you start another thread somewhere in the forum such as safety and training displaying your concerns so you can get much more valuable input from far more experienced skydivers than me. Coudl i also say that when your at the DZ, if you are unsure about something, always ask the instructor regardless of whether you think it is a stupid question or not. Better safe than sorry! When you donig the course? Good luck mate, Mike

Hey, Sorry you had to repeat it twice, im really stuck on level 5 with breathing and relaxing - i mean i know deep breathing and smiling helps but never can seem to do it cos im distracted on other things - how do you do it? I sparted spinning like the roters on helicopters on level 4 and found it hard to maintain heading (level 3 was just fluke with regard to heading control for me) so if its any consolation thats two of us!!! Don't worry about repeating levels, ive failed two as well and are probably gonna fail a couple more along the way. Its better to fail and learn the skills requied and be as safer skydiver as possible than whizz through without learning the key techniques . Mike

Lol! Bit unfair on hackies aint it LOL! Ahhh, I will always love and try and use the hacky (feel most comfortable on it), but will definately try and get accustomed to the tube thingy, so If i ever have to use it i will have at least have a fair idea, and practice it with the instructors. Thanks for the help Grey beard Mike

Oh phew, for a minute i thought you meant you got your finger caught in the tube as it pulled and then went up. oops! (that would have been very painful) glad there are other hackey uses to - woohoo ! Hey glad and very relieved to hear you ended up with a good canopy

Hey, Firstly congratulations on getting the flare right, i always mess that up! Least you didn't hurt yourself, and are ok.!

Hey, Both rigs fitted perfectly with regard to my size and shape - they were both the same size rig and container, it was just the tube ones were harder for me to locate - at pulltime i would reach round to find it and as it was smaller either miss it or not get a proper grip. However with the ball one i always seemed to strike it and could easily get my hand around it, probably due to the way i grip things i guess. The DZ generally is very busy with many tandems and other students and therefore, I was often on the load right after the last one, and so there wasn;t enough time to wait for the hackey rig to be packed and then gear up.so i was given another student rig, which is perfectly understandable considering the amount of work the guys have to do(nothing against the DZ, it is a fantastic great place with really really good teaching and instructors

Hi, " get a finger caught in the middle of the tube" - Ouch. That must have been painful. That was also a fear I had about the tube, and as one can't see where or what shape one's hands are, it is one reason why the hacky, in my humble opinion is slightly more comrfotable than the tube. But it is down to personal preference i guess. I hope you healed up alright

Hey, Thanks also for the help. When i netx visit the DZ ill start having proper practices on both rigs to, while trying to mainly use the hackey. (anything for the easy life!) Thanks, Mike

hey, Thanks for the advice. Hopefully will get the hackey the most of the time, but will be prepared and wil practicse for the tube. Thanks once again, Mike

Hey, I had used the tube on one another occasion outa 5 AFF jumps and my hand had to be placed on it because i couldn;t graps it properly. My instructor did mention less eratic movements, although when i used the ball i pretty much found it everytime. Do you think i should still practice on the ground and maybe in the air (pulling higher to compensate for grapsing time?) or stick with the ball? Thanks, Mike

Hey everyone, I did a search of the forums and couldn't find anything on this so i was wondering if anyone could offer some advice... ... Im half way through AFF and used a BOC throw out system, but used two different rigs - one with a ball type ripcord to grasp and throw and one with a smaller type of hollow tube one. The ball one was easy to find and get your hand around (no pun meant!), but i had great trouble finding and grasping the smaller hollow tube one, to the point where i was assisted everytime in pulling and even the instructor pulling for me (Level 4 !) Therefore, if one has to keep to strict altitude pull times for other jumpers safety and for your own safety, should one alwasy ask to use the easier method of deployment, or gain competence on both methods - so therefore if that type of ripcord was only available at a DZ, one would be able to jump it. I fully appreciate the argument of safety via the easier method, thus being the more logical answer, but am unsure whether or not it is important to have competence on all type of ripcord sizes incase one ever has to use them, or that it is a general skill which all students shoudl eventually learn? Therefore, if that is the case, should one carry on using the smaller ripcord and keep going lower than they should until they get it right? Thanks very much in advance for any advice, i hope it is not a stupid question. Kind regards, Mike

Hey, I got half way through AFF - got up to Level 5 (and failed it ). The weather was pretty shit overall - only got 1.5 jumping days outa 8 , but better than nothing i guess! Levels 1-3 went really well, although i was really tense and stiff, which meant i didn't get the full enjyoment, but was pleased i maintained alti awareness. Level 4 was really nerveracking, but just managed to scrape through, but level 5 went awful - got really nervous and went into a spin while attmpeting a 360 degree turn. ended up tumbling everywhere to and my instructor ended up pulling for me after wrestling to get me stable! Following i had to ride the plane down for the next jump. But im going back at the end of the month to complete the course for sure and then go onto consolidation jumps.

Hey, I wouldn't normally post anything with regard to instruction (only a student so can't offer any good advice!) but i had the same problem (only last week)which you are fearing - being nervous. My instructor told me to RELAX - it improves performance 100%. If you are all tensed, you won't enjoy it (and enjoyment is the key thing as well as safety) and won't get the most out of your skydive. Deep breathing and smiling is a very good way of alleviating nerves - but hey if its any help, i guess everyone is nervous at the start, so your not the only one! 8if that offers any consolation

Hey, Nice one!!!

Hey nick, Just wanted to wish you the best of luck for your RAPS progression.!!

Hey Max and Mark, Thankyou for the kind advice and encouragement you offered, it was much appreciated!

Hey everbody, Firstly, a massive thankyou to all the great and detailed advice and nice welcome that you have all kindly offered!!

hey everyone, Jus a lil bout me (dont wanna bore you to death!) - im called mike, live in london, an am 16 and will be doing a full AFF course + consolidation jumps in norfolk this coming weekend and week