skygirlboston

I purchased this DVD in order to pump myself up before I head down to Florida to work on my AFF. Definitely did the trick - I'm sure a lot of you have seen it, but if not, I highly recommend it for both the experienced and new skydiver alike. Great Skydiving and BASE videography. As a student, if you find yourself dealing with the issue of "fear" like myself, I doubly recommend watching this film. Five seconds into the film, I immediately recalled to mind that very moment when I first experienced freefall; when I first experienced that "ahh, this is why they do it" feeling; when I first realized that fear, not just the fear of falling, but any fear is manageable, and at times even conquerable... So yeah - cool flick. Check it out... To those of you who have seen it, I'm trying to find the lyrics to the opening song "Touch the Sky" by Hadley - any help would be appreciated! Thanks

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who lent their words of wisdom and encouragement. And Tom, I will keep your wife off the roof of the Green Gables - well as long as that crazy Romanian doesn't get to her first. In the end, I've come to realize that I am less afraid of jumping (or malfunctioning, etc) and more afraid of the possibility that I will let "fear" overcome my desire to complete the AFF program...and to that I say, pllfffsst (or something like the the vocal equivalent to sticking "fear" with the middle finger). Here's to blue skies thanks again...

Hey all - at the end of this summer/beginning of Fall, I started my AFF, but due to travel for work and climate changes, I didn't progress beyond my third AFF jump (2 instructors, release). I love the sport and at that time, I had the skydiving itch like no other, but with time my natural pensiveness resurfaced. When I think about embarking on the remainder of my AFF jumps, I no longer feel that immediate wooosh of adrenaline, but rather, I think more upon malfunctions and my failure to immediately call to mind the best means to deal with particular malfunctions. I know that my AFF instructors will refresh my memory and go over any groundwork that both they and I deem necessary, but I still feel a bit weary. Has anyone or did anyone ever experience a feeling similar to this? When I first jumped out of a plane, I immediately knew that this was a sport that I could not only see myself doing more often, but a sport I could see myself falling in love with. I would hate it if a temporary bout of "fear" prevented me from ever regaining that initial (and seemingly unmatchable)high. I mention this now b/c I'm heading down to Lake Wales in 10 days with several skydivers and would like to finish my AFF program while there. Does anyone have any suggestions for rebuilding my confidence? Also, if you have any skydiving video or book recommendations, I would much appreciate them! Thanks! Leeanne

3rd AFF and landed in some rather thickly settled trees. I was fine, but, let me tell you this - when your instinct says: don't fly over trees in your landing pattern, don't fly over trees!! Despite what my instructor taught me (I am the one responsible for my safety), I listened to the radioman on the ground, instead of listening to my gut feeling. The DZ owner reminded post tree-removal (i couldn't reach my rsl and thus was left tangled and hanging in low tree branches) that I shouldn't fly over anything I wouldn't want to land on or in. I honestly felt bad for the radioman - he felt horrible for landing me off. I told him not to worry - atleast i got to practice my PLF/emergency obstacle landing procedures.