noobie1

I think the command, climb out, look up, go would be great. I don't really hear any commands, something that is frustrating to me. Mostly a nod, when it's go time. That has caused me a bit of frustration in the past. My DZ has two hand prints on the C182 spar, I would like to see them add large print words, perhaps look up and arch to the spar. Right there on the spar, perhaps seeing it in the last few seconds would help some people, like me. I suspect I will meet some resistance to the request, but am going to ask. Sometimes it's hard to hear anything, standing out in the slipstream (correct term?) If nothing else, I will definitely write it on my hands, and tell the JM I need 5 seconds are I am given the go. Then I can read my hand and repeat lookup, go, arch (is that correct?) to myself. Seemed to work last time, worth a try. Last time, first jump of day, I was very focused on arch, go and make a face at the JM! And it worked. Thanks for the suggestion, blue skies, Noobie1

Jordan, I am begining to feel like I should give it another go on SL, and use the marker on my hand to remind me to look at my JM...just need to remind myself how I would rather look at a beautifull female or the ground! OK, I also need to remind myself she is more than ten years younger than I am, which is outside my comfort zone. But, most of all, I did my best arching when I looked up, and I want to try that again. Just a little freaky thinking about tangling risers around body parts...which shouldn't happen if I look up! Thanks again, Noobie1

- I assume this because you didn't pull your left arm in as you reached with your right? The importance of this to keep stable was explained to you? Yep. I also read about this, but they also saw me demonstrating left hand going to head. I switched to AFF after my first freefall mainly out of impatience to get off progression... ground class for AFF = hand signals as well as there are more tasks than just jump, get stable and pull. Whether it will be better for you... I don't know, but I do know a few people who moved to AFF after getting "stuck" somewhere on SL and found it helped. It sounds to me all you are getting stuck with is getting and keeping an arch. On SL our JMs always told us to try keep eye contact with them i.e look at plane. My gut feel (unlike a lot of people here as you will see if you do a SL vs AFF search) is to say just keep practising the arch, all the time, on the ground too, until it's automatic. I also can't figure out from your post if you are thinking one AFF and then back to SL progression, or continue with AFF... I'm not sure that one AFF jump in the middle will help, but maybe that's where some instructors can come in and give their opinions. I have thought about one or two AFF, then back to SL. Not sure. But as someone else pointed out, I need to keep looking at the JM and plane. That might be the cure. ps on the hook knife question... different DZs seem to have different policies for students, some give them, some don't, figuring a student may be slashing around not knowing what they're actually meant to cut... A hook knife could be ugly, can you imagine hook knifing your harness? But sometimes it could be very usefull. Thanks, J

Hey, thanks for the thought! OK, that's one I know I need to work on, I only looked at the JM on jump 8. And that was the jump JM said was my best arch. I also said I was going to make a face at the JM, wonder if I did? Arch, make face at JM, see plane, pull! That and a new day, just might get me past this problem. Thanks, and thanks for serving the US, Noobie1

Long post I know. If you just want to chew my arse, feel free. Would appreciate any feedback, helpful feedback especially. Please?

Looking for some advice, suspect I will find it here. Just made jumps 8-10 last weekend. Jump 8 cleared me off static line; only comment on jump was I did my PRCP as I stepped off step (good arch, looked up at JM.) I understood this, said what do I do to prevent early open, was told step, arch, see the plane, pull. Makes sense. Jump 9, first freefall (I bought beer!) 4k feet, IIRC. Stepped, umm arch, not enough, realized I was on back, pull. I know the rule, pull while stable, pull at the correct attitude, but PULL! I would have rather taken some time to arch, and go face to earth, but I was told to see the plane and pull! A few line twists, kicked out, no problem. First time I opened face to the sky. Jump 10, stepped, arch but when I reached to pull, I was told I rolled on my side (closer to face to ground), risers through legs, leg through risers, and arm wrong side of risers, and a few line twist, kicked out, no problem. I survived, no problem. Arm back to normal, bruising gone at one week. Once again, I followed rules and pulled even when I wanted to get face to earth. I suspect I scared my JM, sorry! Didn't think about what could have happened until later, just kicking myself at the time, since I knew I needed to arch and didn't. I did have problems getting the arch down earlier, JM said I wasn't arching as much as would have liked, but was stable, jump 8 arched was good (looked up), and pulled PRC, so I advanced. I also know that I experienced the same situation during second jump day, jumps 3-7. Finally got it together and arched better and pulled PRCP last two jumps, then third jump day, jump 8, well see above. So, I have been thinking maybe my first jump of the day is my golden opportunity, and maybe I need to go back and do another static with some of my same methods, write on my hands “ARCH/Look UP, and tell the JM I need another 3 seconds after JM says to go, to repeat the arch, look up and not rush into jumping (first jump I didn’t understand the necessity for getting out and jumping in a timely fashion, so I was looking for drop zone and dawdling—probably affected me a bit since then.) I know my attention span isn't what some people have; yes there is a name for it, but I’m not spelling it out. Take meds, but I have come to realize I learn best by doing, repeating. If it matters, I am not a spring chicken, given my 48 years on this planet. Also, most people don’t consider me short of brain cells, unless perhaps they are watching me jump and pull while I am on my back. After last jumps we talked about AFF, because of arching history. Part of me wants to go AFF, because I think I learn better by doing, feeling and repeating. DZ said I would still need to go with two AFFI's. In the goals for AFF I see the first goal is stable and pull. I know I will pull, stable is another question. So, missing the stable goal really requires two AFF's? And I think DZ says (need to clarify) first jump course for AFF. Not sure why, other than hand signals and exiting plane. Mini first AFF jump class? My objection to AFF? Pricey compared to another static line, but if I take three more static jumps to get stable and advance, that's about one AFF without first jump class. OK, great Sky Goddesses and Gods’, what are your thoughts? What would you instructors and JM’s do with a student like me? I know it’s hard to say without being there… I feel like taking my SCUBA weight belt and strapping it on, so I drop my midsection…just joking. What would make a proper AFF jump, one that most DZ’s would feel comfortable with? And since I am posting under a different name, so I don’t have any connection with my DZ, I suspect this DZ is a bit looser than some, static first jump course was less than two hours. Covered the essentials, didn’t overwhelm me. JM’s did add information as I needed it, such as before my first freefall. Didn’t suggest any out of class reading, or talk about SIM. Felt safe, perhaps knew I needed to learn a bit on my own. JM sticking with regs on first AFF, should I sound out the DZO, who is the S&TA? Or am I trying to bend the regs/rules to fit what I want to do? I am jumping a student rig, about 270 or 300 sq ft, I am 210-215 pounds at Dr.’s office with street clothes. Cypress (blue button, think it’s a Cypress 1, not sure) set at 750, drop zone is about 100 to 125 feet higher than airport (DZ does not reset Cypress each time, there procedure), RSL. BOC opens a spring loaded PC, SOS. No hook knife, wondering about that…if I had wrapped the risers around my leg. And yes, I do rehearse emergency procedures before each jump. I have watched lot’s of Skydivingmovies.com videos, I belive I know what malfunctions look like, and how to respond. Before my first freefall, JM talking about malfunctions, looking for a picture of a baglock, and I described it to a T, before picture was found. Opening my ears and brain, eager and ready for your advice and thoughts. Thanks, Noobie1