BerryBoy

I'm saving up for my first complete rig...but unfortunately I must wait for 1 1/2 years until I can purchase it because of stupid grad school. I've already rode out 6 months, but sadly I have another 18. It makes me want to cry At least by that time, I will have enough cash to pay for all 7 levels of AFF, my first rig, other equipment, and several jumps immediately. Just wanted to vent...no one else understands my longing to be in the sky...they just think I'm crazy in the head and will literally die.

Yeah, you never know who you're going to run into...it's a small world!

I don't mean to go off topic here, but I have your book on my kitchen table! It has helped me make an informed decision on making my first tandem and deciding to later get into the sport when I have time to commit...such a great read, really! Thanks for putting something out there for people like me!

This is a great article...I found the source out on Yahoo! and e-mailed it to the folks. The week before I went on my first tandem, I told my parents of the plans I had...I was shocked that they didn't even want to talk to me about it and though I was making the worst decision of my life and was going to die...literally. Of course I fulfilled a life-long dream and lived in the process (amazing huh?). Five months later and I have a savings account going to start jumping after graduate school is over. I was born for the sky. Slowly, I've tried to win the folks over because it will be a reality in less than a year or two. While not all the truth about the statistics presented is made clear in this article, it still is great to share good news like this with family members. Here's some food for thought... "According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2006, 4,810 people died in motorcycle crashes, up 5.1 percent from 4,576 in 2005 to the highest level since 1981" Now, I don't know about you, but 18 looks a WHOLE lot better than 4,810! It's fair to note that there are just over double the number of motorcycles out on the road as the number of total skydives made this past year. So obviously, these guys ride their bike more than once which means they have millions more rides than we do jumps to aid in the accumulation of fatalities. However, without getting to technical, it does go to show that something commonly accepted by our society does indeed have risks that affect a greater number of people. You can look at this a million different ways, and it doesn't change the fact that risks are involved with everything....that leads me to agree that SAFETY should be never be overlooked for a moment. Great article Zing, it has helped my family remove their false assumptions with reality. They still share concern, but at least they now realize that it's not like I'm marching to my certain death the day I start AFF. Source of quote: http://www.iii.org/media/hottopics/insurance/motorcycle/

Sweet! I'm printing this "quick" checklist to save for later and will also do a search for some other more detailed checklists that can help me make my purchasing decision when I get ready to buy. Thanks man!

Sure man, I can do used and re-used to save some cash upfront. I'm willing to wait out for a good deal after I finish AFF, so this gives me a lot of hope that I can save some cash and get in the sport quicker than I thought. And yes, AAD is a must...regardless of cost.

Well, just as long as it is a safe rig, that's what counts. I don't want to pay for an inspection of a "cheap" rig and come to find out it's not jump-worthy! I'm temporarily fine with something well worn-in, just as long as isn't "risky." In the next week or so, I'll post more about this under the Gear and Rigging forum where it can be discussed in detail. I don't want to take us too much off topic....

I have to say that I agree with a few things here. I offer the prospective of someone who is saving every penny to get into the sport of skydiving the very second he walks the line after graduating from grad school. First off, I consider safety and the safety of others my number one concern. Why then should I even remotely consider NOT purchasing a rig without a device that may save my life? It's not even a question, I value my life and until I have the thorough experience to make an informed decision (a couple hundred jumps later), I consider it a necessity and know that I must fork out the dough. Additionally, I found it difficult to pin-down even an estimate of how much skydiving actually costs....startup and long-term. It took me months after doing my first tandem, reading books on the sport, browsing webpages of USPA affiliated DZ's, and posting on DZ.com forums to get MOST of the information that I need. Much to my surprise, YES, jumping out of airplanes IS expensive....but like someone else mentioned already, it's easy to overlook other more common hobbies. Considering that my dad bought a $8,000 motorcycle and spends hundreds more a-pop on scenic trips with friends, it's not that absurd to want to spend the money to become a skydiver! Just my 2 cents since the post is partially referring to people like me ! On a side note, billvon mentioned $2400-2900. I'm budgeting $4000 for a used first rig with AAD and plan on buying right after my AFF training is complete. Am I way off here?

Thanks for the input! If you look back through the posts, you'll see the context of this discussion (in terms of my input) was not "How many jumps is the minimum." But rather my question has migrated to, "How frequently do experienced skydivers recommend that I jump so I can commit to it." I too value my life and the lives of others! Skydiving is something that I have craved my entire life and I was so happy to make my first tandem 5 months ago. I hadn't a clue that the following 5 months would plague me with constant thoughts of wanting to skydive almost every day! Being so busy with graduate school, I already understand that I need to wait to finish my degree before I can mentally and physically be present to commit to skydiving...this discussion has helped me tremendously to know I'm doing the right thing by waiting and also has given me a good idea of how often I need to commit to jumping when I begin AFF after I graduate.

Rrrrright... I must have been dreaming or something.

Great idea...I know I'm not even a student YET, but its nice to play w/ people that at least share a common interest! Oh, and say you are from DZ.com pleeze... Xbox Live ID: DrBerry Games: Halo 3, COD 3.

First time I've heard it called "cloud rush"...makes sense though. On my tandem video you can see my expression change from "this is freaking awesome" to a flush faced "oh my goodness, I'm flying 120 MPH straight into a cloud!!!" I'm sure many of you have fallen through clouds before and besides them, but it was absolutely fantastic to go right through one on my first (and only ) jump. Don't get me wrong though..."cloud rush" is freakin' cool! You'll have so much fun! Go for it, you may just get hooked like me and go open a special "skydiving savings" account for AFF and gear when you realize you want more.

First off, I am encouraged by the many responses to my question even though I've made just one tandem and many of you have made hundreds or thousands of solos. Secondly, it would take take me half a day to respond to so many thoughtful, informational, educational, and cautionary tales that have given me much of the information that I need to make a safe decision. That said, to sum it all up I'm sure that most everyone here can agree that "safety" is the primary concern regardless of the many facts or opinions presented in these posts. I am all for it too folks--jumping out of a plane is a big deal when your life AND those of other jumpers are at stake. From what I gather, the regularity or frequency of jumping should not be taken lightly, especially at the beginning of my training. My "revised" plan is to finish graduate school, then begin working on my AFF training and finish in 1 to 2 weeks time. Then I can focus on jumping every 2 weeks thereafter to gain the skills I need to receive my A license. I'm guessing a minimum of 6 to 8 months until I could start thinking about going 3 to 4 weeks in between jumps? At that point, after hearing the safety concerns of the jumpers that shared their opinions in these posts, I would commit to jumping at least every month, but never more than 3 months in between when it's winter up here and my vacation days are all taken. I would see to it that I have at least 100 jumps a year. I know this varies for each person depending on their skill progression, but what are your thoughts on the revised plan that I just specified? I know it is safer, but is will it be safe enough for me to be a skydiver? Granted I know that I will be tempted to jump more than I actually have time for, yet this scenario would be pretty much true to what my schedule may permit. I take safety very seriously and want to be a responsible jumper--that is why I'm asking the advice of experienced jumpers!

I just had my first tandem jump back in August 07'. I had been wanting to skydive as long as I remember and finally had the opportunity to do so...I had so much fun I couldn't stop talking about it for months. So here we are 5 months later, and all of a sudden I have this dream about skydiving a week ago and now I can't stop thinking about it just like the weeks leading up to my first jump. I'm asking myself...is this really what I want to do...I AM crazy! Right now I am SO busy with pursuing my doctorate that I plan on making tandems until I graduate, have spare time, and can focus my mind on "fun" (note: others know this word as "having a life"). Long term (after graduate school), I would love to commit to AFF training since it makes more sense than spending $150 a pop on a tandem every few months when you could learn how to do it yourself hands-on with instructors. My goal is to be able to run out on a free weekend and make several jumps...say every 2 or 3 months. So, after hearing the back-story, my real question is, "Is the regularity of my anticipated frequency of jumping going to be safe?" I know many of you (forum members) are weekend regulars that rack up hundreds of jumps. My hope is to not HAVE to do that just to "remember" how to jump so I don't get rusty. "Is my expectations reasonable and can I go months without jumping so early after learning the basics and how to do them on my own?" "Will I forget or need more training if the frequency of my jumping is only every 2 to 3 months from the time I finish AFF onward?" "Are there people like me out there who can safely enjoy skydiving on a casual basis?

That's great to know! I may do one of the tandem progression jumps you referred to in your post. Sounds like you guys over at WTS are a pretty helpful....glad to know I've probably made the right choice for my future home DZ. I'll try giving them a call to ask a few more questions...

You know, I'll say that it is really encouraging to know that there are helpful experienced jumpers out there that would like to help people like me out when I begin my training. And, as much as I have enjoyed the little skydiving I have done so far, it's still a whole new learning experience and I can use all the advice that any jumper is willing to offer me...free or not. I certainly don't expect every helping-hand I may get in the near future to be free. I have little patience for moochers myself...but I totally agree that attitude and the way people approach you or ask for your help is probably what should be what counts the most (in my opinion). Of course there will be exceptions to this, but I think you understand what I generally mean. Most people responding to this thread really seem like great people and I hope that I later run into similar jumpers like you guys when I begin my AFF in Spring next year. Knowing that there are decent people out there that want to see new jumpers join the sport, helps me know that I'll probably meet some great people out there. I hope that when I become experienced, I can give back by lending a helping hand when needed down the road. Anyways, that's my 2 cents...

Everyone's suggestions were awesome and have really helped me along to make a decision. My local DZ doesn't do IAF so it looks like I'll be doing AFF. Which I think will be OK from the feedback I've received. Conor, your AFF vid was SO COOL! Looks like you had a ton of fun and did well on level 1. Can't wait till I have my own video to share!!! Andrew

I'm not huge into writing reviews, but I am huge into reading them...so I figure it's time to give back a little. Besides, they deserve it! You can't go wrong at this place, the tandem was SO worth it. My instructor (Mark G.) was friendly and made the whole experience fun for my first tandem. I ask a lot of questions because I like to learn things, and the folks there answered every one of them with a smile on their face. I felt like I was in good hands, despite the fact that I was jumping from a plane for the first time. The experience was so much fun for me at Tennessee Skydiving, LLC. that I will be signing up to take their AFF training over at their sister facility, West Tennessee Skydiving (WTS) near Memphis. So they've converted one more civilian into a future skydiver...that spells good business!

I mean, that's just it. I think that I am a pretty level headed guy with a good career and to be jumping out of a plane? I mean COME ON! Yet, I found it to be SO fun and I can't get this experience and the possibility of more that I am seeming to crave out of my head! Did you guys ever question what you are doing at first and think it might be a bit foolish throwing yourself out of a plane? Halfpastniner ...I'm 24 and I do find your story funny (in a good way). I'm glad your mom eventually came around...that's good to hear! If I do continue, can I handle AFF given my previous sensory overload or should I do another tandem?

Wow, it sounds like I'm DEFINITELY not alone in my initial feelings during the tandem. The input really put things into context. Thanks for your advice everyone, really! So what do you think is next...AFF or another tandem to help me acclimate to the sensation of flying through the air without too much sensory overload? Also, on another note. I am beginning to become aware of the dangers of the sport. I've read through several AFF student guides (you're right, I'm a detailed kind of guy) already and I realize this is not all fun and games - skydiving is dangerous and could hurt or even kill me. Is this something you eventually learn to live with, because obviously you'd be stupid if you choose to forget it. So many people think I have lost my mind and my mom also won't even discuss this with me, she just gets mad. How does your family deal with this and will they just get used to it over time?

Hey man, it's awesome to know I wasn't the only one who felt this way on jump #1. I too felt like the tandem lasted all of 5 seconds... Anyways, thanks for the encouragement, I'm sure I'll need it!

Hey there! I just had my first tandem out at Tennessee Skydiving at the Tullahoma DZ this past Saturday. Did my research and stayed away from SR affiliated places, so I truly had a blast and my instructor was awesome! I have always wanted to go skydiving, so I went in with the intention to see if it was something I just needed to cross off my list...or perhaps continue onto AFF. Much to my surprise, I still am in the same boat trying to figure out what exactly happened up there!!! I experienced such sensory overload that I have trouble recalling what it was actually like and now can't figure out how I can tell if this is something I will enjoy in the long term. I mean, I think I did...it just happened so fast!!! Do take note that it wasn't fear that was really involved, because I was able to fully put trust into my instructor during the jump. I think i just think too much, i dunno? My instructor also mentioned to me that when I get the video in the mail and watch it, I will remember it better...is this generally true?!?!? How can I tell if this is really for me....all I know is the sport seems SO intriguing to me and I can't stop thinking about it or researching it or watching YouTube videos of freefalls even after the jump. Of course my entire family and co-workers think I'm completely insane and will end up dead...not much reassuring. I'm just SO CONFUSED!!! Any suggestions or thoughts on what I said??? Anyone experience anything similar and how did you figure out things for yourself? Be nice, I'm new.