My first time. Or how I did it...not right!?!

[wardin 0]

After years of smiling, and weeks of stalking, when I got my chance I just didn't "do" her right! : )

Ok I am not that sexist or an ass, but I did my first static line jump yesterday and I dang diddly heck didn't do nothing right!!! (OK 3 MISTAKES) Had my initial training 3 weeks ago, I've been reading up and watching a lot of instructions and accident reports over the last few weeks. In the end these were the mistakes I made..and how the jump went:

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1. MISTAKE: HESTATION AND PROBABLY PANIC. Jumpmaster tells me to get my legs out...ok. Out and hang...ok. Look. NOT OK. It was like my hands were glued to the damn strut...I freakin waited what seemed like a minute but was about 10 seconds. I looked at him after the go...looked up looked at my hands...looked at him and then looked back at my hands and said I have to do it and let go.

2. MISTAKE: WHAT ARCH? Knew ARCH ARCH ARCH but DID NOT ARCH other than what the wind/position gave me...ended up turning/tumbling slightly to the left when the canopy opened and stabilized me...I was lucky I say!

Checked canopy seemed ok with end left cell closures (2 cells?) I pumped them a little (left toggles down to chest and up slow) the wind would have probably fixed them...thank 9 cell student chutes!

3. MISTAKE: DID NOT PLF. Followed instructions from ground radio and no issues with the descent. Loved the view. Kept my eye on the altimeter all long. Flared on time when flare command was given...was expecting and going into flare when I heard the command. I did have my knees and feet together (reminded on the radio). As a student I knew even though the winds were nearly nil, a PLF was a good thing to execute, came down with a very slight forward momentum...on my feet and lurched to the left with my hands down at the last second for support. NOT GREAT but with no winds and a good flare I was ok...then again as a student/first time NOT GOOD : )

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Radio jumpmaster came to me after landing and was congratulating me...all I did was spout out every mistake I made! I did have the adrenalin going but even now after more than 16 hours I feel a high with the jump and a disappointment for not executing the basics!

Jumpmaster also my trainer was very good in taking the time and explaining. I'd been at the drop zone from about 10 in the morning and got to jump about 5:30 the other experienced jumpers were friendly and ready to talk, and hung around for a boogie 4th of July weekend.

I want to go jump next weekend but don't trust myself to execute!? AAAAGH maybe I am just missing the confidence. Still I'll probably go be a dropzone bitch (<> biker bitch : ) and hang around wish me good tidings.

PS. Any suggestions/tips/?

--
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens"
-- Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller

[grannyinthesky 0]

Welcome to sjydiving. Perfection just doesn't happen. It's a very foreign environment and takes a fair amount of time to begin gettig used to it. Don't worry about not being perfect. You instructors will tell ou how you've done and they really aren't expecting you to do e ery wingle thing right Have fun with junping and enjoy the ride, but put your desire for perfection on the shelf. You jumped. You landed,. And you walked away to jump again. That's a good jump.
Pat

"safety first... and What the hell.....
safety second, Too!!! " ~~jmy

POPS #10490

[ceandries 0]

took me 9 static lines to get it right, I know others who had more and are now great skydivers. Now that I think about it, the fact that I was screwing up was what kept me going, trying to get it right. Then I got hooked.

[skymama 35]

Welcome to the forums!

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[wardin 0]

Thanks for the replies and the support! Interestingly I've been even dreaming about the jump : ) I'm sure that's not a first either.

--
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens"
-- Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller