Sapphire 0 #1 March 3, 2009 Hello everyone! I guess after over one year lurking on here I should finally introduce myself. My name is Jessica, I'm 35 (wow - I didn't give the standard fake age of 26 ), and I live in NoVA. This website has really meant a lot to me over the past year; not only has it been quite informative for me, but also a place to come and look at some really cool pictures and videos, but most important to me is that if it weren't for this website and great community of skydivers, I wouldn't have learned of someone I cared for deeply's serious accident when I did... a simple post in incidents then a confirmation from a wonderful woman on the other side of the country that I had never met helped to end the worry of the unknown for me and for that I will always be grateful! Finally making this jump is going to be somewhat bitter sweet for me, though it's been something I've always wanted to do - a 'bucket list' item to check off so-to-speak... but after this past year it has become so much more than that... it's a deep need/desire that I HAVE to experience... it's all I can think about, even if I only do it once, I HAVE to experience it, I guess that's the best way in words I can express it. Anyway, sorry for the long post... let's hope the weather and everything else cooperates for me on the 12th and who knows, this could be the beginning of a new, beautiful addiction! ~Blue Skies~ ~J"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar" ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
floridadiver81 0 #2 March 3, 2009 Welcome to the board and congratulations for making plans to make your first jump! Im assuming by NoVA you mean northern virginia. I was stationed in norfolk for 4 1/2 crappy years. Anyways i will be the first to warn you that this sport is HIGHLY addictive. If you really NEED to jump then you have the attitude of a future jumper. I didnt my first jump out of state( i live in florida). Upon returning to florida i started AFF the following weekend! Had to take a break but im back in the sport as of february. I wish you luck and welcome to the skies!"Age has absolutely nothing to do with knowledge, learning, respect, attitude, or personality." -yardhippie "Fight the air, and the air will kick your ass!!! "-Specialkaye Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #3 March 4, 2009 Welcome to the forums...youngster! It's great to hear that you are going to do your first jump soon and that you've enjoyed the forums. Let us know how that jump goes and whether you're going to sign up for AFF! 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pokerstar 0 #4 March 4, 2009 Welcome! You will LOVE jumping! :)Fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug, uh, regimen to keep my mind, you know, uh, limber. --- The Dude --- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sapphire 0 #5 March 4, 2009 Thank you everyone for the warm welcome! I can't wait to finally make my first jump... and trust me, I am sure I will be on here sharing all about my experience. 'If' I do decide this wonderful sport is for me and I sign up for AFF, I can guarantee I'll share that as well. Thanks again ... ~J "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar" ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sapphire 0 #6 April 13, 2009 OK, well I had the BEST Easter ever! I finally got to jump (tandem), and I don't have to tell any of you, but it was the most incredible experience of my life! They really need to come up with some new words just for skydivers so they can try to convey the feeling in words to people who have never experienced it! I am definitely going back... I was a little upset with myself though. I watched my alti, waved off at pull time, but I couldn't feel to pull... damn gloves were HUGE! I mean, I know we have to have one size fits most, so I overlooked the big jumpsuit cause I'm not the shortest most petite of chicks, but gloves, too! LMFAO! Course, I guess it could've been my lack of experience and sensory overload, too... but I blame it on the gloves! Everyone was great at Skydive Orange... I hope to be spending more time and money there in the future! "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar" ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lenzo 0 #7 April 14, 2009 Congrats on your jump.When it is 95 degrees and you are not wearing gloves you will find the handle no problem.Blues.Smile,pull,land Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sapphire 0 #8 May 1, 2009 Well, Cat A (via tandem) went well... YAY! So, I'm now all scheduled for my FJC and Cat B (AFF) ... I can't wait! Though, I must say, I've not yet had much door fear (though I guess that could be because I was attached to someone else both times, I dunno) - but currently I'm feeling more anxiety of being under canopy alone. Honestly the canopy portion wasn't my fave part on either tandem, but thinking about it next time on my own... is this normal - more like a fear of the unknown? Anyway, I am still VERY excited... will post back when it's all said and done... just wish me luck! (hehe!) ~J"One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar" ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lenzo 0 #9 May 1, 2009 Well I have to say I was a little uneasy about the the first canopy ride alone when I started aff.But I think when you finish the ground course some of that fear will subside.Remember they will have a radio so will you they will talk you down all the way.By the way the canopy ride is just as fun as the free fall to me now.I think after a few jumps and you get use to it you will know why birds sing. Smile,pull,land Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #10 May 4, 2009 Quote currently I'm feeling more anxiety of being under canopy alone. Not to worry. It is quite typical that canopy flight causes anxiety because, indeed, you are alone at that point. Here's part of what I tell my AFF FJC students about canopy flight: After the Square/Stable/Steerable checks...flying a canopy is 10% technical and 90% common sense. You already have the technical...pull right, turn right; pull let turn left; pull both, put on the brakes. The only skill you don't have is how to determine how far will the canopy fly before it touches down. I can help you with that with the "halfway there, halfway down" concept. The common sense part I relate to driving a car. Simply steer the canopy where you want to go. You don't want to hit that parked car (tree)? Fine, steer around it just like you would do in your car (hopefully ) You want to go to California? Fine, go to I-10 and turn right. Someone mentioned radio. That's all fine and dandy until the radio doesn't work or you can't hear it. But that's OK because you have your common sense to rely on. I teach them as if there will be no radio communication right from Jump #1. One other thing...and this pretty much depends on the type and size of the canopy you are flying (I don't recall what Orange uses). Typical student parachutes are set up so that once it opens and checks out OK, it's almost impossible to screw it up...it's not going to suddenly fold up and drop you out of the sky. So, have fun with it! Stay within the limits your instructors set for you and canopy flight can be quite enjoyable! Now, having said all that. Please discuss your anxiety and concerns with your instructors. Tell them everything told to you in this, or any other, forum. Go with their advice and teaching. Orange has a high-quality instructor staff. One cardinal rule for students is to NEVER try anything told to you by others without discussing it with your instructors FIRST.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gocaptive55 0 #11 May 4, 2009 @popsjumper thanks for what you said, im also gearing up for ground training and have anxiety about deploying my pilot chute, flying the canopy, etc. Will focus on not projecting and taking it a bit at a time. Thanks again, Aimee Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sapphire 0 #12 May 7, 2009 Thank you for the great post full of very useful advice - I really appreciate it. Trust me, I will certainly make sure to discuss any concerns/anxiety/questions I have with the actual instructors I will be working with, as they will best be able to provide me the answers/advice I need since they will be the ones jumping with me and watching me fly and land - successfully, of course! It is just nice to have a place to go in between jumps to read other's experiences and to voice any questions or concerns I may have to people who get it instead of just hearing the usual "why would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane" ... and the "you're friggin insane" comments I've been getting... LMAO! "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar" ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
maria982 0 #13 May 23, 2009 hey, i can definitely relate! i just did my first aff jump and the freefall was unbelievable!! the canopy ride on the other hand...i guess it was just slow enough for me to realize i was alone up there and the flapping sound of either the chute or the riser right over my head really seemed to distract me... let me know when you do your next jump and how it goes! my dz is a ways away from me so i'm afraid i'm not going to be jumping as frequently as i wish!!good luck!! Once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to be. -Leonardo DaVinci Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
