johnjyuuu 0 #1 February 21, 2011 Have always been fascinated by skydiving but afraid of the risks (not so much the risk of death but more the risk of serious permanent injury). I understand the statistics are somewhere in the 1 in 100,000 jump range but viewing the fatality section of this site where individuals with 1 jump are listed is very tough to see. For those of you with 1 or a few jumps, how do you block out your fear and get your body to jump when your mind is saying "you shouldn't be doing this"...? I live in the Philadelphia area and have been researching some local DZ's, especially the ones with AFF programs. If anyone is local and can give me some advice as to a preferred DZ in the area i'd appreciate any feedback. (I know there is a DZ finder on this site but it's tough to tell which one would provide the best experience for a 1st jump). Thanks for any responses and for the site creators, this seems like an excellent resource for novices and experts alike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #2 February 21, 2011 Quote For those of you with 1 or a few jumps, how do you block out your fear and get your body to jump when your mind is saying "you shouldn't be doing this"...? I have a few more jumps than 1 but I do remember what it was like as a new jumper. For me just starting out, knowledge was key to easing my mind. Gear knowledge - how the gear works and how it's made and what it's designed to handle. Emergency procedures - what to do and how to do it should everything not go perfectly well. Self control - Telling that little voice to shut the hell up...I'm going skydiving! Knowledge is POWER!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
skycamefalling 0 #3 February 21, 2011 I couldnt agree more with popsjumper. Knowledge is power. I am still fairly new to the sport and have spent a lot of time reading, watching and studying. I have been trying to learn as much as possible since I had made the decision to get in to the sport and I am just barely scratching the surface. Take any and every chance you get to learn something. If those with more experience are trying to tell you something, it may come off as them being an ass or it may not, but do not ignore what they have to say. They are telling you for a reason. Remember safety will always be your #1 priority. Keep yourself and others safe. Last but not least, welcome to the forumsSpeedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead. And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 35 #4 February 21, 2011 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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KermieCorleone 0 #5 February 21, 2011 Quote Welcome to the forums! Skymama, said it perfectly. I was nervous through out my AFF program but that was more so due to the fact that I could not afford to redo levels LOL ... other than that once you understand how the training and gear works you gain trust in them, which in turn increases your confidence in your ability to work out any problems you might face. + trust in your instructors is key as well. I had the chance to observe the AFFIs at my DZ for a while before having to jump. Even though I knew that in the air my safety was in my hands I knew the instruction and training I was receiving was impeccable. regarding how you can decide on a DZ, if you have the opportunity, go and hang out at the DZs close to you I am sure no one is going to chase you away but rather gladly answer any questions you might have. + you'll also see which DZ vibe is best suited to you.- Neil Never make assumptions! That harmless rectangle could be two triangles having sex ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #6 February 23, 2011 Here is an interesting video for your safety concerns. This video is from the Parachute Industry Association meeting earlier this month in Reno, NV. http://www.youtube.com/user/VASSTTraining#p/u/28/tQuJr5wuvSw The guy with the beard is Bill Booth. Bill Booth has invented many of the key parts of modern skydiving equipment. Listen to what he says about the fatalaties in 2010. When he refers to deaths under open canopies, what he means is that the equipment was working perfectly and the jumper made an error. The canopy errors typicaly fall into three groups: Flying the canopy into the ground (high performance landing "swooping"), flying the canopy into another canopy (collision), or landing in high/gusty winds. As a student your equipment, training, and instructors will keep you from most of these problems. For example your instructors won't let you jump in dangerous winds... thus that problem goes away. Note what Bill Booth has to say about tandems in 2010. Very interesting. Students in the US typically jump equipment that is designed to be student-friendly... highly reliable, canopies with low flight speed, canopies which are hard to stall, with all the saftey options. Do students get hurt?... of course they do! But if you do what you are taught... the odds of SERIOUS injury as a student are pretty low. My reccomendation is to do a tandem first. That lets you have the emotional experienced of freefall without the burden of performing. When you move on to AFF or Static line or Istructor Assisted Deployment... you can focus on performance with less emotion clouding your judgement.The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
