Tandems after AFF?

[jessd 0]

My first jump was August of 2002. Between that time and now I have a total of 3 tandems, and passed the first three levels of AFF. I have not jumped since April due to fear and lately lack of money. I really want to get up there and jump- I miss that feeling so much. The problem is that I am a little nervous about picking up with AFF again to begin with. I have a gift certificate that can be used at Skydive New England (not my home DZ). But, I would only have to pay a little bit of money in addition to the gift to do a tandem. So, I booked a tandem for next Monday (the 20th). Who here has done a tandem after completing AFF levels and what did you think about it. I am excited to get jump but feel a little weird that it will be a tandem.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away..."

[Nightingale 0]

I wussed out of my first attempt at AFF 2. I rode the plane down because of fear.

same day, I scraped up the guts to do a tandem, because I knew if I gave in to the fear completely, I wouldn't skydive again... give in to it once, its a hundred times harder to overcome it the next time around.

It felt weird getting on the plane without my own rig. However, it was the absolute BEST thing I could've done for myself at that moment.

A tandem will help you get over your fear and remember why you love skydiving.

My tandem instructor actually did the level 2 skydive stuff with me on the tandem, so I was learning something... ask your instructor to do the same with whatever it is you're supposed to work on next. Of course, I still had to do a non-tandem level 2, but it was a lot easier because I knew what to expect, so not so many nerves.

If you think a tandem's what you need, do it. It isn't going to hurt, and it'll help a lot with the fear thing.

Blue skies!!!!

-Kris

[ladyskydiver 0]

I started AFF and did my first tandem after having completed AFF on jump # 12. I enjoyed the jump but was a little freaked not having my own gear. And, since then I have done 2 recurrency jumps for some tandem master friends of mine.

Life is short! Break the rules! Forgive quickly! Kiss slowly! Love truly, Laugh uncontrollably. And never regret anything that made you smile.

[dzdiva 7]

Girlfriend, you do what you feel is right. If a tandem will help you get your knees back in the breeze then do it. I do know about the fear factor (no pun intended!) I had to deal with my own demons a couple weeks ago. I won't bore you with my story, but in the end I went out the door! I was so proud of myself at that moment.
Go do your tandem and have a blast!! Then just take things from there.

"It's not just a daydream if you choose to make it your life..."

[Muenkel 0]

Jess,

I think that is a great idea. Knowing what you have been dealing with, I think it is the right way to go.

Have fun and let me know how it goes.

Chris

_________________________________________
Chris

[AggieDave 6]

I took a guy that showed up to my DZ with 4 AFF jumps and a tandem up on 2 working tandems. Where he did his AFF and other tandem, is a larger DZ and it was very rushed. He wasn't comfortable with jumping and had hurt himself a couple months earlier on a botched landing. Thus we went up and did a low pressure dive where he just arched and pulled at 5.5. He did great, we had a great standup landing and it helped him out a LOT. He came back 2 weeks later and did a Cat B tandem. He did everything great, now he's going to come to my DZ and finish his AFF.

Basically, what it was is that he needed a confidence booster and a relaxed jump to get his mind back in the game (or in the game initially, I think). A tandem did the trick for him and now he's back on track.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."