Oldest Student??

[swarley 0]

For all you "Skydiving Instructors" out there, What was the age of your oldest starting student? I am thinking about AFF/SL but I am 59 years old. My tandem jump was a lot of fun and i can see why you all Skydive!

• Quote

[hobbes4star 0]

i am not an instructor but i know of one student that was in his early 70's. said his wife would never let him when she was a live so after her passing he came out and made close to 30 dives before he said he was done, that he could die with one less regrett. really good guy.

if fun were easy it wouldn't be worth having, right?

[swarley 0]

Thanks! Maybe I'm not too old.

[hobbes4star 0]

you are never to old. only as old as you want to be

if fun were easy it wouldn't be worth having, right?

[hooked 0]

Quote

For all you "Skydiving Instructors" out there, What was the age of your oldest starting student? I am thinking about AFF/SL but I am 59 years old. My tandem jump was a lot of fun and i can see why you all Skydive!

God, I love this post! I've been thinking and thinking and thinking over this question! I have done 3 tandems and I LOVE this sport. Not a day goes by when I don't think about the experience. I'm 54 and am unsure about whether it is a realistic sport for me to do. Now, I'm just thinking about how to finance it and having a spouse who is not the least bit interested but is supportive. There are so many "ifs" and "should I's". It will be interesting to see if this thread stays around long enough to get some replies.

J

--------------------------------------
Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings.

[Airhead 0]

HEY! GOOD and INTERESTING POST!
I'm a NEWBIE that is best discribed as a "younger" Baby-Boomer. I AM young in mind and look younger than I am! Hey, if you keep fit, and take good care of yourself, ain't nothing that should hold you back from doing ANYTHING that you want to do.
GO FOR IT.
A Good Attitude, A GREAT sense a humor about life and ability to change and grow will keep you feeling... YOUNG, WILLING and ABLE!
MY FIRST SKYDIVE WAS AN EPIPHANY FOR ME!

[Brisco 0]

well, i'm 52 and just got started - 9 jumps so far and the last two had me fucked up for a week (helicopter manuver on one), but they were still so much fun i can't wait to get back up there!! i've been dreaming of jumping since i was 6 years old and destroying all my dad's handkerchiefs and mom's clothspins making parachutes!! just do it!!

brisco

Brisco

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

[seedy 0]

I've wanted to do this since I was a teenager - I am now 55 and just finished my fourth tandem. In a couple of weeks I get to start AFP. Raising three grandkids, I can't afford to go whole hog, but by golly, I'm gonna do all I can and I can't believe I waited so long to realize this dream. Go for it!

I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

[swarley 0]

Thanks for all the replys from you 50 ish people that survived the 60's and are just starting out. You show that it IS possible!
Steve

[hooked 0]

First......Brisco....what were your injuries and from what? Are you doing SL or AFF?

Seedy.....I've waited just as long! I am also watching my grandson, daytimes. If at all possible, I will go for it! I'm working on it, believe me. I just can't go without skydiving being a part of my life. Damn, I wish I hadn't waited soooo long.

You know what makes me nervous, is landing! I know with training and repeated jumps I will learn. But the thought of bringing myself to a safe landing is scary! With my luck, the radio wouldn't work! There is so MUCH information you have to remember and especially to remember quickly and to react quickly. They say it becomes 'second nature', how quickly, I wonder? I'm just rambling now........

J

--------------------------------------
Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings.

[seedy 0]

I know what you mean about the landing. That is the part I think about the most. Exiting, freefall, and pulling the ripcord are no problem, but my next jump will be just me under that canopy for the first time. I can't wait, but I do have some trepidation.

I intend to live forever -- so far, so good.

[hooked 0]

Let me know how the landing goes! PM, email, or post it here!

J

--------------------------------------
Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings.

[reprobate 0]

Swarley,

I am certainly not an instructor but am really good at butting in to someone elses business

I am 64 and a student. I have done 6 tandams, 3 with my STP and 3 at another DZ, and 4 STP (like AFF but w/one JM).

At the time I started I made inquiries as you did and the concerns were probably the same. The large differance between someone older that is continuing skydiving and someone of the same age STARTING it.

I got a lot of feedback and several PMs that were really on the ball (Thanks, you know who you are).

I would say, go ahead and start. If you have concerns about landing, as I do, possibly take a few extra tandams. I know they are expensive but they will help you put it in perspective. Hell, I even helped kick out line twists on one!

You need to examine yourself and a good place to do it, I believe, is on a freeway.

This may start some stuff, but here goes.

You may have heard that one sign of failing skills is an inability to hold your own on the road. If you can drive right down the side of the construction wall, keep up with the fast drivers and make the lane changes (without wrecking ) you still have fair position awareness and nerves. This isn't as dangerous as skydiving but is pretty good multitasking. if you do it on a motorcycle, even better.

RE: Landing, this is, I believe, of concern to any older skydiver because of deterioating vision. I know I have a problem with it and am having to hunt and peck this because I have one finger and a thumb in splints! Don't just discuss this with your instructors, pound it into them because he or she won't have the faintest idea what you are talking about because they don't even wear glasses much less tri-focals.

Another concern: continuity of lessons. I have no way of knowing your personal situation but for myself, I travel a lot and this puts really too much time between lessons for good retention so try to start a regular schedule.

Feel free to email, flame or PM me.

Carl

[Brisco 0]

No injuries, Hooked - just mentally messed up for awhile. Kinda scared me, but i guess that's good. The "helicopter manuver", for those not familar with it, is spinning out of control. I was on my eighth jump (IAF & first 5 were tandems), started doing a turn and couldn't stop it. My instructor came in and stopped my spin, but as soon as he let go I started spinning again. Next thing i know i'm spinning like crazy, probably doing about 120 RPM. Then i find myself on my back. I didn't get real scared at the time just kept thinking "Why the fuck is this happening?" and "I need to pull the rip cord and stop this madness!" I didn't want to pull while on my back, so with some unknown gyrations I managed to get BTE again. I tried again to stop the spin but didn't have any success, so decided to pull anyway. I had some ugly line twists but i had pulled pretty high and had enough altitude to play with it a bit and kicked my way out of them. Thank goodness I did pull high as it gave me some time to get my head together before landing. I was plenty anxious to get right back up there and try again.
On the next jump (less than 30 minutes later) I still had some stability issues, but managed a mostly stable free fall on my own for about 30 seconds. I was so focused on staying stable that i lost altitude awareness and next thing I know the instuctor grabbed my hand and put it on my ripcord handle. I remember thinking "now why is he doing that? this jump is going pretty well." Then my eyes focused on the ground as I was pulling and I thought, "Holy Shit! The ground is REALLY close!! When I looked at my altimeter I saw that I was under 4000'. Damn!! I can't believe I lost track of where I was!! I had an unevenful canopy ride and even managed my first stand up landing!
If I had the money, I would have paid for another jump right then and there! I was pretty quiet on the ride home and as the day wore on, the more I thought about what had happened, the more scared I got. I didn't sleep worth a shit that night as everytime I started to drift off I'd started feeling like I was in free fall again! The next day I was still mentally messed up with it and I really wanted to do another jump, but the dz is over 2 hours away and my skydiving budget was dry for another 2 weeks.
My wife and I were going to a party that evening and I couldn't wait to get a beer!! I'm not a big beer drinker, but I knew that a beer was just what I needed. I got to the party and put away two beers in less time than it took to type this and felt MUCH better!! LOL Now I know why all the fuss about beer at dz's!!!
Anyhow, I was mentally pretty messed up for the rest of the week, but not enough to make me want to quit skydiving, altho' I have to admit the thought did cross my mind! Reading some of the stories here and elsewhere on the 'net had helped a whole lot and I'm raring to go again. I was supposed to go yesterday, but the labor day boogie at the dz has been rained out, so it will probably be at least another week before I get to go again.
My stability problems, by the way, are being caused by my legs not being even and being a bit too tense. I'll get it right the next time!
On the subject of landing, I too was pretty nervous about landing on my own, but actually it's a piece of cake and after 4 solo landings, I now look forward to them wanting to nail that flare and a stand-up again.
All I can say is, go for it boys and girls!!
blue skies
Brisco

Brisco

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

[christoofar 0]

As a young student who went to ground school and AFF with the "golden crowd" , I'd have to say too that on first solo jump the most I was worried about was the landing. Luckily, F-111s and superbig ZPs are very forgiving for almost everyone. A lot of people, old and young, stop using the radio at level 5/6, or even earlier.

After a while your landings will greatly improve as your body begins to memorize the flare that gets you down the softest, no matter what your age is. I know one older AFF student who has been repeating levels constantly due to body position, etc... but her canopy control skills are excellent! She is almost out of AFF now, and it has taken her a long time, but I think as soon as she gets off of it she could probably downsize to a 1.0 loaded ZP (she's got close to 50 jumps).

____________________________________________________________
I'm RICK JAMES! Fo shizzle.

[swarley 0]

"I travel a lot and this puts really too much time between lessons for good retention so try to start a regular schedule."

Thanks for the older insite. Yes i think i will need to start when i can get continuity for the lessons. From all i have read here this is important. Fall is fast approaching followed by winter up here. Think i will start in the spring . My distant eyesite is 20-20 but need reading glasses. hehe. On landing if the grass gets "fuzzy" then i guess i flared too low!
Steve

[hooked 0]

DUH! If I had read your post more clearly, I would have understood "helicopter maneuver"! I'm wondering now, if maybe I would just tend to panic! I guess I won't know until I try it! Reading all these posts is so informative
J

--------------------------------------
Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings.

[Brisco 0]

heck, I didn't even know what I did had a name until I read it on a web site!!!
brisco

Brisco

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

[brianthomas1966 0]

from one beginner to another.
"Trust the ARCH" when you get on your back and feel out of control, just "Trust the ARCH"! Arch and you'll flip right over.
Thing orgasm - when you are too tense - make the "O" face, exhale, relax. (Just don't roll over and go to sleep) You'll slip right into a relaxed Box Man and the instability will correct itself. Remember that you can click your heels together to figure out where your legs and feet are.
Hope this helps
ENJOY!

Brian

[Brisco 0]

Yeah, Brian - I thought of all that AFTER it happened!! LOL My instructor told me afterwards that during that nasty spin I did one of the worst things possible and that was I had my hands down by my leg straps which just exacerbated the spin. I remember thinking at the time that if I let my arms go out during the spin that I wouldn't be able to bring them back in again to reach the ripcord. He also wrote in my logbook that I could delta and dive out of the spin. I'm just hoping that I never have to try it again!
Still, it was one hell of a ride!!
Brisco

Brisco

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

[jncoughlin 0]

My own story.

I'm 50 and just finished AFF in seven jumps. Landing is not as scary as you think. On my second jump the radio broke in freefall. I just stayed upwind until around 1500 and flew the pattern like they tell you. Ended up standing it up on the target.

If you're in reasonable shape you can skydive well into your sixties. I find that exercise before I jump limbers me up AND relaxes me. Very Important.

That said, I went to the tunnel in Florida to get some flying time and injured my shoulder while doing it. Now I'm out for a while.

Go for it. It's worth it. Practice each sky dive on the ground more than you think you have to. Trust the arch if you're on your back or flipping. Pull at pull time no matter what. Always fly a larger rig for softer more controlleed landings (and longer flights to enjoy the scenary) and have fun.

i wish I'd started earlier.

[reprobate 0]

Swarley,
I have done a fair amount of lurking, surfing and downloading and have found a lot of material that can be printed out that can give a lot of insight into the different parts of skydiving. With one exception I won't even try to post links as there are too many. Start right here on dropzone.com and just jump from the equipment pages to the mfg. pages. PD & RW, for example, have some pretty good stuff. Skydivemag is a British publication that has good (free! ha ha) archives. Read PIA's Dual Square Report. Etc.
The link is: http://www.MakeItHappen.com
it has a page of links as does our own home.

I guess you are aware that we old farts have lost our edge as well as our teeth. It has been pointed out to me that some old students may be a little behind. Being "half a step behind the beat" may look funny on the dance floor but aint funny in the air so take and use videios and keep in mind your instructor is your kids age and don't really have a clue

Cheers, Old Rep,

Carl

[ernokaikkonen 0]

A couple of years back we had a s/l-student who was 75! He'd gotten bored after his wife died so he decided to try something new. He also does paragliding during winters in spain. Alas, we had to ground him a couple of years later when he couldn't get his arch right anymore... He never got past static-lines, but loved every minute of it. He visited the dropzone this summer, and AFAIK he still paraglides, even though he must be almost 80 by now...

• Quote

[swarley 0]

"Being "half a step behind the beat" may look funny on the dance floor but aint funny in the air so take and use videios and keep in mind your instructor is your kids age and don't really have a clue "
Hi Carl, Yes the instructors probably don't have a clue about being an "Old Fart", BUT they have all the other talents to skydive and teach. I will continue to pick up all the info I can from the links you mentioned. Thanks. I will try to stay "ahead of the curve". I appreciate all the comments from the other members of this thread!
Steve

[pack40 0]

Do not worry about your age I started to jump
with a 19 year old guy and his father who was 59 at
that time. Age does not count!

OVER