Should I Be Worried??

[GeekStreak 0]

I've read a lot at this site regarding fear... How to deal with it mostly, and it made me start thinking.
I was scared stiff on my first climb out of the c-182. It started when the door came open. It got worse when I put my legs out... and worse still when I reached out for the strut and my hand flew back at me. By the time my JM gave me the finger I had to force myself to let go. Being petrified, I didn't arch and did a barrel roll. Landing was another scary part. I began to flare way too high and made a tumbling landing.
On my second jump I got a little shocked when my canopy openned super-fast, but that was it. I was never afraid. I even stood the landing. Granted, I'm an SL student, so there's no freefall... yet . That might scare me the first time, maybe. It's hard to say. I am really looking forward to it. The thing is this. The other fear issue I have read about is the lack of it, and how it will get you planted if you get complacent. Should I be concerned with my lack of fear?
1111,
GeekStreak

[miked10270 0]

Hi Streak,
Fear kept under control is healthy... Skydivers should not worry about their fear... Skydivers Bank Managers should be VERY worried and fearful...
Mike D10270.

[Doasfu 0]

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there's no freefall... yet . That might scare me the first time, maybe. It's hard to say. I am really looking forward to it. After my C&P I'll consider myself a skydiver.

Yo Geek!
My first freefall was possibly my favorite jump. I was pretty damn nervous on the ride up, but just before door time, my JM gave me a huge grin and said, "Freefall, man, this is what it's all about!"
Although it sure seemed like the chute took forever to open, having been used to S/L openings, I clearly remember, as I was being pulled upright thinking, "More. I want more." :)
Dan
"Oh, you went to a movie this weekend? That's nice. Me? Oh... Actually, me too..."

[spectre230 0]

[skyhawk 2]

im never scared anymore i dont look twice befor jumping (fear wise, i do literaly) i think this is because although i like to slightly push the limits i am very saftey concious

[Macaulay 0]

There was a door on your 182? ;)
- Macaulay (first 19 jumps from a 30 year-old Cessna 182 with no door)

[Macaulay 0]

Speaking of learning from a 182... when the GPS goes out, who here can confidently spot a full load of otter babies?
- Macaulay

[FallingMarc 0]

A lack of fear and complacency are two different things... if you're not scared shitless getting out of a plane after just one jump, that's great, as long as you don't let yourself get so loose that you lose awareness or start forgetting about safety issues...
For me, it took about 15 jumps to quit thinking "I'M GONNA DIE AAAIIIEEEE!!!" climbing out...
Marc

[cloud9 0]

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. Should I be concerned with my lack of fear?

Nope! You and your fear will meet again no doubt!! Bleau skies

[Krishan 0]

On my first 20 or so jumps, I was scared shitless on the rides to altitude, but as soon as I was out of the plane, BOOM, the fear was totally gone. I guess there is no reason to fear when you are "home" right??????

[AggieDave 6]

To answer your question: I can spot like there's no tomorrow. :) Skydiving wise I've grown up on a GPS-less 182 DZ, run by a few "old timer" jumpers who insisted on teaching us how to spot. My first spotting lesson was on my 3rd jump.
AggieDave '02
-------------
Blue Skies and Gig'em Ags!
BTHO t.u.

[Aviatrr 0]

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Speaking of learning from a 182... when the GPS goes out, who here can confidently spot a full load of otter babies?

I have done most of my jumping at turbine DZ's, but I can still spot.. I can't understand how somebody can get a license without demonstrating good spotting skills.. Most of the places I jump have GPS - but I'm sure as hell not shy about calling a go-around if the spot sucks.. Only times I have landed off was during big ways where pull altitudes are staggered and on a low reserve ride..
Mike

[Kris 0]

I jump at a Cessna DZ. I thought I could spot like a laser-guided smart bomb until I jumped with Pam & Merrick.
That 10-minute climb-out with Pammi while watching Merrick and another jumper duke it out in the door can kinda throw the spot a bit long... :) We did make it back to the airport if not the DZ.
Heh, you know I love you two...
Kris

[Cacophony 0]

Fear in moderation is definately a good thing. It will always keep you checking your gear and reviewing safety issues. On the other hand, too much fear can cloud your judgement and cause you to behave irradically. I wouldn't worry too much as long as you stay safe. Be careful and have fun!
Safe landings,
Alex D-23912

[Skystorm 0]

Hey Geek,
Finally someone that also began his skydiving career as a SL. When I first registered with Dropzone.com, it seemed to me that everyone began their career as a AFF student.
I also began as a SL and everytime I had to let go of the strut, I was scared shitless. But once I was free of the plane, my fear turned into amazement and adrenaline.
This weekend I did my second unpoised. And man, there's nothing that could every be compared with the feeling you get from falling out of a plane into thin air and FLYING. But I still get very nervous and tense before each jump. This keeps me aware of all the things that just MIGHT go wrong. I don't think you should be worried about not being scared anymore, just don't loose your awareness...

[Skystorm 0]

Doasfu,
"My first freefall was possibly my favorite jump. "
My first freefall was my worst jump!!!!!
When I dumped, I immediatly felt something was wrong. I went into a spin. As I looked up my canopy was almost completely closed. Line twist, from my risers right up to the canopy, my slider wasn't even visible!!! At first I wanted to do a cut away, but something kept telling me I would be OK. As I looked up the second time (with my hands on the cut away handles, just in case... :) ) I saw my line twist opening up from the canopy downwards. I pulled and kick like a horse, and eventually it openend. The next day, the JM had to force me to rig up and climb into the plane, I was convinced that my chute won't open again and put up quite a fight. He simply told me : " Get into your gear, into the plane and jump, or I will gear you up, throw you into the plane and f@##$%k you out."
That did the trick. And I will forever be gratefull for those words, for they kept me in the sky.

[Cacophony 0]

I was a S/L student. Those AFF babies don't even know what its like to be attached to a rope from 3.5k and drop repeatedly to horrible openings. I love low altitude as long as its in moderation. Hanging from the strut is the easiest and one of my favorite ways to exit now.
Safe landings,
Alex D-23912

[RemiAndKaren 0]

This is why us canadians WILL rule the world!!! [sadistic evil laugh] PFF starts with IADs....
The worst part was doing Instructor A course... and being a dummy IAD student...
I'll always remember that one jump: as I got out on the strut, I turn my head back to look at the other Instructor in training who was doing the JM on that jump... and out of the corner of my eye, I see a white thing move out and behind me.... and then I see his face that said one thing: ohhhhh f**k.... and I knew... he let go of the PC.... I let go and it turned out to be an uneventfull jump (ie I didnt have a plane in tow! lol)
Poor guy... on his next load, I'm told to fall off the strut.... I do, and as the canopy opens, I see another body in freefall... Good thing is, he did get it together and pass the course...
Remi

[bluestar 0]

I began skydiving IAD, and one problem I never had was letting go of the strut. I have small hands and my 1st three jumps I could never get a good grip and would lose my hold. So any fear I had that I wouldn't let go was taken out of my hands.

[GeekStreak 0]

THANKS FOR ALL THE GREAT REPLIES!
I found something to fear.. actually 2 things:
1. Myself
2. The guy with the radio
I'll post all the gory details of jump 3 after I get some work done 1111,
GeekStreak

[lewmonst 0]

yeah let's talk about spotting a full load of otter babies... spotting is easy, just stick your head out the door and look straigh down. if you know where you are and how the winds are up high and down low, no problem, but if you're behind 4 4-ways that take too long to climb out and launch, and the first takes the center spot rather than a short spot, the freefly babies at the end are pullin high or landing off...
when it's green, GO
oh, and streak, i was never really scared, but i self inflict a little bit of fear to do gear checks before everyjump, and i read all the incident reports, those will scare you. but i'm definately not the idiot trying to overstep my bounds like the guy described in the other thread about someone almost bouncing.
it all takes practice man... the more you do it, the more you'll learn
lew

[parduhn 0]

Glad to hear of S/L training still occurring. I was trained S/L out of a C182 ten years ago and think the method offers a lot of positive qualities. My friend and I attended six hours of training and were more than ready to jump. He went first being 6'2" and 220. Climbed onto the strut, looked at the jumpmaster who yelled "go", let go of the strut, looked at us and waved 'goodbye'. The JM immediately exclaimed he had never seen that before and we were all laughing hard. I climbed out, hit a hard arch and loved every second of it. My friend now has his own DZ and I am an avid jumper. Seems like any uncertainy left when I climbed out. My fear has always been falling off the step and experiencing a crotch-felt landing...
Sam