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ashworthy2k

How fast, how hard? Landings!!!!

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Hi,

After completeting a tandem jump 2 years ago i have been desperate to learn to jump solo. Im 26 years old and in good health. However 8 years ago i had a car accedent where i broke both legs and ankles. Everthing is ok now but i do have limted movement in one ankle so am limited when it comes to fast running and heavy impacts.

The doctors say its up to me to make the decision, but see no problem why i can't.

i was hoping the tandem would give me a good idea on how hard and fast landing are but we slid in nice and smoothe on our butts.

I can understand each landing differs but what can i expect? some people say its like jumping out of a window (which i find har to believe by looking at videos i see) whilst others say its tip toe soft??

Please can you guys give me some advice?

cheers:S

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You can break your back doing most things!

I don't concentrate on all the things that could go wrong. I manage the risks that will make it unsafe for me. I already have a broken back in a motorcycle accident but have developed a way to make skydiving as safe as acceptable for me to do it. I could chose to sit in a room and get fat. I won't break my back, but i will die from something else. We are all on a journey from birth to death, I feel 100% alive when i jump, but i make sure I have a good headwind so my landings are slow. These are the types of different parameters you will need to consider, things that are special to you. My advice means nothing unless you use it to adapt to your situation. All i'm saying is that I have worked out a system for me. It will not be the system for you. I won't break my ankles skydiving, I won't break my back either, well, I won't if i don't break my system that has worked for me each time I have jumped without injury. Aviation is a risky business sure, but I think it is a good example of how humans can do something that is quite dangerous and demanding and get it right. Its a pity that when we come to so many other things in society that we fuck it up. Simple simple things.....
Get busy living or get busy dying!

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You can. But as the other poster mentioned, it's all about managing risk. You can probably land standing up regularly, or PLF'ing (controlled fall) as long as you limit you canopy to one that's bigger, and your winds to consistent; not too high, and not too low.

Your current body weight has quite a bit to do with it -- if you're a big guy, the gear that will let you do that is less common, and might not be at the local DZ. If you weigh 160 soaking wet, it shouldn't be too hard to find student gear that will be extremely predictable.

What you want is predictability. Really. There are lots of multiply-broken skydivers (lots), including with fused or nearly-fused ankles; you can probably find one to talk with at the closest drop zone.

Go read the answers to when you posted before your tandem. They still apply.

But it's really up to you to have the confidence and the carefulness. Because if you have those you'll manage risk a whole lot better than if you're shit scared by every landing.

Wendy P.
There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

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Hey man, there is no way to tell you how it feels. I also can use my legs from being hit by a druck driver. I know Gimp, D and myself have been through the bumps and brewses. And we all do what we do differently, and so far we all seem to be happy with how far we have come and we always look for improvements. Man if you can stand or even walk you have us all beat by a mile. And D is rite you should not worry so much about what can happen, but you can & should always understand how to handle stuff if it occures. And then you will be able to release those bad thoughts about cloud jumping. Make sure you pay attention in the class room and ask all the questions you come up with there are no dumb question. I am on my 11th Simi solo jump and my 40 something tall together. I say simi because my instructor still has a hand on me during freefall. I did start out with 2 instructors and got to 1 over a 4yr period. And now I feel acomplished and looking to take it another step. I'll be getting in the tunnel very soon and I am looking foward to trying something new. We've come up with something new that we wanna try and it's safer in the tunnel then in the real thing. Read back on some of my post, its not so deatailed as D or Gimp. But its there. My DZ is in Zhills and my name is Pookie. And I am the CEO of TEAM DUMBASS, welcome to my world...yea it's a real frilken team...LoL read my post

I worked for the military for 15 ½ years, can’t really talk about that job, but it was kool and I needed a change. So now I am a Medical Support Assistant for the VA Hospital in Gainesville, FL.
I am also a SkyDiver, yep I fall of airplanes for fun…LoL, no shit.. I became the first black wheelchair skydiver in the US on Dec 26,09 looking to get in the Genies book. I Want to leave my name on this planet somehow some way. Been a Free Flyer for 4 years now and I love it. I jump out perfectly Good Airplanes EVERY weekend people wonder how I land with no legs...LoL my secret until they see me.
My life has always been on the edge had a few head injuries, but that’s normal for me running into stuff. Been to Mexico, so If you ever hear me speak Spanish, I’m drunk cause I don’t speak Spanish...Go to this web page.. it's the latest magazine I was in, it's called Blue Sky's.  ( http://blueskiesmag.com/2010/03/29/pookie/  )  it will be able to tell you more. 
Stop Touching Me!!!

Muff Brother# 4466

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