I am back and need sugestions

[jigneshsoni 0]

I am sure many of you know how I sucked at getting my training done. I finally gave up :-(

My major reasons for giving up on sky diving was that I was not progressing after spending so much money and not see progress was very frustrating.

I believe my last sky dive was level 3 in Sep 2005. I want your suggestions on how should I start again?

[BIGUN 1,105]

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I want your suggestions on how should I start again?

I read thru your previous threads. You're being pretty hard on yourself. At no time do you mention that your Instructors had the TUG conversation with you. If that's the case, then they didn't give up on you, you gave up on yourself.

15 jumps and on Level 3. This is one of the things I don't like about AFF "levels" and prefer the categories. People tend to measure themselves against numbers or how others accomplished what in how many dives rather than against their own proficiency. Some get it in 7, some get it in 30. So what? There's a bajillion stories on here of skydivers who took numerous jumps above and beyond the standard number of dives to get their "A" license.

Little known factoid - the guy that went on to break the Oklahoma record for most jumps out of a 182 in 12 hours (104 skydives in 12 hours) was a dope on the rope (static-line progression) about 37 times. Several who took into the 30's to get off student status have gone on to become national champions or big way record holders. It's all about determination, perseverance, drive and ambition. If you go back to it, don't be so hard on yourself.

Let me ask you this: Did you enjoy yourself on those dives at all or was it sheer agony each time? If you enjoyed yourself at all on any one of those dives, then:

1. Focus on that dive
2. Go to the DZ.
3. Ask yourself, "How bad do you want it."
4. Focus on that dive.

If you're having fun, then go for it. If you're not having fun, then find something that you do have fun at and do that. Skydiving is not a measure of who you are; it's just something that you do.There's great people who happen to skydive and there's dickheads who happen to skydive. (depends on who you ask as to which category I fall in )

Good luck in whatever choice you make.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[sraja 0]

Jig

3 Options to consider

1. Tunnel time - go for this, have fun and correct your problems with freefall. Also reorient yourself to the sensation of freefall
2. Check out a Static Line program - Cheaper and allows you to focus on one thing at a time. Someone here earlier mentioned getting their complete A license for $700. I think it was at Skydive Wissota in Wisconsin, but there are centers in NJ too
3. Definetly try a different DZ - sometimes the change is all you need. I am biased towards Skydive Chicago but whatever works for you.

Best Wishes!!!

[jwynne 0]

I would strongly suggest tunnel time. A major change since you last tried to learn to skydive. There's an excellent wind tunnel in New Hampshire. Probably not too far from you. AFF is a very challenging way to learn something. There is no other time in our life where we try and learn something in 60 second increments while under complete sensory overload.

With all the wind tunnels around, there's an easier way to do it. go spend 15-30 minutes getting comfortable flying your body. AFF will be a whole different experience.

[icevideot 0]

I have to fully agree with Bigun on this one. I did not go back and read all your old posts but I have had students with what seems to be a similar hurdle. It sounds like you have some inner confusion as to whether you want to skydive. That needs to be worked out on the ground. Skydiving is a high speed sport and we don't have enough time to second guess whether or not we should be doing it in freefall.

That being said, this is something you can resolve if you spend some time focusing. Did you enjoy any of your jumps? If not then your answer could be that simple but if so, you need to figure out what is keeping you from progressing.

I watched a student struggle with an uncontrolled turn for many jumps. Sometimes it was his legs and other times it was his arms but he always started turning and it always escalated. His real problem was he didn't think he was doing anything wrong. The instructor finally had to have the talk with him and explain that he could not seem to help him so he should stop wasting his money.

About a month later the guy shows up and wanted to go again. He said he had gone to the tunnel and thought he could do it. He breezed through the rest of his AFF. The walls of the tunnel for reference combined with good coaching and the lack of a planet coming at you to worry about allowed him to learn to fly his body.

That still leaves the skydiving aspect to deal with. Only you can decide that you are willing to manage the risks and that the pleasure you receive is worth it. Bigun is right again that skydiving is not for everyone. There are several other hobbies I love that I find myself neglecting because I am always trying to get in the air. Some of the others are even a good source of exercise. I do really enjoy the people I meet here but skydiving does not define who I am. It shouldn't need to define you either.

Find a good and experienced instructor who you can talk to about these things. If he doesn't seem to understand then find another who can. Most of us would be happy to help you as long as you are trying to work with us. You should be comfortable that you understand what you have been taught but remember this sport takes a certain amount of faith as well. We can only teach what you are willing to learn.

Good luck and I would love to hear how this goes.

Cheers,
Robin

"... this ain't a Nerf world."

[Orange1 0]

Hey Jigs

I was wondering what had happened to you. I don't have anything to add to the good advice above (& i definitely support the idea of some tunnel time). I remember how much you wanted this and in that sense not surprised to see you back again! So the best of luck and good vibes, and I'm sure you'll get it done this time round

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[L.O. 0]

I must say, you are one stubborn, hard headed person. To make it thru 15 AFF attempts and not give up til then "wow".

I am the S&TA at the aforementioned Skydive Wissota, in Wis.. I would strongly suggest a highbred program like the one we have been using as of late. Go staticline, then after your confidence and skills are up for it, move back to a level 3 AFF. It has worked wonders for those involved at my place. Staticline would let you concentrate on one thing at a time. It sounds like this would be the thing to do for you. Cheaper and more efficient. Your more then welcome to head up to Skydive Wissota this summer. We will get you were you need to go. Good luck, in case you don't make it over here.

HPDBs, I hate those guys.
AFB, charter member.

[BIGUN 1,105]

I love the ISP program. Use of any instructional methodology to make the student successful.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[sparkie 0]

You ARE hard on yourself!

My AFF course dates back a few months. Had to repeat 1 level. Could have been more because I felt like I would never learn to fall stable.

For me it "clicked" when the next jump I was so fed up with myself for beeing so stressed out all the time I decided that I would actually enjoy the next ride, regardless of how the exercises went. I let out a yeeehaa cry on exit, apperently that was just enough relaxation....suddenly I had a stable FF and no more uncontrolled spinning.

Try to do something like that and focus on the fun part. My instructors (great guys btw, very laid back) told me that you have to enjoy yourself and if the exercises go as planned thats a bonus.

You are not a hopeless case if the instructors havent told you to take up bowling instead yet. Just try to relax, if you are on the other side of the huge mental hill you see now, you start to wonder why on earth you got so worked up over it.

Just look at the other crazy ppl in the plane, that always makes me grin.

[jkm2500 0]

There are a lot of people that have a hard time learning to skydive. If it was easy, it probably wouldn't be any fun at all. In my opinion, skydiving is to make us push our limits....live outside the comfort zone. If you are too comfortable, you aren't progressing.


Anyhow, if you read Wendy Faulkner's website she had plenty of problems learning to skydive. She is one of the best skydivers that I know, and she is a world record holder CRW dog. It took her 48 jumps to get through her training.

http://crwdog.servebeer.com/CRWdog/Welcome.html

Her training logbook is at the following link:http://crwdog.servebeer.com/CRWdog/HowCRW.html

I hope that she doesn't mind me linking to her website....


Don't give up! If jumping from airplanes is something that you want to do, then go do it.

The primary purpose of the Armed Forces is to prepare for and to prevail in combat should the need arise.

[dorbie 0]

Tunnel time and possibly new instructors. Paying for an AFF 3-ways for lots of jumps would put anyone off.

[AFFI 0]

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I want your suggestions on how should I start again?

PM sent...

Mykel AFF-I10
Skydiving Priorities: 1) Open Canopy. 2) Land Safely. 3) Don’t hurt anyone. 4) Repeat…

[Hayfield 0]

Hi Jigs,
If you want it, don't give up! You live about 10 minutes from where I do, so the nearest tunnel for you is in NH. I started at Sussex but moved to the ranch in gardiner NY (about 1.75 hours away) because they have a much greater capacity to handle students and they acquired a whole new batch of student gear this season so that was a real bonus too. Not to mention AFF levels at the ranch are the lowest cost I could find in our area. There is an instructor there named crusty old pete-I'd bet he can help you. Also the place is a lot of fun when the jumping stops for the night. FYI: I don't work for the DZ or any crap like that, but I loved my time as a student at the ranch.
Blue ones!

"Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!"
-Crusty Old Pete