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DjangoWorldWide

So embarrassing. Need to repeat aff2

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So I started today, and emidiatlly after arf1 I did 2, and to my embarrassment I failed. Didn't hold strong enough arch.
I just kinda needed a place to spill my heart, I don't really expect special insight. I live in the dz (tent) so im sure I'll be ok, it's just the extra money that suck and general disappointed of myself.

Peace
It has been a dream,
It had become reality

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I repeated cat B twice a few years ago. Not uncommon but yes the money part sucks. First time I mistaken the legs out signal for the pull signal (I only saw the index finger) and pulled at 9,000 feet. Second time was a month later and I was stiff as a board, little to no arch, arms too far forward, ect. I can add more to this later but I need to get back to work

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I had to repeat cat B as well. It's not a big deal. Most students fail at least one level. Some students repeat the same level multiple times. I saw a student pass every level until cat D which he had to repeat some 6 times. I also saw a student pass every level until cat F which she had to repeat four times. It is what it is. You'll be fine I am sure.

The extra money does suck, but AFF is cheap compared to what you will be spending once you graduate. If you do the math on 200 jumps.

190 x $25 per jump = $4750
Rig rental fees until you get your first rig = maybe $300 - $800 depending on how long you wait.
AFF = $1600 + $300 or so for cat G and H jumps
rig, helmet, altimeter, jump suit, license fee, USPA membership, ect. ect = $4000 (cheap crappy gear) - $10,000 (all brand new)
Fuel driving to the DZ and back for 200 jumps = depends, but say $200 - $800 depending on many factors.

You're looking at around $10,000+ for your first 200 jumps.

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Westerly


AFF = $1600 + $300 or so for cat G and H jumps
That's a bargain.

rig, helmet, altimeter, jump suit, license fee, USPA membership, ect. ect = $4000 (cheap crappy gear) - $10,000 (all brand new)
Don't buy brand new unless you're made of money.

You're looking at around $10,000+ for your first 200 jumps.
This is pretty accurate, but don't forget to factor in beer.;)


Every fight is a food fight if you're a cannibal

Goodness is something to be chosen. When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man. - Anthony Burgess

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I was horrible to start and almost gave up. I ended up doing aff 2 three times, aff 3 three times and aff 4 twice. A lot of it was to do with my exits being a mess but it's different for everyone.

It sucks that you have to pay more but the starting curve on skydiving is huge. You have had some ground instruction and about a minute of freefall but compared to many other sports its like you are already playing your second game.

Just to put it in some perspective, a bit under a year and half later, I have almost 500 jumps. I wingsuit, freefly and was doing some 4 way training until I decided I was doing too much and chose to focus on wingsuits. It might be a rough start but if you stick with it and continue to get good coaching you can do amazing things :)

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>So I started today, and emidiatlly after arf1 I did 2, and to my embarrassment I failed.

Don't worry about it. I failed something like six clear and pulls in the SL program. Felt like shit. Then I went to a different DZ and finished AFF in two jumps. Felt like a superstar. Then proceeded to funnel every formation I tried for about two months.

Then about 12 years later I got on my first world record attempt. Went low three times in a row. I felt like I should cut _myself._ I was the worst ever. The only thing that saved me was that Dan BC (one of the organizers) was going low too and landing near me, so 1) it wasn't just me and 2) he knew about it. Then we got the record. I was some kind of skydiving god!

And so it goes.

>you'll do something later on that's FAR more embarrassing than failing an instructional
>jump (which pretty much everyone does), and might even result in a nickname or two

Ain't that the truth. Tailstrike Mike, Sketchy Dave, Kurt, Slow Bob, Deathgrip . . .

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billvon

Ain't that the truth. Tailstrike Mike, Sketchy Dave, Kurt, Slow Bob, Deathgrip . . .



There's an I/E and CCI here who is still called Crazy Legs.

DjangoWorldWide, as you've found (and Bill points out), difficult moments are very soon overcome by the euphoria of the ensuing triumph :D

And to anyone reading this who is doing AFF or thinking about it: there is zero embarrassing about having multiple jumps to get past an AFF level. Zero. Just part of the process. I admit the money hurts though.
--
"I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan

"You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at?

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"I got the skydiving speech... And here I am."

I don't get the connection between bowling and skydiving, can you explain? Why did your next option then become skydiving? I am really curious about this as I have a friend that is really into bowling.
Mark P. Zanghetti
‘Don’t for one second long for who you were, but recklessly pursue who you can become.’ … We can learn from the past but we can’t get it back.”

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mzanghetti

"I got the skydiving speech... And here I am."

I don't get the connection between bowling and skydiving, can you explain? Why did your next option then become skydiving? I am really curious about this as I have a friend that is really into bowling.



:D
He's kidding. It's an inversion of this meme, as a joke. It did make me laugh, but you probably have to have been in the sport for a while to get it:
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=3796489

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DjangoWorldWide

Hey. So a new day started today, plus I changed an instructor and I'm both proud and happy, I am CLEAR FOR SOLOS!!!!
today went so much better, passed 2-7 first attempt each



That is good news. I was ready to reply to your original post and saw this. I will post my reply anyway in the chance it might help someone else.

I was 54 when I started and had issues with motion sickness. Once I got that largely under control a new problem came up. I was asked to repeat level C (not my first repeat) because I had flipped over when released. I was told my arch was okay at first but then got lazy. As I filled out my log book a voice in my head said, "I could repeat that jump 3 or 4 times and the resulting arch would be the same". My back and butt were sore from arching, just 2 jumps on Sunday and 2 on Wednesday, but sore. I could do no better.....at that time.

Many say repeating a jump is not failing. Outwardly I would agree, but on the inside, I couldn't repeat the jumps knowing I would do no better. That "failure" was something I knew would sour me on the sport, so I quit right then. Quit AFF, for sure. Quit skydiving....well we will see. I had done a few static line jump when working on the motion sickness problem and I knew I could repeat a SL jump for $75 without such stress on myself as an AFF jump, so that was my plan.

Before I could continue, the plane at the DZ was in the shop. It was winter and we had no plane for several weeks. Lucky for me when I was doing the AFF at a vacation dropzone, the instructor (also 50+) showed me some ways to work on being flexible, resulting in a better arch. When I finally got back to jumping, my arch was better and my progress was much better.

It might be something physical, or the need to study up on how the canopy works (better understanding, less fear), or studying the SIM more. But a smart person will know when, "maybe I am not ready for this right now, but I will be back shortly".....go home, work on whatever and come back.

Anyone having trouble, step back and think it through for a while. Try to learn the root cause of your problem.
Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

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DjangoWorldWide

So I started today, and emidiatlly after arf1 I did 2, and to my embarrassment I failed. Didn't hold strong enough arch.
I just kinda needed a place to spill my heart, I don't really expect special insight. I live in the dz (tent) so im sure I'll be ok, it's just the extra money that suck and general disappointed of myself.

Peace



Five minutes in the tunnel and you’ll be all set, it worked for me.

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Got my A a few days ago. What a blast!
Aff2 was my only has-to-repeat
CheckD was awesome.

Thanks for the insights though!

Haha! The bowling joke! I've heard that! In one of the rainy days all the staff went to...Bowling!

Living in the dz really made the difference. From sunrise to sunset (and even after) I was surrounded by skydiving. That was an awesome expirrience and so much fun, beyond the jumping part.
It has been a dream,
It had become reality

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DjangoWorldWide

Got my A a few days ago. What a blast!
Aff2 was my only has-to-repeat
CheckD was awesome.

Thanks for the insights though!

Haha! The bowling joke! I've heard that! In one of the rainy days all the staff went to...Bowling!

Living in the dz really made the difference. From sunrise to sunset (and even after) I was surrounded by skydiving. That was an awesome expirrience and so much fun, beyond the jumping part.



Congrats!

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DjangoWorldWide

Got my A a few days ago. What a blast!
Aff2 was my only has-to-repeat
CheckD was awesome.

Thanks for the insights though!

Haha! The bowling joke! I've heard that! In one of the rainy days all the staff went to...Bowling!

Living in the dz really made the difference. From sunrise to sunset (and even after) I was surrounded by skydiving. That was an awesome expirrience and so much fun, beyond the jumping part.



Congratulations!
Mark P. Zanghetti
‘Don’t for one second long for who you were, but recklessly pursue who you can become.’ … We can learn from the past but we can’t get it back.”

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Congrats on the A! Yeah the money sucks when you have to repeat. I did level 3 (release dive, not sure what the standard AFF label is) about 5 times, $150 a pop. It just takes me a little longer to do things, and the 45 seconds or so per jump wasn't enough. It was frustrating because I felt like I was maintaining stability just fine, but my instructor wasnt comfortable releasing me. I could have done 10 more attempts and maybe passed by then, but I figured 20 minutes in a wind tunnel would be more economical. Worked out fine after that, I even skipped a level or 2 upon my return. It also helped that when I returned, my old instructor (who was a skinny thing next to me) paired me with a heavier instructor that was able to match my speed easier.

But repeating levels wasnt embarrassing. Now landing long as a student and taking out a tree branch right next to my instructors trailer, THAT was embarrassing. I somehow managed to walk away from that incident without a new nickname. :o

Max Peck
What's the point of having top secret code names, fellas, if we ain't gonna use 'em?

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