New to the sport from New England. What is the best use of my time over the winter?

[Tenchiro 0]

I have three Tandem jumps so far and completed my first AFF jump yesterday. The season is over here so what is the best use of my time over the winter, forums and wind tunnels?

[Lawndarter 3]

Time spent in the tunnel is seldom wasted. If you use it to hone your belly flying skills (and if you get beyond that great), it'll make your remaining AFF jumps easier.

[shorehambeach 9]

Welcome to the Sport !

Tunnel time is great - i find it best to find a tunnel coach that teaches AFF so they know the particular drills you need to do on each jump. Some tunnel coaches do not skydive and / or know AFF so a call before hand (or a shout out on here) will point you in the right direction.

The tunnel is tiring and demanding so do little bite size chunks (like 10 minutes per hour for 3 hours) rather than 30 minutes in one session.

Reading relevant parts of the SIM is always good - then reading it again.
Don't worry most of it still doesn't make sense to me - but there's something nice about learning the rules of the road. Don't read it all - its 200 pages !

You can download it free here:

http://www.uspa.org/Safety-Training/SIM

Its runs through what to expect and what tasks you need to do during AFF.

Buy - The Parachute and Its Pilot: by Brian Germain (Brian posts here often) and read it and read it again. Little bits will start to make sense.

Yoga is great - and so is losing a few pounds (not that I can see you need to do that)

Well done of your AFF L1.

Blue Skies.

[wmw999 2,120]

There's a tunnel in Nashua, NH. Talk to your DZ and find out if they sponsor or are involved with any tunnel newbie programs.

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)

[Tenchiro 0]

Thanks for all the info, I will check out those books soon. I was also trying to find out the best way to stay in shape over the winter ( I need to drop ~15 pounds still...) and never thought of Yoga.

My DZ does have a deal with the Tunnel in NH, but I have a friend who was been jumping for a long time has a in at the WT in Boston as well. I planned to hit one or both of them a few times over the winter.

[shorehambeach 9]

A great way of losing those extra pounds is to become a skydiver as you won't be able to afford food

[Ehecatl 1]

If I could retrieve
the fortune I have spent
Worrying where it came from
not caring where it went
I could live the heady lifestyle
of Playboy magazine
I would see the worldly sights,
that still remain unseen.

I must amount to thousands
I've squandered on the sport
The mark of any jumper
a balance close to nought
But if I had it back
in one financial lump
I'd go south in the winter
and jump and jump and jump.

- Skies Call

[Trafficdiver 8]

There is no wind tunnel in Boston, unfortunately.

[timski 80]

FLORIDA!!!