Your first solo

[AlsoTim 0]

I'm near graduating AFF now (just have 1 jump to go). Based on how smooth and easy my last few jumps have been I'm expecting AFF7 to go smoothly as well, which leaves me with my first true solo jump on Saturday. I'm curious, what did you guys and gals do for your first solo jumps? I was wondering how much planning you did for freefall maneuvers/choreography versus just "HOLY SHIT I JUST JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE BY MYSELF. WOOO!"

I saw a post on here about someone doing multiple continuous backflips (that sounds like fun!). Wondering if you folks had any more great ideas for me to think about?

[Bluhdow 31]

Start practicing head down.

Apex BASE
#1816

[TheDoctor2608 0]

Don't think too much about it. Just enjoy the moment of jumping out of an airplane alone for the first time. You definately shouldn't try any stupid new stuff you don't know anything about it, stick to the things you learned like turns and maybe even flips, but mainly just relax and enjoy this freefall which seems to last forever. Talk to your instructors, this acutally isn't the place you should learn what to do. Blue skies, good luck finishing your AFF

[Di0 2]

Your instructors should be involved in the discussion/planning of your first solos, then probably your coaches, then off you go. :)

I'm standing on the edge
With a vision in my head
My body screams release me
My dreams they must be fed... You're in flight.

[JohnnyBoulder 1]

I went for more of the simple / enjoyment route. First I watched the plane for a eight or ten seconds as I fell away. Usually when we jump out we have to get busy right away with whatever we are planning. Then I looked out at the majestic Rocky Mountains up and down the range, around the airport, etc. Afterwards I just did some 360's, a backloop, etc. ... simple stuff I had already done on AFF jumps.

[wasatchrider 0]

balloon jump but im different

BASE 1519

[rouey 0]

Per my instructors advice, I did a practice pull, chose a heading and enjoyed the view. I can't describe how relaxing it was not to have anything to do in freefall apart from checking my alti.

[dthames 0]

rouey

Per my instructors advice, I did a practice pull, chose a heading and enjoyed the view. I can't describe how relaxing it was not to have anything to do in freefall apart from checking my alti.

You beat me to it but that was what I was going to suggest, minus the practice pull. Not reason not to but I was not thinking about that.

I remember so many of my early jumps were so busy that it was not something that I could just purely enjoy. A few months after I got my license I was on my first sunrise jump. I was solo, faced the sun, and just took in the view during freefall. That was great.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[labrys 0]

Quote

I'm curious, what did you guys and gals do for your first solo jumps?

I did my most stable exit at that point and spent all of my first solo freefall looking around at the ground and taking the area in. All of my jumps before that I was focusing on my instructor or coach and I never really got to look at the ground and *see* the DZ and the landmarks around it before my canopy was open.

Owned by Remi #?

[AviationTD 0]

Quote

***
I'm curious, what did you guys and gals do for your first solo jumps?

I did my most stable exit at that point and spent all of my first solo freefall looking around at the ground and taking the area in. All of my jumps before that I was focusing on my instructor or coach and I never really got to look at the ground and *see* the DZ and the landmarks around it before my canopy was open.

+1

[ridebmxbikes 0]

JohnnyBoulder

I went for more of the simple / enjoyment route. First I watched the plane for a eight or ten seconds as I fell away. Usually when we jump out we have to get busy right away with whatever we are planning. Then I looked out at the majestic Rocky Mountains up and down the range, around the airport, etc. Afterwards I just did some 360's, a backloop, etc. ... simple stuff I had already done on AFF jumps.

+1... but replace the mountains with a big lake and a swamp

[PixieUK 0]

dthames

***Per my instructors advice, I did a practice pull, chose a heading and enjoyed the view. I can't describe how relaxing it was not to have anything to do in freefall apart from checking my alti.

You beat me to it but that was what I was going to suggest, minus the practice pull. Not reason not to but I was not thinking about that.

I remember so many of my early jumps were so busy that it was not something that I could just purely enjoy. A few months after I got my license I was on my first sunrise jump. I was solo, faced the sun, and just took in the view during freefall. That was great.

+1

My instructors recommended I just enjoy the jump, not try anything new. It just happened to be my first reserve ride so I was even more glad I hadn't tried anything fancy!!

A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

[busichio 0]

My first solo was the most relaxing jump ever. You don't have to worry about proving anything to an instructor and can totally relax for the first time.

I tried tracking (90deg to jump run) for the first time on solo #2, right before the coach jump.

[JohnMitchell 16]

busichio

My first solo was the most relaxing jump ever. You don't have to worry about proving anything to an instructor and can totally relax for the first time.

I tried tracking (90deg to jump run) for the first time on solo #2, right before the coach jump.

Thanks for turning sideways to the jumprun.

Yep, just go up and relax and keep track of altitude. Enjoy that first solo. You worked hard for it.

[Fast 0]

Bluhdow

Start practicing head down.

Hey look, about the worst advice you could ever give someone. I sure hope this was sarcasm - it didn't come through real clear on the internet especially for a newbie I bet!

~D
Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me.
Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka

[AlsoTim 0]

I may be a newbie, but I'm not pants-on-head retarded though. I figured it was a joke :)

[AlsoTim 0]

Yesterday went swimmingly well. Graduated AFF on my first jump, had a bit of wind delay afterwards and then jumped my solo in the afternoon. I talked to my coaches and instructors and made sure to knock out the basic acrobatics for A license card and took the rest of the dive to just appreciate how awesome it is to be a skydiver. The whole day was easily one of the best experiences in my life.

This is how obsessions begin.

[hcsvader 1]

AlsoTim

Yesterday went swimmingly well. Graduated AFF on my first jump, had a bit of wind delay afterwards and then jumped my solo in the afternoon. I talked to my coaches and instructors and made sure to knock out the basic acrobatics for A license card and took the rest of the dive to just appreciate how awesome it is to be a skydiver. The whole day was easily one of the best experiences in my life.

This is how obsessions begin.

and then you went a bought beer right

Have you seen my pants?
it"s a rough life, Livin' the dream
>:)

[AlsoTim 0]

I did pay my beer fine :P

[kontiki 0]

I did a cannonball out the door and held it for 5 or 6 flips, got stable, checked altitude, then put my hand on my handle and practiced actually flying that body position for 5 seconds at a time. My biggest fear was being stable at deployment time and this really helped my confidence.

[fastphil 0]

Being a static-liner I had about 20 jumps before I got to do it with someone else, then very seldom ever jumped alone again, and mostly then it was from a two seater (Steerman) or BASE

[jclalor 12]

If you have nothing planned for the jump, your first solo FF will seem like it takes forever, it's very relaxing not having to perform for someone.

Just make sure to maintain good separation with the jumper(s) in front of you, count slowly and don't get intimidated with idiots screaming at you to jump.

[JBR 0]

kontiki

I did a cannonball out the door and held it for 5 or 6 flips, got stable, checked altitude, then put my hand on my handle and practiced actually flying that body position for 5 seconds at a time. My biggest fear was being stable at deployment time and this really helped my confidence.

I did pretty much the exact same thing.