AFF Progress!

[NorrinRadd 0]

I used to perform horse stunts every day in a show. One of them was to jump off the horse while it was charging at a full canter. If you know what you are doing, it is reasonably safe. But it still scared the crap out of me each time. And each time I would psych myself up by singing a bad ass tune to myself to make me feel a little tougher. It helped a lot.
My song was War Pigs.

Why drive myself crazy trying to be normal, when I am already at crazy?

[BigMikeH77 0]

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Of course, I'm pretty sure they've made the door on the king air about a foot wider since I was a student. That helps a lot too...

I don't know, man... The door on the new King Air at MHSC doesn't seem all that much wider than the other one. And as far as door jitters go, I've somehow trained myself to become quite relaxed while sitting alongside it. I think the hop n' pops helped a lot. The narcissist (and Aries) in me likes to be the first in line and the first out.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

BigMikeH77

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Of course, I'm pretty sure they've made the door on the king air about a foot wider since I was a student. That helps a lot too...

I don't know, man... The door on the new King Air at MHSC doesn't seem all that much wider than the other one. And as far as door jitters go, I've somehow trained myself to become quite relaxed while sitting alongside it. I think the hop n' pops helped a lot. The narcissist (and Aries) in me likes to be the first in line and the first out.

If it's not any wider, why's it so much easier to get out of now?

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[malooper 0]

PixieUK

Yep, I can do calm in the plane but opening that sodding door turns me to jelly! Up until that point, it's almost "just another plane ride" but once they open the door...... I've got churning in my stomach now just thinking about it, lol.

In my grand total of 7 jumps, I have discovered that "he who hesitates is lost" is totally applicable to me So long as I move quickly to the door and just GO, I'm ok, it's when I give myself time to absorb what I'm about to do that it freaks me out. The second I'm out (and hence committed!), I'm absolutely fine.

The door is always open at my DZ perhaps because it's 100+ degrees during the summer so maybe that helps ease the door anxiety. I was a bit more anxious on the last jump, level 3, because I knew they were potentially going to release me so my instructors said not to watch the others jumping out and to picture the perfect skydive. It helped! I'm definitely someone who once has set a course, focuses on it and does the steps necessary to get there so I think that helps a lot too.

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
-Raymond Lindquist

[dkvkb 2]

I've have been on just a little here and there, so I can't remember if I saw this post before, but congratulations!!! I'm sure there are a lot of us who would like to hear the details!

[DrDom 0]

PixieUK

******
Yep, I can do calm in the plane but opening that sodding door turns me to jelly! Up until that point, it's almost "just another plane ride" but once they open the door...... I've got churning in my stomach now just thinking about it, lol.

What's the worst possible thing that could happen there? You have a parachute and you were planning on jumping out anyway.

From my perspective, logic has nothing to do with it, this is pure instinct. .

Exactly... pure instinct says "You go out that door and its a long, unsurvivable way down". Why the human mind can say "Being in this big metal cylinder that has absolutely no business being in the sky" is safe... I can not attest.

No matter what is told, even THINKING of the door before my AFF gives me what my Italian grandmother called "Agita". I remember my tandem I was OK until the door opened. The door opening is the way of sayign "It is time". It is a psychological cue.

I'm not ashamed to admit my fear. I'm not doing this because I'm an adrenaline junkie, I'm doing this to overcome and transcend that fear while also being able to learn perspective. As an ER doc my m ind is constantly flooded with the horrible aspects of existence. Then I go home and worry about bills, family, health, time, administrative duties and on and on and on. When I went out that door on my Tandem I realized NONE OF IT MATTERED and I could just live in the moment.

I need that again.

On a long enough timeline survivability always equals zero. I dont have a death wish, but being able to learn to live in that 5 minutes.... was exceptional. Without some fear, maybe it wouldnt have that kind of meaning.

You are not the contents of your wallet.

[malooper 0]

Thanks! It's been a whirlwind!

I was able to go up again this weekend and passed 4 (barely),5 and 6 but failed my last level! I was really frustrated with myself and still am but I know I tend to be a slow learner (not to mention over-analytical) and I know this about myself so I don't know why I was expecting to fly through this! I know I have a tendency to spin and was having a hard time stopping it (thankfully I did before my instructor had to stop me herself) so I only got 1 good track in when I needed 2. I got to experience my first heavy "fog" in freefall that was bigger than we anticipated which threw me off a bit. I've given people lots to laugh at though! I've done some silly, funny-looking things, like a dolphin pose, roll-out-of-bed when I wasn't on my back and other stupid things! I'm nothing if comedic!

Although I'm frustrated to some level, I know that I'd rather fail than pass when I'm not ready to be on my own. I'm planning on going to the wind tunnel with one of my instructors this week so we can nail down my arch/form. Looking forward to it but he thinks we should go for 15 minutes and I'm thinking "whoa, am I going to be sore!" And hopefully, weather permitting, I'm gonna finish up this weekend!!

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
-Raymond Lindquist

[PixieUK 0]

malooper

I'm planning on going to the wind tunnel with one of my instructors this week so we can nail down my arch/form. Looking forward to it but he thinks we should go for 15 minutes and I'm thinking "whoa, am I going to be sore!"

15 minutes should be ok - I did that yesterday on 2.5 minute rotations and it was fine. I was suffering more after trying to walk some distance with my weight belt on - I hate that thing! At least I get 10 jumps in a row without it now

malooper

And hopefully, weather permitting, I'm gonna finish up this weekend!!

Good luck - how amazing is that going to be when you're cleared to jump by yourself??!!

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

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

PixieUK

*** I'm planning on going to the wind tunnel with one of my instructors this week so we can nail down my arch/form. Looking forward to it but he thinks we should go for 15 minutes and I'm thinking "whoa, am I going to be sore!"

15 minutes should be ok - I did that yesterday on 2.5 minute rotations and it was fine. I was suffering more after trying to walk some distance with my weight belt on - I hate that thing! At least I get 10 jumps in a row without it now
You never feel it IN the tunnel. Next day's another story. Once you... relax (There's that word again) and stop trying to muscle your way through the air, it's a lot easier. It's more like tai chi than tai kwon do. I was surprised at how tired I was after 10 the other day, though -- I did 20 once and was OK afterwards, but my arms felt like noodles once I got out of the tunnel last week after a 10 minute session. I was only getting a minute to rest when I was out, though, that may have had something to do with it.

I wasn't sore the next day though!

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[Avikus 0]

PixieUK

I was suffering more after trying to walk some distance with my weight belt on - I hate that thing! At least I get 10 jumps in a row without it now

Imagine those of us who have that weight "excess" ALL THE TIME! ;) Suck it up! :P

Avikus - Packer and Jumper - Hate landing with the plane!

[PixieUK 0]

Avikus

***I was suffering more after trying to walk some distance with my weight belt on - I hate that thing! At least I get 10 jumps in a row without it now

Imagine those of us who have that weight "excess" ALL THE TIME! ;) Suck it up! :P

Lol - that sodding weight belt will definitely keep me from eating too much chocolate. There's no way I want to be lugging that around all the time....

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

[malooper 0]

Passed AFF!!
I did a 2-way on my premier jump after passing AFF and tried, emphasis on tried, chasing in freefall; what a blast!!! I much prefer tracking people than landmarks.

Getting closer to that "A"!

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
-Raymond Lindquist

[Kalrigan 6]

Congratulations man, that's great to hear. Your journey has just begun haha. :D

Remember how I said I will be taking 2 weeks off work and hope I can get my A done? Well I ended up getting my A, and I'm about to start working on my B now.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

Hey, Congratulations! Yeah, jumping with people is more fun. I got on a tracking dive last year that reminded me of a big game of sky tag. And on another one, looking at this big formation of people tracking and thinking "Damn, what we do is really cool!"

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[PixieUK 0]

malooper

Passed AFF!!

Yay! congratulations!!

malooper

I did a 2-way on my premier jump after passing AFF and tried, emphasis on tried, chasing in freefall; what a blast!!! I much prefer tracking people than landmarks. Getting closer to that "A"!

Was that a coaching jump? Even once I get my UK A licence, I won't be able to jump with other people apart from instructors and coaches (and possibly C licence jumpers - I need to check at my DZ about that) until I pass my FS1 qualification.

Managed another 5 jumps this week and have now passed all my AFF levels (1-8) and have done 4 consolidation jumps so 6 more to go to my A licence

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

[malooper 0]

Yay!! That's awesome! Bet you're feeling sky high... Already going for your B, huh?! Can you get it done during your vacation?

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
-Raymond Lindquist

[malooper 0]

FlyingRhenquest

I got on a tracking dive last year that reminded me of a big game of sky tag.

Yeah! That's what it feels like, except flying which is so much more fun!

FlyingRhenquest

"Damn, what we do is really cool!"

I bet it's really neat to be a part of something like that! I can't wait!

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
-Raymond Lindquist

[malooper 0]

Way to go lady!! You're flying through it!!

It was with an instructor but we were just having fun. Worked on tracking and docking which I'm not good at so that was good. I'm still a little apprehensive about my alone jump and I have to wait two weeks or more so hopefully I won't let time get my nerves up. I think we can only jump with instructors and coaches too, maybe D license but yeah I need to ask too.
My landing was not so good…my worst yet actually. I got a bit scared and put half brakes when I didn't need to on the last leg and just started looking for clear space in the field next to the landing zone, thinking I wasn't going to make it but I still did, just in the corner!

Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.
-Raymond Lindquist