Doing my AFF this Saturday, any tips?!!!

[zf15z 0]

Hi,

I'm doing my AFF level 1 this saturday a year after doing my first tandem and I am really excited and nervous!

I have spent about a year researching into skydiving and feel like I have a very basic understanding of what the sport entails.

Hopefully I will continue to work my way through the levels if I love it enough and I can afford it.

Just wondering if anyone had any tips you could offer me for the jump and the sport in general.

Thanks!

[FanOfFalling 0]

Arch! Oh yea, and have fun.

[stratostar 5]

Just do the best cannon ball you can do on exit and hold it for 10 seconds.

you can't pay for kids schoolin' with love of skydiving! ~ Airtwardo

[NWFlyer 2]

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I have spent about a year researching into skydiving and feel like I have a basic understanding of the sport.

Forget all of that and listen to your instructors.

Ask questions - that's what your instructors are there for.

Have fun!

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke

[zf15z 0]

Sorry! What i meant was a very basic understanding of what it entails.

[skymolar 0]

Whatever you do don't bale out of a perfectly good aircraft
Have fun

[LDiCosimo 0]

Relax, breathe, relax, altitude awareness, relax, pull

[skymolar 0]

Flight to altitude. Instructors ask you if you are ready to skydive, and wait for you to shout YES! Door opens, you stand/kneel on the edge, one outside and one inside holding your jump suit straps.
Basically they grab you and throw you out of the plane as most won't jump on their first go. After that its a few practice pulls, altitude awareness, following hand signals, and waving and pulling at 5500 foot after watching the altimeter spinning back. Land your parachute following commands hopefully from you instructor when he lands before you.

[drewbud 0]

I'm in the middle of AFF so I remember jump 1 very well. Pay attention when learning hand signals on the ground and keep drilling them, it's amazing what you can forget as soon as you exit the plane.

Listen to your instructors and don't ever be afraid to ask them a question even if you think it's dumb or that you feel you should have understood it. There's a lot of information given and it can all be relevant at any time (as I found out having to kick out line twists on AFF 2).

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Smile, breathe, relax.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[skyrider 0]

Arch, and SMILE , or your face flaps in the video!

[cocheese 0]

Breathe. Don't die.

[wolfriverjoe 1,340]

Stay fed and hydrated. Don't overdo it, but make sure you eat and drink throughout the day.

Listen to your instructors. If you don't understand something, ASK!!! The only stupid question is the one you don't ask. Being wrong or not understanding something can have serious consequences.

Do not, under any circumstances say "But they said on DZ.com..."

Dont' forget to have fun

"There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy

"~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo

[SRI85 0]

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Whatever you do don't bale out of a perfectly good aircraft
Have fun

or cutaway from a perfectly good canopy......its been done.

[redramdriver 0]

Don't fart in the plane!

So, you bring your beer?

Its 5 o'clock somewhere
POPS #9344

[skycamefalling 0]

Do not go to your first day of training hungover from the night before. If you are the type prone to getting headaches, take something before hand. If you are smiling, you will be relaxed. And if you are relaxed, you will be having fun. Good luck and be safe. Let us know how your training goes.

Blue skies

Speedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead.
And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore.

[plorensen 0]

Thats the smell of fear

[chuckakers 369]

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Just wondering if anyone had any tips you could offer me...

Arch, relax, maintain positive leg pressure, stay altitude aware, and deploy your canopy on time. Have a ball and enjoy the people. They are the most wonderful you will meet in your life.

Oh yeah, bring beer. Not kidding. Lots of very cold beer. 8 or 10 cases will get you remembered.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[Andrewwhyte 1]

Arch, relax, keep an eye on your altimeter, and have a good time.

[trig78 0]

Bring beer, listen to your instructors, have fun, repeat...

[skycamefalling 0]

Just order a keg and have it delivered to the DZ at the end of the day You will have a lot of friends after that.

Speedracer~I predict that Michael Jackson will rise from the dead.
And that a giant radioactive duck will emerge from the ocean and eat Baltimore.

[popsjumper 2]

Where?

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Ron 7]

1. Listen to your instructors
2. Ignore any other advice given

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[tdog 0]

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Basically they grab you and throw you out of the plane as most won't jump on their first go.

This is not how we do it at our dropzone!

1a) I would NEVER throw a student out of a plane! The student voluntarily enters the door and starts the exit count when we give them a shake. When they leave, we go with them.

1b) 99.9% of my students have gone on their own. 0.1% have ridden the plane down after deciding they did not want to jump.

Back to the Original Poster's question... I have taught hundreds and hundreds of people... Some are 17 waiting until the following weekend so they are old enough to jump. Some are 80 years old. Some are athletic. Some can't walk across the hangar without tripping over their feet. They all were happy with the jumps... So my advice, don't over think it. Don't lose sleep worrying you won't be able to do it. It is so simple physically, so just relax, have fun, and go jump!

[tdog 0]

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1. Listen to your instructors
2. Ignore any other advice given

See, the fundamental problem with those instructions... You are not their instructor, so your advice has to be ignored by your own recommendation... It just never works.