I found out how easy it is to lose altitude awareness!!!!!!!!

[HydroGuy 0]

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Hm yes, but isn't that sort of like treating the symptoms, not the disease?

There are numerous situations where one, even after much time in a wind tunnel, can become unstable. In the ideal situation, body position should not matter with regards to altitude awareness.

OTOH tunnel time would certainly help with confidence and reduce the risk of sensory overload so it'd not be a bad idea. Ultimately however I think altitude awareness cannot be gained in a tunnel - some other factors that contribute towards losing it may be reduced but good habits wrt altitude awareness can probably only be learned by jumping a lot.

15 minutes in the tunnel will cost you 250 bucks with a coach. While not a real skydive, you'll get the equivelant of about 15 skydives worth of practicing your arch...you'll learn more in that 15 minutes of the tunnel than any 1 level of AFF...at least I did. And you can practice the pull position 50 times if need be.

Sure, the tunnel isn't cheap, but neither is failing AFF levels.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[monkycndo 0]

I got some tunnel time between level 4 and 5. It was very helpful. It is pricey, but it most likely saved me repeating a level or two. It really helps you isolate little flaws in body position because of the reference you have in the smaller area in the tunnel. I was always dropping a shoulder during my pull. The first minute in the tunnel fixed that. Having the coach right there in front of you to identify any issues and give corrections while still in the airflow instead of on the ground is fantastic. My arch definitely improved as well. After I got back, my AFF-I said he could see the difference. Being more comfortable in the air, I felt more confident that I could complete each diveflow before I ran out of time. It actually made me more altitude aware because I felt I had the time to look at my alti. I learned the hard way that you can always lose aa. I just bought a audible to lessen the chance that it happens again.

Monkeyboy

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

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[tbrown 26]

Perris has great instructors for anything and everything. Learning more control in the tunnel can be helpful, especially since your problem sounds more like a control problem than altitude per se.

But we all experience low altitude now and then, it sneaks up on you FAST ! Two summers ago I was on a fun 4 way that broke off around 4 grand. I usually throw it out at 3 grand and we were getting good seperation with our tracks. But I got distracted by something (don't even remember what) and suddenly the ground was a lot bigger than I wanted to see. I'd estimate I was closing on 2 grand when I threw my pilot. Which was still book legal, as I have a D license, but I was fully open around 1600 ft and a long way out. I just made it back to dropzone property. And as the rig was a rental with a Cypres, I came a lot closer than I'd like to a Cypres fire and two out situation that can happen anywhere below 1500 ft. Aside from the safety issues, the gear shop would've (rightly) charged me up the wazoo for that one !

Get in the habit of looking at your alti every so often without thinking about it. If you're sticking with the sport, buy yourself an audible - but don't depend on it, batteries die at the funniest times. Your best defense is to learn eyeball perception of what the ground should look like. (Hint: it starts getting TOO BIG below 3 grand). But we all have to learn from our mistakes, so just stick with it and fly safe.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[HydroGuy 0]

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Your best defense is to learn eyeball perception of what the ground should look like. (Hint: it starts getting TOO BIG below 3 grand). But we all have to learn from our mistakes, so just stick with it and fly safe.

I'm just getting to the point of having a decent perception of the ground. I can generally tell right about when my audible is going to tell me to break and then again at pull. It's almost two things, an internal clock as well as ground perception.

Get in - Get off - Get away....repeat as neccessary

[Antidote 0]

I really don't know, to be honest. The only true way to gain that experience is by subjecting you to situations where you might need it. I don't disagree with your assessment in any way. I wondre a bit whether it's practically feasible (tunnels not available/too far away/economic cost not something the student finds appealing etc).

Tunnel time is to some degree readily available for US jumpers. In most other places in the world it's less accessible. An ideal situation would be tunnel time before first jump but I doubt it is practically feasible in most places on earth.

Still, it'd be good practise. If there was a tunnel nearby, they'd had to kick me out of it first though

[heidihagen 0]

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She said I flattened out halfway through the freefall which caused me to start wobbling, I guess this is because I was concentrating on my turns, my last alt check was 9000. When I finally remembered my alt and looked to my left to see 6000, I ducked my head while reaching for my pilot chute like I was looking for it. My legs straightened out also, causing me to go vertical when she pulled for me. I take it the wind tunnel at Perris is good, good instructors, all that stuff. right?

right! it's a great way to conquer stability issues... plus some.
yes, they have goodwonderful tunnel instructors.
...and all that stuff
talk to your instructor about tunnel time and see what she thinks (make it worth the trip). jump over to the wind tunnel forum or feel free to pm me and i can elaborate as i had a similar experience starting out.
oh! make sure ya ask them to tape your session if ya go! its cool, inexpensive (15-30 bucks?), and you'll be glad you did... (anytime someone is whiney about nothing on tv, viola!! tunnel video!)

i didn't lose my mind, i sold it on ebay. .:need a container to fit 5'4", 110 lb. cypres ready & able to fit a 170 main (or slightly smaller):.[/ce

[bert_man 0]

i bet there's still nothing like taking a look down and seeing what color jumpsuit that guy on the clubhouse porch is wearing

-Ghetto
"The reason death cannot frighten me, is because life has cured me of fear."
Web Design
Cleveland Skydiving

[Rettrae 0]

Or be able to read the clever slogan on the front of his T-shirt!

[bert_man 0]

or count the fleas that are leaping out of his hair for dear life when they see you coming

-Ghetto
"The reason death cannot frighten me, is because life has cured me of fear."
Web Design
Cleveland Skydiving