rivetgeek 0 #1 July 9, 2009 My girl and I are getting ready to do our first AFF August 8th. For those (most of you I'm guessing) who have done your AFF, what is the ONE piece of advice you wish you'd either gotten or paid attention to before your jump?~Bones Knit, blood clots, glory is forever, and chicks dig scars.~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chubba 0 #2 July 9, 2009 Have your goal in mind and work towards it, leave any negativity on the ground and focus on whats important. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
millertime24 8 #3 July 9, 2009 Go with the knowledge that you know nothing. And pay attention to everything. Ask questions too. No such thing as a dumb question. Good luck to you both. Muff #5048 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NewGuy2005 52 #4 July 9, 2009 Take lots of money Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
angrypeppers 1 #5 July 9, 2009 Repeating a level is not a failure as long as you learn something from the jump. Relax! Have fun! Breathe! Good luck to both of you...Burn the land and boil the sea, You can't take the sky from me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonyfellows 0 #6 July 9, 2009 If you have access to a wind tunnel during AFF, take advantage of it.Serious relationships turn into work after a few weeks and I already got a fucking job :) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ H.A.F. = Hard As Fuck ... Goddamn Amateurs Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 262 #7 July 9, 2009 If at any point during the day you feel nerves taking over, stop and take a deep slow breath, and then smile. If you've just taken a "cleansing breath" and you're smiling, you're probably relatively relaxed. Being relaxed means you'll probably perform better and have more fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #8 July 9, 2009 Show up relaxed, well-fed, and well-rested. Keep yourself hydrated throughout the day... the FJC can be a long day with a lot of new information to absorb, so coming in feeling good helps a lot!"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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rivetgeek 0 #9 July 9, 2009 Thanks for all the tips. I tend to be a little obsessive and have been reading constantly, though I admit a few of the abbreviations and terms are confounding. Is there a decent skydivers glossary of terms somewhere?~Bones Knit, blood clots, glory is forever, and chicks dig scars.~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IMALSUTIGERFAN 0 #10 July 9, 2009 Relax have a good time and arch.....before you exit the plane take 2 or 3 DEEP breaths to come the nerves....Have FUN there is no failure just learning. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #11 July 9, 2009 QuoteThanks for all the tips. I tend to be a little obsessive and have been reading constantly, though I admit a few of the abbreviations and terms are confounding. Is there a decent skydivers glossary of terms somewhere? Start here: http://www.dropzone.com/safety/resources/handbook/gloss2.shtml"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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BobbyR1990 0 #12 July 10, 2009 also watch youtube videos of AFF jumps, especially the ones that go bad. It really helps to show you what to do and what not to do Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snypam118 0 #13 July 10, 2009 eat.. when i first started my nerves caused me to skip meals which in turn affected me in the plane. Feeling weak and all"Nobody believes me when I say riding a motorcycle is scarier than jumping"... Have 60 static line jumps and thought I was cool until i discovered REAL FLIGHT Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reginald 0 #14 July 10, 2009 Stop reading on the Internet. Show up and LISTEN to what your instructors say. They will teach you what you need to know."We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #15 July 10, 2009 1) Read as much of the SIM as you can! 2) If you can get tunnel time great, if not....well try to get in one any way. 3) Don't feel stupid! Ask a lot of questions! 4) EAT! 5) Don't wave arms in free fall....it doesn't work. 6) Try and have fun! 7) NO NICE CLOTHING AT THE DZ! You will get them very dirty! 8) Bring beer money! Better yet bring beer! I'm on jump #7 and man....it's a freaking blast! Have fun! Enjoy it!Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GLIDEANGLE 1 #16 July 10, 2009 Here is the USPA SIM glossary on line: http://www.uspa.org/SIM/Read/Glossary/tabid/173/Default.aspxThe choices we make have consequences, for us & for others! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fred 0 #17 July 10, 2009 QuoteMy girl and I are getting ready to do our first AFF August 8th. For those (most of you I'm guessing) who have done your AFF, what is the ONE piece of advice you wish you'd either gotten or paid attention to before your jump? I don't know if this applies to AFF, since I started with static line, but one thing I'm really glad I'd found out: You can do your second jump that same day. A lot of students go out to do their first jump, take the class, and then leave. This is not the best way to get into the sport. You won't remember much from your first jump, so plan on landing, taking a break for an hour or two, eating a sandwich (that you might have to bring with you), and then doing a second jump. It's great the first time, and even better the second. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMK 3 #18 July 10, 2009 As noted above and in all training threads, listen to all that your instructor says. However, knowing a couple items may help. Aerodynamics: If you threw a cereal bowl out of the door of the plane, it naturally wants to come down with the convex side (outer curve) down – so no matter what happens just arch! Psychology: when people are scared, the innate tendency is to go smaller and into a ball (foetal position). This is not aerodynamically stable and you will tumble like rag doll, so as said above just arch! Relax: My example cereal bowl will come down with a bottom down tendency, however it will oscillate wildly because it is stiff (what you are if you don’t relax). Think of your arms and legs as your shock absorbers – a little give in your shoulders and hips will keep everything smooth. Stop stressing and just go do it: You see many posts on here re problems with AFF levels and see YouTube videos of varying idiots doing it poorly. These are exceptions. I don’t personally someone who has had to repeat an AFF level in training. Myself and most friends of mine just went and knocked AFF out in 4 days with no problems and so can you."Pain is the best instructor, but no one wants to attend his classes" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mellow 0 #19 July 10, 2009 it's great if you can "knock it out" in a few days. that was my plan. however with all of my preparation and earnest determination to get it right, i've already had to repeat 2 levels. so what i would say to you, is this: go with the mindset that you are there to learn to be a safe skydiver, and it doesn't matter how long it takes or how many repeated levels it takes to understand and apply what you are taught. the goal is to learn, not race through the course. there is no pass/fail, only learning. as i struggled with a few things before i "got it," and before my body was able to do what my mind understood, i was really frustrated. then some long time experienced jumpers helped me to understand that many, many people struggle in the beginning, it's normal. don't set yourself up to meet standards you might not be able to achieve, and don't compare your progress to timelines that have worked for others. take as long as you need, try to relax, and have fun!Jennifer don't ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. and then go do that, because what the world needs is people that come alive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sapphire 0 #20 July 10, 2009 Quote it's great if you can "knock it out" in a few days. that was my plan. however with all of my preparation and earnest determination to get it right, i've already had to repeat 2 levels. so what i would say to you, is this: go with the mindset that you are there to learn to be a safe skydiver, and it doesn't matter how long it takes or how many repeated levels it takes to understand and apply what you are taught. the goal is to learn, not race through the course. there is no pass/fail, only learning. as i struggled with a few things before i "got it," and before my body was able to do what my mind understood, i was really frustrated. then some long time experienced jumpers helped me to understand that many, many people struggle in the beginning, it's normal. don't set yourself up to meet standards you might not be able to achieve, and don't compare your progress to timelines that have worked for others. take as long as you need, try to relax, and have fun! +1 Everything Jennifer said is pretty great advice... I'll repeat (as this is really important) it's all about you. You may be naturally awesome at this, or it may take you longer... don't compare yourself to others. You may see students pass you by that started before/at the same time/after you... don't get discouraged. Take the time YOU need to learn to be a safe and proficient skydiver. In the end, it doesn't matter how many times it takes you to move on from a specific level/category... all that matters is that you listen to your instructors, learn as much as you can from them, NOT what you've read on the internet, and do it all safely. Oh, and remember... this shit is friggin FUN! Relax, breathe, smile... they sound easy enough - but are actually harder to do (though you think you are)... once you do (they tell me anyway) it gets much easier! Enjoy! "One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar" ~ Helen Keller Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #21 July 10, 2009 Quote don't compare yourself to others. You may see students pass you by that started before/at the same time/after you... don't get discouraged. So true. I was just reminiscing about my FJC that was 5 years ago in August. There were 15 of us, most of whom just wanted to do a jump on their own (static line). 3 of us went on to get our A licenses - I was by far the slowest of the three of us and had a lot of struggles getting there. It took me more jumps and more time. As far as I know, I'm the only one still in the sport today. It's a marathon, not a sprint. "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 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
humbled1 0 #22 July 10, 2009 Quote My girl and I are getting ready to do our first AFF August 8th. For those (most of you I'm guessing) who have done your AFF, what is the ONE piece of advice you wish you'd either gotten or paid attention to before your jump? relax & have fun "Tell ya the truth, I don't think this is a brains kind of operation." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
