Tunnel Time before AFF ???

[bocabruce1 0]

Should I make the expense of some Tunnel time before I begin my AFF in two weeks?

bocabruce

[davelepka 4]

If you have the time and the money, yes. It will let you experience solo 'freefall' before you go into the real deal. Of course having the body position wokred out is a help, but also having that knowledge before you jump can ease the nerves, and help you to relax during the jump.

Aside from all that, it's just a good time. Maybe you can talk some of your non-jumping friends into going with you, and spending some time in the tunnel themselves.

[shah269 0]

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If you have the time and the money, yes. It will let you experience solo 'freefall' before you go into the real deal. Of course having the body position wokred out is a help, but also having that knowledge before you jump can ease the nerves, and help you to relax during the jump.

Aside from all that, it's just a good time. Maybe you can talk some of your non-jumping friends into going with you, and spending some time in the tunnel themselves.

+100000000000000000000000000000000000!
YES YES YES! It saved my ass!
Also ask a friend to record your flight, you'll see how you are flying! A huge help! With out it I don't think I would have done well on AFF3. Or have recovered from AFF2 when I flipped on my back.

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!

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

Tunnel time is great.

However, remember that freefall is only the first part of the jump. Many would argue that the learning safe CANOPY flight is more important for students. If tunnel time lets you relax about freefall and concentrate on canopy flight.... GREAT. If tunnel time makes you think that you have the whole deal under control and have no need for those uptight instructors wasting your time with all this talk of landing patterns and flaring.... DANGER!!!

Getting safely to the ground is the definitiion of a "good jump".

Good Luck

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

[billvon 2,380]

>Should I make the expense of some Tunnel time before I begin my AFF in two weeks?

If you like; it will help a little. Some programs (like the one at Perris) includes wind tunnel training as part of the FJC.

[bocabruce1 0]

Actually, I am very comfortable and relaxed in freefall. I believe I can make the turns and rolls. Had a little practice in my second tandem. I am trying to control additional expense. Think I will focus on canopy control and landing. But the tunnel sounds like something I might want to do down the road for further freefall training. Been reading through the AFF curriculum and the Skydivers Student Handbook. Much to learn! Can't wait until my next jump! Thanks everyone!

bocabruce

[stratostar 5]

Tandem teaches really shitty body position, for one and second an AFF is way different then tandem. You say you want to save money, well if you have to repeat a number of CAT's (levels) in the AFF progression..... Are you really saving money?

You live close enough to make a visit to the tunnel, then spending 15 mins in the thing will do wonders for your flying skills when it come time to let go of you in FF.

You know most of the worlds best skydivers train in the tunnels. Like Dave said it's fun too and you might learn a thing or two while at it.

If you want to work on your landings......start by jumping off your picknic table frontwards,backwards & sideways and doing a good PLF.

In closing, lose weight, drive fast, take chances and date your riggers wife.

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

[PeregrineFalcon 0]

+1

Except my rigger's wife is old, so...pass.

I find there's a small difference in arm position in the tunnel. It's not 100% the same, but helps LOADS with body position. It also helped me with adjusting fall rate before getting out there with the coach jumps after AFF. As someone who's only slightly more experienced than you compared to all these sky gods around here, it helped me in-between my first solo and my coach jumps.

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

If you are trying to control cost consider this: Tunnel time is usually cheaper than freefall time on a per minute basis. It is WAY cheaper than AFF freefall time on a per minute basis.

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

[shah269 0]

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If you are trying to control cost consider this: Tunnel time is usually cheaper than freefall time on a per minute basis. It is WAY cheaper than AFF freefall time on a per minute basis.

+1!
And you have to try and die in a tunnel!
Go, do it for a few min, you will thank every one who told you to go.

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!

[heavydude 0]

Another vote yes for tunnel. You can get body position down before your real jumps, makes the jumps way easier because you already did the moves before. AFF for me would have been real pricey with repeat jumps, all solved with about 15 minutes of tunnel time. Like others above said student jumps are expensive, tunnel is excellent tool if you have one availible.

[el6uapo 0]

Yep, did it myself. It makes a HUGE difference. The walls provide a reference point so you quickly understand and learn the impact body position has on flight. The only thing I might suggest is going to the tunnel while you are a few jumps into your student progression, like when you are down to a single jump master with no grips. Or, at least try to practice some of the category skills like docking and arching/de-arching. I split the time between a group and if I remember correctly I had 30 minutes in 2 minute flight increments. That was more than enough time.

Good luck and have a blast as a student!

[stratostar 5]

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The only thing I might suggest is going to the tunnel while you are a few jumps into your student progression, like when you are down to a single jump master with no grips.

Are you an AFF rated I?

Did you know most people unsat Cat C (level 3) this is the CAT when your first let go of and your job is fall stright down in the "box". This where 90% of people start to spin, backslide or the jump gose to hell quickly. (yes it's our job to not let that happen, but shit happens!)

IMHO a person would be better off understanding and knowing how to control the movements before Cat C & D, so that once at that point the jump will go much better, you can clearly see the difference of those who did tunnel time before and those who didn't, in MOST cases, I have seen a number of naturals though, but not most students.

Those who didn't are more likely to repeat Cat C & D jumps. Those did are able to control fall rate, turns on heading and in control, forward and back movement, with and without docks and in some cases sideslides. Really good training in the tunnel will have them doing a combo of those moves together, doing it smooth and in control.

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