AEsco48 0 #1 July 31, 2006 I completely understand that before you can have fun in skydiving you have to learn how to skydive and be safe about it....case in point AFF.... I have always wanted to skydive since i was young...did my 1st tandem 3 months aso...and it was a lot of fun...but to be honest not as fun as i expected it....did my AFF1 last week end, went fine, did AFF2 today also went fine...and i had fun...and i want to continue....but my question is after i get my A License what do you do that makes it that much funner? I have seen videos of formation flying and making all types of shapes/patters and it does not really appeal to me...i really like the idea of Wingsuit...but thats 200 jumps into the sport.... the other sport i have been thinking of starting is KiteBoarding.....cheaper ($300 for lessons that leave you flying, say another $200 for more lessons, you can get your 1st novice board and kite for $1500 on ebay and then sell it a month latter for the same $1500)...*and you can do it all day basically*... other sports i do....snowboard 1 week a year ( i like carving, not terrain park), scuba diving, mountain and road biking, , indoor rock climbing, race car driver education/track events, wake boarding.... talk to me....how much better does it get? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #2 July 31, 2006 Watch freefly videos... but again your looking at a few jumps first. Honestly, different things are fun for different people. Maybe it's not for you... it's a lot of money to sink into something that you are indifferent about. Maybe get a few hundred jumps into you and then look into taking a BASE jumping course. Get a couple thousand jumps into you and hundreds or thousands of wingsuit jumps, and then look into wingsuit BASE.. who knows? My guess is if you are fairly bored after 3 jumps.. it may not be what you are looking for. Perhaps you've wanted to do it for so long and you've worked up some sort of dream in your head as to how exciting it would be and thus let yourself down when it actually happened. I have a feeling that is what the Miami Vice movie is going to do to me... I can't wait to see it.. but it probably won't be all it's hyped up to be. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kimblair13 0 #3 July 31, 2006 QuoteMy guess is if you are fairly bored after 3 jumps.. it may not be what you are looking for. I agree. If your doing something that you need to find out from others why or how it's fun...it's probably not for you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattyblast 0 #4 July 31, 2006 Quotebut my question is after i get my A License what do you do that makes it that much funner? I have seen videos of formation flying and making all types of shapes/patters and it does not really appeal to me...i really like the idea of Wingsuit...but thats 200 jumps into the sport... To answer your specific question, my favorite thing to do for the first dozen jumps or so after getting my A license was to simply do a solo belly-fly jump with no turns, no objectives... just a straight down plain ol' freefall until pull-time. The reason I did that was because I wanted to relish the fact that I finally had no specific "Level" to pass and no coach to have to jump with. If formation skydiving doesn't look like your cup of tea, I'd check out some great freefly videos & maybe talk to some real freefly hot-shots. See if the whole sit-fly/back-fly/head-down thing might be worth pursuing before you completely write the sport off for yourself. Whatever you decide, it sounds like you're a pretty multi-talented dude with a lot of interests. Do what thrills you the most, and have fun."DOOR!!!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremy556 0 #5 July 31, 2006 I would advise you to stick it out until at least you can do a couple of solos after AFF. I did a tandem, and was very unimpressed with it, but I thought, OK, I will give AFF a try maybe it is what I am after. The first few AFF levels were a lot better than the tandem, but still not really ‘it.’ Levels 6 and 7 are where it started to get fun, and solos after that were what I was looking for. I also have no real interest in RW and can’t wait for wing suit and freefly. I have been doing a few RW dives, and doing it with a bunch of other low jumpers is actually a lot fun. We don’t sit there in a formation and turn points like you see experienced skydivers, but chase one another around the sky trying like hell to get in a formation while falling faster/slower than others, getting rolled over, burbles, etc. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
packerboy 3 #6 July 31, 2006 While that does sound fun... it doesn't sound very safe. With 30 jumps, you shouldn't be jumping with someone you have to chase across the sky, it's a high potential for disaster. Read below. -------------------------------------------------- In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock. ~ Thomas Jefferson Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisL 2 #7 July 31, 2006 Quote talk to me....how much better does it get? If it hasnt already grabbed you by the balls, then maybe your money is better spent elsewhere. This is not a recomendation or a recrimination. I say this because this is a very expensive sport. For me its worth the money because it blew my dress up right from jump #1 and is still getting better and better. If you have made several jumps now and you can take it or leave it, maybe skydiving is not destined to be your passion.__ My mighty steed Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #8 July 31, 2006 Chris hits the nail on the head...if the initial pump and the potential of things to come does not grab you now, there's not a lot of chance of anything changing that for you later. Not saying that is a bad thing by any means.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AEsco48 0 #9 July 31, 2006 There is no doubt about it...i love skydiving...if it was up to me i would spend a whole day and do level 1-7 in one day and wake up the next morning and do as many jumps as i can.... i was just thinking that in kiteboarding I might have more fun due to being able to practice the sport for a whole day.... Im definitely going to do aff3...where the instructors actually let go of me and i have to stabilize myself...the two jump masters said i should have no problem stabilizing myself....just need to make sure i reach with my left hand far enough in front of my head (on level 1 and 2, my hand was really close if not touching my helmet) we will see..... but i appreciate any and all info/advice/opinions... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkeenan 14 #10 July 31, 2006 Quote...in kiteboarding I might have more fun due to being able to practice the sport for a whole day... You should probably check out one of the wind tunnels. You can fly in there all day long, if you wish. Just leave your credit card at the front desk, they'll let you know when it's time to stop. Kevin_____________________________________ Dude, you are so awesome... Can I be on your ash jump ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AEsco48 0 #11 July 31, 2006 i did like 10 min of wind tunnel in Orlando when i was like 15...maybe i should make another trip up there... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psipike02 0 #12 July 31, 2006 In my opinion, I've enjoyed the journey of progress and learning that I'm making right now. You can't expect to whiz through your student training and then know everything about skydiving there is and go jump your brains out. Although no one is stopping you from doing so, it probably not as likely. Trust me, they get better and more fun. You're going through AFF right now which is cool, but you don't think its as fun or its not living up to your expectations. I know it seems tedious but you need to learn how to fly yourself responsibly and safely before going out with others. Just because you graduate AFF, doesn't mean you stop learning new things. For me, after I got off AFF and got my A-license was when I started learning even more than I ever did on AFF. You gotta crawl before you can walk and even after that its still a progression. I know you have that "I just wanna get out there and jump and learn to do everything" and thats cool. But enjoy the progress up to that. I have friends who are great skydivers and freefliers, instructors and swoopers. It'd be cool to do all that and I have hopes of becoming that one day, but I'm enjoying learning everything I can to get to that point. Honestly, I agree with everyone here. If you go through it and it hasn't grabbed you by the balls yet, then it might not be something you want to continue investing money in. But if you really want to do this and go out there in 3,4,and 5 ways with people doing formations or freeflying or tracking dives or whatever....then talk to people who do it and start watching and listening and learning. If you're serious about it, the time and money investment in you getting better is highly worth it....i guarantee that... But do whatever makes you happy...Puttin' some stank on it. ----Hellfish #707---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QSilver2005 0 #13 July 31, 2006 I am not to familiar with the progress in other countries, but in South Africa you need to complete your AFF once that is done you need to do your ISP (Intermediate Skills Program). The ISP consist of 7 jumps with a coach teaching/practicing some basic belly flying skills. After that you need to choose a discipline, in my case I kept with WR and complete your CAT II. This also consist of 7 jumps with a coach teaching you more advanced belly flying skills, after that is CAT 3 which entails a 4-Way dive with specific task to complete illustrating your ability to skydive safely with others. At some point threw this it also got to me, it is expensive and I maybe the RW stuff does not look so great, I decided to wait and complete my CAT II and do a couple of 2 ways, 4 ways or whatever else I could get onto. This was the deciding factor for me, Skydiving really only started once I was done with my progression. The challenge offered by RW skydiving is enormous and really is not as easy as it looks on some of the footage + it is a shit load of fun. If I stopped halfway threw my progression I would probably not have know what I will be missing. Glad I carried on and are really enjoying every aspect of it + getting better at it each time. I am sure this is the same as the other disciplines and would still at some stage try the free fly thing. My opinion it gets so much better! I have my B now and can do night jumps, helicopter jumps, beach jumps why would I want to stop now? Hang in for a little while before making that assumption. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zagijimzoo 0 #14 July 31, 2006 Definitely stick with it! When i started i did static line! 1st 3 jumps went like this: jump, falling, bicycling to gain balance, losing stomach, no count, chute open! Really didn't think it was that great! but i stuck with it! Finally learned how to become stable on exit! Pat on back! Its getting a little better now! Then onto freefall pulling your own cord! There might be something here! A-license finally! Now it starts becoming a little more fun! Still fighting the hebee gebee's (fear of jumping)! But now you can jump with your friends! Your first 2ways are sweet! Then 3ways 4ways 5ways 6ways 7ways 8ways...and the dives just keep getting better and better! Being up there with all your friends in the air is amazing! Then you learn how to fall in the sit position! Then learn how to fall headdown! it just gets better and better all the time! This leads to wingsuits, base jumping, and canopy formation flying! Its a progression! And it just keeps on getting better and better! Skydiving is not just about the falling part its also about the environment your in! The Sky! You can jump out of a plane into a world of huge towering castles of clouds! Falling right next to one puts you into a dreamscape! It is unbelievingly surreal! Then wingsuits allow you to fly around in this surreal setting! You have know idea what your getting into if you stick with it! Right now your like an ant at the base of mount everest! Example of one jump I had: We’re on the ground watching the sunset deciding on if its to late to do a formation jump with two cessnas as a huge upper cloud bank moves in : ) Well the slower Cessna takes off first! 15mins later as the sunsets and the campfire is lit we take off! This is really cool! We’re climbing at the same rate that the sun is setting! So we have this beautiful sunset the whole ride up! Talk about a dreamscape! We look out scanning the sky above for the other Cessna! There it is right in front of the solid cloud bank around 6000ft! We climb together above the cloud layer into a bright blue sunlit sky. The cloud bank moved in below us creating a landscape that looked like we where at the North Pole! Nothing but pure white barren snow fields! By 8000’ the sun started to set again! A sunset on the North Pole we thought to ourselves as we looked into each others wide eyes in amazement and nervousness! Someone pinch me! At 10000’ we decided not to climb any higher as the sunset on the North Pole was fading!!!!! We’re going to jump. Are you crazy! We talked to the other plane…4,3,2,1 Out into the North Pole we go! I’ll never forget dude whizzing by me in a near vertical dive down to the formation. Looking down at the building 8 way I just closed 8 above the cloud layer. We just had enough time to look at each others huge smiling faces as we hit the cloud layer! The white fog grew darker and darker! Then we popped out the bottom into the black night of twinkling lights. Holy chit! This can’t be happening! Its time to break this thing off!!!! We all tracked away into the dark! The GPS helped nail our spot dead on and the glowing campfire below signaled our way home! I’d say stick with it! Now over 2000 jumps later : ) jimo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #15 July 31, 2006 QuoteWhile that does sound fun... it doesn't sound very safe. With 30 jumps, you shouldn't be jumping with someone you have to chase across the sky, it's a high potential for disaster. Read below. The situation is not unsafe as long as you don't approach each other too agressively, keep track of each other during the skydive, and achieve sufficient separation between eachother + other groups at break-off (plan to track in opposite directions perpindicular to the jump run). That said you'll learn faster when you know the other people are falling straight down and there isn't any confusion about who is orbitting whom. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrewEckhardt 0 #16 July 31, 2006 Quote after i get my A License what do you do that makes it that much funner? While you could jump by yourself the same way you might play solitaire or do things not spoken of in polite company, most people enjoy skydiving as a social sport where they interact with other people in the time between leaving the plane and landing. That means some sort of formation. The formation can have grips or not (tracking, flocking, and follow-the-leader dives). Freefalling formations can have people in vertical (freefly) and (hybrid)/or horizontal (traditional relative work) body positions. They can be going straight down or moving across the sky (tracking/flocking). You can build formations in wingsuits or under canopy (CRW). A lot of people also like flying small fast parachutes close to the ground. And a few people like lots of spinning or falling in aesthetically pleasing positions (sky surfing and freestyle). Quote other sports i do....snowboard 1 week a year ( i like carving, not terrain park), scuba diving, mountain and road biking, , indoor rock climbing, race car driver education/track events, wake boarding.... All of those provide an up-close frame of reference - mountains with trees, ski slopes, roads, etc. With skydiving anything you didn't bring with you is a mile or two away and just hanging out in the breeze isn't that exciting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremy556 0 #17 July 31, 2006 Problem is finding others with more experience to jump with, even the ones that offer; I don’t want to mess up their skydive and have no money left for coach jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kimblair13 0 #18 July 31, 2006 Everyones mest up a skydive somehow. That's how we learn. If someone offers...take the offer! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #19 July 31, 2006 QuoteProblem is finding others with more experience to jump with, even the ones that offer; I don’t want to mess up their skydive and have no money left for coach jumps. You're going to have to get over that if you want to improve your skills. Formal coaching and instruction is great, but now that you have your license, most of your improvement will come from getting out and jumping with others. Start small (two or three ways) and set reasonable goals. Learn how to plan a dive and dive a plan. If a more experienced jumper is offering to jump with you, take them up on it. Stay small and build your skills and confidence before you try bigger jumps. And have fun! Every skydive where all the jumpers land safe and sound is a fun one! Anyone who accuses you of "messing up" their jump isn't someone you want to jump with anyway (assuming, of course that you're up front about your experience and skill, which I'm sure you are ... )"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
cocheese 0 #20 August 1, 2006 It pretty much sucks after AFF. God what was i thinking ? The thrill is gone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 1 #21 August 1, 2006 QuoteEveryones mest up a skydive somehow. That's how we learn. If someone offers...take the offer! Seconded. The person offering has a fairly decent idea of your skill level. They wouldn't be offering if they weren't going to have fun too... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
spiccoli 0 #22 August 1, 2006 i can relate AEsco48. i did my first tandem last year right when i turned 18. i definately did not get the rush that other people talked it up to be, but its all subjective.in fact, i get a bigger rush waiting for someone to say the secret word on Pee Wee's Playhouse or bombing a joke onstage, so maybe i just have a wire crossed.anyhow i stuck with it and it started growing on me. i only have 20 jumps and am getting to where i like it more every time, much to the dissmay of my finances. rock climbing is by far cheaper and gets my heart beating faster, but skydiving is truly a unique sensation that i think is worth the time and cabbage.im sure if you continue to persue it, it will suck you in; you take in more every jump. if not, just dont flush the toilette at the DZ so they dont ask you to come back. good luck with whatever you choose to invest in.we need to talk about your flare.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BannanaGirl 0 #23 August 1, 2006 I just keep on and on at other skydivers to jump with me...basically I wear them down until they give in. I refuse to be shy about it! Works everytime! I too had doubts at times when doing AFF if it was for me and the cost of doing this sport was a major factor, but each time I lose the will I do another skydive and it would be another hurdle cleared and I would have learnt another thing and land on a high! And never worry about screwing up.....one of the funniest skydives I have done so far was where we funnelled the exit! We were all over the show in spectacular fashion and brains were malfunctioning. Funny as. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AEsco48 0 #24 August 1, 2006 what do you mean funnel the exit? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
psipike02 0 #25 August 1, 2006 Quotewhat do you mean funnel the exit? When the exit you intend to do, doesnt...and it goes to shit and everyone is all over the sky more or less...and then you have to rebuild afterwards....its definately funny when it happens Puttin' some stank on it. ----Hellfish #707---- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
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