static line jump question

[Katherine 0]

Wasn't sure if you were just asking Steeler, but thought i'd reply anyway

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How long ago did you do your jumps?

About 5 months ago.

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How was your exit?

Fine on the first one, good on the second and third and then on to dp's.

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I have this feeling that no matter how much I practice, once I'm up there, it'll all fly out of of my head.

Don't worry about that, we had to do SO many practice exits out of the mock up that there was no way you could forget the count etc.

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Did you remember to count?

Yep, it was ingrained as part of the routine of the exit, I couldn't have done one without the other.

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Did your lines get twisted?

Yes, but it really wasn't a problem. Just grab and kick them out. With the huge docile student canopys it really is only a 'nusicense factor'.

Hope that helps

Leeds University Skydiving Club
www.skydiveleeds.co.uk

[Yossarian 0]

i got twists on just about every single static line jump, first time i didnt (when i got onto freefall) i felt like something was wrong when i looked up and just saw what i now know to be normal...

the only annoying thing about raps is dummy pulls, i ended up doing 7 and when i was finally on freefall it was nothing like the dummy pulls (the real thing is soooo much easier in case you were worrying) but theres no other way to train for them i dont suppose

[riggerrob 558]

I have this feeling that no matter how much I practice, once I'm up there, it'll all fly out of of my head.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

What you expect is what will happen.

For example, if you walk to the airplane expecting to mess up, you will mess up.
On the other hand, if you walk to the airplane expecting to do a good skydive, you will do a good skydive.

The bulk of my first jump course revolves around building a mental picture of the perfect skydive in the students' minds.

[Orange1 0]

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Don't worry about that, we had to do SO many practice exits out of the mock up that there was no way you could forget the count etc.

err... i beg to differ. we probably spent half the day practising the exit count (the other half EPs) and i still didn't count. got line twists, kicked out, looked at the ground, then decided i was mad and was never going to do this again

but to the OP, having already done 2 exits you should have less sensory overload than someone like me whose first SL jump was their first ever jump!

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[Steeler 0]

My first static line jump I forgot to count and forgot to arch. Ok maybe I didnt "forget", probably more like "brain-locked". I kicked and swam because I had the
feeling that I was going over backwards, but I really wasn`t. Doing my 5 second count never even entered my mind once I was on the strut, as a matter of fact, I had a little trouble actually letting go of the airplane. Not that I didnt want to, but my brain had trouble convincing my hands that it would be ok I guess.
I had line twists on both jumps. I was really worried about them beforehand, but I kind of suprised myself at how quickly I dealt with it.

The second jump for me went much better since I knew what to expect.
Havent jumped since september due to lack of $$ and convincing my wife that I NEED to get off the static line. She seems to think that I could just do a few static jumps a year and be happy w/that. She is terrified of me going to freefall.

Dont sweat those line twists, they arent a big deal with a huge canopy.

[freemis 0]

Thank you.

Unfortuantely it looks like another posponed jump again because this weekend the weather is terrible in Prague again. I guess those were my two conerns - the stomach dropping and the line twists. Good luck with your future jumps!

[Katherine 0]

The weather's bad here too

Good luck for you SL when you finally get to do it

Leeds University Skydiving Club
www.skydiveleeds.co.uk

[Chris-Ottawa 0]

Hey Freemis,

I had that same question when I did my tandem. It was explained to me like this:

The "butterflies" sensation is when your stomach/body changes direction, once it is already travelling another. Example: Driving down the highway, you go over a hump, everything in your body gets pulled down because the vehicle went up, and it brings you up with it, when the vehicle comes down, everything changes direction, your stomach is still travelling up when the vehicle starts to come down. That is what creates the sensation.

Now as for skydiving, you do not have that feeling because standing on the strut, you are travelling forward, but everything in your body is at the speed the plane is travelling, so it's just like standing still on the ground, so when you "drop" off the plane, your body only changes one directon.

Hope that helps

I can imagine jumping from a skyvan or something with a deck where you can hop up, then start falling would give the feeling.

The feeling you're probably gonna get is the combat of your stomach saying to your brain:

"What the hell are you about to do......." Otherwise know as....FEAR

Haha

Blue skies

"When once you have tasted flight..."

[freemis 0]

Hi Chris,

Thank you thank you thank you! Finally someone explained to me why we get the butterflies. Although I'm still very interested about the chemical our body releases, where that feeling actually comes from biologically. Been trying to search on the web, but no luck.

No, matter - did my first, second, and third static line jumps yesterday and feel the glow today! Glow, and a slight post traumatic stress syndrome (regarding flashbacks). I am currently in the Czech Republic and so in addition to the regular stress, I decided to give myself another "challenge" of the language barrier. The course was in English, but the ground training was all in Czech (I was luckily with my student and a friend who were able to translate).

Yes, the most difficult part was when the door opened. I felt fear like I never felt fear before. What made it more difficult, I think, was because I was the last of my group to go, there was a little tiny part in my brain that knew I had a choice (the public humiliation factor was lessened). I had difficulty putting my foot over the edge of the plane. But once I did, jumping was no problem. The interesting thing is that although I did all three jumps that day, that fear did not diminish. The canopy opened successfully and quickly without at line twists, but I am embarrassed to admit... counting? checking the cutaway and reserve handles? the three ring system? the risers? Oh, I'm afraid the only thing I remembered is to grab the toggles and pump.

The there were some glitches with the landing all three times. The most unforgettable jump had been the third (the second one jump did entail my untwisting the lines, but I was in a way, happy to have had that experience to know that it was no big deal after all, and I managed to get everything striaghtened out quickly - the the brain still does work despite the fear :-)) because there was a sunset one one side and the moon on the other, it was so beautiful, but I felt a bit frustrated that even after three jumps, I did not understand how to really fly the canopy or land. The radio also was not working on my third jump. I landed very very far in the middle of a field. While the landing sensation was incredible (because it is so surreal, like in a wild dream, to land from the sky to the middle of a field in the Czech Republic), it was frustrating that I did not do it smoothly or that I could not control the canopy. I felt I was flying further and further away from the airfield and did not know what to do to change the direction. Turning only made me change position, I felt, not the direction.

Can you or anyone out there give me some lessons that my instructors did not on smooth landings and controlling the wind? Watching the professionals was amazing, but it made me even more baffled as to how to do it myself!

[mangledspoon 0]

I forgot to count on my first jump, well, I did it late anyway. After that I've never forgotten though. (mind you I only have 6 jumps)

[astor 0]

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While the landing sensation was incredible (because it is so surreal, like in a wild dream, to land from the sky to the middle of a field in the Czech Republic), it was frustrating that I did not do it smoothly or that I could not control the canopy.

I'm pleased to see you enjoy jumping in our country

If you'd like to share your experience with your DZ, kindly send me a PM.