Wierd--Finally passed Level IV, tried V, Passed it but failed VI

[SkyDiveCoastie 0]

I dont know..i can never figure out whats going on..i finally passed 4 after 3 times...then took 5, passed it in one shot..said my release was great, did fwd motion on my own with no problems, and then we decided to try level 6 same day...i failed because of body position..any help on y my body does what it does? legs come down to much and i lose my arch? i just wanna finish these training jumps..its becoming way to expensive and turning me away a little...im on 9 jumps and only up to level 6! help!

Danny
The Sky Divin Coastie

[EvilLurker 2]

Go take a tunnel session, you'll cure that and the rest will be gravy. I had the exact problem you're describing, it's hard to find the solution in one minute increments. I had to fly from Oregon to Las Vegas to find a tunnel, you're in Florida. Take advantage of that, once you start RW you'll be a better flyer.

[SkyDiveCoastie 0]

im thinkin bout takin the trip to Orlando..i will see how it goes...i just have to find the time

Danny
The Sky Divin Coastie

[jlmiracle 7]

I would suggest getting a video of your next AFF jump. The tunnel might help but a video of your skydive with gear on would probably be more helpful.

Good luck!

Judy

Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

[Reginald 0]

First of all, 9 jumps for 6 levels is not bad at all. I spent 4 tries on level 4 alone and then 3 on level 5 before I spent a few minutes in the tunnel. After that I never repeated any AFF or SDU jumps. If you live in FL GO TO THE TUNNEL!

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[psipike02 0]

Yo man, dont worry about it. I'm on Jump 12 this weekend and doing Level 7. I had a weird level 6 too, but passed. I came off the plane on exit, kicking my feet, which I had never done before. I think it was just performance anxiety going up, plus i was nervous about the backloop and barrel roll.

So next time, relax dude and be aware of your body position. Make it fun, level 6 was a blast! When I did my back loop, i put my legs up and actually did a head down for a bit and came back, it was awesome!!!

So perservere and keep your head up....and as someone said earlier, 9 jumps on level 6 is not bad at all. And if you have to, GO DO THE TUNNEL, I went and did mine b/w levels 4 and 5 and it helped TREMENDOUSLY. I only did the tunnel in Las Vegas, not the orlando or Perris ones (there is a difference).

But like i said, dont give up, i know its expensive, believe me, I know, it took me 3x to pass level 4 too. But take a video or your next dive or just do a fun heading dive with your JM, that may help too. If you didn't want to skydive, you wouldnt put the effort and the money forth to do it and become good at it....so hang in there bro!! You'll get it

Puttin' some stank on it.

----Hellfish #707----

[NWFlyer 2]

The reality of this sport is that it is often "one step up, two steps back." The minute you "get" one thing, there's something else to learn. And sometimes when you think you "get" something, you lose it on the next jump or ten jumps later.

The good news is, as long as you continue to smile, have fun, and get yourself to the ground safely and without jeopardizing anyone else in the process, you've succeeded in this sport. You will always be learning.

"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

[ChristianH 0]

Quote

The reality of this sport is that it is often "one step up, two steps back." The minute you "get" one thing, there's something else to learn. And sometimes when you think you "get" something, you lose it on the next jump or ten jumps later.

The good news is, as long as you continue to smile, have fun, and get yourself to the ground safely and without jeopardizing anyone else in the process, you've succeeded in this sport. You will always be learning.

That is sooooo true.

[Ragnarok 0]

I am at jump #4, will be getting in jump #5 and #6 Sunday. I do the "Mind Dive" thing. It helps with planning and remembering WHAT to do, just not how. I would love to hit a wind tunnel - but there is not one within 3 hours of here (Ft. Leonard Wood, MO).

I don't mind repeating a jump, but I can see where the expense can be daunting.

I wish you the best of luck in finding your 'groove' (don't know what skydivers call it yet)

Keep jumping. You obviously are into it to invest this much.

_________________________________________
Twin Otter N203-Echo,29 July 2006
Cessna P206 N2537X, 19 April 2008
Blue Skies Forever

[tbrown 26]

Plenty of good advice here, including spending some time and your kids' college tuition in a wind tunnel (it will help a lot).

But get used to the idea of being frustrated on jumps too, because the feeling will never leave you. Compared to the old days (oh God, here I go again....) when it used to take 20+ jumps to get off student status, you're moving along with blinding speed, and I'm happy to say that. It's a big improvement. But this is not the world's easiest sport to learn and if it were we'd all be bored to shit and quit. You're learning how to go against all your natural instincts and not only jump, but to make fun and games of it while apparently falling to your death from a great height (or so your body is thinking).

You'll get past this and from the sound of things should be graduating from AFF and moving towards your A license very soon. But you're always going to face frustrations. Last weekend some friends and I did a 3 way skills dive all the way to breakoff. Then we did a 12 point 5 way. But on the third jump, with the same 5 people, we funneled the exit and took way to long to regroup for the first point. Only completed 3 formations on that dive. Frustrated ? Sure we were. Hey, I'm sure even Airspeed has plenty of frustrating, even pissed off training jumps. But it's all part of thhe game. If you never have a bad jump, you can't enjoy the good ones.

In the end, any jump that gives you an open canopy and a landing you can walk away from is a REALLY GOOD jump.

Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity !

[DanglesOZQld 0]

The rest of the world does it without TUNNEL TIME.

IF you can afford it of course DO THE TUNNEL!!

Definitely get a VIDEO of your next jump if you have not done so already - it helps in the debrief and YOU CAN SEE what you are doing in the air badly that
can be corrected!!

With my students I tell them that there is a phase during their AFF jumps where they become relaxed , get into a good arch and enjoy the jump. A good arch should be a relaxed position unless you are a lightweight without a weight vest and have to do it hard to keep up with the "norms."

Talk to your Jm's and the experienced ppl around you ;)

BSBD!! -Mark.

"A Scar is just a Tattoo with a story!!!"

[superman0710 0]

hey there coastie, i'm in the same boat you are. What i'd recommend doing is taking a step back from the sport for a bit ( say like 2 weeks ). Relax, and don't worry about it. If you've passed your level 5, you KNOW you can do it.

I did my level 4 four times! ( repeated once because of recurrency ) and i wasn't confident at all in my arch. I took 2 weeks off, Went back to the DZ, talked to fred, talked to randy, practiced my body position on the mushroom. and learned to most of all RELAX.

my level 5 went incredibly, randy was so confident in me when he released me, that he flew in front of me and we were laughing and giving thumbs up on the way down. It was the best feeling ever.


So just take a step back, get some perspective, and relax. you got it in you. good luck.

[SkyDiveCoastie 0]

I love jumping with Fred..hes so relaxed in the plane, and greg is another...always smiling..Randy is cool as hell to. All the guys at the dropzone are cool instructors...Have a prefrence of who i like jumping with of course. Im going again..i cant take a break..its like not taking somones medicine. LoL Well ill tell you how it goes...im jumping again Monday morning..hopefully all goes well :-D

Danny
The Sky Divin Coastie