Wondering if I'm too much of a wuss for AFF!

[Lucie813 0]

Okay, everybody, it's the wildly impressed newbie again. I've been on the fence about whether to sign up for training and after reading about AFF, wonder if it might not be a bit too intense for this middle-aged beginner. Specifically, I have a couple of "issues" - one, I have occasional mild middle-ear trouble and not the greatest balance in the world, although I can walk a straight line with no problem ; and two, I have kind of "a thing" about falling, as I had three falls with injuries in a 22-month span a few years back. I'm a bit concerned that my tendency to disorient rather easily could make it a challenge to stabilize after doing a backflip at the end of AFF (I really don't like being upside down!), and how to get over my phobia of falls when practicing PLF. It seemed like tandem progression training would suit me better, but I'm not sure if any DZs near me even offer it. Has anyone else ever experienced similar issues, and if so, how'd you handle them? Or am I simply making a potential mountain out of a molehill?

[bigway 4]

Basic skydiving is easy.....once you get passed the AFF. I did not find it scary, some do and some also have a hard time getting through it. Maybe static line might SUIT you better. I am a big fan of AFF over static line but you seem very unsure so maybe you should take it slowly so you are not wasting money if you do not enjoy it. You will find some people love their tandem and love their AFF first couple of levels but then on their 4th jump kind of think 'well i have jumped out of a plane 4 times, why am i doing it again.
Static line is still agreat way to getting into the sport.
One question though, if you do not like falling, why do you want to take up falling at 120mph for 60 seconds every time?
It is an expensive sport to jump into. If you love it, and know you will stick to it, i say do AFF. If you think you this is what you want to do maybe look into static line. This way you jump higher after each jump.
Falling is the greatest part of the sport.
Good luck, just know though, if your body agrees with skydiving, it is very easy as long as you stay safe.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[Lucie813 0]

Your question about falling is a reasonable one, but I should explain that I don't mind FLYING, which is what my first dive felt like! I have zero fear of heights (in fact, the higher, the better), but I do get skittish about falling just a few feet from the ground and breaking something!

I think it's more of a worry about stability/dizziness in mid-air that concerns me most. Thank you for your reply.

[bigway 4]

you never feel like you are falling as you have experienced. Being under canopy on your own, well you will be under radio guidence.
You are not too old to learn.
It is the greatest thing in the world. To me it makes feel so alive after every jump. I have not jumped for a few motnhs now, this will change as soon as the weather gets better but i have the feeling of needing to jump to bring me back to life.
It is very addictive and becomes a way of life. Go for it!!
AFF is a fantastic way to learn because it is so full on.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[tdog 0]

Lucie813,

I am nearing the end of my AFF levels right now. If the weather would have been good today I would have been done... I am far from an expert at skydiving, however, I can say, don't let the AFF stuff scare you. Don't read all the requirements before signing up, because they are much more intimidating on paper than in real life.

I think I waited so long to get into skydiving because I thought, "I could never do THAT. Flips, you gotta be kidding."

I am finding that the AFF training is pretty easy, and you don't have to do it perfect either. For an example, I really overshot a 90 degree turn the first time I did it. I passed the level anyway - because I told the instructor I knew I overshot, so we just talked on the ground how to fix it next time. Now, if I had gone into a spin or something out of control, I would have failed.

About being afraid of heights... I myself cannot walk to the edge of a cliff and look down unless there is a railing. This is not a problem in skydiving because the reference points (ground, cliff walls, ground wind) are all so far away.

I found it real scary to enter the doorway on my first three jumps, because the instructors were holding on so tight it was clear they did not want me to do anything except exactly what they expected. My instructor at one point put his hand on my chest holding me back even though I was not even moving yet. This subliminally makes you have a fear of the door - like it is a dangerous place for you to go – it is scary. But on level 4, where I knew the instructor was going to let go and was not even holding on tight when I got into position - I got to the point of thinking - "What is the worst thing that could happen, I could fall out of the plane and I know how to fall and regain stability, and pull my own chute." At this point, entering the doorway becomes much less stressful and actually quite fun.

Regarding the PLF... I dreaded the training too, thinking I am too big of a clutz to do that. Ask my dog, he won't even rollerblade with me anymore. I nailed it my first try. I did it three more times because it was FUN not because the instructor told me to.

Here is what I would do... Take a tandem jump, a fun jump. Tell the instructor you think you will do AFF, but do the tandem just to get used to the smells of the plane and the sensation of freefalling. If the DZ has a Tandem/AFF program where the tandem is used in place of the first AFF jump, do that so you save the money.

Ask the DZ employees, like your tandem instructor, what AFF or AFF/Tandem offerings they have. I did a tandem a long time ago (1998) and went right into AFF this fall without another tandem. However, the second I left the plane - I remembered the exact sensations of freefall, and suddenly all the stress was over because I knew how everything else would feel and I was doing what we were trained to do. It is hard to believe you will be completely comfortable the first time freefalling with a chute on your back, but a good tandem experience does that.

Here is my only advice for AFF. Visualize the tasks on the ground - and visualize what to do if you don't nail it in real life. For an example, ask your instructor, "So you want me to turn 90 degrees one way, then 90 back to looking at you. If I go 180 one way, should I go 180 back so I can see you, or only go 90 and expect you to move?”

Nail it on the ground, visualize doing it, and you will be a-ok.

So, the point to the story – as long as you are mentally ready to take part in skydiving – the AFF will be simple. Don’t worry about the details – just go with the flow.

GO JUMP!

[skymama 35]

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It seemed like tandem progression training would suit me better, but I'm not sure if any DZs near me even offer it.

Call Titusville and see if they still offer it. I did the IAF training there a few years back, but it has changed management since then so I'm not sure if it is still offered.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[Kramer 0]

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I'm a bit concerned that my tendency to disorient rather easily could make it a challenge to stabilize after doing a backflip at the end of AFF (I really don't like being upside down!)

$10 says this girl is on a head-down world record dive 5 years from now. Any takers?!?

The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!

[Lucie813 0]

[adobelover 0]

Hey Girl, I 'm not sure what you consider "middle-aged" but, I started static-line training at 49...I hate heights, am terrified of falling, have "bad" knees and sinus problems...I fell 53 feet out of a tree when I was 10 and I still shake when I climb on a ladder. Climbing out of a plane at 10,000 feet doesn't bother me anymore! The worst part was when the door first comes open...it took me about 10 jumps to get over that. Now I can't wait to get out of the plane...I just turned 52 and I love this shit!

_________________________________________


Old age ain't no place for sissies!

[happythoughts 0]

Skydiving is about risk management. What are the possible problems? Do you feel comfortable that your skills and training will deal with them?

Your basic issue seems to be falling from a low height. Using a conservative canopy can minimize this risk. However, even after years of skydiving, the wind can still do funky things when you don't expect it.

Construct a list of your concerns and then discuss them with an instructor at a dz.

[bodypilot1 0]

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well you will be under radio guidence.

Never tell someone they should rely on a radio for guidance under canopy, students sometimes fail to hear the radio commands given and there are times the radio simply fails.
They MUST have comprehension on how to fly the canopy, and MUST understand the correct pattern BEFORE getting on the plane with their own rig on.



Ed

www.WestCoastWingsuits.com
www.PrecisionSkydiving.com

[bigway 4]

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Never tell someone they should rely on a radio for guidance under canopy, students sometimes fail to hear the radio commands given and there are times the radio simply fails.
They MUST have comprehension on how to fly the canopy, and MUST understand the correct pattern BEFORE getting on the plane with their own rig on.

Sorry, i am well aware of this and i was not meaning she should rely on this as that is not what i said but the problem with my post is that i never really said anything to a student. She is thinking about learning.
I think knowing that you are on radio gives you a sense of safety. This is what i was trying to project. She is not a student yet and i am not an instructor. I am very extremley confident that her instructor will tell her all about radio and body signals and radio failure and canopy control. I was not going into detail as she was asking a general question and i was telling someone who has not signed up to learn yet that she will be under radio guidence so she can feel comfortaed by the thought until she starts AFF trainging. I never saw the point in explainging every detail of skydiving to someone who has not made a decision yet. I will also never give advice on training until i am an instructor.
Sorry if it came out like i was trying to teach someone aff, i feel i was just answering someone who was interested in our sport and was not aware that we were at a teaching safety stage yet or teaching canopy control. I was generalising.

.Karnage Krew Gear Store
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[somethinelse 0]

HI.
I'm similar to you, having had "issues" and such with sensory overload & some fears& worries etc.
Actually I just finished up my training program and will be getting my A...
BUT this is the second time that I have attemtped to get thru "the program"!

AFF can be really over-whelming & intense.
Turned out for me, that an integrated program offered at my dz- Starting with a tandem-(I'd made 4 others at another dz) then static line jumps- and progressing to IAD jumps w/an instructor was a better fit for ME.

I think Static Line gets a bad rap too often. It really is a good option to consider.

It really helped me to be able to exit, feel comfortable with sensations, learn how to control canopy & land okay AND staic really built up my confidence considerably.

Hope this helps some!

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[nohare 0]

I am just finishing my consolidation jumps after aff, but prior to that i had 15 jumps under the RAPS system, so I have an idea of both systems. It appears that your problems happen near to ground, I would then say that the RAPS system will give you a greater (initial) amount of training with regard to the flight/landing and overall canopy control BEFORE you get to worry about the freefall side of things. This may well help you get over the fear of landing. If you find yourself getting bored with your progression (like I did) - just wasn't able to jump enough - you can always swap then to an AFF course and you will have the advantage of knowing that you want to continue with a relatively expensive hobby having got some canopy skills (and can concentrate on the falling part) and may have gotten over your fears completely.

Hope it helps!