Spudmuffin 0 #1 October 4, 2004 I'm new to skydiving with only one tandem jump under my belt. I had a great ride, but didn't get to participate very much. My instructor was going to let me pull the ripcord, but I was having a little too much fun hamming it up with my camaraman and didn't hear him say "pull." By the time I realized that it was time, I wound up grabbing at my instructor's hand as he was pulling the ripcord. Obviously I got in his way...and probably ticked him off, too. I would imagine that, and the fact that I had been rather "giddy" while going through the prep process, probably led him to believe I was a flake. COMPLETELY understandable. (I still had an AWESOME time!) I am, however, interested in going through the TAF and then AFF training courses over the coming months. So, my question is... What do instructors look for in a good student? Should I make a concerted effort NOT to seem like I'm having too much fun? (Again, I can totally see where my instructor probably thought I was just there for a thrill ride.) I'm really looking forward to going again, but am dreading the four minute hanging-like-a-sack-of-potatoes-in-the-harness ride once the shoot opens. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #2 October 4, 2004 Most of my tandem master friends are just happy to have a student who arches and doesn't puke on them! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites hexadecimal 0 #3 October 4, 2004 Your next tandem will probably be better... I just made my second jump Sunday and was much more capable of thinking during freefall. The rush was overwhelming on my first jump and when I thought my instructor had told me to check my altitude and find the handle again, he was actually telling me to pull. I checked my altitude every 5 seconds, located the handle several times, and pulled @ 5500ft yesterday. I initially had my doubts when I pulled (my vision got a bit blurred and I was having trouble reading the altimiter - I thought I may have pulled too high), though those doubts went away once the chute opened fully and I saw that I was pretty much right on target when I checked my altimiter again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Spudmuffin 0 #4 October 4, 2004 Hi Tigra, Speaking of good arches...do you have any words of advice other than thrust your middle out? (I'm afraid I'm going to head-butt my instructor if I overarch.) I had trouble hearing my instructor when we actually left the plane...suddenly we were just sort of...out in the sky. **WOOHOO!** Thanks a bunch! Spud Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Spudmuffin 0 #5 October 4, 2004 Awesome, Hex! Glad your second jump went well. I can't wait for mine. Thanks for the encouragement! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Jeth 0 #6 October 4, 2004 QuoteHi Tigra, Speaking of good arches...do you have any words of advice other than thrust your middle out? (I'm afraid I'm going to head-butt my instructor if I overarch.) I had trouble hearing my instructor when we actually left the plane...suddenly we were just sort of...out in the sky. **WOOHOO!** Thanks a bunch! Spud It is much easier to arch w/o a TM on your back, but you can still do it. The main thing is just to keep your legs up and out. I made the mistake of arching my back really hard, but didn't think of my legs or hips. You want your hips to be the lowest point, so you just push them out (down). It will be a lot easier and make more sense as soon as you start jumping solo. On my 2nd tandem I controlled the exit, checked alti and pulled. So as long as you do that and don't curl up into a ball you'll be fine. Have fun! The 2nd one should be much better! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Morcyk 0 #7 October 4, 2004 It's 3 tandems before AFF at the DZ I chose, but on my 3rd, I also controlled the exit. I would expect that anywhere you go, the will give you more and more control over the exit until you start your AFF cause then you really are in charge. For that first AFF, I did the thrust and relax thing and forgot about my legs. I still swear when the instructor told me to put my legs out further, they already were, hehe. And yes I know they weren't, they just felt like they were. As for hearing the instructor, as you do successive freefalls, you'll start to rely more and more on hand signals in freefall, so learn em! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tigra 0 #8 October 5, 2004 I can't really help much because arching is one thing I've never had a problem with. I needed to train myself to relax my arch! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0 Go To Topic Listing
hexadecimal 0 #3 October 4, 2004 Your next tandem will probably be better... I just made my second jump Sunday and was much more capable of thinking during freefall. The rush was overwhelming on my first jump and when I thought my instructor had told me to check my altitude and find the handle again, he was actually telling me to pull. I checked my altitude every 5 seconds, located the handle several times, and pulled @ 5500ft yesterday. I initially had my doubts when I pulled (my vision got a bit blurred and I was having trouble reading the altimiter - I thought I may have pulled too high), though those doubts went away once the chute opened fully and I saw that I was pretty much right on target when I checked my altimiter again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spudmuffin 0 #4 October 4, 2004 Hi Tigra, Speaking of good arches...do you have any words of advice other than thrust your middle out? (I'm afraid I'm going to head-butt my instructor if I overarch.) I had trouble hearing my instructor when we actually left the plane...suddenly we were just sort of...out in the sky. **WOOHOO!** Thanks a bunch! Spud Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spudmuffin 0 #5 October 4, 2004 Awesome, Hex! Glad your second jump went well. I can't wait for mine. Thanks for the encouragement! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Jeth 0 #6 October 4, 2004 QuoteHi Tigra, Speaking of good arches...do you have any words of advice other than thrust your middle out? (I'm afraid I'm going to head-butt my instructor if I overarch.) I had trouble hearing my instructor when we actually left the plane...suddenly we were just sort of...out in the sky. **WOOHOO!** Thanks a bunch! Spud It is much easier to arch w/o a TM on your back, but you can still do it. The main thing is just to keep your legs up and out. I made the mistake of arching my back really hard, but didn't think of my legs or hips. You want your hips to be the lowest point, so you just push them out (down). It will be a lot easier and make more sense as soon as you start jumping solo. On my 2nd tandem I controlled the exit, checked alti and pulled. So as long as you do that and don't curl up into a ball you'll be fine. Have fun! The 2nd one should be much better! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Morcyk 0 #7 October 4, 2004 It's 3 tandems before AFF at the DZ I chose, but on my 3rd, I also controlled the exit. I would expect that anywhere you go, the will give you more and more control over the exit until you start your AFF cause then you really are in charge. For that first AFF, I did the thrust and relax thing and forgot about my legs. I still swear when the instructor told me to put my legs out further, they already were, hehe. And yes I know they weren't, they just felt like they were. As for hearing the instructor, as you do successive freefalls, you'll start to rely more and more on hand signals in freefall, so learn em! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tigra 0 #8 October 5, 2004 I can't really help much because arching is one thing I've never had a problem with. I needed to train myself to relax my arch! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
Jeth 0 #6 October 4, 2004 QuoteHi Tigra, Speaking of good arches...do you have any words of advice other than thrust your middle out? (I'm afraid I'm going to head-butt my instructor if I overarch.) I had trouble hearing my instructor when we actually left the plane...suddenly we were just sort of...out in the sky. **WOOHOO!** Thanks a bunch! Spud It is much easier to arch w/o a TM on your back, but you can still do it. The main thing is just to keep your legs up and out. I made the mistake of arching my back really hard, but didn't think of my legs or hips. You want your hips to be the lowest point, so you just push them out (down). It will be a lot easier and make more sense as soon as you start jumping solo. On my 2nd tandem I controlled the exit, checked alti and pulled. So as long as you do that and don't curl up into a ball you'll be fine. Have fun! The 2nd one should be much better! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Morcyk 0 #7 October 4, 2004 It's 3 tandems before AFF at the DZ I chose, but on my 3rd, I also controlled the exit. I would expect that anywhere you go, the will give you more and more control over the exit until you start your AFF cause then you really are in charge. For that first AFF, I did the thrust and relax thing and forgot about my legs. I still swear when the instructor told me to put my legs out further, they already were, hehe. And yes I know they weren't, they just felt like they were. As for hearing the instructor, as you do successive freefalls, you'll start to rely more and more on hand signals in freefall, so learn em! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tigra 0 #8 October 5, 2004 I can't really help much because arching is one thing I've never had a problem with. I needed to train myself to relax my arch! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
