Starting AFF !

[LivingInClip 0]

Well, I done a tandem with Jim Moore last Sunday and I just now called to make my arrangement to start the AFF program on this Sunday . My training starts at 9:00 am.

Question: How nervous was you when you started it? It's days away and I'm extremely nervous. It took me a couple hours just to get the nerve up to call and tell them I wanted to do AFF and make the arrangement. I was not near this nervous before my tandem.

And what kind of things can I expect? Oh and what's the death rates on people and level 1 AFF?
:D

[kai2k1 0]

You can expect lots of classwork. Emergency procedures will be drilled into you head. A freefall that will be totally awesome and an experience you'll never forget.

There's no truer sense of flying than sky diving," Scott Cowan

[TheBachelor 4]

I can't recall any AFF 1 fatalities, although I'm sure there are some. You are relatively safe because you have 2 instructors holding on to you until deployment. Once you're open, you'll have the instructor(s) on the other end of a radio.

That being said, I can say that the thing that will help you greatly in developing your freefall skills is to RELAX. I was tense, and a little flat (no arch) on one AFF jump, and I felt out of control. The next jump (a rejump of the prior), somehow I just relaxed and then felt incredibly stable. Things were easy after that. Good luck.

There are battered women? I've been eating 'em plain all of these years...

[meltdown 0]

If yours goes anything like mine did: expect to be scared shitless when the door is opened; expect to feel awesome after you've left the plane! The type of plane also makes a difference. I did my AFF out of a Cessna 182 - the whole standing on the step and holding the strut with the prop blast in your face is an experience in itself. Good luck - you'll LOVE it!

Rick

[judedre 0]

RELAX RELAX RELAX that is truly the KEY.. then arch arch arch arch arch arch arch then be altitude aware and pull at 5 5 thats all u have to do to pass pull at 5 5 oh yeah and land the canopy.. u will be fine we have all had to do it and you will still be nervous by jump 30 thats why we do it again just relax u will be fine....

[genoyamamoto 0]

I had some stomach problems the day of my level 1. Called the day before to schedule the ground school so there was not much time to simmer the nervousness but it did take me a while to pick up the phone. Dialed the number half-way a few times before putting the call in.
Super nervous through ground school, after the malfunctions part of the class, I was absolutely convinced I was either going to die, or lose my instructors or not find the pilot chute or pass out or spin out of control or crap in my pants (brought extra boxers and shorts just in case)... Plane ride sucked and I was scared, but otherwise had a BLAST on level one once I left the plane. Have had a smile on my face ever since.

Gotta go... plaything needs to spank me
Feel the hate...
Photos here

[kelel01 1]

Ok--

Me before I jumped out for my tandem-- a little nervous, dry mouth, etc.

Me before I jumped out for my first AFF jump-- Thinking "WTF am I doing here?! WTF is the matter with me?! Somebody please just knock me out right now so I don't have to face this!"

Fast forward to 30 jumps later, and I'm still going. I think I was THE MOST NERVOUS AFF student of all time. Any more nervous, and I would have had a heart attack, but it was TOTALLY worth it.

Anyway, when they say relax (and I cannot stress this enough), they mean mentally AND physically. A stiff body will potato chip and spin, so just shake out all of your muscles and arch if you start to feel unstable. AND HAVE FUN!!!!!!! It really is an amazing experience!!

Let us know how it goes!

Kelly

[Jen1129 0]

I was pretty nervous for my tandem, and absolutely deathly terrified for my AFF1. One of my jumpmasters (who had roughly 6000 jumps) said I was the most scared student he's ever had on the plane. I'm still proud of that!

Once I got out the door though, I totally relaxed. My jumpmasters, and the guy on the radio who talked me down, were wonderful. I was so afraid of being alone in the sky, but thanks to those guys I never felt alone up there.

Took me until maybe 20 jumps to not spend the entire ride up going "WHY am I doing this to myself?" I'd always remember why, the second I got out the door...

Anyway, have fun!

[FrogNog 1]

The night before my FJC, I went to sleep early to make sure I got some rest. I failed to get more than a crappy bit of rest in like 12 hours of trying, I was so nervous.

-=-=-=-=-
Pull.

[LivingInClip 0]

I didn't feel near as nervous on my tandem. Infact, the only thing I truly dreaded was (1) the plane ride, as I had never been in a plane and (2) actually looking out the door. Once I was out though, I loved every moment of it..

This time though, I'm nervous just thinking about it. I know I'll be fine - as I jumped with Jim on my tandem and he was great and the rest of the staff seemed to be great also. There's just something about it... Either way, like someone said, that's why we do it. For the rush.

[catfishhunter 1]

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Took me until maybe 20 jumps to not spend the entire ride up going "WHY am I doing this to myself?" I'd always remember why, the second I got out the door...

me too. was jump 21 or 22 or somewhere in that neighborhood that I realized I hadn't thought about dying in a plane crash! The jumping never bothered me was the damn plane!

MAKE EVERY DAY COUNT
Life is Short and we never know how long we are going to have. We must live life to the fullest EVERY DAY. Everything we do should have a greater purpose.

[Jen1129 0]

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The jumping never bothered me was the damn plane!

I wasn't afraid of the plane, but I am cursed with an overactive imagination. I was afraid of losing my instructors, tumbling out of control, getting line twists, having a malfunction, getting lost in the air, the radio not working, landing badly... well you get the idea!

[cruzit 0]

Don't drink heavily the night before...why, you ask?, because if you're hungover, you'll feel like crap and your breath will stink

Seriously, try to get a good night's sleep the night before your class. Don't miss your morning meal. I would recommend high carb as it will be long day and you'll need fuel. Dress comfortably for the weather and the activity as you'll likely be both inside and outside during the class and will be practicing your exit and arch on the ground prior to your jump. Sweats, tennis shoes, etc., are a good choice this time of year.

This time of year you sometimes end up making your first jump the next day or on a subsequent weekend due to weather. Don't let this discourage you.

AFF is an extremely safe way to enter the world of skydiving. You will have an instructor with you from the moment you board the plane until your canopy opens. Generally, you will be on radio control while under canopy, so while you are expected to land the canopy, you have someone there making sure you don't screw up.

RELAX, RELAX, RELAX....you'll do just fine. Hey, keep us posted and let us know how your first skydive goes. Good luck!!!

[GeorgeOrwell 0]

I was so nervous days before my first jump. I had to take benadril to control the rash that started and to sleep. Every time I get nervous I get a rash(I don't know why) I used to be nervous every flight to altitude and really nervous when the door opened. 100 jumps later I can't wait to the door opens. Like everyone else said relax and have fun.

Keep us posted on your AFF


Good Luck
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-------------------------------------------------- If your not jumping your not living
LEARN TO LIVE (L2L)

[Reginald 0]

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Question: How nervous was you when you started it? It's days away and I'm extremely nervous.

And what kind of things can I expect? Oh and what's the death rates on people and level 1 AFF?
:D

Everyone is nervous at the beginning. Frankly, after 12 jumps I still get scared every time. Expect to be scared for some time to come 25 maybe 50 jumps plus. It’s natural to be scared jumping out of a plane. However, that does not mean that you don’t do it. Facing fear is part of the fun.

As far as death rates go for AFF 1’s it’s close to but not zero. At my home DZ a AFF1 killed himself a few years ago. He was flying a perfectly good canopy and against radio instruction made a sharp turn into the hanger. It’s a mystery as to why he ignored radio instructions and flew into the hanger.

Is there a chance you could die – yes, albeit it very, very small. I would guess it’s about the same as your chance of dying in a month of driving to work.

My experience was that I was scared in the door and in free fall but once the canopy opened, even though I was hanging almost a mile in the air, I was calm as could be. Why? Because the juxtaposition of the terror of free fall to the silent assurance of having a good canopy was amazing. In other words YEA IT OPENED!

It is okay to be scared, after the first few jumps you will feel better and better. Just do it!

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

[Phillbo 11]

I was not that nervous during AFF training, more a performance anxiety. I was real nervous the day I drove down to do my #1 Solo jump. I had to take 3 weeks off between training and the Solo... Once I was out of the plane the nerves went away and I had a blast.

Pay attention to the instructors. Ask questions to make sure you are clear on what is being presented and expected of you, Relax and have fun and don't fear it. You'll do just fine .