judd 0 #1 October 22, 2003 OK heres the deal..im 21 and really REALLY want to get into skydiving. ive always thought skydiving is the absolute bravest and most outrageous thing anyone can ever expect to do in their lives, but im a bit scared. im taking flight lessons for a private pilot certificate and im ok with that, but skydiving frightens me in that there seems to be much more room for error. ive been vacillating for years now whether or not i should skydive, but i really need some encouragement and reassurance. oh by the way, does it help to go on roller coasters, because im terrified of them as well and have never been on one ....yet..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #2 October 22, 2003 First off, if you haven't been on a tandem, then go schedule a time. You won't know what skydiving is like until you try it. Skydiving is not for everyone. But it is an amazing experience for those who can do it. Also, I was a licensed private pilot before I was a skydiver and I do believe that my aviation training made my transition towards skydiving easier. But many successful skydivers don't know how to fly an airplane, so being a pilot isn't a prerequisite. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kelel01 1 #3 October 22, 2003 Here's one thing that could help-- try to find someone to go with you the first time you go, even if they don't want to jump. And I would say that any kind of fear you can face, face it. But don't think that the experience of riding a roller coaster will make a difference-- just the experience of facing your fear of roller coasters might. Skydiving is NOTHING like riding a roller coaster! You don't get the dropping feeling in your stomach like you do on roller coasters, so don't worry about that. It feels like flying! Just do it! You will love it, and when you get ready to go, just relax and breathe. I would also definitely recommend that you go tandem for your first jump. Beyond that, it's up to you to do it! Have fun!! Blue Skies! Kelly Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
judd 0 #4 October 22, 2003 wow fast replies guys. yea im definitely gonna do tandem the first time--oh and i forgot to mention im from long island ny--so my choices are either skydivelongisland.com OR Longislandskydiving--im not sure which one to go with yet. also does weather matter at all? i know that i cant fly VFR if there are too many clouds, and i dont just mean clouds i mean winter weather also, wont you freeze to death in the winter up there? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
usedtajump 1 #5 October 22, 2003 That's funny, I felt the same about learning to fly. To me, it seemed that there was way too much to learn and too many rules to follow for it to be fun and for me to feel safe not only for myself but for everyone else that was in the air. In skydiving, it pretty much boils down to open the parachute, if that fails, open another parachute, if that fails, flap your arms REAL HARD.The older I get the less I care who I piss off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jesgitz 0 #6 October 22, 2003 1. get on a course 2. start selling all your stuff, because your gonna need the cash for your new addiction. 3. see no. 2 and so on. - Jezz, DK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheMonkey 0 #7 October 22, 2003 don't think about it, just do it....and if you get scared, tell your brain it better shut up if it knows what's good for it! --------------------- Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Caseadilla 0 #8 October 22, 2003 Try jumping off your roof first with a bed sheet over your head Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
airdweller 0 #9 October 23, 2003 How can i get into skydiving? Jump out of a plane.------------------------------------------------------ "From the mightiest pharaoh to the lowliest peasant, who doesn't enjoy a good sit?" C. Montgomery Burns Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #10 October 23, 2003 The best way to learn to skydive is to actually do it, as others have suggested. When I'm teaching students with excess anxiety I like to break the fear into components and then isolate each. I use a model I developed while BASE jumping in the early 80's that defines the variables as self, others, equipment, and environment. Once I have the variables defined I try to understand issues related to each one, then come to grips with the specific cause of fear. Once the specific cause has been identified it's pretty easy to deal with, or in some cases, the fear may be justified and a jump should be avoided. Flying small airplanes before trying skydiving does help because it gives you deal with the stress, and helps you evaluate specific risks. You mentioned you are in Long Island and can jump at either SD Long island, or Long island Skydiving. Call them both, ask detailed questions, then visit them before you decide to jump. Your questions are pretty common, and I actually wrote a book that provides more complete answers than I can fit on this screen. The book is called JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy and was published by McGraw-Hill early this year. It is 228 pages with 86 illustrations and includes a chapter about Psychology and another chapter about selecting a dropzone. It also has a series of questions you can ask when calling dropzones. Likewise, it includes a comprehensive FAQ and a glossary of common terms. Check it out. JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy lists for 14.95 and is available from many local booksellers, and also on the web from places like Amazon.com. The last time I checked, Amazon had JUMP! for 30 percent off, and the entire first chapter was available as a free on-line preview. If you are thinking about my book, also check into another book called Parachuting, The Skydivers Handbook. It is a great book that offers tons of information for beginners, and also for experienced skydivers. The Skydivers Handbook was just updated in a 9th edition and is also available on Amazon. So, do your research, then make a skydive! Blue Skies, Tom Buchanan Author JUMP! Skydiving made Fun and EasyTom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
selbbub78 0 #11 October 23, 2003 Get up to the RANCH!!! Great place, lots of people from LI/city go there too. It's great! They're great there for first tandem jumps too. "Women fake orgasms - men fake whole relationships" – Sharon Stone "The world is my dropzone" (wise crewdog quote) "The light dims, until full darkness pierces into the world."-KDM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nightjumps 1 #12 October 23, 2003 Quoteive been vacillating for years now whether or not i should skydive, but i really need some encouragement and reassurance. We can't do that, you have to. It begins when you pick up the phone and call a DZ to make a reservation. If you can handle a full power on stall, you can handle a skydive. Stalls are scarier. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymedic 0 #13 October 23, 2003 Tom, I didn't know you could plug you book so many times in one paragraph!!!! Marc otherwise known as Mr.Fallinwoman.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
judd 0 #14 October 23, 2003 hey appreciate the advice tom youve been a real help-- i think i am definitely going for this next week--my FIRST tandem--i only wish theyd make chutes with 2 reserves Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Douva 0 #15 October 23, 2003 Quotehey appreciate the advice tom youve been a real help-- i think i am definitely going for this next week--my FIRST tandem--i only wish theyd make chutes with 2 reserves Or 3 reserves--That would be even better! Don't worry about your reserve--Reserve failures are about as likely as getting struck by lightning. Federal law requires that every reserve be repacked every 120 days by an FAA certified rigger, regardless of whether or not it is used. The rigger packs it in a clean environment, free of distraction, using special tools that aren't employed by skydivers when they pack their main parachutes. If you move on to AFF (learning to jump by yourself), just pay attention to what your instructors are teaching you about body position, altitude awareness, and emergency procedures, and leave worrying about the reserve to your rigger. Your instructors will show you how to inspect your gear before each jump to make sure everything is in place (i.e., reserve ripcord, reserve closing pin, the seal your rigger uses to show that your reserve hasn't been tampered with, etc). You seem to have made up your mind to jump, so quit dwelling on every little thing that could go wrong, and GO HAVE FUN! Blue skies, Douva D-22772I don't have an M.D. or a law degree. I have bachelor's in kicking ass and taking names. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
judd 0 #16 October 23, 2003 thx douva im a bit crazy with these things. i fly planes and now im ready to jump out of them but ive got to be the most nervous guy out there--lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kramer 0 #17 October 23, 2003 QuoteI only wish theyd make chutes with 2 reserves If they did that, then people would want three reserves...and your back would just break. I was in your shoes not five months ago. I made my first jump on July 19th, not sure if I would like it or not...I've since made four more jumps, and am playing poker like a madman so I can get more money to jump. Being nervous is completely normal. I asked hundreds of questions before I jumped out of that plane, and I'm glad I did, it put me at ease. If I could offer you one piece of advice, it'd be this: Just do it. You'll thank yourself later. -Kramer The FAKE KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jumperconway 0 #18 October 23, 2003 Throwing yourself out of an airplane,2 1/2 miles up, plummeting towards Mother Earth @ 120mph is completely normal! You've had the instincts in you from birth! It's fear that keeps us alive. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
