maintaining stable arch

[WhiskeyCartoon 0]

hi everyone..
ok. i've jumped twice (tandem) and loved it. after my fourth tandem, I have to do an AFF. what i'm wondering is, how will I be able to maintain a stable position? honestly, when I think about it, i don't even know how my instructor and I end up in an arch..we just do. is this what happens? like after jumping out, do you basically "fly on your belly"? is it possible to like jump out and just go do headfirst the whole time and not be able to get out of that position? maybe this sounds like a dumb question, but i mean it's kind of a blur to me and i was never good at psychics. ;)
elissa

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I'm no expert, but the secret is to relax and a good arch will happen (or at least you'll be relaxed enough to interpret you JMs hand signals).

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[fred 0]

First, after your fourth tandem you don't "have" to do AFF, you get to. You can always do another tandem if you feel or your instructor feels that you need to.

You will not end up headdown by accident. However, it is possible that you will end up on your back, or in spins, or generally unstable. That's why your instructors are there: to keep you stable, and to help you correct whatever's causing your problems.

Relax, don't worry so much, and have fun!

[TomAiello 25]

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what i'm wondering is, how will I be able to maintain a stable position?

Your instructors should teach you to arch and stay stable well before they get you out of the plane. I know when I learned, my instructor made me lay on a gurney and just arch for what seemed like hours.

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honestly, when I think about it, i don't even know how my instructor and I end up in an arch..we just do. is this what happens?

The biggest part of this is probably that your instructor is experienced at maintaining this position, no matter what his student does. He also cheats a bit, by pitching the drogue (that little parachute you tow in freefall), which pretty much locks you into a belly to earth position.

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like after jumping out, do you basically "fly on your belly"?

Not really. You basically just "fall on your belly" . Seriously, you may have to work a bit on maintaining a stable body position, but that's one of the big things your instructors will be teaching you. You're more likely to have problems staying on heading (not turning) than staying on your belly.

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is it possible to like jump out and just go do headfirst the whole time and not be able to get out of that position?

If that happens for you, do not pass go, do not collect $200, and proceed directly to freeflying. Many experienced skydivers have spent lots of jumps trying to stay in that position. It took me around 25 jumps just working on staying head down before I could do what you're describing. I doubt it'll happen on accident, but if it does, rejoice--you are going to be one heck of a freeflyer.

It sounds like you're worrying about this way too much. It takes a few jumps, but you do have professional instruction, and I'm sure you'll be staying stable in no time.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[nathaniel 0]

I graduated from AFF about a month ago... basically, you make like Elvis and stick your hips out in front of you. Keep your left and right sides symmetric and the wind will take care of the rest. Arching your back will actually take you out of whatever position you are in and make you fall belly-first, except maybe if you are stable on your back...but thats what your instructor is there for so don't sweat it. Your instructor physically won't let you get on your back on your first AFF jump.

After a few jumps you'll just get the hang of it and it will come naturally.

As you do more AFF levels you will get to feel the effects of changing your body shape: turns, forward and backward movement etc.

Nathaniel

My advice is to do what your parents did; get a job, sir. The bums will always lose. Do you hear me, Lebowski?

[hawkbit 0]

Relaxation is the key and but its not recommended. And don't fight the air... it will win. Smooth relaxed motions make for smooth relaxed flying/falling. I just went through AFF myself and every problem I had can/could be traced back to not relaxing enough.
Have fun and don't worry too much about it, you will know more about arching than you want before you go out sans tandem.
Patrick

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You don't quit playing because you get old, you get old because you quit playing"

[A12 0]

I'd like to add that I am one jump away from completing by AFF training. I thought I had a decent form until jump 4 when I was asked to stay stable and make turns...well...I didn't. What helped was the 30 minute lesson that my JM gave me. He pretty much told me to relax, thats it. He also said that I should try "squeezing my butt cheeks together like you are holding in the shits".

It worked, but I do find that if I don't relax I become unstable. As silly as it sounds, while you are falling from the plain towards the ground at 120mph, RELAX!

If you want to fly, get out of the plane!

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[Albatross 0]

If this is on your mind practice.
First don't make the jump if you feelling is that you "Have to make and AFF jump". Make 1-1000 more tandems, go to the wind tunnel, or wait.
If you want to do AFF but are concerned about the arch, try this. Get a big pillow of the couch put it on the floor and lay on top of it. Now put your arms out at 90 deg and bend you knees. Last lift everything up off the floor except your groin/belly. That is the arched position except in the air you don't have to pull your arms and legs up just relax and let the air cradle you.

Chris