Frustration

[skymut 0]

Been there. I went through AFF, and that was the level I repeated as well. I even have raw video from one of my repeats to try and see what I was doing wrong. Today, I watch it and laugh, because as many have suggested, I can tell without a doubt that my problem was relaxing.
I'm alot like you in that I really focus on my performance, and tend to get tense (and also hard on myself if I didn't perform up to what I thought I should). I think that you have gotten the point from the previous advice of others....
RELAX and have fun

Matt
A well-informed person is somebody who has the same views and opinions as yours.

[fred 0]

If it helps to hear that you're not alone in failing, I was on a static line program. I failed my first two 10-second delays (Goal: fall stable, pull). I failed my first 4 (!) 15-second delays (goal: Fall stable, maintain a heading).

I then switched to AFF (Actually, something similar to your AFP program). Started with a Lvl 3 jump (Goal: Fall stable, maintain a heading). Instructor said, "Your exit was beautiful. I was about to let you go, and then you tensed up and lost control." I failed that one, too.

Everybody hits snags. I was fortunate that I managed to pass the rest of the program without much problem, but if I can graduate, so can you. Just remember to have fun. Forget the pressure to pass and get your A, and just jump because you can, and have fun doing it. It's amazing how much impact the "remember to have fun" part has on performance.

[tombuch 0]

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But for some reason I passed. My instructor basically told me during the debriefing this was because I never really let myself get too out of control. But I was flustered and not happy with the jump.

You don't need to move onto the next level if you are not satisfied with your performance. There is actually nothing wrong with telling your instructor that you would be more comfortable repeating a level to get comfortable. Of course very few students do this, mostly because of the cost, but you should always consider it an option.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[PhreeZone 15]

>There is actually nothing wrong with telling your instructor that you would be more comfortable repeating a level to get comfortable. Of course very few students do this, mostly because of the cost, but you should always consider it an option.


For situations like this our DZ is offering a "Confidence Dive". Its basically a cheaper skydive that you get to log, but it does'nt count towards the student progression. It offers the student the option to do a jump with an AFF-I that all they have to do is the exit and the previous dive or less. If they are having altitude awareness issues all the dive would be is exit, possible release and coa's with no turning or turns if they need work on those too and pull. Flexible per student. Its working nicely, less students are giving up the program due to cost it seems after failing a level or two since they can do a cheaper option to work on the issues they are having.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[derweasel 0]

I like the idea of a confidence dive. I was actually going to ask to do a "fun" dive in which I would solely concentrate on my body position and stability and heading, etc.

POP goes derweasel

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Which would be essentially another Level III jump for your log book wouldn't it? I can understand the desire and possible need for a fun jump. And as long as one isn't all that concerned about $$$, then why not.
I know while I'm not 100% happy with my Level IV jump, I won't be repeating it. I just need to learn from my experiences, try and relax (I consistently remember to do all of my maneuvers on my jumps, I just get through them fairly fast and seem to have extra time up there once the manuevers are completed). And I must remember to have fun.

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

[weid14 0]

you may want to consider a fun dive where you concentrate on nothing, smile, look around, and pull on time! worked for me in my student progression many moons ago.

[derweasel 0]

That's exactly what I want to do! That should relax me a bit.

POP goes derweasel

[jsaxton 0]

You are NOT tracking. You are making a forward movement to dock. Tracking is introduced at Level 6 I think.

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[hawkbit 0]

I feel your pain... but relaxing is the only thing that will calm your flight down.
I did levels 3 - 5 on Sunday.
Level 3 I felt like (and probably looked like ) a drunk seal on a slip and slide. But I went on to level 4 with great forboding because it seems like that is the one everyone repeats. My JM for that run made me concentrate on looking and him and RELAXING. I managed to do that and felt 100% better about my control. By the time I went up for my level 5 later that day, I was smiling the whole time and the jump was fun! Relaxing makes time seem to slow down and you will find that you have plenty of time to complete the task (including corrective manuevers). 60 seconds doesn't seem like enough time to even think about doing practice touches, but if you are relaxed from the start, you will be in a stable freefall in a matter of seconds and ready to start your tasks. Don't over think it, just relax and do it. If you can do more than one student jump in a day, do it. It seems to make things easier when the experience of the last jump is fresh in your mind.
Blue skies and soft openings!

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

[cloud9 0]

I think in a round about way its already been said but the way I see it. You are going to make thousands of jumps, don't think of it as anything more then the next jump in line. You were going to jump again anyway, so enjoy and make a bunch more

[kingbunky 3]

it seems a lot of people are in the same boat... i also failed my level 4 pff jump, my first release dive. i was trying to make 180 turns to the right but i had a leg out and ended up turning to the left. instead of relaxing, i dug in harder with my right shoulder, and apparently stuck my leg out as well, which sped up my left turn!!! i tracked a bit to stop the spin, then tried it again with the same result. bottom line, i failed a jump because i didn't relax!!! i beat myself up for messing it up so badly that i didn't sleep well for a couple of nights afterwards. i haven't re-done the level yet, but i am constantly reminding myself that this is a fun sport, i need to relax more...

"Hang on a sec, the young'uns are throwin' beer cans at a golf cart."
MB4252 TDS699
killing threads since 2001