Lazarus_762 0 #1 July 31, 2012 I did a tandem several weeks ago, loved it and wanted more, so I signed up for Tandem Progression training, and got 2 more tandems a couple weeks ago. They were great, learned alot, was cleared for AFF 2, and did that Sunday...I mentally rehearsed till I could do it in my sleep! I was totally stoked and feeling eager, ready, and a little bit cocky...my first solo jump! WOOT! On the ride up, my jumpmaster said."you have this one down cold, right? You know this jump front and back, got it all planned in your head, don't ya?" "Yeah, man, I'm ready to rock!" "Let me just tell you this...it will not go as you have it planned in your head!" Uhh, OK... We climb out, check in, check out, rock, rock, jump! I throw what I thought was a good strong arch, and we tumbled like dice at a craps table!, I'm falling ass first, cussing a blue streak, and wondering WTF just happened. Instructor gets me face down, I do a few practice touches, and it's time to pull...no problem, I've pulled before, and I just touched the toggle 3 times, right? Beating on the bottom of the canister will not help you find the toggle no matter how frantically you flail at it. Finally, reserve side instructor has mercy on me and pulls the stupid thing - how embarrassing! I got a good square chute, kicked out 3 or 4 line twists, and checked for control, all was good. I had a very nice ride down, did what ground control told me, got on final, and the radio shits the bed! Nothing but this God-awful howling and clicking noise...OK, I've watched other jumpers land, it can't be that hard. I gave it my best guess, flared smoothly around 15 feet or so, and did a somewhat too fast home plate slide into the grass. The chute dumped right at my feet, I checked for incoming, gathered the lines, and strolled to the packing shed, thinking to myself. "Well, he was totally correct - that didn't go at all the way I imagined..." Oh well, I jumped, I lived, a good start! During the afternoon, the more I told the story, the funnier it got, By the end of the day, I was laughing my ass off, but I also learned alot. You're supposed to arch at the pelvis, not the chest, and losing your cool and getting pissed off doesn't help one damn bit! It was one butt-ugly jump, but I learned a lot, and I'm ready to try that one again, as soon as I get a few hundred practice arches in Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
audiobahn18s 0 #2 August 1, 2012 Congrats!!!You've got Just the right attitude. keep learning and having fun!! Thats what the sport is all about! It keeps getting better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Don 0 #3 August 1, 2012 I think you have the word "toggle" confused. I am NOT being loud. I'm being enthusiastic! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richardw38 0 #4 August 1, 2012 LOL, thats awesome, thaks so much for posting it. My very boring day at work has just been brightened up! enjoy the next jump. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shah269 0 #5 August 1, 2012 Glad you had fun and more importantly had a safe day. Just wait till you have to pack your own! Wooh that's a fun one!Life through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is necessary to ensure happiness and to keep chaos at bay. The only thing that falls from the sky is birdshit and fools! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #6 August 1, 2012 toggle...yeah, yer right...the correct term is "doohickey". LOL! I actually call it the "pud", but some folks might get the wrong idea. Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 37 #7 August 1, 2012 Quote toggle...yeah, yer right...the correct term is "doohickey". LOL! I actually call it the "pud", but some folks might get the wrong idea. Just know that toggles are something completely different from what you pull to open... and doohickey ain't right either "Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mahonie10 0 #8 August 1, 2012 The reserve side instructor pulled for you? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Don 0 #9 August 1, 2012 Some student rigs can be deployed from both sides.I am NOT being loud. I'm being enthusiastic! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,340 #10 August 1, 2012 Quote toggle...yeah, yer right...the correct term is "doohickey". LOL! I actually call it the "pud", but some folks might get the wrong idea. Depending on the configuration, "pud" may actually be the correct term. There's a couple others, but pud is one of them. And yes, skydivers are notorious for telling each other about having a hard time pulling their pud. Edit to add: Congrats. You landed safely, you had fun and you learned something. That's a successful jump IMO. Not quite as planned, but they never go exactly as planned. Your instructor knew that."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #11 August 1, 2012 Quote The reserve side instructor pulled for you? well...I got everything else wrong on that freefall, I probably have that term wrong too. I'll figure all this out eventually, Im just not too bright somtimes...LOL! OK, so the instructor on my left is on the same side as my reserve ripcord handle, so he's the reserve side instructor. And the one on my right is on the same side as my cutaway, but also the pilot chute deployment handle...anyway, she pulled for me... Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dthames 0 #12 August 1, 2012 Great story and now the real fun begins. On early jumps, I find it interesting that so many people have a hard time with the arch (or anything else) the first two seconds out the door. Just Saturday a young man was going to do his first AFF jump. He had 30+ SL jumps in the Army. While waiting, he asked me if it was hard to get stable right after exit. I told him, not if he would do what the instructors said and ARCH. I told him how hard it was for many people and he might try to focus on making sure he arched right away, after exit. He returned after the jump and said, It was just like you said, for the first couple of seconds I was all over the place, not arching. One tee shirt says “Mind over splatter”. I guess that is really the key. Funny how hard it is to break that pattern and arch right on exit.Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!” Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ufk22 32 #13 August 1, 2012 I did a tandem several weeks ago, loved it and wanted more, so I signed up for Tandem Progression training, and got 2 more tandems a couple weeks ago. They were great, learned alot, was cleared for AFF 2, and did that Sunday...I mentally rehearsed till I could do it in my sleep! I was totally stoked and feeling eager, ready, and a little bit cocky...my first solo jump! WOOT! On the ride up, my jumpmaster said."you have this one down cold, right? You know this jump front and back, got it all planned in your head, don't ya?" "Yeah, man, I'm ready to rock!" "Let me just tell you this...it will not go as you have it planned in your head!" Uhh, OK... [ reply] Just have to love that kind of positive reinforcemnt on the ride to altitude. The sign of a true professional.This is the paradox of skydiving. We do something very dangerous, expose ourselves to a totally unnecesary risk, and then spend our time trying to make it safer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #14 August 1, 2012 I understand your point, but to be honest, I was being an arrogant, annoying ass, and he was correct to smack me down... I sincerely hope we jump together for the rest of my training cycle... Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #15 August 2, 2012 Quote "Let me just tell you this...it will not go as you have it planned in your head!" I wouldn't tell that to a student. I've had students who needed an attitude adjustment, but I feel there are better ways to do it. BTW, I've thrown the pilot chute out from the reserve side. Easy to to if you have long arms and can get out of the way fast. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #16 August 2, 2012 I dunno, maybe you just had to be there...he and I get along great, and I didn't take it badly, I took it as words of wisdom - both a subtle hint to not be cocky, and a way of telling me that training jumps are frequently surprising because deficiencies and knowledge gaps are quickly revealed....and they certainly were! I learned alot, and I'll be going back as soon as I can, hopefully with my mouth shut and my ears open, actually listening this time, instead of just nodding and saying "Yep! Gotcha, uh-huh!" Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #17 August 3, 2012 Quote Glad you had fun and more importantly had a safe day. Just wait till you have to pack your own! Wooh that's a fun one! I'm really looking forward to learning how to pack a chute...the first time I jump my own pack job, I expect my heart rate will be elevated some significant degree! "Damn, I hope this thing works!" LOL! Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 14 #18 August 3, 2012 Quote I dunno, maybe you just had to be there...he and I get along great, and I didn't take it badly, You're right. You have to read every student and adjust your approach. It could have been the perfect thing to say to a hot $hit skydiver like you.I'm glad you're liking our sport. Stay cool, stay alive and learn all you can. I'm in my 4th decade of jumping and it just gets better and better. Welcome aboard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #19 August 3, 2012 40 years... cool! What kind of shooting do you enjoy? I try to attend each of the 3-gun matches in the area, and as many of the pistol matches as I can...... Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
overlytall 0 #20 August 3, 2012 Brilliant! On my AFF lvl2 I had a perfect exit, perfect arch and perfect PP's. The only thing to go wrong was the bag not leaving my container on deployment...had to count for a further 4 seconds before my canopy was big and square, had to kick out of a dozen line twists (after staring up at them in a daze and then thinking "huh, that's cool but its not quite right..."). Skydiving is fecking awesome. Did you get clear for AFF lvl3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
potatoman 0 #21 August 3, 2012 For 1, I like your story, for 2, I would like to hear the instructor version, and trust me, it will sound way different to yours.(Hence they are instructors) Also, no need for radio then, huh. Keep on arching, and do those touches on the ground, you need to know where your toggles are......I mean your ripcord/hackey/monkeys fist/pullout.... Cool!!!You have the right to your opinion, and I have the right to tell you how Fu***** stupid it is. Davelepka - "This isn't an x-box, or a Chevy truck forum" Whatever you do, don't listen to ChrisD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #22 August 3, 2012 not cleared for next level, and would have refused if they offered...I am too demanding of myself to accept my lousy performance...we all agreed I needed to do it over. Im planning on doing it next weekend. Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jimmy_m 0 #23 August 4, 2012 QuoteYou're supposed to arch at the pelvis, not the chest... I didn't learn this until after two AFF jumps when I went to a wind tunnel! Many men in particular tend to arch their back. My instructor said "No, stand near a wall, and push your pelvis against it without moving your shoulders - that's the arch form you want!" I think that most people who aren't familiar with skydiving technique or terminology assume "arch" = "back" -- I wish more instructors were more explicit about this! QuoteI had a very nice ride down, did what ground control told me, got on final, and the radio shits the bed! Nothing but this God-awful howling and clicking noise... Yeah, man! My first two AFF jumps the radio didn't work at all. My third one I had gotten so used to landing that they just didn't have to say anything and cleared me off radio, and that time my alti was busted! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lazarus_762 0 #24 August 4, 2012 thats how I figured out what I was doing wrong...instructor told me to stand a foot away from a wall and poke it with my zipper. About 3 seconds later it all came together for me. Now I just need to win the lotto to pay for it all Airtwardo:"There is a bit of difference between a rigger with a nipper and a guy with 138 jumps and a swiss army knife...usually!" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
climber71 0 #25 August 5, 2012 Going through my AFF jumps (Cat C right now) one instructor told me the easiest way to get a good arch "is to get the dick out." Learned the same thing was arching from my chest, felt the muscles, however the shift in the hips to get the pelvis out is all that is needed. Most guys arch by the chest, that is wrong. Glad you are learning just like me. Blue Skies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
