Skylark 0 #1 May 16, 2003 How many jumps will it take a novice to be able to learn how to competently fly head down? "Into the dangerous world I leapt..." William Blake, Songs of Experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #2 May 16, 2003 QuoteHow many jumps will it take a novice to be able to learn how to competently fly head down? This is a loaded question which can not really be answered because some people are more natural at flying their bodies than others. Before you venture head down, you need to be sure that you can fly and transition into a stable sit. Then when you're ready to try head down, do some solos and fly perpendicular to the flight line as it's so much easier to slide all over the sky while head down and you don't want to fly into another group's airspace. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trigger 0 #3 May 16, 2003 How long is a piece of string? know this dosn't help much but it's up to you ! coaching/attitude ect..CHOP WOOD COLLECT WATER. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffermoose 0 #4 May 17, 2003 how long is a piece of string? twice as long as half its length cya soon trig a few weeks to go and then of to empuria yeeha Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #5 May 18, 2003 Definitely a loaded question with no easy answer. I've heard reports of someone with only 170-ish jumps who passed the test for their Atmosphere Dolphin A license. On the flip-side, I know a person who has over 400 jumps, can fly a mean sit / stand but can't hold a stable HD to save their life, even after several coaching jumps. Different people learn at different rates.Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skylark 0 #6 May 19, 2003 Hmmm, not very helpful. Can anyone else help? Roughly how long will it take? How long did it take 'you'? "Into the dangerous world I leapt..." William Blake, Songs of Experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #7 May 19, 2003 QuoteHmmm, not very helpful. Can anyone else help? Roughly how long will it take? How long did it take 'you'? everyone's replys are right on... that is, we can't tell you exactly or roughly. it can take anywhere from 100 jumps, more likely from 300 to 1000 to 2000... it's much harder than flying belly. and how do you define competently? AD-A license ability? AD-B? it took me about 300 freefly jumps where i was mostly sitflying, and transitioning to headdown for short amounts of time, to be able to stay headdown and relative, not cork, and sometimes be able to dock. i wouldn't define it as competent headdown flying, but i could do it. I am continually improving on it, and have a long way to go to be able to fly like i want, freely, instinctively, smoothly. that would be competent to me, being able to fly confidently and safely in a big-way, turning points... yes, a long way... peacehttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 0 #8 May 19, 2003 Lew has nailed it right on the head. It took me 25+ HD jumps, after doing over 200 sitfly jumps, before I could even get into a HD position and hold it for any decent amount of time. Now that I can hold it, I have a vicious backwards track and some serious fall-rate issues to work out before I can even think about moving on to carves and transitions. Learning to play in the pipe is my first goal. I figure I'll be competent enough to begin to really play with one other person without major fubars in a measely 150-250 jumps. But I will still have a lot to work on. That's the great thing about skydiving. Nobody's perfect and there's always room for improvement. I know people with over 3000 jumps who still consider themselves students. So, if it means I have to make a lot of jumps to reach my goal for a certain part of a discipline, so be it. It's all skydiving and it's all fun. Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflybella 0 #9 May 19, 2003 More than What do you define as competant? - is Why are you asking? Is it because you are an expereinced bellyflyer who is ready to try freeflying? Is it that you are a stable sitflyer and are working with a coach but not making progress? Is it that you are just off student status? Get coaching! In the first case, you'll have a tendency to think that because you can fly your body horizontally - vertical flight chould come 'naturally'. Find a qualified reputable coach and start from there. Your airtime will be a big help but any confidence that you can learn it on your own may cause you to learn some serious bad habits. It's good to be goal oriented but try to focus on the fun and experience of learning how to fly to your body in any position. In the second/third case, again, try to focus on what you ARE learning. And maybe try to find a coach that more suits your learning style. My very first coaching came from one of the 'pioneers' of freefly 6 years ago - and my experience was awful. Our personalities were just different. With most of the experienced teams having structured schools now, it's easier to find good coaching for whatever your style. Maybe you know most of the people in this forum-most likely you don't. So judging your progress (or intended progress) by our jump numbers won't work. As in everything else in life - your experience will be different from anyone else's. Take the time to to learn and have fun. And when you're SAFE and consistent, there won't be anyone who won't want to jump with you. Good luck. Action expresses priority. - Mahatma Ghandi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skylark 0 #10 May 19, 2003 Hey, thanks very much "Into the dangerous world I leapt..." William Blake, Songs of Experience Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skyejumper 0 #11 May 19, 2003 It took me about 300 jumps before I was comfortable in a stable head down position, with the ability for forward and backward movement, and minor turns. Everyone here is right.. it varies from person to person. The ability to relax is a big factor, and working with a competent coach or L.O. helps a lot, too. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Yoshi 0 #12 May 19, 2003 I started sit flying on jump number 23 and now with 365 jumps I have about 20 belly dives since student status... I am pretty solid in a sit/stand, and feel comfy with aroung 4-5 other people hd around me...I would say everyone here is on the ball with how long it takes..notwo people will learn alike.. if you are really trying to do it and devote all of your jumps to training and learning freefly the time may be shorter than if you do a handfull of belly dives in there just to see other people in freefall:) anyways jsut my 2cents.. hey lew! hear about our 4 way isl belly team?? me jason vern kelly and greg.... team name: cracker japs..."we'll put our prize in any box:)" (jason and I are half japanese and kelly vern and greg are good ole' corn fed crackaaaahhhhhs!:) jsut to clarify the name:) -yoshi_________________________________________ this space for rent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lewmonst 0 #13 May 20, 2003 yo yo yo yoshi, yeah, agree with that which you said on headdown... which leads me to say, why are you wasting your time and money competing in 4-way in the ISL. I mean, it's really funny and all, i chuckle everytime i think of vern and kelly flying on their belly... and i'm going to laugh my ass off watching them this weekend. but to me, that's a lot of jump money to toss out and not freefly. yeah, vern asked me to be your video biotch... I said if you need me i'll do it, but i ain't payin to belly fly. i'm to poor, i have to be choosy. i'd rather do tandem video's and accumulate some account cash. the way i figure it, with the caravan and 9 to 12 4-way teams, i'll likely video every load i can get on... more than one team. oh sorry, just realized i'm talking about a 4-way comp on the freefly forum... peacehttp://www.exitshot.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hookitt 0 #14 May 20, 2003 Quote oh sorry, just realized i'm talking about a 4-way comp on the freefly forum... You did say this next part first so it's all good - Quote I said if you need me i'll do it, but i ain't payin to belly fly. heheh =8^) -My grammar sometimes resembles that of magnetic refrigerator poetry... Ghetto Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SanDiegoRW 0 #15 May 20, 2003 With my fallrate I can video a 4 way belly team while freeflying. So best of both worlds. -Kenny Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
huffermoose 0 #16 May 20, 2003 I had a wierd progression i started of with my head up and tracking skills for a good 800 jumps odd and i just couldnt nail hed down so i didnt keep practising at it and then one day it just clicked and my progression went throughz the roof. different strokes for different folks but i still think head down flying isnt what freeflying is all about. there is nothing like doing a really nice tight head up carve or flying with some dudes who are head down and moving a fair bit and just side slide your way over there, andthen theres all the different angles u can track at high speed and steep or flat and fast its all good . ooops waffling on a bit . cya mooose Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
