How not to be the "problem student?" in AFF

[diablopilot 2]

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I've also poked around these message boards and read stuff about poor AFF students- ones who "didn't get it" ones who made dangerous mistakes, even ones who were politely told to pursue another hobby.
This concerns me because I'd like to take AFF classes but I'm a slowish learner at anything physical. I'm not lazy, reckless or stupid, but every skill I've learned (walking, swimming, catching a ball, driving, riding a bike, yoga, SCUBA etc..) took me a bit longer than average. There was some struggling, then the "Ah ha! That's how it's done!" moment.
Will this put me in "problem student" territory?

1st secret to skydiving. It's not that much of a physical game at the beginning. It's a head game. So practice, prepare, and relax. Make sure you visualize. Practice your dive flows till you have them down cold. Then practice them again. That breeds confidence and that is what will make you a successful student.

2nd, your goal in the student program ISN'T to be the greatest skydiver, it's to show that you can safely do it without the need of an instructor. So if your back flips are not perfect, or your turns are sloppy don't let that stress you. You have the rest of time to get good at it.

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You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[shattenjager 0]

I just got off from student status last month, I can understand what do you feel.
I started the AFF back in 2005, they made me repeat level 1 and 2 THREE times, level 3 TWO times then I gave up.
Then I wanted to do it again, so I went trough all levels, sometime I felt I wasn't that great, and of course I wasn't, but be great is not your priority, your safety is your priority. What the instructors told me is that they don't expect you to be a champion but to know how to recover from a de arched fall, back to earth position, spinning, etc, in other words to be able to stay safe and correct otherwise potentially dangerous situations.
More I jump, more I learn how much I DON'T KNOW My advice is to talk with your instructors a lot, eat, drink and breath skydiving. It takes a while before you start to feel what are you doing, when I was doing AFF, I was of course more focused on doing the required task than having fun and enjoy the ride.
As Diablopilot wisely said, your goal is not to be the greatest skydiver but to learn.
I did my AFF in Elsinore too and I had great time, talk to your instructors, ask as many questions as you have, you pay for that too!! And if you don't feel comfortable with a specific instructor (never happened to me in Elsinore) talk to the DZO and change it!!

The mind is like a parachute: If you don't open it, it doesn't work.

[raftman 12]

You won't ever be a "problem student" if you remember to bring beer!!

[PiLFy 0]

How not to? Warn your instructors you'll cartoon/caricature-slam them in your blog if they label you as such .

[Namowal 0]

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How not to? Warn your instructors you'll cartoon/caricature-slam them in your blog if they label you as such .

Heh heh. I don't think any of 'em are aware that I'm cartooning the jumps one by one. Mua ha ha!

Actually they've all been verypatient with me, so they're safe.

My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons.

[Ron 7]

Best thing you can do is to avoid getting advice from here and listen to your instructors instead.

The worst students I ever dealt with were reading rec.skydiving or DZ.com to "self diagnose" and came out to the DZ with "advice" they got from some dude with a cool screen name.

Skydiving cannot be learned from the internet. And as much as you may be come addicted and as much as others in your same position want to help...... Skydiving cannot be learned from the internet.

People on her only have YOUR view of the problem... A personal view about an issue that you don't clearly understand. You need an objective view based on years of experience and actual knowledge.

So, just hang out and any "advice" you get from here:

1. Remember that you can't learn to skydive on the internet.

2. Run EVERYTHING past a real life honest to goodness living breathing instructor

And all I said..... Remember to use #1 and #2 on IT as well.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[Namowal 0]

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2. Run EVERYTHING past a real life honest to goodness living breathing instructor