PPL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LEJ6tZI7_k

That's what I needed to know. I'll get what I can from the stop and shop and if I have to drive 10 or 15 miles to the grocery store a time or two that's no big deal.

I realise you are new to the sport and probably missed this in your FJC, but do not go bowling unless you are told take up bowling by your instructor. Ha ha, yea. Apparently I missed something somewhere. Rationale?

Will do. I thought about seeing the Space Center, but I'm saving all my pennies for jumps right now. If I spend any on entertainment while I'm there, it'll likely be bowling or a movie. Maybe checking out some guitar stores. I could drive to the coast, how far is it from Spaceland?

I started working on my A last year. Got 4 jumps in. Due to a multitude of factors, I ran out of time and money. I had some unexpected issues crop up in my personal life, my local DZ is small, at the time they were running one 182 and doing a lot of tandems, and the weather is pretty volatile where I am. I love my local DZ, but I think I'd be better off getting my license elsewhere and then coming home. So, I've saved up a big chunk of cash, and I'm going to take a week off work, probably in the first half of September, and drive down to Skydive Spaceland and do the A license in a week program. I'd still like to save as much cash as possible, though, so I'll definitely be living on the DZ, and I'm going to be taking an ice chest and plan on doing most of my eating and drinking out of it. Are there places right there close, grocery stores etc, where I can replenish my supplies? Also, I expect I'll spend most of my time while I'm there reading the SIM or the copy of "The Parachute and it's Pilot" that I just ordered, but is there some sort of entertainment close if I need a temporary distraction? Anything in Houston I just have to see while I'm there, time permitting? Thanks for your help! Even though I haven't been able to jump in a year, I remain obsessed with this sport. I read everything I can get my hands on and lurk here every day. Feels so damn good to finally have something to say. I cannot wait to get down there. Perhaps this should have been in "places to jump." And I could probably figure all of this out on my own, but damn, I'm excited and just wanted to post, really.

I prefer it over an automatic. I hate driving cars with automatic transmissions. The Nismo I'm driving now has this "S-Rev" feature that bumps the throttle when you shift to make your shifting smoother. I drive with it disabled and can't tell a difference from when I'm driving with it on. Except that when I pop it into neutral without using the clutch, I'm usually getting ready to coast to a stop but it thinks I'm going to shift into a gear and bumps the throttle then too. Plus, you can't bump start an automatic. Something's draining the beater Honda's battery when it's off and I'm trying to isolate the cause. I think the alternator might be on the way out, but it ought not to be a problem when the vehicle's been sitting. If I come back and it doesn't want to start, I just recruit a couple of passers-by to give it a push and bump start it. A while back I drove my room mate to a movie and left my lights on (It had been raining.) When we came out, the battery was dead. I asked her if she'd ever bump started a car before. She didn't know what I was talking about so I gave her a quick run down and had her pop the clutch while I was pushing. She didn't even know you could do that. Kids these days (Except she's older than I am...) Back in high school, I drove an '82 Ford Mustang. Manual. For some reason, there was something wrong with it that made the starter keep going out. I'd put one in, it would work for about a week, and then go out. After going through 3 or 4 starters, i eventually just said "fuck it." I learned where every hill within 50 miles of my house was and whenever I went somewhere, I'd just park on top of one of them and then roll start that bitch. I had designated parking spots at school, work, everywhere. I graduated in '95 so this wasn't that long ago. Surely there are still kids going through similar ordeals.

This. Statstics was the last math class I took in college. Algebra, Trig, Calculus, I did very well in all of these and had actually developed a fondness for mathematics. Then I took statistics and it just killed me. I was lucky to pass. It just seems like a completely different type of math to me and I couldn't get my head around it for whatever reason.

ARGH. I'm frustrated. It's been almost two months since my last jump, which was my 4th. It's been one thing or another. Money, my crazy EMS work schedule, or weather. Always something. I finally have the money sorted out so it shouldn't be an issue. So i was looking forward to getting out this weekend, and it looks like the weather is going to be shit. I haven't been slacking. I'm always reading my SIM or reviewing procedures, etc., but I'm afraid when I get back out now, they're gonna tell me I'm boned and need to exit with two instructors or something. I'm really, really frustrated right now. Edit: I did just do 30 minutes in the tunnel at Skyventure CO, though. That has to count for something.

Almost identical to my first AFF jump. Even when I was tumbling through the air I was calm. Weird.

I've been talking to a coach. Gonna book some time through him as soon as I know exactly what my schedule is gonna be. Thanks all.

I'm thinking about driving into Denver soon for some tunnel time. I was looking at prices on the Skyventure website. I'd be interested in the 675 dollar for an hour off peak package. It says "return jumpers and skydivers" though. Is that not available for first timers? I'mm AFF level E. I sent them an email but thought I'd see if anyone here might know while I wait.

If I'm not mistaken, they said on my next jump, which will be number 4, they were going to start deliberately flipping me over onto my back and things of that nature so I could start working on regaining my stability. Entirely possible I misheard though. I am, however, cleared for one instructor which makes me feel better. Don't get me wrong, I know it's absolutely essential for me to have an instructor there right now to bail me out, but at the same time, I'm not a person who learns well with someone being right in my face; I'm very much an independent learner. I need to be left to my own devices to a large extent before things really start to sink in. So, I'm looking forward to being able to practice some stuff on my own, and yet with the confidence booster of knowing I have someone right there to help me out should something go wrong. Is it the weekend yet?

Ha ha, if I can keep my exit arch where it was the last time I shouldn't have any issues, but if anything happens I'll definitely remember the drunk piss. That makes perfect sense!

After a string of bad luck, I finally got jump 3 off today. Without a hitch. Nerves climbing out onto the strut were absent today, for whatever reason. Exit was smooth. Was belly down and stable almost immediately. Did one practice touch and then the instructors let me go. I maintained my stability and heading. Stayed altitude aware. Waved off and pulled at the right height. Canopy flight, as before, was excellent. There was no radio assistance today and I won't be wearing one anymore. It was windier at ground level today. On final I had very, very little forward movement. Made for an incredibly soft touchdown. My feet and knees loved it, didn't even have to run. I think the difference maker in free fall was after I got belly down, I made a conscious, deliberate effort to relax. Man, it really does help, doesn't it? i guess that's it. Cleared for category D. Bring it!

That's the plan. The ones I was using had holes.

Is some soreness normal? I'm sure I was working harder than I had to do to adrenalin, but my legs were killing me yesterday.

Thanks, and glad to hear it. Nearest tunnel I can find is about 5 hours away.

I'll definitely look into it, thanks!

Having now read the entire thread and thinking back on my two measly semesters of college physics, it's probably all about the speed of the aircraft, and subsequently your horizontal speed, as you leave the plane. I'm just going to shut up now.

I'm a complete newbie, two jumps. You can read about them in the Introductions forum. And I realize that I'm extremely limited in my experience, so I'm not trying to sound authoritative or anything like that, but I absolutely, 100% did get the "droppy" feeling on both of my jumps. Exactly like I was on a roller coaster or however you want to describe it. It didn't last long, only a few seconds, tops, but no doubt it was there. Maybe it's a subjective thing. Determined by individual physiology or something.

Not that I'm aware of, but I should definitely look.

I've wanted to try skydiving more or less forever. For my last birthday, in early May, my girlfriend gave me the money and said "go do it." I decided to say hell with it and used the money for my AFF first jump course and jump. That was three weeks ago. After class, it was too windy to jump. It remained that way until this last Saturday. No worries, I've been hanging at the DZ every weekend since and met some great people. Anyway, Saturday, the weather was great. I got suited up. We got up. The time came. I moved out onto the step (Cessna 182). Okay, let me say, in retrospect, I have to admit that I don't care for this part. It's not a fear of heights or anything like that. My dad is a pilot and I've been flying for as long as I can remember. It's just that during the transition from my nice cozy position in the plane, to being out on the step, I don't like it, for whatever reason. Once I'm in position, I'm good. Okay. "Check in, check out, prop, up, down, arch." Well, I didn't arch. I've practiced this stuff on the ground until I have it down cold. I can rattle off the entire theoretical sequence of a jump like I'm saying my ABC's. But the first time the wind hit me in the face, all of that went out the window. So, I didn't arch and instead of falling belly down, I'm tumbling through the sky. Eventually my brain kicked in and I arched, got belly down, and semi-stable. The rest of the jump I felt went pretty well. My altitude checks were good, I got my 3 practice pulls in, I waved off and pulled on my own at the right altitude. Landing pattern went well. I PLF'd and walked away. Second jump, same day. I still don't like moving into position. Exit was much better. Something happened after my first altitude check. My contact lenses went more or less opaque and I couldn't see very well. Couldn't really make out my altimeter. Got my two practice pulls, but I think I freaked a bit after that because I don't remember much to be honest. Going to try some different goggles next time. I do not feel stable in free fall. Remember when they took the training wheels off of your bike the first time? You kind of managed to stay up, but you were wobbly and all over the place and it was more or less organized chaos? That's exactly how I feel in free fall at this point. Anyway, I remember eventually getting the "pull" signal, so I did. Canopy flight was great. I was in the pattern correctly with no radio feedback. After I turned base I heard "kick your feet if you want to flare on your own." So I kicked my feet. Turned final, flared, stuck and ran out my landing. So, in summary: I feel like I suck in free fall, and I felt like I moved backward on my second jump. During debriefing, I was assured that this was not the case, and that I'm a bit ahead of the curve. Also, that I'm way, way too negative. My canopy skills, on the other hand, were praised. They said when they saw me in the pattern the second time, they said "this guy's got it" and that's when they told me to kick my legs. I was later told that for a student (I hesitate to say this because I don't want to sound like an ass, and they probably say it to everyone as a confidence booster) my canopy skills were among the best, if not the best, that had come through the school. And honestly, canopy flight did feel extremely natural for me. I think having a few hours as a private pilot is largely responsible for this. All in all, it's been a great time. I've met some great people, made some new friends, and had a blast. Can't wait to get back up, but it's going to be two weeks before I can afford my next jump. But I'm definitely eaten up with the skydiving bug. Anyway, hello.