Shyamarose

+1 for Shaun. Duncan Shaw is at SDLI and great as well.

I had a reserve ride on my AFF L4 because I couldn't find my pilot chute. I am 5'2", 98 lbs and the pack is so huge it was flying me. I look like a ninja turtle in my rig. More than two tries and too much altitude later I went to EPs. Not a flexibility problem, just short arms. Fixed it by arching hard on a crawler to make sure I could touch the pull, and practiced the touch over and over until it was in muscle memory. But it's still tough and I almost always lose stability at pull time trying to reach. We also used the belly band to pull the rig up higher. But it can only be pulled up so high because we ran out of slack. Can't wait to get something smaller...Good luck!

can I just ask a question? If your claustrophobia is as bad as it sounds how do manage to sit in a small, cramped jump plane for up to 20 mins on the ride up to altitude??? Planes don't spark that fear as much for some reason. I don't have any logic for you. Although I do feel better in skyvans than twin otters.

Thanks Skinnay for not just brushing off my fears. :) This is helpful. I do not want to give up on the tunnel just because I am scared of it. That makes me want to conquer it even more. Clearly there is something to overcome and that is exciting. I appreciate the push and advice!

Everyone talks about how amazing the tunnel is. My friends progress their skills much quicker than I. I watch the neat videos the teams produce. Damn, it looks sexy. I have claustrophobia (dislike elevators, roller coasters, things I can't get out of, etc) and become utterly terrified...panic attack level terrified in the tunnel. I have an irrational fear of the tunnel blades sucking me up a la Charlie and the Chocolate Factory bubble room style (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQytqzQOR3Y). I am trying to get over the fear through exposure therapy, i.e., getting in there, laying on the net, looking up, taking a deep breath, slowly turning up the wind, having the instructor fly me up and down. But when solo I arch so hard that they turn up the tunnel full speed and can't get me off the net. And then I wont go back in for the remainder of the time I have purchased. I am much less afraid of jumping out of a plane than going in the tunnel. Long winded (badum tschhhh) whine short, what is the danger level of the wind tunnel and any advice on getting over it? Cause seriously, this is starting to get embarrassing and limiting.