PixieUK

As the others have said, sensory overload is normal. My AFF1 jump actually went very well, but I started doing my exercises when my awareness of what was in front of me went from 'blue' to 'blue plus something else'. That was literally the only perception I had, my eyes just couldn't process what I was seeing. It took a few jumps before I was aware of my surroundings immediately after exiting the plane and I was on AFF4 before I could distinguish much beyond 'horizon' to actually try and stick to a heading. We were told to read the altimeter and then tell each instructor what it said (I had two instructors for AFF1, 2 and 3). They don't actually care about the numbers at that height, it's more that you can read the altimeter, register a number and then attempt to pass that information on (unless they're good at lip-reading, they're not going to know what you say anyway, lol). I never had an issue with remembering to look at my altimeter, or pull my pilot chute, but I had to wait over a week between ground school and my first jump so had gone over the routine in my head (including all the actions for practice pulls etc) literally hundreds of times before I actually exited the plane for real so I had a lot of muscle memory to back me up. So just keep practising the jump routine over and over again, with all the full actions. Although if you haven't had ground school yet, I think you are beating yourself up unnecessarily. You said this was a T2 jump, right? So I'm unclear as to whether it was critical for you to pull, or just a practice 'nice to remember' thing, because if you haven't done ground school, presumably you haven't been through the whole 'jump plan' yet? The only time I looked at my altimeter and didn't register it was on my AFF level 8 jump (hop and pop). The whole point was to get out, get stable and pull within 10 seconds so I didn't actually care what it said - I only found out in the plane on the way up that technically I was supposed to get stable, check my altitude, then pull. So I jumped, got stable, looked at my wrist and pulled and had absolutely no idea what the height was. I was far more focused on the 10 seconds thing so it just didn't register. People all react differently to sensory overload and the instructors are expecting that - if they are happy for you to continue, then trust in their judgement. They won't let you progress until they think you are ready A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

I got told to put my hand on my bum cheek then twist my hand up to the bottom of the container and the toggle would be right there. Might be worth a try next time on your practice touch Congratulations on passing the first 2 levels A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Good luck! The best thing you can do to pass each level is relax - very easy to say and almost impossible to do! Take slow deep breaths in the plane as you are climbing to altitude, and a very deep breath just before you jump, and SMILE! It generates a physiological response in the body which will help release some tension - it is much easier to arch when you are as physically relaxed as possible. Go over the jump sequence in your head again and again and again (this will be covered fully in ground school - don't try to second-guess what they will teach you by asking on here, just be prepared to absorb the instructions). When you go over the sequence in your head, do the actions as well. You may want to tuck yourself into a corner for this because it will look a bit strange, but do it anyway! You want this to become as automatic as possible and the only way for that to happen is to practice as much as possible. There is a thread elsewhere that talks about waiting until the day following ground school to do the first jump in order to let the instructions sink in. I was given the choice and couldn't decide but in the end the weather decided for me. I'm sure that helped because I had more time to practice the whole jump sequence and I could probably have done it in my sleep by the time I did get to jump, lol. Each jump builds on the previous one, so it really is worth getting the sequence as fluid as possible. And don't worry if you don't pass every level first time. It is a huge amount of information to take in, and requires a lot of coordination and management of the physical and physiological responses of your body, whilst overcoming sensory overload! Have fun

I was given the option of jumping the same day (my ground school was on a Friday) or of leaving it until the next day. I wobbled between wanting to get it over with and wanting to sleep on it, and eventually the weather made the decision for me so I couldn't jump. Due to winds, I wasn't able to jump all weekend and had to come back the following weekend. I arrived on Friday night and didn't actually get to jump until Sunday morning - and that was the only jump the weather permitted, despite me being there on Monday as well. Each day that I was at the dz, I had a 'refresh' session where I went over the whole jump with an instructor (standing and on creepers), practiced EP drills and practiced the exit from a mock up doorway. My first AFF jump went extremely well - I did all of the exercises required in plenty of time, they were so deeply engrained that my body started doing them even before my mind had stopped freaking that I had actually jumped out of a plane, lol. In retrospect, I think having more time between ground school and my first jump was a good thing in terms of knowing exactly what to do, without having to think about it too much, though it was very frustrating at the time. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

How well do you reckon you would have done?? I think he did an amazing job though unfortunately the pilot died (of natural causes) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-24534013 A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Having just got my A licence, here's a newbie perspective: 1. Until you've done some solo jumps, you will not actually know if you want to continue. There is a high drop out rate between the start and end of AFF, and also between finishing the AFF jumps and actually getting an A licence. Mostly students who drop out decide it's not for them, occasionally an AFFI will refuse to continue the training because they feel the student doesn't have the aptitude or capability to be safe (e.g. panics, can't maintain altitude awareness, can't physically maintain a stable arch). 2. Student canopies are huge and are nicknamed "buses" for a very good reason! Trust me, after your AFF course, you will be desperate to try something that actually flies. Even for newly qualified students, there are several different types of canopy that will all fly slightly differently and right now, you have absolutely no idea how a canopy opens and flies and what might suit you. I have some ideas about what I may and may not want, but they are very loose ideas, certainly nothing I would commit large amounts of money to just yet, until I've tried some different options 3. If you are very light and have a very low wing-loading, your instructors may downsize your canopy pretty quickly e.g. from a 280 sq ft to a 260 sq ft canopy, then maybe lower again, depending on your canopy handling skills and your landings. How would you know what size canopy to buy? You could conceivably start AFF on a canopy at 300 sq ft and finish your coached jumps on a 240 sq ft canopy or smaller. 4. Student jump suits can be a bit manky - I always wore combats and a thin longsleeved top under mine so if you're bothered, taking clothing to the dz that you can wear underneath. To be honest, I was grateful for the extra layers anyway - it's cold at altitude especially when you're pulling high and descending slowly under a bus 5. For the 'someone else's stuff' attitude, I'd say you need to get over that. Unless you've got several thousand dollars to spare, you're going to be buying a lot of stuff second-hand, probably including jumpsuit and helmet. I didn't get any of my own gear until I was well into my solo jumps. I now have new goggles, new gloves, a used helmet, a used jump suit (with grips because I fly in the tunnel and will also need to do coached jumps with FS skills to get my B licence) and will buy an altimeter next. I would not have been permitted to use my own gear for any of my AFF jumps, though I did for a few of my later solo jumps. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

I've just got my A licence and so far I have: jumpsuit - used (I got a fs one with grips because I will use it in the tunnel and I will also need it for my FS1 if I ever want to jump with other people. The ones I can borrow at my dz are manky! Mostly torn and in need of a good wash! Not to mention most of them are way too big for me) helmet - used open face (actually lent to me on semi-permanent loan). In the UK we can't wear a full face helmet until we have our B licence (50 jumps, CH2, JM1) Goggles - clear but with swappable lenses (new) so I can have tinted or yellow. Cost GBP19 so about 30 USD I think. They have foam padding and are much more comfortable than the horrid plastic goggles students are loaned. Gloves - new. I've always worn gloves right from the start so it wasn't an issue for me to buy my own. They sell them in our jump shop - leather palms for good grip. Mine are a snug fit - if it's cold enough that I need liners, I won't be jumping anyway! Similar cost to goggles Hook knife - was given to me as a present for passing my A licence. I was not allowed to wear one as a student, then was told by my CCI to get one once I'd passed. GBP10 (16 USD). Many jumpers wear 2 or more so they can be sure of getting to one if they ever need it. Next purchase will be an analogue altimeter. If I can get a used one, I will but they get snapped up very fast so I may need to get a new one. Make sure it fits you comfortably and won't twist round on your wrist in free fall (happened to me once with a student one that only had a wrist strap and no finger loops). I will rent rigs until I know what size I want - not sure why everyone gets so obsessed with buying their own gear when it's so expensive. The cheapest full rig I've seen that I would consider buying is about GBP 3000 - at GBP10-12 a time to rent gear that gets packed for me, that's a lot of jumps before I break even!! Maybe 2+ years worth in the UK.... And it would still need servicing / reserve repacks /AAD services etc Maybe if I struggle to rent gear in the high season, I will reconsider but for now, I'm in no rush A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Point taken but that was actually on one of my AFF jumps with an instructor, not on a consol. So I had done a grand total of 6 jumps and landings before that. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Not sure I understand you. I was in student winds (our dz is very strict at putting students on weather hold if the winds get up) and when I got to my holding area at 4000', the only direction I could fly was with the wind. Facing into the wind, I was going backwards, I had my hands fully up so no braking effect from the control toggles. The only thing I could do was crab sideways to land in the general area of the landing zone (it's surrounded by fields on 3 sides), and keep checking over my shoulder to make sure I was crabbing enough to avoid any obstacles behind me (the one instance where "if you can't see it, you won't hit it" doesn't hold true! ) My backwards speed lessened once I got down to about 30-40 feet but I was still going backwards when I landed and wasn't about to attempt to run backwards, so I still flared as normal and then rolled as soon as my feet touched down. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

I mostly land on my feet - I struggle a bit with cross wind landings but I've since been told I need to counteract the wind effect on the canopy with a marginally harder pull on the upwind side to keep the canopy level and haven't had a chance to practice this yet. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

How exactly would that help if the chief instructor wouldn't let her use it? Yep, that's exactly my problem, even if I did buy my own gear, i wouldn't be allowed to use it at my current dropzone. I'm thinking of visiting some other dropzones for some experience at landing at different places and also to try some slightly smaller canopies (baby steps!) A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Thanks - I already have my CH1 and it was from reading through the CH2 manual that I came across the front risers suggestion. To be honest, I'm much happier with the thought of working on canopy handling skills to get my CH2 next than I am with what seems to be a UK obsession on getting my FS1 done immediately

I posted on another thread about asking at my dz about downsizing from a student Nav 260 to a student Nav 240 and basically got told I should be able to fly my canopy under all wind conditions, land upwind, crosswind, downwind, control it under front and rear risers and only then consider downsizing. The reason I asked to downsize is that I am currently on a wing loading of about 0.65 (I weigh about 140lbs) and I cannot fly forwards in strong winds (this is student winds, I got my A licence on Saturday and didn't jump again because students were on wind hold - having landed backwards once on a backwards descent from 3000', I'm not in a hurry to repeat the experience!). On reading more about extending the range of a canopy (from the CH2 manual), it talks about pulling on the front risers which may help with flying into wind. I have tried this a couple of times and haven't actually managed to make any discernible difference to the canopy flight. I am pretty strong but I cannot move the risers more than a couple of centimetres, it's more like I'm doing chin ups than making any impact on the front edge of the parachute. I can manage the rear risers without any problems, though the turns have a different feel to those done with my steering toggles. So how much do the front risers need to move to make any difference? A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Well done! A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Absolutely and not silly at all. On my first few jumps, "breathe" was one of the repeating instructions (horizon, altitude, position, breathe) and it really does help. It gets modified in later jumps (e.g. 'horizon' becomes 'heading' once you can actually steer yourself, lol) Also, I was told to smile as it creates a physiological response of relaxation in the body. The more you can relax, the easier it is to arch. Just saying "relax" doesn't often work, but taking a deep breath and smiling can generate a positive response in your body. Good luck with the weather and have fun tomorrow!!

Really? We were looking for it and couldn't see any evidence. How does he hang upside down from the container by his feet then? A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Why? Surely even students would be fine to jump out and pull a reserve from even 2,000' in the event of an aircraft emergency? We keep ours on until 1000', after that it's considered that most jumpers would be leaving the aircraft in the event of an emergency, not going down with it. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

I totally agree. We were also taught not to rely on the radio (and I lost radio contact for a while on my AFF1 so have first hand experience of making judgement calls on my own whilst relying purely on my training) but why on earth suggest radios shouldn't be used at all, when they make those first few jumps so much easier and safer? I had mine for the grand total of 7 jumps - once I'd passed my AFF levels (apart from the hop and pop), it was considered that I didn't need any extra support and should get on with practising what I'd learned. I had no problem with that. People learn at different rates, there are numerous discussions on these forums about how even experienced skydivers make stupid mistakes when under pressure, so why remove one potential safety margin from brand new jumpers by suggesting they shouldn't even need a radio? Rely on it, perhaps not; do without it entirely, what value does that add??? A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

This is insane! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKimGYJeJ6Y How does he hold onto the parachute when it deploys?? A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Only on level 1 and 2. After that, the instructors are both going to let go of you anyway and you've already proved you can pull, so as long as you are altitude aware and stable, you can free fall until your normal wave-off height. We were instructed to pull immediately if we found ourselves alone and starting to go unstable, otherwise we could just continue our jump as planned. I was more surprised that the instructor was holding onto him for the exit for level 5. That was my first solo dive exit with the instructor following me out of the plane. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Personally, I think that although radios may not be strictly "necessary" for students, they make learning to flare at the correct height so much easier that there really isn't any reason for not having them for the first few jumps. How much practice did you get with PLFs on your initial training? Maybe you should revisit that and get some more practice if you have twisted an ankle - a decent PLF would have prevented that and I was taught that it is a vital skill. I know a couple of jumpers at our dz with hundreds, if not thousands of jumps who still occasionally PLF, just so they know they can do it in an emergency. It may not look cool but it's a lot better than ending up in hospital!! Since I am still a very new jumper, I always prepare for a PLF even if my landing looks like it's going well (feet and knees together from 200' downwards), and then judge from the wind direction, my speed over the ground and how my flare is going whether I will attempt a stand up landing or whether I will just roll. I have rolled more often than not, but have never hurt myself, even with flaring slightly early and with crosswind and downwind landings. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

In the UK, a common drug for travel sickness is Stugeron but I find this makes me very drowsy. Sea Legs is much better - as its name suggests, it was primarily designed for sea-sickness but it works just as well for other forms of travel sickness. I have used the wrist bands before but didn't find they worked for me. I found the adult ones too loose for my slim wrists and the child ones were too tight so were uncomfortable. Ginger works well if you like the taste It is not necessary to spiral the canopy down fast, the turns can be very gentle so if it was the turns that made you feel ill, the tandem instructor doesn't need to do them aggressively. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

Lol - we have training vests, just the harness with cutaway pads and reserve handles but no cords /weights on them. So we can do the "Look - Locate - Cut - Away - Reserve - Arch" drills (or whatever words get used at different places, I think it used to be Peel - Pull - Punch which actually makes more sense to me!) any time, with or without an instructor. I did hang in a harness briefly once but couldn't pull the cutaway pad or reserve handle or I would have fallen on the floor We drill every day that we are planning to jump for AFF or consols as part of our briefing and I have also practised by myself. We have big laminated cards with photos of various malfunctions, nuisances (end cell closures / line twists / high slider) and a perfectly deployed canopy so they get shuffled and a random one is produced once we have done our 5 second count and checked the canopy. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

If you're at a small dropzone, I would say your assessment that the chances of a collision are very small is probably right. I jump at a small dz and I'm usually the only one in the air by the time my huge student canopy lets me down, lol. At most, I've had 2 other students in the air at the same time as me and we were all on consols so had all passed our basic AFF levels. When I was doing my AFF jumps, I was often the last one out of the plane with my instructor(s) and there was a big separation between me and everyone else. Tandems jumping after me fall a lot faster so they're down long before me too. Your ground school lessons will cover all the details of how to land in a pattern and minimise the chances of a collision. As a student, you are likely to be deploying your parachute a lot higher than anyone else, so it will take you longer to descend and so most, if not all of the other jumpers on your load will already have landed. Your instructors will go over this with you in great detail - if anything isn't clear, you should ask. And if you are not comfortable with jumping by the end of ground school, you don't have to. My ground school instructor told me there was no such thing as a stupid question, only a stupid answer, and I was to ask him 50 times if necessary, if something wasn't clear to me or if I forgot something he had already explained. It all becomes a lot clearer after ground school - the course is very structured to cover everything you need to know and leaves out anything that's not needed yet. I would stay away from the Incidents forum for now - your instructors will cover all the things you need to think about to keep you safe and you will need to focus on what they tell you, not on some comment that may have stuck in your mind from these forums. A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr

I haven't tried docking yet, but can relate to the tall skinny girl bit - and one of my instructors made me wear a weight belt to speed me up a bit. Being a total newbie too, the only thing I can suggest is to take big deep breaths and smile, to try and relax you. It was very noticeable in the tunnel that as soon as I tensed up, I shot up in the air (ie decreased my fall rate) and when I relaxed into my arch, I came back down (ie increased the rate again). Maybe talk to your coaches about aerodynamics and how the wind flows past you as well - they may be able to correct your posture to help (eg knees closer together or arms in a different position). Just a thought - do you have any female coaches at your dz? They may find it easier to match your fall rate whilst you're still learning A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimensions - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr