Jerseywoman61

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  • Home DZ
    Cross Keys Airport, Williamstown NJ
  • License
    Student
  • Number of Jumps
    5
  1. No, sometimes it just confuses me--I see it and I think, "I'm 61 " and then I remember.
  2. I am from NJ and born in 1961. Had to keep it simple so I'd remember my username.
  3. As crappy as I did T2 is as great as I did T3 today. I rocked it. We were stable so quickly and I looked at the altimeter and it registered...coa was remembered and timely...had a wee bit of difficulty locating the rip cord but searched it out successfully with no anxiety...easily located a heading and was able to get back to it. Someone gave me the advice of visualizing this jump, which I did for days and I believe that made all the difference (and wearing my glasses under the goggles). I did find it hard to actually pull the rip cord once I located it (after feeling up and down the darned instructor's leg and who knows what else). I had also took someone else's idea of sectioning off the altimeter in case it wasn't registering again. Fortunately I didn't need that backup plan. So this week is ground training and first solo--a whole new set of nerves popping up. Can't thank you guys enough for all the advice.
  4. First, I have to thank everyone who responded. I feel somewhat better. I've gone over my next jump repeatedly since yesterday. T3 is this Sunday. Ground school was to be before Sunday, but a work emergency has made it where I can't do ground school until after T3. I pulled on T1--he stuck the altimeter in my face at 5500 (told me it was going to be at 5500) and again, it didn't register, but I did pull. I was to go through the entire sequence on T2--but missed (hence this thread). I did do the canopy check and steering, and landed us on our feet (of course he guided us the entire way, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't assisting any other way though I can't see behind me, lol)--when I say "landed us on our feet" I mean we didn't fall, but we did have to kind of run a few steps pretty fast,
  5. Ok. Thank you for this. I think this is something that may help. The instructor told me T3 jump has much less going on. Maybe because of that, I can actually prioritize the altimeter, for god's sake, and make myself focus on saying it out loud. Thanks again.
  6. I've jumped three times, and just did a T2 training jump. The progression is T1, T2, ground training, T3, and then picks up at AFF4, and continues with coached jumps, relaxed jumps, and I believe two more instructor jumps, for a total of 25. Then A-license. Anyway, the T2 was a busy jump, from the exit of the plane. I did great getting us stabilized, left turns, right turns, forward motion. I did okay under canopy, and landing (of course with the instructor yelling "flare, flare, FLARE" on my back. What I DID NOT DO, which is probably the biggest thing to actually do right, was check the altimeter and pull the rip cord. I still can't believe it. I remember checking the altimeter a few times (not nearly enough) and I can't remember it registering. I remember checking it at 6,000 ft and I was to wave off at 5500 and pull at 5000. I'm not sure if I couldn't see it properly (I wear progressive lenses but I didn't wear them under my goggles). I could see the altimeter perfectly in the plane at about the same distance it would be during the jump. Could read it every time. During the jump, like I said, I don't remember it registering at all, except maybe at 6000 ft, then I don't know what happened. I think maybe I even got confused by that point if it were the black part of the needle or the white. I am unhappy, obviously, about this, and I don't know if it were the lack of glasses (and progressive lenses cannot possibly be the best choice since I still have to nod my head sometimes during the day to get the proper part of the lens), sensory overload, or just plain being an idiot. I've actually done many IT searches about beginners failing to check their altimeters and then when checking, failing to even have it register in their brains, and I haven't turned up a whole lot. I can't possibly be the only one? Will this pass? I know for this third jump, I was able to "see" and absorb from exit of the plane (those 8 seconds of my life that were missing the first two jumps), and I'm really hoping my T3 goes better this Sunday. not-very-happy
  7. This is good news! I'm in fairly decent condition, a runner and hiker, rock climbing (sadly, for now, only indoors), and have my second jump this Sunday. I'm actually disappointed the cold weather is coming when I usually look forward to it for winter hiking/snowshoeing. If I still like diving Sunday as much as I did early September, I'm trying to get one more in. After that, who knows? Glad I found this place though. ps. Haha. Had to look up POPS. Looks like one club I can get in to.
  8. Thanks for the welcome. I'm not yet sure about the AFF; if I like the next jump as much as the first, I'm inclined to do it, reason-being (and I'm not sure about etiquette or whatever here), but my nature tends to feel "better" being in control of my destiny, if you know what I mean. I've done a lotta, LOTTA, L-O-T-T-A research on skydiving and the risks/common perils/pratfalls, and I think I'd be pretty decent (adventurous and cautious at the same time), although I have a lot of trust in the instructor I tandem'd with (whom I'd like to stick with, lol). So right now? Not sure yet. We'll see how the 2nd and 3rd go. Jerseywoman61
  9. Hi! I waited until I was 51 to acquire the chutzpah to dive. At about 5,000 ft on the single-engine Cessna I made peace with my decision and remained resigned and calm until I landed. I can't believe I waited this long to float on air!!!! That was Sept. 8 at a wonderful facility in PA. Oct. 6 I'm doing my 2nd from a closer facility in NJ, but if I still like it as much as I think I do, and as much as I do when I relive it daily, I'll be returning to PA regularly. Wanted to stop and say hi, and wonder how many folks actually wait until post-middle age before discovering this sport. Jerseywoman61