Rossco_DJ

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Posts posted by Rossco_DJ

  2. Sounds like i've got a similar shaped head to you. I think someone already mentioned, but you can fit extra foam in the sides and top / chin section separately in the Aero (which i have), i put extra foam in the sides only and its a pretty good fit. Tried on a few G3s and felt a bit claustrophobic with the mouthpiece infront of my face. Don't get that feeling at all in the Aero. can't see any of the helmet at all when I'm wearing it.

  4. Welcome!!
    I did my AFF back in March-May this year. loved it. For what it's worth, i didn't actually enjoy the first few jumps in the same way i did going for a tandem, mostly because i was too focussed on what i was doing / supposed to be doing, instead of just going along for the ride. A bit tense, nerves, etc. From stage 4, though, it all started being fun again. SO if you have a similar experience to me, or it's not quite what you expected, don't stop! I'm 55 jumps in, now, and I've got no interest in stopping.

    Chances are you'll love it though!

  6. I started my AFF in march after just one tandem (which i wasn't going to do - straight to AFF. Just that my friend wanted to do one so i figured why not!). So glad i did. I've got 42 jumps now and one hell of a bunch of new friends, as well as somewhere awesome to go and chill out on a weekend to get away from work and uni. I did my AFF at my local DZ, paid for each stage as i went. I'm also a full time uni student, but I'm working as well, and was lucky enough to have the money ready to go upfront for AFF, fun jumps and gear. Glad i did it at my local, because thats where i jump all the time, and everyone saw me come through my AFF, so its easy to find people to jump with early on. They're happy to take a step back in their jumping to come along and teach me something and have some fun. I'm not some random turning up finding it difficult to find people to belly fly with, when a lot of people want to go for angles or freefly, which some people can have problems with at some DZ's.

    Instead of going for another few tandems (which cost more than most AFF stages), why not just start your AFF? Summer is coming, you'll be finished uni for a few months from November (I'm assuming uni works similarly over there to here in AUS?), why not get a (extra?) job of some description and head to the DZ on the weekends and do an AFF jump or two with the money you earn? Try and make it no longer than 3 or 4 weeks between stages though. Some stages my instructors recommended doing as close together as possible. Same day is even better.

    In terms of fitness, I'm not particularly (at all) flexible, but i practiced my arch lying on the floor quite a bit because i was flying a little flat at times, and that helped a lot. If you're already doing things like yoga, etc, you should be fine. Upper body strength probably more so for flying your canopy, and as mentioned earlier, being fit with some stamina for long days of jumping.

    I also had 9 people start their AFF with me. I'm the only one left. There were 3 of us that came back and did stages 2 - 5, and then the other three haven't been back. I know one of them can't afford it at the moment, and the other guy just disappeared. I guess a lot of people do a tandem, and then they do AFF1, and its actually a lot different to doing a tandem. you're not jumping out and looking around and having a ball... you're jumping out, and focussing so much on what you've been taught that it wasn't till after i got on the ground i was like, ok, that was actually pretty cool. I didn't really enjoy my stage 2 at all. Similar reasons, but i also felt a bit rushed with it, like i was overloaded with things to think about. Once i got to stage 3 and 4 though. boom! that awesome fun feeling was back. And it's been getting better and better with almost every jump.

  10. Awesome work. Glad you're enjoying yourself! I finished my AFF about a month ago. Absolutely loving it.

    Quote

    So I had some ground to cover to get over to my holding area. It was kinda nerve racking but I made it to the area just in time



    Did you have a few alternate landing options scoped out on the way back? Your instructors have probably gone over this with you already.... but chat to some of the other jumpers / your safety officer / or even go for a walk if its not private property and have a look at some other places that look suitable to land on around the DZ. Always handy to have that information ready to go should you ever need it!

    You're rocking it! Can't wait to hear about the next jump.

  12. Keeping in mind i've only got 12 jumps, this is my thought process:

    2 attempts to pull PC then straight to reserve.

    Once i've thrown my PC, i'm counting 1000, 2000, 3000, and if i haven't felt the tug and started to slow down with the chute coming out over my head (which for me the tug happens usually somewhere around the 2000), i twist my shoulders to look up at the 4000 count incase its a PC hesitation, etc. then go back to arch to give the PC time to get off my back, and if i haven't got a canopy inflating - cutaway and reserve, or if when i twist to look and there's nothing out / bag lock, etc. its straight to emergency. - by this point i'm already through about 1000 - 1200 feet from the pc throw anyway. Time to get shit sorted.

    If i DO feel the canopy out, I'm slowing down, and i can hear it opening, its get ready to grab the rear risers, look for other canopies in front of me that i might need to avoid, and then look up and do a canopy check. I can twist my left arm and check my alti at the same time, so if something is wrong i already have an idea of where i'm at. If there's something majorly wrong with the canopy i'm guessing i'll know by the time i'm ready to look up anyway because i'll probably be spinning or it will sound like its flapping like crazy but i can still have a glance at my alti when I'm looking at my handles to grab them.

    Fingers crossed i'll have my head clear when this happens to me!

  13. Yep, knocked out 7, 8 and 9 on saturday. Hop n pop was a bit of a mindfuck getting out so low, but all went well. Exits from the plane are still a bit sloppy, so I'm definitely going to have to work on that. Got my landings down pretty well though. Did one solo on sunday before i had to leave, can't wait to get back up there this weekend (carton in tow).

  14. Cheers, I'll get on to that.

    Pumped out four jumps over the weekend.

    Jumped out on stage 6, arched, looked down, and saw sky…. shit, i'm on my back! Sorted myself out, checked my alti, and then saw my instructor coming over. Well…. mostly just his teeth, because he was pissing himself laughing almost as much as i was! After we finished off the turns and docks, we were about 7k, and he pointed over my shoulder…. so i turned to look, and we were skimming down the side of a massive white cloud. Was pretty awesome! I looked back at him, gave him a big nod, and then it was time to turn and pull. Probably my favourite jump so far!

    Oh, stood up my first landing on stage 5 too. I came in, flared, touched down and thought…. i can't taste grass….. I CAN'T TASTE GRAAAASSSSS!! WOOOO! hahaha!

    Stage 7 next. At least i know i can get myself stable off my back, hahaha!

  15. strife

    How did your training go.

    CReW jumping next weekend so that will be good to have a gander at and a party on Saturday night.

    Blue ones



    Sorry Strife, missed that post earlier! Sounds like a good weekend to be up there. I'm waiting to hear from work if i've got any jobs on this weekend, but I'm going to try and get up there if i don't.

    wolfriverjoe


    That is probably the best decision you could have made.
    If you aren't sure you can land well, PLF it. (We call it a Parachute Landing Fall here in the US, same thing).

    Having a good PLF in your 'toolbox' will save you in the future.

    Glad you had a good jump.

    You are soooo screwed now...

    Just like the rest of us.



    I'm definitely screwed, hahaha! Can't wait to do the next few stages. Focus a bit more on what i didn't do so well last time.

  16. Hahaha, yeah, i guess the whole "don't jump out of an aeroplane" thing might have something to do with it.

    Absolutely loved it. I jumped last today, was happy to just chill out and watch the others and see what they do. Was nervous getting in the plane, pretty much shitting myself when the door opened, so i took a few deep breaths and looked at my alto, but then when it was time to do my instructor checks, habit took over and i was out the door before i could even think 'holy shit I'm about to jump out".

    Dive went well, was stable the whole way, kept aware of my altitude. The instructors said it was a bit boring for them, because they didn't really have to do anything. I could probably arch a bit more, and my knees were a bit far apart. Missed my PC on the first practice pull, but got it on the second and deployment, and i dropped my right shoulder a bit on deployment too. Couple of things to work on!

    Had a half line twist on deployment, but i kicked out easy enough. I've got to relax a bit more under canopy, i was a bit tense, but other than that, really enjoyed floating around getting buffeted by the wind, and trusting my instructor on the radio that even though i was a good kilometre away from the DZ, aiming full speed away from the DZ was the right thing to be doing. Was a bit crooked on landing because of the wind (and not quite facing fully into it), proooobably cooould have stood it up, but decided to PLR anyway, because i wasn't 100% sure, i don't know any better and i figure it's worth the practice before i need it for real!

    Can't wait to go again!

    Thanks everyone!

  17. Thanks everyone!! Im sure I'm going to love it. Im actually a little bit nervous... but i think its mostly because I'm thinking about the actual jump, when i haven't been through all the training, etc, that will happen tomorrow. Let you all know how i go! Good luck on the L4 this weekend, FlyBabeAU.

  20. I'm assuming CI means Chief Instructor? I was watching him a little after he introduced himself as my tandem, I did notice he had a few pointers to some of the solo guys that were landing while we were waiting. Was a good bloke to jump with, kept it relaxed and fun but i could tell he was on to everything that was going on.

    Definitely enjoyed the vibe, and the people i met up there on the day!

  21. Hey all!

    Just wanted to poke my head in and say G'day. Booked in for my AFF stage 1 in a few weeks, after umming and aahhing about it for a few years.... And finally going tandem last weekend, which i thoroughly enjoyed. (solid thumbs up in the photo attached!)

    Figured, I'm going to be doing a lot more reading than posting here for a while, so i should at least introduce myself!

    -Rossco