Aaron27

Last year I did my first tandem jumps and ever since it seems like I'm constantly being called back by some mysterious force. Case in point: earlier this January I headed out to Lompoc to watch SpaceX launch a rocket from the Vandenberg air base, (I'm a huge nerd lol). Anyway, by complete random chance the hotel I stayed at just happened to be next door to skydive Santa Barbara. But what I thought was awesome is that they offer jumps from 18,000 feet. I really wanted to do a jump while I was there, but the weather sucked that day so I doubt they were even open. I plan on going back for the next launch in July and will probably do a tandem since im not currently licensed, but eventually I'd love to be able to jump at 18k solo. Do you need a specific license to jump from 18k? Or is it just a certain number of jumps? I know I'm getting ahead of myself being that I still need to complete AFF and get my A license long before doing of any special jumps like this, but just like doing a balloon jump it's something that I'd love to do eventually :)

Thanks for the advice from your AFF experience! I think what helped me most on my first tandem was mentally preparing for that moment for so long. I've been scouring youtube videos to watch the progress of others going through AFF. I want to be as prepared as possible before I start! When you signed up for AFF did you do a package deal, or just pay for each jump individually? I'm not really sure if it makes a big difference, but just curious how other people pay for their AFF jumps.

I've always been terrified of heights, and I've never been much of an adrenaline junkie. I've always been the guy who gets jelly legs when going more than 3 steps up a ladder. I once worked in a warehouse and everyone would laugh when I had to use the forklift to get something from one of the top racks 30 or so feet up...thankfully this was before the camera phone era