mkaminski6

I'd love to spend more tunnel time! I spent about 8 hrs travel time last time to only spend 10 minutes in the tunnel. Maybe a bit more time would be what I need? You've exactly hit the nail on the head , my fear is that if I exit and I begin to spin or flip that we will not be able to recover. I am not flexible in the least so arching for me is very difficult! The closest wind tunnel to Cleveland Ohio is in Chicago which is a 2 hr wait in an airport, 40 min flight, and then a 40min drive from airport to tunnel!

Well I cancelled my class for Sunday. Can't get myself to do it quite yet. Going to make a 8k trip up on the power paraglider tomorrow to get myself more comfortable with the altitude (I've been flying around 3k for the most part). I also started obtaining my PPL this summer and have been flying a Cessna 152. I just don't get it, I'm okay with heights. It's just the damn noise I think that keeps doing it! And thinking back to that first jump I did. Hell I even did a tandem a few weeks after riding down a few times. The tandem was as terrifying as my original jump. All I kept picturing when kneeling in the door w/ my tandem partner was my first flight and spinning in circles with no one around me! Is it common for instructors to let go of a student when they go into a uncontrolled spin? I was told they had to let go of me, I guess something about hearing someone say they HAD to let go of me just keeps resonating in my head as well. I think I'm doomed. [/rant].

Thanks for the reply! I did tunnel time two years ago. It's difficult for me as I had to book a ticket to Chicago, fly out grab a rental car, drive to the tunnel, spent 20 minutes tunnel time and flew home same day. The tunnel time didn't seem to help me at all. I only did one solo jump, which again went horrible. I rode up five more times but had to ride down each time as I could not get myself to exit the door. I think the noise, and my suit flapping in the wind had a lot to attribute to it. And the fear of just loosing control and the instructors on the ride down.

So two years ago I started my journey into obtaining my AFF. My first jump was a horrible experience, I lost both instructors upon exiting the door, spun head over heels for what felt like ever (probably only 15 seconds) before an instructor was able to dive in and pull my chute. I lost my radio headset in all the flipping and landed a few fields away from the DZ. I went back for 5 jumps after, and each time couldn't even get out the door after imagining a retake of my first jump. I'm not afraid of heights, I've been flying power paragliders all summer long and have no issues with the kiting, its just the fear of exiting again and loosing complete control. Couple that with the fear of the instructor not being able to make it to me to deploy my chute. Any positive encouraging words for a newbie looking to try once again to get into the sport?

On July 4th I took my AFF class, made my first jump, completely de-arched on exit, funneled, lost my first instructor in seconds, and locked legs with the second instructor, all I remember was flipping upside down for some time as she tried to get me to widen out my legs and eventually she released my chute for me. Flew out of state for 20min tunnel time, went decent. I was terrified. I came back the next weekend, rode up, couldn't get myself to jump was literally petrified couldn't even get in the door. Did a tandem jump and went home. Went back last week, rode up, same issue! Came down, rode up for a tandem , rode down again. I want to do this more than anything, by biggest fear is having a repeat of my first jump. That and the noise after the door opens. I have done heliskiing, and have no fear of the height. It's the loud noise that bothers me. Any tips? I have looked for a DZ that does Static as I feel that the idea of the chute opening minutes after we exit w/o any responsibility will instill more confidence to help get me past my door fear.