jnjusticar

Problem with jumping student gear is that since it isn't custom to you, you will have bruising from it until you find gear that isn't designed to be a "one size fits all" approach. I had the same problems with extreme bruising and insane soreness around my shoulders...it was coming from the lift web not being custom to me per one of the coaches. When I got my own rig which fits beautifully, no more bruising :) Good luck, happy jumping and stay safe. Get that A license!

You need to come to terms with the fact that it is safer than driving. I honestly just kind of realized f it, whatever happens is going to happen. I'm a biologist. I ultimately realize that the process of life and death are occurring simultaneously while some cells divide and others die. You will be the one under control of the canopy but every dropzone and student program I have heard of does radio control until you move to coach status to tell you what to do and help you enter your landing patter. You should be on a large enough canopy so that if you goof your landing you should be relatively unscathed except for a bruise or scrape and severely injured pride. You're overthinking it. Go out, do it, have fun! Post the video too. Kick that levels ass and listen to those radio commands and remember to flare and hold that flare all the way down, wrists and hands pointed down..like you're trying to shove your hands in your pocket :)

Greg Windmiller is teaching a course at Skydive Deland this coming weekend. I'd take his course if you can, he's a world record holder and a member of the US Team. He's pretty bomb ass and will really help you. Super down to earth and nice dude too!

Step 1: Get a divorce Step 2: Marry another skydiver Problem solved Or, OR Step 1: Get her an AFF course Step 2: She gets her own gear Problem solved

Well you can die on your first jump or nine thousanth jump. It is skydiving. It is inherently dangerous. Not trying to be a jerk but lots of bad injuries can happen, you can break an ankle, leg, arm, back, neck, death, paralysis (wish you were killed in that landing) etc. Shit can go wrong very quickly. This isn't a sport where you freak out and can't make a decision or get too overwhelmed with fear to act. Honestly, do your training and listen. Pay a lot of attention to what the wind is doing. Do your canopy control checks the minute that canopy opens and if something goes wrong know your emergency procedures inside and out...mostly, have fun. Try not to be scared shitless. You can die obviously, but hey we're all going out one day no matter what. Plus you're more likely to get creamed by a bus than die skydiving...though of course skydiving is inherently dangerous.

I'm curious. Mine started off as a "one time thing" from groupon haha. Of course, it's never truly really a one time thing for most of us right?

Hey there, AFF 1 can be nerve racking. I don't think it is that you can't do it. During my AFF course up until the very last few jumps I would literally get so sick on my stomach the entire day. I couldn't eat and had to take pepto and go to the bathroom before every jump. Go back up. One thing that helped me was this...say fuck it. Whatever happens will happen. The odds of anything bad occurring are lower than doing day to day activities. Some of the people on here are major assholes....the fact that you got up for an AFF course and didn't get out doesn't necessarily mean you're not cut out for the sport. I've seen plently of people get out the door who should take up basket weaving instead. Have an instructor work with you on being calm. The first 5-6 jumps are terrifying...then they become fun. Just get to 5-6 and you'll blaze through them. On my AFF level 2 I had 1 instructor and as soon as we were out the door I brought my knees up to my chest and took him for a wild ride for 15 seconds before he high pulled me at 10K. I still got back up in the air again and then started passing my levels. You'll do fine. Don't give up. What are you scared of?

That's what I figured from the majority of the literature I have read. I was just confused as to why some were doing a braked landing considering the physics behind flight. I spoke to some people at my DZ about it last week who know me and they said it should be fine as well but I forgot to ask them about the little bit of stuff I was seeing with braked landings.

I have my A license and am off the Nav 220. I didn't have any problems landing it standing up and I invested in a Spectre 190 after talking to a few people and reading a lot of reviews on it. My wing load will be 1.1 to 1. I have a canopy control course scheduled for my B license coming up soon. I've noticed a lot of people when I looked at some forums use a braked approach to land. Is this common while learning a canopy like a Spectre? Seems a little strange to come in braked but I wanted some opinions on this. I guess my big question would be is the flare power absolutely so much different that you need to come in braked?