xavenger

I've been to Skyventure at Orlando twice, did 30 minutes in one afternoon then 30 minutes on another evening. I was on vacation in the USA at the time .. so was relaxed and well rested .. I can't say that I was really tired after each session - I wasn't, in fact I am pretty sure I could have done an hour each day and it would have been fine. I wasn't tired during or the following day and didn't have any aches or pains afterwards. However, I went to the Aerokart tunnel in Paris with a group of people a couple of months ago - and was exhausted. I did 8 x 2.5 minutes sessions in the tunnel and on sessions 6, 7 and 8 I came over very tired and found it increasingly difficult to keep a good body position. However - the day before I'd been at work until late, drove to the Airport to catch a plane to Paris, had about 3 hours sleep, had eaten rich food late at night and had just a little bit too much to drink. Bad move. So, I would guess, it is physically >>possible

Everyone seems pretty down in the dumps about doing AFF in the UK and, well, I can sort of understand why with the crappy weather etc - but there are some positive aspects. The fact is you're probably likely to be jumping in the UK a lot when you get qualified - by learning with Brit AFF instructors you will probably get great ongoing support from them. If you learn with a foreign team, it's probably just not going to be as easy to pick up the phone and call them if you have a question when you come home. I was very lucky in that the period I chose to do my AFF last summer - was probably the best couple of weeks worth of weather we've had in 2 decades in the UK. I finished AFF in about 6 days .. and by the following weekend had completed my cons jumps and had my Cat 8. Hanging around "my" dropzone, meeting people, making new friends - seeing how stuff is done, during that time was extremely rewarding. AFF is a pretty intense experience and there's a certain bond that AFF students all experiencing the same emotions tend to develop. The DZ feels like "home" and I can't help but smile whenever I jump in the car to go there. The support I've had from my instructors since - who have helped me with every single question about the sport .. has been absolutely invaluable. So... I'll play devils advocate and say .. either do your AFF in the UK .. or perhaps consider getting the best of both worlds and get some British AFF instructors (who will inevitably drag out some other people from your local DZ for some fun) to go out to Spain with you .. you'll have a blast. A point on the weather: I personally, don't see a tremendous amount of mileage in doing AFF in a hot country in the winter - getting qualified - just to come home and find out it won't be practical to jump anyway until later in the year when the weather picks up. Nothing will frustrate you more than being a fully qualified skydiver and not being able to jump for a while .. IMHO .. March is a great time to do AFF .. get qualified .. then waaheey .. summer's on it's way :-) J

Jumpmunki Most importantly you will require a credit card - in fact preferably 2 or 3, each with large credit limits. I suggest you apply for some new ones now. You will then need a map to Skyventure - the vertical wind tunnel in Orlando, which is amazing. A couple of months later you may need an insolvency lawyer, might as well get that sorted now too. Perhaps warning your friends and family that you may soon move to Florida, get a caravan on a DZ and become a packing bitch to fund your crack like addiction to freefall and sunshine - might also be a good idea. It's just inevitable you will consider this - DON'T worry it's normal. ;-) In all seriousness though - you will need to sort out travel insurance that specifically states that it covers skydiving in the USA. I have a worldwide annual policy with http://www.axatravel.co.uk - and purchased it with an optional "Hazardous Activities" upgrade - which (or certainly when I got it) includes cover for skydiving. I see you are from Peterlee .. never jumped there myself - I'm on the other coast across at Cark in Cumbria. However, I've been told Peterlee is a good DZ .. and very friendly so I will pay it a visit this summer. Let me know when you are going to Florida .. I am going to be there last week in Feb and first couple of weeks in Mar - and also for about 8 weeks later on in the year. Could be a beer drinking opportunity. blue skies James

Myself and a friend (both from the UK) are going to the Skyventure tunnel in Orlando at the end of February and are looking for people to share block time with us. We're going to be in the area for a couple of weeks. For those who haven't been before, if you buy in hourly blocks you tend to get the best prices. An hourly block breaks down in 30 x 2 minute sessions and you can share these out amongst whoever in your group. For example: If all sharing equal time 2 people = 15 x sessions each 3 people = 10 x sessions each 5 people = 6 x sessions each By buying block time like this the price per session comes down to about $18.33 .. Just over $9 per minute. A bargain! You're not just limited to going in to the tunnel on your own .. you can do up to 4 way, so if 4 of you share a 2 minute session it costs about $4.58 each. Anyway, it all becomes a mathematical nightmare .. so lets not get in to too much detail just yet .. first of all .. are any of you seriously interested in sharing some time in the second half of february.. if so drop me a line and we'll try sort something out. My email addy is [email protected] Blue skies James PS. Sorry if I've got any facts about the tunnel wrong in here, I think it's all accurate!

There are statistics on the page below that compare skydiving risks to other hazardous sports. I have no idea whatsoever how accurate these are .. http://www.afn.org/skydive/sta/stats.html regards James

I always *assumed* that the "stroke palms", "hit knuckles" and "point" routine .. was a symbolic gesture of the peel, punch, pull reserve drills. Regards James "Travel at light speed is impossible - one's hat keeps on falling off"

Hello again you lot! Well, some of you may recall that I was close to getting my A licence (Cat 8) a couple of weeks ago. Well, I got it and very pleased with myself I am too. As I said in a post a while ago, the time I spent at the DZ and the sense of achievement I got from AFF has been amazing. :-) I'm not sure if it's the same in other countries but here in the UK when you've completed your AFF you need to go on to do a "hop and pop" from 6k (to simulate an aircraft emergency) and then 10 consolidation jumps before getting your A licence. These consolidation jumps are all solo and the intention is you use them as an opportunity to go over some of the skills you've learned on AFF and basically get more accustomed to being in the air. I enjoyed all the jumps. Wow! So with the AFF, a couple of repeats, the hop and pop and 10 consolidation jumps I got my A licence in 21 jumps, in 14 days total. On practically all these jumps, I have been landing "pretty" well. Most of the time stood up, gently and pretty much where I wanted to. Even when I've flared a bit too late - or a bit too early the impact hasn't been too "hard", they've been ok. I thought I had landings reasonable well figured out. This weekend - after a week passed without jumping - was a different story. I got up to the DZ on Sunday and did 3 jumps, freefall was amazing but each one was a landing disaster .. and got progressively more painful. Out of no where I have developed an extremely bad habit of putting my left leg down as the ground approaches, this inevitably means I end up leaning on my left hand toggle .. and well, you know it all goes tits up from there. My left leg takes the impact and the canopy pulls me over to the left, well .. you know .. it isn't good! I went over on my left leg/ankle 3 times and the last one - "smarted" more than a bit. (This is a northern England expression for hurt like hell). My leg is badly bruised, my foot hurts, my ankle hurts and my hip hurts. I can still walk .. but .. I will not be jumping for a week or so ;-) The stupid thing is, on each of these jumps I was concentrating hard to ensure that I would keep my feet together for landing and then, almost as a reflex, a couple of feet off the ground my left foot would lurch forward - with a mind of its own. I had harsh words with my left foot after all of the jumps, but it didn't seem to make any difference. I really need to get it figured out. So, what have I learned .. Well, first, if you listen to your instructors - you will keep yourself "safe" .. when I was landing with 2 feet as instructed, over the first 21 jumps I did not get a single injury. Also, that sometimes and certainly whilst you are a beginner .. that your natural reflexes and brain sometimes work in ways you don't expect (eg. I *know* I am supposed to be landing on 2 feet) so take it easy until this stuff has become second nature. Following on from that, I am glad I haven't moved off a 220 sqf "student" rig on to my own 170/180 just yet. I am glad I made the decision not to rush this because I fear, had I made the same balls up on a faster canopy at the weekend, I might have "seriously" hurt myself. (Last thing I have learned is - do not talk to your feet in public, people look at you funny.) Anyway, just thought I would share my experiences with you. Still can't wait to get back up there but I will be doing some serious thinking this week to why the hell my left foot has developed a mind of its own. Blue skies! James

Hi Chew Well I have to admit .. level 5 was the first time I got that feeling of flight .. of freedom .. Seeing someone flying near me (but not **right** next to me) for the first time was breathtaking. I drove home that night unable to contain my joy .. breaking in to laughter every couple of minutes. But it was on 7 when it really came together for me. What also excites me is that there is so much to learn, so many disciplines. There is enough to "experience" for years to keep the magic going. I simply cannot imagine getting bored of this, ever. Good look with the rest of your AFF!!! Keep us up to date with your trials and tribulations! :-)

What a great week last week was! With great thanks to an unusual spurt of fantastic weather here in the UK, the North West Parachute centre in Cumbria and most of all my two absolutely amazing instructors Ian Chick and Kieron Hayes .. I "completed" my AFF last week! Well, ok .. just 4 more consol jumps to do this weekend and I'm there. I did AFF levels 1, 2, 3 - 8 years ago but due to financial and time constraints from going self employed at that time (and to be honest, I lost a bit of "bottle") I was unable to finish the course. There hasn't been a week since where I haven't thought about skydiving. Last week, I "returned" to the sport on level 1 and have had one of the most satisfying and fulfilling weeks, without question of my entire life. Literally, on every single jump up to level 7 I was scared (yes, scared) on the plane and whilst whenever I got to the door "concentration" blotted out my fear, I have to admit that for most of the week I had serious apprehension about leaving the aircraft. The 15 or 20 minutes to altitude on each jump was painful for me. It wasn't so much the fear of the drop, just a fear of being overwhelmed by the experience and I suppose, in retrospect .. a fear of not being in control. Just a few days later it now seems difficult to believe that I was quite so nervous about it all. After a nasty spin on level 6 (bloody back loops!), I nearly packed it in. I convinced myself there was absolutely no need to scare myself like this, that it was stupid and went to bed that night thoroughly in a muddle. I wasn't thinking straight. However, I awoke the next morning more resolute of mind and decided I would get through this, that I would for finish what have started, that it would be worth it - and by god I am glad I did. Sleeping on it, relaxing somehow helped me make sense of it all. At that point something changed, on level 7 although I was still tense going to altitude, I knew I could do it. What's more it all just some how seemed easier, more natural and my field of vision had improved 100 times. This time it wasn't a nervous rush of adrenaline .. but it was flying. Really flying! Wooo Wooo!! Each jump from then, including the hop and pop just got better. My fear has turned to "excitement", instead of dreading the move to the door .. I relish the exit. It is like something has switched inside my head. I feel as though I am a different person to that I was 10 day ago and that I am honoured to be able experience and appreciate something as beautiful as freefall. The highs and lows of getting through AFF have changed me. I have never felt such a sense of achievement. But, these feelings pale when I consider the other main achievement of the week - and that was to meet such a great bunch of people. I think I have made more friends in the past 10 days, than I have in the past 10 years. Skydiving, when the apprehension disappears and when clarity of mind kicks in is truly, truly amazing. It's beautiful. What's more, all the people I have interacted with through this sport to date have been great. I realise, that many of you will have all had first hand experience of this, been through this before, got the t-shirts and read the books so this post is probably nothing more but a load of cliches, but there we go! I am sorry to bore you all with my ramblings! Once again, thanks to AFF instructors Ian Chick and Kieron Hayes! As for you lot, I look forward to seeing some more of you guys and gals in the real world. regards James Batchelor