soarfree

Passionate Investigative Pioneer Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Hi Rich, I'm fairly new to SDC myself, welcome! I live in Berwyn (near the Harlem stop on the blue line or green line) or the metra stop and I'd be happy to give you a ride on weekends I'm heading to the DZ. I usually go for only 1 day (Sundays mostly) so I make the most of it! I arrive at the DZ by 8am and stay until the late afternoon. Let me know if you still need rides. I don't have my next visit planned just yet (hoping for this Sunday), but if you don't mind meeting up early in the morning you're welcome to come along! Amy Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Welcome! Glad you enjoyed your tandem. Good luck with AFP. I went through the program this summer and it was fantastic! Just start saving those pennies now! Blue skies, AJ Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I'm newer around here too, so of course I'd say listen to your instructors and more experienced jumpers, but here is my limited experience with the ground! I PLF's jumps 1-13 in my AFP program (18 jump program similar to AFF). Some of the jumps needed PLF'ing and I heard over the radio "wave your arms if you are okay". Like many people, I flared way too high in the beginning. I even had an 8-10 foot drop out of the sky when I flared really high! I PLF'd and was not injured. Some jumps I was gently teased about and they said I could've stood them up, but I was comfortable rolling on the ground and saving my already bad knees from any impact. On jump #14 something clicked. I was no longer quite as afraid of the ground, the winds were blowing to help slow me down, and I stood up the landing as gently as stepping off a stair. I stood up the next 4 or 5 jumps as well. Now I PLF some and I stand up some. I am much more comfortable waiting longer to flare. I've had a couple of hard landings, but got away with only bruising due to my PLF'ing (and a little luck no doubt!). So my newbie advice is learn how to fall PFL as one more way to avoid an injury. Good luck! Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Thanks all. Glad to know I'm not the only one! I'll check out those other threads too and pay more attention to my body position on opening! Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I'll describe this as best as possible - I'm pretty new around here! I jumped a sabre 2 170 with approximately 30 jumps on it yesterday. First jumps on my new-to-me rig. I had soft openings, but the first 2 openings (1 packed by a rigger, one by a packer) were unusual to me. As the chute began to open I was spun 360 rapidly and finished on heading. I did not see any line twists and have had them before and this did not seem like that. Since the chute was just opening I did not have the slider stowed or the toggles out. Once the chute fully opened I has no problems (no end cell closures, no line twists). The third pack of the day was done by myself and an experienced jumper, the nose was not rolled at all which resulted in a soft opening on heading without the spins. Anyone know what might cause these spins or what I might do to try to avoid them in the future? Thanks! Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I'll have to echo what everyone has already said - 3 ACL reconstructions here. Stick with your physical therapy exercises. You must do them at home, even after you "graduate" from PT. As everyone said this will give you flexibility and strength. Mine are not 100% back to normal, but with continued effort my knees are much closer to normal than ever before! Due to multiple surgeries I take celebrex every day and that keeps me painfree. Hang in there! Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I bought based on the advice of my AFP instructor. Canopy is the same used as a student - sabre 2 The container is also the same - javelin (but this one hopefully won't give me bruises!) Picking up my new-to-me rig tonight!!! Yippeee!!!

It was great to meet you two a few weeks ago. I wish you the best. Can't make the party, but I'll be there in spirit! Congrats!

Way to go Beth! I was wondering how your last jump went! Sounds like you did great! So happy to hear it. The sooner you're done, the sooner we can jump together!

Age 29 Sex F Avg .195 Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Beth, Your pain was quite likely due to taking the only harness in a smaller size rather than giving that one to me and taking the larger one for yourself Seriously though, I don't know how much of a difference for girls and guys there is, but for me keeping the leg straps tight and the pads in the right position (mind tend to slide away from my body) on the student rigs helps a lot. I also wear jeans under the student jumpsuits. The pain is much less! I no longer have the excruitiatingly painful jumps that came with not getting my leg straps right. However, I still get bruises on my inner thighs with every jump! Good luck finding your answers! I know it hurts! Amy Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Welcome! Hope AFF #1 is a blast for you! Look forward to hearing about your progression. Lots of "newer" folks around here like us! Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

I am. See I'm having a suprise birthday party tomorrow. Haven't told anybody so they'll still throw me a party. Wait a minute, that's a story about me wanting a party, not keeping a secret Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Congrats!!! I'll jump with you, come to Chicago! Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

My boss said she is obviously paying me too much money if I could afford to skydive. Still got my raise last week though Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Another nearly 30 something loving the sugary cereal - though not always for breakfast! Count chocula, fruity pebbles, and cinnamon toast crunch for me! Though I add the cereal to the milk a little at a time cuz I hate soggy cereal! Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Welcome to it! My family recently told me that they never thought I'd follow through with this sport because I'm generally not one to spend a lot of money on anything. Little do they realize this is what I've been saving for my whole life! I just didn't know it at the time!!

Way to go Beth!!!

Way to go! Have fun! Blue skies, AJ Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Hey me too! I started with an innocent tandem and then it was over for me. Now it's taken over my life and I couldn't be happier about it! I was most worried about the landing too (from what I hear most new folks are). My instructors were great and helped with lots of support. Since I've always played sports I was good at falling down on the ground! Have your instructor teach you to PLF (parahute landing fall). I practiced PLF's and used them. Have fun! Blue skies! AJ Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Welcome! I had similar fears. It was at the door where my brain and body said to me - you want to do what??! I think it's pretty normal to be a little fearful of flying at 13K with the door open! My first exit with my own parachute was scary, but my anxiety was lessed by my instructor. The instructor held onto me, jumped with me, and was by my side hanging on until I deployed the chute. It was only after a few exits this way that I actually left the plane by myself (with my instructor a few feet away not holding on). The student progression was great for me. I got enough to challenge me on each dive, but not enough to overwhelm me. Talk to your instructor before your next jump, they are there to help. Then see how you feel after your tandem. If possible, maybe you could exit squatting instead of kneeling if you haven't already. Have fun!

Um... so which area is the FF area? :) Thanks Well behaved women rarely make history - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich

Hi Dave, In the student book it's listed as being 3500, but we were closer to 4000. I did one hop & pop and 2 coached dives for the end of my student progression. Students have another option involving 3 hop & pops and no additional coached dives. (Of course this is as far as I know, still 5 days old in this sport!

Hi all, I thought this story was amusing and I'd pass it on. I was on my first hop & pop on Sunday. My instructor and I were in the door hanging out and looking at the ground. I was a little nervous, but relieved with all the cheering and support of the loaded Otter. As we're looking down she decides to point out the local sights. Her first words are, there's the hospital! I'm a nurse and she thought it would be interesting for me to know, but all I could think was geez - the hospital!! Yikes! I gave her a hard time as she tried to explain herself and then she went on to point out the swimming pool and baseball fields. Maybe you have to be a slightly twisted health care provider to think that this was amusing... but it ended up being great because I was very relaxed out the door! And of course now I'm considering a career move to the hospital that's closer to the DZ!