Jeth

Welcome! You will have an awesome experience! I am not scared of heights, but I have heard from others who are that it doesn't really come into play. Perhaps only at the very end when you are just a couple hundred feet off the ground. But if you like roller coasters, then that part should be no problem either. You will be scared, anxious, nervous. Especially on the ride up and when the door opens. Just because it's such an unnatural thing. You will probably be in shock/overload as soon as you're out the door. But once you're out there flying, it's all worth it!! Good luck! Let us know how it went. Jeth "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Hey there, Do tandem, not static line!! With a tandem jump you will experience a minute of freefall and it'll feel like you're up there by yourself. I think with static line your chute opens right away so theres virtually no freefall. (Anyone correct me if I'm wrong.) I think you'll also get a longer ride cause SL starts a lot lower than tandem. I have not done SL, but I have heard a lot of people say how much better tandem is. You will get to experience a lot more that way, and you get to pull the cord and help guide the chute down (if you want). Or if you are in sensory overload and/or shock (as I was), the TM will do everything and you'll just get an awesome ride.

Ok, I get the idea, thanks. I guess I'll find out exactly how it is at my DZ when I get into the course. Thanks!! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

So after student status, you don't have to go up with a jump master? But then to get the rest of the qualifying jumps for the license, you have to jump with an instructor or coach? (I.E. after student status I could take some jumps by myself just for fun, but to get credit towards a license, I would have to go up with the instructor?) Thanks! p.s. kingbunky, I love your picture! "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Ya, I am thinking the same thing. Although I will be riding the tallest, fastest roller coaster in the world, so it oughta be a pretty good thrill. (It's 420 ft at 120mph, straight down. ) I'll let ya know...

Hey everybody, I am confused about training. My DZ has a program that gives you all 20 jumps, so that when you graduate you can get your A license. But with the AFF programs, you only get like 8 or 9 jumps and then you're on your own? But then don't you still need to be supervised? So how do you get the rest of your jumps? Do you just have to ask licensed jumpers to go with you? I can't believe someone would be off student status with only 8 jumps. Thanks for any info. Jeth "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Cool! It's a great book, lots of info. I'll let you know how my 2nd jump goes. I am so hooked I was actually looking for a DZ in the area where I'll be on vacation. But I decided I want to go back to the same one and go with the same TM. I guess I can wait. My vacation is going to 3 theme parks and riding tons of roller coasters, so hopefully that'll satisy me till I can jump again.

Hi there, You're gonna love your first jump! You will be nervous, anxious, scared, etc. Especially when they open the door. When you first exit, you will feel like you're falling just for a few seconds, till you hit terminal velocity (when you stop accelerating). Then you will feel like you're FLYING!! And what a feeling that is!!! Woo-hoo!!

Wow. I had the EXACT same thought. In all my pics and on the video I have this huge smile on my face. All that apprehension and fear (at the beginning) doesn't show at all. Everyone who looked at the pics thought I was lovin' every minute of it. That's another reason I thought I was "faking it". Why would I be smiling on exit when inside I am freaking about what I'm about to do? Was it because the camera was there? I don't think so. But maybe I wasn't as scared as I thought. I do look pretty calm all throughout my video. I guess it's good, though. If I did look freaked they'd probably think it was fear of falling or fear of dying (which it wasn't). But it was definitely something. Thats why I really want to do it again. I need to experience it for real, without the sensory overload. It is definitely calling us back -- answer the call! I am going on vacation for 10 days this weekend, but when I get back I'm going back to the DZ! When will you jump again? Jeth "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Ya, thats what I have been thinking about. Do skydivers have time for anything else? I love to travel, hang out with my dogs, have BBQ's, and be with my husband. Will I still have time for all that if I take up skydiving? Do you jump every single weekend? I think I would need and want to in order to get better and stay current. Especially since here in Chicago we only have nice weather for a few months. But I wouldn't want to start neglecting my husband and friends all summer. Ah, I'm so confused! I really want to do it, but don't want to get consumed by it. (I think I already am!) Jeth "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

Hey Tim, I did my tandem at Skydive Chicago! I'm glad you say it's the best. I didn't do any checking beforehand. (It was a gift) But I was checking afterwards when I was checking into doing the AFP. It does seem to be a pretty comprehensive program compared to others. My only hesitation -- they didn't make me wear a helmet on my 1st jump. They didn't even offer it as an option. I asked about it when we were suiting up and they said "na, you don't need one.". I realize the TM is more important to protect (he was wearing one), but I still think they should've had me wear a helmet. If I do the AFP, I will definitely be wearing one for every jump. It was good to hear some people take awhile to complete AFP. Part of me would love to do it right away, but I have a feeling that won't happen. I can't live at the DZ all weekend like some people! I am thinking about taking a week off next summer and trying to do it all in those 9 days. Of course, my husband will kill me if I use our vacation time for that! I don't know. When will I have the time to go to the DZ every weekend? But I hope I can do it before I forget how awesome it is. Thanks for the warm welcome, Jeth "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

freemis, I just wanted to tell you that I felt the same way after my 1st jump. I was excited when we landed, but there were also other emotions I couldn't really identify. I had complete faith in my TM (he is also very experienced with over 10,000 jumps). So I never felt fear of getting hurt or dying, but I think it was fear of the unknown. Those first few seconds when you're still accelerating -- that was intense. I had to tell myself, "Ok, open your eyes. You're flying!" But then when I did it was so awesome. I saw the videoographer right there in front of me and started hamming it up. The canopy ride was so cool, too. My TM did some spirals after I said I love roller coasters. After we landed I felt good, but didn't want to go back up right away again. I think I was kind of in shock. It wasn't till the next day that I really started thinking about it. I started examining every detail in my mind. I kept looking at the pictures and watching the video over and over. I, too, had problelms talking to people about it. I didn't cry, but I was very deep in thought for 5 days straight. My mind was completely dedicated to my jump, and learning about how it works and trying to remember how it felt. I was trying to figure out if I really did like it, or I was just trying to convince myself I did. I felt really confused -- I was so drawn to jumping again, but I was also scared to actually become a skydiver and do it solo. Anyway, I just wanted you to know I had a really intense response to my first jump, too. Now it has been 8 days and I am still occupied with thoughts of it quite a lot. I am almost done reading "The Skydivers Handbook". That has really opened my eyes to so much, I highly recommend it! I wish I had read it before I went. I will be going back for my 2nd jump as soon as I can, hopefully in another week. I'm so anxious to do that, to see how I feel after the 2nd one. I hope I will be more relaxed up there and be more aware. Anyway, congrats on your 1st jump! Dont' worry about the emotional roller coaster, you're not the only one! And I'm sure we'll all get more comfortable up there as we do it more. Jeth p.s. I, too, did it myself cause my husband didn't want to. I hope that on my 2nd one I can find someone to go with, though. (More fun and someone to share the experience with.) "At 13,000 feet nothing else matters." PFRX!!!!! Team Funnel #174, Sunshine kisspass #109 My Jump Site

I totally agree with freemis on this one. I did my 1st tandem a week ago. I had wanted to do all the things my TM told me, but I was in total brain overload once I was up there. It went by so fast as it was, I can't imagine if I'd had to actually check the alititude, my heading, pull the cord, steer the chute and find my landing. I know I enjoyed it much more having him do the driving. And I still don't even remember most of it! (I have to watch the video to relive it.) Of course, now I am dying to go back up and do it again! But I still want to do a couple more tandems before I do a solo. I want to get more comfortable in freefall so when I do the solo I can be focused on what I need to do. I think even with a million hours of ground school, nothing will prepare you for the feelings of freefall and having all that noise and pressure in your face and against your body. Do a tandem first just to experience freefall, then you'll be much more prepared to handle yourself on the solo. Good luck! You're gonna love it!!

Hey there everyone, I have always wanted to skydive, and for my 30th birthday, my husband surprised me with a trip to the DZ last Sunday. He has absolutely no interest in skydiving, but he came to watch. Well ever since I landed, I cannot get skydiving off my mind. The minute I got home I started combing the internet looking for information. I wanted to know more about the sport -- the training, the licensing, etc. I was also curious as to what kind of people skydivers are. (Now I know -- happy, friendly, and lovin' life.