slingerapie

Agreed!! I am certainly going to keep this one As for the gear: the Atom was if I remember correctly from '93. Before this accident no problems, it was well maintained and updated. But, as pointed out, reserve flap not tucked in. And, if we had taken more time to plan our exit, we might have stumbled upon the problem of me not reaching my BF's legs. Since I never found my freebag, and the costs of a replacement would have exceeded the amount the rig was worth, I decided that it was time for newer gear :-) (ofcourse 3 weeks after buying other gear a farmer brought the freebag in) Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Atom Indeed it is an Atom, thanx Deyan :-) Since I am the girl in the video a short reply. The plan was to do a wagonwheel exit with my boyfriend. (who is actually the one pushing me out of the plane) I couldn't reach his suit whilst standing in the door, and shuffled a bit backward. While doing that, my reserve flap got wedged in the door opening. (kind of "peelded" off) resulting in my reserve activation. And yes I am forever grateful for my boyfriend, if it wasn't for his reaction of pushing me, I think me and the others in that plane could have been a lot worse. Grateful that it only cost me a long pretty long ride down (9000ft) and a new repack. Oh and it was my 454th jump. Hopefully others can learn from this. Greetz illona Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Welcome to the forums and the sport!! Enjoy, it's the best thing out there if you ask me :-) (even beat skymama here... LOL) Blue skies! Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Have fun on your jump, as well as your mom!! Very brave she is going with you!! When I did my tandem I didn't tell my mom till AFTER the jump because I knew she'd freak out. She still doesn't like it when I go jumping, but she's getting used to the fact that she has a daughter that likes to jump out of planes for fun. Also wish that i'd started jumping younger. Got a tandem for my b-day 3 years ago at 28.... Got me hooked forever!! (so also suggest to get a job and start saving up :-) Have fun!! Come and tell us how it went :-) Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Hi, Everyone who has a shoulder dislocation once, has a higher risk of having it again, even with therapy, and waiting 2-3 months. The muscles have been stretched while it was dislocated, creating more room for your shoulder to "pop out" a next time. Training your muscles in the gym, as mentioned above, is a good thing besides your therapy. Also agree with the windtunnel thing... Try to avoid having your arms going behind your head. This can happen in belly flying if you don't put enough strength on your arms, especially when flying in a box-man. Mantis flying might be better, but I don't know if you will be thought this in France. I am no docter, but have experience in people with shoulder dislocations since I am an ER nurse. I do know a few skydivers who have had this happen to them, and after therapy and keeping muscle strength it didn't happen. But this is a personal thing, and you will have to experience it for yourself. If you have " weak" ligaments in your shoulder, or had prior dislocations there is a greater risk of it happening again. Hope that this was a once-and-never more experience for you, and great that you have been able to pull and fly your chute !! Heal well! Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Here are some vids for you JumpTeigen, my "own" youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/slingerapie And the one where I post my FS-4 team vids. (we are rookies, started in april so don't laugh... LOL) http://www.youtube.com/user/teamMACH4 Should keep you busy for a little while ;-) Illona Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

First, congrats on your first jump! Second: shut up and go for another Just kidding... If you feel up to another go, just show up at your DZ and go for it! It is normal to have nerves. I still do, after 250 jumps. Just like the comment above, nothing compared to what they were with my first jumps, but I still feel it. Sometimes a little more than other jumps, depending on what I'm planning to do Let us know what you do, and when you jump, tell us how it went. Relax, and have fun!! Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Can you describe the actual incident in a bit more detail than just "hard landing' ? How did you hit the ground, what part hit first, how did the rest of your body absorb the momentum (roll, controlled or not?) If it was only sprained, after this time it should be better in my opinion. You should be able to walk normally. If I understand your problem correctly, I think you should reconsider going back to your dr. As I am no dr, but only an ER nurse, I can advice you and say what I think, but it is difficult ofcourse from overseas and without x-rays :-) Anyway, it might me possible that you do have a fracture, in your talus. This is the bone that connects your leg to your foot, and also connects with your heelbone (calcaneus) Since you do have full range of motion, I don't think it's the ligaments (they've healed) Did you have swelling, and is it still tender as well? (when you push on the spot where the bruising was) A fracture of the talus is often missed on x-rays, especially if it is a small (hairline) fracture. A CT-scan will show more. But, once again, I'm no doctor, and I don't want to scare you, and yes, this is the internet, so if you want real good advice, go see your dr. (as would you see your instructor, for advice on jumps, and not some newbie like me) Let me know what you do, and what the outcome is! Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Just a question, where does it hurt when you do walk normally? Because you say you can't put pressure on your big toe, but you have a sprained ankle.... Does it hurt in your toe? or does it hurt on the sides of your foot? or somewhere else? can you move your foot from left to right while keeping it 90 degrees to your leg? (stand on the floor, lift your foot a little and "wiggle" gently) Do you know what kind of trauma you sustained? (inversion, eversion?) If you damaged some ligaments, it can take up to six weeks to heal with treatment, (like sportstape) and longer if you don't treat it. Also, after that it will still be a little weak spot, and you can feel a little pain whenever you misstep somhow. (in a hole or something) I'd recommend wearing shoes that support your feet and ankles, like jogging shoes, or even better, lightweigt walking shoes. also when you go jumping, have someone, or if you're able to do it yourself, put tape on your ankle / foot, so you can't twist it the wrong way. (ofcourse you'll first need someone to show to you how) Anyway, this is how we treat sprained ankles at my work. ofcourse it is better to keep from jumping for six weeks at the least. But you did a good job taking 5 weeks! (I just taped myself once, and kept jumping because of teamtraining.... not a very good example here... but since I kept on taping for six weeks and wearing the right shoes it "only" took me 8 weeks to say, hey, it's over... but kept on jumping though....) Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

you've seen the shape some of the planes are in? You WANT to get out.... (but then they say, why get in then?.... so I just say... because I can.) Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Yes, I've always wanted to jump since I saw jumpers on the DZ near my house. Even have a picture of me in a harnass that one of the jumpers was kind enough to put on me just for the fun of it :-) Just never got to do it. Since at least once a year I would say that I wanted to jump "some day", my bf gave me a tandem for my birthday two years ago. That was the beginning.... LOL Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Welcome to the forums! After I did my tandem, all I could think of was going back up there. Due to working in weekends it took 3 months before I was in groundschool, but since my first solo jump it has been very addicting. It's not just another hobby anymore for me, it's a bit more. Can't explain it very good I'm afraid. All I can say is that when I'm not jumping, I'm thinking about jumping, or watching video's, prepare for my next teamtraining etcetc..... So be prepared edited to add: never had regrets !! Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Welcome to the forums! And good that you started again! Fun isn't it to jump with your hubby!! Makes jumps that little bit more :-) I started jumping 2 years ago, my bf followed 1 year later, and since about a month we are allowed to jump together. (rules here in the netherlands are a bit different than in the us) THe only problem we have with two jumpers is the same you have experienced.... My bf has his own material since 3 months as well, that is a big relief. Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!

Was thinking the same thing...

+1 My Vigil pull up broke last week, and wasn't happy with that. Have used it for over a year though. Just got an email back from Vigil saying they'll send me some new ones, also like above, free Don't try to live forever, you will not succeed!