SuperNerd1988

I'm not a TI but I think its worth sharing an incident that happened over the summer. I was not on this load, but saw the aftermath on the ground. I picked up everything else by talking the instructor and the pilot. There was no video on this jump. My home DZ uses 185s and as the student got out onto the step, her foot slid in front of and below it. The instructor was not aware of this and exited, causing her ankle and foot to be raked on the step as they fell below and behind the aircraft. The force on the step as her ankle went across the front of it was enough to yaw the aircraft hard to that side. Interestingly enough, she was not in pain during free fall but only felt it after opening. Once they were down she was transported to the hospital with a huge, deep gash in her ankle but nothing was broken. I guess the lesson to be learned from this is to make sure the student is in the proper position for exit. Practice on the ground fully hooked up would probably help the student understand exactly what he or she needs to do to make it a smooth exit and a good skydive. I'm sorry if my post here is out of place, but I wanted to make people aware of this so it doesn't happen to someone else.

I'll really miss you Dan. It was fun hanging out with you and thanks for looking out for me as a student. I was hoping to learn free flying from you someday. Blue skies, may you rest in peace.

It was probably sensory overload and you just missed it. There is a lot to think about and it doesn't help that you have a planet coming up at you. When you feel up to jumping again, just try to relax and listen for your radio instructions. Stay aware, though, ground instructors can make mistakes and it is ultimately up to you to get yourself down safely. Hope the next one goes better for you. There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

I looked at the website for the place you are going to try and I noticed that their first AFF jump is a tandem and is the same price as a regular tandem. If you specify you want to do the AFF jump, you will get the training you need to take the first step toward a license. Then if you decide to keep with skydiving you will have the first step done and you will be ready to take the next one. There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

Nicely said. It is interesting how religious people pick and choose which rules to follow. There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

You, sir, are addicted to skydiving. I'm afraid there is nothing you can do at this point except...KEEP JUMPING!! It took me a few jumps to get over the door fear. It still gets me a bit when I am out on the step, but the people who have been in this sport much longer than we have will tell your that a little bit of fear is what will keep you sharp and safe. "Complacency kills" is a fairly common phrase around here. Nausea under canopy during a tandem has been reported a few times so you're not the only one. I think part of it is you don't know what to expect. Once I started AFF and was in control of the canopy I didn't have the problem with nausea any more. Welcome to the sport! There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

I have not read this entire thread, so I apologize if I am restating what has already been said. I have seen some debate about tandems and their role in the world of skydiving so I figured I'd add my two cents worth. My first jump was a tandem and I decided to do it to see what skydiving was like. I did not have plans at the time to pursue it as a hobby. After doing my first jump, I just had to do it again. Now I have finished the AFF program and I'm working toward a license. My tandem was a great introduction to the sport. Regarding DZs that only fly tandems and not fun jumpers, I agree with mamajumps that it would be helpful if they advertised themselves that way so fun jumpers would know to go elsewhere. There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

I'm still a student so I hardly have any jumps, but each time I go for the ripcord I think "will this be my first mal?" In a way, it will be nice when I have my first reserve ride so I can have that experience and know I can deal with it. I go over EPs in my head on the ground while gearing up and in the plane on the ride up so I know what to do, it just a question of if it will all come back when I need it. There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

What do you mean by iffy backloops? Hard time getting around, unstable after? There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

I came across this interesting video on skydivingmovies.com. Some of you may have seen it already, but I was just amazed that people would even try this. Clicky There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

Congress has just as much if not more blame than Bush. Over the last couple years I have been very disappointed in Congress for giving Bush pretty much everything he has asked for. There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

"Ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh ffffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuudddddddddgggggggggeeeeeee Only I didn't say fudge..." There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

Yay, Firefly!!

What would they do if you got a full body wax? There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.

I hope I'm wrong, but it sounds like the student in question now has a license without the proper training on the ground and in the air. Why on earth would and AFFI sign off on a card when the student learned the material and skills they need to save themselves and not kill others in the process? There's a risk to skydiving that is not always mentioned; the risk of becoming addicted to it.