pcnut

I will tell you what I was told with 40 or so jumps still on a student rig by the great Melanie Curtis DONT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!!!! not on a student rig for sure.....its very easy to screw up a landing using rear risers.. I could get more detailed but I need to goto bed soon....doing my first balloon jump at 6am talk to your instructors..... dont do it... edit: personally ANY jumper that brags about alot of stand up landings is an egomaniac....a stand up landing in NO WAY equals a perfect landing.... cya, Steve

1:8:2 Great weekend, jumped my own rig for the first time on Saturday and my first 3-way on Sunday! I showed up at the DZ on Saturday filled with fear, dread, and apprehension. I hadn't jumped in 3 weeks (by far my longest time off), was jumping my own rig for the first time...and the memory of my god-awful-landing my last jump 3 weeks earlier still haunted me. I didn't even intend to jump on Saturday but after I picked my rig up at the loft I went back home and stared at it feeling terrified of jumping it...I knew I had to get it over with! Turns out my rig feels great and flys even better...and I got an awesome deal on it.....thanks to all the cool people at Elsinore Did 2 jumps on Saturday & 6 on Sunday....didnt even leave the DZ last night till after 10pm....had an awesome weekend jumping! cya, Steve

Dude....I know who you are and I also jump at Elsinore. Participate in the Excel Basic Camp...its free and will help a HUGE AMOUNT!! It's actually free coaching. Good luck and ease up on yourself...I can relate because (in my mind) I was a MUCH better skydiver 30 jumps ago than I am today! Like one of the other responses stated; 'its all relative.' (be it sucking, kicking ass, or whatever...imo if you can walk away from it, it was a successful skydive) btw, your comment about skydiving being a humbling sport is the most accurate and honest statement I have seen on these forums. I too, understand just enough to know I don't know shit compared to a truly experienced skydiver Good Luck, pcnut

Don't quit....period.....if you don't quit sooner or later you will get it.. we all get it when we get it.... good luck, pcnut

I did my AFF Course in March at Elsinore. On the first AFF jump students are to wave off and pull by 5500 feet. By level 8 the minimum pull altitude is 4500 feet, then by jump 25 it is 3500 feet. After they get their license it is the 3000 feet as stated in the SIM. I assume this may vary according to each DZ/AFF program. Cya, pcnut

I got a hold of a coupon for a free helmet bag w/the purchase of an Aviator Helmet from Square 1 for $150 I have worn it for the about 68 jumps now and have no real complaints. Last week I did purchase an Optima and upon placing it inside the helmet I discovered the velcro that was supposed to hold the audible pouch in had came loose from the helmet. My audible still stayed in place for the day and later I just hot glued a bigger piece of velcro inside the helmet and it holds great now. Also once sitting by the door I got SLAMMED in the top of the head by some giant brit in a hurry to get out, chipped the helmet but not my head! GOD SAVE THE QUEEN PETER! Overall I like it and plan on keeping mine for a while! Good luck, pcnut

I had to really think about the question and then my answer. I would have to say a 9.5 I did my AFF in March '08 at Elsinore and have made a gang of jumps there since then and my instruction continues to this day. Earlier today I had a very enlightenling conversation with Chad (an instructor at Elsinore) regarding landing approaches in the main/student landing areas. This is just one of MANY conversations I have had with the instructors/packers/locals at Elsinore. I ask ALOT of questions and NEVER settle for one persons answer. As dumb as some of my questions may have been I have never been laughed at (ok maybe a few times) but NEVER discouraged from seeking more info. In fact, due to my persistence it looks like we will be having water training in the next couple of weeks! (thanks Mark!) There are alot of great instructors at Elsinore but the ones that affected me the most would have to be Cesar, Lelo, Mark, Chad, Matt and Yong, But I want to clarify, this is not my opinion of their AFF program overall, it is my rating of the training that I personally received. Due to the fact I have never received AFF training anywhere else I don't feel qualified to rate their course compared to another dz's training. I will say this; I would easily have paid double what I did pay to get my A license if I had to, for whatever that is worth edit: My 19 year old daughter is going to begin her AFF next month at Elsinore after careful consideration of other options, if that is not a testament as to my opinion of the training at Elsinore, I don't know what is! cya, pcnut

I had alot of trouble relaxing and lots of fear the first 4 jumps, had to repeat Level 4 once, but thanks to Cesar at Elsinore and his awesome "dont let me stick this quater up your ass trick" something clicked on my 2nd attempt at level 4 and it was much easier for a while. Recently on jump 48 I had a hard pull, resulting in a somewhat low pull for my experience level (3k not really low, but considering what happened it was) I deployed in a somewhat fast spin, thinking it was only an unstowed brake, I attempted to release the left brake but could not, nor could I stop the spin, so I had to cutaway. It was a knotted brake line, but I realize now, I spent to long trying to fix the problem. It all turned out ok but since then I have had 2 hard openings (1 today) and I am starting to experience alot of anxiety just prior to pull time and lately have wanted to pull much earlier once in freefall than I had "planned" to, so far I have resisted the urge but its a cruddy feeling. Also my landings are not always stand-up, but with the exception of disliking the dirt and stickers, I will take an ugly PLF over a broken leg ANY DAY... PLFS ROCK! imo but yeah the opening anxiety is kicking my ass lately edit: btw I had real trouble with stable exits till about jump 35 or so.....I worked hard on exits and now its my favorite part of the jump lmao did you just want one example? cya, Steve

As someone who just started AFF last month I can remember that fear like it was yesterday....(well it practically was) For me the first 4 were nothing short of terrifying.... The next 4 were just extremely scary and my first solo was back to terrifying I also wondered at some point during AFF if I was just one of those people that would never 'get it' Around jump 11 or 12 the fear of jumping in general turned into fear of looking like an idoit on my exit...(which were a bit short of graceful) Now I just get scared I will only get 6 jumps in for the entire day... j/k I still get the 'flutters' in my stomach on most rides to altitude but it hardly qualifies as fear compared to what I used to go through. For the first 9 jumps on the ride to altitude I seriously considered landing with the plane but always jumped. I would say you are going through exactly what most, if not all, new jumpers do. And now that I feel halfway compent with my exits jumping out has become my favorite part... Good luck and just stay with it! cya, pcnut

these 2 dropzones are that close to each other? thinking about hitting up some cali dz's this summer... Yes they are....about 15 minutes depending on which route and traffic.... I have never jumped at Perris though...just the wind tunnel..... but I will soon I have heard good things about Perris and I KNOW the people at Elsinore are extremely friendly and easy going.... Yesterday some of the AFF students/Instructor at Elsinore ran over to Perris for some tunnel time since the winds were to strong/turbulent for students...then they came back and got to jump later in the day when things calmed down... cya, pcnut

7 minutes to Skydive Elsinore, 6 to Skydive Perris.... I usually jump at Elsinore, and goto Perris for the tunnel... but I drive ALOT for my job it that makes you feel any better cya, pcnut

Hello Brotherman, I dont personally have any experience with the program you mentioned since I just did my AFF last month, but I know 2 individuals that are currently in the program. Both of them are working (interns really) at Skydive Elsinore. They have already completed the portion in New Zeland. One of them is from England, the other from Boston. My understanding is it is not cheap, but if you are sure you want a a career in skydiving, it seems like the way to go. Both the guys I know in it are very pleased with it, and both have their B license. Also they know more about wind, clouds, etc than most weather forecasters... Plus since you live in the area it would be cheaper than someone from the USA or England. I considered it for my 19 year old daughter but since I KNOW my wife will kill me if I even mention it, she is starting AFF next month (she has to pay for a portion) at Elsinore. If you have the means, I say go for it! AFF is not a bad way to go....but as someone who just started jumping and cant seem to stop, any program involving 200 jumps has to be awesome! Good luck, Steve

I think it was really just a matter of timing... When I did my first skydive (the tandem) I was (am) 40, so I decided I was gonna bang this out with out wasting anymore time, I work for myself so my schedule is flexible, and finally I got my tax return in March. Also I live less than 10 minutes from Elsinore & Perris! The Perfect Storm!

Hello everyone. My name is Steve, I live in Lake Elsinore, CA. As a xmas gift I got a tandem jump for my daughter and myself. We both loved it...I knew I had to learn to jump. I saved up until March, purchased the entire 25 jump package and got my A license in a little under a month. Now my daughter (she is 19 now) is working on saving up for her AFF. I did get her a second tandem for her bday a couple of weeks ago. I was doing my solos then so we flew up together, I got to kiss her cheek goodbye and dove out the door. I love jumping and have met so many cool people over at elsinore. I usually jump all day on Sundays but sometimes if work is slow during the week I go down to the dz Thanks, Steve

My 19 year old daughter is chomping at the bit to start her AFF. She has done 2 tandems recently and really wants to jump. I suggested (ok told her) she should save up before starting, which is what I did. Even though we have great weather in so cal everything seems to cost more $$$ If you pay up front the A license package at Skydive Elsinore is $2842 that includes 25 jumps, packing class, all equipment/packing, 2 videos (still havent used mine) and your USPA fees. Since I only did my first jump (a tandem) because she wanted to go with me so bad...I agreed to pay $1000 of the cost. She has $700 saved up and just got a second job just to help pay for skydiving. She hangs out at the DZ with me sometimes and the (very cool) instructors let her use the training harness to practice her EPs. She even taught them to our dog.... :D We think she should be able to start late May or early June. I can hardly wait to jump with my daughter! It's funny though cause her sister is getting the bug too and she's only 13. But for now she has to be happy with the wind tunnel at Perris. Good Luck on your jumps!!! Steve