psyhunterson

Yeah, my instructors tell me that we're gonna focus a lot more in landings next time I visit the drop zone. I think I have developed a landing fear, and it makes me feel like.. sh#t. I don't care jumping off the plane, but the aftermath is what causes me anxiety. I hate it when my own self keeps me away from the things I love doing. So, I figure that the best way to overcome the fear is another jump with a successful landing (i.e. getting away with no injuries). After all, I believe that if I apply the brakes this time, it wont hurt the same as my first landing... Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

Thank you guys for sharing your experiences. makes me feel more confident that I can make it better next time. I'm currently working on the fear I got for landings. I guess a good landing in the next jump would be the best way to overcome it. Despite the fact that I passed the level I'm pretty sure that I will have to repeat it, as I'm waiting for warmer months in order to try jumping again. All I do for now, is read read read skydiving related stuff. Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

I like it enough to try it again, that's for sure. But getting used to breaking bones? I don't think that's feasible for me. My health and my job are currently my top priorities. After all, skydiving among other things is supposed to be fun too, and I see no fun in injuries (who does anyway ). Of course, one can be injured or die while driving yet we don't quit driving to feel safe. I guess what i'm trying to say is that no one enjoys injuries in whatever daily activities or lifestyle. Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

I had no idea of all these factors playing role in cannopy suport and landing. Thank you very much for all the valuable info. I have nearly recovered from my injuries and while, at the beggining I wasn't feel like trying again, now I feel more confident that if so many others do it, I can definately land without an injury too. I'll give myself some time in winter for recovery and reading and give it another try in warmer months. Thanks again. Happy holidays and may the new year be full of health and safe landings Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

"It was probably sensory overload and you just missed it." Job and skydiving do not always work together. Sometimes, it's really much better to conceil your passion - job comes first. "Falling off stairs" could be the better explanation. *I don't know the tecninal details of my canopy. All I know is that it was for students (I guess) and much bigger of course than those of my instructors' *I weigh 80kg (that is around 176 pounds) *The Drop Zone land, consisted of grass and crushed stone. I landed quite far on crusded stones of a field near the DZ. (They picked me up with a car but I could stand up though not walk) *I don't know the exact elevation of the DZ but I surely know that it is quite far above sea level (there was thick fog earlier in the morning and we waited long before it clears). *No I don't break bones easily. In fact, I never broke anything (not even as a child). But I used to have sensitivity on my knee cartilage. But in recent years I was fine. *No, I don't exercise much. Usual walking, stair climbing and some hiking but not very often. Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

Thank you all for your advice and all your input in my case. I definately had a training in landing procedures but don't know if it was enough. obviously not. I practiced successful plfs around 10-15 times on the ground and the next day I did the jump. I did have a radio and followed all the instructions from the ground. I was told that there was a change in wind direction so I should change my pattern. I did what I was told and while I was approaching the ground I remember the instructor telling me to be tight. then I thought I should flair but I hit the ground and got injured. Later, I asked one of my instructors what went wrong, and he told me that he had the impression that I didn't flair at all. I landed quite far and obviously they couldn't see me well. Then I asked him if he told me on the radio when to flair 'cause I don't remember hearing "FLAIR!". He said he did tell me to flair. I don't know what happened. Seems that radio didn't help much in my case It's the first time I discuss my injury as I didn't feel so far, like discussing it especially with people that have never jumped off a plane. They don't understand. I think that I look ridiculous for jumping and getting injured. People think that whoever does skydiving kinda asks for it to get injured or die. During the first week after me getting hurt and as I couldn't walk at all I thought that skydiving was over for me. Now that I'm getting better, all I think is how I could do this again the wright way. It's gonna take a while until I fully recover but I might try it again in summer time. I had an issue with the cold too, as I didn't feel my hands when I landed. I guess time will tell. I hope i try it again when I'll be more ready for it and without injury as I can't afford it due to work related issues... Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

what do you mean? sorry, english isn't my native language Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

Hi . After a tandem, I decided to try AFF as I really loved skydiving. So I finished ground school and went on AFF1. Everything on air was fine. The chute opening was also perfect and then steering while descending was awesome. Unfortunately, I ended up injured due to my lack of experience in landing. I was taught plf, i was also taught how to flair but when the moment came, I did everything the way i shouldn't. I just remember flairing only when i hit the ground and boy, the impact was strong! I tried to be tight for the impact but i guess i didn't do it right. I injured a knee, an ankle and my lower back, so I had to stay off my work telling everyone lies about the way I got injured (falling off stairs is the most convenient). I think that all I was thinking about, was my free fall perfomance and I wasn't concerned enough for the landing. Big mistake. Afterwards, My instructors told me that I should consider myself lucky to not having anything broken and that landing can be learned in time, but in the hardest part, which was my free fall behavior, I was almost perfect. However, after my personal ordeal, I'm so dissapointed. Is learning to land smoothly so difficult? Will I have to suffer more injuries to gain the so called experience? God I love this sport so much, yet the shock of my injury was so great that I started wondering whether it's worth it in the event of being injured again... the weird thing is, that now i'm really scared of landings while I feel no fear at all when I'm about to jump off the plane. Do you thing I should better try Static line jumps for the canopy learning and then proceed with AFF? Any advice, or opinion is welcome. thanks in advance p.s. Skydiving isn't easy AT ALL. Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

Good news. The instructors from my drop zone, told me that given the circumstances I mentioned in my original post, it's no surprising that I had dizziness and momentary loss of my senses. They also told me that nausea is not rare in tandem passengers due to different harness system than regular rigs. When in solo rig, it's not very common to faint. So, without being necessary a second tandem, I could still do it if I want it, after I finish my theoretical training and before I move to AFF. So, I'll go to the free fall school and then decide if I want another tandem or a S/L jump before i start AFF in practice.

In my case, Since my diaphragm is now straight, it's not about another surgery. It's just swollen walls from the inside and bad anatomy. cauterization could be a solution but not a permanent. It's not a big problem, and it's apparent only when I'm frustrated, sad, sitting all the time, eating junk food etc etc. the contrary happens when I'm happy about smth, or exercising and so on.. Doctors say it's psychosomatic and it's related to diet and lifestyle too. So I try to eat healthy and exercise and I'm ok. While skydiving, I never felt lack of air but again all I remember is yelling and screaming being elated! Now that I think about it, I shouldn't be yelling all the time. Instead, I could breath really good and enjoy the air. I just was so overwhelmed that my yelling was impulsive. I'm pretty sure that in my next jump I'll be much more composed. AADs are great, but in my mind, the most dangerous thing that could happen is to faint while being alone under canopy, not being conscious to steer yourself safe on the ground LuckyMcSwervy, I watched your first tandem video. It's great. and the fact that you flew through clouds was really cool... Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

Hmm.... that's very interesting I sometimes have a problem breathing through my both nostrils. I had a surgery in my nose's diaphragm about 10 years ago (now I'm 30), so diaphragm problem solved but inner walls remained somehow swollen preventing free airflow. Now I'm fine especially when I do pleasant activities like running, swimming etc but when I occasionally smoke I still get the nose problem. Seems to me, that bad habits and unhealthy diet and lifestyle worsens the problem but when I do things the way I should, everything's fine and I don't feel uncomfortable... Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..

Thank you for all your answers

Hello everybody. About a week ago I tried tandem skydiving for the first time. It was totally awesome and I'm hooked. However, I did have some problems. First, the sensory overload. I remember me falling out of the plane, and feeling the air and the noise and yelling and yelling smiling at the camera. But feel the whole thing lasted only around 5-10 seconds instead of the 35-40 it actually did. so this is a bummer.. Next thing is nausea. when the parachute opened, after a few turns I got sooo dizzy and then, while wishing to end the canopy flying, I started seeing colors in my mind. Next thing I remember is my tandem master asking me if I was ok. I said yes and he told me that I fainted for a few seconds. After that, Being ready to land I didn't have the strength to pull my knees up as I was instructed and ended landing on my knees.. I must say, that I didn't eat (in fear of queasiness!) any food at all for the whole day, and i jumped around 3.00 pm. I didn't sleep well the night before (due to anticipation), and Also, while free falling i don't remember me breathing. Just yelling my lungs out as I was so overwhelmed (yet it's damn blurry in my mind) and finally, when I came round after fainting under canopy, I felt my chest strap suffocating while I didn't feel that way before the jump and during the free fall! After the jump, still overwhelmed, I felt totally awesome, wanting to do it again as I felt the experience too short. Well i didn't have the money for that so I waited for a while and then left the drop zone. So far, I have flashes of my free fall experience at random moments of the day not to mention my dreams while sleeping! Anyways, I can't forget the whole thing and nothing seems more important than skydiving.. I know it sounds weird and no one from my friends and family seem to understand that. I really want to try AFF but reading in the forum all these experiences of sensory overload and nausea-fainting I can't help worrying how should I deal with that on my own having no instructor doing everything for me. I mean, what happens if I faint while I'm under my canopy by myself and not being able to properly steer? I must also say that before the jump and on the plane, I , strangely enough, wasn't scared whatsoever. I was pretty calm even the second before our exit and the earth looked like a giant map. As i'm an adrenalin junkie and a roller coaster enthusiast as well, I have also tried bungee several times and never did I experience faintness or diziness. So my question is, should I try AFF/Static line or try another tandem and see how it goes? I'm worried for static line jumps too, in fear of passing out during my landin... Please help. Any suggestions, thoughts of what happened to me or how to overcome it and advice for what in your opinion I should do with skydiving, would be highly appreciated. thanks Human mind is a parachute. It works when it is open..