Melissa126

My parents thought it was great that I was going to go do a tandem... then I did another, and another...Although I live on my own they soon noticed I was disappearing every sunny weekend, and selling my things on craigs list! They realized I was going through aff when the log book came, Mom thought every time I left I was committing suicide, and Dad couldn't believe I was "wasting all my hard earned money and how will I Ever live the american dream and buy a house and retire"... One day he showed up at the dz ( I didn't even know he knew where it was )... thought for sure he was going to drag me out of there by my hair... But, he came with a camera and wanted to get some pics of me landing

[replynow thinking about going to Lv 2 this weekend not in tandem gets me really anxiety ridden. I guess I'm afraid I'm somehow going to start spinning and tumbling if he and my other AFFI lose hold of me and then I'm going to really panic! Any advice? I can relate to your fear! I did 4 tandems before I got up the nerve to do AFF... even then had all your same fears of tumbling (pretty much through the Entire AFF... yeah, I stopped watching youtube!!!). Like was said, Embrace the fear :) trust your instructors, trust your arch! Have fun!!!

I def still get nervous, but not at the door... it has changed to now I am mostly nervous right before pull time....

I as well, had a staring contest with my altimeter my first solo! Before exiting I had all these plans of what I was going to do... But instead, I got out there, got stable... then did Nothing but glance around, look at my altimeter, glance around, look at my altimeter... pull. Land. Smile.

I bought my first used rig a few weeks ago, at the time I had about 40 jumps. While a student I was jumping whatever was available (anywhere from a navigator 200, a sabre 210, sabre 190). I now own the Pilot 150, and I LOVE MY NEW CANOPY! The flare is very forgiving, I've been able to stand up almost every landing regardless of wind condition. It's fun to fly, and nice to pack with the color-tabs. I've had such wonderful openings too! It doesn't snivel for ever like the other canopies I had jumped. My wing loading is still pretty conservative, but it's fun :)

Thank you! That was extremely informative... I'll be sure to pass this along.

Newbie question -- how would this PC had to have been packed for this to happen? I've seen and been taught about 20 different ways to pack a PC... all ensure that the bridle never 'wraps' around it. I read the posts that said "sloppy packing" but what does this entail for have this happen?

I recently bought my first rig, sounds like I was in the same dilema as you! I went to my bank and applied for a personal loan. The interest is fixed, (very low too!), and I could choose how long I wanted to pay it off (I picked 2 years) and the monthly payment is directly debited out of my checking account. The payment amount will not change over that time period. I found my rig on a facebook group called "buy/sell skydiving gear", the guy lived about 2 hours from me, drove it up, wrote him a bank check, and it was a deal :)

I recently bought my first rig, came across the deal on a facebook group called "Buy/Sell Used Skydiving Gear", if you google it it should come up.

Newbie here too, I use an AAD and an RSL. Although I have not yet had to cut away, my hard deck is 2000. I pull at 4000. Reading this post though made me think, as I am still renting gear that has different types of aad's, I do not know when they fire. Some may be set up higher as they are student rigs, and some lower as they are normal rentals. It bothers me that I haven't thought of this before.

I feel like the odd one here! I have asked some of my friends, "Hey I'm going to the dz to jump saturday, wanna come?" And i've gotten "yes" about 4 different times! A close friend, two other friends, and--my Dad! They came at different times and did their first tandem while I jumped. And of course a few "want to but don't have the money right now."

Thank you!! I've been following yours as well!!! Congrats and good luck with the rest of your adventure!!! Well, you all know what my next post will be... "Looking for gear".. hehe I obviously want ot buy u sed gear, but am having a hard time finding out where I can get used gear that I could use a credit card to pay for it??? I don't have a paypal account, (well I don't have a credit card either, but would get one for just this one purchase-then tear it up!). How does one pay for used gear if they don't have the cash but won't have a problem making payments??!

I'm a newbie, but for me the fear hasn't 'gone away' just CHANGED... at first I was afraid of the plane ride, then it switched to the door opening, then it switched to stability fears, then to landing fears, then malfunction fears, now i'm back to hard opening and landing fears! But at least I beat the door monster...

a swooper :)

Thanks everyone!!! It does seem like I was just doing tandems, fueling the addiction, and now i'm licensed Can't wait to go have some fun in sky on saturday!

Thanks! Yeah dad was a good sport! He says he "just wants to do it One more time"... hehe

haha good advice! I do not own a credit card, so I paid for everything in cash, so I like to tell myself "I'm not in debt, I just don't have any extra."!!! p.s. I think I injured andy enough in aff, no shin kickin!

I think I owe a Keg by now!!!

So freaking excited. I did my first tandem June 3rd, my first AFF jump July 10th. Tuesday August 17th I did my check dive and got my A license!!! I also got to jump the chute I packed. What a great night!!! And the pie in the face made me feel right at home. Just thought I'd share since I can't contain my excitement . I feel so accomplished, it was a bumpy road at times, I completely drained my bank account, and now scrape pennies to get on the next load, but I wouldn't change a thing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXzhpy1y42U

Congrats!!! I think this weekend I'm going to do another solo (so I can get a video of course ) and then try and get some coach jumps in! I can't wait to get my A!!!

totally understand! I had also been landing without radio help, spotting, etc. prior to this "solo"... It was just AMAZING for me to be freefalling and looking around and seeing nothing, just the beauty that i was flying through. I don't know much about the static line, but if your instructors weren't anywhere near you how did they monitor your progression?

I'm a former Marine. I never jumped while in the military, but recently completed my aff.

Finished on saturday, then did My First Solo!!!!

Thanks everyone! Yeah, most people think I'm crazy too.. the fact that my Dad has done it now though he think i'm even MORE crazy to continue!

Welcome! Sounds like what I did, (except I ended up doing 4 tandems before I decided that I was completely hooked!!!).