Earlybirdmel

I agree with you as far as being more afraid of not living than of death, its just how my kids would deal with anything going wrong, that is still keeping me thinking. My youngest is 9 now and so not a baby, but I would hate her to be without a mother at least until she was 16. I lost my Dad at 16 and that was bad enough to deal with. Saying that, on the other hand, if i wait until then i will be 47! and cant help but think that being nearer 50 than 40 isn't the most ideal age to take up an extreme sport like this. For me personally I think my next step is to sit down with her and see what her thoughts are (although writing that, i am thinking "what a stupid question!") Can i ask where did you get the stats from? 1/1000 chance of the main failing dosn't sound right to me. Cutaways and malfunctions seem to be something that pretty much every skydiver on here has delt with at some point. I know we have a reserve etc.. but its the thought of how "aware" and "capable" I would be in reacting to a canopy spinning out of control etc... Maybe i have just watched too many youtube videos!

Fantastic pic, just voted, got my husband to vote and got my daughter to vote

Does anyone know if any of the DZ's in the UK ofer a combined tunnel and AFF program? Instead of doing my static line in november it looks like I am going to do the AAf in early spring as my other half has offered to combine my birthday and xmas "presents" giving me some of the money towards it :)

Thanks for that Nightingale, the way you describe the thought process, to me, a newbie, makes alot of sense and helps put a different angle on it. Your right, as a newbie you really dont understand whats going on and I was just starting to just "see" the negatives which then, not understanding the stats puts a big blur on all the positives. I will have a look at your site, thanks again

Our little girl "Amber" a real little madam!

Thanks Guys for all your advice. The "passion" that you all feel for the sport really does come across on this forum. I am going to aim at getting my A license and for the foreseeable future will be more than happy flying a large canopy etc... and minimising my risk as much as possible. Once my youngest has left home I may decide to taking it further but for now I will be over the moon just to "taste" that feeling again. On a note, have always loved flying being one of those people who almost sulk if I cant get the window seat and although never admitted it to anyone, would often as a youngster go to BHX airport (before my parents moved to Spain) as it was just down the road, just to watch the planes taking off :) So maybe I was ment to go down this wonderful road

Cheers Regulator, I must admit when I did the jump, it was the first time in many years that I actually felt a little "selfish" as during freefall I just kept thinking "wow, i'm doing this, I feel fantastic and Im doing this for me!" I had a half decent education, speak fluent Spanish etc.. and although dont regret for a moment having my kids and love them to bits, have spent 20 years always juggling crap jobs with childcare etc... and have always put myself last. I know thats what you do as a parent but with my youngest now 9, well that jump just made me feel like a new person. I'm hoping the "fear" I am currently beginning to feel will make me a safety consious skydiver. I also have always said that I wouldn't want to end up getting old with my kids or a home having to take care of me. I hope I have the right attitude as do believe that life is for living and its no good having regrets when your old, I just want to be able to balance the risks and face this building fear and overcome it.

Hi all, Maybe a daft question but just wanted to ask if the following is "normal"? You decide to do a tandem skydive for a charity, not really giving the implications of the actual jump any though. Its something you "think" you will enjoy, get it booked and then only really think about getting as much money raised as possible. The day arrives you feel nervous but excited by the whole thing, you do the jump and its better than anything you could of imagined. You loved it so much you want to take up skydiving, you cant think of anything else and watch your dvd a 100 times. You cant afford to do a course immediately but plan to do one in a few months time when pennies allow. Meanwhile you start reading and finding out as much as you can and its only then that you realise the very real risks involved, reading about the accidents and fatalities etc.... you have a family, kids, although not babies anymore, and suddenly you start to have concerns, thinking "what if"... Having loved my first jump so much, is it "normal" for concerns and worries to build up? Is it much better "mentally" if you can start a course immediately after jumping the first time? It almost feels a bit like falling off a bike or horse- you have to get right back on asap otherwise you never will?

+1

From a students point of view, I did my tandem a few weeks back and although had the time of my life, and indeed hope to be doing a static line course in November, I would of loved to have been asked "if" I would like to maybe take control of the canopy for a moment or pull the cord etc... after being briefed. I also like the idea that some DZ's give the student a log book. I spent £305 on the jump and getting the dvd and stills and yes, if i had it at the moment would pay it again tomorrow, but a log book would of been nice :) From a sales point of view, surely it would "encourage" those who wanted to do it again to go out there and get it filled

If I have missed this, I apoligise, but do we have written exam in the UK before being allowed to do first Static line or AAF?

Hi, I'm a newcomer too, having only done one Tandem jump. I understand why you say that as yes, some can make you feel like "what the hell are you even considering it for", having said that, alot of newbies do ask the same questions over and over again, and the experienced ones must get a bit fed up with it i guess, as most have been answered on here at some point. Most I think want reasurance, and if they way up the risks, get the proper training and read up on it, they will find that, but the ones that are hoping for someone on here to say "yes its completely safe, yes it dosnt matter if you are overweight etc, etc...." really are in the wrong place as they obviously dont have the common sense required!

That sounds perfect to me

Earlybirdmel - Rabbits, batteries and powerpacks

Might just be a plan. I grew up in Southern Spain and returned a few years back after working there for a while as a translator, so have the lingo under my belt and to me its a bit like a distant home from home, so will have to work on the other half and my bank balance Just brought the skydivers handbook today to give me something to "calm" my withdrawal symptoms! Just a shame everyone at work still thinks that I would be totally mad to take it up having a family Guess I was hoping that at least one or two of them would of said "you go for it girl!" or something to that effect! Hard work being surrounded by pessimists who havn't tried it.

Talk about making a girl feel envious! I would love to do my AFF and I would love to attend the Boogie but unfortunately cant get off this rock until November

Ten days of anticipation followed by a lifetime of amazement and wonder! Enjoy every second

It's an amazing feeling, isnt it? I did my first Tandem on the 5th August and unfurtunately due to lack of funds will have to wait until November before I can begin a course. But yes, its all i can think about also! I was on a high for days and spend every waking moment watching films about it, reading about and driving everyone else nuts about it! There no going back now! lol

I did my first jump two weeks ago and on the video you see Milko asking me how many have I done, to which he replys "it's my first also" which did make me laugh nerviously, then in the plane he pretended one of the attachments wasn't working properly ( he had the guy next to him in on this one so was very convincing :) and then he hid his altermeter in his helmet and asked me if I had picked it up! Needless to say I laughed nerviously the whole time but loved every second and will be jumping again and again! Not sure how gags about things being not right or going wrong work, but they did for me