tiger93rsl

Now that makes perfect sense I remember we were south bound on exit and I did seem too drift a little longer than I have on my past exits.

I'm keeping close eyes on used skyhawk's as I'm looking to buy once I get my privates license. All the places I look at aircraft through only have the GA8 available. I don't think I've ever seen a SC-7 good luck that seems to be a rare model aircraft.

Thanks for the reply, that's interesting I did not know when I was getting leg signals it was to help with my stability. I got in 10 minutes of tunnel time before this jump. As a result this was my first jump where I felt comfortable and got nothing but thumbs up signals from my instructors. I forgot to mention the winds aloft were a steady 3 knots all the way up to altitude.

Yesterday I retook my AFF 2 for the third time and finally passed perfectly. After the jump my instructor told my my legs were extended too far during the whole jump even though both instructors gave me a thumps up. I guess they wanted me to fly forward, I don't know their reasoning but I maintained that body postilion. After opening I noticed I was over the high school a mile south of the DZ and when I spotted I was directly over the DZ. I got on Google maps and calculated the distance and time traveled and calculated my forward speed during the jump at 50 MPH. Is it possible to achieve this much forward speed during free fall?

I retook my level 2 yesterday and passed with flying colors. It went perfect, at the door the only thing I thought abut was my arch. As I slowly came around to a belly to earth attitude after exit the relaxation came naturally. I had my legs extended too far forward during the free fall which resulted in us moving almost 3/4 of a mile south of the airport. I still didn't get my stand up landing in, the wind was calm so I just continued with my slide in landing and that went perfect. We don't have much wind at all at my DZ, I would like to do a stand up landing in calm winds, I just don't feel comfortable enough to try that yet.

I spent 10 minutes in the tunnel last night, that really helped a lot. I got where I could hover move forward, backward and turn. So I get to the DZ today all stoked out about my jump. I get to the door, this time I was not nervous one bit. I stuck my head out got really relaxed did my count and I was so relaxed I forgot to arch! I fell for 3,000 feet like a pile of shit. Loosing one instructor and keeping the other one holding on white knuckled. After overcoming spacial disorientation I realized I was belly up in a reversed arch. I forced myself to arch hard and came around belly to earth stable. The rest of the jump went perfect, and I could tell the tunnel time really paid off. I was very relaxed and having one hell of a good time. I even took a look down at the ground and got a big grin on my face, I was flying So here is how I see it. Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want. I have never experienced unstable free fall until today. I know now that I can remain calm and get into a stable belly to earth position on my own. So it was not a failed jump, I got a lot of experience out of today's jump and had one hell of a good time. I am going to keep showing up at the DZ every Saturday until I get it right, and have one hell of a good time doing it.

I'm jumping from a twin Otter, she's plenty big and fast. The instructors are awesome, don't get me wrong they spend plenty of time with me before the jump. I just wish that had more time to talk after the jump, but that okay I know they are busy.

Smile? No, I'm so dang frustrated with myself for not being able to make my body do what I want I get frustrated. After the pull I smile, no more frustration. Just a calm ride back to earth thinking about everything I did wrong. I am not a limber person what so ever, I was a horrible failure in gymnastics and I was worried that was going to be an issue in skydiving. I keep thinking this tunnel time I have scheduled is going to be my ticket. I will get it, I'm bound and determined What other sport can you be so disappointed in your performance and have such a good time. Thanks for all the replies, it really helps a lot from input from guys who have been through this. I would love to sit down and talk with my instructors more but they are so busy. I'm getting debriefed while they are packing for their next jump.

That's exactly what my instructor told me to do. I started to do as he suggested and then everyone starts laughing and joking around and I get more caught up in socializing to try and ease my nerves instead of focusing. I will focus more on the next jump. I feel better knowing that I'm not alone even with the more experienced jumpers. Thanks.

I've been having really bad problems on my ride up. I am just getting so nervous, despite the cheery atmosphere in the cabin. This heat recently has made it even worse it seems. I'm having trouble with body position during free fall and I'm pretty sure this is what is causing my nervousness. I think I am having a hard time relaxing because I"m too busy concentrating on altitude, arching and my legs I can't work on my dive flow. I booked 10 minutes tunnel time next week and that should help a lot. If I'm nervous on the ride up I can't relax and it just starts the whole jump off on the wrong foot. The funny thing is when I step up to the door and stick my head out of the plane I"m no longer nervous and start feeling relaxed. Then as soon as I enter free fall I get so stuck concentrating on my body position I just can't relax my body. I was hoping someone here may have some suggestions

I made my first AFF jump today and passed. I need to slow down and work on my arch on exit and free fall. I was spot on locking on at 6,000 and a perfect pull at 5,500. I started my flare a little early but I held it then finished it out, a little early as well. I was disappointed in my landing due to my early flare, I landed softly on my butt. I know what I need to work on now and had better control in free fall then I thought I would. I just need to remember to slow down and work on my arch. It was way better than any tandem jump I ever done. I got a lot of satisfaction over what I accomplished today. I also sent in my application in to the USPA and scheduled my level 2 jump for next weekend. Unfortunately we had a fatality today at the drop zone. From what I understand from the other jumpers a hop and pop jumper trimmed out too late and hit the ground at a high rate of speed. My prayers are with his family.

Thanks for the input guys. As to the first posters reply, the one thing that concerns me is the hard arch. I am 44 years old and I have a bad back. The lower two disk in my back are herniated and arching really had hurts my lower back. I feel my back problems can prove to be a bit of a challenge in skydiving. But it's nothing that I can't work out.

I got my first AFF class in three weeks. I made my first tandem in September and another in April. I was going to wait until I got a new pickup before I started but I just couldn't wait any longer. I guess it's in my blood, every time I'm outside on a nice day jumping is the only thing I can think about. I was hoping to spend 10 minutes in the tunnel before my first AFF but I thought I would just wait and see how well I can control myself on my next jump. I was wondering if any of you have spent time in a tunnel and think it would be a good idea for some tunnel time before ground school?

Hello everyone, glad to be here. I just completed my second tandem jump this weekend. I will be starting AFF next month. I'm hoping to get some good advice here to help me through my AFF course.