jlbodin 0 #1 August 14, 2003 I am completing my AFF L7 this coming Saturday and wanted to share my L1 and L2 experience.... On my L1 I felt really good after the training getting onto the plane with measured confidence and had no problems preparing for the jump as I approached the Super Otter’s door. Even rolling out of the plane on my first jump was not a problem. But less than one second of being outside and watching the plane fly away ... realizing that I had just done an incredibly stupid thing by jumping out of an perfectly good airplane - my body immediately got that "it's just WRONG to be HERE and FEEL like THIS" feeling. Total sensory rejection overcame me. I fought the terror the best I could and managed to keep a fair arch, but I knew the hand signals cold as I was drilled in the plane during the ascent, now they meant little to me as I tried to process them as the jump masters placed them in my field of view. Three fingers - what does that mean - Oh, uhhhhhhhhhhhh..... "Cirlce of awareness" ... Hang Ten? What does that mean? Two Fingers straight? Oh, Legs, I know that one... Check altimeter - I did this several times and looked at it - but could not read/process what the hell it said. By the end of the freefall I had too much sensory overload and when given the "pull" signal I took too long to react to it - the JM beat me to the hackey as I finally reached for it. The rest of the ride down under canopy was awesome though - landing on my feet and impressing the hell out of my waiting wife. Then we practiced for Jump L2 - and nothing I heard made sense. Sure, I practiced the turns on the floor with the dolly - so? Words weren’t processing – I kept asking my wife to repeat herself when she would ask me a question... Inside me, terror had taken hold and was growing. I must have done 10 dirt-dives to help in the visualization of what would be coming. By the time I was ready to board the plane I was turning into a spastic - and the JM didn't make it better by yelling at me because I was doing a dirt-dive and looking in the opposite direction of my turn. Look, I was scared shitless enough by that time - the last thing I needed was someone with over 8000 dives tearing out of me what little confidence I had left. My wife later told me that she had never seen me so visibly shaken and terrified in our 14 years of marriage (she was at the DZ for moral support). As we boarded the plane and started to ascend, I broke into a sweat - nothing on the plane was registering and the Jump Master was just telling me to relax. I could hardly breath. Big inhale, big exhale... big inhale, big exhale... Remember - this is jump 2 When the question came "are you ready to skydive" my body and every fiber of my being said no... But out my mouth came a "yes". The amazing thing is - this jump was exactly opposite the first. I had terror for less than a second once I was out the door... then I figured "what the hell, I'm here - relax and do the dive" - The second was the most amazing dive I think I will ever have. No fear or terror. It was awesome. Like losing ones virginity – sure we all still love sex but there will always be that “first” (in my sd case, first and second) time that will be etched forever in our life experiences. Now I'm ready to do my 8th jump to finish L7 of AFF. I had to repeat my L4 as I could go belly down well relaxed but could not maintain directional control. Then on my second L4 it all clicked... my "epiphany" dive. Nice and almost perfect turns and tracking - the JM didn't recognize me from the prior dives. Movement now felt like I had known how to do this all my life... L6 back flip? Piece of cake... I even gave the JM a front flip, completing with instant re-stability. As freaked as I was on L2 - I am glad I went out the door on that second dive. I am now on my 8th this coming Saturday and Skydiving is all I can think about. What does having a job and working mean to me now? "It is simply a thing to pass the time until the next time I can jump". This shit is addictive. I will never be the same. Man am I glad I took that second jump... - Jeff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #2 August 14, 2003 Cool, congratulations and welcome to the forums__________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Raefordite 0 #3 August 14, 2003 Great story! Welcome to the community of skydivers. Now you know why we do it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites alanab 0 #4 August 14, 2003 welcome to the sport and the forums!! good to have you here:) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites skymama 37 #5 August 14, 2003 Welcome to the forums! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites mctyeire 0 #6 August 14, 2003 QuoteWhat does having a job and working mean to me now? "It is simply a thing to pass the time until the next time I can jump". - Jeff Do not underestimate the importance of a regular supply of cash to buy lots of jumps and new skydiving gear. Congrats and welcome! Chad good friends, blue skies, and sweet, sweet altitude... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BobB 0 #7 August 15, 2003 Welcome. I'm severly new, too. I'm glad I didn't turn away after my first AFF dive...it sounds like you are, too. Bob Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites akarunway 1 #8 August 15, 2003 welcome to our world. just out of curiosity though. your JM let you pass to L-2 w/o deploying on your own?I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites slotperfect 7 #9 August 15, 2003 Hi Jeff! Welcome! Congratulations on your progress so far . . . let us know how the rest of it goes for you! Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Chew 0 #10 August 15, 2003 Inside me, terror had taken hold and was growing. Hello!! I am on L6 of my AFF and I can remember feeling more scared on level 2 also. On Level 1 I was so focused on my drills that I didn't have time to think about being scared. But on level 2 I didn't have so much to think about and a major fear set in! My instructor told me that a lot of AFF students feel more nervous on the second jump so its wasn't to much to worry about. But after that the fear turns to excitement and gets better with every jump! Good luck with your level 7, I am doing mine next weekend if the weather holds! Chew. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
alanab 0 #4 August 14, 2003 welcome to the sport and the forums!! good to have you here:) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #5 August 14, 2003 Welcome to the forums! She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man, because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mctyeire 0 #6 August 14, 2003 QuoteWhat does having a job and working mean to me now? "It is simply a thing to pass the time until the next time I can jump". - Jeff Do not underestimate the importance of a regular supply of cash to buy lots of jumps and new skydiving gear. Congrats and welcome! Chad good friends, blue skies, and sweet, sweet altitude... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BobB 0 #7 August 15, 2003 Welcome. I'm severly new, too. I'm glad I didn't turn away after my first AFF dive...it sounds like you are, too. Bob Yes, I know it is snowing. No, we are not putting the top up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akarunway 1 #8 August 15, 2003 welcome to our world. just out of curiosity though. your JM let you pass to L-2 w/o deploying on your own?I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slotperfect 7 #9 August 15, 2003 Hi Jeff! Welcome! Congratulations on your progress so far . . . let us know how the rest of it goes for you! Arrive Safely John Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chew 0 #10 August 15, 2003 Inside me, terror had taken hold and was growing. Hello!! I am on L6 of my AFF and I can remember feeling more scared on level 2 also. On Level 1 I was so focused on my drills that I didn't have time to think about being scared. But on level 2 I didn't have so much to think about and a major fear set in! My instructor told me that a lot of AFF students feel more nervous on the second jump so its wasn't to much to worry about. But after that the fear turns to excitement and gets better with every jump! Good luck with your level 7, I am doing mine next weekend if the weather holds! Chew. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
