Steppin in on my tiptoes

[arjantoor 0]

First, do not pay attention to my typing. I'll try my best english .
A friend asked me if I would do a skydive. No thinking when I answered, I love flying: YES! So I got my birthday present: a tandem on aug. 27. When I came "down to earth" I said I want to do this again. So I did, another one on oct. 23. Was even better. Now people at the club say I should go for AFF, but there I feel . Alone under the canopy, afraid I won't be able to control it, will I keep my stability when freefalling?
But no day passes without thinking about it. Watching those video's every day...
Is my weight not too light (stupid question probably) ? 50 kilos.
I read here about tandem progression. That would interest me before doing AFF. Will ask at the club if they do that.
Just wanted to say: jumping relaxes me enormously. The moment I hung out of the plane, I felt so peacefully. No words can describe that feeling.
I have so many questions, but enough for now.

Keep jumping !
Sarah.

[skymama 37]

Welcome to the forums!
Regarding your size, being a lightweight isn't a problem with jumping with other people because you can always wear weights to help your fall rate. The biggest problem is finding student gear to fit you. You'll just have to enquire at your dz about what size rigs they carry. Good luck!

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

[arjantoor 0]

Thanks skymama for the welcome. I'm a 46 year old mom and a lightweight (thanks to my son??), 1.67 m. tall.
I'll inform at the dz.

Sarah.

[steveorino 7]

Apart from military jumps back in 1977-1980, I began again at age 46. Life is to be lived at ANY age. Welcome to the skydiving community and to POPS (check POPS out)!

steveOrino

[arjantoor 0]

Steveorino, I'll keep that in mind. And I feel like it. But...what does POPS mean ? I do speak some english, but I don't get this one.
Thanks for the encouragement.

Sarah.

[steveorino 7]

Parachutist Over Phorty Check it out by hitting the link below.

www.thepops.org

steveOrino

[Eule 0]

Quote

Now people at the club say I should go for AFF, but there I feel . Alone under the canopy, afraid I won't be able to control it, will I keep my stability when freefalling?

You might already know this, but the class you will go through for AFF is a lot longer (several hours)
than the class you had before your tandem jumps (1 hour or less). The instructor will talk about how
to control the canopy, there will be videos about it, and you will practice it. You will also learn about
stability in freefall -- that's also one of the reasons that you have two instructors for the first few
AFF jumps.

Quote

Is my weight not too light (stupid question probably) ? 50 kilos.

I know a jumper that's probably about the same size as you - 50 kilos, about 1.65 m tall. She's got over
100 jumps now.

There isn't a Dutch-language forum here, but there is a French-language one:
http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?forum=30; . You might ask in the "General"
forum for links to Dutch-language skydiving sites.

Welcome!

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.

[arjantoor 0]

@Steveorino: checked out the site. Made me laugh at first, I don't feel like +40 . But it is good something like that is to be viewed. I came "back to earth", I am +40. Thanks for the link.
@Eule: at the DZ they already explained how it works before the 1st AFF jump, as you wrote. I plan on going there Saturday (if the weather is good enough), to talk, but I probably will take another tandem. I NEED one! I'll let you know. I will check the French site and see what I can find there.
This is really an addiction, wanting to have that feeling again.
Thanks all for the warm welcome and support.
Sarah.

[wayne8577 0]

I sure like POPS better than Ol TimerI

Here's to Old Farts in the Wind!

[arjantoor 0]

@wayne8577: way you put it: I feel more like POPS !! ;-)

Q: about canopy control: what is the difference between SL and AFF concerning canopy control? I can't figure it out. Static line: is just about canopy control, no freefall.
AFF: you have the freefall, but then, next is also canopy control.
Or am I way off? I don't see the difference.
You have to land anyway...

What am I missing here?

[yamtx73 0]

Quote

Q: about canopy control: what is the difference between SL and AFF concerning canopy control? I can't figure it out. Static line: is just about canopy control, no freefall.
AFF: you have the freefall, but then, next is also canopy control.
Or am I way off? I don't see the difference.
You have to land anyway...

Actually you're right on the money, with a static line it's all canopy control where as with AFF you learn to freefall as well as learn canopy control

The only naturals in this sport shit thru feathers...

[artistcalledian 0]

Quote

I began again at age 46. Life is to be lived at ANY age.

too right !!!!

i'm 39 and only just getting into this game, it's the best thing i've ever done though, makes me actually feel alive
welcome sarah

Ps, ignore everything i type i'm a self proclaimed retard

________________________________________
drive it like you stole it and f*ck the police

[arjantoor 0]

Just called the DZ and they jump today. Weather seems to be fine So I leave now, for my 3rd tandem . Finally one more !
Happy Holidays to you all !!

Sarah.

[arjantoor 0]

And it was a good one, again. Cloudy for a change, but the feeling stays the same.

So, no more tandems now. AFF training start in February.

I gave myself a Christmas present
Sarah.

[srsand1960 0]

My name is Steve too, well too is not my last name, I'm 46 also and started last year 12 jumps towards my AFF. I'm glad you mentioned POPs... I just joined and will wear the POPs patch proudly on my New Tony Suit

It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

[srsand1960 0]

Where I did static line the jumps still counted towards my AFF and there was a freefall progression, but these were at hop and pop altitudes. Now, however

It doesn't matter how anyone else lives their life.... it matter how you live yours!

[arjantoor 0]

Bringing this one back up.
I did my AFF 1, was good. So I decided to take the course, because I love the feeling. Due to weather conditions (Belgium , I could not jump for several weeks. But went back for level 2: passed. Up again for level 3: failed it twice and still have to do it over again (third time). To tensed in freefall. But this is not really my problem. On every jump a land out. Safe (except once), but never on the DZ. Seems like I have a canopy control problem. And I don't see how to fix this. Now my problem: since my last jump (out again of course), I have this enourmous fear I will never get my landings right. I see (most jumps) the DZ, but I don't steer the canopy. Immediatley I start looking for a safe place to land instead of heading back to the DZ. So I do see where the problem is, but now I've got this fear of doing it again. Getting out of the door is not really the issue, but at that time I'm already thinking of landing. Probably the reason why I'm so cramped during freefall.
I don't expect any direct solutions, I will have to do this myself I guess. It's already been 4 weeks since my last jump and the fear is only growing.
So, just wanted to say this here. Maybe someone recognizes some of my issues .

Encouragements will be welcome
Sarah.