anthonymcgrath 0 #1 June 5, 2007 hi guys/gals I'm a newcomer to the forum - I started my static line course last year after experiencing a tandem jump (spectacular). I decided the static line was too slow a progression (altho I'm sure it has worked for plenty of people) so I'm due to start my AFF course in July. Really looking forward to it and have sold my stupidly powerful nissan skyline gtr to do more skydiving afterward (since my tandem every car I've climbed in just isn't as fast lol!). I realised the money I was putting into that and burning off could be spent far better.. paying for fuel on the plane up to the skies hahahaha! Anyhow its just a simple hello and I was wondering if theres any pages on here newcomers should take a look at first. cant wait :D cheers ant Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #2 June 5, 2007 Welcome to the forums! this link will give you plenty to read. 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
Peej 0 #3 June 5, 2007 Welcome to the forums bro! Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonymcgrath 0 #4 June 5, 2007 thanks :D I'm gonna be doing my course at peterborough which is where I did my tandem and my static line course. Everyone was really nice there so I decided to do my aff there with them :) after that its get some jump time around the uk and then book a hol doing it hehe I'll get the aff out the way first eh lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonymcgrath 0 #5 June 7, 2007 wooot - deposit on its way - booked for 7th July at Shotton Airfield - cant wait Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonymcgrath 0 #6 July 2, 2007 oh wow I cant believe its the week leading up to my AFF course already - heading up to peterborough friday evening - do wish the bloody weather would cheer up tho or I wont be doing owt I guess - we're forecast a week of rain but possible clearing up on the wkend - heres hoping. got lots of spare cash to do extra jumps. got a buyer coming to look at my skyline gtr too this week so hopefully he'll be happy with that, buy it and leave me with some pennies to do more hopping from planes lol! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #7 July 5, 2007 relax, breathe, arch and enjoy! i've virtually been shitting my pants on my first couple of jumps.. but i had confidence in my instructors just in case, and it wasnt such a big deal as one would think.. well, actually bigger than.. err, nevermind! “Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonymcgrath 0 #8 July 5, 2007 thanks Burner - I'm really buzzing now... went and got myself a comfy pair of trainers as all my others would just end up soaking wet lol. Got my cash sorted out and plenty of spare money too for extra jumps. am hoping to get a few more in alongside my AFF jumps and get a couple of bits like some goggles and gloves too lol! must remember the arch bit lol! :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flossi 0 #9 July 8, 2007 HI Booked my AFF in May and due to weather and some crap hayfever problems on the dropzone i have not jumped yet!!! Did ground school but now just want to get in the air... but fear setting in due to wait! Am going to be few miles from Sebastian in three weeks so am going all out to get qualified by then. Would love to know have your first jumps went if you have done them ! flossi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surferd00d 0 #10 July 8, 2007 Hey there fellow noob haha I'm prolly the bigger noob since I have only one jump under my belt! Did my first AFF lvl 1 jump yesterday, never did a tandem or a static line or anything so I was stoked and at the same time scared out of my mind since I had no idea just what to expect up in the air! Things went well, when they went over malfunctions during class I was like WTF THERE ARE HOW MANY THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG??!!! So yeah when I pulled at 5500 I had never been happier in my life, I think I was screaming the ditty YES ITS THERE, AND SQUARE AND CONTROLLABLE!!! As soon as I landed I schedule my lvl 2 class for next Sunday... now I cant stop thinking about it, I'm not going to be able to focus on work all freakin week! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonymcgrath 0 #11 July 10, 2007 well I've gone successfully through level7 about 3 hours ago and I AM BUZZING!!! I started saturday morning so got there pretty quick. Level8 tomorrow which is an exit from 5500feet and a 3 second delay before pulling. Basically emergency exit which I'm a little apprehensive about but not nearly as much as I would have been if they'd have chucked that at me first go!! my god SurferdOOd you wont believe how quickly you progress it is just such a cool course and I know I'm a million miles away from being even remotely good but I am loving every second of it. I've so far gone into insane spins right from exit but recovered, plummeted so fast the instructors and camera guy could barely keep up... surfed the back of one of the instructors ...tracked at stupidly fast speeds ...landed in a field of horses (brings a whole new meaning to the term HORSE JUMPING!!)... landed on the runway... had my tee shirt flit up around my reserve handle and a dozen other crazy things. Dont know if you've gone through a good batch of cloud yet but MAN is that a rush!!! The one I went through on level2 was a rain cloud and was amazing!! dont worry too much it is intense but as everyone says here think blue skies, arch, relax and be altitude aware but also ENJOY IT!! you KNOW when you get on the ground safely you'll be absolutely buzzing!! I'm booking my next 10 console jumps tomorrow HOOOOOOTTT!!!! blooooooooooooo skieeeeeessss Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Surferd00d 0 #12 July 10, 2007 WOW that was fast!!! And here I am still waiting for Sunday to show up GOD why does work have to always get in the way of things!!! I'm still doing lvl 2 this Sunday, I am starting early in the morning, so hopefully if everything goes well ie. I dont screw up, and the weather permits I can get a few lvls knocked out of the way! By the way what do the instructors say when you completely miss your landing and end up in a field of horses or in the runway? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
virgin-burner 1 #13 July 11, 2007 um, well, that shouldnt happen, since you have a radio with you, they should talk to you to do things right. had a bad landing last weekend, almost on the waiting plane full of jumpers on the runway.. but i choose the little stream and the bushes. chief instructor came to get me outta there, he's also the rigger. he wasnt too happy, but less bad than i'd expect, seeing him running up to me.. the lesson learned: always check the windsock, winds can be much different on the ground than up in the air..“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.” -Hunter S. Thompson "No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try." -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonymcgrath 0 #14 July 12, 2007 Well - finished my level 8 yesterday and did my first 2consolidation jumps and they were ABSOLUTELY AMAZING FUN!! The first one I just piled out the plane at 10k - went unstable an recovered, did a couple of turns 360 and tried a track but lost the track a little (legs.. remember the legs!). Landed just outside the circle but safely and on my own :D loved every second! 2nd one - OH MY DAYS that was serious fun again! I piled out the plane (little cessna 182 at 10k feet) and into a front spin with my hands tucked around my knees hahahaha - I then did a really nice couple of turns really precisely right in front of my instructor then a solid delta track but my arms were a little too far in and I lost a bit of balance in it. I deployed just below 4500feet and was greeted with a stunning site - my shadow surrounded by a corona of sunlight on a light cloud surface - my jaw hit my feet. I landed perfectly in the circle on the dropzone with no radio assistance in this one either hurrah!!. I think those spills into the field of horses and the runway have taught me how the wind can change things dramatically lol! I've been learning to pack my own canopy today - its a great big 280foot navigator thing - which considering I'm 16st10lbs is bloody handy lol! If the weather is good tomorrow (yeah right!) It'll be the first canopy I'VE packed and jumped on - I think everyone prob has that fear!! :p I'll be looking to get my own pack asap and have the cash waiting lol! I'm so impressed with the AFF course though in its simple ability to get you out the plane, on your own and pulling your own ripcord. If you'd have told me on saturday that I'll be literally piling out the plane and smiling about it I'd have laughed in yer face but now I'm smiling all the way up ...and down Skydiving is the single best thing I've ever done with my life. I know you've all been there (or are getting there lol!) but I just cant find words to describe how amazing it feels - I'm literally on cloud9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
anthonymcgrath 0 #15 December 4, 2007 hey everyone I'm never really on this forum (sorry) but I just thought i'd update my thread here lol Well I've been jumping virtually EVERY wkend since passing my course. I now have 62 jumps, my A cert, I have my packing certificate and I'm 3 declared landings from my B cert. I dont have my FS1 yet as I'm midway through a safeflight school canopy course in the uk which I'm really loving as my main interest is defiinitely canopy piloting - would love to learn to do high speed landings and swoops down the line but wanna do it safely and slowly I've been out to EmpuriaBrava twice this year and hope to get out to California in mid march 08. I've got a sabre2 210 on order with a javellin odyssey container and all the rest of the gubbins that go with it hehe! Cant wait to get it now as I've finally downsized to a 210 and really enjoy flying it... its horrid when I have to go back up to lumbering sizes at dz's because they dont have the kit size I'm on now :( anyhow thats where I'm standing now with my progression - hopefully I'll get my B cert and FS1 soon ....and some nice weather - bloody UK is terrible Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jazzthieve 0 #16 December 4, 2007 Nice, don't forget to update your profile once in a while anthony. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
