whamac 0 #1 September 11, 2011 Howdy! Just found this forum, and I thought I'd introduce myself. My name is Doug, and I recently did my fifth IAD jump at a (fairly) local drop zone. I'm 57, and I actually made my first jump way back in 1978 at a drop zone in South Dakota, using surplus military chutes. Didn't jump again until 1981, at a place in IL; again with military chutes. After several years of starting a family, nine static-line jumps in 1984, at yet another IL drop zone. Square canopies this time; what a difference!! (and forgive me if I don't use proper terminology; I'm pretty green) Now it's 27 years later, and I was wondering whether I could still do it; I'm pleasantly surprised! I'm thinking of switching to the AFF method, though. Just gotta work up a bit more "nerve" first. Cheers, Doug Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skymama 37 #2 September 12, 2011 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
whamac 0 #3 September 12, 2011 Not really strange; just MUCH better! It's no fun landing under one of those round Army surplus things. I was one of the fortunate ones; the day of my very first jump, there were students landing on the tarmac, between hangars, coming in directly over power lines, you name it. I was lucky to land in a rocky, scrubby field. -Doug Oh, by the way; thank you! (Didn't mean to be rude. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deltron80 0 #4 September 19, 2011 welcome back! jumping rounds must've been interesting.. I'm sure you can handle AFF. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whamac 0 #5 September 20, 2011 PLF's are definitely your "friend"! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whamac 0 #6 August 28, 2012 FINALLY!! After all these years, I finally got a taste of freefall last week, when I did my very first tandem jump! 14,000 feet and 60 seconds of freefall. Did a few altitude checks, pulled the handle myself, and did some of the steering. WOO-HOO! What a feeling! And I learned a valuable lesson. Old geezers should not enjoy a milkshake right before doing a bunch of corkscrew turns while under canopy. For a couple minutes there, I thought I was gonna lose my cookies. Tomorrow is Ground School; here we go....... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The_Don 0 #7 August 29, 2012 Awesome! Now go kick ass in AFF! I am NOT being loud. I'm being enthusiastic! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
popsjumper 2 #8 September 2, 2012 Quote PLF's are definitely your "friend"! I keep telling my FJC students that but few of them "get it". Like you, my initial training was S/L. Class was 20 minutes skydiving, 2.5 hours PLF...forwards, backwards AND sideways...off an 8ft platform. I hated my jumpmaster who just happened to be my brother....all that sucker kept saying was 'do it again, do it again....and again." But you know what? After that first landing I shook his hand and said, "Thanks, bro'. The PLF saved my butt." Congrats on your return...AFF is the way to go.My reality and yours are quite different. I think we're all Bozos on this bus. Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
