pchapman 279 #226 February 18, 2012 Yes for the sit down landings, feet would still be deployed as shock absorbers. You're right about wanting to protect one's ass (and spine). Only after a soft touch down at low speed is established, then someone can just ease themselves down onto their butt instead of trying to balance and stay standing. Experienced jumpers with leg issues sometimes do the same. However, there is also the sliding landing -- an option when one has too much horizontal speed but there's no big vertical speed. PLF's are best if there's significant vertical speed, but if the landing area is smooth, a slide (properly done) is safer if there's only a lot of horizontal speed left. That's another skill to learn eventually. As for strutting around in your own rig, yeah, you'll do that when you get one. You'll be wearing it around the house too, and looking at yourself in the mirror... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 60 #227 February 18, 2012 As for strutting around in your own rig, yeah, you'll do that when you get one. You'll be wearing it around the house too, and looking at yourself in the mirror... I thought I was the only one to do that! Damn, I looked good! lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LisaH 0 #228 February 18, 2012 You're almost there, girlie. YAY! I'm a moo duck! Be yourself! MooOOooOoo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #229 February 18, 2012 Quote You're almost there, girlie. YAY! I'm a moo duck! Yep. You've been officially duck-a-fied! My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Squeak 17 #230 February 19, 2012 Quote Quote You're almost there, girlie. YAY! I'm a moo duck! Yep. You've been officially duck-a-fied! Looks like a woodpecker You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky) My Life ROCKS! How's yours doing? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #231 February 19, 2012 Nice one. Enjoy your own altimeter When exiting this way, present your chest and belly to the wind, arch and let your legs complete the banana. But didn't look too bad. Things look intimidatingly close at 5000 ft but don't worry, you'll get used to it and will find out sooner or later. The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #232 February 19, 2012 Hey Duck... I just stumbled on your cartoons. Absolutely, awesome. Funny, funny stuff. A most epic depiction of learning to jump. Love it. I read em all and wait for more. You picked a good place, I've been to Elsinore a buncha times for wingsuit stuff and if I was going to relocate west, I think I'd wind up there. Have fun and congrats, believe it or not someday soon you'll be dropping out the door like you were born to it without a second thought. -B Live and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #233 February 19, 2012 Quote When exiting this way, present your chest and belly to the wind, arch and let your legs complete the banana. But didn't look too bad. My instructor told me something similar. I'll be trying it out today (if the weather cooperates!) Quote Things look intimidatingly close at 5000 ft but don't worry, you'll get used to it and will find out sooner or later. Glad to hear this. While the low exit was something I did to get it out of the way, it's something I should learn to get comfortable with as well. Quote Hey Duck... I just stumbled on your cartoons. Absolutely, awesome. Funny, funny stuff. A most epic depiction of learning to jump. Love it. I read em all and wait for more. Thanks! Quote You picked a good place, I've been to Elsinore a buncha times for wingsuit stuff and if I was going to relocate west, I think I'd wind up there. I sure like it. And what a view! Quote Believe it or not someday soon you'll be dropping out the door like you were born to it without a second thought. I'm looking forward to that day. I wonder how many jumps it will take? It doesn't scare me out of my mind anymore, but when I'm slipping my goggles and helmet on part of me thinks What am I doing!?My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #234 February 19, 2012 Well, it took me somewhere around 50 jumps. I remember sitting staring out the window on the ride up at #50 thinking this was weird, because I was still excited as hell but the unpleasant "panic attack" sensation was finally, at last going away a little more with every jump. Soon after it was gone entirely and then my career REALLY took off. I still get some brief butterflies sometimes especially when its been a few months, but those are just flavor, I like em, thrive on em, they add spice, reminds me this is fun but still dangerous as all hell so stay sharp, because although I've become so at home up there I actually feel quite secure in flight, the sky hasn't gotten any less dangerous. Its like "Oh yeah, now I'm back in the REAL world where everything I do actually matters." After awhile you can get the butterflies to fly in formation and its all good. Been at this for a fair long time now and the exhilaration has NEVER worn off. Keep your sense of fun and excitement, and it never will. 10 years, 2700 jumps, and I'm still doing Happydance in the plane on the ride up. Keep the right attitude and you get to look forward to an entire lifetime of this much fun. To quote Bodhi, "Other people snort for it, jab a vein for it, all you gotta do is jump..." -BLive and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #235 February 20, 2012 Quote Well, it took me somewhere around 50 jumps. I remember sitting staring out the window on the ride up at #50 thinking this was weird, because I was still excited as hell but the unpleasant "panic attack" sensation was finally, at last going away a little more with every jump. Soon after it was gone entirely and then my career REALLY took off. I'm looking forward to that day! Quote I still get some brief butterflies ... ...reminds me this is fun but still dangerous as all hell so stay sharp, because although I've become so at home up there I actually feel quite secure in flight, the sky hasn't gotten any less dangerous. Good point. I'd hate to reach the point where I was so calm that I got careless. That would be an accident (or worse) waiting to happen. Quote Been at this for a fair long time now and the exhilaration has NEVER worn off. Keep your sense of fun and excitement, and it never will. 10 years, 2700 jumps, and I'm still doing Happydance in the plane on the ride up. Keep the right attitude and you get to look forward to an entire lifetime of this much fun. That's awesome! My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ShcShc11 0 #236 February 20, 2012 Quote When exiting this way, present your chest and belly to the wind, arch and let your legs complete the banana. But didn't look too bad. Any good exiting videos on youtube? (hopefully on a diving position)? Thanks. Shc Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #237 February 20, 2012 Quote I wonder how many jumps it will take? It doesn't scare me out of my mind anymore, but when I'm slipping my goggles and helmet on part of me thinks What am I doing!? If you happen to live in an area were you have "jumping season" and "bitching about the weather season" (i.e. winter) - not matter how many jumps one has - if you look at faces at climb-up after a 5 months break, most of them are hard to read but somehow look a little... tense. I admit I still feel sort of "what the heck am I doing" on the first ride to altitude after such a long time, every year. But it's not really scary, it's just that you are not that relaxed, calm... and that's pretty good, I suppose. You do all handle checks once and again and once more, memorize your EPs, landing patterns, rules etc. But once you jump out that door... FUUUUN The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #238 February 21, 2012 Quote If you happen to live in an area were you have "jumping season" and "bitching about the weather season" (i.e. winter) - not matter how many jumps one has - if you look at faces at climb-up after a 5 months break, most of them are hard to read but somehow look a little... tense. I admit I still feel sort of "what the heck am I doing" on the first ride to altitude after such a long time I can see how this would happen. Even skipping my student jumps for a week or two makes me more nervous. I'd have a tough time waiting half a year and returning. Quote You do all handle checks once and again and once more, memorize your EPs, landing patterns, rules etc. But once you jump out that door... FUUUUN Exactly. Between 9000-12500 feet I'm thinking Why am I doing this? but once in freefall I'm thinking Oh yeah, that's why I'm doing this!My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trafficdiver 8 #239 February 21, 2012 Quote Quote If you happen to live in an area were you have "jumping season" and "bitching about the weather season" (i.e. winter) - not matter how many jumps one has - if you look at faces at climb-up after a 5 months break, most of them are hard to read but somehow look a little... tense. I admit I still feel sort of "what the heck am I doing" on the first ride to altitude after such a long time I can see how this would happen. Even skipping my student jumps for a week or two makes me more nervous. I'd have a tough time waiting half a year and returning. Quote You do all handle checks once and again and once more, memorize your EPs, landing patterns, rules etc. But once you jump out that door... FUUUUN Exactly. Between 9000-12500 feet I'm thinking Why am I doing this? but once in freefall I'm thinking Oh yeah, that's why I'm doing this! When I'm in free fall I'm thinking "Why am I falling so much faster than everyone else?" Once I land I look at my beer gut and say, "Oh yeah, that's why." BTW, are you missing one cartoon? I seem to remember one where there were two experienced female birds and you looked at them and were impressed with how fearless they were? Am I imagining this? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nolan358 0 #240 February 21, 2012 Hey traffic I think she covered that in the chicken of the sky continued blog. I have them bookmarked. Fantastic read. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,523 #241 February 21, 2012 Quote Quote Quote If you happen to live in an area were you have "jumping season" and "bitching about the weather season" (i.e. winter) - not matter how many jumps one has - if you look at faces at climb-up after a 5 months break, most of them are hard to read but somehow look a little... tense. I admit I still feel sort of "what the heck am I doing" on the first ride to altitude after such a long time I can see how this would happen. Even skipping my student jumps for a week or two makes me more nervous. I'd have a tough time waiting half a year and returning. Quote You do all handle checks once and again and once more, memorize your EPs, landing patterns, rules etc. But once you jump out that door... FUUUUN Exactly. Between 9000-12500 feet I'm thinking Why am I doing this? but once in freefall I'm thinking Oh yeah, that's why I'm doing this! When I'm in free fall I'm thinking "Why am I falling so much faster than everyone else?" Once I land I look at my beer gut and say, "Oh yeah, that's why." BTW, are you missing one cartoon? I seem to remember one where there were two experienced female birds and you looked at them and were impressed with how fearless they were? Am I imagining this? It's still there. The tandem jump (first link in the first post of the thread) is in 2 parts. The panel you are looking for is at the end of the 2nd part. And Namowal: The first jump of the season (I live in Wisconsin and don't jump when it's realy cold) is... Interesting. And my regular jump partner is used to me looking at him around 8k or 9k and saying "I hate this part." I will often ask him "Tell me again why I'm doing this." He usually responds with something like "Because it's really, really cool and you love it.""There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #242 February 21, 2012 Quote And Namowal: The first jump of the season (I live in Wisconsin and don't jump when it's realy cold) is... Interesting. And my regular jump partner is used to me looking at him around 8k or 9k and saying "I hate this part." I will often ask him "Tell me again why I'm doing this." Is there an official skydiving slang for the almost-to-altitude I shouldn't be doing this thoughts? "The 9k nay say?" or something?My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baksteen 84 #243 February 21, 2012 Quote You're almost there, girlie. YAY! I'm a moo duck! I'm dying to see Namowal's cartoon of her first jump with you.."That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport." ~mom Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #244 February 21, 2012 Quote ..."The 9k nay say?" or something? Huhu, good thought. BTW: Namo no longer considers the "door hestitation" thingy. Aren't we all proud of ya, girl! BTW: A good workaround to "why am I doing this.... I think I don't wanna jump" is shown here at the end. Quaint gear, but... After all, it's an ALF episode! Even I was kinda young when it was aired first in Ger-Mah-nee And yeah, there's an interesting discussion whether Willie "chickened out" or just "had second thoughts and went back to his seat". Huhu... DC3? I like this episode. "How do you skydive just as little bit?" Muhahahaha The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iluvtofly 0 #245 February 21, 2012 I absolutely LOVE these! I don't know why I slacked for so long on reading them. I passed the link onto a friend who has done a tandem but is scared to try AFF. Hopefully these will help her realize that's perfectly normal. (Assuming she actually reads them. I think she's more afraid she'll like it and end up poor like the rest of us. hahahaha) Keep them coming! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #246 February 21, 2012 Quote BTW: Namo no longer considers the "door hestitation" thingy. Aren't we all proud of ya, girl! Cool And it wasn't that long ago where even videos of people in the doorway triggered a fear response. Quote BTW: A good workaround to "why am I doing this.... I think I don't wanna jump" is shown here at the end. The link gave me a "this is restricted in your country because of possible copyright violations" (I'm sure bootleg ALF videos are a hot seller on the black market. But I was able to find it here. That is a good workaround. Quote I absolutely LOVE these! I don't know why I slacked for so long on reading them. I passed the link onto a friend who has done a tandem but is scared to try AFF. Hopefully these will help her realize that's perfectly normal. (Assuming she actually reads them. I think she's more afraid she'll like it and end up poor like the rest of us. hahahaha) Keep them coming! Hey, thanks! :)My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mrubin 0 #247 February 21, 2012 I like your new avatar. It's great to see you smiling about skydiving instead of being scared."I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #248 March 7, 2012 New Post: Skydiving Duck: Far to Go Sorry I've been running behind on the blog- I'm unusually busy with work and don't have the time I normally do. I've actually done several jumps since my last post (but no "A" yet)- and I'm lucky that I've had the chance to do them.My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trafficdiver 8 #249 March 7, 2012 Quote New Post: Skydiving Duck: Far to Go Sorry I've been running behind on the blog- I'm unusually busy with work and don't have the time I normally do. I've actually done several jumps since my last post (but no "A" yet)- and I'm lucky that I've had the chance to do them. Wait...you had a stand up landing? Awesome! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Namowal 0 #250 March 7, 2012 Quote Wait...you had a stand up landing? Awesome! Thanks! PLF landings are still my norm, but once in awhile a stand up sneaks in.My blog with the skydiving duck cartoons. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
