My fear of jumping at a new DZ

[aloneinthesky 0]

I just went to Arizona to check out a couple colleges, embry riddle in {rescott and ASU. I was so excited to go to arizona because i had heard so much about Eloy's Dropzone, i drove 3 hours out of the way on a 2 lane highway i was behind 2 big trucks the entire way but that didn't bring me down..

i arrived at skydive arizona, which is out in the middle of nowhere and i was impressed but at the same time i was literally shaking the entire time i was there

i have no idea why i felt this way but it continued the entire time i was there. it was a beautiful day, light breeze lots of jumpers but the entire time i was petrified. I brought all my gear and I was so nervous i discouraged myself from jumping... i knew i was making the wrong decision but i left without looking back and once i got back to the hotel i was really sad and depressed

i don't really know what it was, the fear of the unknown, being in a new place, i dunno if i felt out of place among the other jumpers.

all these weird things keep happening to me with things i like.

does anyone ever have this happen

[Lindercles 0]

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i knew i was making the wrong decision

Nope, you made the right decision. If it ain't right it ain't right. Period.

I was petrified the first time I jumped at a new DZ the first time, and I'm still paranoid about jumping at big DZs. I can't imagine having done both at the same time.

[darwin143 0]

I kept telling myself I'd jump at other DZs once I got all my own gear in order...now that I have everything, I'm still jumping at the same DZ
Maybe it will help to bring a buddy along with ya next time...?

[stitch 0]

Do you have something you want to admit?? You're afraid of more than one engine on a jumplane??


Don't worry, we're here for ya.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[Lindercles 0]

Huh?

[stitch 0]

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Huh?

Big DZ's have big airplanes with big engines.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[Lindercles 0]

Hmm, let's see. The first three planes I ever jumped were a King Air, a TBO, and an otter. All twin engine planes and all at a dz that's relatively small compared to Eloy.

Nice try though.

[stitch 0]

I never thought Eloy was all that big. I think the flatness makes it seem that way. It's really rather compact.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[kelel01 1]

Or perhaps it's the FLEET of aircraft.

[Lindercles 0]

Right, because obviously I was speaking geographically.

[aloneinthesky 0]

no i learned on a twin

and i don't have any buddies

all my friends who were suppose to be skydivers with me had other plans like drug problems and accidents

i've been trying to save people and bring them with me, for my own sake of having friends, and for there sake of living a sober life

everytime i got near a goal with my old closest friends they would get sent away, or fall into a pit full of substance abuse and then they shut me out of there life because i want to help them

my other closest friend was in a coma on his death bed, they pulled him out of a self-induced 2 week coma

do not pity. you play the hand you are dealt.

im finding it harder to make friends as i grow up, it hought my friends from when i was younger would stick around. they all changed and have better things to do with there time and money apparently.

attached you will find one of the last friends i have

right now he can only say yes or no by squeezing hands, 1 squeeze is no, 2 squeezes is yes

this is the result of making bad decisions, drinking driving a motorcycle and attempting to run from the police at 230 am.

he slammed into the back of a truck at 140 mph

according to his mom, everything happens for a reason

[stitch 0]

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Or perhaps it's the FLEET of aircraft.

Deland has a fleet of aircraft.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[kelel01 1]

And the Navy has a fleet of ships.

What's your point? Wanna show that you know the meaning of the word fleet?

[stitch 0]

Where are you going with this??

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[aloneinthesky 0]

i don't know if it was the people staring at me like i was some random or if it was all the high performance guys.

every person seemed to be jumping something fast

it could have been the fear of dieing in the middle of no where

maybe im just a pussy and i need to grow some balls

i dunno it was weird and im very bummed. i dont know how i would be able to travel and skydive. i guess maybe.. i won't be that kind of jumper yet

[kelel01 1]

I wasn't going anywhere with it. My comment about Eloy having a fleet of aircraft was kinda the end of it.

Deland also having a fleet of aircraft is irrelevant to the conversation at hand.

[kelel01 1]

You certainly don't have to be. Take your time and do some travel-jumping when you're ready.
And maybe start at a smaller DZ.

[stitch 0]

It was just anxiety. Everybody gets it when going to an unfamiliar place around people they don't know. Give it another try if you have time, there's plenty of good folks there.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[sharimcm 0]

Hey, don't feel bad you didn't jump... The first time I went to Eloy, I had all of my gear in the trunk of my rental car, I filled out all the waivers, and ended up going home shortly after. I wasn't too fond of landing in a small space (ok, smaller than where I was jumping), and the thought of landing on a cactus didn't make me feel too comfortable. I've jumped at a few dz's, but the first time at each one was different. Find your comfort zone and stick with it.

"I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself

[PLFXpert 0]

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i don't know if it was the people staring at me like i was some random or if it was all the high performance guys.

I'm a girl. So, right away whatever I say toward the subject will likely render the response of "Whatever, you're a chick. It's easier."

I understand where you're coming from, and completely validate your feelings. And now, having said that. Suck it up.



People stare when they don't know you. High performance guys, for the most part, were once that new guy, too. The ones that don't remember such are tools. Thankfully, I've found those are few & far between.

Don't take things so personally. The "high performance guys" are likely training. They have a goal for the day; they're concentrating. They're paying no attention to you or anyone else. Who cares? You're not there for them, are you? Everyone else is looking at the new guy. Everyone looks at the new guy. It's what we do. "Hey, there's a new guy."

What you're forgetting is everyone at some point was the new guy. And now they have friends at the DZ. You could too, if you stick around.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[wildcard451 0]

Here's a fun tip for being the new guy......

-walk up to manifest
- at bigger DZs, see if someone is organizing anything.....they can help find you people to jump with

- also fun
- walk up to manifest
- say "Hey, I'm the FNG, I don't know anyone and I'd like to jump with some people, got any cool local people?"

You never know the cool friends you'll make just by doing that.

In other words, good on you for not jumping when it didn't feel right, but you should cowboy up and not be such a pussy.

[PLFXpert 0]

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And maybe start at a smaller DZ.

I responded before realizing...aloneinthesky have you never jumped? I was responding as if you were licensed.

I started at a smaller DZ. I DEFINTIELY recommend it, too! I'm a shopper. I called around. I live in Florida so there's a million DZs w/in a two-hour drive. Skydive Daytona was by far the most appealing to me being that I was alone and from the moment the manifest girl picked up the phone, it was as if she were my best friend--had known me for years. She talked to me like a person, not like the next in line. I was actually calling around pricing AFF. I didn't even plan on doing a tandem...

Anywho...Skydive Daytona is where I landed, literally, my first jump. And though I've said it a billion times, it will always be where my heart it. It has since closed. But if you're just starting out, I love the small DZ, too, myself.

But, don't go to a new, small DZ. That is all.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[sharimcm 0]

And, from what I remember at Eloy was when I went there to do a jump, they told me that they would find someone to jump with me... A few people introduced themselves and told me to come get them when I was ready, but uh... It went back to the fear of landing on a cactus...

"I had a dude tip his black cowboy hat to me after I provided him with a condom outside my hotel room at 3-something in the morning." -myself

[PLFXpert 0]

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say "Hey, I'm the FNG,

Perfect!

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[wildcard451 0]

I think he/she has jumped...in the OP they mention bringing their gear...