Something really cool

[Sebazz1 2]

So something really cool happened to me this weekend. I worked at a DZ that I have not jumped at regularly for some time now. I only go there occasionaly when the coastal fog where I jump at mostly, refuses to clear. It is where I had learned to skydive originaly. So my first jump yesterday I was more nervous than my level 3 AFF student? The guy on reserve side was Kirk. Kirk taught me the FJC five years ago and was also one of my Level 1 JM's. I couldn't believe it! Lets just say it was a special moment. We ended up doin two AFF jumps together that day before I went and did another AFF with the DZO who at one time had been one of my JM's as well. They were proud of me but at the same time did they rib me pretty hard this weekend. It was nice to be at my old home for a bit too.SEBAZZ.......

[ChromeBoy 0]

I can't wait to jump with my old instructors one day when I am an instructor. I also want to complete a Birdman jump with a couple of people I met in Florida! Got to work on those numbers though! Did you buy a beer for all 9,000 of us?

[sunshine 2]

On my 2 year anniversary in the sport i got to make a fun jump with the tandemmaster that took me on my first jump. I thought that was pretty cool.
"Do whatever you like, just untie me when you're done"

[Muenkel 0]

I am so moved by this story...I am verklempt!
Such an interesting monster with such an interesting hairdo.
Chris

[jceman 1]

I had a similar experience a couple of years ago, but it was no where near as pleasant. Oh, my AFF instructor was nice enough, and have done a couple jumps with him since, including a nice tracking dive BUT...
So there we were, on the 4th of July, my AFF instructor and his current flame, myself and a SL student. I'm putting the student out of the 182, following him, then my JM and his gal are heading upstairs. The DZO told me that the student "had a bit of a problem letting go" on his first jump but should be OK. This is the first time I'm acting as JM with my old instructor aboard, so I'm more than a bit nervous. He'd shown a lot of faith in me and I wanted to show that it had not been misplaced.
Get set up for jump run, open the door and ask him if he's ready to skydive, he gives me an enthusiastic "YES!". He puts his feet out with no hestitation, climbs out with no hestitation, responds to the "Hang Strut" without hestitation. One last check and say "Go!" HESITATION. I finally have to climb out on the step and peel his fingers off the strut, get one hand off before the other and his head passes inches under the wheel. I reel in the dope rope and stow it, look back at my instructor and all he says is "Homestead".
Student does great under canopy, and apologizes to all for his problem with letting go of the strut. After long talks with me and the DZO, he says if I will go with him again, he knows he can do it. I verify this with the DZO and after refreshers, off we go.
This time we have a very experienced jump pilot, and when the student repeats just like the first time as I reach out for him, the pilot stops me and says he will get him off. He does that magic pilot shit and sure, enough, the student's hand comes off the strut. But (and we have this on video) he pulls his hand back from behind himself in the slipstream and regrabs the strut! I pry him off again, and once more he does great under canopy.
The DZO says that's it -- if you want to jump, you're going to have to go AFF. The student can't afford to at this time, but says he will. Bottom line, he saves his money, goes to another DZ where he can go out of bigger A/C, also spends lots of time in the tunnel at Orlando and today is a pretty darn good skydiver. Can even chunk a 4-way out of a 182, just don't ask him to touch the strut!