DJmikeD 0 #1 August 3, 2006 Ok I am new to the forum and I wanted to ask a question for all the guys and gals who have experience in this great sport. I just graduated the AFF sport and I am doing the solo jumps now tell I hit the 25 jump mark or get My A License. I wanted to know if you have any advice for fun things to do in the air while I am all alone to build up stability, smoothness, and coordination. my instructor said for the first couple of jumps just jump out holding one leg tumble for a few seconds and become stable. then try it with the other leg. At this point do I need to worry about gliding or tracking. Should I make my flips and rolls perfect and smooth. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reginald 0 #2 August 3, 2006 Your DZ should have a defined progression of things you need to accomplish to earn your A license. Do you have an "A" license card? It takes more than graduating AFF and doing some solos to get an A license. Talk to your instructors and have them walk you through the process."We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chris-Ottawa 0 #3 August 3, 2006 I've been working on flips and spins, it's great fun. I just go up and do anythign I want. I dont' have my A license and it's not a huge priority for me right now. I'm just having fun, then I'll get into RW and FF and whatever. No sense in rushing to somethnig that doesn't end right? If you want to go to skydivingmovies.com and do a search for backflips, you can see my "less than perfect" flips and rolls. (The movie is called backflips-frontflips-rolls.....) One of the funnest things I've done yet is a backflip off the step of the Cessna 205. Scared the crap out of me (butterfly feeling) when I left the step, but it was a blast. Before doing anything though, run it by your instructors, they will tell you if they're comfortable with you doing something new etc... Have fun! Skies!"When once you have tasted flight..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
labrys 0 #4 August 4, 2006 QuoteI am doing the solo jumps now tell I hit the 25 jump mark or get My A License. You don't have to do solo jumps. Are there any D licensed jumpers or coaches at your dz?Owned by Remi #? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJmikeD 0 #5 August 4, 2006 I will get into the coaching to obtain my A License comming up here in the future. Right now I would like to work on my stability and manuvers before I get into more coaching. That is why I was asking about any exercises that others do to have fun in the air. After I get a few more jumps in, I will continue to jump with the other instructors and coaches to finish my A license. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeremy556 0 #6 August 4, 2006 Work on fall rate control (dearching and cupping air) and turning with your legs. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thanatos340 1 #7 August 4, 2006 QuoteI am doing the solo jumps now tell I hit the 25 jump mark or get My A License. That is sad. You dont learn as much on Solo Jumps as you do when you have an experienced Jumper to help you by giving you a point of reference in the air and/or teach you things. When I got of AFF status, I had to BEG my DZO to let me do Solos`s. He didn’t think it was a good idea as he said "you teach yourself bad habits." and he would point to someone to go jump with. That was before the Coach rating thing and experienced Jumpers were lined up to take newbies out and jump with them. If you can find any Jumpers with the old school mentality of "Give back to the Sport" that are qualified to jump with newbies.. Jump with them if at all possible. (Hint.. Show up on Friday or saturday night with a case of beer.. Get to know some, Bet you find a couple are qualified to jump with you and wont charge you for it.) If there aren’t any at your DZ, Try Going to a different DZ. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJmikeD 0 #8 August 4, 2006 they are deffinetly there at the DZ and I will use them here shortly. I was just trying to think of some things to do for the next 3 or 4 jumps to improve my balance and stability in the air. I just plan on jumping and making sure I am doing my toe taps, work on my arch, maybe get a little less arch in some places and make my flips and rolls smooth so that I am ready for the rest of my card challanges. thanks for the help to everyone. "Falling is the easy part, Landing smoothly is the most importent part! -DJ Mike Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mangledspoon 0 #9 August 4, 2006 That's what I'm doing at the moment too :) The way I see it, I want to feel a little more ready and have enjoyed myself solo before spending more money and doing more 'serious' coach jumps... I've been doing as you said, toe taps, arching, leaving the plane in a backflip/frontflip, practicing turns, tracking, etcetera.. yeah, i'm probably teaching myself bad habits, but at least I'm practicing :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NWFlyer 2 #10 August 7, 2006 A couple of solo jumps with no performance anxiety can be a great thing for helping you relax and get comfortable in the air, though I agree with others who say that doing a whole bunch of solos till you get to your A isn't going to help you learn as much. But learning to relax and be comfortable and stable in the air is an important thing to work on. As for freefall maneuvers, some may disagree with me, but there's not a huge amount of value in getting your front flips and back flips "perfect." The primary skill you'll learn in continuing to do them is recovery from unstable positions (which is very valuable), but whether they look pretty or ugly is of little import. Things I practiced on solos: Turns - 90s, 180s, 360s. Pick a reference point on the horizon, and practice stopping and starting turns on heading. Experiment with different inputs (leg only, arm only, both arm and leg). Experiment with different speeds and techniques for stopping and starting turns. Tracking - talk to your instructors about this one - you'll want to discuss when to exit, how to communicate with the pilot, which direction to track relative to jump run, etc. Canopy stuff - there's a lot of canopy skills on the A license progression card; talk to your instructors about the best way to knock those off. And, once you've knocked those off, keep practicing them. Make every jump an opportunity to practice canopy skills of some sort."There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
