moto89 0 #26 February 19, 2007 None, just made my first AFF this weekend having never been tandem. I'm glad I did too. I knew it was going to be something I liked, and I enjoyed the extra freedom/independence. To tell you the truth, I really enjoyed being under canopy on my own.Less talking, more flying. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DougH 270 #27 February 19, 2007 I did just one. I loved every minute of it. I didn't feel that I had much sensory overload so I turned down the idea of another "training" tandem. My tandem instructor did an excellent job, I did a good deal of canopy control, and I helped land as well. He was also big, burly, and bearded; so I was glad to get him off my back. "The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall" =P Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #28 February 19, 2007 No tandems, just 5 s/l and a first freefall. I have 2 friends that have not done tandem, AFF, or static line. Their first jump was a 10 second freefall, no instructor holding the harness. How do ya like that? Air Force Academy trained that way for years. Don't know if they are still doing it that way. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy_Copland 0 #29 February 19, 2007 None. Like Scoop said though, wouldnt mind doing a tandem just for a giggle. All the fun and less responsibility!1338 People aint made of nothin' but water and shit. Until morale improves, the beatings will continue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CSpenceFLY 1 #30 February 19, 2007 None before AFF.I did one with someone that was getting a rating.I didn't like it at all.Andy I don't think you would think it is fun.It's a little weird. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
aardvarkeater 0 #31 February 19, 2007 None. I knew this was what I wanted to do and I wasn't going to waste any time getting into it.Muff Brother #4026 Loco Zapatos Rodriguez SCR #14793 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LittleOne 0 #32 February 20, 2007 I did 2 tandems before AFF. The first was the "oh I'm only going to jump once in my life" jump that got me hooked. The second was at a new dz where they highly recommended a tandem because of the postage stamp sized landing area. In retrospect, I'm glad I did that second tandem. It helped to acclimate me to freefall and gave me just a little more confidence that I could actually do this crazy thing. Since I'm not the athletic, extreme sports, adrenaline junkie type, I needed all the help I could get. I passed AFF 1 after tandem #2. Small miracles! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fast 0 #33 February 20, 2007 QuoteWell I guess I like my blanket for now I think just the opposite will happen the more tandems you do, you will get more comfortable but also bored and be ready to go on your own but it's different for everyone. My roommate did 5 tandems before her first AFF jump (she is A lic now) and it taught her some very bad habits that she had to work to break once she started doing AFF. Namely not having her legs out at all, ever, and also landing with her feet up. I think one or two translate well, beyond that you need to learn more about what you're doing. I did one tandem, wasn't sure if this skydiving thing was all it was cracked up to be, but decided to do AFF anyways. The tandem was kinda borring. That was just under 4 years and 1200+ jumps ago. Been at the DZ almost every jumping weekend since.~D Where troubles melt like lemon drops Away above the chimney tops That's where you'll find me. Swooping is taking one last poke at the bear before escaping it's cave - davelepka Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
L.O. 0 #34 February 20, 2007 No Tandems. Static line rules!!HPDBs, I hate those guys. AFB, charter member. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wildfan75 1 #35 February 20, 2007 I did two but my second one was to hold me over until spring when I could start my S/L class. I did my first tandem on 9/17/05. I did it to "cross it off my list", but I never approached it as an amusement park ride. I knew it was a serious extreme thing. About two seconds after I landed I knew it was something that I wanted to learn to do and keep doing. Wisconsin winters can be harsh and didn't want to start in the fall and then struggle through the winter just to stay current and not get anywhere skill wise. But I had to do another jump! So I did a second tandem on 10/22/05. Did my s/l class on 4/22/06, 1st free fall on 5/5/06 and have done 153 jumps since then. I was trying to get 200 done in my first year but the last three weeks of subzero temperatures didn't help. However many you do or don't do...have fun!!!! It only gets better with each jump! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hayfield 0 #36 February 20, 2007 It took 4 tandems before I felt like I could handle freefall and properly flying the canopy back to the dz. I probably would have been fine after 3, but I like to gamble with my money, not my ass. While the tandems were fun, AFF, and later flailing with friends kicks even more ass! Blue skies."Remember the First Commandment: Don't Fuck Up!" -Crusty Old Pete Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Peej 0 #37 February 20, 2007 0. I weighed up the options of the price of a tandem vs te price of the 1st jump of AFF and decided that i'd be happier having done the first level of AFF and having the option to continue. Advertisio Rodriguez / Sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Marios 0 #38 February 20, 2007 I did 3 tandems before AFF. My first was in 2002 just to say that I've done it. The second was in 2004 just to say I've done it again. The third was the day I started AFF in 2005. I finally had the money. Blue ones Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
andubkov 0 #39 February 20, 2007 7 tandems total I started an S/L course in Russia, made 5 S/L jumps, but then I moved to the US. Did a tandem there in fall 2003. Then decided to go through AFP (3 Tandems + 7 AFF) program in summer 2004. Did 3 tandems and 1 AFF, but had to stop due to money issues. Next summer I had to start over, so 3 more tandems Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ROK 0 #40 February 20, 2007 No tandems... Did my first jump from altitude with TK and Bob Clark. It was awesome! I watch the tandems now and I'm not real sure if I would do it or not. The thought of exiting without a rig gives me the chills Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites marks2065 0 #41 February 20, 2007 i did 5 tandems and 4 solo assisted jumps for a 9 jump program - thought it was an excelent program - the bad habits your friend picked up was from poor training from the TM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites steveorino 7 #42 February 20, 2007 Quotethe bad habits your friend picked up was from poor training from the TM I'm not disputing what you said, but I'm curious as to why. As a TM I do teach the students to lift their legs up on landing. Their legs tend to remain up when doing a tandem as well. Do "teaching" tandems do differently? If so, how? steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bclark 0 #43 February 20, 2007 0 tandems as a student. I did an AFF jump. I wanted to skydive just to experience it the first time (although after the first one I knew I loved it). In retrospect I would have rather done a tandem for my first jump. My first AFF skydive was a very overwhelming experience. Never mind all that "don't want to strap myself to some dude" shit. For MOST people a tandem allows them to experience skydiving in a low pressure environment to see whether it is something they want to do on their own. That said, I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with starting AFF, IF you are a person who is getting into the sport knowing you want to become a licensed skydiver. I'm sure my JM's would have appreciated me doing a tandem first. I had NO ARCH, legs EVERYWHERE, and I reached across the front of my body with my left hand to pull. We all know how THAT improves student body position. Someone mentioned earlier that tandems can become a crutch for some students who are afraid. That may be true, but on the flip side there are some people out there who should NEVER skdive on their own. Tandem allows us to weed those people out before at best some AFF I gets the shit scared out of them, or at worst that person gets hurt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites marks2065 0 #44 February 20, 2007 on the 4th and 5th tandems we worked on alot of leg stuff in freefall and under canopy - you can practice landings under canopy at 3000 feet and land good with the student - although landings under some of the new tandem canopies makes it hard - maybe the dz's should keep a couple of the old 400 - 425 sqft chutes around for training students Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Orange1 0 #45 February 20, 2007 Quote The thought of exiting without a rig gives me the chills Just the thought of being in the plane at all without a rig on my back freaks me out!!Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Thijs 0 #46 February 20, 2007 No tandems, and I did SL. There is something that scares me about tandems... I think I felt more comfortable doing SL, then doing tandems first. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jacketsdb23 49 #47 February 20, 2007 I didn't do a tandem and my father was a tandem instructor. Tandem's are great for some people. Not me. It really depends on your personality and how well you can remain in control at 120mph. I'm sort of a hypocrite. I think Tandems are a great tool for first time jumpers especially if you really tell the instructors that you want to be involved. For some reason I just can't do one.Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen God is Good Beer is Great Swoopers are crazy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites shortyj 0 #48 February 20, 2007 Thank you guys and girls have made me feel better about having more than 1 tandem.Playtime is essential. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites FallingDuck 0 #49 February 20, 2007 I did one. My club's student program dose two. If someone is really nervous then they can do a few more. But usually I'd say that any more than 3 and your wasting your money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites diablopilot 2 #50 February 21, 2007 QuoteQuoteHow many tandems did you do before going thru aff? If you did quite a few were you more comfortable with your first aff jump? It sounds like you'd like to do AFF, but are avoiding going alone. I think the more tandems someone makes, the less likely they will be to get away from them. In my opinion, a tandem jump is just an amusement park ride. No one should consider themself a skydiver if all they do is hang on someone's harness. Kevin While I agree they CAN be just a ride, they can also be an invaluable training tool. We lost something when Static line went the way of the DoDo in this country. Canopy control. That is the biggest benifit any of my students get out of training tandems with me.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 3 Next Page 2 of 3 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. Insert image from URL × Desktop Tablet Phone Submit Reply 0
ROK 0 #40 February 20, 2007 No tandems... Did my first jump from altitude with TK and Bob Clark. It was awesome! I watch the tandems now and I'm not real sure if I would do it or not. The thought of exiting without a rig gives me the chills Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks2065 0 #41 February 20, 2007 i did 5 tandems and 4 solo assisted jumps for a 9 jump program - thought it was an excelent program - the bad habits your friend picked up was from poor training from the TM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #42 February 20, 2007 Quotethe bad habits your friend picked up was from poor training from the TM I'm not disputing what you said, but I'm curious as to why. As a TM I do teach the students to lift their legs up on landing. Their legs tend to remain up when doing a tandem as well. Do "teaching" tandems do differently? If so, how? steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bclark 0 #43 February 20, 2007 0 tandems as a student. I did an AFF jump. I wanted to skydive just to experience it the first time (although after the first one I knew I loved it). In retrospect I would have rather done a tandem for my first jump. My first AFF skydive was a very overwhelming experience. Never mind all that "don't want to strap myself to some dude" shit. For MOST people a tandem allows them to experience skydiving in a low pressure environment to see whether it is something they want to do on their own. That said, I don't think there is necessarily anything wrong with starting AFF, IF you are a person who is getting into the sport knowing you want to become a licensed skydiver. I'm sure my JM's would have appreciated me doing a tandem first. I had NO ARCH, legs EVERYWHERE, and I reached across the front of my body with my left hand to pull. We all know how THAT improves student body position. Someone mentioned earlier that tandems can become a crutch for some students who are afraid. That may be true, but on the flip side there are some people out there who should NEVER skdive on their own. Tandem allows us to weed those people out before at best some AFF I gets the shit scared out of them, or at worst that person gets hurt. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
marks2065 0 #44 February 20, 2007 on the 4th and 5th tandems we worked on alot of leg stuff in freefall and under canopy - you can practice landings under canopy at 3000 feet and land good with the student - although landings under some of the new tandem canopies makes it hard - maybe the dz's should keep a couple of the old 400 - 425 sqft chutes around for training students Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Orange1 0 #45 February 20, 2007 Quote The thought of exiting without a rig gives me the chills Just the thought of being in the plane at all without a rig on my back freaks me out!!Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Thijs 0 #46 February 20, 2007 No tandems, and I did SL. There is something that scares me about tandems... I think I felt more comfortable doing SL, then doing tandems first. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacketsdb23 49 #47 February 20, 2007 I didn't do a tandem and my father was a tandem instructor. Tandem's are great for some people. Not me. It really depends on your personality and how well you can remain in control at 120mph. I'm sort of a hypocrite. I think Tandems are a great tool for first time jumpers especially if you really tell the instructors that you want to be involved. For some reason I just can't do one.Losers make excuses, Winners make it happen God is Good Beer is Great Swoopers are crazy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shortyj 0 #48 February 20, 2007 Thank you guys and girls have made me feel better about having more than 1 tandem.Playtime is essential. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FallingDuck 0 #49 February 20, 2007 I did one. My club's student program dose two. If someone is really nervous then they can do a few more. But usually I'd say that any more than 3 and your wasting your money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diablopilot 2 #50 February 21, 2007 QuoteQuoteHow many tandems did you do before going thru aff? If you did quite a few were you more comfortable with your first aff jump? It sounds like you'd like to do AFF, but are avoiding going alone. I think the more tandems someone makes, the less likely they will be to get away from them. In my opinion, a tandem jump is just an amusement park ride. No one should consider themself a skydiver if all they do is hang on someone's harness. Kevin While I agree they CAN be just a ride, they can also be an invaluable training tool. We lost something when Static line went the way of the DoDo in this country. Canopy control. That is the biggest benifit any of my students get out of training tandems with me.---------------------------------------------- You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
