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NickDG 23
I want to give a nod to Young Sun, whose helping with the Jay' rigging, she's a former student of mine, and she wouldn't mind me telling you she was the student from hell. I only mention it as she's went on to be such a success story. She's become an AFF Instructor herself, she's been on all of the recent big way records, and she's a rigger.
She started at Cal City about ten years ago and several Instructors already gave her the bowling speech when I met her. She was stuck on her release dives always spinning and kicking. And she was very fearful. I can't remember how many times we landed with the airplane with her in tears.
However, the girl had no quit in her, but I already tried every trick I knew to get her to click on. Her husband and the DZO were asking me to get her to quit, but I refused and as long as she kept strapping on a rig I was going to keep taking her. I saw a bit of myself in her as I was very fearful student too. I really can't remember how many student AFF jumps she made, probably approaching fours times the normal number.
It was all coming to a head one Saturday morning and by this time she could dress herself, pretty much pack herself, and she'd always stand around when I was with other students sometimes helping me demonstrate a position or procedure. The DZO gave her cheap jumps and we just kept on going.
She made two jumps that Saturday morning. The first began with her normal excruciating ride to altitude and by 8-grand she's a quivering bowl of jelly but she was getting good at other things. She could check her own gear, and she even checked mine and I trusted her with that. She could spot pretty well now and she handled all that with the pilot. The jump was like all the rest. She flailed and kicked her way down the hill and after release it was spin/redock – spin/redock – spin/redock always ending with a gripped deployment. She thought a few times she pulled stable on her own but I always had to say no I had a grip and she'd cry.
It was getting to the point that while her canopy control and landing were all spot on, were she to get hurt, or worse, I'd be the Instructor out there flapping in the breeze. And the fear was also starting to get to me. Instructors, after a while realize they inadvertently soak up the fear their students give off. Up jumpers spend their time with happy fun jumpers. Instructors spend their time like a guy who stayed too long working for the bomb squad – after a while your nerves are shot. Students are like time bombs and they can, and do, go off right in your face.
The next jump started like the rest. At about 8000-feet she started squirming and I expected her to ask me to bring her down again (this would happen on every third jump or so). But she didn't and out we went. And she clicked on – finally!!! It was like someone threw a switch! She held a heading, she turned and stopped, she pulled stable, on time, and on her own !!!
I watched her open and deployed myself. I then had to remove my frap hat and goggles because now I was crying too . . .
NickD
BASE 194
She started at Cal City about ten years ago and several Instructors already gave her the bowling speech when I met her. She was stuck on her release dives always spinning and kicking. And she was very fearful. I can't remember how many times we landed with the airplane with her in tears.
However, the girl had no quit in her, but I already tried every trick I knew to get her to click on. Her husband and the DZO were asking me to get her to quit, but I refused and as long as she kept strapping on a rig I was going to keep taking her. I saw a bit of myself in her as I was very fearful student too. I really can't remember how many student AFF jumps she made, probably approaching fours times the normal number.
It was all coming to a head one Saturday morning and by this time she could dress herself, pretty much pack herself, and she'd always stand around when I was with other students sometimes helping me demonstrate a position or procedure. The DZO gave her cheap jumps and we just kept on going.
She made two jumps that Saturday morning. The first began with her normal excruciating ride to altitude and by 8-grand she's a quivering bowl of jelly but she was getting good at other things. She could check her own gear, and she even checked mine and I trusted her with that. She could spot pretty well now and she handled all that with the pilot. The jump was like all the rest. She flailed and kicked her way down the hill and after release it was spin/redock – spin/redock – spin/redock always ending with a gripped deployment. She thought a few times she pulled stable on her own but I always had to say no I had a grip and she'd cry.
It was getting to the point that while her canopy control and landing were all spot on, were she to get hurt, or worse, I'd be the Instructor out there flapping in the breeze. And the fear was also starting to get to me. Instructors, after a while realize they inadvertently soak up the fear their students give off. Up jumpers spend their time with happy fun jumpers. Instructors spend their time like a guy who stayed too long working for the bomb squad – after a while your nerves are shot. Students are like time bombs and they can, and do, go off right in your face.
The next jump started like the rest. At about 8000-feet she started squirming and I expected her to ask me to bring her down again (this would happen on every third jump or so). But she didn't and out we went. And she clicked on – finally!!! It was like someone threw a switch! She held a heading, she turned and stopped, she pulled stable, on time, and on her own !!!
I watched her open and deployed myself. I then had to remove my frap hat and goggles because now I was crying too . . .
NickD
BASE 194
NWFlyer 2
QuoteJust read a bit deeper into the website and he is jumping from 2100 and deploying almost immediately.
Still curious about the safety factor.
Well, by doing that research you just eliminated one of your concerns (O2 levels). Jay has done this type of marathon before (534 jumps) so I think he and his team are well aware of the potential for exhaustion and the risks that might cause.
But one thing to realize: Jay is a badass. He is essentially super-human and if anyone can pull this off, Jay can, with an amazing support team. This is gonna be fun to watch.
"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
DSE 5
2:15, 170+ jumps, rockin' on and kickin' butt. The PAC is screamin' him to 2.1K, the team is functioning like a well-oiled machine, and Jay's spirits are high in the 1 second he has to utter a couple words. Everyone here is high on the moment, and if attitude of the team and spectators matters to stamina, Jay will absolutely make and break his goal.
DSE 5
4:15: Jay qualified for his C license about 30 minutes ago: Bob Dougherty handed him a license examination to complete on the ride up. Jay hasn't handed it back yet.
Jay also just completed a skydive whereon he carried a US flag that had been brought back from Iraq by a Marine, said flag to be returned to it's unit of origin.
Jay is in good spirits, laughing at the license exam as handed to him, and very funny when he has landings that take him beyond his normal landing point.
Norman Kent is here, grabbing gorgeous pictures whereever they are to be found.
Packers for the midnight shift are badly needed.
Jay also just completed a skydive whereon he carried a US flag that had been brought back from Iraq by a Marine, said flag to be returned to it's unit of origin.
Jay is in good spirits, laughing at the license exam as handed to him, and very funny when he has landings that take him beyond his normal landing point.
Norman Kent is here, grabbing gorgeous pictures whereever they are to be found.
Packers for the midnight shift are badly needed.
QuotePackers for the midnight shift are badly needed.
Damn, I wish I could be there. I would pack all night for that man.
My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals
PhreeZone 20
I might be able to head over for a 3 hour drive here in a bit. If I don't make it good luck Jay, you've got the record at this pace!
Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery
Parachutemanuals.com
And tomorrow is a mystery
Parachutemanuals.com
Eule 0
QuoteSkydiveRadio did a great show in which they interviewed him. [....] It is the show aired on 5/23/06.
Skydive Radio show #42.
Eule
PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.
cocheese 0
Kind of hard to comprehend. Good luck Jay and the machine of people chuggin away. Thanks for the post,DSE.
micro 0
just plain awesome AWESOME AWESOME!!!!!!
I just went to the website and read the whole blog. How exciting! GOOD LUCK Jay!!!!!!
I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...
I just went to the website and read the whole blog. How exciting! GOOD LUCK Jay!!!!!!
I miss Lee.
And JP.
And Chris. And...
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