does anyone else get nervous when thinking about jumping again after being uncurrent?

[cpoxon 0]

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If anyone know what the BPA rules on this, post up.

From Section 5 (Training) Para 11 (Restrictions Following A Lay Off) of the BPA Operations Manual

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Where a Student or Intermediate Parachutist has had a lay-off of two months or more, approval of the CCI must be obtained as to the type of descent to be made next.

The definition of an Intermediate and Experienced Parachutist is given in Section 2 (Designation and Classification of Parachutists) Para 2 (Designation of Parachutists)

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2.2. Intermediate Parachutist: Holds an FAI ‘A’ Certificate (Red) and above, but below FAI‘ B’ Certificate (Red).

2.3. Experienced Parachutist: Holds an FAI ‘B’ Certificate (Red) and above.

The requirements for an FAI 'B' Certificate (Red) is given in Section 2 (Designation and Classification of Parachutists) Para 3 (FAI (British Standard) Certificate (Red)) Sub-Para 3.2 (FAI 'B' Certificate)

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FAI ‘A’ Certificate, 50 descents and at least ‘IC-Grade 1’.

So I would guess Dave that you are an Experienced Parachutist, so officially there are no requirments for you, but given your concern, it wouldn't hurt to have a chat with your CCI and maybe run-through your emergency drills with an instructor (certainly practice them yourself but refer to an instructor if you have any doubt/questions).

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[Newbie 0]

thanks Craig - im technically still only A licensed - i don't have my IC1 yet - have been meaning to sort that out for ages, but never got round to it - will have to really sort it out now the season has started.

Will have a chat with the CCI this weekend (wetaher permitting) and run throught EP's like no tomorrow.

"Skydiving is a door"
Happythoughts

[caz 0]

when I had a lay off for a number of months last winter (yes I was a fair-weather jumper!) just after I'd got my A licence, my CCI made me do some EP practice on the ground and got me doing some cutaways in the harness and a repeat level 7 AFF.

I've just had another 5 months off due to a shoulder injury and will probably have to do the same next weekend when I hope to get back in the air (

~~~ London Skydivers ~~~

[pkasdorf 0]

Yes, definitely! But I catch up very fast...

HISPA # 18 POPS # 8757

[carbonezone 0]

Hey Newbie.....Yea, I get nervous when I havent. jumped in a while....(thats what make it fun) .
Being nervous and respecting what you are about to do generally is what saves your life (makes you think about those emergency procedures)!
Once you leave the plane its all gone
Have fun !!!
<>
Tami

[christelsabine 1]

Nervous ? no! half dead!

only by thinking about next coming jump within next 48 hrs after several weeks of break makes my hand swet, my mouth dry and my heart is beating like 10 djungle drums!

but looking forward to that is so thrilling...

blue skies forever, hang on

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[Red_Skydiver 0]

I get nervous in the aircraft before every jump (110 to date!) Some times it is worse than others though, usually after I haven't jumped for a while. I often say to myself the next jump is my last but as soon as it's over I want to go again! It's the deployment that scares me (or the lack of!) Once out of the door the relative work tends to have my mind focused so I don't think about it. If it wasn't scary you probably wouldn't be doing it, if it's easy it's no fun! You just gotta learn to handle the nerves.

[chuckbrown 0]

Yes. Currency is very important in this sport.

[riggerrob 643]

Yes I get nervous after every lay off.
For example, rains prevented me from jumping in December or January.
So when I did my first jump in March you can be damned straight that I did a thorough pre-flight on my gear and reviewed emergency procedures during the ride up.
It helped that I repacked a few dozen reserves while grounded.

[storm1977 0]

I get nervous if I haven't jumped in 4 hours nevermind 4 months.

No, but seriously, I am uncurrent right now, just got a repack and I am waiting for the warmer weather. I went to my DZ this weekend to pick up my gear, and as we pulled in my stomach started to churn... and I knew I wasn't even going to be jumping.

I worry a lot though ... I really must annoy those around me.

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Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty

[ERAUSkydiver 0]

8.5 Months and counting... Damn it, why couldnt LM offer me a job in Florida! Oh well, I finally have a rig and a job (granted, no main canopy yet). And a rig and a good salary after 4 years of living off of student loans can only mean one thing. (Besides 15 years of paying off student loan bills) I'm coming back and I'll be back for good baby!

[mattsplat 0]

thats the best feeling

[skyjunior 0]

My last jump was in December 2003 and my next jump will be early 2005. I am not to nervous about that jump but I am a little worried about the landing.

PLEASE REMEMB

[bravoniner 0]

How about a ten-year lay-off? I broke the drought at Deland with what was, at the time (1984), an AFF 5 - 6 dive with Rocky Evans out of Mr. Douglas. Tom Piras had looked through my old logs and said that's what we ought to do; so, we did.

Spent plenty of practice time in the plane, in a suspended harness and on the creepers, but let's see -- first jump in ten years, first jump on a square, first jump with everything on my back, unfamiliar DZ, performance anxiety -- yeah the ol' mouth was pretty dry. Actually said to myself, "You really don't have to do this, y'know." Then I replied, "Yeah, but I'm going to do it anyway." Nervousness aside, I knew I was ready.

Out the door and both the fear and the ten years were gone in a flash -- big grins all around. All maneuvers completed without fuss, a nice, easy standup on target, and a sign-off to "do anything you want." (Recurrency requirements are a bit stiffer nowadays.)

Nervousness, if you direct it constructively and are otherwise ready to jump, will help you stay alive.

Bravoniner

[maxmadmax 8]

I always am nervious before jumping a new aircraft. And especially after a layoff of a couple of weeks.

I always ask myself the ????...what the hell am I doing here?

Then once I leave the door then it's damn I am glad to be back in the air.

Don't go away mad....just go away!

[storm1977 0]

Your right... I swear on the ride to altitude I am saying to myself the whole time "What the Fuck are you doing???"

Once on the ground I am ready to go again.

Back up in the plane ... "What the fuck am I doing"

ETC.....

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Sometimes it is more important to protect LIFE than Liberty

[algboy 0]

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I get anxiety during the climb to altitude the first jump of the weekend; then once I'm in the door, I'm okay.
This has been a topic of conversation at my home DZ and we discussed what may help get over the anxiety..some felt that meditating was helpful, deep breathing, closing your eyes and visualizing pastel colors whereas others felt that looking outside the plane and planning out your "perfect jump" was helpful and others felt that joking with friends on the load and distracting oneself altogether helped. Discover what works for you. Some need quiet time and others need to get "pumped up".

I've been off for almost 3 months now after recently getting my "A" yet I don't feel that nervous about getting back into it next month.

I have to give a lot of credit to my coach at Eloy, Stephan, for getting me to see things as not quite so worthy of anxiety. On our first jump together, on the ride up--3 jumps to go before my "A"--he suggested that we run off the ramp of the Skyvan and do forward rolls. On the outside, I'm smiling and nodding "Sure". On the inside, I'm thinking "Good Lord--this freakin' guy is trying to kill me!"

Yet, I always noticed how calm he was on the ride up; how he related to all the regulars on the load--from crazy freeflyers with lip rings straight out of Nat'l Geographic to husband-wife belly flyers. He'd quietly ask me how I was feeling, check my rig and remind me to breathe deeply from my belly. How could I not trust this guy? Everyone else seemed fine--why not me?

Short story long . . . I gained confidence in leaving the plane unstable, going unstable while in freefall and recovering easily and that the ride up is time for basic safety and calm reflection.

I love exiting unstable now and look forward to my next jumps with great anticipation--whether exiting stable or not.

I guess it's different for everyone: the door is a huge step--the abyss--but not as intimidating after a few coach jumps and my hop-n-pop.

Pre-jump jitters? Yeah, that is part of the game, even if it includes a hop-n-pop from two feet (nothing like a 15-minute call from manifest to get the old bowels churning!)

Hats off to the students out there. After my 3-year layoff before getting my "A"--I stared out that door and thought to myself: "I actually want to DO this?? This is insanity!!! I felt like I did on my first AFF jump. But I did it anyway. I lived--and, well, this sport just plain ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!

“Keep your elbow up!"

[Hawkins121 0]

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People sometimes get confused at this point in their lives. You may be thinking, 'Am I sure I really want to do this?' when you should be thinking, 'Damn, this is why I NEVER want to be uncurrent again.

I know this thread has been dead a long time but it this quote is just to good and to relevant especially this time of year when everyone is getting ready for the season.

[popsjumper 2]

I stupidly let my currency lapse for 27 years...wasn't nervous at returning...now just kicking my own ass for waiting so long...

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[Wobblyhead 0]

Im new to the whole skydiving game, but whenever im nervous about a uni exam for example, i ask a mate to punch me on the arm nice and hard or slap me across the face, for some reason they never refuse , helps keep your mind on something else

[L.O. 0]

To be honest if I go more then two weeks without jumping I worry about my canopy. If I go three weeks I will repack my main. If I make it to four weeks..., oh wait I've never made it to four weeks, forget it.

What your feeling is normal just do what you can to relax, cover all the safety stuff, figure out the dive. what ever it takes. Your going to be nervous, you should be. Taking that much time off, must be tough. Be safe, have fun.

HPDBs, I hate those guys.
AFB, charter member.

[DJL 235]

Yes. If I haven't jumped in a while then I get nervous at opening, just second guessing that I checked everything, especially my chest strap. Then I go back to being complacent, which is cool.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[jumpergirl 0]

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People sometimes get confused at this point in their lives. You may be thinking, 'Am I sure I really want to do this?' when you should be thinking, 'Damn, this is why I NEVER want to be uncurrent again.

I know this thread has been dead a long time but it this quote is just to good and to relevant especially this time of year when everyone is getting ready for the season.

Having gone through that exact thought process this past weekend, I have to say I agree 110%!!

[calledisrael 0]

oh my gosh yes. i got recurrent this weekend after being out for seven months (injury.) it sucked. i was nervous, and my jump wasn't very good. (well, the JUMPING was great, but my 'performance' or whatever you would call it was way less than stellar...) i was desperately reminded of how important it is to be current. i was worried i wouldn't like it anymore, which was wrong - but i didn't review some things i should have beforehand, which i now am starkly reminded of. (of course, i am still just a student...)

good reminder, guys.

life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
(helen keller)

[Airman1270 0]

Funny you should mention it. This past weekend I made two dives after a four month layoff. I was a bit apprehensive in the door, but that's almost ALWAYS the case no matter how current I am. I planned a short solo, but the plane kept climbing and my "hop 'n' pop" began at nearly 8000'. I spent 25 seconds watching the ground get big, thinking "Okay, I'm falling." Real nice opening (after being packed for four months), a stiff wind and VERY bumpy, but I had a smooth landing on target.

Next I went last on a 5-way, docking real nice on the base as one guy went low. In the plane we had sorta decided on a horny gorilla, if we happened to get together high enough, but two people were planning high pulls, one guy was now somewhere below us, we didn't have high grips, and it would have been a first H.G. for at least one of the participants. Given the variables, I called off the H.G. and we just smiled and watched the scenery for awhile. It's great to be back.

As for the various currency rules, it's a damn shame we have to deal with this. I have spent months on the ground, with far fewer jumps than you have, and have been able to function just fine when I did finally get back in the air. No retraining, no fretting about whether I'd remember to pull, etc. Just a quick briefing regarding wind direction, etc. and off we went. The best thing I had going for me was the absence of a DZ culture that would cause people to believe there's anything unusual/dangerous about this.

Cheers,
Jon S.