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I did my first tandem the weekend before my 42nd birthday! Did a 3 more tandems to see if this was something I could do, And then began AFP. Went every other weekend to correspond with paychecks. But didn't end up finishing my training that summer, due to starting too late in the summer. BUT I'M SERIOUSLY AT IT AGAIN, after 2 yrs away, and have 4 more jumps to finish my progression training in IAF. Right now I'm 16 jumps towards the 25 to get my "A" license. P.S. FINALLY "made" myself write that $51.00 check and sent it in to USPA for membership & their mag!!! LILA.

Hey thanx for the heads up, Will. Got it taken care of by that neighbor. But at the dz when I talked about it with other students, the guys said pretty much the same thing about how it's simple to replace in MOST cars. Guess I need to get a manual for my ol' 92 Buick Century (4 cycl) to attempt to fix what I can, myself, in the future.... ...OH NO! I'VE GOT NOT TOOLS! it's always somethin'! - LILA.

UH-HuH..."Cherish the Day" Yeah, I know...& Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes we need to just SLOW DOWN & enjoy whatssup up &around us... RIGHT? SO tonight, and tomorrow, I'll just mellow out and see what happens now. No sense in stressing. IT'S ALL GOOD. - Lila.

Was way out in the boonies housesitting at my brother's farm when it died. ...So I called the nearest neighbor. The dude came right over with his teenaged kids in his big ol' truck. jActually had me call Autozone, went and picked up the part and fixed it for me too! Only charged me for the $75.00 alternator, too! Now how COOL is that?! I'm a happy girl, now... To think, JUST HOW MUCH that've cost at garage if I'd broke down in town or somewhere else?? WOW.

Friday the 13th didn't "get"me, but Sat. the 14th did! Just found out my now very DEAD CAR needs an new ALTERNATOR! *DEEP SIGH* Luckily, I DO have the $ for that, but not for my Sunday IAF jumps, NOW. Scheduled for 1 (hoped 2) IAFS tomorrow. NOW what am I gonna do? There's lots that I need to learn, packing, right?, and help "catch" tandems... And could just hang out and have fun anyways at the DZ... BUT I am disappointed that I don't have the money to jump NOW like I had planned. GOT SOME GOOD VIBES and/or TIPS FOR ME???? THANX - LILA.

Hey, GOOD POST! &Thanx for "NEWBIE BLUES" link. I'm a woman in IAF training at a small DZ. I have often seen some of the fun jumpers (with 300-400+jumps) help out students with planning, dirt dives and even arranging video to help them with their progress. I came into this sport alone, without anybody coming along in training with me or for moral support. Early on this summer I said to another student something about my "BEING ALONE"...And he said to me, "WELL, YOU GOT US NOW." I'm already missing the comradery of those who've moved on. I really do LOVE the bunch at my DZ! Being a woman in such a MALE DOMINATED SPORT has a whole bunch of complications...and now I gotta reach out to (unfamiliar) EXPERIENCED JUMPERS to jump with and to get their input... PLEASE can you give some valuable tips on WHO to approach, WHEN? & WHAT to ask them about their jumping & tell about my training etc, so that the planning, jumps, my skills continue to go well?????? THANX!

WOW. Very interesting lerning about speed aceraltion, decelleration and different rates of free fall... You're probably exactly right about me gaining speed that way, til I stabled out for a few seconds onmy back, and my instructor trackeddown to me. I still am actually surprised at how quick and easy that flip over happened... MAN! Now they're are definitely gonna have me do MORE stuff like that during my IAFs this weekend... Oooo I'm getting excited just thinkin about it!!! Been raining all week here, but gonna have great weather this weekend! YEAH! - Lila.

Hiya! WAS really worried about how to correct instability during my IAF jumps... But actually had an occurrance where that happened before the lesson that was to have me do that... Last Saturday, druing my 2nd IAF jump, I initiated a 360 turn too aggressively and ended up rolled over on my back. I was pretty rattled, but remembered more experienced jumpers telling me " A DEEP ARCH WILL CORRECT INSTABILITY" So I tried really hard and did finally (later was told after about 800')get turned back belly to earth again. Ya know, that was the first time that I have been anything but belly down. the perspective was so dream like and surreal... And to see my instructor tracking down to me like SUPERMAN was really like something outa a movie! NOW it's just a COOL memory, but WOW what an intense scary feeling to be unstable! P.S. If befor the roll over I was face to face with my instructor, how come afterwards, I was so far below him? Did the roll make me gain speed and fall faster and below until I was flat on my back???? I'VE GOT SO MUCH TO LEARN! - Lila.

Relax,dude! You are entirely TOO SERIOUS. Opinions are all open to the individuals personal experience. Go with the flow. Mellow. It's gonna all be okay... OK? So smile. And lighten up!

Thanx all! I'll check 'em out. Monday Blues! - Lila

Hey, just for the fun of it, won't ya please share some of the good ones you've heard told??? Old timer jumper told me some this weekend... I fell for them of course..."WOW, really?!" Until he kindly informed me, they were "urban legends" but that there are many such 'stories' floating around. (Or ARE they really JUST stories? Hmmm...) Thanx... Blues! - LILA.

I think many of the European-type skydivers that I've had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of are much more laid back and clever in their approach to this sport, maybe, life in general... Hey,I do appreciate my "fellow americans"... After all I am an American 'girl'. BUT am very curious...What do you think about the camparison of "europeans-vs-americans" in being laid back and easy going? p.s. Dylan & Darren hope your 'hop-and-pop' across "the pond" was a smooth ride! We'll miss you irish boys...Have a good one. Blues! - LILA.

YOU are one very cool dude! BUT many of you seem pretty defensive about the fact that you ARE different after developing a love for getting up and out and into the air. Or HAVE you actually developed "a love" for it, or are you different person now from when you made your first jump out of a "perfectly good airplane"? But then again, I really can not understand "those" types that make a jump, even their FIRST, and it's really NO BIG DEAL for them. Right, I AM A NEWBIE. And sure, that is A PART of it - but NOT ALL of it. I had a lot of quams about it, even as I have been progressing, but I've made many break-threws this summer, and feel some how "set free", or at least more liberated, and know that THIS SPORT has changed me FOR THE BETTER. I am more willing to take a chance on a good thing...Weighing my risk factors first, and doing the best I can for something I love. AND What I just wrote above can be used for a METAPHOR for anything and everything in life. Many of you seem defensive and adament about not even saying that are "a SKYDIVER". Don't you think that any aspect of who you are in your outlook, spirit or soul even FEELS different NOW? LISTEN... I am NOT niave. I have my head squarely on my shoulders and am a very well rounded, intelligent woman. But I know that this sport has changed me. And I know that "IT'S A 'GOOD THING'!!!" -LILA. (edited for spelling)

It is not the only difinition of who I am. I am balanced about it now. I just am very in tune with my feelings, and know that something has changed. When I first was in training, 2 years ago, I was obsessed, and talked skydiving to EVERYBODY who'd put up with it , OR NOT, and was a general pain. I DO HAVE perspective, and know everybody comes at this thing from their own angle. It's not ALL that I am, but I feel it IS a part of me now. AND I acknowledge that.

Been trying to get my license for 2 years. And have checked out 5 dzs in my state along the way, and have had a least a quarter of days weathered out so I couldn't get a jump in. Not addictive personality, I just know what I like. I like the sense of community. I started this alone, and on my own, and have been welcomed and encouraged along the way. But it is for the thrill and challenge too, that I like this sport.

Funny, how this sneaks up on you, isn't it? Don't really know how the change came, but I really feel like this sport is a part of my spirit now. Just realized this yesterday...! Kinda interesting, how it "morphed" me... QUESTION: WHEN did YOU find that skydiving stopped being JUST something that you DO and became something that you ARE??? It'd be VERY COOL if we could talk about this! -LILA.

I also have done both AFF and S/L. Personally, I'm finding static to be a real confidence booster. You know that you're gonna be ok, and getting out the door with a line attached takes some of the anxiety away...PLUS there usually just one task that needs to be accomplished each jump. AFF seemed to me, much more high pressure with sometimes multiple tasks required during each jump while in freefall. I'm having lots of break thrus while in S/L progression...And NOW find that FEAR IS NOT (so much!) of A FASCTOR FOR ME anymore!

Ha- You're funny,dude... That is about right though. Had great break thrus in my training this weekend. Did 2 more static jumps- and I was NOT AFRAID. Really excited pre-exit- but not afraid. Really surprised me, actually. I talked of it to experienced jumper friends later and they just smiled... I'm getting there I think. I also talked to trainers concerning my worries about getting unstable. And everybody says just about the same thing. Just gotta do it to learn it I guess. IT'LL ALWAYS BE SOMETHING that'll need to be worked on won't it????

I have a good arch. It's really natural feeling, actually. I seem to have some sense of how to move in the air, too... ...My first jump this year was a tandem, to get the freefall feeling again, and to refresh since it's been 2 years since I was in training. My TM told me before the jump, since I'd gone AFP before that we were gonna do some 360 turns in freefall. I said cool! AFterwards in the hangar he was really psyched explaining it to the DZO, I was counter steering with my legs at the end of each turn to stop the rotation. (It's kind of like you do in a current of water, ya know?) He said, she's got (some) natural ability! BUT I LIKE TO KEEP THINGS BALANCED. My concern is allowing myself to purposely become unstable to learn to correct it. Love all your in-put! Please keep it coming. It's giving me lots to talk to my trainer/coaches about! Lila.

I AM AN EXTREMELY VISUAL THINKER... ...So I know whatcha mean! Really, I look forward to freestyle some day in the (distant?) future! It'll all be a great blast, as I gain experience and skill. BUT the UNKNOWN is SCARY for me! I want to be able to be good at what I do, and know what to expect. Thanks for the encouragement! Please keep giving me your valuable take on things. Gotta go, but will be excited to see what all is posted on here when I check tomorow 'Bye!

I'm not in AFF. Here's how it's gone so far. Started with 4 tandems..progressed to AFF up thru level 5. Ran out of good weather and money. Gone from sport 2 years..But I'm back now, and at new DZ, have done 2 statics. And am going back for 1 more static, hi/low solo, then coach jumps/instructor aided jumps..I'm back there this weekend hoping for 3-4 jumps. The DZSO & DZO are working with me to get me trained. So far it's been REALLY good at this DZ. I'm just thinking ahead.

THANX! Too Cool...Great example for me! So is that how it goes...when you are unstable, you arch... and QUICK! you get boxed out stable again? JUST LIKE THAT?

Hmmm. You're right. But, it really DOES NOT SOUND LIKE FUN! This past Saturday at the DZ this guy was all excited talking about head down, and that about freaked me out hearing him JUST DISCRIBE that! I can't see me doing anything but relative work for quite a while! Just seems to freaky, somehow. I need to feel in control. Ya know?

HELP! I'm working my way thru my proficiency card while in training. I've got a few things undone yet tht shake me up just thinking about them! I'm okay about KEEPING STABLE. How do you -prepare yourself to deliberately get unstable-m whether it's the barrel roll or tumble (or what ever?) and then get into a stable box position again? My gut tells me don't get unstable, yet, I gotta learn to do this. RIGHT? PLEASE GIVE ME SOME SOLID ADVICE. THanx-LILA. This are some of the next things I'm gonna have to learn to do.