dmbale

I have a rule for myself. I won't jump if I am taking anything that will impair my ability to react. Even if I am too tired, I won't jump. It just isn't worth it. I also would prefer for others not to be impaired when I jump with them because they could be risking my life.

My husband and I just got our A cards sent in. We did AFF together, he aced it but it took me eleven total to get through. We used to not be on the same load together but now we regularly go in the plane together but have not jumped together. My middle brother-in-law, I believe is at his B license and my youngest brother-in-law has his C. We haven't gotten to jump with them, yet, we live in Colorado and they are in California. My father-in-law thinks that we have all lost our minds. Once our daughter is old enough (three more years), she is going to go through AFF.

I was concerned about even starting AFF. I sustained a serious head injury in 98 (bad car accident) and know that I am not 100% because of it. AFF was also the first new "thing" I was learning since the head injury. I wasn't sure that my brain would be able to function under the stress. On top of the head injury in 98, I broke my pelvis in two places and all of my ribs on my left side. Well, it took me a little longer to get through AFF. If I have to PLF, I do it to my right side to protect the hip that has already been broken. I will always jump with a helmet and I will probably remain a fairly conservative skydiver but I am so glad that I jump. I have discovered that being in fear is no way to live, you just exist.

I have gotten to the point where I want to downsize. I currently jump a PD 7cell 253 and am on student status in Colorado (DZ is around 5500). I know where the flare point is with the 253 and it is the only student container that comes close to fitting right (still is a little big) but I am tired of facing into the wind mid-field and still getting blown backwards (I grabbed front risers on my last two jumps but I think I only had the strength to make a difference on one of them). There is only one time that I really felt like I was flying the canopy on approach and winds were maybe 5mph. Since I am still a student, the DZO strictly enforces wind limits so it isn't me pushing wind conditions but I do think that it is the wingloading. I am guessing (since I don't know the weight of the equipment) that I weigh between 140 and 145 geared. .57 to .6 WL. Let me know if I am just being a stupid student or if I should downsize. DZO mentioned it in passing two weeks ago but I am not sure if I should push the issue.

I guess that everyone is different. On my AFF 7 jump, I thought that my over the glasses goggles were tight enough but after I finished tracking, they start to fall off and were taking my glasses with them. My eyesight is bad enough that it would be hard to see the windsock direction at 1000' and I wouldn't be able to see most obstacles at 200'; so I got prescription goggles. I have jumped twice with them and I am not having any problems with my flare. I have learned to look at horizon and not my feet. I have noticed that the goggles fog up in the plane and when I am field packing my chute but are fine in the air. The goggles do give me more confidence in freefall though.