freemis

Hi Chris, Thank you thank you thank you! Finally someone explained to me why we get the butterflies. Although I'm still very interested about the chemical our body releases, where that feeling actually comes from biologically. Been trying to search on the web, but no luck. No, matter - did my first, second, and third static line jumps yesterday and feel the glow today! Glow, and a slight post traumatic stress syndrome (regarding flashbacks). I am currently in the Czech Republic and so in addition to the regular stress, I decided to give myself another "challenge" of the language barrier. The course was in English, but the ground training was all in Czech (I was luckily with my student and a friend who were able to translate). Yes, the most difficult part was when the door opened. I felt fear like I never felt fear before. What made it more difficult, I think, was because I was the last of my group to go, there was a little tiny part in my brain that knew I had a choice (the public humiliation factor was lessened). I had difficulty putting my foot over the edge of the plane. But once I did, jumping was no problem. The interesting thing is that although I did all three jumps that day, that fear did not diminish. The canopy opened successfully and quickly without at line twists, but I am embarrassed to admit... counting? checking the cutaway and reserve handles? the three ring system? the risers? Oh, I'm afraid the only thing I remembered is to grab the toggles and pump. The there were some glitches with the landing all three times. The most unforgettable jump had been the third (the second one jump did entail my untwisting the lines, but I was in a way, happy to have had that experience to know that it was no big deal after all, and I managed to get everything striaghtened out quickly - the the brain still does work despite the fear :-)) because there was a sunset one one side and the moon on the other, it was so beautiful, but I felt a bit frustrated that even after three jumps, I did not understand how to really fly the canopy or land. The radio also was not working on my third jump. I landed very very far in the middle of a field. While the landing sensation was incredible (because it is so surreal, like in a wild dream, to land from the sky to the middle of a field in the Czech Republic), it was frustrating that I did not do it smoothly or that I could not control the canopy. I felt I was flying further and further away from the airfield and did not know what to do to change the direction. Turning only made me change position, I felt, not the direction. Can you or anyone out there give me some lessons that my instructors did not on smooth landings and controlling the wind? Watching the professionals was amazing, but it made me even more baffled as to how to do it myself!

Thank you. Unfortuantely it looks like another posponed jump again because this weekend the weather is terrible in Prague again. I guess those were my two conerns - the stomach dropping and the line twists. Good luck with your future jumps!

How long ago did you do your jumps? How was your exit? I have this feeling that no matter how much I practice, once I'm up there, it'll all fly out of of my head. Did you remember to do all those checks? did you remember to count? Did your lines get twisted?

Thank you all for your quick replies. I have already enrolled in a static line jump course and was about to jump this past Saturday, but due to weather, the jumps had to be postponed. I definitely feel a lot more comfortable doing SL training first and gradually building my skills. (My added challenge is that I'm doing my SL jumps in the Czech Republic.)

I made two tandem jumps: one was intense beyond anything I could imagine, the other felt manageable (the exit positions were different). I decided to do the static line jump. How much does your stomach drop? I know it may seem trivial in the scheme of things, but it has made an enormous difference in my past two experiences.

Yesterday was my second jump... after a year. And WOW! What a difference in experience! Although I was just as nervous, if not more, jumping this time, I was so much more aware of everything around me. The stomach drop only lasted for a few seconds and was completely manageable. I kept my eyes opened, I remembered to breath. I actually started to believe I can do this solo! Jeth, I can't believe you already got 61 jumps in. Amazing.

Wow, Jeth! I remember just in June when you and I were talking about our first jumps and here you are doing your solo ones!!! I was so glad to read that the second tandem was not as overwhelmong as the first, and you're completely psyched about jumping alone! After I calmed down, I made a resolution to go back, which I plan on doing as soon as finances afford. Having jumped once was only a start - I thought it would be enough, but I know I absolutely, without question, have to go back. Keep us posted on your progress!!! freem

I feared that same moment when I went. But I think I overcame it by trusting my instructor... and not looking down. It's so beautiful when the door opens - just look straight ahead at the clouds. The rest is out of your control.

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One question that keeps lingering after my first jump: does initial position affect how you experience free fall or is it a matter of just being relaxed enough? The first 10 - 20 seconds were extraordinarily intense, and on the video my position was not great(I went with tendem). Later on, my position is fine, but I've also stopped accelerating. Is there a way to minimize that sinking feeling in the beginning?

Sounds awesome! Enjoy. I have a feeling no matter how steep the roller coasters may be, it'll be nothing in comparison...

Oh, and I just ordered The Skydiver's Handbook!

You know, Jeth, I don't know... but it's purely out of financial reasons. I used to be a software engineer, too - and now, I'm a part time teacher/unpublished writer. This may actually spur to me to start looking for a full time job or get me more serious about publishing! Let me know how it goes! It's really exciting to have another person be exactly on the same path, right now.

Thanks, Billy, I like your quote.

Thank you, Jeth, for your reply. It's been almost 3 days now, and same here - I keep thinking about nothing else but that, every chance I'm alone. And I, too, want to do it again, and I, too, want to do it tandem at least a couple of more times to make sure I can be more comfortable during those first 10-20 seconds. The one thing I feel is the difference in my brain right now. I am usually a huge procrastinator while at the same time constantly making lists of things to do. The odd thing - I've been so "present" these last few days. I started making a list of things to do last night, and it didn't feel right. I feel extremely calm and alert and kinf of - whole. But I also feel how different I am with other people because I go back to interacting the way it is acceptable or I'm used to. It feels like a huge divide - the interactions and what I am when alone. It's funny... I also keep wandering if I just have this need to "go back to the scene of the crime." I wonder if we felt as we did in part because we went alone. I can't help but think that in amusement parks, no matter how scary the ride, you get off it and then there are other distractions and you're talking to friends or family. But here, it's so much more serious and then you're driving home alone; you experienced this very intense, if not a little traumatic, thing and you're the only one who had and you don't really get a chance to talk it about. (Thank God for this forum!) What's amazing is that in my video I'm smiling and laughing non-stop. So, did I really feel that traumatized for a couple of seconds in the beginning? My face wasn't showing it. I look calm, happy, elated, confident. Then yesterday I got my stills back and the same - except two, the only proof of those 10-20 seconds of terror. You can hardly make out my expressions because it could be interpreted as a smile, but it was different. And yet, it calling back - no question about it.