Aperion

I'm a very new person, since I only have 4 jumps so far. Several of the people at my airfield told me about some of the customs that skydivers have. For instance, your reserve rigger gets a 1/5 of liqor of his choice should you have a reserve deployment and he/she saves your life. Another one that my rigger told me was that on notable jumps, you buy everyone a beer, or bring a case of beer to the field. I also noticed that skydivers wear closing pin necklaces. Any others?

I wouldn't have any problem with shot raining down on me, as long as it's pretty small. I would hope that you will put a warning advising against something like buck shot. Those suckers would hurt. I can guarantee you that small shot wont affect your canopy any more then rain will. If anyone feels otherwise and finds themselves in north eastern Ohio, then I heartily invite you to my local sporting clays range. Shot rains down, like, well, rain.

I remember a couple things I should have noted. I did run into a common problem. I had line twist...about 5 turns worth. Nothing major. I was prepared for it. Pull and kick, then wait for the slider to come down.... Next, that there's a lot to think about in such a short 30 sec timespan. I'm not to the point that everything becomes automatic, like driving or flying. I have to think of something before I react. My ankle is starting to heal. I should be off the crutches tomorrow. I have a wedding to go to this weekend, or else I'd be up jumping again. I guess I'll have to wait a little longer.

Yeah, that would have gotten you a nickname. I knew a "Ram Tough" (Dodge), "Like a Rock" (Chevy), and 34B (the hanger she landed on, not bra size). Oh, sorry, When I said 4X4, i actually meant the big thick fence post that was holding up one side of the volleyball net.

Actually, I did sprain my anke. After the adrenaline and shock wore off, I hurt like hell. I had to use crutches today for the first time in my life. Ironically, i injured my lower back about 10 days prior. It wasn't until friday that I felt well enough to attempt the AFF class. I picked up the tailwheel of my cessna 140 to do something or other and didn't pay attention well enough to lift with my legs. I regressed a little with my back injury. It's a little sore today. My instructor was pretty hard on me. I deserved it. My fixed wing instructor was also there watching and reamed me out pretty good. My home airport is 2d1, Barber field. Right next to it is the old taylorcraft factory for you aviation buffs. I'll search for a google map.

Hello everyone. I recently started the AFF course at my home airport. Jump one was a tandem fun jump. Jumps two and three were also tandem, but counted towards my rating. Jump 4 was AFF with one instructor. This is the one I screwed up. It is a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I stepped out underneath the wing of the 182. My instructor grabbed my suit. Okay.... Prop... Up.. Down... Go... Away I went. I assumed the hard arch position. I looked up and saw the plane getting smaller. Uh oh, I relaxed. Hard arch, hard arch. We settled belly down after the hill. I looked at my instructor and noticed we were spinning. He gave me the legs out hand gesture. We stopped spinning. Okay, circle of awareness. Horizon, check, altitude check, hard arch, relax. Uh oh, forgot to do my three practice touches. One... Two... Three... Oh no, we're spinning again. He's giving me the legs out gesture again. Legs out. Okay, heading stable. I must have relaxed my legs. 6k. Wave off. One... Two... Three... Pull. Wait, where's the handle... Found it. Pull. Wait.. I need to let the pilot go. Throw... Boom... One one thousand, Two one thousand. Three one thousand. Canopy looks good. Altitude check. Drop zone check. Grab the toggles, Will. Okay, full flight. Left toggle down. Good left turn. Right toggle down. Good right turn. One... Two... Three... Flare... Everything looks good. Hmm, the pond. I'm over the pond. I'm in the box. Altitude, check. I'm still a little high. This student canopy is huge. Okay, a couple turns. Left turn. Right turn. I'm still in the box. Hmm, the radio is a little quiet. Where's the guy on the ground? No matter. I still have a bunch of altitude to burn. I'm penetrating into the wind. Good. Altitude, check. Time for downwind. Hmm, i'm still a little high. I should do a couple S turns. Left. Right. Downwind. Left. Right. Downwind. Hmm. I'm still a little high. No matter. I'll turn base. I'm a pilot. I know what it is like to fly the pattern. I do have 100 hours. Bah, this is easy. Okay. Final approach. Still high. I've cleared the power lines. I don't want to hit those. Wow, i'm still really high, but i'm over the lines. They scare me. Shoot, i'm going to miss the DZ. I want to land in that circle. I don't want to overshoot it and land in the soybean field. I want to impress my instuctors. I want to impress my friends. Hmm, i'm still really high, maybe I can do a half ass turn. I still have 150 feet left. I'll go back to the touch down point. Okay, left turn. Wait... No... I shouldn't...That's stupid. Riser up.. Oh damn, the trailers. Left turn. Left turn.. Shoot. The volley ball net. Right toggle down. F*&^ %*& $%*^ Flagpole. Knees bent. Legs out and together. Smack... I kicked the flagpole. Wow, i did an unintentional PLF. I wasn't thinking about it. It just happened. Why is the flagpole on the ground? Did I knock it over. Yep, I did, all 18 feet of it. Jesus. My ankle hurts. Oh well. I'll just get up and walk it off. F@#* me. This really f%^&*$# hurts. I'm okay, I tell everyone. Right about this time, my friend drops beside the runway. This was her first AFF too. She flared a little high, but still managed to make a good landing. Luckily, it was nothing like mine. I'll go over and greet her. Good job, I tell her. We walk back. My ankle aches. They give me a beer and wrap my ankle up with an icepack. I have a cig. All is good. I'm still alive. I missed the 4X4 right next to the flagpole and I think I've learned a lesson in being cocky. I owe everyone a case of beer. So, that was my first AFF. There were a bunch of things I did wrong. I was cocky and got burned. I'm more respectful of my limitations, at least I hope from now on. What does everyone think? It's okay, you can be hard on me. Oh, btw, unfortunatley, no one had a vid camera out. I have some pictures after the fact, but I left my camera at work today. I can post them later.