Tag Archive for ‘altitude’ at AFF Student Skydiver

The plane ride up to altitude makes me n-n-n-n-nervous. But not as much as it used to. Now I start breathing deeply and really trying to chill myself out near the jump run. I visualise what I need to do on the jump at hand. I really see it happening in my head. It seems to work so far. I normally do this at least three times. In between doing this, the JM will ask me what I’ll do at 5500 feet. Why pull of course….

It all starts when the JMs are getting ready to exit. They’re tightening their leg straps, checking my rig, handshakes all round, that’s when the heart increases.

What can you do though? Once the JM is out there hanging outside the door, copping all the wind, you can’t really ask them to politely step back inside the plane.

One of the tandem masters told Basia that experienced skydivers also get butterflies, they’ve just taught them to all fly in formation. Below is something I found ages ago on the net. I forget where, but I kept it as some of it is funny. Some of it not.
Here’s 61 “Things to Do” on the ride to altitude:

1) Blow your nose and offer to show the contents of your kleenex to the
other jumpers.

2) Grimace painfully while smacking your forehead and muttering “Shut up,
damn it, all of you just SHUT UP!”
3) Whistle the first seven notes of “It’s a Small World” incessantly.
4) Sell Girl Scout cookies.

……more continued

Continue reading ‘Managing fear on the way up’

Table of contents: Liam's AFF

This jump was great, due to fact that I saw the plane on my exit and arch sequence. It looks pretty crazy as you fall away from it. Seeing the plane meant that I had my chin up which really helps in getting a good arch in and gaining stability.

After my altitude check, the JM on my left moved to the front of me, and I had to extend my legs to move closer to him. At about 8000 feet the JM moved further away and once again I was meant to move forward. But I chickened out. I actually had plenty of time, but instead I locked on to my altimeter at 8000 feet. You can see me shaking my head on the video (no sound on this video) which is me signifying to the two JMs no more manoeuvres. My canopy landing wasn’t the best, I flared too high, and fell down when landing. I passed this jump and onto Level 3.

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Below is a photo of me coming back from the jump. There’s salt dried on the ground from all the water evaporating from the recent downpours. Over the right hand side you can see a massive lake thingy. There are two in fact (I’m walking in between them) and so far we’ve all been lucky to land in between them or just next to them. I’m hoping by next week they’ll be dry. Other than the temporary lakes, there are no other obstacles. Except maybe the windsock.

Happy as Larry