lenny@bmerh682.BNR.CA (Len DePalma) (05/23/91)
Two summers ago I got introduced to this sport via a few friends from
work. During that summer I took a one day intro course which included
a first jump. Subsequent to that I completed 3 other jumps.
The reason I stopped was this little worm in the back of my mind never
seemed to calm down at all. I was so terrified during the first jump
that I still don't know what convinced me to get out the door, I went
back the second time because something inside me said I had to prove
something to myself by doing it twice. Just before my third jump one
of the jumpers in the load before me had his main come out like a rolled
up sleeping bag and had to use his reserve... needless to say, again, I
have no idea how I convinced myself to go up again after that experience
either! I did it the fourth time because I was intriqued with the idea
of getting good enough at it to try free fall - which looks really wild!
(Also, it took three jumps before I could even open my eyes before the
chute opened and I wanted to see what I was missing!) But, it was
at this point, after a good fourth jump (I managed to throw the news-
paper on the first try!), that I started getting _very_ freaked over
the idea. IE: just reliving the events of any one of those jumps in
my mind two years later stills makes me break out in a sweat, or
watching one of those airborne commercials from inside the plane as
the folks jump out and suddenly all those feelings of terror come
back as strong as ever (ie: pit of my stomach falls to the floor, etc).
So, what I was wondering is if we could start a thread here with some
of the more veteran divers explaining how they progressed, how they
overcame any fears they had, etc. Aside from the terror, I really
enjoyed all the other sensations and am trying to convince myself
to give the sport another try :). Are the above feelings normal, or
should I just give up the idea, and stick to the *INSIDE* of small
aircraft (I am also in the process of getting my soaring license)!
As an aside, my father flipped when he heard what I was up to - even
begged me to stop after trying it the first time because he was
convinced the odds would catch up with me sooner or later and the
result would be disastrous. Course, I can't really blame him... his
only experiences with the 'sport' was bailing out for real during the
Korean war with a single round belly chute.
""" _ Pilot to Co-pilot: "Say... what's a mountain goat
@ """/ \ ^^ doing way up here in a cloud bank?" G. Larson
_ / \ ^^
/ V \ _
_/ \ \~/.\~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
\...\_______/\/\.. ^.
/..\.\::. )
Len DePalma /....::::::. ' ~~___*_
Ottawa, Canada :::::.!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ~//--H-
lenny@bnr.ca !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!dth@reef.cis.ufl.edu (David Hightower) (05/23/91)
In article <4541@bnr-rsc.UUCP> lenny@bnr.ca writes: >So, what I was wondering is if we could start a thread here with some >of the more veteran divers explaining how they progressed, how they I don't know if I qualify as a "veteran" skydiver, but I know just what you are talking about. I would actually recite the Lord's Prayer on my way up--seems kind of comical unless you were there. Actually, the plane I was riding in kind of helped; The shape that it was in, I did NOT want to risk attempting a landing in it! Anyhow, after a while my mind started wandering into areas that it shouldn't: What if my parachute had been packed incorrectly? (when I go back to skydiving, the *first* thing I'm gonna do is learn to pack my own). They taught us how to do a tight loop by holding down on one of the brakes; I did this often until another thought came to mind: How much stress can the stitching on my harness take? What about the leg straps--have they begun to slip? I had visions of myself at 800' holding on to the risers for dear life. Such thinking is an anathema to skydiving; it was one of the factors that caused me to stop. Dave _________________________________________________________________________ Dave Hightower | opinion? I'm allowed to have an opinion? dth@cis.ufl.edu | well, if I DID have one, it'd be mine, all mine! --------------------------------------------------------------------------
larry@hpfelg.HP.COM (Larry Chapman X3117) (05/23/91)
Does the terror stop?
Well, when I was learning there were two types of "emotional discomfort"
that I experienced:
1) Fear of death/injury.
2) Fear of failing to perform (miss the dummy ripcord, blow the RW
sequence etc.)
For me it took about 50 jumps before #1 was almost completely gone. It
took only a few jumps before I was comfortable enough to remember most of
the details of a dive. I still have days when #1 rears it's ugly head, but
they are few and far between. Anyway, I think a bit of #1 is healthy in this
sport!
Fear #2 is very different and is not at all related to skydiving. It will
come and go depending on your own expectations and skills.
-- LSCselig@wizard.msfc.nasa.gov (Bill Selig - SysAdmin) (05/23/91)
lenny@bmerh682.BNR.CA (Len DePalma) writes: >Two summers ago I got introduced to this sport via a few friends from >work. During that summer I took a one day intro course which included >a first jump. Subsequent to that I completed 3 other jumps. >So, what I was wondering is if we could start a thread here with some >of the more veteran divers explaining how they progressed, how they >overcame any fears they had, etc. Aside from the terror, I really >enjoyed all the other sensations and am trying to convince myself >to give the sport another try :). Are the above feelings normal, or >should I just give up the idea, and stick to the *INSIDE* of small >aircraft (I am also in the process of getting my soaring license)! I started back in '71 and had a similar beginning. I actually DIDN'T jump on my first try (I was looking down). I did it the next day. On my second jump, I had a malfunction. For about the next 10 I would think on the ride up "Well, OK. This will be my last one." But after the jump I was so exillerated that I though "Well, OK. One more." Somewhere around 10-12 it finally hit me and I've been at it off and on ever since. Had a few functions. Now have about 1200 jumps. Have competed at the nationals a few times (was on "20 Live Crew" last year). Have organized large (at the time) local dives (30's-40s). All-in-all, have had a great career of it so far. Was fanatical for awhiel and now do it (although less) for different reasons. I say, stick with it till you get to longer delays. Or try tandem or AFF to get the feel for where you are going and the rewards when you get there. Regards, --bill -- US MAIL: Bill Selig NASA/MSFC ES53 Huntsville, Al 35812 USA TPC: (205)-544-7608 FTS: 824-7608 INTERNET: selig@centaur.msfc.nasa.gov [128.158.10.96] UUCP: uunet!selig@sam.SPAN -OR- uunet!sam.span!selig
kas@hpcvia.CV.HP.COM (ken_scofield) (05/25/91)
From: dth@reef.cis.ufl.edu (David Hightower) Message-ID: <28692@uflorida.cis.ufl.EDU> >Anyhow, after a while my mind started wandering into areas that it >shouldn't: What if my parachute had been packed incorrectly? (when I go >back to skydiving, the *first* thing I'm gonna do is learn to pack my own) Unless you have specific reason to believe your 'chutes are being packed wrong, don't worry about it. And if you do have specific reason to worry, you should be jumping someplace else anyway! Last I heard, student rigs were required to be packed by a licensed rigger, or at least someone working under the 'supervision' of a rigger. Packing your own will not necessarily decrease your chances of having a 'function, >They taught us how to do a tight loop by holding down on one of You mean a tight turn, not a loop. But I digress... >the brakes; I did this often until another thought came to mind: How >much stress can the stitching on my harness take? What about the leg >straps--have they begun to slip? I had visions of myself at 800' >holding on to the risers for dear life. Some simple logic should fix you right up: The opening shock puts several times more stress on the harness than anything you could do to it once opened. If it didn't break on the opening, you can't break it afterwards. And in ~20 years of jumping, I've never heard of any stories wherein a jumpers' straps slipped -- the buckles are quite secure. (I have, however, heard stories of jumpers who forgot to tighten their straps before jumping!) Ken Scofield C-9355 SSI #453890085 ^ Hewlett-Packard, ICO Phone: (503)750-2426 |----/-\----| 1020 NE Circle Blvd. (kas@hpcvia.CV.HP.COM) | Gone | Corvallis, OR 97330 (ucbvax!hplabs!hp-pcd!kas) | Divin' or | | Jumpin' | Cute Disclaimer: Nobody ever listened to me before, |-----------| so why start now?
drt@cysog.UUCP (David R. Trinidad) (05/29/91)
selig@wizard.msfc.nasa.gov (Bill Selig - SysAdmin) writes: >lenny@bmerh682.BNR.CA (Len DePalma) writes: >>Two summers ago I got introduced to this sport via a few friends from >>work. During that summer I took a one day intro course which included >>a first jump. Subsequent to that I completed 3 other jumps. >>So, what I was wondering is if we could start a thread here with some >>of the more veteran divers explaining how they progressed, how they >>overcame any fears they had, etc. Aside from the terror, I really >>enjoyed all the other sensations and am trying to convince myself >>to give the sport another try :). Are the above feelings normal, or >>should I just give up the idea, and stick to the *INSIDE* of small >>aircraft (I am also in the process of getting my soaring license)! [ Article Deleted ] >I say, stick with it till you get to longer delays. Or try tandem or AFF to >get the feel for where you are going and the rewards when you get there. 1. You are certainly right that AFF increases the retention rate in this sport. One comment I would like to add and that is that the normal "fear" will never go away ... if it does than it's time to quit. It is that "fear" that keeps reminding me to pack carefully and to check my gear. 2. I think you will find that as experence is gained that the "fear" will occur the night before the jump and than the execution of the jump will go more and more with a feeling of confidence .... ************************************************************************ Organization: Cycare Systems Internet : drt%cysog@hbiso.ma02.bull.com UUNET: uunet!hbiso!cysog!drt Phone: (602) 224 0555 | FAX: (602) 224 0872 System: B.O.S. UNIX | UNIX isn't just an OS | It's a way of life !!!!! ***********************************************************************