MY AFF LEVEL IV JUMP
On Saturday night, July 8, we checked all the weather forecasts. They pretty much all said the same thing... clouding up after midnight with showers and possible thunderstorms for Sunday. It wasn't looking promising for skydiving. Plus we had 3 extra kids for the weekend, Boomer's brother's kids. We switch off with them occasionally. One weekend we will have 6 kids, but it pays off when we get 2 whole days with no kids! Also that Sunday, our 2 boys started basketball camp up in NH and had to be there around 8:30 AM.
So needless to say, I wasn't counting on getting a jump in on Sunday, so when I woke up I felt just fine. I did immediately go outside and look at the sky though. It was just barely starting to get light out but from what I could tell, it was pretty cloudy looking. We called the DZ weather number. Hmmmm, it says CLEAR! Is that a little bit of excitement I feel stirring inside me? I try not to let it get going. For one thing, I don't want to end up feeling nervous and sick like last week. That was torture. Second, I don't want to feel disappointed if we don't get to jump.
We keep checking our sky... still cloudy. We keep calling the DZ weather.... it's either clear or broken to 12,000 ft. We get the boys up and Boomer heads off to drop them at their camp. He calls from NH and tells me there are definitely some blue spots where he is. He asks if I want to meet him at the DZ. Problem is the other kids are all still sleeping. While he heads back home, I make lots of "accidental" noises and the kids finally wake up. I call the weather again (we have it on speed dial!). CLEAR. I hustle some breakfast together and ask the kids what they think of going to the airport and watching some skydiving. Our daughter, Colleen (9), is all excited. My nephews and niece look at me like I have 2 heads.
When Boomer gets home we all hop into the van and head to the DZ. I'm feeling pretty good on the way out there but I'm not sure if that's just because I don't believe I'm really going to get to jump yet. It is still almost completely cloud-covered where we live, but on the 30 minute drive to the DZ it starts looking better and better! We get there and it looks pretty darn good! We pull up to see the first load already coming down. I hurry the kids out of the car to watch this most spectacular sight but the n&n (nephews & niece) don't appear very impressed. What's wrong with these kids? Don't they know how lucky they are to be spending a day here??
We go in and get our names up on the student board. Donna... AFF IV... sure looks good to me! Soon Chris comes out to get us. I'm excited because if I had to pick one of the JMs for my first jump with 1 JM, I would have picked him. I have really liked all of them. Boomer has, too. But this one is just very soft spoken and laidback and seems to be most attuned to any nervousness and know the right things to say and do to get you to relax. Boomer and I both had him on our AFF II jumps.
He brings us over to a practice table and goes over the jump with us. He shows us what we'll be doing and then has us both practice it. It was basically a Level II but with only 1 JM and for most of the jump he won't be holding onto you. You do a COA, you could do a PRCP if you wanted but he says he is confident we know where it was by now so we could skip that if we wanted, then he will fly around in front of us and we do a 90 degree right turn, stop, check altitude, 90 degree left turn, stop, check altitude, then forward movement, stop, check altitude. Then if we wanted and it was above 6,000 we could start over or we could just hang and practice boring a hole in the sky until 5500, then wave off and pull by 4500. I told him I was only doing everything once. I didn't want to rush at all. I wanted to take my time and do it good. He said that was a great idea.
Then he starts telling us how this exit would be a little difficult. There was now no reserve side JM so you had to be aggressive on climbout because you would be getting the full force of the wind. He said small, not very strong people could do it. The secret was to just think you can and be firm and just do it. No hesitations. The climbout was also a little trickier because the other JM wouldn't be there to grab onto you. So we were to stay hip-to-hip with him and follow right out after him. He also tells us it will feel a little different on exit... possibly kind of steep and tipping to one side. But to just arch and we would level right out.
He also tells us to not worry about where he was. He might be flying around a bit to get a good look at our body positions and that we were to use the ground as a landmark for our turns, not him. And even if we didn't see him at all, we were to just continue the skydive as long as things were going smoothly. Just pay close attention to altitude and wave off at 5500 and pull.
We head out to the mock up to practice the exit with just one JM. He is talking about his space and our space and I guess I should have paid a little closer attention to this part. We take turns practicing and it seemed to go well. Chris is the JM who liked good exits and after the last time when I tumbled with him (even though it wasn't my fault), I wanted this exit to go smoothly.
It was really weird. Earlier in the week I had been so nervous about only having 1 JM and being on my own for so much of this dive. But now I felt fine. I was feeling really good about jumping and actually looking forward to trying everything!! What a total turn around from last week! I felt like a totally different person. I was myself again.
Well the kids were getting hungry and the n&n's were bored so Boomer decided to take them to get something to eat. We figured I should be first today in case the weather didn't hold out and only one of us got to jump because next weekend I had a wedding shower to go to but Boomer could maybe pop up here and get in a jump. Shortly after he left I wandered into manifest and saw my name on the next load and it was with Chris. YES!! I went out and sat on the picnic tables but soon got called in to get ready. It was so great.... still no feeling like last week... just a few excitement jitters.
I got suited up, doubled tied those shoelaces and put on most of my own gear and felt comfortable doing it. Even did the chest strap myself! I found a helmet that fit but the chin strap was a tad loose so I tightened it and then knotted up the extra strap. (I had read before about helmets popping off). Chris checked everything and off we went to the plane.
This load was quite different from previous ones. There were 4 tandems, one tandem lurker, two women who were doing a 2-way, and then me. That meant that instead of going out last or next to last as I had before that I would be going out second, right after the 2-way. I also ended up getting a nice seat in the plane. On the floor, right across from the door so I could see out great. I loved looking out and I was excited to jump.
I closed my eyes and completely visualized my jump and felt ready. I chatted with the guy sitting next to me a bit. Boomer had pointed him out to me earlier saying he had like 97 jumps and that everyone was hoping he'd reach 100 today so he would have to buy beer. The 2 way decided to "dirt dive" a bit more in the plane and I was just hoping they didn't hit a handle. (It was really just one showing the other a certain move quickly). I'm just a bit neurotic. I'm always worrying about my handles and everyone else's. Then Chris had me go over the dive and gave me another gear check. Before I knew it we were at 13,500. This plane is FAST!
I put my helmet back on and now the chin strap seems extra tight like it's choking me. I can't get the knot out. Oh well, live with it. Just remember next time to not be so zealous on making sure it's tight! Before I knew it the two way was gone and it was my turn to climbout. Chris grabbed my right leg strap and I kept my hip close to his and tried to climbout out. I kept telling myself... Be Aggressive! I grabbed the bar and pulled myself up. It sure was a lot windier!! I was so glad he had warned me about it ahead of time. I looked at my JM. He nodded. I went out. Ummmmmmmmm SHIT!!! I can't pull myself back in! The wind is too strong!! It's trying to rip me off the plane!!!!! There I am hanging on the side of the plane desperately trying to pull myself back towards the plane so I can finish my exit count. I can't!! What the hell do I do?? They never covered this scenario! I know everyone else in the plane is waiting for me and I have to exit quick or I'm going to screw up the spot! Do I just let go??? But my JM won't be in sync with me. It feels like forever! (Probably was only a few seconds). I decide I try one more time and give it my all and if I don't get it I just let go. I try really hard. Pull! Pull! And finally am able to pull myself back in. I go right back out again and go flying away from the plane. I feel us tumbling a bit. Oh no, not again... and with this JM again! lol Wheeeeeeeeee it's fun! I see blue, and blue, and still blue. I don't panic at all. I just keep my arch and tell myself... be patient. It will come around. Green!! It worked. Again! I love it!!
We are nice and stable and belly to earth. I do my COA. It feels weird only looking to the right. I get a big nod and then Chris moves around in front of me. I look to the right and begin my right turn. Hey!!! I'm skydiving!!! All by myself!! And I feel so stable and good!! The wind is my friend again today!! God, this is GREAT!!!!!!! I am so happy!!! I can fly!!! Oh ya, I'm suppose to be doing turns!
I think I turned right enough. I knew it was a small turn but I didn't want to rock the boat. I looked around for my JM but couldn't see him at all. I guess I should try my left turn. I see a glimpse of the JM off to my left as I look that way to start my turn. I dip my left shoulder slightly and very slowly start to turn that way. I'm flying!!! By myself!!! Yeehaw!!! This is so cool! I could live up here! Oh, did I turn yet??? Hmmm I think I did. I keep losing myself in the joy of the moment. I am constantly checking my altimeter though. I'm very aware of my altitude.
I see no sign of my JM. Should I try forward movement anyway? Sure, I'm well above 7,000. I pull my arms back while pointing my feet. I feel my head go down a bit. It's a little disconcerting. I only hold it a few seconds and ease back into my regular position. I see Chris above me to my left. I check my altimeter and see it's close to 6000 so I just keep a heading and watch my altimeter fall to 5500. As I go to wave off I sense Chris move in near my left side. Look, reach, PULL!! No problem!
The canopy opens nicely. Still forgot to watch the slider come down. I think maybe I need a bright pink one to catch my eye! I stuff my ripcord away in my suit and hear the guy on the radio tell me to do a controllability check. I recognize Gary's voice. I do and it looks great. He gives me a heading to stay on and then leaves me alone for a while. I do small turns but stay heading in that direction. The airport is pretty much behind me. After a bit, Gary has me turn around and face towards the airport. The canopy flies!!!!! Wow!!! There is wind today! What a difference. I know at this speed I will be at the airport way too quickly. I want to turn around again and sure enough he has me do just that. Then he talks to me for a while explaining about the difference in speed and the wind. I am no longer worried I won't be able to tell which way the wind is blowing. If there is enough wind for it to really matter, it will be so obvious by how fast your canopy flies in each direction.
I'm feeling very comfortable under canopy but still really feel I need the help of a radio. With the wind today I'm not sure how to judge at which point I should be turning and heading into my landing pattern. I'm so glad I have help. I follow Gary's instructions and come in for the landing. I see the big bowl in front of me but my radio keeps telling me to keep doing a slight left turn. I see where I'd like to land in the middle of the bowl but I decide to follow directions and stay towards the left. I'm now heading for the very edge of the bowl near the pick up truck and Gary. All of a sudden he tells me to Flare! I flare but it's a touch late and I'm a little fast. I land on my feet but fall forwards on my right knee into a little blueberry bush. He runs over and says, "Look. I landed you right by some delicious blueberries!" I tell him I thought I'd land out in the middle of the bowl. He says, "Nah, then we'd have to walk all that way!" LOL
We hop in the truck and ride back. Boomer and the kids are back and waiting for me. They got to see me come down. Boomer said he knew it was me right away. I'm still not sure how he knew or what he meant by that! My n&n's still don't look impressed. Colleen comes running over though and asks me if I pulled! LOL Brat!
Chris tells me to meet him out at the picnic tables and we'll go over the jump. I'm smiling so damn big. I'm not sure how great I did technically but I know I had a fucking blast!!! And I totally remember why I do this and I feel so good. He comes out and has me tell him my version. I hear a few surrounding people laugh as I talk about my exit. I'm laughing myself about it. It seemed really funny now. Chris tells me he knew what was happening and he was giving me a few more seconds to get it and then he would have just pulled me off. He said because of the loss timing with me getting stuck he was just a second behind and so I went under him and that's how we flipped over. He said I handled it just fine and had a great arch and that's why we got stable again. He said part of the problem in the door was that I was over to the right too far and was crowding him. I was in his space. Next time I should be further to the left. He did think my turns were weak. But he said I was falling straight down. No back sliding or coming forward and that I was nice and stable. He said we were falling at different rates at first and he had gone down below me so he came around and back up on my other side. He said he thought my forward movement was great. And he confirmed that he came back in on my left when it was time to deploy. He said it was a nice skydive. And I totally agreed on this one!
This is what he wrote in my logbook: Good climbout. Unable to go "in" on out/in/go but finally did, exited, 1 roll, good arch throughout, COA, Lt and Rt 90 degree turns were weak, less than 90 degrees, forward motion excellent, good alt. awareness, wave off @ 5500/ pull 4500 Nice job! Cleared for level V.
Poor Boomer never got to jump. Clouds rolled in and then rain started. In the meantime though the kids had started playing with Little Jay and his brother,Casey, and got to take turns putting on harnesses and practice cutting away and then scoot around on the creepers so in the end I think the n&n's were thinking maybe this wasn't such a bad place after all!
Boomer is hoping to get his jump in Sunday morning. Then if I can get home from the wedding shower soon enough I will meet him up there and maybe we can each get our level V's in. In the meantime you can find me at the gym, working out, so I don't get stuck on the side of a plane again!