MY AFF LEVEL V JUMP
On July 16th I had to go to a bridal shower. At first it was cloudy with showers so I wasn't feeling too bad about missing a jump day. But then when I came out of the shower I found bright blue sunny skies. I was 2 hours from home, 2 and half from the DZ and it was 3:00PM so I didn't think I had much chance of getting a jump in, but I called Boomer to see if he had headed out there. He hadn't. It was cloudy at home. But after talking to me he tried the DZ weather number and it said CLEAR! So he drove out there and was lucky to make it on their last load before the sunset one.... well maybe NOT so lucky!
He had a good climb out and exit and did his turns but during the second turn he flipped over onto his back. He didn't get nervous because he was still high. He just arched and flipped right back over onto his belly. He did the forward motion and then waved off at 5500 and then looked down at his ripcord and as he reached for it he flipped over onto his back. He pulled anyway and had a very hard opening. The chute must have come up through his legs as he had some whopping bruises afterward on his inner knee areas. He was just happy to see a good canopy overhead! He did great under canopy and landed without any help from his radio. He was tad shook up then but by the time he got home he was.... ummmmmm, how should I say it..... A WRECK! I guess it had sunk in what COULD have happened. He didn't sleep at all that night.
I started worrying about him and thinking how this was all my doing and suggested we both just give it up. He said no way! He was going with me or without me the next weekend! He was going back and was doing it right! All week he practiced his arch and maintaining it while pulling a homemade ripcord (that he made out of a film canister and a piece of wire... looked pretty cool actually!) He was still nervous but feeling much better about it. I was now a tad nervous about staying stable during my pull... plus a bit nervous about Boomer.
On Sunday, July 23, I first woke up at 4:00AM and felt fine. I thought, "Oh good! No more being sick to my stomach!" I fell back to sleep and woke up again around 6:00. Oh no! That horrible feeling was back again! I had started thinking that maybe I felt so lousy because I didn't eat or drink much beforehand. So I went out to the kitchen and toasted a big bagel with cream cheese and drank 2 glasses of OJ. It felt like it was all going to come right back up but I ignored it and started getting my stuff together. It took us about 20 minutes to find my altimeter. After tearing the house apart I finally found it behind one of the kid's bedroom door. Hopefully it hadn't been dropped. I'd still have the DZ's chest altimeter so I made a mental note to check it carefully against that one on the ride to altitude.
We headed out and were happy to see the mostly sunny sky. I was my typical nervous self on the ride out. I started getting depressed thinking I was NEVER going to get rid of that awful feeling and this time I knew Boomer was tense, too. I started seriously questioning why we were putting ourselves through this.
We arrived to find the DZ parking lot very crowded already! There were lots of tandem students milling around. We put our names up on the student board. There was already another AFF student up there and a few S/L. Plus a S/L course was taking place with a bunch of students and about 4 more were finishing up an AFF class that had started the night before. Wow! Going to be a busy day. I was actually glad we weren't going up right away. We had decided it would be best if I went first and I like a little time to get back in the groove of things. The longer I'm there smelling the jet fuel and watching others jump and talking to other jumpers, the calmer I seem to get.
The other AFF student did her jump which was a level VI and I saw her sit down with her instructor to go over it so I wandered over to that general area and eavesdropped on their conversation. Boomer had heard the week before that an AFF student had ridden the plane back down last Sunday and he had thought it might be her. Anyway, this jump seemed to go well for her and she passed. I was very interested as it was the jump I had to do next.... well AFTER I passed this one that I was on! I was dying to go talk to her afterwards and ask her a zillion questions. Lucky for her she disappeared and I didn't see her for a while.
We waited and waited and realized we weren't getting out of here early today if we only did one jump each (we were hoping to get back to take our kids to the lake) and that it looked doubtful that we'd get 2 jumps in if we tried to.
Just then Jay came and found me and started going over some stuff. Then they asked on the speaker if Jay and I could be ready to go in 15 minutes. He asked me and I said, "yes". Then we went through the whole jump. I thought it was going to be exactly the same as my level IV except 360 degree turns instead of 90. He asked me if I wanted to do 180 or 360 turns. I told him 360 since that is what I planned and since my 90's had been so weak last time. Then he said he wanted me to do a right turn then forward movement and dock with him. I told him I wasn't sure how to dock and he asked didn't I dock on my last jump? And I told him no, that Chris had been flying around me and watching me do my manuevers and that I was using the ground as a reference point.
That's one thing we've found out. Each JM has their own little different way of doing things. It's good because you get a little different perspective on each thing and get to try other ways but it also makes you change the way you've been thinking since the last time. Jay went over docking and it seemed pretty easy. Go gradual and don't reach. He said he would wear a chest altimeter so I could see the altitude by looking at his altimeter when docking. After docking I would go and do my left turn if over 6000. We didn't discuss after that.... just wave off at 5500 and pull by 4500. I just assumed I'd do each thing once and then fall straight until wave off like I did on IV.
I told him about my problem with the exit the last time and getting caught by the air. He said that he would go on my other side and block the air if I wanted. I thought about it for a second but then told him I didn't want to do that because I had thought about it the other way in my head all week. He had me hurry out to the mock up to show me some pointers on how to not get caught by the air. He showed me that if after I check out with him if I kept my body turned that way (towards the back of the plane) a bit that it would help prevent the airstream from catching me and trying to pull me off before I was ready. So on the first "out" keep looking towards him, then pull "in", then turn towards the other side and let go and arch. It made sense. We quickly practiced a few times and then he told me to hurry and get my jumpsuit on and he'd get my gear together. I ran to the car to gather my stuff and told Boomer I felt really rushed and not ready. We had been waiting and waiting and now all of a sudden I was going and a few small details had been changed and I didn't feel I had had time to digest them. He said, "Well tell them you aren't ready." I said I didn't want to because who knows when he'd get to go.
I walked back in and saw Jay checking out my rig. I casually said, "I feel kind of rushed." I didn't say it as in that I didn't want to go. Just kind of to let him know how I felt. He disappeared and came back a minute later saying, "Relax. I got us bumped a load." and smiled. I felt so much better. I don't like rushing. I always feel like I'm forgetting something and in skydiving I don't ever want to think I'm forgetting something! I was impressed that Jay was so sensitive to my emotions. He HAD told me when he first asked me that they weren't pushing me to go on that load.... that it was up to me. He had just believed me when I answered I was ready. I knew he had taught the AFF class that morning and that he had those students to take up plus besides Boomer and I, there were 3 other AFF students who had also shown up and I knew a few of the JMs that are usually there weren't around today. They were extra busy and shorthanded to top it off and I didn't want to be a problem. But the second he found out I wasn't feeling completely ready, he cancelled it.
We took our time and got ready. He showed me how to do a gear check again. I got myself completely ready by myself this time. I now knew where the radios and water gear and chest altimeters were kept. I even knew that the ugly white helmet that had a few scratches on it was the one that fit me best. And when I tried it on the chin strap was exactly right! I think it's so ugly that no one but me uses it!
I was feeling pretty good.... much calmer than before. I liked the now familiar feel of the rig on my back. (I still had the big manta... Jay had asked if I had ever used the next smaller rig and I said no and that I had never stood up a landing and that I was happy to keep using this bigger one for now). I liked the feeling that I could put it all on myself and feel confident I had done it right. I liked knowing what to look for in a gear check and seeing for myself that my rig was all set. And truth be told.... I liked walking past the tandem people... they looked at me like I was a real skydiver!
Soon it was time to head out to the plane. This time there were 3 tandems (all English lads by the sounds of their accents), a three way, a visiting jumper from out of state with an A license and 73 jumps and me and Jay. The ride to altitude went quickly. The TM next to me, Kevin, talked non-stop to his "student" about what to expect on the jump and that kept my mind off things. At one point he started joking around with the TM on the other side of him and then they both started pushing towards me saying they were going to get Jay who was on my other side. I started "yelling" at them saying they were going to hit my handles and to cut it out! I thought they'd just laugh at me but Kevin stopped right away and said good for me... protect those handles and don't do anything you aren't comfortable with.
Then I remembered to ask Jay if he tied his shoelaces. I had noticed way earlier that they were untied. He assured me they were (he had booties on so I couldn't see for myself)and told me he always leaves them untied on the ground for putting his jumpsuit on and off. I saw the out of state jumper staring at me a bit ... like what kind of crazy neurotic people do they have jumping here?? Especially after Jay did another gear check on me and checked out MY shoelaces and I assured him they were double knotted!
Next thing I knew we were at 13,500 ft! Boy, this plane gets up there quickly! Jay checked the spot and the single exited. The woman in the 3-way gave me a big smile (she had given me a few on the way up, too), the guy I sort of knew gave me a smile and a nod and the guy I didn't know reached over and shook my hand and gave me a thumb's up. They were all saying things like, "Have a good jump!" or "Have fun out there!" They made me feel really good. Out they went and then it was our turn. Jay climbed out and I was right behind him. The wind again felt VERY strong to me but I was ready for it this time (mentally... but I have been going to the weight room at the gym for the past 2 weeks, too!). I did as Jay suggested and after I checked out I kept my body turned towards him.... did a conservative out, pulled back in OK, then out and arch!!!
Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Nice exit!! It went nice and smooth and there was that sweet familiar rush of air!! Man, how I love it!! How could I be nervous of doing this??? It's awesome!!!! I feel so at home up here! I was MEANT to do this!!!
I do my COA and Jay has already come around in front of me. He nods and let's go. I do a nice, steady right turn, feeling in control the whole time. I'm watching the ground but I'm basically using Jay as my reference point because he was staying put. When I see him again, I stop my turn. I check my altimeter while Jay moves away from me. I pull my arms back and point my toes and move across the sky towards Jay. Cool!!! We redock no problem!! I am suppose to do another COA here but I can't see the horizon because Jay is there and there are no side JMs to look at so I just check the altitude using his chest altimeter since he had said that's what he was wearing it for. He hangs onto me a bit more and then finally lets go. I start my left turn. Same as before. I ease into it and go around nice and steady. Cool!!!! This is so MUCH fun!!!! I love it!!! I am so relaxed and feeling GREAT!!
I check my altimeter and see I have plenty of time. I'm looking around a bit and checking my altimeter when I realize Jay is sticking his tongue out at me.... that means straighten legs. He must have been doing it for a few moments because then he also gives me the hand signal for straighten legs. I figure I must be back sliding a bit and I wonder why I am this time when I hadn't last time. I straighten my legs just a bit. They seem OK to me. I check my altimeter. It says 6000 so I just stare at it until it hits 5500. I take my time and do a big double wave off, pretend to look for my ripcord like I always do... a few thoughts of becoming unstable creep in... reach... miss getting a good grip on the rip cord.... I see Jay coming closer on my left.... feel again.... AHA! Got a good grip on it and PULL!!!!
Voila!! After that comforting, fluttering sound of my canopy opening, I am accosted by peace and quiet. I am feeling so good! I thought it went great and it was so damn much fun!!! I can hear my FJC instructor, Bob, saying, "More fun than human beings were meant to have!" and I laugh. It sounds cool up here in the silence. I give a few whoop sounds just to hear myself! Cool! I think back to my doubts in the car and know this is definitely worth all those horrible, prejump feelings!
I shove the rip cord in my suit and do a canopy control check. Everything seems fine. I hear my radio guy come on and say Hi and tell me he is figuring out which one I am and asks me to do a left turn so he can tell. I do and he says OK and then says he will just leave me be. Dan usually does radio and he gives lots of help and I like that. I had talked to Dan ahead of time and told him to still give me some directions and to help me flare. Then this other guy, Dave, who is working on being an AFF instructor asked if he could do the radio because he needed to get checked off on it. Dan said OK. I knew Dave had heard me tell Dan that so I figured he'd help me lots, too. (Dave, it turns out, was the guy calmly laying on the plane floor in front of me on my last jump who I had thought was a S/L student from the fall before. I was mistaken. He's been jumping for ages. No wonder he was so relaxed!) I flew around a bit and tried doing some flat turns like I had read about on rec.skydiving. I had just read through the details of how to do it briefly and then saved the info in a file to go over carefully later. But from what I remembered I tried to do it and it seemed to go pretty good.
I had gotten over the landing area and was still about 2500 ft. I was trying to make out the windsocks to think about which way I should be landing. On the ground when I think about canopy control and landing it seems so easy but when I'm up in the air I get all confused and feel really stupid. I started flying in some different directions to see if I could feel a big difference in the speed of the canopy to see which way the wind was blowing. I felt some difference but it seemed to be the opposite of what the wind socks were telling me. Then I started panicking thinking maybe I was getting mixed up on how to read windsocks! I'm thinking I KNOW it's go from the small end towards the big end to land. My radio finally crackles to life and tells me to turn back towards my left a bit as I'm getting downwind. But then it goes quiet again. I'm madly trying to figure everything all out and the harder I try the more confused I feel. It's kind of like my brain got all used up concentrating on free fall and there's nothing left now!
I feel so fucking stupid! I'm trying to remember when I was on the ground in front of manifest which way it was I was thinking I had to land. I think I had gotten mixed up on which leg of the triangle manifest was on. I said to Boomer later that because it's a triangle all the runways look the same to me and I get confused. He looked at me like I was incredibly dense and asked if didn't I notice there were only buildings on one side??? Hmmmmmmm, ummmmmmmm, no. Duh!! I'll be sure to look for that next time. The whole landing thing comes so easily for him. And he is amazed that someone as smart as me (and I AM smart and I DO have a great sense of direction and I'm really good at mathematical things) is having such a big block with this. I am, too and it's driving me nuts!
But anyway, there I am at 1200 ft in the air and still can't figure out how I should be beginning my landing pattern at 1000 ft. I start cursing my radio and yelling at them to tell me what the fuck to do!!!! I know.... I know... I'm suppose to rely on myself in skydiving. I am the one in charge of my own destiny and I'm responsible for myself. But a little help would be nice! Why don't they make these two-way radios!! I can remember Bob telling us in that first class that we can hear them but they won't be able to hear us and that they don't WANT to hear us! lol
I finally decided it's a big huge sandy pit and I'm sure I can land in it somewhere and I'll just do the best I can with the wind. I guess they figured they had tortured me enough and a few directions came through my radio. I was coming down on my final leg now and I was heading right towards the ONLY obstacle out there... the fenced in radio towers. They seem to think I'm going to land before it but I'm not so sure so I turn a slight bit to my right. I knew if I hit it Bob would be so pissed at me! That was one of his pet peeves in class. Of course you don't make big turns down low but that doesn't mean you just crash into something. Just give a slight tug on one toggle enough to change your direction a tad so you don't hit anything! I turn enough to not have to worry about the tower and feel like I should be starting to flare but don't hear them say anything. Just as I decide maybe they aren't going to flare me and I start my flare on my own I hear them say, "3... oh I see you are already flaring...OK" so I just keep pulling down slow and steady and step onto the ground and almost stand it but fall onto my knee a speck. The next second I feel my canopy tug at me (the other times it's pretty much just lain there and I had gotten slack about the releasing one toggle and pulling on the other one). I quickly let go of one toggle and as I'm trying to pull the other one in little Jay has arrived to help. I'm grateful because my canopy is desperately trying to reinflate and carry me off! I guess they are right when they say they WANT to open! Little Jay helps me get it under control and then asks me if I can daisy chain my lines. I tell him that I've seen him do it but never actually done it myself. He patiently explains it again and has me try it. He's a tough teacher. He's never quite happy with how snug I'm pulling the lines and at one point undoes it all and has me start again. Ever feel stupid in front of a 10 year old? I ask him if it took him long to learn how to do it and he says, Oh, no!" and looks at me sympathetically like maybe I'm mentally handicapped or something because I'm having trouble doing something which seems so easy to him. I laugh. Boomer has shown up and been watching me and trying to help me, too.
We finally get it all set and the parachute bundled into my arms and head back across the bowl. It's hot and my arms ache and it seems like I have to cross the Sahara Desert to get to the truck and I'm thinking Gary had the right idea in landing me in the blueberry bush the last time! I see Dan, Dave and the single (as in solo jump!) guy from the plane all waiting for me at the truck so I try to hurry. Little Jay hops on his bike and heads back and I apologize to the others for keeping them waiting and explain about Little Jay teaching me the daisy chain and they get a good laugh over him pulling it all out and having me start again. On the ride back, I was feeling so happy with myself and couldn't wait to go again.
When we got back I put all my stuff away and ran into Jay who asked me what I thought. I told him that I thought it had gone good! He told me to grab my logbook and card and to meet him out at the picnic tables. I did and when Jay came out he had me tell my side. Then he told his. He said it was a real nice climbout and exit and that we were stable right away. He said my right turn was really good and so was my forward motion to redock. He said then he was waiting for me to do my COA and that's why he didn't let go for a while. He finally decided I was doing OK anyway so he let go. I explained how I had used his altimeter and he said, "Oh, OK" I did a good left turn and then he was waiting for me to redock. He said we were just suppose to keep going and doing all the manuevers over again until we ran out of time. So that's why he was sticking his tongue out. I wasn't backsliding. He was just trying to get me to come dock with him again! I told him how I had only done everything once on IV and hadn't even thought about doing it over again on this jump. He said I was only at 9000 ft or so when I finished so there was plenty of time to do more and he was wondering why I was just hanging there. Meanwhile I was very proud of myself for just hanging there! But anyway.... he thought it was a good dive and this is what he wrote in my book:
"Excellent climbout and exit. COA Release. 360 degree Rt. Redock Exc. Altitude awareness, release, left 360 degree, no redock, wave and pull. Exc. C/C Cleared to VI"
I talked to Dan and Dave about my canopy control. Dan said he kept trying to get Dave to tell me more. That he, Dan, has set altitudes where he wants to see students at. He would tell Dave... tell her to come back this way a bit and Dave would say... give her a little more time... every time except one I had headed back where I was suppose to. The only time he felt he really had to say something was the one time I was heading a little too down wind. So I guess I was doing pretty good on my own. And I think it was a good idea for Dave to let me try and think it out myself. I think I needed that push. But I still wish I felt more comfortable about it. Jay told me he would spend some more time with me on it until I felt better and when we got home Boomer drew me pictures and tried to explain some stuff and I just got the booklet from the USPA on Flying Your Ram Air Canopy which I'm reading right now. I'll get it yet!
Boomer was still waiting for his turn and shortly after I came down he got put on a load. While we were waiting we got to talking with John, a S/L student who only had one jump left to go on his student status and this other guy, Alan, who was waiting to do his AFF II. They called Boomer in to start getting ready. I made sure Boomer was busy and found Jay alone and reminded him that Boomer had flipped over a few times on his last jump including deployment. I knew Boomer would be wicked pissed to know I had done that but I had to to make myself feel calmer about his jumping. I did have faith in Boomer but I felt a little extra insurance couldn't hurt. Jay told me not to worry.... he'd look after him. I had already asked Jay before my jump if he thought Boomer had done the right thing in pulling anyway even though he was upside down instead of trying to get stable quickly first. He said he had definitely done it just right. It was way more important to pull at altitude even if unstable than to be getting down near the trees saying ... I know I'll be stable in 1 more second!
Some clouds had started to move in and thicken up and I was glad Boomer was going soon as I didn't want him to get bumped again. There were still quite a few big blue holes though so I thought they would be able to keep jumping. Boomer and Jay headed off to the plane and I was surprised I wasn't more nervous for him. I just felt that I knew he'd do good. I ran in to go the bathroom quickly and when I came out I found out Dan had already headed out to the bowl with the truck and I had missed my ride! So I hung out with John at the picnic tables watching for the plane. This big huge patch of "industrial haze" seemed to settle right over the DZ! After a bit we heard the plane and then saw a few canopies open. Where were the rest of them? Then all of a sudden we saw more coming out of the "industrial haze". I spotted Boomer's canopy and watched him land out in the bowl. Then I walked over to meet the truck, dying to find out how he did!
When I saw Boomer getting off the truck I didn't know what to think. He had this funny grin on and wouldn't really look me in the eye. I'm going, "So how did it go?????" and he just replied, "Adventures in skydiving!!" I followed him in to put his stuff away asking a bunch of questions but he was just still doing that funny grin at me. Finally I said, "At least tell me if you pulled stable!" He said, "Yes."
I guess it turned out that they had problems with the spot and then the plane was due to refuel after this jump so the pilot had to be careful with how many jump runs he did. They finally thought they were OK and jumped. On exit Boomer forgot to do an exit count. He checked in and then just went. He thought they tumbled but Jay told him they were just rocking back and forth a bit. They stabled out and Jay released him. He did a good 360 degree right turn and redocked. By then they had gotten into some of the "industrial haze" and so Jay shook his head.... no more manuevers. At first Boomer thought he must have read the altimeter wrong so he rechecked it but they were fine. Then he realized it must be because of the "haze". Jay released him and they just fell straight down until it was time to pull. Boomer forgot to wave off but he pulled on time and nice and stable. But even then they were still in the "haze" and Boomer said it was pretty freaky. He finally came out and landed again with very little radio assistance. Jay thought Boomer did a good job despite the problems they ran into. He wrote in his logbook, "Good climbout, no exit count, spot problems, release, 360 degree rt. redock, release, Good altitude aware, no wave but pulled on time and stable... cleared to VI"
I told Boomer that he needs to take over this job of telling the jump stories since mine have been kind of boring lately and he has been the one having "adventures in skydiving!" lol Oh... and he did hear something funny on the plane. The TM, Kevin, was sitting next to Boomer on his ride up and talking away with that tandem student, too. I guess the student asked him how long he had been doing this and Kevin replied, "Yesterday was my first day but I slept at the Holiday Inn Express last night!" (for those who don't watch TV, there is a pretty funny commercial relating to that!)
We would have liked to stayed around and made another jump (the skies has cleared out again pretty good... and that would mean one less morning I had to wake up sick!) but there were still quite a few people waiting to go up and we thought it was doubtful we'd make it on a load since it was late afternoon by now. We found Jay again before we left and he went over level VI with us so we would know what to expect next time. It's a solo exit for the first time and then a backloop, which sounds really scary but everyone says it was fun afterwards. Then we find our bearings in the sky and make perpendicular tracks away from the wind line (so you don't run into another group of jumpers) for 3 seconds, then check altitude and if time do a 180 degree turn and then track again and keep doing that over and over until 5500 ft. Wave off at 5000 and pull by 4000. Tracking is similar to the forward motion only you bring your hands around down towards your hips with the palms facing up. I've heard people say that you feel like superman (or woman!) and that's it's fun so I'm looking forward to trying it! Hurry up and get here Sunday!