SonnyChiba 0 #1 July 14, 2003 Someone asked me this weekend if I was one of those "natural skydivers." You know, the guys who just take to the sport and do really good from the beginning. My response was a resounding "Heck no!!!" I told her of my student progression: Level 1 - Climbed back into plane. Level 1 (after go-around) Decided to let go of plane after a little "help" from the JM. (That should be read "pulled from plane by JM while maintaining death grip on bar). Did not realize until then just how tight I could keep my eyes closed. Finally opened my eyes, found my ripcord and pulled. PASSED. Level 2 - Thought I knew what I was doing. Left plane and kicked for about 7,000 ft. JMs put me on my belly and pulled for me because I apparently forgot about that whole pulling process. Failed Level 2 (2nd attempt) - Fell somewhat stable. Received "Pull" single from one the JM's. Thought he was pointing at me to say "You're the man!" Smiled back at him, he pulled for me.......Failed. Level 2 (3rd attempt) - By this time the JM's are thinking I should take up bowling or something. Felt I needed to redeem myself, and save my own life this time. Fell and pulled. PASSED. Level 3 - I REALLY knew what I was doing now. Forgot to give exit count and just left. JM's really like it when you do that! I think I was supposed to do a turn or something....forgot to do that too. Forgot to check my altimeter, forgot to wave off and couldn't find my rip cord. FAILED. Level 3 (2nd Attempt) - Failed for some reason or another. Started considering bowling as my hobby. Level 3 (3rd Attempt) - Had to pay JM's extra to jump with me (not really). Had earned the nickname "Man I wish This Guy Would Stop Showing Up." Apparently did something right and passed. After that it was all good. Wait, I failed level 4 to and got it on the second try. I began to assume the JM's were passing me just to get me out of their hair. So were you guys naturals? Anyone fail more levels than me? There has to be someone!!! Say I'm not the only one! PLEASE!!!! ---------------------------- "Insert witty quote here." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hooked 0 #2 July 14, 2003 ROTFLMAO!!!!!! Very funny "telling" of your progression. Thoroughly enjoyable reading! J -------------------------------------- Sometimes we're just being Humans.....But we're always Human Beings. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #3 July 14, 2003 You should read Falling into Place by Rita M. Ippoliti. This book is guranteed to make just about any newbie skydiver feel good about their progression. Rita recounts her attempts to skydive. She'd basically told a long tortuous tale about her student progress over at rec.skydiving and it turned into a book length thread. She cleaned it up and made a real book out of it.quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
surf4life11 0 #4 July 14, 2003 To me there are no natural skydivers just those that are confident and can adapt quickly to the unfamiliar and not so natural sport of jumping out of a plane. It has taken only 22 jumps for me to get my license but I constantly read up during the week when I was not jumping, learning constantly so that when I did jump I was ready for it and knew what I had to do. If you are dedicated to the sport you will constantly be learning but you are not alone with failing that much. You should be proud that you got back up into that airplane and continued to jump because most people would give up after failing. Be safe and blue skies. DT Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanillaSkyGirl 6 #5 July 14, 2003 That is a really funny story of your AFF progression. Edited because "Oooops! My bad! I don't think that I know you..." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
deaffreeflyer 0 #6 July 14, 2003 You're not worse than this guy - Ian Smith. It took him 52 AFF jumps to achieve his 'A' License. Yes I am not kidding - 52 jumps! In his word, "I am not exactly the world's most natural skydiver". Shame he's no longer jumping. I really adrimed him for keep trying and didn't gave up! His skydiving pages are really interesting to see his struggles progress. Check his website out:- http://www.iansmith.co.uk/skydive/index.htm Edit: link sorted! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
faulknerwn 38 #7 July 14, 2003 Quote So were you guys naturals? Anyone fail more levels than me? There has to be someone!!! Say I'm not the only one! PLEASE!!!! I had 48 jumps when I got off student status... I put my student logbook online because it was so funny. Its at: http://crw.boxofclue.com/skydive/howcrw.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanillaSkyGirl 6 #8 July 14, 2003 Oh! OK, then I DO know you! Btw, return PM sent. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites bkdice 0 #9 July 14, 2003 There is this girl, Cat, at our DZ who is amazing. She went through AFF with such ease, passing every level and then just excelling in the sport. She is just awesome. My boyfriend was very similar - he just excelled a fast rate. I had some struggles. Failed level 4 of AFF once - but passed the rest. Struggled with RW. Though, freeflying has come fairly easy for me. I think it's just because it's where my heart is. Anyway, I think there are some who struggle a lot, some who struggle less, and some who make us all look bad. Though I think there is potential to be a great skydiver no matter how you start. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Shark 0 #10 July 14, 2003 QuoteYou know, the guys who just take to the sport and do really good from the beginning. I think that's why they were calling you, "Chaz" when you first showed up at 'Snore. Then there's that one dude who thought you were good, then found out you were the videodude for SakiBomb. BTW, your stories have scared me... I hope that I do not get a student like you. And where's my $20! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites groovychic 0 #11 July 15, 2003 Well I failed cat b (lev 2) once, Cat c-2 three times, pretty much sailed through the rest, but they locked me in the wind tunnel for 8 straight minutes, I finally figured out positive legs, and was real sore for a out a week. The wind tunnel saved me, had I not done the time, I am sure I would have failed more cat's than I did... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites billvon 2,975 #12 July 15, 2003 I was definitely not a natural skydiver. It's taken me thousands of jumps to learn to do RW, fly a relatively small canopy well, etc. I'm jealous of the training tools people have nowadays, and I'm even more jealous of the people with natural abilities. Julie, a good friend of mine, was on the 300-way with ~400 jumps. She's on Deguello now and is considerably better than I am at 4-way. She'll be getting a gold at Nationals within a few years, and (I'll bet) with under 1000 jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites PhreeZone 20 #13 July 15, 2003 One of the guys I used to jump with went throught the British static line system and it took him till I think jump 90 something till he finally got off student status or got cleared to do solos, one of the two.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites jbrasher 1 #14 July 15, 2003 I to took 48 jumps to be cleared off student status, but the only way they did it (self-defense?) was to get the biggest heaviest JM on the DZ to do a harness hold. It blew my mind to freefall that long (30 seconds). Then they let me go and do 20 ro 30 flat spin jumps until I finally figured out what RELAX really meant. 30+ years later I'm still having fun scaring people Red, White and Blue Skies, John T. Brasher D-5166 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites oldnewbie 0 #15 July 15, 2003 Thank you so much!!!! You just made me feel like i was a NATURAL just kiddin!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Joellercoaster 6 #16 July 15, 2003 "Natural"? I thought I was. I kicked ass on all my levels up to stage 7, nailed all the skills no worries, felt like the golden child. Glowing logbook comments about tracking, spot-on backloops, blah blah blah. This skydiving shit is easy, I said to myself on a pretty regular basis. Then I didn't jump for several months, cruised back to the DZ and did a currency jump before I was allowed to get back into AFF. No worries right? I'm a badass natural skydiver! So I breeze through the briefing, get in the plane, chat to my JM and do a dive exit. Not a natural. Turns out the instructors at Nagambie just give really thorough, excellent briefings. Without that, I'm as much of a nuffy as anything I've heard about in these forums. The first clue is diving out the door and finding myself in a sort of upside-down corkscrew. Arch harder, eventually get stable. The next clue is discovering I have no idea how to make my body go forward to dock on my JM. Then the turning part is no longer trivial all of a sudden, and I pretzel all over the place. I pop up, I flail, I SUCK! So yeah. I'm not a natural, I'm crap. I just have instructors who give incredible briefings and make sure I have the right body position before I go anywhere. And I neglect them at my peril. *sigh* [edit: speling]-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites tbrown 26 #17 July 15, 2003 Sonny, you're a natural humorist, LOVED your story ! I do think there are people who have better natural athletic abilities (and I am NOT one of them...) as well as blessed with greater reserves of self confidence. But everybody in this sport, whether they learned quickly or slowly, has made plenty of mistakes they can only laugh at now - and we'll help with the laughing, because we've all been there. A word of warning though, overconfidence can betray anybody. We only need to screw up badly once in this show. Nobody's natural grace and confidence can replace common sense safe practices. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Michele 1 #18 July 15, 2003 Sonny.... Good to see you here. Not yelling at the computer, telling me to take up bowling. Not being surprised when I showed up for BtG with my own license and everything. (And no, I shall not let you forget that, ever....) You look great in the pink helmet! (If this isn't Leon the man, the myth, the yellow suited pink hatted wearing, Mel and Andrew co-coach vid guy, then forget the above. If it is Leon, HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!! to you, and as soon as I'm better, we need to go play in the sky.). Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkydiverRick 0 #19 July 15, 2003 Whenever I have a student with a confidence problem,I show them my first logbook. When they see that their instructor wasn't a "natural" either they usually relax and do a good job. never pull low......unless you are Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites superstu 0 #20 July 15, 2003 I don't know about natural but i took to it pretty well. I had all the requirements for my A-liscense by jump 18 or 19, so the last 1 or 2 was fun just with my JM. I was alowed to skip one of my SL levels (i think one of the 10 second delays). and it has pretty much been that way all through out my skydiving life. I am proud to say that for my 200th i got to leave 2nd to last on a 20 way from the trail plane and get to my slot no problem. i thought that was really cool.Slip Stream Air Sports Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Unstable 9 #21 July 15, 2003 LOL thanks for the Great Story. I think i would like to print it out and keep it - it may help some discouraged student that i run into!! Blue Skies,=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites VanillaSkyGirl 6 #22 July 15, 2003 Yes, yes, yes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Michele 1 #23 July 15, 2003 Good. Then I need to jump with him most desperately. I don't think he believes I can jump...so I'll just have to drag his bottom into the air, and tap his pink helmet a time or two, just to show him "I ain't scared"... Hugs, Leon. And tell Andrew I send hugs, as well... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites ScratchTX 0 #24 July 15, 2003 On every jump, turn, turn, turn There is a reason turn, turn, turn That the student keeps on turning in the heavens A time to turn right a time to stop a time to stop A TIME TO STOP STOP STOP GODDAMNIT!! left hip down, LOOK LEFT, counter it! STOP!!! DAMNIT there goes the jumpmaster again!!! STOOOPPPP!!!! A time to re-dock a time to pull yes lots of us are not naturals :>) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Michele 1 #25 July 15, 2003 ScratchTX, that was wonderful; I sat here and sang it out, and laughed!!! Thanks! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 3 Next Page 1 of 3 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. 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bkdice 0 #9 July 14, 2003 There is this girl, Cat, at our DZ who is amazing. She went through AFF with such ease, passing every level and then just excelling in the sport. She is just awesome. My boyfriend was very similar - he just excelled a fast rate. I had some struggles. Failed level 4 of AFF once - but passed the rest. Struggled with RW. Though, freeflying has come fairly easy for me. I think it's just because it's where my heart is. Anyway, I think there are some who struggle a lot, some who struggle less, and some who make us all look bad. Though I think there is potential to be a great skydiver no matter how you start. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shark 0 #10 July 14, 2003 QuoteYou know, the guys who just take to the sport and do really good from the beginning. I think that's why they were calling you, "Chaz" when you first showed up at 'Snore. Then there's that one dude who thought you were good, then found out you were the videodude for SakiBomb. BTW, your stories have scared me... I hope that I do not get a student like you. And where's my $20! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
groovychic 0 #11 July 15, 2003 Well I failed cat b (lev 2) once, Cat c-2 three times, pretty much sailed through the rest, but they locked me in the wind tunnel for 8 straight minutes, I finally figured out positive legs, and was real sore for a out a week. The wind tunnel saved me, had I not done the time, I am sure I would have failed more cat's than I did... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,975 #12 July 15, 2003 I was definitely not a natural skydiver. It's taken me thousands of jumps to learn to do RW, fly a relatively small canopy well, etc. I'm jealous of the training tools people have nowadays, and I'm even more jealous of the people with natural abilities. Julie, a good friend of mine, was on the 300-way with ~400 jumps. She's on Deguello now and is considerably better than I am at 4-way. She'll be getting a gold at Nationals within a few years, and (I'll bet) with under 1000 jumps. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #13 July 15, 2003 One of the guys I used to jump with went throught the British static line system and it took him till I think jump 90 something till he finally got off student status or got cleared to do solos, one of the two.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbrasher 1 #14 July 15, 2003 I to took 48 jumps to be cleared off student status, but the only way they did it (self-defense?) was to get the biggest heaviest JM on the DZ to do a harness hold. It blew my mind to freefall that long (30 seconds). Then they let me go and do 20 ro 30 flat spin jumps until I finally figured out what RELAX really meant. 30+ years later I'm still having fun scaring people Red, White and Blue Skies, John T. Brasher D-5166 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldnewbie 0 #15 July 15, 2003 Thank you so much!!!! You just made me feel like i was a NATURAL just kiddin!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Joellercoaster 6 #16 July 15, 2003 "Natural"? I thought I was. I kicked ass on all my levels up to stage 7, nailed all the skills no worries, felt like the golden child. Glowing logbook comments about tracking, spot-on backloops, blah blah blah. This skydiving shit is easy, I said to myself on a pretty regular basis. Then I didn't jump for several months, cruised back to the DZ and did a currency jump before I was allowed to get back into AFF. No worries right? I'm a badass natural skydiver! So I breeze through the briefing, get in the plane, chat to my JM and do a dive exit. Not a natural. Turns out the instructors at Nagambie just give really thorough, excellent briefings. Without that, I'm as much of a nuffy as anything I've heard about in these forums. The first clue is diving out the door and finding myself in a sort of upside-down corkscrew. Arch harder, eventually get stable. The next clue is discovering I have no idea how to make my body go forward to dock on my JM. Then the turning part is no longer trivial all of a sudden, and I pretzel all over the place. I pop up, I flail, I SUCK! So yeah. I'm not a natural, I'm crap. I just have instructors who give incredible briefings and make sure I have the right body position before I go anywhere. And I neglect them at my peril. *sigh* [edit: speling]-- "I'll tell you how all skydivers are judged, . They are judged by the laws of physics." - kkeenan "You jump out, pull the string and either live or die. What's there to be good at? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbrown 26 #17 July 15, 2003 Sonny, you're a natural humorist, LOVED your story ! I do think there are people who have better natural athletic abilities (and I am NOT one of them...) as well as blessed with greater reserves of self confidence. But everybody in this sport, whether they learned quickly or slowly, has made plenty of mistakes they can only laugh at now - and we'll help with the laughing, because we've all been there. A word of warning though, overconfidence can betray anybody. We only need to screw up badly once in this show. Nobody's natural grace and confidence can replace common sense safe practices. Your humble servant.....Professor Gravity ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #18 July 15, 2003 Sonny.... Good to see you here. Not yelling at the computer, telling me to take up bowling. Not being surprised when I showed up for BtG with my own license and everything. (And no, I shall not let you forget that, ever....) You look great in the pink helmet! (If this isn't Leon the man, the myth, the yellow suited pink hatted wearing, Mel and Andrew co-coach vid guy, then forget the above. If it is Leon, HUGS!!!!!!!!!!!!! to you, and as soon as I'm better, we need to go play in the sky.). Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiverRick 0 #19 July 15, 2003 Whenever I have a student with a confidence problem,I show them my first logbook. When they see that their instructor wasn't a "natural" either they usually relax and do a good job. never pull low......unless you are Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
superstu 0 #20 July 15, 2003 I don't know about natural but i took to it pretty well. I had all the requirements for my A-liscense by jump 18 or 19, so the last 1 or 2 was fun just with my JM. I was alowed to skip one of my SL levels (i think one of the 10 second delays). and it has pretty much been that way all through out my skydiving life. I am proud to say that for my 200th i got to leave 2nd to last on a 20 way from the trail plane and get to my slot no problem. i thought that was really cool.Slip Stream Air Sports Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 9 #21 July 15, 2003 LOL thanks for the Great Story. I think i would like to print it out and keep it - it may help some discouraged student that i run into!! Blue Skies,=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VanillaSkyGirl 6 #22 July 15, 2003 Yes, yes, yes! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #23 July 15, 2003 Good. Then I need to jump with him most desperately. I don't think he believes I can jump...so I'll just have to drag his bottom into the air, and tap his pink helmet a time or two, just to show him "I ain't scared"... Hugs, Leon. And tell Andrew I send hugs, as well... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScratchTX 0 #24 July 15, 2003 On every jump, turn, turn, turn There is a reason turn, turn, turn That the student keeps on turning in the heavens A time to turn right a time to stop a time to stop A TIME TO STOP STOP STOP GODDAMNIT!! left hip down, LOOK LEFT, counter it! STOP!!! DAMNIT there goes the jumpmaster again!!! STOOOPPPP!!!! A time to re-dock a time to pull yes lots of us are not naturals :>) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Michele 1 #25 July 15, 2003 ScratchTX, that was wonderful; I sat here and sang it out, and laughed!!! Thanks! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
