Skydive AFF Jump #7

9/30/12
In only 3 weeks time, I have passed my first 6 jumps and today will be making my final AFF Instructed jump #7 followed by my first ever completely solo exit and flight.  In Sky School, this is like graduating kindergarden.  I have learned the very basics of this sport which are:

*How to properly put on a parachute
*How to safely board and exit an aircraft in proper jump order
*How to maintain a stable belly position during free fall
*How and when to use my altimeter
*How and why to be aware of the jump run during flight
*How and when to deploy my parachute
*How, why and when to cut away and use reserve canopy if necessary
*How to properly execute a safe landing according to the wind

It may not seem like much to learn but the majority of what you can learn in this sport you can only learn a minute at a time for that is the average free fall time while belly flying from 13,000 ft.  Of course you can always visit your local wind tunnel for some indoor air time.  Vertical wind tunnels are great practice for body position wether your just learning to belly fly or your more advanced working on your free fly maneuvers.  I spent 4 minutes in a tunnel the weekend prior to my first jump.  It was such a big help with my skydive in that it introduced me to the air flow in a safe environment allowing me to focus more on how to compose and hold a stable belly fly position, opposed to learning in the midst of your adrenaline rush as you casually jump out of a plane for the first time!

Today's jump involves Tracking which is a horizontal flying position used to direct yourself toward or away from a group or area.  This is a necessary maneuver to learn and prefect if you ever plan to fly a wing suit.

Jump Objectives:

-Observe and identify jump run
-Solo exit
-Find stability and check altimeter
-Make eye contact with instructor, they nod
-Observe and identify jump run
-Turn and begin track for 10 seconds
-Return to regular belly position and check altitude
-Make eye contact with instructor, they nod
-Turn 180 degrees, observe and identify jump run
-Begin tracking for 10 seconds

Depending on your altitude, your instructor may have you continue to track in either direction.

As I get on the plane, I catch a whiff of jet fuel.  This smell triggers certain feelings for me now.  I'v been working on Boeing Airfield in Everett WA.  I see the biggest passenger planes come and go all day long and I often find myself taking a big whiff, closing my eyes and finding myself on a jump plane as the smell accompanies my imagination.  Such a tease throughout my work week but the weekends here and I'm finally on my way up!  Its different to me now.  Its not as nerve racking as it was in the very beginning, though I am still nervous, I am calm and collective.  We exit the plane, I first, followed by my instructor.  Upon finding stability, I turn to my instructor as she nods indicating its okay to begin my track.  I Observe and identify the jump run and slowly bring my hands from in front of my vision, toward my hips/waist with palms down.  I straiten my legs and point my toes and as I do so I feel myself take off like a bullet.  My first track probably looked like a small car driving on ice with bald tires.  (in every direction just to go strait)  I end my track, turn around to check in with my instructor once again and as she nods, I begin my track in the opposite direction.  This time with a lot better traction and direction.  I am so thrilled as I come to the realization that I'm traveling at great speeds horizontally as I descend and can no longer classify what I am doing as "Falling"... I am flying!
This is absolutely amazing.  I can't believe that I didn't start doing this earlier on in my life.

Now for my first ever SOLO jump