AFF Program - Stage 4/Jump 4 - 13,000ft

The goal for this jump is pretty simple; exit, get stable, stay stable after your JM let’s go. I should mention that the overriding goals on every jump are to 1. Pull, 2. Pull at a safe altitude, 3. Pull stable, and 4. Land safely. Additionally, I will try and land with no radio assistance so that I can be cleared to jump without radios from here on out.

I have very few nerves on this jump even though I will be jumping with only one JM, and I will most likely not having anyone holding onto me for most of the fall.

My jump master for this jump will be Bret again. The jump goes fairly well. After letting go of me I start to turn a bit to the left. I’m able to correct this with a slight turn to the right. This occurs a few more times. The last time it happens I’m unable to correct, but by this time I’m locked on to the altimeter as it is getting close to pull time. I pull at the correct altitude with just a little wobble. Bret later explains that as it got closer to pull time my legs started to get lazy. My landing was awesome. During my decent Bret asked me on the radio to kick my legs if I wanted to do everything myself. Once I heard this I started kicking like crazy. I absolutely hate being on radio. I came in on target and with 25 feet of the center of my target. I flared at about 5-6 ft and touched down very gently.

My previous 3 jumps I was never 100% sure as to whether it was me jumping or the jump masters nudging me out. This time I was 95% sure I jumped out. Bret later told me that yes indeed I was jumping and in fact I was literally pulling him out of the plane.

Cleared for stage 5 and off radios! What a high!

AFF Program - Stage 3/Jump 3 - 13,000ft

So I’ve decided to carry on with the AFF. One of the main reasons I’ve chosen to carry on is because of how pissed I am at myself for screwing up the chute pull on jump two. The plan for the day is to try and carry out jumps # 3 and 4.

My jump masters today are Bret Townley (look here http://www.youtube.com for an interesting video of a tight jump) and Doug (sorry I forgot your last name Doug.). Bret has more than 14,000 jumps and is also a corporate pilot. His motto is its more fun to jump from them [planes], then fly them. Both are accomplished skydivers and were great jump masters.

The goal for this jump is to practice turns. After the exit, and once we are stable, the reserve side JM (Doug) will let go. My job is to then turn 90 degrees and face him, then check altitude. Doug will then give the signal to turn 90 degree again, this time in the opposite direction with Doug staying directly in front of me. Time permitting Doug may give me the signal for another (bonus) turn.

Everything on this jump goes perfect (except the landing). I get all my turns in plus the bonus one. Best of all I had no issues pulling my chute. The landing was a bit rough. Jim (talking to me on the radio) had me flare a bit too early. This causes me to fall from the sky with about 6 feet left to go. When I land I immediately feel my ankle start to twist. Luckily I had studied the PLF and went right in to it. My ankle is a little sore, but it won’t keep me from jumping again.

In the end I passed my stage 3 and was cleared to go onto jump 4!

This means only one jump master, which then means the jumps are $40 cheaper!