5 jumps (3 FS, 2FF)

Off season

This is the most relaxed time of the year for me. I almost did 300 jumps this season, almost 100 AFF's (well, 93 to be precise), everything from now on is just a bonus.

We round up all belly-flyers that have some basic skill, and let's take it from there. First jump, still quiet early in the morning, we are only 6. We exit a great sidebody, also in the jump is a frisbee-frisbee (with the 2 solos missing of course) and some other nice stuff.

As the day continues, our group grows, and the jump quality goes down a bit. After 3 jumps, I 've had enough and for the last jump of the day, I decide to try out my new back- and sitfly stuff from last weeks tunnelcamp. I exit in a sit. Woow, it works! As long as I can watch the plane, at least. Then I fall over, I continue on my back, try to sit up again, but all I do is turn on my back. So I stop thinking and trying, and I go for something else. I use my legs to roll over and stand up, and I fly on my knees for the rest of the jump. Hmmmmm, not bad for a first try, but lots of work ahead. It's gonna be fun!

16 way

Only 4 jumps today. An easy one to start, followed by three more difficult jumps. They go rather well. Muscles in my back are aching all over from yesterday's tunnel time, but I fly Ok. Not great, but not too bad either. Apart from the jumps and the fun, I had a terrible opening on the last jump. I had my hands on the handles, and was half a sec away from a reserve ride, when the canopy stopped spinning. When I did my checks, I noticed my PC was under the canopy. No idea how or why, but I don't want to see that again, that's for sure. To be on the safe side, I went for a very conservative landing.

I like this 16 way team. Some people have thousands of jumps, have done 100-way sequential and all kinds of mission impossible jumps. And then there is a guy I released from AFF only last season, and a few who have only been jumping for two seasons. Atmosphere is relaxed, making mistakes is allowed, but there aren't many (maybe just because of this attitude). Only thing to watch out for, apart from people just not turning up, are skygods joking throughout briefing and doing stupid things in the air.

As soon as video is available, I'll post or link it here.

Tunnel

First time ever in the tunnel. I booked half an hour with Jasper (from ToraTora), for my first time ever freefly coaching (I have about 2800 jumps: some 50 static lines, some 2700 on my belly, and maybe a few funnels). I loved being a student again! I'll add some video to this post later. If it weren't such fun, it would almost be embarrassing :-)

So here is the video I promised: "My first time..."