solos

So, crappy weather today, so only managed one jump solo. I have a number of tasks I have to do to get my A licence so I took the opportunity to get as many of them done as I could: so after exit I did 2 back flips, a barrel role, some tracking (sort of wing suit/squirrel suit flying) and then under canopy I did some rear riser, front riser controls. Finishing with some kiting of the wing as the ground was sodden where I landed.

I'm at 18 jumps now, so hopefully we'll get some better weather to get it up. Though they have an event on this weekend where folk torn up to track at 45 degrees (basically it means they all fly about the sky like a flock of birds) so it'll be quite busy, and us beginners get bumped to the back.

I might have to have a day off and do summit else at some point.

I must admit I do like the solos - I'd only done 2 before back in 2006, so now I've doubled that number. Getting out the plane yourself and just falling towards earth at 120mph with no one else to help you is really calming and relaxing: it's all up to you - do what you like, etc. I suppose it's the ultimate activity for someone who like being alone :-)

When I jumped out today, after I'd finished all my back flips, etc I was still around 7k so I had 2k to play with (I'd decided to pull my canopy at 5k), and I just watched the ground rush up towards me. At terminal velocity that means 1000 feet every 5.5 seconds. So you are watching the ground for 11 seconds before pull… forget or get it wrong and you'll be hitting something hard 25 seconds later. There is just such a primitive sort of calmness that I really like. A lot of folk thing skydiving is an adrenaline sport, but its not for me - its just very calming and controlled. I imagine it's the same sort of feeling some folk get doing yoga or summit.

stu