When you meet someone with nearly a 1,000 skydives, it's hard to image that it was ever hard for them. One of the reasons I created my website was so that other people who struggle can see that they are not alone.  It wasn't easy for me to earn my A license.  I worked hard to get it and I wouldn't have been able to achieve this goal without the support of my sister-cousin, Lisa!  If there was an A License acceptance speech, her name would be first in the list of thank yous! 

With wind tunnels cropping up around the country, you can sort our your freefall problems inside with a coach. But no matter what you can do in the air, it won't make you a better canopy pilot. I had a very difficult time understanding canopy flight. After a number of butt slides and face plants (oh...and a broken ankle), I was so frustrated.  That's when I decided to go to Florida for a canopy control course. Thank you Scott Miller for helping me! 

4/24/04: Jump 1 - Orange, VA - Tandem: Taylor D-19676

5/16/04: Jump 2 - Orange, VA - Tandem: Great exit and body position – good PHTS - Excellent altitude awareness and pull on time -Intro to canopy
Controlled – high speed ass slide – great skydive! Entry Made By: Lambert D-21277 – AFF I - CS 

6/18/04: Jump 3 - Orange, VA - Tandem: Cat A-B - Setup in door good. Sarah led exit with arms out. Good count, exit. Arch Good.
Very altitude aware - PRCP's excellent - Lock on at 6,000 feet and waved at 5,500 ft - Solo pull. Assisted canopy pattern and flare. Stand up landing. Great job. Time for AFF! Entry made by: M. French License D-21465

7/10/04:  Jump 4 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT B - Great climb out and exit - slightly legs up at first, but then good. Leg extensions - perfect altitude awareness. Wave off and pulled right on time. Good canopy control and soft landing with some radio. Cleared to AFF CAT C PT 1  Entry Made By: Lambert D21277 (Jumped with Nick and Lambert)

8/08/04: Jump 5 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT C Part I - Lambert climbed out. I followed then Nick. I exited well, but one of the jump masters had a timing issue. Got stable. Had a little trouble with practice pulls. Did an extra practice touch. Tried to relax. Fixed leg position upon indication from JM. Great Arch! Landing issues: Got some bad directions - landed near tetrahedron. Crash landing. Flared too early. Things to work on: Relax more - flare on time.  Lambert added: Cleared to CAT C PT II - Lambert D21277 - AFF - I (Nick told me to add: I FALL FAST)

8/18/04: Jump 6 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT C 2 - One Jumpmaster Awesome Skydive. Relax signal after 3 PRT's. Good release and complete solo fall all skydive. Solo w/o (wave off) and pull @ 5500'. Good CC (canopy control) and stand up landing near target - 10 m! Go to D. falls fast. Nick K - D25310

9/1/04: Jump 7 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT D 1 - One Jumpmaster with video.  Good climb out but left w/knees up a bit. 2 PRT's while Instructor released. Great 90's with excellent heading control and speed. 5 x 90's (five 90 degree turns) with good altitude awareness. Solo pull at 5K. Rear Riser turns with brakes set, unset 90 degree. Good execution of flight plan with minimal radio assistance. Flare way to fast at 25 feet, told to hold it and PLF. Awesome free fall. Review flare height...not cleared from radio. Nick D25310

12/4/04: Jump 8 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT C 2 - Recurrency. Good climb out, but dearch & kicking on exit.  3 good touches - good solo fall. Tensed up, started slow spin.  Instr stopped with little effort.  Good solo fall, a bit slow thru pull time. Good CC, but flew too far D.W. Good Landing. Go to D-2 Nick D25310

3/19/05: Jump 9 - Z-Hills, FL - AFF: Level 3 Recurr (Equivalent CAT C 1)  -Complete retrain/recurrency briefing.  Excellent setup and count, good exit after very slight delay.  Great COA, 3 practice touches, forward movement. Released, kept heading really well!  Locked on @ 6K, both jm's close by. Solo wave off & Successful pull! Excellent pattern setup and good landing - slid in a bit, but you definitely could have stood up. Go to Level 4 or Cat D. Laura Song C-30407 / AFI 05

4/10/05: Jump 10 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT D 2 - One Instructor - Solo exit.  Stable. Be a little presented into the wind.  Good PRCPS. Excellent turns.  Good altitude awareness. Pulled on time. Need a little more help with flaring. Proceed to Cat E. Nate "Ostrich" Solloway D-25504 / AFI 05 (Load 2)

4/10/05: Jump 11 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT E 1 - One Instructor - Exit started great - Then kicked less - flipped over but recovered!  Perfect Barrel rolls - 2 Nice backloops. Good altitude awareness and perfect arch. Good wave off & Pull. Got low in canopy pattern (Altimeter off 300') flared late. OK for E 2. Steve Hetrick D 8585 / AFFI-05 (Load 10)

4/17/05: Jump 12 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT E 2 - Self-Supervised! No radio.  Practiced spotting.  Put head out to make sure no jumper or aircraft were below.  Exit from inside of plane on seven second count.  Left with my head down a bit, rolled over once.  Got stable. Checked my altitude.  2 practice touches.  Front loop.  Checked alt. 2 360 turns.  Back loop.  Checked alt. Barrel roll.  Checked alt. Locked on @ 6K. Waved off 5,000 pulled - Line Twists. Followed landing pattern as per Kevin.  Flared too early @ 15 feet.  PLF Landing 30 feet from target. Kevin Gibson D-6943 (Load 6)

4/17/05: Jump 13 - Orange, VA - AFF: CAT F - Tracking.  One Instructor - Participated with Jump Run.  Exited head down a bit.  Rolled over.  Got stable.  2 practice touches looked for Kevin.  Followed directions, tracked to catch up with him.  Arched to slow down.  Checked alt. Changed directions, tracked again.  Got a little wobbly.  Stopped.  Kevin motioned to go again.  Checked alt.  5,000 - waved off and pulled. Flared a little deep, but better.  Kevin Gibson D-6943 (Load 17)

6/18/05: Jump 14 - Z-Hills, FL - AFF: Recurrency - One Instructor - Started with a full retrain of emergencies.  Diving Exit - hit plane with left ankle - felt strange. 2 practice touches.  Went forward to meet Sally.  Checked altitude.  Right 360, Alt Check, Left 360. Alt Check. Moved forward. Alt Check. Moved forward.  Less than 6,000. Locked on at 5,000. waved off at 4,500 pulled.  Practiced flaring.  Got to holding spot. Entered landing pattern.  Felt low.  Turned in early.  Flared and did a soft butt slide. Sally Hathaway - D-17133 - AFFI 05 (Sally added: Good Jump!  Keep feet under you and try to stand up! Do more solo jumps next!)

6/18/05: Jump 15 - Z-Hills, FL - AFF: Self-Supervised Fun Jump - Exit from inside the plane.  Got Stable.  Ck alt. practice touches, practiced turning.  Looked down to find dz.  So, I could track.  was far to the South.  Flew 1/2 brakes to get back.  Entered final leg @ 500 landed far away.  Flared early. PLF.  Didn't finish the flare.  Bob Clark D-20899

6/19/05: Jump 16 - Z-Hills, FL - AFF: Self-Supervised Fun Jump - Tracking Jump.  Last off the plane.  Put head out to make sure we were in the right spot.  Diving exit. Got twisted around. Ck. Altitude. Practice touch. Looked for DZ. tracked per. to jump run.  10 secs. CK alt. Practiced slow falling. Dearched. Ck Alt. Locked on 5,000. Wave off, pulled @ 4,500 got to my holding area. Practiced flaring.  Began landing pattern. Flared. Stood up on one leg.  Went down on one knee. Better landing, but didn't finish the flare.  stopped at about 3/4.  Landing about 10 feet from the peas.  Rushed to get ready for this jump - Bad idea! Leg Strap Bruises.  Laura Song C-30407 AFFI/05

6/21/05 Jump 17 - Deland, FL - AFF: CAT F: Canopy Control Course - Exit Altitude: 5,000 - Skyvan - Evaluation Hop & Pop: FUN!!! Jumped out backwards from the Skyvan. Canopy opened slower than normal as I expected.  Got to holding area. Off a little on landing pattern.  Entered final approach later than expected. Flared a little late.  Soft butt slide.  Next time: Finish Flare. Keep Feet Down. Scott Miller D-13234

6/21/05: Jump 18 - DeLand, FL - Canopy Control Course - Exit Altitude: 6,700 - Skyvan - Hop & Pop - Opened @ 6,000 feet wow! Lots of canopy time.  Adj. leg straps.  Practiced the five flares, slow flare, med flare, fast flare, med. eyes up, med. eyes closed. Practiced 5 full flares.  Entered landing pattern. Followed pattern pretty accurately.  Flared a little early to the 1/2 way point.  Finished the flare.  Almost stood it up.  Landed 10 feet from target. Scott Miller D-13234

6/22/05: Jump 19 - DeLand, FL - AFF: CAT F: Canopy Control Course - Exit Altitude: 5,000 - Pilatus Porter Turbo - Dive Flow: Flat Turns, 1/2 Brakes, 3/4 Brakes - Dove out of the plane sideways. Tumbled. Got stable, pulled. Ck Alt 4,000.  Worked on 1/2 braked and 3/4 braked turns - 180 turns (4) - 90 turns - 4  In 1/2 brakes,  the canopy moves faster when I pushed down a toggle than when I let up one. Canopy moves smoother when I let up smoothly on one and push down gently on one. In 3/4 brakes, harder to turn, but turns are tighter.  Good execution of landing pattern.  Flared ok, b ut didn't finish flare completely. Not far from target - about 20 feet? Scott Miller D-13234

6/22/05: Jump 20 - DeLand, FL - AFF: CAT F: Canopy Control Course - Exit Altitude: 3,500 - Pilatus Porter Turbo - Dive Flow: Rear Riser Stalls / Toggle Stalls. Waited for opening in clouds, jumped out and pulled.  Looked for Michael and found him far away.  Rear Riser Stalls: Canopy folds together like an accordion.  Released, Checked Altitude. Toggle Stall - didn't work.  Wrapped lines around my hands - tried toggle stalls again - watched as the canopy ends came together - swung forward under canopy.  Released stall to quickly.  Surged forward. Started landing pattern at 1,000 feet.  Ran out of altitude on final approach. Flared late. Butt slide. Scott Miller - D-13234

6/26/05: Jump 21 - Z-Hills, FL - AFF: CAT G: Forward Motion - Docking - Control Fall Rate Up & Down: Rear float - Exit felt strange. Ck Alt. Practice touch. Flew toward Laurie. Worked on slow & fast fall docking. Did maneuvers until 6,500 feet.  Turned, tracked 100 feet - waved off @ 4,500 pulled @ 4,000. Entered landing pattern. Started final too soon. Nice Soft Landing. Laurie Clark: D-21055 (Laurie said my legs were extended a bit on exit)

6/26/05: Jump 22 - Z-Hills, FL - AFF: Self-Supervised: Braked Approach & Practice Flips.  Diving exit. Check Alt. Practice touch. Backflip. Ck Alt., Front flip. Got hung up on my back? Ck. Alt. Practiced turns. Wave off @ 4,500. Pull.  Over shot target some did 1/2 braked approach. Laurie Clark D-21055

7/9/05: Jump 23 - Skydive Orange, VA - AFF: CAT G: Swoop & Dock / Riser Turns. Poised exit.  Got stable. Practice touch. Ck Alt. Found Kelton.  Swooped down, moved forward to dock.  3 times. CK Alt. At 5,500 turned and tracked.  Forgot to count.  Checked alt. Low. Below 4,000.  Waved off & pulled. Looked for the DZ.  Did Riser turns. Did not have ability to do original landing pattern.  Changed plan landed safely. Landed where I planned as alternative landing spot.  Not a bad landing.  Kelton Jago D-27499 / AFF-I (Kelton added:  Low Pull @ 3,500. Maintain altitude awareness. Good skydive) 

7/9/05: Jump 24 - Skydive Orange, VA - AFF: Self-Supervised - Dan Wayland's Flipping Exit & Practice Check Dive - Floating exit. Flipped forward 1 1/2 times.  Got hung up.  Got Stable. Ck Alt. practice touch. Did 360. Ck Alt. Back flip. Ck Alt. Practice Forward motion. Ck Alt. Practice tracking. Wave off & pulled.  Line twists.  Got back to DZ. Flared Late. Dan Wayland D-22316

7/10/05: Jump 25 - Skydive Orange, VA - AFF: Check Dive - My Own Pack Job! Checked Spot, Nick left. Waited 1 sec to exit.  Mess up exit. Got stable. Swooped to Nick, got level with him and docked. Ck Alt. 360 left. Ck. Alt. 360 R. Ck Alt. Backloop.  Did something funky.  Got stable. did what Nick did.  Ck alt., turned and tracked 5 seconds, waved off and pulled.  Found DZ. Flew back. Changed landing patter to match winds.  Landed right on target.  Nick K D-25310

Log Book Pate