Tandem with Bob

Jump #3 was a tandem jump with Bob, Art, and Don at Skydive Orange.

Steve (who runs the place) was willing to work with me to try to get my Cat C-1 jump in, but after a morning rain delay and a mid-afternoon rain delay, it became obvious to me that I wouldn't be getting my jump in until well after the rest of the guys did their tandem. Maybe I wouldn't get a jump in at all!

My tandem instructor was Chris. On the way up in the plane, we talked about the dive flow, and I mentioned that I was an AFF student. That was just the extra info he needed to turn our tandem into an amazing ride! We took us through a bunch of horizontal spins in freefall, and let me do a lot of the canopy work. We did some fast turns, both directions, switching directions without slowing down. Unbelievably amazing, and someday fairly soon I'll be able to fly like that!

After the jump, and on the video, it looks like Bob loved it, too. Hopefully, he'll get the video up on YouTube or Facebook!

Some details:
Exit from the side of a Twin Otter. Except for smacking Chris's head on the ceiling (he's about the same height as I am), I had a pretty good climbout and exit.
13,940 feet, 50 second freefall, wave off at 6,000. I found the golf ball to pull, but had a little assistance from Chris on the pull. He later said that it was a hard pull for some reason.
Max speed - 168 mph!
Ground winds from the south at 10 mph.
Slid to land in the soccer field.

The weather didn't cooperate

I spent the day at a picnic table watching the weather. The forecast wasn't looking too good, but a few tandems went. Mostly just hung out with John, Doc Larry, Jay, and some other people waiting.

John did the Cat C training. We practiced the dive flow. Kathy gave me the Cat C quiz, so at least I got checked off on something!

At just before 3:00, the rain started, and we were all grounded.