6 Tips for Transitioning After Your A-license

New skydivers, join The VSC anytime! thevsc.life/
Would love to have you with us. :)
This video.. Tips for skydivers on how to more easily get through and navigate that time right after you get your A license.. right after you get off student status and enter the experienced skydiving world.
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[@christopherknight4297]

Yeah that time is tough. A lot of observing others.. Packing was tough, even after a packing course. Nothing better then an experienced diver helping out a newbie, and nothing worse then a Skygod looking down on people just trying to figure shit out!

[@melaniecurtis11]

Amen!

[@shuaiyuan7063]

Got my A just a month ago at Houston. Thank you so much for this video, it helps a lot. I'm from China and there are only like 300 licensed jumpers in my country, out of 1.4 billion population. So there are very few skydivers I can talk to or jump with. There's only 1 drop zone within 1000 km I can go jump, there're less than 10 skydivers in the city. I will try to meet all of them and figure out ways to help each other improve our skills. Next time if I travel to the drop zones at the US, I will not hesitate to ask other skydivers to jump with me, as you suggest.

[@dayswithanton8773]

Saving this for later, thank you!

[@TomBrunberg]

Hey Melaine, good tips! Remembering how it was for myself when I just got my license, I try to help out others by being available for chat etc, even do some fun jumps with them.. Skydivers are one big family, thats why I love the sport

[@britneyduke56]

You’re awesome. Great video. Thanks so much.

[@KW-CCCO]

Not all new jumpers are young people. I didn't get started until I was almost 46. I will be 47 in a few days. But in just a little over a years time I now have 197 jumps and plan my 200th jump on my B-day. I do find that most of the people I have met are really cool and willing to be helpful. Even with as many jumps that I have I still have so much to learn and most of that being knowing my own body positioning and knowing what it is doing at all times to make that jump be a success whether if I am doing a 4 way dock or flying on my back or what ever it may be. My safety and the safety of others is always top priority no matter what though.

[@melaniecurtis11]

KW, absolutely.. I use the word "young" to mean young in the sport.. newer in the sport. That's why I say I'm old! ;) Very awesome you're celebrating your 200th on your bday and keeping safety as your top priority always, knowing that's where the most fun derives anyway! Excellent. Thank you for your thoughtful comment. :))

[@KeepinYouUp07]

Awesome vid, thank you!

[@skydivingfun2380]

I am still a student skydiver and loving it. At are drop zone in Canada we have awesome experience Skydivers that help the skydiving students like myself. The jump masters instructors are awesome. I love skydiving. Blue skies to all you skydivers in the USA and Canada.

[@yeahright9452]

Rock on Mel. Great video. I remember you on "Safety Day" at Elsinore a long time ago. You look amazing.

[@tdorsett77]

Great video. Going through AFF now so I identify with everything you said.

[@LaFerocitas]

This is encouraging.Thanks Melanie! :-D I'm awesome! Yay!

[@melaniecurtis11]

Hahaha! You're welcome and you're right! ;)

[@MarkBustamonte]

I think I'm in love with you Lol. I just got current after a 15 year lay off. I think you touched on EVERYTHING i've been feeling since getting current. Great perspective and will definitely apply!

[@melaniecurtis11]

Haha Mark, I'm so glad you got so much out of it!!! Welcome back to the sky! :))

[@danielwilliams7685]

Great video. Just got my A last Saturday. Heading back to the DZ tomorrow!

[@melaniecurtis11]

Excellent, Daniel! Congratulations!!! :D

[@RennayBlizzard]

Thank you...HELPED BIG TIME! Spot on...thanks for remembering what it was like and doing this for us newbies! I have been reading a lot and watching videos while the weather isn't the best....Best line from this video "The Womb"

[@melaniecurtis11]

Hi Rennay! SO glad they are helping you! :)) Feel free to share with anyone you think could benefit from anything I post here.

[@Comin_at_U_Live]

Stephanie.. this is so inspiring.. awesome job.. every weekend I get a few newbies, under 100, asking me to jump or sometimes just advise.. you inspired me and after almost 30 years I can say that from now on I will mimicking this video and build their self esteem corsage and confidence so they can relax have more fun .. so they can focus on their job.. focus on getting better.. you are so right on here with reminding people how awesome they really are.. extraordinary.. at the DZ we are intimidated even shy.. how many jumpers love skydiving so much but will because of lack of buddies, friends to get better with and plan trips with or just be accepted.. talked to.. we have to be good and have the confidence to relax knowing we will be in our slot, if it doesn't work it won't be because of me attitude.. I'm starting today with a whole new speak.. motivating confidence building speaking acceptance and attitude.. Love your channel Just forge your ride.

[@colin1818]

I'm doing my A license in about a week. My DZ offers "Transitions Classes" for any jumper with fewer than 100 jumps once a month. It's free coaching and emphasis on different skills (Canopy, Tracking, Group exits, et al). Looking around at other DZs it doesn't look like that's the norm at all. So I feel blessed.

[@melaniecurtis11]

Colin, that's so awesome to hear! I highly recommend this type of program to DZO's to support their fun jumpers and growing of their experienced communities. Love this for you!!!! :))

[@mikelyons3451]

Thanks so much !!!

[@scottynic2894]

Hey Melanie, new subscriber here....thanks heaps for this upload, it's full of confidence inspiring advice for us Newbies, I'm one jump short of finishing my AFF and having access to people like yourself who are kind enough to share their wisdom is very helpful....you're fucking awesome!!! 😉 Blue Skies 🤙🏻

[@tnipp1285]

great video

[@xavier_yang]

Thanks, that helps. I'm right now in this period, as a foreigner in my club, sometimes, I don't really talk to others, even though, they are very kind, that need to change.

[@melaniecurtis11]

Hi Tengxiang, I'm so glad this video helped! And yes, for sure do your best to talk with others even with the cultural gap, I feel like in skydiving, the love and inclusion (by the awesome people) really does cross those boundaries. My guess truly is that most people will be kind and happy you said hi. :)

[@RabiRose]

Hey Melanie, nice video, you seem like a great coach! I'm new to skydiving and would love to see more videos for novices. Some ideas: what it's like, tips for first timers, processes to becoming solo certified, common errors/experiences, lingo, etc. Looking forward to more great videos :)

[@melaniecurtis11]

Hi Dire Darlings, thank you for your feedback, kind words and ideas! Welcome to our beautiful and wild sport and family! Glad you are with us. I actually lead an online skydiving coaching group for young jumpers that you are welcome to join anytime. It is only $5/month because I want anyone who wants to learn to be able to join, and I only charge anything at all because I believe having even the smallest buy-in motivates people to engage more and with that people learn and connect more which is for sure my goal for anyone who joins! :) So yeah, if you have interest, join us anytime, or stay watching here or on FB and instagram for the stuff I share freely ongoing. Any questions, please say the word anytime! Mel :) thevsc.life/

[@a55tech]

What skydiving needs is a good checklist / curriculum to track progression. You check off all the junk on the A license list and then there's no more, so it seems like you're done and coaching sounds nebulous.

[@melaniecurtis11]

This is a really great idea! I will think about putting this together.... Thanks for the idea, A55tech! :)

[@Ph.D..]

I find packing to be so intimidating & overwhelming. I feel so incompetent when it comes to that part of skydiving. Everything else, I'm fairly good at & have confidence in. Packing is so complex & the fear of fn it up, is probably why. Someone once suggested, just being a packer for a bit to earn money to skydive & you gain experience, but I personally found that even worse, being responsible for someone else's packs & lives. I didn't feel like I was qualified enough or experienced enough to have such a responsibility. The first time I packed one basically by myself w/someone watching to see if I did it right, I was worried sick if that chute opened correctly for whomever got it. It's kinda a big fn deal afterall. I sometimes wonder & sorta personally feel like it would be wise to become a pro at packing before gaining a license. It's almost like putting the cart before the horse imho. I appreciate this video & wish more was geared to the newer newbies or the ones who aren't skygods & just doing this as a hobby/interest but not their entire life; so they don't jump daily or even weekly.

[@jonarroyo1143]

Hey Ph D, did you learn how to pack?

[@yasira9428]

Great video and advice! I can't wait to get my A license. I dreamt of skydiving since I was 10 and 16 years later I finally did my AFF1. It was very intimidating as my instructor didn't really put me at ease during the class and at the end of my skydive I had a bad landing which lead to torn muscle... and that kind of poked my confidence in the eye. I'm feeling a little better now and planning on going back for my AFF2, but I'm nervous about it and worried about my landing. Any advice? Would help tremendously. Thank you!

[@melaniecurtis11]

Hi Daniel, I'm so glad you got some good stuff out of the video! Feel free to join us in The VSC (virtual skydiving center) to have more support and get more questions answered as you go (melaniecurtis.com/thevsc/)... as for landing, first of all, completely understandable that you'd feel nervous after a less than ideal landing on your first jump, and not having the experience yet of knowing how to guarantee a better, safer landing on your next jump.. totally makes sense. I would recommend bringing your questions and concerns more specifically to your instructor so that they can lend more direct advice to what you're more specifically worried about, or can help debrief you from what you did the first time so you can learn from that. I would also recommend breathing the stress and fear out of your mind and muscles as much as you can by pausing, breathing deeply in and out, releasing the tension you might feel in you, and visualizing mentally a really great landing. There is loads more we could talk about, but I hope that helps get you started! Definitely ask questions and voice your feelings and fears to your instructors! Have an excellent time! Mel :))

[@Channel15901]

im wondering do we still talking about a jump or a date :-P

[@ciscoj33]

It's too bad there wasn't a Melanie at my old DZ. The only way you learned there was by doing it on your own.

[@melaniecurtis11]

Jeremy, this gap for jumpers after their A-licnese is super common.. as many DZ's are small businesses, with the DZO's wearing tons of different hats all the time, it can be hard to get everything covered. That said, I am with you that SO many DZ's could benefit from even a small LO program geared toward helping newer jumpers learn and be included after they get their A. This is another reason why I started my virtual skydiving coaching group.. because I couldn't physically literally be on EVERY drop zone out there to help new jumpers, but I COULD be available and create a supportive and fun group where new jumpers could learn and feel included and get help through this period that way. It was a passion project from the start for sure, knowing it takes time for people to believe something new like that would actually have value, but yeah, super happy now with how the group is slowly growing and has become this super cool crew, some that are VERY new, getting help and inspiration as they learn, and some more experienced taking on their first 4-way teams and even taking it upon themselves to organize new events for their DZ's, and we're all in there together. Love it. :) Of course feel free to join us anytime if you'd ever like. :) melaniecurtis.com/thevsc/

[@Jo3zin]

Oh Melanie... Who would say I'd find such a good and useful content in a not so popular youtube channel... As you have surely might noticed, not all in skydiving is about clearly and spreadble information. It's not so easy to find reliable and clear information when you're by yourself in this sport. Of course, the mainstream in a skydiving progression is to have your idol coach, have made some friends, maybe to live nearby a medium large drop zone etc... But in real life, it's not the way it is... For example the chinese guy in the comments, he absolutely isn´t used to reach skydiving achievements easily. So do I. Not as dificult as it could might be for him, but in a consider level that would be worth it to watcha video like yours. I'm not even an "A" skydiver. I only have 12 jumps(In Brazil 25 it's needed to reach "A"), living far enough to have to take a plane to get to the drop zone, and recently my coach decided to vanish, it means I'm not able to talk to him anymore. But, it's ok. Despite all these dificults: expensive sport, far DZ, poor spreadly information for beginners, and sometimes almost absence of support, I love freefall! The moment when it's only you with yourself and the physics and the nature. Anything else matters. Even if there is something troubling you, it won't be able to affect those unique seconds. Thanks for remind us that we're fewer people in the world. It made the diference for me today, and inspired me to keep going through all this and just JUMP!

[@aitorjara100]

Why do we have to get some coaching and not just experience and learn jump after jump? I think windtunnels and coaching jumps are way too expensive (120€ a coaching jump and 150€ for 10 minutes of windtunnel, fuck that) and kind of a robbery in my opinion. I think the more important thing is to not get too much involved in this because I've realized a lot of guys around my dropzone are spending what they have been saving for years because their monthly income do not allow them to do 15 jumps a month and instructors are like encouraging them to get more and more involved. I just do 4 skydives a month because I'm realistic and it's really scary to think many people are just losing their minds....

[@melaniecurtis11]

Hi, thank you for this thoughtful comment! For real, not just saying that.. I think you bring up a VERY important point.. skydiving can absolutely be addicting and I am with you that it is essential to also care about your life at large and being responsible for your future while you participate in the sport in the ways that that balance allows. Very good point.