how long does it take if your parachute doesn't open, The rest of your life . Chapter 2

Chapter 2 learning to fly
2500 ft is a usual deployment height but sometimes cloud lowers it to 2000 both heights leave time for a reserve ride if something goes wrong.
Just as important as instinctive stability is a height awareness. Even if you are stable, if you're at 400 ft and your chute takes 500 ft to open being stable doesn't help it just means you will see it coming!
From the very first jump, because all your effort is spent trying to stay the right way up, you don't have any height awareness but you do start building time awareness. As you hurl yourself into the blue and the static line pulls out the chute a voice in your head Should be saying 1001, 1002, 1003 check canopy. Once you are on 3 secs delay 1001, 1002, 1003 pull. ( In my first post I forgot the 5 seconds delay) That explains the vast practice I got on 3,5,and the 10 secs delay counts which went 1001,1002, 1003, 1004, ......1010 pull. As you count the time over and over eventually you recognise the span of time even without conciously counting. It worked the other way as well though when I did a higher jump later on I heard the voice in my head one thousand and twenty three. When you start learning manouevres at greater heights you obviously can't be counting up to 1030-40-50 so you need to get into the habit of checking an altimeter which sits on your chest strap. To an extent you can recognise how high you are from just what the world looks like and how fast it's approaching but there's no way you would depend on it. I watched once to see how aware I was and found that at 2500 feet the world starts approaching at a much scarier pace.
If you were jumping from the rocket you had to get out and stand on the step and basically jump backwards otherwise early jumps meant you were sitting sideways in the doorway and pushing yourself out. Diving out was another learning process but that wasn't really tried until later
Upon reaching a sufficient stability level the first things to learn are turns. As you stable out you pick a target on the ground and the aim is to turn left 360 degrees til you see that target again. To go left at first you conciously lower your left shoulder but by actually looking to the left as if looking for your target it turns you automatically while at the same time you need to stay stable and be aware of height as well. Same for right turns. You have to be aware of legs as well while turning because any tension in them could mean your trying to turn but your legs are preventing it. After practicing individual right and left turns both need to be performed on the same jump. Following this you practice back summersaults and then add that to right and left turns during one jump all of which gradually reinforces your confidence and shows you can return to stability. Sitting with you back to the plane doorway and being pushed out was another way to make sure after tumbling you could stablise and hopefully all the time knowing what height the altimeter is telling you. Arms to your side and straight legs means you move forward and if flying with others the final manouever by every is to do a 180 degree turn and with arms by the side and legs straight you move in the opposite direction of other jumpers and are not close to anyone else when you open.
As a Parachutist, progress is marked first by a jumpmaster writing comments in your log book and as you learn you satisfy the criteria for a parachutists licence. By carrying out set manoeuvers in freefall including those of safety you gain your licence 1 level at a time from 'A' level to 'D' level . Once you gain the D licence you can progress to flying with others.

next post chapter 3 oops