PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE

One Week in the Sky

Week 159 of the photographic documentary of my daily life

This is going to be another adrenaline-filled post as I didn't get around to taking pictures outside of work. On sunny days in summer, I work from 8 'til 8 and then still have to finish paperwork. Yes, even skydivers have to deal with that hassle.

We had a full training course this week with eight students. Training jumps take a lot more time for us instructors than just doing a tandem jump. Those students have to be briefed for the jump and debriefed afterward. Every jump is being trained and carefully planned.

And in between all those student training jumps, I was put on loads with a tandem passenger. Yes, the week was busy, and my brain was too. After a day like that I am mentally and physically exhausted. I don't want to talk to anybody or deal with anything anymore.

But I chose this work and lifestyle. As exhausting as it can be in the busy season, it's still fun. The rewarding smiles we get from tandem passengers and students together are worth the sweat and nerves.

After weeks of rain, we got sunshine and blue skies again but not every day or all day long. On Thursday, we finished jumping early in the afternoon as a storm was rolling in.

When I was lying in bed relaxing from the day, the rain was pouring down heavily. The sun had disappeared and only hues of orange appeared during sunset. All while it was still raining.

Here's the 'point of no return' as this is where the passenger is hanging outside of the plane and it's impossible for us instructors to pull them back inside.

If they didn't refuse to jump in the plane and we got them this far, we are ready to launch. Being the last one to jump, I look at the pilot as I'm doing my last checks, the same time as he tilts the plane and we simply slide out. It makes the exit so much easier for me, the passenger doesn't notice how we get out and the pilot has some fun on the side too.

After pulling the parachute and looking up to do a 'canopy check', I turn toward my passenger asking if he's alright, and give a thumbs up to the camera.

This guy was very nervous and scared beforehand and was still full of adrenaline when I began to talk to him again. Anyhow, he loved it when I handed him the steering lines and let him fly us down.

On Sunday I thought of you and this photo challenge just after we pushed the plane out of the hangar. A quick photo before the first load went up.

Monday. My off-day. My weekend in 24 hours.

This Monday I did absolutely nothing. I set up the hammock in the shade of the forest, snoozed, read and watched the birds.

Talking about birds. I wanted to capture some of these quirky and feathered animals but looking up through layers of branches, I couldn't get them in the frame.

Woodpeckers were active in the forest and kept waking me up whenever I fell asleep for a short nap. One European green woodpecker jumped out of the forest and landed in the grass not far from me. I saw my chance and pointed the camera at him but realized it wasn't easy to keep the camera steady while swinging in the hammock.

Tuesday was the day we brought the new students into the air. After training them for two days on the ground, they are always nervous and anxious for the first jump. It was a loaded day and I only took this picture of the moon walking back from taking a shower in the evening.

To give you a little insight into the skydiving training program, I got the next two pictures for you. Skydiving schools moved away from the military static-line courses and teach these days students the AFF method which stands for 'accelerated freefall'.

This means students will start their first jump with a full freefall program. The minimum altitude is 10,000 feet for an AFF jump, we take them here to 13,500 feet (4000 meters).

On the first two jumps, two instructors will hold them during the entire freefall until the parachute is pulled. On jump number three, the plan is that both instructors release and the student flies on his own for at least a few seconds.

During this guy's third jump, I had some additional responsibility as I was jumping with a newly rated instructor who was almost as nervous as the student.

The third jump is always an interesting jump as things can go quickly wrong when we release a student and need to react within milliseconds. You can see the other instructor hovering just next to the student watching every movement.

But there was no reason for stress for anyone. The student did great and so did the other instructor. It was an easy jump for me.

When the students pass the level three jump and can lie stable in the air, they will continue the training program with only one instructor. On the fourth jump, we still hold them during the exit but from jump five on, they have to exit the plane without us holding onto them.

One of my colleagues was telling me about this girl who refused to jump in the door as she didn't want to go 'alone' and he did the fifth jump once more while holding her.

On the next jump, now she really had to make that step alone. I was making a joke telling her I'd push her out as I was with my student in the same load. I then thought if it was the wrong approach and I scared her. Teaching methods and adjusting our lessons to each individual is the most draining and challenging job we have as instructors.

But as all teachers know, every student is different and we need different methods and ways of teaching for each individual. While many other teachers don't have the chance to do that, in our one-on-one coaching, we are able to do so.

Without wanting to interfere in the other instructor's teaching, I stepped away and said I was just joking. Back on the plane, I gave him the sign he should just look at me if he wanted me to give her a little push. At this time of the training, these students are very much able to fly on their own but often hesitate in the door even though we are never more than a meter away from them.

As it comes, the girl sits down in the door and then turns around looking at me. While the plane was loud I could read her lips asking me "Please push me". She looked back to the front, did the ready-set-go move and I gave her a gentle push out of the plane.

Then I quickly climbed out of the plane as well, now focussing on my own student.

After landing from this jump, the girl came to me smiling and thanked me. She said that moment in the door is just scary but once she's out it's all okay.

I loved seeing her smile.

This has been my week in photographs. 7 days. 7 photographs. Anyone can join. Once. Or weekly. It doesn’t matter. We welcome everyone! Dennett started this photography challenge in 2020 and many have participated ever since.

Dennett / Erika / Eileen / K. Barrett / Juan / David / Mia / Susan / LensAfield / Kim / Barbara / Diana / Barb / Sandra / Shruthi / Ellie / Pene / Olive / Gustavo / Jane / Penny / Jillian / Shell / Ivy / Lisa / Lynne

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