Never Give Up
 

Cheri Carter’s Quest to become a skydiver

Cheri was 54 and 95 lbs when she started to learn to skydive, and well, let’s just say she wasn’t a natural!  She refused to give up however, and now almost 10 years later she is getting close to a thousand jumps!  Never Give Up!  Here is her story

  1. 1. 8/25/01     Skydive San Marcos     Otter   Vector Tandem 10,500  35 seconds

  2. 2.  9/21/01     Skydive San Marcos     Otter   Vector Tandem 10,500  35 seconds T2

Good arch on exit.  Good Altitude Awareness

  1. 3. 10/7/01     Skydive San Marcos     Otter   Vector Tandem 10,500  35 seconds T3

Good arch on exit.  Altitude Awareness good.  Handle Checks ok.

  1. 4. 10/20/01 SSM Otter   13000 50   Level 2

Good Count.  Arch Harder.  Bring knees in for proper arch.  Good altitude awareness and pull.

  1. 5. 10/26/01 SSM Otter 13000 Level 3

Tumbled exit, mistimed, recovered nicely.  Good altitude awareness.  Spin Left, tried to correct.  Couldn’t and pulled at 6000.

  1. 6. 11/4/01 SSM Otter 13,500   Level 4

Couldn’t release - wasn’t responding to hand signals.  Flipped over twice.  Good altitude awareness, pulled without prompting.  Good landing.

  1. 7. 11/11/01 SSM  Otter 13,500 Level 4

Lost control trying to correct slow right turn.  Went into spin.  Pulled at 4000’.  Good canopy control and standup landing.

  1. 8. 11/18/01 SSM Otter 13,000 Level 4

Backslid into spin to left upon release.  Pulled at about 7500.  Good canopy control and landing. 

  1. 9. 11/24/01 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3-4

Move to the door and count - very good.  Exit - nice, into the relative wind.  No signals.  JM released, short hover and start of left turn (left knee down).  JM redocked and released after relaxing.  Redocked once but released.  Stopped drift.  Altitude aware, wave off and pull on time.  Canopy control and landing - Great.

  1. 10. 11/24/01  SSM Otter 13,500 Level “Relaxation”

Exit - again, very good.  No signals.  JM released.  Hover for 3-4 second.  Started her left turn, after 180 JM redocked, gave relax, great response, released!  Great hover!  Start turn but slower.  Light dock released again good hover.  JM redocked for pull.  Wave off and pull on time.  Canopy control good, landing ok.  Let’s do turns.

  1. 11. 11/26/01 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4/5

Move to the door and count great.  Very nice!  Pelvis down signal, good response.  JM release, nice hover, right 90 then started turning left.  JM redocked, released and I turned over, arched and flipped back over.  Short hover, wave off and pull on time.  CC and landing great!

  1. 12. 12/14/01 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Good exit to a stable arch position.  Real tense in freefall - RELAX!  Legs out signal, good response and toe tap, good response.  JM release and then dropped a knee and dearched into a spin.  JM redocked - legs out toe taps relax signal.  No release.  Pulled at 5.5  Canopy control good try it again.  RELAX RELAX RELAX

  1. 13. 12/21/01 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Good exit, legs and arch good except reaching with arms caused backslide into spin.  Jm stopped at 8000 and held on until pull as there was too much tension.  Repeat.

  1. 14. 12/28/01 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Exit good.  COA.  Turn left JM stop.  Turn right JM stop.  Student has no trouble with flipping over.  Needs to relax more.  Suggest hover control on next jump.

  1. 15. 1/6/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Good exit.  Responded well to signals.  JM released, drifted back into spin.  JM stopped.  Gave legs  and arm signals and relaxed again.  Slow drift into right turn then panicked and accelerated into spin.  JM stopped, released again, another few seconds stability, then drifted into spin.  Pulled at 5600 in spin.  Repeat.

  1. 16. 1/20/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Good exit, went into spin upon release.  JM stopped several times, pulled on own at 7000.  Good CC and landing.  Repeat.

  1. 17. 1/21/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Hovered a few seconds until started drifting left then full blown spin.  JM stopped a couple of turns and pull at 5000.  Repeat.

  1. 18. 1/21/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Tried harness hold assist while student worked on turn control.  Got a couple of turns in, helped student relax.  Good pull at 5000.  Excellent canopy control and standup landing 3m from peas.  No radio assist.  Repeat.

  1. 19. 2/3/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

Exit ok, responded to legs out and point toes and arms in.  Upon release, backed into a spin.  JM stopped and maintained grip until student pulled at 5000.  Need to use pattern to set up for landing.  Avoid low turns.  Repeat this level.

20.  5/5/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Good exit, arms out too far.  Backslid into slight turn.  JM stopped turn.  Tendency to overcorrect with arms, but was relatively stable throughout hover with some help from JMs.  Want to repeat 3 and really master hover before going back to 4.  Good canopy control and standup landing.

  1. 21. 5/17/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Good poised exit.  Hover control good for several seconds after release, then drifted into spin.  JMs stopped several times, each time regained stability for several seconds then drifted slowly out of control.  Getting closer, but lets do it again.

  1. 22. 5/17/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Went into spin upon release.  Reserve side stopped spin approx 6500.  Repeat

  1. 23. 5/19/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Exit count backwards from taught method.  After exit did not execute COA, gave arch.  Concentrated on relaxed dive.  Good job!  Slight drift left then right.  Re-gripped wave off at 5.5, pulled at 4.5  CC Ok, flared hands uneven, hard landing.  Need to work on relaxing (arch).  Flare with hands even and canopy level on landing.

  1. 24. 6/1/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3/4

Good hover, some help in keeping heading but relaxed and somewhat in control.  Great stand up landing 5 meters from target!

  1. 25. 6/1/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3/4

Not quite as relaxed, initial hover good but attempt at left turn kept on going.  JM stopped after 360 turn.  Subsequent releases were required as she was unable to hold heading.  No radio anymore!  Landed in peas.

  1. 26. 6/7/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3/4

Good arch and exit.  Good freefall position.  Work on looking over your arm to turn.  Good landing, no radio.  Landed in peas.

  1. 27. 6/8/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3/4

Exit good.  Pelvis down signal and responded.  JMs released, left turn.  JMs redock.  Relax signal.  JMs released, start of left hand turn.  JMs redocked, wave off and pull on time.  Canopy control and landing great!

  1. 28. 6/8/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3/4

Good exit.  Arch needs improvement.  Made eye contact with both instructors.  One time JM released, left hand turn into left spin.  JM stopped, released, left hand turn, increased to left spin.  JM stopped, both regripped.  Locked on at 6, wave off and pull at 5000.  Great canopy control.  Good stand up landing 10 meters past peas.  Need work on COA, counter-left drift, controlled turns.  Repeat level 3. 

  1. 29. 6/22/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3/4

JMs wouldn’t allow much movement but Cheri had some poise, wasn’t able to control heading. 

  1. 30. 6/23/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Spin, pulled on own at 6500

  1. 31. 6/23/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Good exit, good hover for several thousand feet.  JM stopped a couple times.  Pulled on own at 5000.  Still need some work holding heading.  Great landing 10 meters from target!

  1. 32. 7/7/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Good hover for several thousand feet, but JM had to stop spin twice.

  1. 33. 7/7/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 3

Improvement but JMs had to stop turns, not able to control heading.  Good landing.

  1. 34. 7/14/02 SSM 13,500 Otter Level 3

Planned to do fwd movement but reserve side JM didn’t release because of instability (kept pulling left)  Good landing.

  1. 35. 7/21/02  SSM 13,500 Otter Level 4

Backslid left turn, JM stopped and held till pull.

  1. 36. 7/21/02 SSM 13,500 Otter Level 4

JM stopped turns twice, good pull at 5000.  Nice stand up landing.

  1. 37. 8/3/02 SSM 13,500 Otter Level 4

Much better.  Held heading for 5000’.  Started spinning when moved arm to check alti.  Pulled on own at 5000.

  1. 38. 8/4/02 SSM 13,500 Otter Level 4

Legs out a little too far.  Slow turn but unable to hold heading.  Good pull at 5000.

  1. 39. 8/4/02 SSM 13,500 Otter Level 4

Still have control problems.  Slow turns.  JM stopped several times

  1. 40. 8/4/02 SSM 13,500 Otter Level 4

Went into spin almost immediately upon release.  Pulled at 10,000

  1. 41. 8/11/02 SSM 13,500 Otter Level 4

JM stopped turn twice, seemed more relaxed.  Very little tension on bottom end but too low to release again.  Great standup landing.  Repeat.

  1. 42. 8/22/02  SSM Otter 13,500 Level 4

My last Level 4 ever!  Passed to 5!

  1. 43. 8/22/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 5

Excellent 360 and forward movement.  Great hover.  Good pull at 5000!  Passed to 6!

  1. 44. 8/24/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 6

Climbout and exit good.  Solo poised - stable - coa - 1st back flip great! 2nd backflip ok.  Started spin - JM stopped.  Started delta at 5500, pulled at 4500.  Canopy control ok.  Level 7 next.

  1. 45. 8/24/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 7

C/O ok Poised solo exit, tumbled got stable, COA.  Front flip _good_ stable then went into a left spin.  JM stopped, couldn’t let go.  Pulled at 5k  Canopy control good.  Lets try this one again.

  1. 46. 8/24/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 7

Tumbled on exit and had difficulty regaining stability - lost too much altitude to perform tasks.  Good landing but have to repeat level 7.  Do over!

  1. 47. 8/25/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 7

Exit a little shaky but stabilized at 10,000 feet.  Stopped my spin and held heading until I pulled at 5500.  Need to relax on exit and stop my spin before it develops.  Need to keep my head up.

  1. 48. 8/25/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 7

Good quick stops on the turns.  Good front flip, good barrel roll.  Cleared of JM supervision!

  1. 49. 8/30/02 SSM Otter 13,500 Level 8

Never got stable after exit.  Went into a high speed spin and had to pull at 8k to stop.  I’m totally disgusted with that terrible performance and I shall _not_ repeat it again.  Poor Roger - my first level 8 and I mess it up!


And it only got better from here!