I Arrived at Madrid airport, got into my hire car and left to find the dropzone. Managed to get instantly lost and ended up in Madrid city centre. I managed to get onto the right motorway and met everyone in Aranjuez, straight out for food and beers. The next day I started the AFF course, my first couple of jumps were hard but during the jump you automatically go through what you have learned in ground school, you realise that with a main and reserve canopy, a Cypress and two instructors flying with you, you are a lot safer than you would be if you were doing something like burning round the TT course on a bike for example.

Soon I was totally loving it, after 7 jumps I was qualified to jump solo and loved every second of it. I was suprised at how steep the learning curve was, within 2 or 3 days you can go from ground school and nervous, shakey exits onto hanging off the wing and naked ‘rodeo’ exits!! How much fun is that! It must have been pretty weird for the other passengers to share the plane with 3 guys wearing nothing but a sock. I cant wait to go back out there.

I went with a friend but dont worry about going out there on your own, I made loads of new friends whilst I was out there and am looking forward to meeting up with you all again, busting some new moves out in Avalon and continuing on with the extreme street walking. (watch out stringfellos, I have the Girkin card!)

The night life is great, great food, cold beer and loads of “balconies” to explore. You get an amazing feeling of self achievement from doing this course, I fully recomend it to anyone out there. Just go ahead and book yourself in and worry about it when your on your way out there, I guarentee you wont regret it! If you do hire a car, I do recomend bringing a couple of CD’s with you,flamenco FM drives you mad after a while. (Thanks for the CD girls)

Blue Skies, Fast(Soft) landings

Richard