Skydiving
 

Some weeks ago, I was visiting my parents and while walking around outside, I saw some skydivers, parachuters, jumpers, or whatever the correct vernacular is. A long time ago, the thought of skydiving brought a chuckle and a "no fucking way, ever" to my mind. Now, however, watching them fall through the air, the notion of feeling weightless for a few moments while plummeting to my inevitable doom is a bit appealing.

What are your experiences with skydiving? Any advice? Any horror stories that will convince me to stay firmly planted on the ground?

I have nearly 50 jumps. That means I'm completely insane. Never take advice from a crazy person.

But...

Do it, do it, DO IT!

I swear there is no rush like letting go of a perfectly good airplane at 10K.

ive only got a few things to say about it...and i said it a few weeks ago..

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just do it!

the funny thing is, its not even scary!

nothing to say

You have to do it. Look at your screen name. It doesn't say Standing Jesus, or Sitting Jesus, or Walking or Running Jesus. What kind of JumpinJesus would you be if you don't jump?

The reason I don't and will never skydive is because if the chute doesn't work you die.

That's why I won't bungee. No reserve chute.

The reason I don't drive is because if the brakes don't work you die.

The reason I don't eat is because if you choke you could die.

The reason I don't leave the house is because if the other guy's brakes don't work you die.

What kind of logic is that?

Well there risk and then there risks. I wouldn't drive a car without brakes. And I won't BASE jump or bungee. You only get one shot at it, if that shot fails you're screwed.

I would rather die doing something I enjoy than live regretting not doing something I enjoy.

What about dying doing something you thought you'd enjoy and wanted to do so that you didn't regret not doing it but were grossly wrong about?

(I don't think I'll ever skydive. Midlife crisis notwithstanding. I don't even like roller coasters and Ferris wheels.)

There are two things I will never do.
Run into a burning building.
Jump out of a perfectly functioning airplane.
But thats just me.
If it appeals to you, go for it.

My first jump ever at Sheridan, Oregon-

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Not long after these photos were taken the drop zone operator, Ted Mayfield, ended up in federal prison for several fatalities. Seems his safety record was so bad it was criminal. I broke my arm there once on a hard landing (completely my fault), his first response was "go again, it's not that bad."

After that I started going to Mollala, Or. for my adrenaline fix.

It takes all kinds..

I love Roller Coasters. Though I wish they stop building them in those stupid theme parks.

Letting go of a perfectly good airplane scared the living crap out of me the first time I did it. I swear there's a hand imprint crushed into the support strut on an old C-150 in Sheridan, Or. After that first jump I was hooked.

And I was on the Fire Dept. of my ship in the Navy. I later joined the volunteer FD in Beaver, Or and then Bay City, Or. I've ran into several burning buildings and "space" fires on board.

It just takes all types of people to fill the world.

Thankfully, yes.

i've done it twice....and i almost pooed my pants twice!!!! it was amazing, yet scary as excrement!!!! DO IT!!!!!

If the brakes don't work, you have a decent chance at stopping the car without dying. Run it into a field, run into a guard rail, anything.

If you choke, you can do the Heimlich Maneuver, cough it up, reach down your throat and get it, etc.

If the other guy's brakes don't work, you could die, but there's a really good chance you won't.

If your parachute(s) don't work when you sky dive, you are fucking dead. The end. It's sort of like a plane crash - doesn't happen often, but if it does, it's real bad. I think Lasereth is just trying to say that you can't steer the outcome of a fucked up parachute malfunction - if you fall, you die.

The other scenarios enable you to steer the outcome at least somewhat! :thumbsup:

I am going for my first time in a few weeks! My cousin and her boyfriend went and they have been talking non stop about it, and they are organizing a big one soon. There is like 40+ of us going so we are getting a big discount too. I can't wait!

Thanks for the responses so far. I have to admit that the thought of opening a door on a plane from about 10,000 feet and then stepping out of it is daunting. I don't know. It's one of those things that I never considered doing, but I'm going through one of those periods where you do all the things you never wanted to do. Well, within reason. I mean, I'm not going to start heroin.

It's nice to know that some of you who did it were scared to death before you went because I always labored under the delusion that everyone who did was gung ho for things like that.

JJ.. i was anxious but not scared. i got the whole sweaty palm thing going, but once that plane took off i knew i was destined to jump out. there was no way i was coming down in that plane.

its exhilirating experience. and you dont even think about hitting the floor when your up there. and before you know it your tandem instructor would have pulled the chord. he may even let you steer the parachute too!

i think you'll love it. honest!

Well, if it helps any most of the planes I've jumped out of didn't have a door. Between the air speed and prop wash- opening and closing a door isn't all that easy or safe.

I was pretty "gung ho" about it until it became time to actually leave the plane. My first jump was out of an old C-150. We were told to sit in the door opening then reach out for the strut and step out onto the wheel. When that 100mph wind/prop wash hit my face I looked down, something we were told not to do. It suddenly didn't seem like such a smart idea. The thought "WTF am I doing?" entered my mind. I heard "go" a couple times and just as I finally decided it was time to let go the pilot unlocked the wheel brake and my foot rolled back. Holding onto the strut was no longer an option. Seconds later my static line released my chute and I was looking up at a full yellow canopy. The first 10 or so jumps back then were always done by static line and thus no free fall.

Tandem wasn't offered when I started. Like I said above I was pretty fired up until I got out on that wheel.

I'd go again tomorrow given the chance. Hell, it's only 4pm here- I'd go today.

I've often wondered if I could ever do it. My two closest friends have both done similar things, one of them did a tandem jump out of a plane, and the other did a tandem hang-glider jump off a pretty tall cliff in Rio de Janeiro. In the 2nd case I saw the video...it looks pretty amazing. Now they've done it... I'm pretty tempted becuase they keep saying how great it felt! We'll see...I think I'd have to be totally losing it do it...heh.

Go for it...why not, life is for the living!

"Remember that chap about twenty years ago? I forget his name. Climbed Everest without any oxygen, came down nearly dead. When they asked him, they said why did you go up there to die? He said I didn't, I went up there to live." --Roland Tembo

Nice quotation. It would have inspired me more if I were more of a materialist, philosophically speaking.

Well if we're going to start quoting people:

I rounded first never thought of the worst
As I studied the shortstop's position
Crack went my leg like the shell of an egg
Someone call a decent physician
I'm no Pete Rose, I can't pretend
Though my mind is quite flexible, these brittle bones don't bend

I'm growing older but not up
My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck
Let those winds of time blow over my head
I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead

Sometimes I see me as old manatee
Headin' south as the waters grow colder
Tries to steer clear of the hum-drum so near
It cuts prop scars deep in his shoulder
But that's how it goes (that's how it goes), right to the end
Though his body's quite flexible, that barnacle brain don't bend

I'm growing older but not up
My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck
Let those winds of time blow over my head
I'd rather die while I'm livin' than live while I'm dead

Now don't get me wrong
This is not a sad song
Just events that I have happened to witness
And time takes its toll as we head for the poll
And no one dies from physical fitness
So what the hell, we'll take it right to the end
As the days grow more complicated the nightlife still wins

I'm growing older but not up
My metabolic rate is pleasantly stuck
Let those winds of change blow over my head
I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead
Let those winds of time blow over my head
I'd rather die while I'm living than live while I'm dead

Buffett- Growing Older But Not Up.

For me the bottom line is I've always heard no one on their death bed ever claims they wish they spent more time in the office. Maybe jumping out of planes or off of cliffs isn't your thing. Maybe your thing is reading a great book in a great location or simply enjoying more time with friends and family. Whatever your thing is get out and do as much of it as you can. One day I was 25, I blinked and I was 45. I can't slow anything down but I can enjoy my blinks to the fullest.

I watched my dad work his ass off 50, 60 sometimes 70 and 80 hours a week all his life. He always talked about getting to Europe or doing this or that. By the time he stopped working he was too old to freaking travel and still enjoy it. Furtherest he got was Vegas. He now sits at home in Salem, Oregon and I know he regrets not doing many of the things he wanted to do.

Me, I'm one broke ass SOB for the most part. I traded a lot of income to bag it all and move down here. But I'm one happy broke ass SOB. And when the opportunity arises I'll take my broke ass and throw it out of a plane, sail out to little known islands or scuba dive in places I probably shouldn't.

I'd totally do it with you, JJ!

Tully, excellent point.

My own perspective is that I don't see myself on my deathbed wishing I had jumped out of an airplane; I see myself as wishing I had read more books or had seen more stage productions.

Sailing would be nice.

A few of my friends have jumped a lot (15 - 20 times) and really enjoy it. I know one guy who's trying to drop 20 lbs just to jump.

All that I know is...

I'm terrified of heights and don't like to fly in the first place... much less jump out of my aluminum tube being flung through the sky at 450 mph.

Little off on the 450 number there, but I understand your point.

Usually they lower flaps so they can reduce air speed as much as possible. Once you let go of the plane, if you're going to be doing any free fall, it's very peaceful actually. Until you reach a fall speed where your clothing starts making noise it's almost hard to tell you're falling at all. My last jump was in Cancun. It had been years since my previous jump and I remember thinking "what's that noise?" Only to realize it was my t-shirt flapping in the wind.

One of my co-workers has logged about 500 jumps. When she gets back from maternity leave, if she hasn't given it up, I'll ask to go with her. I'd definitely like to add this to my adventure list.

Yea, it's kinda astonishing for the first few thousand feet. I remember being like jeesh, I thought I was going to fall faster than this.. because the ground didn't seem to be getting any bigger at all. But then there was a point, right before I opened my chute.. that was like oh.. holy.. fuck.. that ground is coming FAST now...

I took my girlfriend skydiving for our first anniversary... quite a rush.

Crompsin's done it plenty of times. Paratrooper, ya know.

I know I will someday. Just not yet - it's a bit cost prohibitive at the moment.

I hear that. Cancun's a tandem factory without your own rig it's not cheap. I got lucky the day I went and a Brit loaned me his, my daughter jumped tandem. I think the day ended up costing me around $450. Only way I could start doing it again reg. is with my own chute. They had a used on for sale there for $1600, not sure I'd be interested in a used chute. I checked on-line and really to get a main, reserve and altm. I'd be looking at over $3000 min... plus shipping, plus import taxes Plus, plus, plus.

Right now I want my own sailboat. Going with other's is more like crewing for them.

So far, there have been no horror stories, except for tully mars' pilot and the unlocking wheel brake.

And ratbastid, thanks for the encouragement. We'd be naked, right?

Really? The pilot unlocking the brakes was worse then me breaking my arm?

Honestly when he did that I was ready to let go anyway, it was kind of an at the same time type thing.

psychologically speaking, most definitely.

But then, I've never had a broken bone, so I can't really attest to the damage that does.