Insight on skydiving

[illdeviant]

Me and a couple of friends want to go skydiving. I did some preliminary research and found some reasonable sites, prices, prep, etc. We anticipate going next season.

Anyone out there that has skydived before with any insight? From picking a site, ideal diving height, dos donts , etc.

thanks

[Jinn]

Been there, did that and got the T-Shirt (literally).

I took my girlfriend skydiving for Valentine's Day / One Year Anniversary - in February. It was *COLD*. They told us it wouldn't be that chilly, and that there was an "inversion", causing the high-altitude air to be warmer than the airport. BULLSHIT!

It was something like -10 at altitude, and it was colder than shit. I had a pretty good descent, and something you won't understand until you do it is how decieving the ground is. The first 6 or 7 thousand feet, you wouldn't even know you were falling. The ground doesn't get any closer. Then all of a sudden you'll freak out at how fast the ground is coming.

Don't go when it's cold. It's really not worth it. Altogether, I enjoyed it - but the cold was definitely a damper. My girlfriend came down almost in tears because her hands were numb from the cold.

Remember that where you look is where your body goes, and you'll save yourself some trouble. My tandem had to keep pulling my head back so we'd stay in line for the landing. Speaking of landing - make sure you pull your legs up as much as you can't - I was too tall, and had to do the landing myself. Even in pea-gravel, it was rough. When he or she says pull 'em up - PULL EM UP!

On picking a site - look them up. I believe that FAA certified sites have to list any accidents that occured on their dives, so you'd see if one had a high accident rate.

Ideal diving height shouldn't matter much - I don't know how high ours was, but ground level was about 7200. I think it was probably about 12 or 13k when we jumped.

And the final advice is to make sure that the harness is well-seated in your crotch area. I would wear a cup if I went again, just in case. When you're going hundreds of miles an hour and the chute opens, you've suddenly got a LOT of force on the little deviant. I had a bruise on my inner thigh from it.

We paid like $200 apiece, roughly. I'm not sure exactly - was worth it, moreso just for the satisfaction of kicking gravity's ass.

[micah67]

My wife paid about $200 and I was around $260. I took an all-day class and jumped "solo" with two instructors guiding me down. I'd suggest going tandem so you can enjoy the ride...

I jumped south of San Diego - no weather problems. I had crotch-bruises, too - protect the gonads!

[Ch'i]

Don't look down.

[treewoods]

dont wuss out before you jump, my friend (or so called friend) did that

[illdeviant]

haha no wussing out i promise. This gig goes for about 215 or so. Micah, they let u jump solo your first time?! My understanding was that you had like a series of like 2/3 tandems before u could go solo

fyi, I found this study they're doing in stonybrook, a local college, that pays $500. They're testing affects of stress on your body. Entails: wearing a vest that records, blood pressure, heart rate, etc. when you jump, pre/post test prep, questionnaire, and a 42 hr stay at a hopital. Another big down aside from the hospital stay is that you cannot jump with friends. They claim that it'll change your stress levels and whatnot. That your state of calm wouldn't be different than if you went without them.. I think it's a load of crap. What if you have an ass of a tandem instructor who scares the crap outta you? or one that is comforting.. one that is more nervous than you.. one that is confident.. etc.
anyways, if you're interested and 200 rocks your pocket, keep an eye out for these studies. The only invasive part is the fact taht you take like a pill of a minimal dosage of synthetic cortisol. A hormone that is naturally created by your body at times of stress. This is during yourhospital stay. I assume this part just acts as a normal to the experiment.

just an fyi

[micah67]

Originally Posted by illdeviant

Micah, they let u jump solo your first time?! My understanding was that you had like a series of like 2/3 tandems before u could go solo

Bottom line: I was too heavy to jump tandem. The place I jumped (South San Diego) had an all day class that allowed you to jump solo. Although I jumped under my own chute, I had two instructors holding on to me all the way to my pull - and they would've done it for me if I had frozen up. I also paid for a third guy to photograph and film it all: http://www.spotstop.net/gallery/skydive-052002

I showed up early in the morning to do the class. My wife showed up 8 hours later for her tandem and we got on the same plane.

At that time, they told me if I continued doing jumps, after two more jumps like that, I'd be reduced to just jumping with one instructor. After 10 or so I could go SOLO-solo. Once was enough, though...

Originally Posted by illdeviant

What if you have an ass of a tandem instructor who scares the crap outta you? or one that is comforting.. one that is more nervous than you.. one that is confident.. etc.

Stating the obvious for others: You should NEVER jump with anyone other than calm, comforting, confident, etc. If there was any concern, I'd ask for another instructor. This is your life! I understand that might be difficult to take such initiative but this is one of those times where you must.