skydiving

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

I've always wanted to go skydiving, so I'm thinking about doing it as a graduation present to myself.

Anyone have any good/bad stories to tell... I wanna hear what I'm getting myself into....

ontrider · Ladies Man Joined: 30 Jul 2003 Posts: 16491 City: Russia

You can die, I know that much.

Zach M · Posted: Jun 19, 2005 8:11 am Post subject:

Haha, funny you mention this today. I went on a tandem skydive for the first time yesterday. It was awesome.

I expected to be a lot more nervous than I was, but it was a big adrenaline rush. The worst part for me was standing in the doorway with one foot outside the door on a tiny platform. That is the point of no return, but you have no idea when the instructor is going to go. I felt completely safe the entire time though.

The freefall (mine was around 40 seconds at 10,000 feet) goes by really fast. I don't remember much of it, except that if you open your mouth, it does that crazy flappy-lip thing. Your ride down in the parachute can be fast or slow. I jumped after one of my roommates, but landed before him because we did some spiraling aerobatics that made us descend faster.

I'd definately recommend it to everyone. I want to do it again.

89comp · Posted: Jun 19, 2005 11:46 am Post subject:

I've done it 2x and I'd recommend to everyone. Its not that scary at all and is a big rush. Nothing like hurling yourself towards the ground @ 100+ mph for no good reason!

The only bummer is once you hit the ground, its over and you'll immediately want to go again.

BTW.. if the place you are jumping offers videos or pictures, BY ALL MEANS BUY THEM!!! Its worth it!

intotheflats · Posted: Jun 19, 2005 4:10 pm Post subject:

I had a friend that burned in although he was a real serious skydiver. He had high performance chutes and everything, had like over 200 jumps under his belt. Than one day, he was trying for a real fast landing so he tried a sharp turn at about 500ft and his chute collapsed. At 500 ft there isn't time to pull a reserve and he bounced.

I myself have never jumped but a few of my friends have and some are pretty serious about it. I have been told by all of them to do a static line jump first because you still get about 20 seconds of freefall and then you control everything. If you go tandem you are just along for the ride. but you do get a much longer free fall

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

From what I have been researching (dad is making me haha) it says that you have to go tandem the first time, which I think is extremely understandable.

One that I am looking at says $169. To buy the video its like $90, and as much as I wanna get it, I'm soon to be a poor college student, and am now a poor high school student, I am not sure if I can afford that.

I wanna go sssooo bad. Dad said he wants a call once I land on the ground. Mom said to never tell her. I think that is easy enough to do... It should atleast make for a great story to tell everyone at my graduation party Friday hahha Very Happy

Elevation · Posted: Jun 19, 2005 7:28 pm Post subject:

i have a few older friends who have gone and have bought videos. they have said it is amazing and the videos are hilarious. i hope to go when i turn 18

D420 · Soul Rider Joined: 21 May 2005 Posts: 279 City: NAPLES

I watched on realtv where these parents in venezuala let there 15 year old kid or maybe younger jump by himself to set a world record of the youngest kid to ski dive and he froze up and never pulled the shoot... dumb ass parents.

hanssapo · Soul Rider Joined: 11 Aug 2003 Posts: 450 City: Mexico

I wish I could go skydiving, just my mom won't let me! in fact here in Mexico it is not that hard to find a skydiving company but my mom! I've been thinking in doing it without her knowledge, the only way

Dutch · Addict Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 589

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

dutch - please tell

Leggester · Posted: Jun 20, 2005 6:22 am Post subject:

No hot air baloons, no jumping from good airplanes for me...

Dutch · Addict Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 589

aubs, Well, the first time we jumped there where 5 of us jumping. My friend Janine jumped with this jumpmaster that 1 week after we jumped tried to swoop a pond, misjudged it, and slammed the water so hard that it killed him. Then about 1-2 months later, the owner, who had about 10,000 jumps under his belt, died in a fall when someone else ran into his shoot and it collapsed.

Also the first time we where out at the field, we where talking to this guy in a cast, who had shaddered his tibia on a landing, when he came in too hot. We also heard that another jump-master died in a crash later that summer.

Jumping is an awesome experience, and really fun, provided everything goes correctly, but you just have to weigh the risk. It really could cost you your life and you need to know that. I choose not to jump again because I don't want to go out that way. Plus, although it's alot of fun, $100-169 for 30 seconds of fun is a bit expensive and... maybe I'm just too old for it now.

Buergday · Guest

My girlfriend (now wife) took me skydiving for graduation. She did it too. It was awesome, except my left nad was stuck between my leg and the strap that goes between your legs (crotch). Shocked

When he pulled the ripcord I almost blacked out with pain. The canopy ride down was about 5 minutes and I couldn't get to the ground quick enough. I totally recomend trying it at least once. But be sure that your boys are in the right position.

Mermaid · Addict Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 844

That's funny Buergday. Laughing

chavez · RIP MHL 04/25/1958 - 01/11/2006

Buergday,

I almost lost my sunflower seeds when I read that! AHAHAHAHAHA ROFLMAO!!! Laughing

Buergday · Guest

Yeah - I guess it's funny, looking back now. Smile

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

buer - would you do it agian if your nuts were properly placed?

dutch - yeah, that is a bit freaky. i figure, i graduate on wednesday - i wanna do something that ive never done before in my life. i want to be able to walk away saying i was 'this close to death' and it will change my outlook a little bit. i wanna do it for the rush & hopefully nothing will go wrong. ive always been a thrill-seeker, this would just add to my craziness

NAW · Posted: Jun 20, 2005 9:06 am Post subject:

I dove over Lake Elsinore in Cali. It was sweet. Although a bit freaky for a moment as our 'chute lines were tangled up and the instructor on my back said 'uh oh!'......but it all worked out.

Other than that, I'd do it over and over and over....but not at Skydive Chicago.

Dutch · Addict Joined: 24 Feb 2004 Posts: 589

aubs, ya, I know how you feel. I did it, and don't regret it. I'm still glad I did it. I just got a bit freeked by the accidents, so I decided, for myself, it's just not worth it.

Can't honestly say I've heard of things going wrong when you're strapped to a jump-master. Tandem seems pretty safe (as safe as it can be), not to say that something couldn't go wrong.

You have a spare shoot that is usually hooked to an auto-deploy system, so if something goes wrong with the first shoot, and your unable to pull the second one (knocked out or something) then the auto-deploy will fire the second one at 2000 ft.

Buergday · Guest

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

dutch - this is where i think im gunna go

http://www.freefalladventures.com/

rymasm · Criminal Joined: 19 May 2004 Posts: 67 City: spring texas

i don't think theres any bigger adrenaline rush than jumping out of a perfectly good airplane 13,000 ft high. it's addicting, and better than any drug i've tried.

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

ive asked a whole bunch of my friends & none of them will go with me...
it appears i have to wait until college
or just find more friends who are risk-takers

dangerboone · Criminal Joined: 15 Jun 2005 Posts: 55 City: Havelock

Wow.. I cant believe that you cant find anyone to go. Id do it again in a heartbeat..

rymasm · Criminal Joined: 19 May 2004 Posts: 67 City: spring texas

i would too. it's not the risk i'm afraid of. it's the $180 that stops me from doing it again.

rymasm · Criminal Joined: 19 May 2004 Posts: 67 City: spring texas

Chad H · Posted: Jun 24, 2005 8:57 am Post subject:

I have always wanted to do it to. It just seems awsome. I am big into planes and stuff too. So that just adds to the want for me to do it.

marcg · Addict Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 944 City: Salt Lake City

Cheap to jump once you get certified (10 jumps I believe).

Once you are all set then its something like $25 to jump around here.

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

wow - thats great
but if u think about it, with each jump come a better chance that u wont survive! consider yourself lucky everytime u land & are okay... haha

Gtrain37 · Outlaw Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Posts: 156 City: Northboro

I went once the summer after HS. I took the jumpers class so that I could jump and pull my own ripcord (60 sec freefall). It was a two-day class where you learned the proper way to land, how and when to release the main chute if you need to, and how to steer and untangle the chute when it does open. I am a little scared of heights, so it was an overcoming your fear type thing for me. Overall it was a really good experience and makes a good story.

note: many of the beginner chutes are packed for a gentle opening and are attached to a pressure trigger. If you get below 4000 ft and haven't pulled yet (usually pull at 5500 for beginners) the chute will open automatically.

Aubs · Motorboat Queen Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 9167

gtrain - thats pretty cool. i dont trust myself enuff yet to just jump on my own, id definitly need someone else ontop of me to help... pull the ripchord.