anybody try parachuting?

[senna]

How is it, fun?

[AquaShrimp]

My chute didn't open, I used to be six feet tall, now my ankles protrude directly from my buttocks

[Obie303]

There are three (3) types of jumps.  Static line, tandem, and free fall.  Static line is just like the WW II movies.  You hook up and when you jump, the chute is pulled out.  Tantem is when you are hooked directly to an instructor or experienced jumper.  Free fall is just like it sounds.  You have complete control over the chute deployment.  

I have two (2) static jumps under my belt that I did when I was 18.  It was an easy course that took about 3 hours in the morning.  Then we went up and did the jumps in the afternoon.  It was very cold.  Froze my nuts off.  

From what I remember, you needed at least ten (10) jumps either static line or tandem before you could be cleared to free fall.  This is going back almost 20 years though so that could have changed.  

As far as it being fun.  DEFINATELY!  It's one of those crazy things you do and talk about it for years.  The only drawback I saw was the cost.  It can be an expensive hobbie.  Buy you should try it at least once...dont forget to yell "GERONIMO"!

Obie  

[zorstorer]

Just as a cool side note.  I had 3 jumps from Moton field in near Tuskegee Alabama, where the Tuskegee airmen were trained and some still hang out at the field when they get a chance.  Was a very cool setup for folks to jump at.  Because I was in the Army at the time stationed at Ft. Benning Georgia it was a nice drive over to jump.  One bad thing was parachute rental and packing fees add quite a bit to the price of a jump, but if you knew some of the Army riggers that would hang out there just about every weekend you could use one of their extra chutes and get them to pack it for you.  On my first static line jump from about 4500ft I looked up after the intital jerk to make sure everything looked the way it should, and wouldn't you know the damn chute was black with "US Army" stenciled on it  Jumping is really fun but you will pay for it.  I suppose it's a little like flying a glider or something else unpowered.  The silence other than the wind was amazing.  Here is an old picture of the airfield, but it looks just about the same now.

http://www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/Tuskegee/lgimage/air19.htm

[Ripsnort]

Originally posted by senna
How is it, fun?

Yes.
It's fun.
And addicting after that first step off the strut.

[eskimo2]

I did it once.  It was fun but expensive.  Try it at least once.

[Nilsen]

i belive Saintaw is an enthusiastic bailer.

[Ball]

From another thread

[Nilsen]

lmao Ball

[eskimo2]

LOL Ball, that should be in the HTC banner:

[Ball]

Originally posted by eskimo2
LOL Ball, that should be in the HTC banner:

You should get that image on the link when you unsubscribe to Aces High

[Flyboy]

expensive? let the army pay

got more nice pics if enyone interested
edit: resized the pic.
[/IMG]

[Flyboy]

ugh. ill resize this monster:o

[AWMac]

Jumping is the Ultimate High.

I jumped in the Army for 8 1/2 Years.  Did Mass Tac jumps at night, water jumps into Lakes, Swamps and rough Terrain jumps into sides of Mountains.  

Jumped from C-123 Caribou, C-130 Hercules, C-141's, C5A's, Hueys, Blackhawks and Chinooks.

Static Line and HALO.  Lost track of the number of jumps so I just counted malfunctions.  In 8 1/2 Years I only had 1 malfunction..even if you want to call it then.

I was the 12th man out of a 14 man stick and had a hole about the size of a volleyball...pffft was just gonna ride it in no prob....til the section blew out and rate of decent increased to a pucker factor of 4.  From 1,250 feet to about 500 feet was a rush. Got the reserve deployed around 300 feet and went into some trees.  The Great Saint of Squrriels saved my arse.  Just a few cracked ribs, black and blue all over. What wasn't sprained was strained.  Out of 14 men I was the 1st on the ground, including wet trousers.  

Now that I'm older and retired from the Army, my knees, hips and back is all worn out.  If I had a chance to do it all over again I'd say...

Ohhhh Hell YEAH!!!!

Drive On,



Mac

[eskimo2]

Just in case you missed it:



http://www.hitechcreations.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=194025