anybody try parachuting?

[cav58d]

<---- Six Tandem Jumps over two years.  As soon as I landed from the first jump I spent another $180 and went up for another...Third that day was free!  Worked too!  They made a great costumer!!!!!

I highly recommend doing it, but make sure you go to a legitimate place.  Safety is first.  And Hell yes it is fun.  Just goes by way to fast

[DiabloTX]

6 jumps (2 tandem, 4 AFF) and called it a career.


NO LOW HOOK TURNS!

That's my advice.

[eskimo2]

The cat made 13 jumps; not that I had anything to do with it.

[RTR]

Why????

Why, in all that you hold holy, would you jump out of a perfectly serviceable airplane??



RTR

and again:

[Suave]

He asked who has tried to parachute, not who has.

[Suave]

Originally posted by RTR
Why????

Why, in all that you hold holy, would you jump out of a perfectly serviceable airplane??



RTR

and again:

Man I really hate that emoticon. If IBS guy from "The Lady Killers" posted on this forum he would use it often.

Worst emoticon ever.

[AWMac]

Originally posted by RTR
Why????

Why, in all that you hold holy, would you jump out of a perfectly serviceable airplane??



RTR

and again:

There is no "Perfectly" serviceable aircraft Fool.

My guess is you've never served in the Military or are to young to do so.

Mac

handsomehunk

[cpxxx]

I made one jump, a static line effort. Did it as part of my reserve army unit. At the time you could earn your para wings in a civilian club. There was no official para training in the Irish army and certainly no paras.  After five jumps you were granted para wings to wear on your uniform. As it happens our Company Sergeant was a jump pilot and he organised the whole thing. In the end though, headquarters took fright at thought of all us reservists lording it over the regulars with para wings on our chest and changed the rules.  So I only did one jump.

What I will say is that it really is one of the most amazing moments of your life. Actually the most amazing moment is the moment you step out of the aircraft and into space. At that point, I realised I had just jumped out of an aeroplane at 2,500 feet and all you really want to do is scream..................... But the training came into play and it all went routinely in the end, apart from a nearly nasty incident with a river.

Actually I just recently found the contemporaneous account I made of the jump just after I landed. It brings the moment back vividly. Actually I would recommend writing down any exciting thing you have done as soon after the event as possible. It really brings back the feelings you had at the time.

I might post it at some stage in case anyone is interested.

[Golfer]

Originally posted by RTR
Why????

Why, in all that you hold holy, would you jump out of a perfectly serviceable airplane??



RTR

and again:

I wouldn't have to jump out of the ones I never got in.  There's something about strapping on a big beanie hat that has its primary source of lift moving faster than the fuselage.

Boy I tell ya rotorheads are a crazy bunch.

[Guppy35]

Jumped one time in college way back when.  Did it on a dare.  Dumb reason to do anything

Glad I did it...and yes that first step off the strut is something you'll never forget.  Mine was a static line jump.

I wanted to know what it felt like.  Now I know.  Didn't have any interest in doing it again.  The buddy who jumped with me the same day loved it and kept at it.

[JB88]

yep.

fun.

[StSanta]

It's fun and addictive and can easily turn into a lifestyle and sport rather than a hobby.

Many skydivers stop before really going anywhere. Cost combined with danger and perhaps watching friends get hurt or die turn people away from the sport.

At 1200 jumps I am really beginning to enjoy the sport.  Am constantly improving my freefall skills but there's a long way yet to be where I want to be. Nailing a technique or move just gives ya a powerful owwww yeeeah feeling though.

It's not an instant gratification sport, skill wise. A lot of investment of time and money is needed before you get to do all the 'cool' stuff - small HP canopies, head down vertical formations and the like. A Manta 280sqft canopy is not exactly the same as a Velocity 83sqft. Falling on your belly alone is way different from a 4-way head down jump. But it's fun and challenging to get the skills, from the first jump onwards.

Small community too and if you do some DZ hopping you're likely to meet and jump with World Champions. Very relaxed atmosphere with very little of the social status material hunting you see in everyday life. Plenty of big ego's though, typical Alpha male/female environment.

I don't recommend it to anyone anymore, beyond tandems. People will have to get into it on their own and with their eyes open. If you stay in the sport the likelihood of seeing your friends hurt or killed is high. Might be yourself that's hurt or killed. The sport is not as dangerous as the general public makes it out to be and not as safe as many skydivers claim.

[rpm]

I've ridden in over 100 perfectly good aircraft. Never had the urge to jump out of any of them in flight.

[tedrbr]

Rappelling is cheaper.

Rappelling Aussie style is fun.

Rappelling Aussie style at Deep River Gorge when friend gets a lucky "lotto" ticket for a space along it for October is a wild rush.

Rappelling Aussie Style from a chopper on the Army's dime the very best.

Rappelling (normally...wasn't allowed to Aussie...) from an Army chopper over Baghdad .... not so much fun..... but "exciting".    Definately a pucker-factor going on there.....


East coast Programmer I've known for years is big into skydiving.  She wants to come out west to visit me and jump over the Rockies.... and drag me along as some sort of test dummy.....  

Very hot she... so I'll probably do the stoopid thing and go.......

[RAIDER14]

Originally posted by Ripsnort
Yes.
It's fun.
And addicting after that first step off the strut.

That First step could be your Last

 This Woman has a Guardian Angel