Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Saintaw on June 11, 2006, 10:41:20 AM
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Left the house this morning and met with my 3 buddies, we booked our seat for a freefall jump, this time the weather was with us. We jumped one after another, I took the 1st plunge, not knowing what to expect. 12000 ft, door opens "one two three" we rock back & forth... on 3, I stop thinking and flip out of the airplane. The sun and the ground passes in flashes in front of me, it took a good 5 seconds to stabilise... the the RUSH came, followed too shortly after by the chute opening. Balls squished, I yelled... we did a few flip flops, and landed on me arse.
The 1st 5 seconds were frightening, but after that... it was probably the best rush I experienced in my life. I will post screenies when I recover.... now I need a beer and a nap!
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I'm jumping for the first time in a few hours today. :)
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Neat!
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Wussies,
I jumped for 8 1/2 years. Outta about the worst Military planes and choppers...into ruff terrain, mountains, swamps and towns... at day and night.
Congrats on busting yer Cherry!
:aok
Mac
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I ****in HATED it.
Absolutely.
Totally.
Completely.
Hated It.
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Jumping out of a perfectly serviceable airplane....
I stop thinking and flip out of the airplane.
Yep, I think that about sums it up right there.;)
RTR
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I made a jump from a plane once. There was a wasp in the cockpit.
I had no chute.
Luckily we hadn`t left the hangar yet. :)
Grats Saw.
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W0000000000000000000000000T!!!!
WTG Saw! This is teh C9 H13 NO3 rush, uh?
Anyway, beer tastes so much better at the end of the day.
At which DZ have you done it?
If you want to sign up for a full AFF course, the Spa DZ has competitive prices if you do it during weekdays.
I've done my first helicopter jump (from an Ecureuil) and my first sunset jump this saturday ('longest day of the year' mini-boogie in Spa)... I've chickened out for the night jump...maybe next year.
Oh, btw there is no such thing as a perfectly fit plane...especially if it's a jumpship ;)
EDIT: Grun, you still alive?? Or still making out with a cute female skydiver?
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Welcome Saintaw. This stuff is very addictive :).
You've taken the first step - and trust me, it only gets better.
At first, you have virtually no control and it's all adrenaline.
Gradually, you learn to truly fly Every part of your body will function as input and as you learn to caress the air, you'll get to know the absolutely awesome feeling of smooth air. You will be able to maneuver your body like no aircraft can. On tracking jumps over highways, your horizontal speed will be higher than that of the cars below you. Going from head down into a track, you'll accelerate like shot out of a cannon.
You'll see thunderstorms from the inside. You'll get hit by the same raindrop twice - once when you pass it in freefall, once you're landed.
You'll see sunsets from 13 300 feet, total serenity. Small dots of people going around their daily lives far below you - and you are all abstracted away from it. It just doesn't matter at all, all the stuff down there, the every day grind.
You'll see people smiling at and with you, at their absolute best. You'll share a sense of accomplishment that you can't and probably won't bother with explaining to others who aren't really interested in what you're doing.
You'll move on to small highly loaded elliptical canopies. Swoop the ground at 60mph. You will gain a whole load of new friend with whom you'll spend a crapload of time with and have something great in common with.
Chances are you will lose some of those friends as well. Ya gotta be aware of that getting started in the sport because otherwise you'll likely get a very brutal awakening later on. For all the beauty in the sport, there still are shadow sides.
But, once one has seen the beauty it can bring, it is very hard to let go.
[Edit]
Here's a pic taken at my home DZ. We got a swoop pond, beach volleyball thingy, sleeping quarters, kitchen yadda yadda yadda. If you're ever in Denmark, let me know. Oh, we also have just about the cheapest AFF jumps in the world. Ya don't pay for instructors or anything - just normal jump price + instructors slots :D
(http://www.njfk.dk/uploads/canopy_above_aars.jpg)
TThat goes for you too DeSelys. How's the jumping going - how many jumps now? What kinda gear are ya flying?
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Good morning fellow meatbombs ;)
It's still in my brain, I can't get those images out. We stayed all day at the aerodrome (everytime one of us jumped, there were two other guys(non-noobs) that would jump too. ie: the club owner jumped out right before me... giving me a 'thumbs up' right before dissapearing). I found the freefall part way too short (The open chute part after that was a little boring... exept when we made turns & accelerated). I asked the guy if we could open the cute lower next time... he gave me a big grin... I think it's settled for the next jump :D
We jumped out of Wiltz, on the German border, Spa's a bit far for me Des. They are giving lessons there too, albeit, it's not a short paced courses like in Spa, this one goes on for 3 months (week ends). Started a new business here in March, so cash's a bit tight atm. (I have been told to expect around 4KâĴ investment in the 1st year... is that correct?).
In any case, I loved it and I will do it again. If you ever thought about doing it, but had your doubts... forget those and go jump, it's the bestestestiest!
Today's another day... I have a dentist appointment in a few hours.... my d**** is shrinking already.
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congrats saw.. :)
id like to do a tandem someday but im not sure i have the balls for it
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I wasn't sure either... right up to the point I was actualy falling. Just do it, I recommend it greatly!
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My first tandem jump today was fun, very relaxing and very calm. I definiely wish there was more acceleration on the jump though. The Kingair we jumped from was allready going 100+ mph and so there was no feeling of falling at all as we reached drag limited freefall speed almost as soon as we left the plane. Flight under canopy is fun too, just floating or doing turns.
I'm looking forward to trying it from a hot air ballon or a helo, or just a damn slow plane sometime so I can feel the falling.
Anybody thinking about it should just go for it!
For san francisco bay area folks this is where I went: http://www.bayareaskydiving.com/
I'll be going again soon with some friends if anybody wants to meet up and do it.
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Hello Saintaw, dentists can give you a rush too (and sometimes cost a lot more than a jump ticket) but the fun isn't the same ;).
Santa, I only have 108 jumps so far. I had to find an equilibrium between skydiving and family activities and it seems to work now.
I've bought a new gear last year: Aerodyne Icon I6+ Pilot 188 + Smart 190 + Cypres 2. I'm very happy with it. Some people make fun of my 'tandem' (most jump 120-150ish canopies) but they're just morons... nice guys with a lot more jumps than I, but not showing enough respect to the sport IMO.
I listen to every safety advice, and I ask a lot of questions, but I automatically dismiss every comment like "you should downsize", "you broke off too high, we had time to turn one more point" and "baaah, no need to spend so much time to check the lines when you're packing, it will open..."...even if it comes from guy with 2000 jumps.
We've been blessed not to have a single fatality in the previous years but I've seen a couple of seriously busted up skydivers and some broken ankles. My first-aid training has already been put to good use.
I've done ~40 RW dives but I prefer FF. I'm not comfortable enough with my sit to go in a 2 way unless the other jumper is very experienced. Actually, I suck at pretty much every discipline except tracking (where I literally smoke all my friends ;) ). I'd like to try an atmonauti jump someday, but I've never been able to do a small way yet.
Wingsuit is what appeals me the most, but wingsuit jumpers are very rarely seen in Spa :(.
I hope to see you someday in Denmark, and the offer is reciprocal in Spa.
Blue Skies Santa, stay safe.
(my dropzone.com id is Malta_Dog)
EDIT: congrats Grun! The impression of falling from an helicopter is indeed more intense, but the free fall time is a lot shorter (5000 ft instead of 13,500 ft) so it's a trade off (and it's more expensive). I'm looking forward to jumping from a hot air balloon next year (the Spa DZ is surrounded by trees and you need at least 200 jumps). In the meantime, I'm thinking about a bandit jump from an ultralight but ssshhhhh... ;)
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OOOps I missed your post Mac!
for what you did!
I'd like to try to jump a round someday, and I'm sure that i'll be scared crapless by my first night jump...
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WTG Saw!
Everyone's face hurts so bad after their first jump - from the ear-to-ear smile. Did you say what most people say after you landed?
"I want to go again! Now!"
I'm an old guy, so my jumps were in old 2TU canopies. Had a class in the morning and came back after lunch to make a static-line jump the first time.
When you make your first solo jump, you'll be in awe of the silence. Everywhere, and at any time, we can always hear some sound in the background of our lives. The only thing you'll hear after your chute opens is your beating heart, and the blood rushing through your veins.
It's a great feeling under the canopy - watching the earth slowing come up to meet you.
Good luck!
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Originally posted by Rolex
"I want to go again! Now!"
I beleive those were the exact words I used :D
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Originally posted by Rolex
watching the earth slowing come up to meet you.
hehe.. hopefully:D
slow beeing the key word
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Saintaw, the one-way trip between Spa and Wiltz is 99 km...still shorter than the 156km between my home and Spa.
4K for the 1st year seems a bit over the top for me:
AFF course prices in Spa are 1050 during weekdays, 1250 during WE. Included are the insurance and 1 year membership in Spa (jump tickets are cheaper when you're member). Your first solo jump + gear renting + packing is free. This is if you do your AFF without failing a single level. Rejump of level 1-3 cost 190, 4-7 cost 125. Most people are able to go thru AFF with 1 up to 3 rejumps. Weather permitting, you should be able to complete AFF in 3-5 days.
When you're waved off to go solo, a jump ticket is 21 (prices go down as you buy more tickets) and a rental + packing is 12 . I think you shouldn't buy your gear immediately but take time to try things out and ask a lot of questions. Used gear can be found between 2-3 K while a new gear is 5 K (including an AAD as those are mandatory in Spa. A new AAD is around 1K ). Be aware that used gear suitable to jumpers fresh out of student status are somewhat hard to be found.
Jumpsuit + helmet + altimeter cost around 500 new, 200-300 used.
But, as my instructor said to me the 1st day: 'Now your counting your money, within a week you'll be counting your jumps!'. How right he was...
This being said, you need to realize that this is an unforgiving sport and that complacency kills. Like driving a bike, you can do it safety-minded or 'on the edge', and it will hugely affect the involved risk. However, as the old (and almost never bold) skydivers say, 'you can do everything right and still die'. For me, the experience outweighs the risk. I'd even add that I'm much more aware of my mortal condition than 2 years ago and it has changed my views about life and the real important things.
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Bunch of lunatics.
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Saw WTG! Jumped 4 times. Just wanted to get the experience. Was great!
But as StSanta said......be aware! Two months ago a friend of mine who was a Police Chief and a jump instructor.....also jumped in the Military with thousands of jumps died in a jumping accident. He landed unfortunately on a black topped Road. Even though one has experience accidents occur.
His main did not deploy........over the years he's had this happen many times. He did what he usually does, tried to untangle the Main. As I said this was no big deal to him.....BUT!....he was so complacent about getting the Main open he opened his Emergency to late....chute did not have time to deploy and he hit the Road.
Wife and two kids. A pity he was a stallwart of the Community. Don't be a hero! This goes for all who jump. Do not get complacent. Treat each jump with the respect that it is due. We have lots of soft tissue. Keep it in one piece!
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Congrats i remember my first jump was a blackout realizing at the 4th and jumped total 8 times static line dough.
Its still stupid to jump out a good plane.
I enjoyed the ride and the way u can fly with the square chute for what it does.
I never got addicted.
:)
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Come on Saw and Grun...I know there has to be pics or video. Hell, I did mine in the mid-nineties and even back then they had cameras mounted on the wing and the pilot snapped a few remotely as we jumped:
(http://[img]http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/257_1150117313_jump2.jpg)[/IMG]
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Deselys, I don't/can't have a car right now, so Spa looks like it could be in China for the time being :D. I'm going back to Wiltz this saturday for the 1st class.
Something else has happened to me, I have never been so calm in my life before... I almost fell asleep while the dentists was drilling holes in my body. (I normaly have a catatonic fear of dentists). This morning, for the 1st time in the last decade, I was able to sleep past 6am.
Curval, We didn't have any 'in flight' shots, as we didn't pre-order those... but have plenty of shots/films on the ground... I'm off today, and my mobile cable is at the ofice.. I'll post them 1st thing tomorrow morning :)
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Sorry Saw, I had forgotten about your no-car situation.
Please keep us posted about your progression. When you're licensed and allowed to jump with others, I'll make the trip to Wiltz and we'll do a couple of jumps together.
Have fun and stay safe.
PS I don't know if you'll suffer from the same side effect, but I wasn't able to do an iota of work during the week following my first 3 jumps...;)
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Jumped once, back in college, on a dare, just to see what it was like.
Talk about a dumb thing to do :) The instructor spent most of the time telling horrror stories of what could go wrong. I suppose it was to see if we were really going to go through with it. A buddy said it was better to go first then to watch someone jump, so I volunteered.
It was a static line jump from a Cessna 170. The door swung open, I slid out and hung on to the wing strut and stepped on the wheel. Instructor hit my arm and off I went. I got as far as counting 1 and then it went slow motion. It took forever for that chute to open, during which time I made all kinds of promises to the man upstairs about all the good things I'd do in life if he just got me down safely.
After that eternity the chute popped and it was dead quiet. It seemed a long time coming down. Naturally they'd dropped me short of the drop zone and I came down on one side of a fence with my chute falling over the other side. I remember hearing my buddy yelling and whooping it up. He loved it. I also remember lying there, wondering why I'd done such a goofy thing :)
Glad I did it, saw no reason to do it again. A once in a lifetime experience.
Glad you enjoyed yours.
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Jumping out of an airplane and heading to the ground is NOT flying. It is FALLING. Flying means you can climb, not just do turns, flips or other gyrations while going basically one direction, down. :huh
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Originally posted by Curval
Come on Saw and Grun...I know there has to be pics or video. Hell, I did mine in the mid-nineties and even back then they had cameras mounted on the wing and the pilot snapped a few remotely as we jumped:
(http://[img]http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/257_1150117313_jump2.jpg)[/IMG]
Pics and vids next time, I'm going again in a few weeks with some friends and then we'll do the videos. My jump yesterday was done on a whim since my plans to go snowboarding got screwed up.
:D
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hehe
Well, I didn't say my jump was pretty in any way. ;) But, I went...once.
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Three static line jumps in '75. Otay Mesa outside of San Diego. On the last one when I was picking up my gear the owner said, and I quote: "You should really use a 32 foot canopy but this 28 will work just fine." I was driven into the ground like a tent stake. The jumpmaster said he thought he could hear me fart from his vantage point in the airplane. I remember rocking on the ground and making odd little noises in a vain attempt to inhale a little air, every molecule of which had been violently driven from my lungs at impact. My back is still bad 31 years later. I'm not planning on trying it again any time soon.
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Well, my pictures turned to ****e ... hopefully, the ones from my mate won't (I forgot to take my camera...took the shots & vids on my mobile phone... "What was i thinking?" say you... I wasn't !!!.
The only thing you'll see are a few coloured pixels in the blue sky)
Sample:
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/thumbs/19_1150269868_photo066.jpg) (http://www.onpoi.net/ah/picpopup.php?ImgId=38003)
Needless to say, i added a Skydiving (http://www.onpoi.net/ah/public_collection.php?CatSelect=38) category in the picture hangar :D
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Made me go and find the photo taken of a terrified CorkyJr hanging from the strut just before I went.
Also made me dig up the skydiver's logbook with that lone entry just to remember how long ago it was :)
11/3/78 Cooperstown ND from a Cessna 182 at an altitude of 3000 feet. 28' canopy on the main chute and the reserve.
Jeez was I ever that young :)
(http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/861_1150272270_para1.jpg)