Anyone ever gone skydiving?

[evident]

Originally posted by: OCguy
I went Para-sailing in Maui. Thats the same thing, right? Amiright?

no way. I went skydiving at the north shore in oahu back in 2004. it was nuts. the scariest part is actually getting on the truck that takes you to this rinky dink airplane. i had so many thought running through my head at the time.

not to mention, the people you tandem with are batshit off the wall. i dunno if it was all an act to freak out the customers, but they were doing stuff like getting a basketball and dribbling it on each other's faces. lol and you also have to fill out all these forms that say "if i die no one will sue the company even if its our fault".

i was also afraid that if the person i tandemed on passed out or something while falling, i wouldn't know how to pull the cord. but luckily, it was all in my imagination and it was a blast.

the freefall part is "violent" if you will. lots of noise and turbulance and you can see your skin flapping. once the chute opens, it's heavenly :thumbsup: i would most certainly do it again. my brother was in the military at the time so i got a sweet military discount. the normal rate is $500 or $600, and im not sure if it's worth that much.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

yep, was pretty awesome

 

[coldmeat]

I've wanted to for years and every summer I say I'm going to do it, but I have a hard time finding people to go with me, and I always put it off.

 

[keird]

Like PJABBER, it was all military experience. I spent about 4 years in the 82d Airborne Division and his description is completely accurate.

The first time you jump is not frightening. The second time is.

I'll add this: When you are no longer afraid of parachuting, it's time to stop.

p.s. The 'perfectly good airplane' line does not apply to Air Force transports. You?d be crazy to not have a parachute.

 

[CallMeJoe]

You would have to be crazy to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.



That's why so many jump schools use Cessnas...

 

[PJABBER]

Originally posted by: keird
Like PJABBER, it was all military experience. I spent about 4 years in the 82d Airborne Division and his description is completely accurate.

The first time you jump is not frightening. The second time is.

I'll add this: When you are no longer afraid of parachuting, it's time to stop.

p.s. The 'perfectly good airplane' line does not apply to Air Force transports. You?d be crazy to not have a parachute.

Hahahaha, I forgot about those second jump nerves!

I actually got to the point of enjoying Hollywood jumps (no equipment) but being weighed down with 100+ pounds of gear and weaponry wasn't all that great. Especially sitting on hard tarmac for hours waiting to load.

I was attached to the 82d for a while as a civil affairs officer and the mass jumps out of C-141s were insane after I got used to deploying off Blackhawks with SF teams. Those C-141 jumps were a combination of a traffic jam and bumper cars in three dimensions in the sky!

As long as I was on active airborne status I was always nervous getting on ANY aircraft without a parachute! You get highly used to having the chance to get out of the airplane should the engines fail.

Anyway, the way I looked at it I was paid extra for taking the express lane to work. I don't think I would pay so much to jump out of an airplane. It just doesn't seem right. :laugh:

 

[Freshgeardude]

my life isnt worth risking over 2 parachutes. no way i'll do it unless i go with like 3 REAL pros who can see i have a problem and save me

 

[onlyCOpunk]

yes, i have. it was a blast, and the natural "high" you have afterward is good as well.

make sure you get it on video

 

[S Freud]

Originally posted by: onlyCOpunk
yes, i have. it was a blast, and the natural "high" you have afterward is good as well.

make sure you get it on video

This is one thing that I made sure to do. The company doesn't allow you to bring your own camera but they will record it and give you a dvd as well as a role of 35mm still shots for a fee. I don't know how many still shots that gets me but it should be enough to remember it.

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Originally posted by: coldmeat
I've wanted to for years and every summer I say I'm going to do it, but I have a hard time finding people to go with me, and I always put it off.

Just do the Nike thing....

JUST FUCKIN DO IT!!!!

 

[lupi]

only if I could carry a sidearm for when the chute doesn't open.

 

[aircooled]

Did it once. One of the greatest memories of my life.

 

[Gothgar]

Yeah, me and a friend payed the bucks to get the class so we didn't have to jump tandem, it was fucking awesome.

In the plane on the way up there was some 18 yr old chick (hot, sorry no pics) who was crying cause she was scared.

My goggles kept fogging up, and I was worried it would happen outside of the plane, but they didn't.

So, my turn came up, we were at 13k feet I think, much higher than what we were supposed to jump, just rolled up to the door, did their little countdown and just stepped out.

It was fucking awesome.

 

[S Freud]

Originally posted by: Gothgar
Yeah, me and a friend payed the bucks to get the class so we didn't have to jump tandem, it was fucking awesome.

In the plane on the way up there was some 18 yr old chick (hot, sorry no pics) who was crying cause she was scared.

My goggles kept fogging up, and I was worried it would happen outside of the plane, but they didn't.

So, my turn came up, we were at 13k feet I think, much higher than what we were supposed to jump, just rolled up to the door, did their little countdown and just stepped out.

It was fucking awesome.

This is the part that makes me feel a little better about doing it. I am only slightly nervous but jumping with the instructor helps to come those nerves. Maybe if I go a second time I'll try a solo jump.

 

[aircooled]

Mine was tandem, but we went to 13,000ft and free-fall for 45 secs or more. It's worth the tandem jump for the free-fall vs a static jump without one.