Skydiving aka Jumping Out of a Perfectly Good Airplane

[Phantasee]

I'm skydiving on Saturday with some of my cousins and friends. It'll be the one year anniversary of my brush with death, so I figured I'd give it another shot

We'll be doing a tandem jump from 12 500 feet up out of a Super Twin Otter. 60 seconds of freefall, 200 km/h.

Any of you done this?

[Broomstick]

Well, no... people tend to get really upset when the pilot abandons ship...

Have fun, land safe.

[haard]

Never tandem, but I did a couple of jumps ten years ago, but ran out of spare time a few jumps before I got my cert.

Never had a better adrenaline rush, still want to get that cert if I ever live close-ish to a club again.

[AMT]

Did it a looooong time ago. It's a rush you'll never forget, even if you're going to be a passenger
Tell us how it goes!

[Count Chocula]

I did several static line jumps from 3k and 5k feet...never was comfortable with the two guys two chutes idea...give me my own main and reserve! It will be the longest instantaneous event your life. Have fun!

[StarSword]

Not quite the same thing, but I think my Mom did a parachute drop once while she was in the Navy. (I know she went up in the plane, but I don't remember if she jumped or not.)

[Broomstick]

I'm sure, however, she remembers if she jumped or not!

[Hawkwings]

I just went skydiving for the first time last weekend. Tandem from 13,000 feet, out of a Caravan, with 60 seconds of freefall and hitting terminal velocity (120mph or so) in about 5 seconds. Oh man, make sure you remember those first five seconds or so after leaving the plane. In fact, the final five seconds on the plane are pretty exciting too!

How much is yours going to cost? Mine was $200 with a $20 student discount.

[erik_t]

We'll be doing a tandem jump from 12 500 feet up out of a Super Twin Otter. 60 seconds of freefall, 200 km/h.

Pretty much exactly that. Tandem out of a Twin Otter at 12000ft or so.

Highly recommended. I don't expect to ever do it again, as I was scared shitless, but it was a hell of a lot of fun to do once.

[Phantasee]

Yeah, at this point I'm going to ask everyone to get me committed if I ever suggest we try for another suicide attempt.

I am paying $265 CAD with a group discount. No student discount unfortunately. Paying the extra $100 for a videographer to jump with me.

Thanks for those numbers, Hawkwings! I was wondering how long it takes to get to terminal velocity.

Anyway if I make it back to the ground in one piece I'll let y'all know how it went. The jump is tomorrow at noon MDT.

[Phantasee]

Rain! :argh: Hopefully it passes soon, radar shows Westlock is going to get a few more showers and then clear.

[Phantasee]

So I made it back just fine. It was pretty cool, but not quite the experience I was expecting. I barely felt any fear, and I quite enjoyed the ride down. Well, besides the incredible tightness in my groin area from the straps

I had a video made, I look ridiculous. My lips are blowing around everywhere like a cartoon.

[aerius]

I barely felt any fear, and I quite enjoyed the ride down. Well, besides the incredible tightness in my groin area from the straps

Next time, you should do the Point Break thing and throw your parachute out the door, then dive after the parachute and race to put it on before you go splat.

[YT300000]

I barely felt any fear, and I quite enjoyed the ride down. Well, besides the incredible tightness in my groin area from the straps

Next time, you should do the Point Break thing and throw your parachute out the door, then dive after the parachute and race to put it on before you go splat.

But make sure you injure your leg chasing after a disguised bank robber first, for extra man points.

[tim31]

You're both wrong.



Glad to have you back on terra firma Phant.

[Phantasee]

Haha! Thanks Tim!

If any of you ever go for a dive, ask the instructor to do a back flip upon exit, it's pretty awesome.

[Danny Bhoy]

Isn't there (still) the practice to have done static line jumps before doing free fall? I remember having to do the former but never transited to skydiving.

[Phantasee]

For solo jumps, you have to do that from 3500' before going up to 12500' and doing Assisted Free Fall jumps with two instructors. However we were going the tourist route and jumping tandem with an instructor, which meant our instruction consisted of 15 minutes of explanation of what to do, how to put on the gear, and jokes. We didn't pull the chute ourselves, or have any responsibility to do anything. I couldn't even get out of the plane on my own, since it was up to the instructor strapped to my back to push us out.