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| Tandem Skydive. PSST... this is how they do it now - with a babysitter! By Skydiving Parachutisme: Jef132 derivative work: Ximonic (Skydiving Parachutisme) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], Wikimedia Commons |
How I Came To Jump Out Of An Aeroplane
You know how it goes. Your flatmate comes home one night with a great idea and the next thing you know you're jumping out of an aeroplane!
It seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean, who doesn't love a bit of excitement, right? Back then, in the early eighties, it was done as a solo static line jump which means your chute pull is attached to a wire that automatically pulls your chute open as you exit the plane. None of this namby pamby tandem jump stuff where you are strapped to an instructor who does everything for you while talking calming thoughts to you for us.
We were the tough. We were the brave. Well, you can see for yourself just how brave I was....
My First Jump - The Idea. How it came about
It was during my early flat-sharing days. I was co-habiting with
two men and a lady in a large house in one of Sydney’s leafy Northern
Beaches suburbs. One of the young men, Pete was also a work colleague. I
was to discover while sharing the bills with these three that they were
into extreme sports and trying out new things.Pete and Chris were already certified Scuba divers and would flit off from time to time to throw themselves into the deep. They skied and rode horses, they abseiled and grass-skied. One evening, Chris came home from work and suggested we all go take parachuting lessons.
Wha….. ??????
Hold on. Run that by me again. Parachute lessons. You know, skydiving. Actually, I preferred it when you called it parachuting. You really can’t avoid the literal when you call it skydiving.
"No, really, it’s easy. We just go into the city a couple of times and practice landing."
First Time Skydiving Tips: Capture Every Amazing Moment!
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First Time Skydiving Tips: Practice Your Landing Rolls
Actually, if you are making a tandem jump you won't need to do this. In fact your jump buddy probably won't thank you if you do attempt to roll on landing with him attached. But back when I made my first jump knowing how to land was essential.I still don’t know how they convinced me. A few weeks later here we all were, assembled in a small room on the third floor of an office building in the centre of Sydney; a more unlikely place I could not imagine. The instructor took us through the theory first which consisted of statistical information like how fast you plummet, how long it takes for you to reach planet earth, what happens if you hit power lines, stuff like that. Then we donned our suits and chutes so we would know which buckle went where and what handle was for what.
The climax of the evening was climbing up onto desks and jumping into practice rolls. That’s the part where all the gigglling started because you could briefly forget that you were actually in rehearsal to hurl yourself out of an airplane at 2,000 feet all by yourself relying solely on a metal thread to open your single link with life for you. We all looked quite ridiculous.
The session concluded with our date set for our first jump and several alcoholic beverages in a nearby establishment.
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| Skydiving Photographic Print |
My First Jump - The Jump. The day had arrived!
Mil-Tec Commando Goggles Para Smoke
It was a glorious pre-dawn the day we set out to throw ourselves into nothing from a fast-moving object 2,000 feet above the earth.
It was one of those crisp cool autumn mornings. We had an hour’s travel to reach the airfield at a place called Wilton to the south-west of Sydney.
By the time we reached the small shed where we were to assemble there was a heavy dew and an early morning mist as the sun started to brighten the tree tops.
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I admit I remember very little of the
pre-jump instruction I was given as I was climbing into my jump-suit. I
can tell you nothing about packing my chute, putting it on, putting on
my helmet or closing and clasping buckles and ties although I must have
done all those things. I also admit that I remember nothing about
walking out onto the airstrip to climb into the tiny aircraft that would
take me on this insane journey. I remember exiting the plane. I
remember counting – one thousand, two thousand, three thousand, four
thousand, then being yanked upward as I felt the tug of the opening
chute. I remember looking around at the incredible sight below me. Tiny
little buildings and toy cars. The dots I suppose were people.Somehow, I managed to do all the right things and make an almost perfect landing.
THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My First Jump - Afterwards: The Epilogue
Men's If At First You Don't Succeed, Sky Diving Is
LET’S GO AGAIN! LET’S DO IT AGAIN! That wasn’t me, that was Chris.
We knew that if we took our second jump today it would only be an extra $17.
I knew that this is the only time ever I would be enticed to do a second jump. I still had the adrenalin pumping through my body. I was still shaking. My legs were still wobbly even after the 200 metre hike back from where I had landed to the aerodrome shed.
Yes! That was exhilarating! Yes, that was the most incredible thing I had ever done but somehow I already knew that this was not going to become my passion.
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My Second Jump
They convinced me to go up again. I think the impressions of my fingers clinging to the open doorway of the plane are probably still there. The instructor ended up having to push me out of the plane.I forgot to count. I piloted badly. I ended up in the bushes about a kilometre from the shed. It wasn’t pretty. I think during my second jump I found my fear.
I can honestly say that this is the most exhilarating and the most frightening thing I have ever done.
One Time Experience or A New Interest?
For me, once was enough. Exhilirating? Yes! Memorable? Absolutely! Would I take it up as a hobby? No, never. But you may feel completely different. For a small number of people, skydiving won't be simply an experience. It will become a passion. If this is you then at some point you want to get your own Skydiving Rig
. What's The Most Extreme Thing You've Done? Did this inspire you to take your first jump?
Yow!
Not for me. But I'm glad you enjoyed it. I might enjoy paragliding, but
not jumping out of planes. My husband did it once and thoroughly
enjoyed it though
Thanks billybuc, brave or stupid? Not sure which
Bravo to you. I have had the chance and wouldn't do it, and I've climbed mountains before...so well done!
My age at the time explains a lot
It was definitely awesome! And I definitely won't be doing it again!
Amazing story. I would be so afraid to do this.
I'm
guessing there won't be a third jump? LOL You are incredibly brave! I
don't think you'd be able to get me to do it once let alone twice.
Must have been an awesome experience though.
It's one of these things - glad I gave it a go and I'll never do it again but I'm also much older now
I want to, but I just can't make myself jump out of a perfectly good airplane. Kudos to you though. Very cool.
You're welcome and thank you. I'm so glad you enjoyed it
You
are performing a great public service, here. For all of us who crave
the excitement of skydiving, but are too chicken to actually do it,
thanks for allowing us to experience it vicariously.
Brilliant that you did it Lynne but not one me!
I
for one will never do this, but I admire you for doing it and writing
about your experience, I can understand if you never do it again. Happy
times writing.
I'm not going to be rushing out to do this anytime soon. Thanks for sharing your experience.
I
don't know whether to cheer you on or scold you for letting them talk
you into a second jump. No way would I ever do this, but think you're
pretty cool for it. Does that make sense?
I
think the parachuting lessons would kill any desire in me for
skydiving. As soon as "how fast you plummet" hit the conversation, I'd
be out the door
I don't know if I could ever bring myself to pull the trigger, but good for you! :)
My
most extreme thing was horseback riding. One time our horses took off
and started galloping across a meadow. My friends and I hung on for dear
life. It was pretty exhilarating. The group behind us wasn't so lucky.
One woman fell off her horse. I'm not sure I could jump out of a plane.
Gliding is more my style.
not going to try this but yay for you!
I
think I might have been able to do it when I was younger. now, I think
my heart will probably jump right out if I were to do it. Haha. kudos to
you!
The first jump is always the scariest!
I think I was young and (almost) fearless! I don't see myself ever doing it again
You are one brave lady! Cannot image ever parachuting, sky diving either.
