Yay for you!!

Post #301,843 by hnick 1/2/09 12:14:52 PM Reply	Yay for you!! Don't blow off the sky diving automatically. The first jumps are always on static line and low enough that it's not too cold. It'll still curl your toes and it really is kind of fun. I wish you all the best. Hugh
Post #301,845 by drook 1/2/09 12:26:53 PM Reply	Not necessarily You can do a class and do your first jump solo. Just a lot harder to find a school qualified to do it. And much more expensive, because the class is longer and you need two qualified instructors to jump with you. Other option is a tandem jump where you're attached to the instructor. -- Drew
Post #301,849 by laura 1/2/09 12:55:11 PM Reply	I'll take a pass on that. I'll go to the shooting range. I'll go riding with him. I'll do the jet skis at 75mph. But I wont jump out into nothing. I've taken enough leaps of faith this past year. I'm staying planted on the ground for a while.
Post #301,851 by hnick 1/2/09 12:58:28 PM Reply	I hear that. Go with what's comfortable for you.
Post #301,853 by drook 1/2/09 1:01:53 PM Reply	I found it surprisingly (and disappointingly) unexciting Sitting in the door of the plane looking down at nothing, the urge to not fall out was pretty strong. Once we'd hopped out, there was no sensation of falling. Just wind, and a great view. Second time, we had to deal with cloud cover. You can't jump if you can't see the ground and we had to circle the drop zone for 20 minutes looking for a break. We were about to cancel, since the sun was going down, when we saw an opening. I saw the hole in the bright white clouds as we approached, a sudden blindness as we hit the shadow and my eyes adjusted, then we dropped under into a technicolor sunset. Absolutely amazing. But still no sensation of falling or flight. I've got to do a solo jump so I can spin around and play a bit before pulling the cord. -- Drew
Post #301,859 by Another Scott 1/2/09 1:22:20 PM Reply	An alternative. I'm not sure what it's called, but I remember an amusement ride when I was a kid. You get strapped in a harness like a parachute, but you jump off a tower that has a couple cables running from it. You get the sensation of being in a parachute and bouncing around, but there's no real danger. Unfortunately, the closest picture I've found is this, but it's not like I remember... http://www.cs.utk.ed...r/activities.html Cheers, Scott.
Post #301,860 by Andrew Grygus 1/2/09 1:55:58 PM Reply	Deluxe Erector Sets used to come with . . . . . plans and accessories for an animated amusement park parachute jump.
Post #301,850 by hnick 1/2/09 12:57:17 PM Reply	Well, live and learn. I actually knew about the tandem jump, but not from personal experience. I think Bush senior did one. I wasn't aware of the former option. Static line isn't bad and considerable more usual for new jumpers.

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