Quote:
Originally Posted by MissBrattified
Am I the only one with the occasional crazy idea?????????? 
Anyone ever been sky-diving? |
The seeming liberty of flight does draw most of us earth-bound humans.
One of two ambitions I had throughout high school and college was to experience free-fall from 10,000 ft. My parents (mom) were not supportive and the cost for the first jump is significant.
After graduating college, making a solid income and being single, I set out to begin my skydiving journey.
The 3 hour practice and training session was excellent.
You actually fold your own main chute (I can not recall if we folded our emergency chute).
The jump is on static line (your rip cord is attached to a line that is attached to the airplane).
You must have five (5) successful jumps to move off static line.
I was taken to 2800 ft.
You need a certain number of successful jumps at each altitude to move higher toward the appropriate altitudes for free-fall and then moving higher adds more and more free-fall time (limit is based on oxygen in the air).
This was all before the introduction of parasail(sp?) type chute.
The most danagerous part of the whole experience (for me) was the airplane. It looked like something they got from Fred Sandford (70's reference).
Pilot, jump instructor and three persons made the trip. All three jumpers were kind of stuffed into the back (pointy) part of a little single engine prop plane.
Where you jump from is very important because they have figured out the wind influences verse your intended landing zone.
I had some trouble with my first jump (hands pushed off before feet left the strut so my chute inflated with my body more in a laying down position rather than upright), and my journal (jump log book) recorded "no dummy rip cord pull", so that jump did not count toward my number of needed successes to climb in altitude toward free-fall.
After two more jumps resulted in NOT ONE completely successful entry in my 'jump book' I figured a 10,000 ft free-fall was not going to happen. three years later received the gift of the Holy Ghost, 2 years later I married...children...responsibilities....and somehow free-falling for 5000 ft was no longer at the top of my to-do list.
A few years ago, I came across info that you can pay 200-400 bucks and do a tandem jump where on the back of a skilled sky diver and he can take you through a free fall experience.
Who knows, maybe this newer approach to weightlessness and flight will be a part of my 'bucket list'.
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