Jump out of a perfectly good plane at 14,000 ft?

[Tenchi]

I was fortunate enough to receive sky diving as a birthday gift... I've always wanted to do it and hopefully I'll be able to if the weather holds (it's winter here, and they don't jump in the rain). No man strapped to my back - I'll be flying down at 300+ mph all by myself with nothing but a bit of cloth to slow me down...

Has anyone else done it here? Any words of advice (apart from notify my life insurance)...?

 

[Ignacio]

No man strapped to my back - I'll be flying down at 300+ mph all by myself with nothing but a bit of cloth to slow me down...
Has anyone else done it here? Any words of advice (apart from notify my life insurance)...?

Unless you're one of the very rare jumpers with special aerodymanic gear you won't get near 300 mph. Terminal velocity is closer to 120 mph.

I jumped a decade ago for my first time solo and it was a static line jump....meaning they deployed the chute as you exited. So, you got a few seconds of free fall and practice your arch, but it wasn't until your 5th or 6th jump you'd get to free fall before deploying.

My advice....pay attention on the "arch" instruction if you have ambitions of jumping more. That and the process for deploying a reserve. Bouncing generally sucks.

 

[FJR Steve]

Kris,

I thought your father taught you better than that. You do not jump out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft!

Good luck...and as Iggy said....120 mph is about all you'll get as far as top speed is concerned.

 

[Jagermeister]

I've jumped 6 times, and love it. It's sorta like the first time you scraped the pegs on your FJR: Giddy Adrenaline Rush.

If you're not jumping tamdem, you'll probably be required to do a static-line (Army-Style) jump, after taking a safety course. Don't try to land on two feet, or you'll limp for the next couple weeks (perhaps on crutches); Tuck & Roll is the key.

Have fun!

 

[Thug]

Man your gonna love it!! Is it a Tamden or will be escorted buy some experienced assistants? As Iggy said 300+ MPH? I don't think so! but 125MPH is pretty damn good! My Advice Listen closely to the briefing it will save your life.....and while your falling LOOK AROUND YOU !!!!!! You will not believe that you have not done this kind of thing before now!

Enjoy it man!

 

[mike25]

Second time was scarier than the first. As I was getting ready for

my third jump we watched a fellow bounce. That was the end of

my jumping career.

 

[gregory]

6 Jumps to my name, after the first, I thought that I had found my new career as an instructor. Ah well, what ya going to do? I love that I can say that I have more take offs then landings.

Best of luck and if your gonna do it, do it right and jump SOLO

Gregory

 

[2wheelingdawg]

always wanted to, i can only imagine what kind of rush it must be.

 

[norwester]

Made 165 jumps total - never done anything that fun since! Well, thats not quite true, riding the 08 FJR is always great too. Falling from a plane is really like nothing else you will ever do. Just to let you know, I sold my motorcycle (1982 Suzuki 1100ES) in order to buy my first parachute, it can be very addicting if you take it far enough!!! Blue skies and safe flight!

Norwester :yahoo:

 

[nitelife]

I haven't jumped in a couple years but I have over 100 solo jumps total. I still keep my USPA membership current. If you are not doing a tandem then you must be doing AFF (Assisted Free Fall). You will have an instructor on each side of you while you make your plunge. At one time I was spending over $200 per weekend jumping out of planes. It is highly addictive and quite costly. Have fun and report back here when you take the plunge.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Used to jump with a college group. Hang around the dz and get to know the people - most are a fun crowd and you can count on parties at somebody's place on Friday and Saturday nights. You won't be falling long enough on a static line to even make 120 mph. But it will feel like 300.

Two things to do. First, when you let go of the airplane, keep watching the plane as you go into your arch and count. From the jumper's perspective it is just totally wierd to watch the airplane fall up. Second is to make sure to do your second jump on the same day as the first. The first goes by SO fast it's a blur. The second is the one that you'll actually remember and since you've done it once.

 

[6mmbr]

after the canopy opens its so ...... quiet.

 

[rangerk9]

Army Airborne Student Question: Sergeant Airborne, if my parachute fails to open, how long do I have before I have to pull my reserve?

Sergeant Airborne's Reply: You have the REST OF YOUR LIFE AIRBORNE... the REST OF YOUR LIFE!

Have fun with your jump/s! It is truly some of the best adrenaline you can experience.

Stay safe.

Rex

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Enjoy your gift! I started jumping in '97, and I find that most people either love it or hate it from the get go. If you fall in love, be prepared to be out there bout every weekend trying to make 2 jumps or more, depending on the type of aircraft and number of jumpers that show up. You will find yourself saving every nickel and dime for those picture perfect jumping days! If you dont enjoy it, at least you will have experienced something unique and memorable.

Your first jump will probably be static line, after a few hours of ground school. You will be taught the proper body position, arch, etc, and will go thru training on possible equipment malfunctions. You will most likely have a radio strapped to your chest for the instructor to give you instructions once under open canopy. If you are jumping out of a small plane (like a Cessna 182), you will probably be climbing out onto a platform attached to the landing gear, and will be grabbing onto the strut for release. When the door is opened, you will feel a rush of sound and air, but stay relaxed. Breathe deeply to stay calm, and when the instructor signals you to exit the plane and grab onto the strut, dont look down at the ground, just concentrate on the strut and grabbing the correct spot. You will most likely be exiting around 4500 feet or so. Keep eye contact with your instructor, and when he gives you the signal to let go, take a deep breath, let go of the strut, and try to keep eye contact with the instructor as you arch and fall away. (making yourself into a large X shape works too). Sensory overload will likely be experienced as you let go, but try to stay focused on the instructor or at least the plane. It may seem like forever, but very shortly you will feel the chute opening, and then you can truly enjoy the scenery as you release brakes and fly your canopy around, with your ground instructor giving you instructions for a safe landing. You will probably be on a very large student cute (250+ sq.ft.), so your speed will be relatively slow and the landing fairly ez. Dont forget to use your landing gear (your feet) as you flare.

Hope you have a great experience! Blue skys!

Jay

'04 FJR 1300

392 jumps , jumping a Triathlon 175 in Dolphin container

 

[eeksnake]

Military FreeFall (MFF) veteran here, different animal from what you're about to embark on. (Think CBR600 to GoldWing - One is light & agile, the other a pregnant water buffalo). However, the basic act is the same (I've done both USPA and MFF).

As mentioned, you'll either love it or hate it after the first jump. If you have the presence of mind, look around on your first jump. It is so over-overwhelmingly beautiful! On my first free-fall, I nailed my exit looked straight into my instructor's face and with a face-splitting grin screamed "THIS IS ******* BEAUTIFUL!!!" :yahoo:

Oh yeah, most important piece of advice I ever received... If you're not having fun, you're doing something wrong!

 

[mattster31]

I have always wanted to do it myself, but a guy just died last week jumping from the club 1/4 mile from my house. Although, the report said his chute didn't deploy..............they are doing an autopsy to see if maybe he suffered a heart attack or seizure during the fall...........or he just had enough of life. Either way, I am not sure I am ready for that yet. Good luck. Remember, it's not the fall that kills you.............it's the sudden stop of your brain in your skull when it hits the ground.

 

[germany]

I've jumped twice - tandem both times, 8 years apart. I would recommend a tandem jump for the first jump. You get the free fall, pics & video. The free fall is intense and I know I would have been sorely disappointed with a static line as my first jump. YMMV.

Oh, an my first jump was the first time I had ever been in a plane. At it wasn't a "perfectly good plane" either. The pilot was wearing a chute!

 

[Tenchi]

Thanks everyone. I'm kinda upset but at the same time not that I'm going to have to give up the free fall (for now) because the weather and visa constraints (time of departure and whatnot) mean I can't jump solo so with a little luck... Tandem it is.

Just so most people know, it's not quite static line but it's pretty close - they have an automated chute opening device that opens at a set altitude if you don't do it yourself. They also have a second one attached to your reserve just in case. Furthermore, they have 2 big burly dudes who at the first hint of trouble pull your chute. AFF as nitelife put it, with a safety twist (Australia safety regulation requirements).

And bummer about the 120 mph instead of a 300 mph rush, but I'll take what I can get

 

[SouthernCruizer]

Thanks everyone. I'm kinda upset but at the same time not that I'm going to have to give up the free fall (for now) because the weather and visa constraints (time of departure and whatnot) mean I can't jump solo so with a little luck... Tandem it is.
Just so most people know, it's not quite static line but it's pretty close - they have an automated chute opening device that opens at a set altitude if you don't do it yourself. They also have a second one attached to your reserve just in case. Furthermore, they have 2 big burly dudes who at the first hint of trouble pull your chute. AFF as nitelife put it, with a safety twist (Australia safety regulation requirements).

And bummer about the 120 mph instead of a 300 mph rush, but I'll take what I can get

*********************

AFF is Accelerated Free Fall. Basically, you get to jump solo flanked by 2 jump masters that hold you steady in belly to earth configuration and see to it that you are altitude & attitude aware and deploy your chute at the designated altitude. The "opening" device you are referring to is an ADD (automatic deployment device), which is a last option emergency device that will deploy your chute at a certain set altitude. This is a back up only, NOT to be depended on. The rig has a RSL (reserve static line), which means that your reserve is physically attached to your risers, and if you have to cut away your main, it will pull your reserve chute in case you dont pull your reserve handle. This is all pretty basic stuff, no matter which country you are in. Hope you get to jump soon! Enjoy

Jay

'04 FJR 1300