Would you jump from a perfectly good airplane?

woodstock

woodstock

Final Approach
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
9,342
Location
Out of a suitcase
Display Name
Display name:
iTravel
A coworker came up to my office today and said that he and a few others are going skydiving soon (one coworker already is getting all his certs, and convinced his friends here it was a good idea.)

Anyway, they are inviting me along. I'm flattered I'm the only female they asked (I think). Would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane?
 
One Friday in 1992 I signed up to go jumping with a bunch of coworkers the following weekend. That weekend Hurricane Andrew came and wrecked the city. I figured that was a pretty good omen that I should not sign up to skydive again.
 
I did a static line jump from a 182 at 3500' AGL on my 19th birthday, and I had an absolute blast. I would definitely do it again! In fact, I tried to do a tandem jump about 1 1/2 years ago, but unfortunately I'm a bit too heavy. So, I'll have to lose a good bit of weight, pay twice as much for the "Accelerated Free-Fall" jump, or just work on trimming down to a healthy weight and be satisifed with flying the planes instead of jumping out of them. I'll let you guess which one I choose?
 
Go for it! I did it once in a tandem jump. It was fun. I have to admit, the main reason I liked it was we got to fly, and I was not a pilot at that time. Still, if you do it once, at least you'll know what its like. I doubt its any more dangerous than what we all do.
 
Not me..

when my grandfather found out I was learning to fly, that was one of the first questions he asked me... my response was basically "why would I jump out of a perfectly good airplane?"...

I'd much rather fly it...
 
sbonek said:
Not me..

when my grandfather found out I was learning to fly, that was one of the first questions he asked me... my response was basically "why would I jump out of a perfectly good airplane?"...

I'd much rather fly it...
Click to expand...
The operative word, of course, is "perfectly good." I know a guy who is really into skydiving. And judging from the way he maintains his airplane, it's a good thing, too!!
 
Only if I can do AFF without someone strapped to my back. Static like is for wusses, and come on, I've gone cliff diving before, it's not like I'm going to wig out on the way down.
 
*imaging ed screaming and crying like a little girl* :rofl:
 
I would say, go for it!

Did as a youngster in the military; of course, they can make anything a chore. Always thought it would be fun as a civilian, but haven't gotten around to it. Has to be more fun without all the equipment.

Last jump I made was off the tail gate of a C-130 at night with a full moon. Wind pushed all of us into the woods. My feet never touched the ground. Chute just caught up in a tree and stopped me about three feet high. Glad I didn't have to retrieve that chute; that wouldn't have been fun.

Best,

Dave
 
I jump from a perfectly good airplane at the conclusion of every flight ... right after shutdown and secure checklists are complete... and that's as far as I'm going to go!
 
tonycondon said:
..no..
Click to expand...

I had strongly considered taking a few jumps when I was flying acro based on the notion that I'd rather learn how it works at a point in time where I'm not forced to. But I never got around tuit either. One disincentive was the rather high death rate at the jump club (about 1 per year) operating out of the same airport as I was learning to fly sailplanes.
 
I've always wanted to do that. A friend of mine did it a few months ago. She had a blast. One of these days I'm going to try it.
 
Ah...yeah. Did it for a long time. None of the airplanes were really that perfectly good either.
 
Do not hesitate!

You will find it to be a life changing experience (in a good way)!

I did a tandem a few years ago with an organization in New Zealand which belonged to a friend... I don't think I have yet to actually touch the ground since! We jumped from 12,500, freefell for 7500', and the 5000' ride under the canopy was even more exciting than the freefall!

I would strongly encourage you to try it!

Remember- "FEAR IS ABUSE OF THE IMAGINATION!", (author unknown)
 
I did a tandem jump on a lark a long time ago. It was one of those things I had to try at least once. I thought it was fun, and worth it.
 
Tandem jump? Is that when two jumpers exit the aircraft simultaneously almost guaranteeing a tangled mass of parachutes, suspension lines, risers, equipment lowering lines and personal equipment? :dunno:
 
Ah, nope. The option of skidiving was posed to me 10 years ago as a birthday present, I responded pretty much with, "and why (add with the title of this thread)?"

The second option posed to me that day was an intro ride in a Cessna 152. The rest is history.
 
I did 4 static line jumps. It is a blast. I think everyone should do it once. When I told my wife I wanted to learn to fly planes it was decided (her) that I could not jump out of them any more.
 
woodstock said:
Would you jump out of a perfectly good airplane?
Click to expand...

Nearly 200 times :D , although is has been a while.

My experience is that there is no middle ground. You will either love it or hate it.

When you are in free fall you are fully aerodynamic. You can do everything an airplane can do except maintain altitude (or go back up).
 
Fast n' Furious said:
Tandem jump? Is that when two jumpers exit the aircraft simultaneously almost guaranteeing a tangled mass of parachutes, suspension lines, risers, equipment lowering lines and personal equipment? :dunno:
Click to expand...

When I had a student who was experiencing dificulty maintaining control or stability, I would grab his harness and we would exit together. By holding him, I could overpower his instability and show him how to control his "flight".

One of those students had never domonstrated enough stability to make any non-static line jumps. I pulled his chute for him before I let him go.

The "tandem jump" didn't exist when I was an active jumper.
 
I thought about it once. My Mom wanted me to go along with her when she did a tandem jump on her 80th birthday. I had to take a pass. She had a blast though, should have taken her back the next year. Maybe when I turn 80 I'll go. If nothing else it'll scare the h*ll out of the kids.
Ron
 
I would like to do it sometime. Although I would review the risks and take a look at the jump school first.
 
OBTW, there was a local newscaster, rather popular, named Jim Gardner here in the Philly area back in the 70's- early 80's. A real fixture (Back to you, Jimbo!). Well, he had one of those 7pm Sunday evening shows, local filler stuff, for which he decided to take up skydiving.

Long and short of it (most of the Philly folks here will have heard this one), the going local joke was:

"What was the last thing to go through Jim Gardner's head?"

"His feet"

Not very funny. Kind of stuck with me though. Ain't no way I'm doin' that sh$#! No way!
 
I would consider it, and have considered it, but my chiro, my doctor, and everyone else that knows my back told me to not even think about it! :(
 
At various points in my past I tossed skydivers for Chambersburg, PA and Smith Mountain Lake, VA/Swan Creek, NC. Folks at the later operation once offered me a free tandem jump (the instructor offered to comp the jump, the chute packer offered to comp the repack, and another skydiver offered me his rig).

I declined.
 
I'd do it. A couple friends have been promising for the last couple years to take me, but haven't made good as of yet.
 
etsisk said:
I would consider it, and have considered it, but my chiro, my doctor, and everyone else that knows my back told me to not even think about it! :(
Click to expand...
Tom, I've considered it too, but my bad back (ankylosing spondylitis) makes me think it might not be a good idea, especially the part when the chute opens and you kinda get jerked around.
 
As our SgtMajor in Army ROTC put it - "Two things fall from the sky. Bird s*** and fools!"

Enough said.
 
Diana said:
Tom, I've considered it too, but my bad back (ankylosing spondylitis) makes me think it might not be a good idea, especially the part when the chute opens and you kinda get jerked around.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's the show-stopper right there. And my chiropractor has jumped out of planes, so he knows what he's talking about. :(

And dang, Bruce said I shouldn't do aerobatics, either. :(
 
So if I'm flying a not so perfectly good airplane should I jump?

I've cliffed dived headfirst into 18' of water (58' my highest), surfed big waves, repelled down 1,000' sheer rock walls, free climbed those same walls, free dived to 192', skied in white out conditions, speared Ulua in open water with Tigers circling in the distance, and sailed in Force 12 seas...but I'll not jump out of an airplane.

A man has to know his limitations.
 
One of the few relatively-inexpensive adrenaline junkie-type things I've never done. Frankly I think I'll keep it that way, I've pretty much used up my nine lives :redface: Hanging 100 feet below a helicopter 4000 agl is bad enough :eek:
 
Ghery said:
As our SgtMajor in Army ROTC put it - "Two things fall from the sky. Bird s*** and fools!"

Enough said.
Click to expand...

Paratroopers since the beginning know that the only things holding up a chicken's ass are dirty, filthy, stinking legs.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top