Skydiving

monkie

monkie

New member
Have any of you guys here been skydiving before? I can't think of anything else more fun than skydiving. Man, I've got to try it soon. I've been watching videos on youtube and I could feel butterflies in my stomach already.

Anybody know a good place to skydive in the upper midwest like Wisconsin and Minnesota?:D
 
I've done it 4 times. I was more than half the way to getting certified when the last jump made me rethink it. When the chute opened I jerked my back pretty hard. It wasn't an easy landing.

It's an awesome feeling, both in freefall and under the canopy. I especially like the 2nd lesson where you put your hands by your side, point your toes, and essentially turn into a human missile and hit 210 mph!! My instructor said it was the best he'd ever seen a beginner do their 1st try. I also had to deploy my chute early because I had manuvered over a hill and changed my saftey zone by about 1000 feet.

It's really fun and there is no experience like it. It will change your outlook on life forever! Seriously!!

Just don't forget that it is also extremely dangerous and anything can go wrong. It will also void your life and medical insurance, so keep that in mind.
 
PhilGood said:
I've done it 4 times. I was more than half the way to getting certified when the last jump made me rethink it. When the chute opened I jerked my back pretty hard. It wasn't an easy landing.

It's an awesome feeling, both in freefall and under the canopy. I especially like the 2nd lesson where you put your hands by your side, point your toes, and essentially turn into a human missile and hit 210 mph!! My instructor said it was the best he'd ever seen a beginner do their 1st try. I also had to deploy my chute early because I had manuvered over a hill and changed my saftey zone by about 1000 feet.

It's really fun and there is no experience like it. It will change your outlook on life forever! Seriously!!

Just don't forget that it is also extremely dangerous and anything can go wrong. It will also void your life and medical insurance, so keep that in mind.
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Wow!~Man, I really got to try it. Which drop zone did you went to? How much did it cost you?

Does it always jerk you hard every time the chute opens? Can it cause serious injuries?

Say, if I want to have more than one Tandem jump or any other jump per day, do I have to pay for every single jump? If I want to get certified, can I finish the different levels on different dates? For example, Level 1 in March, Level 2 in April, Level 3 in May and so on and get certified in August?

I appreciate the replies.:D
 
Well, lets see. This was a while ago and I live in California.

I did the "accelerated freefall" lessons in Taft, which is off the 99 in mid California. The cost back then was $250 for the first jump, $200 for the next two and $150 for each jump after that. 7 jumps done correctly gets you certified and each jump thereafter on your own was like $40 for the ride and $25 for equipment rental, unless you bought your own stuff. After you get certified and own your own gear its kind of affordable.

No, it doesn't normally jerk you when the chute deploys, but in this case there was a bit of wind, so I'm certain I was pulled sideways a bit. It wasn't bad once I was on the ground, but it scared me. I was planning on starting up again, but after being married I have to rethink priorities.

I don't recommend a tandem jump. That's for folks who only want one jump and want to get it over with quickly and cheaply. If your serious about it, go for the certification, even if you don't finish. You will learn much more and the experience will be greater because you have a greater amount of control in the event. You will learn what a "dirt dive" is. You will learn the hand signals, what to do in an emergency situation, how to manuever, etc. You will be in charge of your own chute, flight and your own landing (with the help of a headset radio in the helmet). You have one month in between jumps to complete the certification. YMMV and cost may be different in your area.

It's just much more exciting!

Oh, and plan on landing on your butt the first time, not your feet. It just works out that way.:D
 
Also, different schools use different techniques and altitudes. Some are from 4000 feet and use a trip line with round chutes. That SUCKS!

Find a school that will drop you from at least 13,500 feet or higher and uses "open celled" chutes. That will give you a full 60 seconds of free fall and about 11-12 minutes in controlled flight under the canopy, depending on what size they give you.

You fall at about 120 mph.

In the "forward motion" lesson you'll hit about 200 mph if you're good.
 
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