Thinking of going skydiving this weekend - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TWeatherford · #1 10-12-2006, 08:07 PM

An opportunity has just come up to do a tandem jump with some people I don't even know. It costs $160 which this broke college student doesn't really have, but I am thinking I'll go ahead and go. How many people can say they've jumped out of a plane? There's another place that I could do a solo jump for only $50, but solo is alot different from going with a certified instructor on your back.

Any of you ever been? Whadya think? I have a healthy fear of heights, but have set up my own rappels and done it a decent amount. And whenever I fly, I have thought that it wouldn't be that hard to jump out.

It just so happens that the guy organizing the trip owns a few old MB's, and wants to talk to me about converting them to vegoil. I think it would be cool just to talk to someone who likes these old cars too, especially a college student.

Larry Delor · #2 10-12-2006, 08:35 PM

The people that I know, that have jumped, absolutely loved it. One of them has jumped many, many times. The rest all talked about doing it again soon and often.
All agree that it is great fun - I'd like to myself some day soon.

t walgamuth · #3 10-12-2006, 08:48 PM

maybe i would like to try this after i get my hip replaced.

tom w

#4 10-12-2006, 10:10 PM

Go for it, there is nothing to it and pray that you don't get a hungry chute.

dannym · #5 10-13-2006, 11:03 AM

I have done 6 jumps. I would definitely do it again if I had the chance. It's got to be the greatest rush and experience I ever had. It was totally awesome.

I never did a tandem I only did solo. I don't know how you can do a solo for $50. Personally I would advise against it.
What I did was an advanced freefall course. It cost $1,000 for 8 hours of class instruction and 7 jumps. 7 is the minimum to be certified. The first 3 jumps were with 2 instructors. After that it was with only one. During each jump you had to perform maneuvers at different difficulty levels.
Like the first jump you just practiced chute pulls, reading the altimeter and getting bearings on landing site.
The 6th jump we were doing back flips and practiced regaining control.
It was pretty cool. I still have one more jump to be certified. Maybe one day I'll get around to it.

If you want to do solo I would find out exactly what your getting into. do they give you class instruction for $50? I doubt it.
Do they actually let you jump out of a plane alone? What will you do if your chute doesn't open?
Actually I would bet you need certification and your own equipment to do this.

Danny

LaughingGravy · #6 10-13-2006, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dannym

...What will you do if your chute doesn't open?...

One answer to that, if you're solo. It's probably a very long way down when you know you're not going to make it.

Now, I say this since our neighbor's niece plummeted to her death last month, leaving behind a husband, two kids, and very grieving parents.
She was 39 or 40 years old.
I don't know the details, tandem, solo, etc. but it did happen.

Best I can say is to do it tandem with an instructor, and while you don't have kids, if you're bent on doing it. It's funny how having kids will have a much bigger factor in so many decisions, big and small.

Have fun and don't spit into the wind.

dannym · #7 10-13-2006, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LaughingGravy

Now, I say this since our neighbor's niece plummeted to her death last month, leaving behind a husband, two kids, and very grieving parents.
She was 39 or 40 years old.
I don't know the details, tandem, solo, etc. but it did happen.

I'm sorry to hear about that.
It does happen but it's extremely rare.
For a beginner you have the main chute and reserve chute w/built in altimeter. If you go past I think 700ft or so at a high rate of speed the reserve will open automatically.

There are so many different kinds of chutes. And people who do it a lot own their own equipment. I have never seen anyone with their own equipment that has that automatic safety feature.
Also the "pro's" tend to pull at a much lower altitude. And they also pack their own gear, so if there is a failure they have no one else to blame.
It's a split second decision. Do you cut away the main or do you try to fix it?
If I had to take a guess I would say she was too low to pull the reserve.

That's what the classroom training is for. We did practice over and over again. Pull cutaway cord, 2 hands straight down. Pull reserve chute, 2 hands straight down. Back into position. We probably did it over 100 times. If my chute failed I would have known exactly what to do without hesitation.

This is where I went:
http://www.skydivedeland.com/index2.htm

Danny

mikemover · #8 10-13-2006, 08:35 PM

Do it.

It will absolutely be one of the most amazing experiences of your life... One you'll talk about for years.

You might even get hooked, and start going all the time, like my buddy Tim did! In the past couple of years, he has done over 100 jumps. He's the person I did my first jump with.

Mike

t walgamuth · #9 10-13-2006, 09:59 PM

or i could wait til i am 80 like ghw bush.

tom w

TheDon · #10 10-13-2006, 10:02 PM

dang danny your all over the place, jumping out of planes, shooting targets.. diesel mercedes...

my questions is.. why jump out of a perfectly good plane.... im going to look into hang gliding

t walgamuth · #11 10-14-2006, 09:26 AM

i heard a couple of days ago that out of the three guys who invented the hang glider two are dead and the other doesnt do it anymore.

could be urban legand i suppose.

tom w

John Doe · #12 10-14-2006, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

or i could wait til i am 80 like ghw bush.

tom w

but unlike ghw bush, you won't be reliving your WWII pilot experiences, will you?

t walgamuth · #13 10-14-2006, 10:21 AM

well........since i wasnt born til 48, that would be impossible.

and i was not ridiculing him at all. i respect his ww2 experiences. i didnt care for his politics but as a man i respect him. i think he is a decent man....

not like his son.

tom w