Anyone jump out of a perfectly safe airplane? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rickg · #1 07-28-2003, 03:57 PM

I went parachuting twice back in 1986, and loved it! But my meager finances at the time didn't allow me to keep it up as a hobby. Now I could afford it, but have the "first jump" cold feet all over again.

After that first jump, I think I had a perma-grin for the whole next week. What a rush!

Zeus · #2 07-28-2003, 04:32 PM

My buddies and I did it after the last day of high school, when we all graduated. Lots of fun.

jassz · #3 07-28-2003, 10:55 PM

We live right next to a parachute club and all day long I can hear their screams of terror as they plummet to the ground.

My husband says they're having a GOOD time, but I can't imagine HOW?!

I like you Rick, if you want a thrill, why not try something like, oh, lawnbowling or something??:p

rickg · #4 07-29-2003, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jassz
We live right next to a parachute club and all day long I can hear their screams of terror as they plummet to the ground. My husband says they're having a GOOD time, but I can't imagine HOW?!

I like you Rick, if you want a thrill, why not try something like, oh, lawnbowling or something??:p

LMAO!!

I should tell "the rest of the story" on this.
As far back as I can remember my older brother has always said he wanted to try skydiving. I always thought he was nuts!! Then about 1985 my dad goes out and does it with some of his Boeing buddies!

(Dad was 60 years old in 1985). He just keeps telling my brother and I that we all need to go and do it together some time. Yeah, right dad!

So, anyway, my dad and my brother finally wear me down. OK! I'll try it ONCE!! (BTW, I won't even get on a stupid ferris wheel!) So we go down to the jump center. We get to sign this big long disclaimer that says stuff like "I understand that the human body is not designed to withstand high speed impact", or something to that effect.
We go thru a 6 hour class on how to survive this stupid stunt.
Then up we go. They have the heaviest person jump first, down to the lightest. I'm the lightest. The plane we're in reminded me of an old Volkswagon Bus with wings. As each person jumps out, the whole plane kind of rocks around a bit. Then the jumpmaster points at me. I'm next! Now what you get to do is, sit on the edge of the doorway, put your feet on what looks like an oversized motorcycle pedal, stand up, reach out and grab the wing strut. Then take your feet off the pedal. You are now flapping in the breeze. You look over at the jump master, he signals "GO!" You let go, asume the position, such as it is. All I remember is saying over and over "OPEN! OPEN!" It finally does. then the biggest rush I've ever had!! The 4 minute descent was a blast!!!!!! Perfect landing, too!
Everyone has to do this at least once!

jassz · #5 07-29-2003, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Then about 1985 my dad goes out and does it with some of his Boeing buddies! (Dad was 60 years old in 1985).

I think maybe I'll wait till I'm 60, thanks. That seems to be when you finally loose all your inhibitions. My mother smoked a joint at age 60, but that's another story.

#6 07-29-2003, 01:12 PM

I was Army Airborne and have 3 herniated discs to prove it, anything for an extra few bucks a month.

axlechassis · #7 07-29-2003, 02:21 PM

I think flying the airplane is alot more fun. (spins, loops rolls, hammerhead turns) now thats fun! Jumping out of them is pretty darned scary.

rdanz · #8 07-29-2003, 02:49 PM

A friend of mine is a pilot for a major airline and he once told me anyone that jumps out of a plane thats not about to crash is nuts.

rickg · #9 07-29-2003, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rdanz
A friend of mine is a pilot for a major airline and he once told me anyone that jumps out of a plane thats not about to crash is nuts.

You don't have to be, but it helps!

#10 07-29-2003, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rickg
You don't have to be, but it helps!

Yip

if your chute doesn’t open you have the rest of your life to think about it.

rickg · #11 07-30-2003, 10:33 AM

Surprisingly, it's actually a relatively safe sport anymore. (I think there's more injuries and fatalities from bungee jumping) The place I jumped at had been in operation for about 15 years when I went. They had only one injury, and no fatalities up till then. There was a fatality about a year after I went, but the coroner decided the fella had a heart attck on the way down, so never opened his chute.
There's a magazine we used to get for the sport, and in every issue they listed all the accidents around the world from jumping every month, and what the reason was for the accident. Most of the fatalities you hear about are from hot-shots that don't carry a back-up chute, and do the "stunt diving" of one form or another. I think it's just down right stupid not to wear a back-up chute!!