Skydiving

[Jbo]

Curious how many CP'ers have gone skydiving tandem or solo. My buddy is trying to convince me to go out in Vernon...but just the thought has my heart racing.

Seems like one of those bucket list things you have to try before you die. Any thoughts/comments or experiences anyone can share about going?

Any things I should look for ( or look out for)in a good place?

[CaptainCrunch]

There's another thread from not that long ago that has all of that information, you might want to search that one out.

As far as Sky diving, I've done it both through the military and civilian, and I don't do tandem because I don't like the idea of some dude grinding on me at 10,000 feet.

[Jbo]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

There's another thread from not that long ago that has all of that information, you might want to search that one out.

As far as Sky diving, I've done it both through the military and civilian, and I don't do tandem because I don't like the idea of some dude grinding on me at 10,000 feet.

I would rather dude grind on me then be forced to do it myself the first time haha

[CaptainCrunch]

Been to prison lately have you?

[Jbo]

Found the other thread...sorry to start an old topic...CC int he other thread you mention safety records of places...any recommendations so i can look this up?

[GreenLantern]

The grinding is the only reason I go sky diving.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by J-bo09

Found the other thread...sorry to start an old topic...CC int he other thread you mention safety records of places...any recommendations so i can look this up?

Going from memory

Skydiving Ranch had a questionable safety record and I believe a few really high profile accidents. I don't even know if there in business anymore.

[Cowperson]

About 10 years ago, a guy named Slug told me to let go of a perfectly good airplane at 3,500 feet or so over Drum . . . . so I did.

My heart beat didn't bump at all as I went out and then let my feet flutter out behind me as I held onto the wing strut. Seriously, that was fun and it didn't bother me at all to look down and see nothing but air.

Slug told me to let go, so I did a very nice butterfly, looked up and saw the plane rapidly receding and then snap, the chute opened and my feet were unexpectedly and almost instantly pretty much straight up over my head, meaning I was in danger of doing a loop-de-loop and getting tangled up in the lines. The heart rate went from zero to a billion an instant later.

But the feet flopped back down where they should be. The heart rate went down again.

Then I got a little cocky, pulling harder and harder on one of the control handles, a guy on the ground encouraging me in a earpiece. So I'm spinning around and around and feeling pretty good and then look over and see the right side of the chute starting to collapse. So up goes the heart rate again in an instant and I ease off on the handle, finally noticing the guy on the ground was getting a little frantic. I guess I'd tuned him out.

Then he guided me over some very ugly looking hydro electric wires - the big voltage kind, six or eight wide, and I'm thinking he's got it out for me because I'm not so far from the ground now . . . . . but, it was all to line me up with the landing zone where I plopped down with no problem.

Generally, aside from those two incidents, I actually found it pretty boring and haven't done it since. Scratch that off.

Been there, done it.

Cowperson

[DownhillGoat]

If you're just doing it as a bucket list item and not trying to get your solo jump certificate, go tandem. You get the full 10000 ft instead of 3000. The free fall is the best part, IMO.

I'd recommend Vertical Extreme, and my experience is posted in the other thread.

[ma-skis.com]

it's pretty sweet, definitely do it, the adrenaline rush is unreal. Even tandem, from 8000 or 10 000 whatever, was sweet because you get to experience freefall for much longer.