Wife's 1st jump

[BonnieT100]

yeah... but that's a completely different type of parachute...it was made to get you down to earth as fast as possible and not kill you on impact...150 amonth extra isn't nearly enough... but then again... how many jumps a month do you make for that 150?

Depends. Some months 0, others way too many. We have to do 1 every 3 months for pay. The most I did was 3 in one month - all in the same week. Yeah, that sucked.

[acstoon]

I'm an Air force guy too... and there's no such thing as a perfectly good airplane....

I came from an Air Force family... Dad was a pilot... everything he flew was built by the lowest bidder. That might be a contributing factor as to why he started our family tradition, back in 1940.

The story goes like this:
Dad & a buddy find this parachute, at their regional airport. They know nothing about it's condition. Being reasonable, sane individuals, they decide to take turns piloting and jumping. Oh... it gets better: Neither knew anything about repacking parachutes. They made the jumps at a very small airfield, early in the morning, so no officials were around to get into trouble with.
Obviously, they were successful.

Every year, in celebration, members of my family go skydiving in tribute (or hereditary insanity). The number keeps growing, each year... my stepson will be joining us next time. Dad can no longer join us; at age 85, his emphysema restricts him to well below 10000'. Mom, however, is looking forward to next year.

[Abax]

Every year, in celebration, members of my family go skydiving in tribute

That's cool!

Abax

[ScottEPooh]

I am scared of heights too but, like you said, that altitude just doesn't compute. I hate climbing ladders but I have no problem standing on the skids of a huey several hundred meters up. I always wanted to try jumping. I was a parachute rigger in the Marine Corps so I packed a lot of them but never got to use one.

I've finally decided that I'm not afraid of heights, I'm afraid of pain. If I fall off the roof cleaning the gutters, I probably won't die, but it will just hurt alot!

[DrewO]

I am scared of heights too but, like you said, that altitude just doesn't compute. I hate climbing ladders but I have no problem standing on the skids of a huey several hundred meters up. I always wanted to try jumping. I was a parachute rigger in the Marine Corps so I packed a lot of them but never got to use one.

First, I shudder to think that my riggers never actually jumped themselves. Maybe they knew better.

Second, anyone who's ever jumped in the military has never jumped from "a perfectly good aircraft".

Third, I always felt safer jumping and landing on my own than riding it out in a helo...

[SoldierSpike]

First, I shudder to think that my riggers never actually jumped themselves. Maybe they knew better.

Second, anyone who's ever jumped in the military has never jumped from "a perfectly good aircraft".

Third, I always felt safer jumping and landing on my own than riding it out in a helo...

On point 2: It's a bad thing when you have to turn around because parts fell off your plane

On point 3: I'd much rather be in something that at least wanted to fly / glide than beat the air into submission.

Marc

[Frank McGrath]

I'm still not convinced of there being any reason to step out of a perfectly-running airplane. At least until the pilot has turned out the seat belt light at the gate.

Amen. Frank

[Riverkilt]

Always wanted to sky dive. Never wanted to land.

Once dated a lovely lass who was a sky diving enthusiast. Very skilled. Then she got drug along a barbed wire fence by the wind after landing. Scared her up badly...maybe that's why.

I do admire them that do without having to do laundry immediately after landing.

Ron

[MysticMead]

I do admire them that do without having to do laundry immediately after landing.

Ron

hehe... that's not always the case... I remember a guy who had 500+ jumps when he was asked to video a jump for a 4 man team. since he had just landed and they were on the flight that was boarding, he had to borrow a student chute... student chutes use ripcords.. his personal chute used a bottom of container throw out to deploy the chute... he couldn't find the throw out to deploy his chute (because it wasn't there..it was a ripcord DOH!) and he was fighting it all the way down... at 2000 feet the CYPRESS fired the reserve for him (gotta love those things)... he landed real fast hopped up and informed everyone he was in need of a change of clothing ....

[acstoon]

That's one time where patience is NOT a virtue!