# Skydiving



## ffemt128 (Mar 31, 2017)

Well it's that time of year. Taking an AFF - Assisted Free Fall course tomorrow April 1. Weather and time permitting I believe we be jumping after the class. Looking forward to this...


----------



## almargita (Mar 31, 2017)

Good luck Doug....
That's on my bucket list!

Al


----------



## Boatboy24 (Mar 31, 2017)

Good luck! You're gonna love AFF! 

We just had one of those 'indoor skydiving' places open about 15 min from the house. Wife actually wants to try it, so I think we'll have a date night soon.


----------



## JohnT (Mar 31, 2017)

Why jump??? 

That is probably a perfectly good airplane you'll be sitting in .. LOL 

Here is a great idea for guys like me....


----------



## wineforfun (Mar 31, 2017)

ffemt128 said:


> Well it's that time of year. Taking an AFF - Assisted Free Fall course tomorrow April 1. Weather and time permitting I believe we be jumping after the class. Looking forward to this...



Jumped out over the Rocky Mountains last September, went with my daughter and son. It was a BLAST. Had to go tandem but well worth it. Can't wait to go again.
You are going to love it.


----------



## Boatboy24 (Mar 31, 2017)

JohnT said:


> Why jump???
> 
> That is probably a perfectly good airplane you'll be sitting in .. LOL



There is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane. 

And, landing is just a controlled crash. So, just take that risk out of the equation.


----------



## JohnT (Mar 31, 2017)

Boatboy24 said:


> There is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane.
> 
> And, landing is just a controlled crash. So, just take that risk out of the equation.


 

Call me crazy, but given the choice I prefer crash over splat.. 

(now that would should be on a tee shirt)


----------



## Bodenski (Mar 31, 2017)

Like they say - If at first you don't succeed. . . give up skydiving! (I couldn't resist! Have fun.)


----------



## geek (Mar 31, 2017)

That is one thing I've been thinking for a long time, hopefully I get it done this Spring.


----------



## meadmaker1 (Mar 31, 2017)

Jumped twice several years ago, both static line jumps.
After seeing how excited everyone that jumped the first time, my wife decided to do a tandem jump.
Ive done a lot of fun and interesting things but id call this a life experience. If you think you can let go of or let someone push you from a plane, quit making excuses.
If you think you may not , dont give those people any money.
It wont be easyer 5,000 to10, 000 ft off the ground. Both times I went someone rode the plane back to the ground.


----------



## geek (Mar 31, 2017)

meadmaker1 said:


> Both times I went someone rode the plane back to the ground.



You mean you did chicken out Keith?


----------



## sour_grapes (Mar 31, 2017)

meadmaker1 said:


> If you think you can let go of or let someone push you from a plane, quit making excuses.
> If you think you may not , dont give those people any money.
> It wont be easyer 5,000 to10, 000 ft off the ground. Both times I went someone rode the plane back to the ground.



I must admit, it was a strange experience, standing on the landing gear of an airplane, holding onto the strut, 5000' above the ground, and thinking "And you want me to LET GO??!?!?"


----------



## AZMDTed (Mar 31, 2017)

Boatboy24 said:


> Good luck! You're gonna love AFF!
> 
> We just had one of those 'indoor skydiving' places open about 15 min from the house. Wife actually wants to try it, so I think we'll have a date night soon.



Jim, my wife and I did that at iFly in Baltimore for her birthday. It was good, definitely worth the experience but I doubt if we'll be back. The basics are easy, but control and feedback of your body to ensure the correct position without the instructors assistance was much more difficult. It probably would have taken 10 'flights' to get to the point where I could solo and do the cool stuff. I'm thinking a tandem jump would be much for fun, and certainly more bragging rights. Maybe soon, before my Term policy expires.


----------



## BlueStimulator (Mar 31, 2017)

Going on April 1st huh hmmmmmm......


----------



## geek (Mar 31, 2017)

So how much are you guys paying for this?
I called a place in CT, about 1 hour and 45 minutes drive, and their price is $225 per person and $99 for the video package if you wish to have it recorded.
They tell me they go up 14,000 feet, highest than any other company around.


----------



## Boatboy24 (Mar 31, 2017)

$225 for a tandem? That's pretty good. When I was jumping somewhat regularly 20+ years ago, tandems were $180 for the first one, IIRC. My first AFF jump was $300.


----------



## geek (Mar 31, 2017)

But that adds up if the wife wants to do it....


----------



## AZMDTed (Mar 31, 2017)

$149 at skydivebaltimore.com


----------



## meadmaker1 (Mar 31, 2017)

geek said:


> You mean you did chicken out Keith?



Lol iguess u set myself up for that.
Both times I went I jumped first, would have been a mess if I didnt jump. 
That little plan not ment for 5 people.


----------



## Mismost (Mar 31, 2017)

I jumped back in high school...45 years ago. Went to a Jump School, cost 55 bucks and you got three static line jumps. The "school" consisted of standing on top of a table and jumping onto a dirty mattress with your knees bent. Jerry, the pilot/instructor's breath smelled of whiskey and the yellow Piper airplane really was held together with duct tape and bailing wire.

When I said I jumped, that was a little misleading. I actually fell off of the wing strut trying to get back in the damn plane. Texas is a huge place with lots of open ground. Imagine my surprise at narrowly missing landing on top of a bob wire fence, but I did find a prickly pear cactus. I did not crap my pants.....but only because I was puckered up so tight!

Jerry still owes me two jumps. I just ain't found the time to go collect the debt. It all worked out. Later on in the Army when those Airborne Ranger guys came around looking for fresh meat....I KNEW I wasn't gonna jump out of another damn plane!!


----------



## jburtner (Mar 31, 2017)

IMHO Planes aren't meant to be jumped out of. Unless maybe both wings have fallen off then WTH might as well and aim for water. 

Cheers!
-johann


----------



## Boatboy24 (Apr 1, 2017)

Mismost said:


> I jumped back in high school...45 years ago. Went to a Jump School, cost 55 bucks and you got three static line jumps. The "school" consisted of standing on top of a table and jumping onto a dirty mattress with your knees bent. Jerry, the pilot/instructor's breath smelled of whiskey and the yellow Piper airplane really was held together with duct tape and bailing wire.
> 
> When I said I jumped, that was a little misleading. I actually fell off of the wing strut trying to get back in the damn plane. Texas is a huge place with lots of open ground. Imagine my surprise at narrowly missing landing on top of a bob wire fence, but I did find a prickly pear cactus. I did not crap my pants.....but only because I was puckered up so tight!
> 
> Jerry still owes me two jumps. I just ain't found the time to go collect the debt. It all worked out. Later on in the Army when those Airborne Ranger guys came around looking for fresh meat....I KNEW I wasn't gonna jump out of another damn plane!!



Your experience reminds me of the skydiving scene from the movie Fandango.


----------



## olusteebus (Apr 1, 2017)

my first jump

dangit. can't post photo. It is a picture of a soldier being kicked out of a helicopter! oh well


----------



## ffemt128 (Apr 4, 2017)

Weather didn't cooperate for jumping on Saturday. I scheduled a half day tomorrow from work and will be there at 10:00 am to complete my jump.


----------



## Mismost (Apr 4, 2017)

olusteebus said:


> my first jump
> 
> dangit. can't post photo. It is a picture of a soldier being kicked out of a helicopter! oh well



421st Med Co., Air Ambulance .....we rappelled out of helicopters back in the day, that did not bother me, I had a hold on that rope and knew I could hang on. That was actually fun. We still bitched about it, but that's what you do in the Army!


----------

