Have you gone skydiving? Or, would you?

I did it with a bunch of people from my buddy's work.

We did the 2 hours of instruction and practice on the ground and then went up 2 at a time with the jump master. The jump master would throw out the pilot chute after you walked/crouched onto the stand and got in position.

I was scared shitless on the ride up and would have backed out if I hadn't been part of a big group.

The actual jump was sensory overload until my chute opened, then it was awesome floating down and soaking in the experience.

I would probably never do it again but loved it if that makes sense.

 

I had a girlfriend 20 years ago who was going through that mid-30s I'm-getting-old thing and wanted to go. Because she wore skirts every day -- she had a few pants, but I never saw her in them -- I told her that would be interesting for the people watching from below. As for going with her, I had no interest in doing that -- I have enough trouble with climbing down a ladder from a roof on a two-story house. I don't know if she ever went once, but she is a Facebook friend and it didn't become a hobby.

 

My mother joined the Civil Air Patrol in 1942 at the age of 11 (technically you had to be 12 to join).

In the summer of 1944, when she was 13, she did some static-line jumps (At least theoretically you were supposed to be 16 before they let you skydive). She was kind of hazy on whether she did any actual free-fall jumps (where you have to pull the cord).

My grandfather (who died before I was born) found out about it and went into orbit himself. He thought the CAP was supposed to be some girls-auxiliary thing where the girls would make sandwiches and pack the parachutes for the boys who would do the actual skydiving.

He was a fairly high honcho in local wartime materials procurement, so when he marched into the CAP commander's office, her skydiving career was pretty much over.

She kept talking about doing it again, but never did.

 

Yeah, we paid extra for a DVD of it.

So, just before each of us jumped, an employee with a camera strapped to his helmet jumped to record you. It's pretty funny to watch.

 

I went to the Army's parachuting school back in the day. Did my five and don't want to do it again. I can't afford to lose my flying career over a hard landing.

 

If I'm ever on an aircraft that is going down and I have a parachute, I'll be the first one out the door. As long as the aircraft is functioning properly, I'm perfectly content to stay right where I am.

When I was in the Navy, I had a buddy that did skydiving on the weekends. Monday rolled around one time, and he didn't show for muster. It wasn't like him at all, and I wasn't even thinking about the parachuting. Finally, I got called aside, "Do you know anything about Petty Officer Varga skydiving?" "Oh shit, is he dead?" "No, but he is in the hospital with a broken pelvis."

 

I did two static-line jumps in the fall of 1987. (For those who don't know, static-line is where the chute cord is attached to the plane and your chute pretty much opens when you jump out of the plane.)

Girlfriend and I were on the outs for a week and my brother and some of his friends were going so I said "fuck it" and joined them. When the girlfriend and I made up she was so fascinated with it that she joined us when we went two weeks later.

The static-line jumps were only from 3500 feet. Never graduated to 10,000 to 12,000 feet and free falls.

But loved the ride down both times so much. Really a great feeling. I'd recommend it. We're not meant to live forever anyway.

Got back to work and talked up the experience. A co-worker was so intrigued he went a few weeks later and shattered his ankle on landing.

 

Almost 20 years ago.
15,00 feet
10,000 of it free fall

One of the greatest experiences of my life.

I would do it again.

 

Yes and yes. I jumped twice tandem with an instructor and then one static line - like the WWII paratroopers. It was awesome.

 

Never have, but I would be willing to go.