Sky Diving = Crazy Fun!

[Woppy V]

Saturday some family members and friends finally made it to the runways after months of coordinating to do some tandem jumping. We went to West Point, Va and pretty much had the time of our lives.



All day we were smiles and laughs with no anxiety or fear of the jump. We all really wanted and had 2 rock-paper-scissors 2 see who'd be first. I won! We put on our flight suits, harnesses, and hopped in the plane. The whole way up we were laughing and teasing one another till we got to 14,000 feet and it was time to fly. At this point I am 100% cool and excited to go.



And then I got to the door.



HOLY CRAP! It is the only time in my life were I literally went breathless. Starring 14,000 feet down the airport looked like a freakin postage stamp. The guy I was strapped to thought I was nuts cause I never stopped moving forward. He yelled that he wasn't ready yet and to hold on... but if I had to sit at the corner of that door any longer I was gonna kill him. Luckily he got situated and said "ready" and whoosh... Out the door we went.



60 seconds of free fall time...

7 minutes of glide time...

& a smooth landing...



I literally ran to the cashier and asked if I could go again. It is that much fun!



99% of the excitement is the Door. Pure panic and horror hit me like a freight train carrying army explosives and damn if I didn't like it!



I 100% suggest that everyone does that jump! It was awesome



Hopefully, I'll have some pics up here so you can see my goofy self in the over used flight suit!



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Then the after party happened.

These adrenaline junkies party just as hard as they free fall...

It's an entire subculture of individuals that I personally believe someone should do a documentary on because it is very fascinating. I'm young and able to keep up with the best of them but these people have some kinda alpha gene and go nuts when the daylight ends. After witnessing and partaking in the "festivities" I haven't a clue how they were able to wake up the following day, brush off, and go back at it. Sunday I spent recovering like I had a pre historic plague or something.



Pics from the party I will not be posting...









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Also, learned some interesting facts...

The first person to ever jump from a plane - was a female.

And the lady with the most free fall time- over 16,000 jumps - leaps outa West Point, Va and looks like your everyday grandmother!

 

[EddieS'04]

I have often thought, I would like to do it once in my life..

 

[Bill V]

I'd love to do it, and have looked into it--but unfortunately, every place around here has a 220 pound weight limit. When I'm on it, my scale hasn't seen the 220 pound mark in over ten years...

 

[Anthony Starcev]

How old do you gotta be to do that? I was hoping to do it on my 18th birthday next year...and how much does it cost about?

Sounds like a blast

 

[Woppy V]

pretty sure you have to be 18 and a couple hundred bucks...



we had a friend over 220lbs. he worked a deal with the business owners somehow... but I think you can over 220 if you go solo.

 

[Mark S 3]

I jumped a dozen times before deciding the hobby was too expensive for me. Definitely great fun, and something that everybody should experience at least once in their life. If you enjoyed the tandem jump, find out what it would take to go solo. Usually they put on a day long course, and then let you go for it. At my old jump site they'd start you off with paper pulls and work your way up from there until eventually you're releasing your own pilot chute.



Not sure what can be done about the weight limit. I've never had to ask, but they must have larger rigs at some of the schools.

 

[Darrel Chaney01]

I don't see jumping out of a perfectly good plane.:lol: Just kidding, but I had to say it.

 

[Darrell Miller]

I did it. My mind blew for the first several seconds I was out of the plane. Once my head got over the fact that I had just jumped out of a plane, it was great. I probably wouldn't do it again, but am glad I did it once. And, yes, the adrenalin high on that day is unbelievable.



For what's it worth, my step-father went on the same day and was definitely more than 220.