First free-fall skydive

BruteForce · Post by **BruteForce** » July 31st, 2006, 6:54 am

I realize that skydiving and/or free-fall might be old-hat for most of the folks on this board, but I just tackled my first free-fall this weekend, and it was awesome!

I thought static line was fun, but nothing really beats free-fall at 13,000 feet above the mountains in Utah (except maybe HALO, perhaps).

The drop was at 13,000 feet and canopy was opened at 4000 feet. Due to my weight (210 pounds), I dropped at 150mph.

BLUE SKIES and all smiles! :D :D :D

EvilCouch · Post by **EvilCouch** » July 31st, 2006, 10:13 am

Did you sound off with a loud and thunderous, "WHEEEEEE" ?

GSXRanger · Post by **GSXRanger** » July 31st, 2006, 10:57 am

That's awesome! Welcome to ONE of my addictions.

Did you do AFF? Tandem?

Don't worry, after you buy your rig... it isn't all THAT expensive.

Scoty · Post by **Scoty** » July 31st, 2006, 11:07 am

EvilCouch wrote:Did you sound off with a loud and thunderous, "WHEEEEEE" ?

Too fucking funny...hehehe

Looon · Post by **Looon** » July 31st, 2006, 11:14 am

Since all the jump freaks are present, what's the weight limit these days?

Ive been wanting to try it once, but if I had to do a tandem, Im sure Id have to wear the guy like a ruck on my back.

BruteForce · Post by **BruteForce** » July 31st, 2006, 12:45 pm

Ranger EvilCouch said: "Did you sound off with a loud and thunderous, "WHEEEEEE" ?"

Umm.. after hitting the air, looking straight down from 13,000 feet, I believe the first words out of my mouth (and my video may confirm), were something like "fuckin' EH!" :D

GSXRanger: It was a tandem jump. I already have jumps 2 and 3 reserved for mid-August, so I can quickly move up to my first solo on jump #4.

Ranger Luna: I may be incorrect here, but I know my check-in weight of 208 was frowned upon. First, they had to get a tandem jump master that was of similiar weight, and most of their staff were in the 170 range, secondly (and I may be wrong here too), I believe I read that the max. weight of the reserve chute was somewhere around 400 pounds, so the combined weight of the "passenger" and tandem master had to be >= 400.

On the tandem/ruck aspect, it was easily the most frightening thing I've done thus far, purely because I had to absolutely trust the tandem jump master to 1) open the chute, 2) not un-harness my ass on descent. This was easily one of the rare occassions where I was completely at someone else's mercy.

I'll be glad to get my 5 jumps out of the way to go solo, but at least jump #4 is without being strapped to a tandem jump master.

GSXRanger · Post by **GSXRanger** » July 31st, 2006, 1:20 pm

utahlanman wrote:
Ranger EvilCouch said: "Did you sound off with a loud and thunderous, "WHEEEEEE" ?"
Umm.. after hitting the air, looking straight down from 13,000 feet, I believe the first words out of my mouth (and my video may confirm), were something like "fuckin' EH!" :D

GSXRanger: It was a tandem jump. I already have jumps 2 and 3 reserved for mid-August, so I can quickly move up to my first solo on jump #4.

Ranger Luna: I may be incorrect here, but I know my check-in weight of 208 was frowned upon. First, they had to get a tandem jump master that was of similiar weight, and most of their staff were in the 170 range, secondly (and I may be wrong here too), I believe I read that the max. weight of the reserve chute was somewhere around 400 pounds, so the combined weight of the "passenger" and tandem master had to be >= 400.

On the tandem/ruck aspect, it was easily the most frightening thing I've done thus far, purely because I had to absolutely trust the tandem jump master to 1) open the chute, 2) not un-harness my ass on descent. This was easily one of the rare occassions where I was completely at someone else's mercy.

I'll be glad to get my 5 jumps out of the way to go solo, but at least jump #4 is without being strapped to a tandem jump master.

Glad to see you are doing the Tandem Instructor route. You will learn SO much VERY quickly that way... AFF is fast too, but it is easier IMO when you are riding a tandem rig.

Congrats! Can't wait to read about your first solo jump. Are you going all the way to your A license?

Looon · Post by **Looon** » July 31st, 2006, 1:21 pm

Well I guess unless they can find a 5th grader to tandom with me, Im SOL. I take up 300 of those 400 lbs you were talking about.

Horned Toad · Post by **Horned Toad** » July 31st, 2006, 1:51 pm

Ranger Luna wrote:Well I guess unless they can find a 5th grader to tandom with me, Im SOL. I take up 300 of those 400 lbs you were talking about.

its easy, jump, arch hard, pull the handle when the dial says to :D

BruteForce · Post by **BruteForce** » July 31st, 2006, 2:02 pm

GSXRanger: Congrats! Can't wait to read about your first solo jump. Are you going all the way to your A license?

Yes.. I've even started to price out my own gear. I've been wanting to do this for 12 years, but having kids and my wife's past aversion to my many "risks" precluded me from jumping. Now that my oldest son is 12, and I've confirmed my life insurance will cover my family, it's time to get these things done before I'm too old.

On an unrelated note, I just moved back to Utah from the south end of Watsonville.. loved Laguna Seca, the Highway 1 drive to/from Sand City & Monterrey. Excellent place to live, if you can afford it! Hopefully you're enjoying the Bay and everything that area has to offer while you're still posted at DLI.

[/quote]

GSXRanger · Post by **GSXRanger** » August 1st, 2006, 12:03 pm

utahlanman wrote:
GSXRanger: Congrats! Can't wait to read about your first solo jump. Are you going all the way to your A license?
Yes.. I've even started to price out my own gear. I've been wanting to do this for 12 years, but having kids and my wife's past aversion to my many "risks" precluded me from jumping. Now that my oldest son is 12, and I've confirmed my life insurance will cover my family, it's time to get these things done before I'm too old.

On an unrelated note, I just moved back to Utah from the south end of Watsonville.. loved Laguna Seca, the Highway 1 drive to/from Sand City & Monterrey. Excellent place to live, if you can afford it! Hopefully you're enjoying the Bay and everything that area has to offer while you're still posted at DLI.

[/quote]

It's beautiful out here, that's for sure. I am really not looking forward to going back to N.C. after here... that is gonna suck.

As for gear, you can find some very good deals out there on a student rig. That will do you for a while, until you get good and find your niche.
I really like to do do relative work... but, my aversion to the cocaine crowd keeps me from really getting competitive. I have backed off jumping for a while now, HH6 says I have "too many hobbies". My latest addiction is the form of 1000cc's of main line speed... and this little track called ThunderHill Raceway...

I don't know your size... (weight) but, get a chute matched to you. The worst thing you can do as a new skydiver is get a chute that is too small and fast for you. Recipe for injury. Also, don't skimp on the AAD... money well spent.

As for containers... find one that fits your torso and is comfortable.

Keep us informed... it is a great sport, and alot of great people are in the community.

BruteForce · Post by **BruteForce** » August 1st, 2006, 12:24 pm

My latest addiction is the form of 1000cc's of main line speed... and this little track called ThunderHill Raceway...

I know the symptom.. My other passion is offroading, in the form of 4 wheel ATV's. My recent purchase was a 750cc Kawasaki Brute Force. It can tackle everything from 90+ mph on a dirt road (with a slight mod), to climbing almost straight up (with the assist of my 2ton winch!

)

On sky-diving, my local "SkyDive Utah" shop offers rental chutes (with re-pack) for a mere $20.00, so I may stick with that for a bit, if their chutes are acceptable.

GSXRanger · Post by **GSXRanger** » August 1st, 2006, 12:31 pm

utahlanman wrote:
My latest addiction is the form of 1000cc's of main line speed... and this little track called ThunderHill Raceway...
I know the symptom.. My other passion is offroading, in the form of 4 wheel ATV's. My recent purchase was a 750cc Kawasaki Brute Force. It can tackle everything from 90+ mph on a dirt road (with a slight mod), to climbing almost straight up (with the assist of my 2ton winch! )

On sky-diving, my local "SkyDive Utah" shop offers rental chutes (with re-pack) for a mere $20.00, so I may stick with that for a bit, if their chutes are acceptable.

20 bucks plus re-pack is a good price. Most rental gear is newer, and in good service... start learning how to pack now... It will save you time in the future..

One day, you can get your FAA Rigger's license and pack reserves... that will help pay for your addiction.

As for Dirt... there is a little place called Hollister Hills. I go out there with my friends on saturdays and ride a bit of dirt. I have a CRF450 that I play around on...

Headoutdaplane · Post by **Headoutdaplane** » August 5th, 2006, 2:55 pm

Buy used for you first rig for sure, there are a lot of good rigs out there for not so much check dropzone.com also Skydive Chicago is selling their student rigs from last year. AAD is a really, really, really, good idea. Welcome to a sport that will suck suck up all of your cash and a lot of your credit, but will guaranty new friends wherever you travel. Don't downsize too soon and don't start hook turns until you are ready and have had a lot of instruction, they are the number one killer in our sport, percentage wise more than number two and three combined.

ArmyRanger.com

First free-fall skydive

First free-fall skydive

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