quote:

Originally posted by TranceGrooves according to my experience in American skydiving ... you must first qualify from a 6 hour class for skydiving where you learn the basics and what to do when things go wrong and stuff of that sort. only after that you are allowed to go in the plane. your first jump HAS TO BE with a instructor and then if you still got your shit togather your second jump is solo in which your chute will automatically be deployed when you exit the plane so freefall is very short (canadian rules may be different). you will barely even feel the free fall. total cost back in days when i started jumping including class hours and stuff was $350 american dollars.

false. i jumped last year in a small town called newfane about 30 min from the rainbow bridge. your first jump is tandem and only requires about 30-60 min of ''training'' in which they tell you the dangers and how everything works. you also learn the freefall position and then you hop in the plane and jump. its 14,000 feet which is a 60 second freefall. $200 american. after that you can start advanced freefall courses where you work your way up to going completely solo.

hmm...me and a few buddies are planning a skydiving trip for this summer too. I'm gonna have a talk with them as maybe we can join this group and save a few bucks.

quote:

Originally posted by Killah Monkey Swamper, how bout supplimenting our expenses if we jump outta the plane with a TA banner?

BUMP!

^^ lol i was just gonna post that!


hm Del? 40 seconds in the air and everything

Be at the place at 9 am and it will be done at 4 pm...

Those of you that have to leave early can jump first...

More details to follow...

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Can I make a last minute decision or is the early registration really that important??

I hope that you have a great time skydiving. I did a tandem one in Vegas last November and here is a copy of what I wrote about it. Hope it won't be too boring for you.

"I was in good spirits, not really nervous despite the forms we had to fill in and the blunt, but necessary, warnings that we could die doing this and there was no insurance cover. Yeah whatever I thought. I had some good verbal tussles with the driver and was labeled the trouble maker but it was good natured banter and maybe took some of the other people’s minds off what was coming. Arrived at the centre which was run by Dale, an ex royal marine. A nice guy but I think he was a little stressed with being let down by others and his military abruptness came out a little. He was somebody I would love to have talked to in more detail. Put on my jumpsuit which I loved. It was quite snug, pulling in at all the right places and I wouldn’t have minded wearing it under my clothes if I went out that night! We had to wait for a couple of hours while others had their jumps etc but I was ok with this. As the jump drew nearer they put me in the harness, which I might add also looked wicked and made me feel like a fighter pilot (I told you I get excited about small things) and was introduced to my tandem jumper, Frank. What a great guy he was and I was keen to talk to him as I wanted him to understand how much I had been looking forward to this. I love sharing things with people and although I know that he had done this a million times before I wanted him to know that it was special to me and the reasons why. We went through the basic maneuvers and then Frank and I and N (the other guy from my party that I was doing this with) and Jim walked out to the plane. We hopped in and took up our position for the flight.

Frank and I were going to be the first ones out which pleased me and thus we were closer to the open door. I watch fascinated and at close hand as we took off and slowly made our ascent. It was so cool just looking through the door at the world below, particularly as the sun was setting and it was going to be their last jump of the day. We continued climbing which was fine by me as I wanted the maximum height for the maximum freefall. As we got closer to the jump point Frank would lean through the opening and check our relativity to the drop zone. To be honest this was the only time I felt unnerved. I didn’t mind the idea of jumping but didn’t fancy the idea of tumbling out whilst just looking over the edge. Frank was a great guy and my total confidence in him removed any thoughts of fear or worry that I might die. We got to the point and shimmied over to the open edge. Frank positioned himself on the lip of the plane with me in his lap. My feet were tucked right back so they were under the fuselage and touching the skin of the plane. My hands were folded over my chest and my head right back into his shoulder. I think he said something and then

.

.

Whoosh we were out of the plane and falling towards the ground at a fast rate of knots. I thought my mind might turn to mush but he tapped me on the shoulder and I extended my arms as I’d been told. Man what a rush. The wind was just racing past my ears yet the ground didn’t seem to be approaching. We were over a road and my eyes became fixed on this white lorry trundling along the road. It seemed so surreal that this lorry was just ordinarily driving along the road yet I was extra-ordinarily racing down through the sky towards it. At one point Frank dropped his shoulder and we seemed to race down in a swoop which was amazing. Then just as suddenly the parachute opened, my nuts were rammed up through my stomach and the roar was immediately replaced by an amazingly peaceful silence.

Frank calmly asked me what I thought and it was all I could do to stumble together a few words like amazing and incredible. It was so wonderful to look down at my feet as a point of reference and then see the ground a further 2,500 ft below them. We took our time coming down with a couple of fast spins just for fun. Frank had to unclip the two lower clasps before we could land to allow me to lift my feet up and this was a little unnerving. From taking an age to arrive suddenly the gravel drop zone came racing up and we slid in on our arses. I just sat there, awed by what I’d just done while my ears literally seemed to gurgle as the pressures within or whatever fought to rebalance themselves. Frank pulled me up and I threw my arms around N who had landed just before me. It was great to have had someone else to share it with. The van pulled up to take us back and I admit to being quite muted on the way back to the airport. We got out of our flight suits and signed the visitor’s book. I could only think of one word to say amazing but then as I walked away more words came jumbling out which I attempted to put down. I shook hands again with Frank and thanked him for everything. I gave him a $50 tip but I wasn’t sure what the going rate was and to be fair was still in a bit of a daze. The journey back to the hotel was quite somber as I was reflecting on and replaying what had happened as well as trying to rebalance my ears which were acting a little funny"

quote:

Originally posted by adi26 Can I make a last minute decision or is the early registration really that important??

Yeah, you might be able to get in, as long as the place is not busy... I can call and add you to the booking when you decide.

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quote:

Originally posted by paynebyname

That was exciting to read, but now my stomach is in knots...

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Glad you liked it. You'll have a blast. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by paynebyname I hope that you have a great time skydiving. I did a tandem one in Vegas last November and here is a copy of what I wrote about it. Hope it won't be too boring for you. "I was in good spirits, not really nervous despite the forms we had to fill in and the blunt, but necessary, warnings that we could die doing this and there was no insurance cover. Yeah whatever I thought. I had some good verbal tussles with the driver and was labeled the trouble maker but it was good natured banter and maybe took some of the other people’s minds off what was coming. Arrived at the centre which was run by Dale, an ex royal marine. A nice guy but I think he was a little stressed with being let down by others and his military abruptness came out a little. He was somebody I would love to have talked to in more detail. Put on my jumpsuit which I loved. It was quite snug, pulling in at all the right places and I wouldn’t have minded wearing it under my clothes if I went out that night! We had to wait for a couple of hours while others had their jumps etc but I was ok with this. As the jump drew nearer they put me in the harness, which I might add also looked wicked and made me feel like a fighter pilot (I told you I get excited about small things) and was introduced to my tandem jumper, Frank. What a great guy he was and I was keen to talk to him as I wanted him to understand how much I had been looking forward to this. I love sharing things with people and although I know that he had done this a million times before I wanted him to know that it was special to me and the reasons why. We went through the basic maneuvers and then Frank and I and N (the other guy from my party that I was doing this with) and Jim walked out to the plane. We hopped in and took up our position for the flight. Frank and I were going to be the first ones out which pleased me and thus we were closer to the open door. I watch fascinated and at close hand as we took off and slowly made our ascent. It was so cool just looking through the door at the world below, particularly as the sun was setting and it was going to be their last jump of the day. We continued climbing which was fine by me as I wanted the maximum height for the maximum freefall. As we got closer to the jump point Frank would lean through the opening and check our relativity to the drop zone. To be honest this was the only time I felt unnerved. I didn’t mind the idea of jumping but didn’t fancy the idea of tumbling out whilst just looking over the edge. Frank was a great guy and my total confidence in him removed any thoughts of fear or worry that I might die. We got to the point and shimmied over to the open edge. Frank positioned himself on the lip of the plane with me in his lap. My feet were tucked right back so they were under the fuselage and touching the skin of the plane. My hands were folded over my chest and my head right back into his shoulder. I think he said something and then . . Whoosh we were out of the plane and falling towards the ground at a fast rate of knots. I thought my mind might turn to mush but he tapped me on the shoulder and I extended my arms as I’d been told. Man what a rush. The wind was just racing past my ears yet the ground didn’t seem to be approaching. We were over a road and my eyes became fixed on this white lorry trundling along the road. It seemed so surreal that this lorry was just ordinarily driving along the road yet I was extra-ordinarily racing down through the sky towards it. At one point Frank dropped his shoulder and we seemed to race down in a swoop which was amazing. Then just as suddenly the parachute opened, my nuts were rammed up through my stomach and the roar was immediately replaced by an amazingly peaceful silence. Frank calmly asked me what I thought and it was all I could do to stumble together a few words like amazing and incredible. It was so wonderful to look down at my feet as a point of reference and then see the ground a further 2,500 ft below them. We took our time coming down with a couple of fast spins just for fun. Frank had to unclip the two lower clasps before we could land to allow me to lift my feet up and this was a little unnerving. From taking an age to arrive suddenly the gravel drop zone came racing up and we slid in on our arses. I just sat there, awed by what I’d just done while my ears literally seemed to gurgle as the pressures within or whatever fought to rebalance themselves. Frank pulled me up and I threw my arms around N who had landed just before me. It was great to have had someone else to share it with. The van pulled up to take us back and I admit to being quite muted on the way back to the airport. We got out of our flight suits and signed the visitor’s book. I could only think of one word to say amazing but then as I walked away more words came jumbling out which I attempted to put down. I shook hands again with Frank and thanked him for everything. I gave him a $50 tip but I wasn’t sure what the going rate was and to be fair was still in a bit of a daze. The journey back to the hotel was quite somber as I was reflecting on and replaying what had happened as well as trying to rebalance my ears which were acting a little funny"

great story!


p.s.

sky dive



it seems that pigs can actually fly!


I have this bag, but in blue, if you want to borrow it for the adventure


last but not least for all the boobie lovers!

___________________
DALLAS STAR ™ °¤§£¤y°

Treat people as if they are what they ought to be and you may help them to become what they are capable of being.

Last edited by dallastar on Jun-30-2006 at 22:10