On the 6th or March, 2005, I jumped out of a perfectly good aeroplane, at an altitude of 4,000 feet. I have to say, this was just about the s**t scariest real life situation I've ever been in.

On the way up in the plane ... my heart was beating like crazy as I anticipated that in a few moments, I'd be sat in the doorway ready to leave the safety of the plane. I could feel the fear, tangiable, racing around my viens.

I was first to jump (and sat next to the door on the way up ... oooo wot a lovely view!).

Instructor calls to me "in the door" ... I set myself up in the door (the 'door' is just a hole in the side of the plane).

So I'm sat there ... only one bum cheek in the plane ... looking forward along the outside of the plane in to 70mph winds.

As the instructor shouts "go" ... I push off with both hands and assume the position and go through the drills we did ... then look up and check canopy ...

It had opened perfectly ... you wouldn't believe the sense of relief I felt ... big square beautiful canopy above me ... wow.

Floating down to earth was lovely ... but cold on the hands (if you ever do a jump ... wear gloves!!!!).

Landed OK ... although not on the cross in the landing zone field ... so glad to have my feet on planet earth once again.

Anyway ... as we were already there ... we decided to jump again that same day (much better 2nd go).

As we drove back to Sheffield that Sunday ... I felt so (I can't find the words) kinda warm and fuzzy and great inside my gut ... happy that I did it.

Someone (at the drop zone) said to me "fear is your friend" ... and it kinda makes sense to me now. You go through whatever it is that you fear and you come out the other side stronger ... a better person.

I just can't wait to go back ... although I know I will be s**t scared again ... it's all part of the fun.

Just thought I'd share that ...

Anyone else done anything fun and exciting lately !?

I'll let you know after the quad biking, archery, air-rifle shooting and clay pigeon shooting as part of our wedding weekend, at easter :D

We're going skiing too, if the snow holds out :thumbsup:

How come you quit your job MAX !?

Originally posted by Jamie
How come you quit your job MAX !? :confused: :confused:

Out of interest Jamie was that a jump where your parashoot ? opens straight away? was it for charity or just for fun ? where was it? I would rather do a Tandem jump as you get to freefall for a bit but any info would be appreciated. cheers.

forgot to mention, I cleaned a carpet with a carpet cleaner
how good is that!

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
Out of interest Jamie was that a jump where your parashoot ? opens straight away? was it for charity or just for fun ? where was it? I would rather do a Tandem jump as you get to freefall for a bit but any info would be appreciated. cheers.

Hi Neeeeeeeeeek,

It was a solo RAPS jump, with a static line that connects the rip cord to a wire in the plane. All you have to do is exit the aeroplane and the canopy opens for you straigh away.

We did it at hibledstow (http://www.targetsky.demon.co.uk/About.htm), which is in north lincolnshire (about 60 miles from Sheffield).

We did it for 'FUN' ... hehe.

We were considering the tandem jump. You jump at 15,000 feet (and as you rightly say, you get the free fall experience). You don't need as much (any) training as you're just strapped to the instructor.

A lot of people puke on the tandem jumps ...

I wanted to do something where I was learning a skill and that had a progression to it. I also want to build up to solo free fall ...

If you do the static line jump like we did ... you can go back and do more jumps (as many as you want really) and it's a lot cheaper (£35) cos you don't need to retrain.

My advice would be:

1) Do the RAPS course, if you think you may want to take it up as a sport.

2) Wear gloves !!!

3) Don't look out of the door as you're climbing to jump altitude (it just adds to the fear factor).

4) Try and keep positive focus and deep slow breathing as you're in the plane.

I've got a £20 off voucher if you decide to do it ...

Originally posted by Strix
:confused: :confused:

Hmmm ... there was a post from max stating that he'd quit his job without a safety net ... his post suddenly vanished !!

I'm guessing it's a 'mod thang' !!

was it expensive? I nearly did a tandem jump in Bali but the plane was broken! not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, would have been the only good thing about Bali and I could ont do it! I ould much prefer to the the tandem, does the RAPS course help much in learning to jump solo? Its often cheaper to fly to Oz or Bali and do the whole couse over there than it is to do it in the uk!!!
cheers for any info,.

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
was it expensive? I nearly did a tandem jump in Bali but the plane was broken! not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, would have been the only good thing about Bali and I could ont do it! I ould much prefer to the the tandem, does the RAPS course help much in learning to jump solo? Its often cheaper to fly to Oz or Bali and do the whole couse over there than it is to do it in the uk!!!
cheers for any info,.

The RAPS course costs £195, for the day's training, membership of the british parachute assosiation and your first jump. Each subsequent jump is £35 and you progress through stages (including solo free fall ... and exiting the aeroplane backwards huddled up in a tight ball!!!).

The Tandem is £220 (I think) ... and if you want to repeat it's the same again.

The RAPS course is one way to learn solo jumping. Progression goes something like:
Cat1: Completed ground training for 1st jump.
Cat2: First jump - 1 further static line descent.
Cat3: 3 dummy rip-cord pulls.
Cat4: First free-fall (3 seconds) - 5 second delay.
Cat5: 2x10 second delays.
Cat6: 2x15 second delays.
Cat7: 2x360' turns with precision.
Cat8: ...
Dive exit.
Unstable exit.
Backloops.
Tracking and track turns.
Qualifiying jump for Catagory8.

You can also do the AFF (Accelerated Free Fall) course. About £1250, but you're straight in to free fall, you get 6 jumps and 2 instructors. Not for the feint hearted!!

I won a half-hour flying lesson as part of Hallamshire Hospital's Christmas Raffle. I've yet to take it up, but now that the nicer weather's here I think I'd better get on with it. Am very excited about that - a friend took me flying in his four-seater Mooney 201 a few years back, and it was a wonderful experience (I don't think I could quite bring myself to jump out of a plane though).

Flying a ladyfriend in a Cessna 152 on Monday around Doncaster/Finningley airport and getting underflown by a military B707 (about 1000ft separation, but seemed hell of a lot less).

Originally posted by Jamie
Hmmm ... there was a post from max stating that he'd quit his job without a safety net ... his post suddenly vanished !!

I'm guessing it's a 'mod thang' !!

Sorry about that Jamie, it wasn't a mod thang more a 'is anyone really interested' thang. You were, thanks.

Yup, just upped and left. Spent a few sleepless worrying about income stream, etc. but soon landed a new job.

Not sure if anyone else considers this exciting but I certainly do.

In the last month i've been in the houses of parliament 3 times and lobbied over 10 different MPs from the 3 major parties. I even think i managed to scare/correct Ivan Lewis' facts.

I'm going down at least opne more time this month too, so yay!

Plus expenses are great!

Wilf

Originally posted by neeeeeeeeeek
I nearly did a tandem jump in Bali

I once did a tandem jump in Darnall, but I caught my foot on the crossbar and fell heavily on my nose.

I have just returned from Kaikoura here in New Zealand where I went swimming with a pod of dolphins.

The pod had between 1 to 200 dolphins and they were leaping, somersaulting, diving and scraping down the side of you.

You could almost converse with them they were so friendly.

What an thrilling experience, something I shall never forget.

Happy Days

Originally posted by PopT
I have just returned from Kaikoura here in New Zealand where I went swimming with a pod of dolphins.

The pod had between 1 to 200 dolphins and they were leaping, somersaulting, diving and scraping down the side of you.

You could almost converse with them they were so friendly.

What an thrilling experience, something I shall never forget.

Happy Days

They don't get much better than that Pop, life's not all that bad is it :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Originally posted by PopT
I have just returned from Kaikoura here in New Zealand where I went swimming with a pod of dolphins.

The pod had between 1 to 200 dolphins and they were leaping, somersaulting, diving and scraping down the side of you.

You could almost converse with them they were so friendly.

What an thrilling experience, something I shall never forget.

Happy Days

WOW that sounds really cool PopT ... and something that I'd defo have on my list of things to do before I die.

When I was 3 ... I touched nose to nose with a dolphin at flamingo land ... very magical creatures.

I spent 6 weeks in Iraq.. Body armour, helmet, security briefing.. Job lot :)

Originally posted by max
Sorry about that Jamie, it wasn't a mod thang more a 'is anyone really interested' thang. You were, thanks.

Yup, just upped and left. Spent a few sleepless worrying about income stream, etc. but soon landed a new job.

Sounds very simular to the parachute jumping in some ways max, I mean leaping out in to the unknown and leaving your secure position behind ...

Good luck with the new job, hope you enjoy it !! :thumbsup: