Any fellow skydivers here?

[iBBB]

I just got my A-License last week and am at the earliest stages of discipline development. Any other panther-bros who jump as well?

Here is my check dive before the A:

 

[Anybodyhome]

Looks to me to be a perfectly good airplane. Why jump out of it?

[iBBB]

3 minutes ago, Anybodyhome said:

Looks to me to be a perfectly good airplane. Why jump out of it?

Because skydiving is the single most awesome experience I have ever had. I don't blame you though. It is very different looking from outside in, but once you start jumping, it becomes as second nature as going swimming. 

[Jackofalltrades]

I really want to, it's been a dream for a long time but I don't know if I can without destroying my knees and/or back. 

[Ja Rhule]

Nice!!!  I'm certified scubadiver...  I was going to get my pilot license and sky diving license but wife said only if I want to be single again...  

[iBBB]

8 hours ago, Jackofalltrades said:

I really want to, it's been a dream for a long time but I don't know if I can without destroying my knees and/or back. 

What makes you think this would destroy your knees/back? As soon as you start landing, you realize how easy it is to land on your feet with minimum impact. If you can step off a bus without injuries, you'll be alight. 

6 hours ago, Hammerin'Cameron34 said:

I just feel like if I ever did the parachute would fug up. If I knew for absolutely sure when I pull the cord ill float harmlessly to the ground Ill do it lol

It sounds like someone needs to leave that comfort zone and explore. There are no absolute sures in life or skydiving, but that's what makes it fun. 

4 hours ago, ARSEN said:

Nice!!!  I'm certified scubadiver...  I was going to get my pilot license and sky diving license but wife said only if I want to be single again...  

Nice. Maybe you tell her its time for her to face her fears and do a tandem jump? lol

[Ja Rhule]

27 minutes ago, iBBB said:

What makes you think this would destroy your knees/back? As soon as you start landing, you realize how easy it is to land on your feet with minimum impact. If you can step off a bus without injuries, you'll be alight. 

It sounds like someone needs to leave that comfort zone and explore. There are no absolute sures in life or skydiving, but that's what makes it fun. 

Nice. Maybe you tell her its time for her to face her fears and do a tandem jump? lol

Ha!  She afraid of heights...  No way.

[KSpan]

Congrats on earning your license! I went once with my wife and it was fun - I had my own altimeter and pulled the cord myself - but I'm fine not doing it again. That said, I'm sure it's a totally different experience at the level you're at vs. somebody like myself doing a tandem dive.

[Anybodyhome]

19 hours ago, iBBB said:

Because skydiving is the single most awesome experience I have ever had. I don't blame you though. It is very different looking from outside in, but once you start jumping, it becomes as second nature as going swimming. 

was.... being..... facetious.

[cookinwithgas]

I did it when I was 21 or so and it was an amazing experience. I recommend everyone try it at least once.

[Jimmy]

That's awesome

 

[Jackofalltrades]

16 hours ago, iBBB said:

What makes you think this would destroy your knees/back? As soon as you start landing, you realize how easy it is to land on your feet with minimum impact. If you can step off a bus without injuries, you'll be alight. 

I have 2 rods and 22 screws in my thoracic spine so biological shock absorption is nonexistent. My knees have been problematic for a long time. I need surgery on all of them again so part of me says to just throw caution to the wind and live out a dream. 

[Sam]

Okay,  I am a long time lurker here at the huddle.  I would rather read than write but but wanted to briefly share
my skydiving experience(s).   
 
Back in the mid 70's.... yeah I'm an OLD Lurker,  I tried skydiving in Midland, NC.  I don't know if they are still
active or not...   After an afternoons worth of training, practicing landing falls, etc, I went up for my first of six
jumps.   Everything went smooth except for one of the other students spraining his ankle on landing trying to avoid
a power line.

I was even considering doings this on a regular basis and getting into the relative work.  

But that never happened.   I jumped 6 times and had 3 accidents.    After the 3 accident I quit.    I think God gave
me my three strikes and I was out.

Anyway.... accident #1 I was directed by the big directional arrow on the ground to come in with the direction of the
wind causing me to have a hard landing...  Couple years later I have to have my meniscus repaired and I am sure this was
due to the hard fall..

Accident #2.  I was doing my first dummy ripcord pull.   (I think it was required that you did 2 or 3 dummy ripcord jumps
before doing the real thing back in the 70's.   I think today you do tandem jumps with instructors.)    
I accidentally pulled my real ripcord  (my eyes were closed) and came to the ground with two open parachutes and yes I was
embarrassed.   I was lucky.   This kind of accident could have been fatal.

Accident #3.   This was the real doozie...    My first solo jump by myself and no dummy ripcord.   It was a hard pull and
my main chute did not open.   I jumped from 5k feet I think so I didn't have a lot of time to think about it and the
instructors had drilled it in our heads...  "when in doubt, whip it out"  (talking about the reserve chute).
This was also a serious accident but I survived.   I hyper extended my back and did not learn that I actually broke
my back in multiple places until about 30 years later.    I told the doctor I was horseback riding because I was scared
I would lose my insurance or job if they knew what I was doing....  So they did not look at my back like they would
have had I told them I was skydiving.

So after 6 jumps, 3 accidents I quit.    I still wanted to keep jumping but was afraid if that happened again I
would be scared to pull my reserve chute if I needed to again.

Couple other notes of interest:    

It was in the winter when about 10 of the guys I worked with decided to try skydiving in the spring when the
weather was nice.   10 people committed.    Three of us actually had the moxie to do it.

I don't know how it is now but way back when skydiving was a chick magnet.   There were skydiving groupies at
every event.    Kinda Cool for sure.

Reliving this has definitely brought back some cool memories for me.

And for whoever is planning on jumping, don't hesitate.   There ain't nothing like it.

Good Luck
SAM

[iBBB]

5 hours ago, Sam said:

Okay,  I am a long time lurker here at the huddle.  I would rather read than write but but wanted to briefly share
my skydiving experience(s).   
 
Back in the mid 70's.... yeah I'm an OLD Lurker,  I tried skydiving in Midland, NC.  I don't know if they are still
active or not...   After an afternoons worth of training, practicing landing falls, etc, I went up for my first of six
jumps.   Everything went smooth except for one of the other students spraining his ankle on landing trying to avoid
a power line.

I was even considering doings this on a regular basis and getting into the relative work.  

But that never happened.   I jumped 6 times and had 3 accidents.    After the 3 accident I quit.    I think God gave
me my three strikes and I was out.

Anyway.... accident #1 I was directed by the big directional arrow on the ground to come in with the direction of the
wind causing me to have a hard landing...  Couple years later I have to have my meniscus repaired and I am sure this was
due to the hard fall..

Accident #2.  I was doing my first dummy ripcord pull.   (I think it was required that you did 2 or 3 dummy ripcord jumps
before doing the real thing back in the 70's.   I think today you do tandem jumps with instructors.)    
I accidentally pulled my real ripcord  (my eyes were closed) and came to the ground with two open parachutes and yes I was
embarrassed.   I was lucky.   This kind of accident could have been fatal.

Accident #3.   This was the real doozie...    My first solo jump by myself and no dummy ripcord.   It was a hard pull and
my main chute did not open.   I jumped from 5k feet I think so I didn't have a lot of time to think about it and the
instructors had drilled it in our heads...  "when in doubt, whip it out"  (talking about the reserve chute).
This was also a serious accident but I survived.   I hyper extended my back and did not learn that I actually broke
my back in multiple places until about 30 years later.    I told the doctor I was horseback riding because I was scared
I would lose my insurance or job if they knew what I was doing....  So they did not look at my back like they would
have had I told them I was skydiving.

So after 6 jumps, 3 accidents I quit.    I still wanted to keep jumping but was afraid if that happened again I
would be scared to pull my reserve chute if I needed to again.

Couple other notes of interest:    

It was in the winter when about 10 of the guys I worked with decided to try skydiving in the spring when the
weather was nice.   10 people committed.    Three of us actually had the moxie to do it.

I don't know how it is now but way back when skydiving was a chick magnet.   There were skydiving groupies at
every event.    Kinda Cool for sure.

Reliving this has definitely brought back some cool memories for me.

And for whoever is planning on jumping, don't hesitate.   There ain't nothing like it.

Good Luck
SAM

I'm sorry that skydiving never worked out for you Sam, it sounds like you really wanted to take it to the next level. I don't know how they trained students back in the 70s but just listening to your story, I can tell you that it is very different nowadays.

I don't understand your first accident. The arrow on the ground is a tetrahedron and it points towards the direction for landing, which is up-wind. You don't have to land upwind, but doing so certainly slows your forward speed relative to the ground and results in a much smoother touchdown. Plus, the student canopies are humongous nowadays, which translates into a very slow decent and easy landing. 

Your second accident most likely would not happen in the modern day. The cutting away process has been modified slightly, plus they don't make you do dummy pulls/cutaways in the air (only on the ground). Even if you did pull the reserve, the rigs have reserve static line which cut away your main canopy. Unless you disconnect the RSL, you'd only be under 1 canopy.

Your third sounds like a static line jump, but not sure what went wrong and why you had a a bad experience under the reserve. Other than it being slightly smaller and perhaps more response, your reserve canopy is just like you main and you could always land safely with it. 

 

It's unfortunate that you had such a bad experience during your training, but like you said, it could have been the Man upstairs directing the play and making sure you don't continue. 

 

Great story though!