me neither tbh, but i did both. i could see where people would be bored sitting about for 2 mins of sheer terror.
I was in one once that the guy had to use a bic pen to change radio channel cos the button was missing. He ****ed on guy up so much by taking off low and pulling hard up at the end of the runway that he literally fell out the plane backwards shaking. I did about 20 jumps but its the cold here that's the issue. Even if its April or May its ****ing freezing up there
I nearly did a skydive for charity after drunkenly volunteering to stand in for the person who had raised money to do it if she bottled out. Went to watch her on the day and she never turned up, one of my mates then remembered my boast so I ended up all kitted out, but the weather was to bad so it never happened thank god! Of course I was walking around expressing my disappointment and praying the heavy rain continued.
First one I did was like that. Raised 750 quid or something. Really though it was april and it was -10 degrees at 17,000 feet so it was dead cold on the way down. When you think about it it's fairly silly what we did. Basically did a course of drops to teach free fall, you climb out at about 100mph grab the under wing strut and hang one dangling there at 10,000 feet or so. Look in the let go for a stable fall.
Weather is why I gave it up. Rain rain rain. Sat more on my arse looking out than anything else I did learn to pack a parachute though.
I bottled out of a bungee jump in Queenstown, NZ when I actually got to the platform. No ****ing way on God's green earth would I willingly jump out of plane 10,000 foot off the ground. My dad had to bale out of a burning bomber in WWII though. I would probably do that if I was going to die.
the plane is safer than the bungee imo. the most dangerous part of skydiving apart from the obvious is the plane taking off. the bungees are did the guy get the length and cord right. Your dad is a hero! These days they have flyable parachutes that you can stall to land and basically either hit the ground hard if you can't judge heights or just step onto the ground. they can fly forward at 15mph. Anything with wind over that and you are going where the wind takes you. You've also a reserve parachute and an explosive charge that will deploy it at a certain height and speed of fall so even if you pass out you'll have a chance. In wwii i am sure they have no clue where they'd land and came down hard. this is not me but this is basically not really what to do as they all left the plane on their back so would be experienced skydivers. same type of plane i did it from. you have to hang on the strut and dangle out do you float away on the breeze I did static line first from 3500 feet or so then after clearance did the own parachute opening and worked up from there to height. Stability is the key. I can certainly recall a few shaking like a leaf. especially when pilots and teachers took the piss messing about. When the door opens **** gets real. if you can see the guy spotting then the door opens he signals time to go.
I saw a couple "pushed" and have been with a couple of people who i was told totally froze. I didn't do that many. the weather was too miserable but 20 was enough to see a lot of people conquering the fear. I can remember actually one person on first static line ( i was on the ground watching) where they basically got out fine and the chute opened and they basically were locked there in paralysis. They just floated off in the one direction and ended up a couple miles away. The student get a radio ear piece to be talked down as they are flying on their own in effect. that person was just not moving My favourite bit personally was on the parachute flying about doing circles and swoops and generally looking about. A lot get into freefall formations and swooping and such like. Can't say as it ever really bothered me i was fairly ****.
Must admit, about 20 years ago in Faliriki I won a quiz in Jazzbo's Bar, the prize being a paraglide behind a motor boat. You go up @ 75 feet and it's eerily quiet and peaceful up there. Loved it.
