How did you start skydiving?

[aeromobile 0]

Never dreamed of skydiving. Why would anyone jump from a perfectly good airplane? A flight student of mine jumped and asked me to fly the jumpers. After a few months of flying skydivers, I thought if they can do it I can do it.

[Casie 0]

June 9, 2001....birthday present from my husband (now ex-husband). It's something I've always wanted to do at least once in my life. After I did my first tandem I couldn't stop thinking about it every freakin second of the day. I signed up for AFF about a month later...the rest is history

~Porn Kitty
WARNING: Goldschlager causes extreme emotional outbursts!

[CanuckInUSA 0]

For years skydiving was on my list of things that I'd like to try, but I never seriously thought about becoming a skydiver. Now aviation has always been something I was interested in as my father is a retired air force jet fighter pilot as well as a retired airline pilot. But he divorced my mom when I was young, so I didn't exactly grow up in the cockpit. But my mom did re-marry to someone who worked for an airline (did a lot of airline flying when I was younger). Anyway, a few years ago I realized a life long dream and became a licensed private pilot. And then on July 14th, 2002 myself and several friends who I play volleyball with decided to try a tandem skydive. Well I loved the experience and once the TM explained the AFF training program to me and told me that once licensed and equiped, my skydives would only cost $20/each (a whole lot cheaper than renting an airplane for a few hours), I said "sign me up" and the rest is history. But I didn't anticipate how much of a positive impact this sport would have on my life. In a little over 9 months I've logged over 200+ jumps and like many of you out there, the sport is often on my mind.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[Lolie 0]

My dad's an A&P, and used to take me to the dz where he worked when I was little. I always wanted to try it, so he paid for my first tandem when I turned 18. I was hooked.

-Miranda
you shall above all things be glad and young / For if you're young,whatever life you wear
it will become you;and if you are glad / whatever's living will yourself become.

[lawrocket 3]

I'd wanted to do it since I was a teenager. I had the opportunity when I was 18, but it would have required ditching school, and I didn't want to do that.

So, the years went by, I got ejacaded, and I took the bar exam in July, 2001. My girlfriend at the time had been growing very emotionally distant over a few weeks. But she called and wanted to do something "life affirming" with me. We talked for a couple of minutes and decided on doing a tandem skydive that weekend. She'd been before, and I would be taking the plunge.

August, 2001. The experience was incredible, and I started discussing takign AFF classes with her to get licensed. But, for some reason, it didn't cure the distance between us.

She told me about three weeks later that she was diagnosed with cancer. That's the life-affirming part.

The next summer, I finally went out to do my FJC. The rest is history!

She was right. This certainly is life affirming...

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[FallingILweenie 0]

How did i start?

Well, I was in a cessna over the Vandalia airport in SEptember of 1997, and the door suddenly opened, and an instructor told me "get out and stop" followed by "get all the way out". at this point i was outside of said cessna scared out of my mind, hanging onto the strut. I looked up at a dot painted on the wing, and let go. The static line then opened my parachute....and that was the start......

Oh, you mean motivation to jump??? well, i always wanted to fly, and it looked like the ultimate feeling of freedom. I was right.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

I remember as a little kid walking to a dropzone close to friends of my parents. I remember being just in awe of these people dropping from the sky under those round parachutes. Ever since I wanted to jump from a plane, well at least once.

Unfortunately I grew up being overweight and not very athletic, which certainly lasted well into my twenties. Hence, I never really had the opportunity to go skydiving.

In early 2001 I ended up in the hospital with some viral bowel infection. IN the middle of the night, the nurse came to do their, what seemed like hourly checkup. She put the stethoscope on my chest and the first thing she asked me was if I was a smoker. I most certainly was a smoker those days, at least 1 pack a day, but usually closer to 2. She said she had a hard time hearing my heartbeat, because my lungs were making so much noice. When the doctor discharged me from the hospital I told my then girlfriend to find all my cigarettes and throw them out. I quit.

Since I was already a good 30 to 40 lbs overweight, I knew I had to do something about that as well. Most people gain quite some weight when they quit smoking, I knew I had to be different. I ended up quiting smoking, drinking coffee and losing 30 lbs at the same time.

In July of 2001 some of my co-workers decided to go do a SL jump. On of the guys backed out at the last second. naturally it had nothing to do with him being scared , he just did not want to spend the money. Eventhough he had already paid a deposit. I took over his spot.

I did 4 SL jumps that year. I had a mal on my 3rd jump and broke 3 fingers on my reserve landing. Now I know why they tell you not to stick out your hands when you PLF. Unfortunately, that was also the first time my then girlfriend came with me to the dropzone, so I could show her that she really did not have to be that fearful I did one more jump that day, I had to get back on the horse.

My girlfriend was now scred shitless, so I promisse dher I would not jump for the rest of that year, but if I still wanted to skydive the following year, she could not say anything about it.

I skipped to a Tandem Progression early the next year, and ended the eyar with a B-license. My now wife still doesn't like the fact that I skydive, but she is getting more and more used and at easy with it. And I still have a hard time focussing or thinking about anything other than skydiving.......

[mac266 0]

Quote

After reading all these so far, it seems like everyone who tried it and stuck with it, new right off the wing that they would be hooked.

Every jump keeps us comming back for more

thats because everyone here stuck with it! you aint going to hear stories of people who did not stick with it coz they aint likely to be posting on here! hehehheehhehehehee

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Very true. There are many people who don't seem to be in it for the long haul. Five of the nine people from my AFF class went on to become licensed (which is a very good number), but four of those five don't seem to jump that much. I recently saw two of those four at the DZ, but unlike a certain totally addicted skydiver (I won't name names), those appearances aren't all that frequent. Is it money? Time? I don't know. Maybe they just aren't hooked to the sport like I am and some of you out there are.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[cindee 0]

The management team in my office had to make a risk video for an upcoming conference last fall. The company's add campaign at that time was "the greatest risk is not taking one". I thought it would be a good idea to include footage of us skydiving. I was the only one who would do it. I knew before I was out the door that I would be doing it again. If only I could get the company to pay for AFF!

__________________________________________________
"If happy little bluebirds fly above the rainbow, why oh why can't I?"

[mouth 0]

May 2000, a neighbor was taking a group of coworkers for jumps and he invited me along. Only Tom and I finally went and jumped. I was hooked after that one jump. Tom and I completed AFF within the month and have been jumping ever since.

Thanks Tom

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.

[FallinWoman 1]

I guess I have a similar story to some of you....

Skydiving is something that my dad and I talked about doing for years. I always wanted to try it. To be able to say that I jumped out of an airplane. I never expected to do it twice.

My Dad was too ill to do it with me, so I did a tandem by myself. After the jump, someone asked me if I would ever do it again, and I said, "NO WAY!"

On the drive home, I was already planning when I would return for the FJC.

~Anne

I'm a Doll!!!!

[Biscuit 0]

I made my first tandem with my tax return last year to shake things up a bit.

I completed the static line course and have been off student status for a month & a half now, and today I'm buy my first rig! I can hardly believe I made it through the first 5 jumps of the static line course because I'm a big wussie - but now I'm hooked! Go figure!

******************************************

The last mosquito that bit me had to book into the Betty Ford Clinic. -Patsy

[Zenister 0]

well not counting all the lo-fun h&p's the army 'forced' me to do

was moping around the apt after getting back from a trip and had nothing really to do so when my roommate suggested i wander down to the DZ (she had been skydiving for a couple of years and we had talked about how i wanted too try it) and stop being so glum i figured 'fuggit' why not?

that next day the sky changed colors...

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[craichead 0]

One of my friends from grad school met the DZO of Chicagoland Skydiving at an entrepreneurial business conference in Reno. He told her that if she brought ten of her friends for a skydive, he would give her a free tandem.

She managed to round up ten people, but everyone flaked out except for me! So, a little over a year ago (April 20, 2002), I made my first tandem jump! It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing for her, but I went back for more.
-P

__
"Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

[JamesNahikian 0]

I'm an attorney People took up a collection so I could skydive for free. Using the parachute was my idea I enjoyed the experience a lot
D. James Nahikian
CHICAGO

[sarge 0]

Divorce... from my 16yr marriage

I never had, "my own life"

My 'Divorce group' set up this skydiving thing, and I said, "fucking A! where do I sign?" Of like 20, half those losers ended up sick or some other 'emergency' and were no-shows!!!!!

I just wanted to fly under that parachute, I had no idea that people did free-falls until then, July '98. why???

Then my TM says "you wanna get radical?" and I was like, duh!???? The only thing was I told him, "I will not land on my ass!!" I want to land like those guys! [the solos] On my fucking feet!!

He stared me down long and hard and explained how it wasn't possible without a head-wind (0-wind day)

I told him, then I'll come back on another day! He was pissed/frustrated but said "FINE! BUT!! If at the last second I decide its impossible then you better get your fucking feet up!!" He was pissed and I will not mention his name with respect because he is well known and respected (which I had no idea of at the time) and to this day I swear he still holds it against me!!! LOL!!!! -you fucker, get over it!

It was many jumps before I ever flew as radical as that first time! wow, I was hooked! We did the only stand-up tandem landing that day and there might have been a hundred ?

From that point all I wanted was to be 'unsupervised' jumping my own parachute! which I got by my level 12 of AFP!!! I've been jumping my ass off ever since!!! And... I have NEVER still landed on my ass!!!

>pre-edit-edit: yeah, I have had a couple crashes but I never landed on my ass!!! LOL!!!

--
I'm done with the personally meaningful and philosophical sigs!!

[kallend 2,026]

Jumped out of a Twin Otter with a guy called Ralph strapped to my back.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[wmw999 2,439]

I remember telling someone when I was 15 that I'd always wanted to skydive. So when I was 18 and in college, I saw a class for an FJC for $30. But I didn't have the $30, and somehow I didn't think my folks would loan me the money for skydiving lessons.

A couple of years later, I saw one for $40 that included 6 weeks of valuable PLF training, and took it. At the end of the class, I had a choice between a cool-looking certificate and a logbook. I took the logbook.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Casch 0]

I remember when I was really little, I had a little stuffed bear that hung from my ceiling from a little round parachute and I believe this is where it all started! I have always had a thing about "getting high". Big time tree climber, I loved roofs, if we went to a hotel, I would BEG for the top floor so I could look over the balcony. I used to jump from my bunk bed with an umbrella...that didn't slow me down so I figured I needed some more height. I raked up some leaves in the back yard and jumped off the second story deck with the umbrella. That didn't work so I got some plastic bags and taped them together...nope, didn't work. I remember about 6 years ago I saw Cutaway and I thought skydiving was the COOOLEST thing since sliced bread. I had seen several DEMO's into the baseball stadium in Spokane, WA. All this built up and when my mom asked me what I wanted to do during the summer, I told her I wanted to go skydiving! She was like MEEE TOOO!!! So we checked out the DZ, did our first jumps on August 10th, 2002 (me - static, mom-tandem) and VOILA! I'm hooked. So is my mom but not nearly as much as me. The stars have to be in perfect alignment if she's going to jump

[Shotgun 1]

My dad had a Cessna when I was a little kid... I used to look out of the plane wondering what it would be like to be out in the clouds... Then at an airshow he took me to, he introduced me to a friend of his that was a skydiver - she told me all about skydiving and I wanted to try it ever since then - so as soon as I was old enough and had the money...

[jimmytavino 16]

My birthday came up # 16 in the draft lottery,,, and so I was planning to quit school after my freshman year,,, to wait for an induction notice....
My parents basically said,, " Well you're NOT waiting HERE!!!! get back to school " and so in Sept of 1972 I returned to college for my sophmore year.....
The student newspaper had an Ad which said,,,"Get High.... Go Skydiving...."... I had never been in a perfectly bad airplane, let alone a perfectly good airplane....... so for 50 bucks, I took a static line course...on a Friday Night,, and jumped the next day......... By the time I graduated college I had a B. of Science degree, (Anthropology...hahahaha) and 350 jumps.....
Oh yes,,,, Nixon ended the draft in Jan of '73, and while I had passed a pre-induction physical in Dec of '72 and was classified I-A... I was never called...... now I have been a skydiver for over 60 % of my lifetime........A few years after my first jump I composed a Poem which described the feelings I had,,, when I made that first jump,,,,,,but it is long and tedious and so I will spare my fellow DZ dot commers........ but it IS a good poem.......
Skydive with friends, skydive with attention, skydive with enthusiasm....jmy

[dzdiva 7]

Skydiving was always on my "to do" list. I figured I'd do it once and that would be it. My best friend treated me to a tandem as an early birthday present last June. She also did one. We had two totally different reactions. She's happy she did it, but will never do it again. She said it scared the shit out of her. I loved it. I went back to the dz the next weekend to check out AFF prices. The next thing I know I'm back up at 13,500 at the door of the plane doing another tandem. When I got back down I immediately signed up for my AFF. And though I don't have many jumps, I've loved each and every one of them!!

"It's not just a daydream if you choose to make it your life..."

[ThighMan 5]

I started on 2 May 1998 because I was headed to a "Airborne" Unit and wanted to know what it was going to be like. Talk about loving it. The people on the DZ made it so much better. 2 yeas and 350 jumps later, I get to go to Airborne School at Ft. Benning. Ouch, I now know what a PLF is. I know that if I have a hard/bad landing, I'll walk away because of what they teach you. Feet and knees together and it will be OK.

Airborne
Blue Skies, No Wind
Feet and Knees Together

[racer42 0]

This guy came to install a sound system in our building. Started talking about skydiving. Said it would change my life. It was my fortieth birthday. Time to do something stupid(again). That was 2 years...105 jumps...one broke leg...and about $5,000. ago. He was right. Thanks JR.
I'm going skydiving Friday!!

L.A.S.T. #24
Co-Founder Biscuit Brothers Freefly Team
Electric Toaster #3
Co-Founder Team Non Sequitor
Co-Founder Team Happy Sock