Parachuting

[T-Jericho]

Years ago, I parachuted in the US Army. For many years, I've been wanting to give civilian skydiving a go but either didn't have the time or the money. Things have finally come together, allowing me the opportunity to try something new.

I recently took a course and have been taking additional training in chute packing and other ground duties but hadn't been able to jump due to bad weather or working on the days there was good weather. Yesterday, I finally got to make my first three jumps.

Let me tell ya, climbing out the door and making my way out to hang off the strut with my legs flapping in the wind was a little (OK a LOT) scary... every time! Also, when they say it doesn't feel like falling, that's a lie. When you're falling away the he plane is rapidly moving away from you it feels EXACTLY like falling hundreds of feet. When the chute finally opens, it is a MAJOR relief!

Heading to the plane


Speck in the clouds


Coming in




Picking up

[Mac D. Ardell]

Awesome.

Airborne!

[T-Jericho]

Three more jumps today and deploying my own chute now. More importantly, it's gone from real fear to just intense anxiety!

[Elthiar]

Wow, you sir are slightly crazy I think Congratulations on soloing, I don't think that is something I could ever do.

[T-Jericho]

I had my first real setback yesterday and I'm paying for it now.

A last minute change shortened my freefall time from 20 seconds to 10, due to cloud cover. I'm not sure what happened, but in a split second, I was on my back, spinning and plummeting to the ground at over 120 mph. I had only a few seconds and no matter how hard I tried, I could not get over into a belly down position. At 2200 feet, I pulled my reserve.

Reserve chutes are spring loaded and designed to deploy very rapidly. With the chute underneath me, I knew it was going to flip me around and it did. One second, I was looking at a spinning sky at 120 mph, the next, I was snapped into an upright position and slowed by 100 mph. My ribs, neck and spine and made snapping noises and the wind was knocked out of me. I honestly thought I had broken my back and was resigned to hitting the ground wherever the chute took me.

A few seconds later, I was able to take a breath and wiggle my feet and hands. I managed to reach up and grab the steering handles and guide myself back toward the drop-zone... A crowd was forming.

I hit fairly hard and rolled to my back, cursing my stupidity and lack of experience. After a few minutes, I did manage to rise on my own and learn that nothing seemed to be broken.

Today, I am more sore than I can describe. Even taking a breath hurts. I know I need to heal as fast as possible and get up there again so that fear doesn't really take a hold. I will say that I've been pleasantly surprised at how supportive skydivers are. Every one of them tells you about what you did right, praising your ability to not panic and make the right call in harrowing conditions. That kind of support is incredible!