Thread: Guys listen but don't want to try.

I think that is a lack of confidence in your ability to perform and maintain your equipment.

I would like to see a meetup of skydivers and straight shavers..............

I think that is a lack of confidence in your ability to perform and maintain your equipment.

I would like to see a meetup of skydivers and straight shavers..............

A lack of confidence was exactly the reason I put the SR down for 9 years after buying it and trying it twice.

Although a SR is very exciting, manly, and just fun to use, it's nothing compared to the high of skydiving. But if and when I go back to jumping I'll do some polling and see how many SR users there are and how many jumpers are honestly interested in trying it. I suspect though, the numbers will be few and none.

In my case there is a huge gap between honestly interested and fully self aware that I ain't got the guts to do it, but they both apply.

When I fly, I expect the plane to crash--every single time. I like the idea of skydiving but just cannot trust that the chute would open.

I jumped from a perfectly good plane when in the Army. I was in the 82nd. Now ask me to do it now and you would have to shoot me first, then throw me out.
I drive a bomb, shave with one of the sharpest things in the world, but i aint jumping out of a plane again!

As far as folks wanting to learn to shave with a straight, im willing to help them. But i just havent had anyone want to learn. Mostly they want to know why i do it!

Originally Posted by Utopian

In my case there is a huge gap between honestly interested and fully self aware that I ain't got the guts to do it, but they both apply.

When I fly, I expect the plane to crash--every single time. I like the idea of skydiving but just cannot trust that the chute would open.

We must have similar genes as that applies to me too. Been to the edge of the lowered ramp on a Herc doing practice air searches. Wouldn't have the guts to take that last step and exit the plane. Might change my mind for a very good reason like it was going down. Hats off to those that can though.

Bob

Gasman,

Thank you for defending the country! And I am a little envious, I wasn't able to join the military due to a health issue but I would love to do a standing static line jump with a round parachute, assuming my back and knees are up to the hard landings those things provide.

I was on a jump once with a guy that told everybody about his "military jumps." Now we had no way of knowing if he'd even been in the military, all we had was his word. He was training to get his A license but I think he was opening his own chute at that point. On the flight up he was first out (proof he had the fewest jumps). This was a Cessna high wing with strut so you climbed out and held onto the strut. HE FROZE UP AND WOULDN'T STEP OFF THE LANDING GEAR.

I had never seen that before. The instructor physically kicked his foot off the step. It was just a matter of time until he slipped off the strut. He had a good landing but I never saw him at that drop zone again.

*On that jump my parachute opened so suddenly I sank really low in the harness. So low I lost all feeling to my legs and wondered how the landing would go. It worked fine, my numb legs still operating normally. When I passed the parachute packer I said "Greg, that was a bit of a sudden opening" and he replied "but it did open didn't it? I mean, you aren't dead are you?" I laughed and still tipped him at the end of the day.

That was a wonderful freefall! I still remember passing through a wispy bit of thin clouds. What a summer! I jumped every other weekend.

Ron, you'll have two parachutes, the main chute with its own Automatic Activation Device that would open the chute at a preset altitude whether you did anything or not. On a tandem jump you have that and a guy/gal attached to you with at least 500 jumps and probably 1000's. All reserve chutes are repacked every few weeks by a licensed parachute packer whether they have ever been used or not. You are much more likely to die on the car ride over to the drop zone than even the main chute failing. (I read once it's a 1000 to 1 shot the main would fail to open).

If you want to do it, do it, just like someone who wants to use a straight razor.

Gasman you are probably right, concerning "they want to know why I do it."

*Oh my gosh guys.....this thread has brought back memories and emotions.......very strong and powerful emotions. Hmm.....

Would the lather not be blown off your face during freefall ?

I've always wanted to jump from a plane, but my spine is already a mess from other things. We have a jump school not very far from home, so I get to watch instead.

But..!! I have jumped off a 60 foot cliff, into a lake. The hard part was getting to the surface before running out of air. So now I laugh when people say...why don't you take a flying leap, or a long walk off a short pier. Mind you, my greatest fear is to drown, and I stand with it every day working on boats, ice fishing, swimming, ect.

Just respect the fear, and it can be conquered.
YOLO: YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE

I plan on leaving this place with no regrets...

easyace:

Answer: full face helmet although I think the lather would dry out before you landed and you couldn't shave in freefall with the helmet on. Kinda of a catch 22 I guess.

*I never owned a helmet of any kind. When I did my check dive to get my A license, the instructor said "It'll be cold up there, do you have a full face helmet? Do you have gloves?" I had some leather work gloves in the car, those worked wonderfully. I borrowed a standard helmet from the drop zone. At exit altitude it was 5 degrees below zero (thermometer in plane). I thought "oh geeze, will I still have a face by the time I land?" No problems at all although it was a bit chilly floating down after I opened my chute at 4,500 feet.

outback: I have scoliosis and some back pain but jumps function as a bit of a "back stretcher." When the chute opens it slightly pulls apart you spine which feels great for a few days. Landing with sport parachutes is much (MUCH) softer than landing with round (military) parachutes since sport chutes allow much greater control.

*From what I understand, round parachutes are much more reliable and tend to open no matter how out of position the jumper is but offer much less control. My first landing on my first solo jump was so soft I literally stepped onto the ground. *Granted I was immediately blown backwards onto my butt because I got so excited I forgot to let go of one brake and collapse the chute but I wasn't hurt. That was a great jump! I wish I had it on video. I have a pic of me after that jump. I used to be on a dating site and had nothing but my jump pics on there. It never seemed to impress the ladies much but I did meet two amazing gals, one of which I am dating now.

There are a whole slew of interests that are out of the mainstream and those who follow them are "different".

When I was in college I was into cave exploring. Most folks wouldn't think of going into a dark wet hole in the ground or squeezing through passages barely big enough to get through. I loved it but I would never go skydiving that's for crazy folks.

Har har.