Obviously that's courage.. but I'm talking about the other parameters. So, let's have a look at them.
There's nothing quite like rushing to the earth at 120 miles an hour after jumping from a perfectly good airplane. There are no perfect airplanes, however. Skydiving is an exhilarating and intense adrenaline rush that can't be described, you've just got to do it!
There's nothing quite like rushing to the earth at 120 miles an hour after jumping from a perfectly good airplane. There are no perfect airplanes, however. Skydiving is an exhilarating and intense adrenaline rush that can't be described, you've just got to do it!
When i went for my first skydive, i was so scared that i ran back frm the airfield directly towards my home. After making my mind,i went to the airfield and had my first jump which i can't describe in words. It's awesome when your testosterone pushes you ahead and your mind says go! do it, show them you can do it.
For my first jump, I really had no idea what to expect. This was pre-YouTube days, so I had only seen skydiving on TV (and nothing specifically about tandem jumping). I knew I would be connected to a professional skydiver, and I now describe the tandem
attachment as “you’re wearing the instructor like a backpack.”
Anyways lets come to the things needed at the time of the skydiving
Parachutes
The single most important piece of equipment is the parachute. Do not try to
skydive without a canopy. The days of the round parachute with the hard and unpredictable control they bring, have past. Today's skydiver uses a rectangular "ram-air" style parachute because of its maneuverability and ability to "brake"
upon landing. A reserve parachute is also
used in the case of a main parachute
malfunction. Reserve parachutes, once worn on the front of a skydiver's body, are now packed above the main parachute on the skydivers back in a "container/harness" that secures to the skydiver's body with chest and leg straps.
Automatic activation devices (AAD's)
An automatic activation device, or AAD, will deploy the reserve parachute if the skydiver is falling too fast at a preset altitude. In the event that a skydiver becomes rendered unconscious or does not deploy their main canopy for any reason, the AAD will do so for them. Manually set to deploy the reserve parachute at a minimum altitude of 800 feet above ground level for experienced jumpers, student jumpers will set their AADs at a higher altitude. Current law requires all student jumpers to wear an AAD, and most drop zones require their use by everyone, including experienced jumpers.
Altimeters
Aside from the contents of the container/harness, an altimeter is another necessity
for making a safe jump. An altimeter measures the feet above ground level either visually on the wrist or chest, or audibly with an earpiece, letting the skydiver know when to pull their chute. With average
free-fall speeds of upwards of 120 miles per
hour, goggles or glasses protect the jumper's eyes and properly see visual altimeters.
Reserve static line
A reserve static line device will cut away the
lines to the main parachute in one motion
with the pull of a reserve parachute cable in
the case of a malfunction. Some experienced jumpers prefer not to use an RSL, citing line tangles. Instead they opt for a separate cutaway cable and reserve cable. Student jumpers must use RSLs because during most main canopy malfunctions the skydiver will find themselves spinning violently out of control. Locating one cable instead of two separate cables in a dangerous situation could mean the difference between a safe landing
or kicking and screaming for the final
moments of one's life.
On the way up, the skydiving instructor will tell you
what you need to do on your skydive . It will go
something like this:
1. At around 8,000 feet, the instructor will attach
himself to your harness.
At 10,000 feet you and he will waddle your
way close to the door. (It is not easy to move
with a person on your back!)
2. At the door, you will cross your arms over your
chest, lift your feet and hang (!) from your
instructor, and lay your head back on his
shoulder.
While you are hanging from your instructor, he
may lean out of the open doorway several
times to view the ground.
3. When you are over the drop zone, the
skydiving instructor will step (or flip!) out of
the plane and YOU ARE NOW IN FREE FALL!
Remember, you’re falling at 120 mph.
Try to catch a glimpse of the plane as you fall
away from it. It will be the only thing up
there to give you the perspective of falling. It
actually feels like flying.
4. You will freefall for 45 to 60 seconds. Try to
pay attention to every second of it — it goes
quickly! The instructor may do some turns left
and right. You probably won’t be able to hear
the instructor, but he may try to tell you
things by speaking directly into your ear.
5. During free fall, because of your instructor’s
body positioning, your body will be in a
backbend (or U-shape) position. Keep your
knees bent and your feet up between the legs
of your instructor. You will receive a tap on
your shoulder, meaning that you can open
your arms into a “touch down” position.
6. Around 5,500 feet, the skydiving instructor will
deploy the parachute. Expect a sudden jerk
that will actually stop your fall and lift you up
for a couple of seconds. You will be reminded
how tight your harness is! I’ve heard this
described as the “trap door” effect. It is at
this moment your brain will think “Hey, I’m
falling!”
7. When the parachute is up (or “under canopy”),
your instructor will loosen the 2 links at your
hips. This will make you much more
comfortable. He will be working on all the
gear with the parachute. You will be able to
easily talk to each other, and at one point he
will say, “Hold out your hands and grab
these.” Hold on tightly because these will be
the parachute toggles! Yep, you’ll be driving
the train! He will need both hands free for a
very short time while adjusting more gear.
Don’t worry, he’ll take them back.
8. The ride under canopy will be anywhere from 4
to 8 minutes — depending on the weather,
your instructor’s personality and your desire
to play around. For me, spinning around up
there is the highlight of the ride — almost
better than freefall. There’s absolutely nothing
you can hit!
9. You will soon realize that things on the ground
are getting closer, which means it’s time to
think about landing. Your job will be to pull
your knees up to your chest. Your instructor
will tell you when. Right before the landing, it
will feel like the ground is rushing up at you —
because it is! Keep those knees up until the
skydiving instructor’s feet land on the ground
and he says, “Now, just stand up. Perfect
landing! Time to celebrate!”
On the way up, the skydiving instructor will tell you
what you need to do on your skydive . It will go
something like this:
1. At around 8,000 feet, the instructor will attach
himself to your harness.
At 10,000 feet you and he will waddle your
way close to the door. (It is not easy to move
with a person on your back!)
2. At the door, you will cross your arms over your
chest, lift your feet and hang (!) from your
instructor, and lay your head back on his
shoulder.
While you are hanging from your instructor, he
may lean out of the open doorway several
times to view the ground.
3. When you are over the drop zone, the
skydiving instructor will step (or flip!) out of
the plane and YOU ARE NOW IN FREE FALL!
Remember, you’re falling at 120 mph.
Try to catch a glimpse of the plane as you fall
away from it. It will be the only thing up
there to give you the perspective of falling. It
actually feels like flying.
4. You will freefall for 45 to 60 seconds. Try to
pay attention to every second of it — it goes
quickly! The instructor may do some turns left
and right. You probably won’t be able to hear
the instructor, but he may try to tell you
things by speaking directly into your ear.
5. During free fall, because of your instructor’s
body positioning, your body will be in a
backbend (or U-shape) position. Keep your
knees bent and your feet up between the legs
of your instructor. You will receive a tap on
your shoulder, meaning that you can open
your arms into a “touch down” position.
6. Around 5,500 feet, the skydiving instructor will
deploy the parachute. Expect a sudden jerk
that will actually stop your fall and lift you up
for a couple of seconds. You will be reminded
how tight your harness is! I’ve heard this
described as the “trap door” effect. It is at
this moment your brain will think “Hey, I’m
falling!”
7. When the parachute is up (or “under canopy”),
your instructor will loosen the 2 links at your
hips. This will make you much more
comfortable. He will be working on all the
gear with the parachute. You will be able to
easily talk to each other, and at one point he
will say, “Hold out your hands and grab
these.” Hold on tightly because these will be
the parachute toggles! Yep, you’ll be driving
the train! He will need both hands free for a
very short time while adjusting more gear.
Don’t worry, he’ll take them back.
8. The ride under canopy will be anywhere from 4
to 8 minutes — depending on the weather,
your instructor’s personality and your desire
to play around. For me, spinning around up
there is the highlight of the ride — almost
better than freefall. There’s absolutely nothing
you can hit!
9. You will soon realize that things on the ground
are getting closer, which means it’s time to
think about landing. Your job will be to pull
your knees up to your chest. Your instructor
will tell you when. Right before the landing, it
will feel like the ground is rushing up at you —
because it is! Keep those knees up until the
skydiving instructor’s feet land on the ground
and he says, “Now, just stand up. Perfect
landing! Time to celebrate!”
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