I had wanted to do it for years, even said to myself, “skydiving looks like a lot of fun.”  Many of my friends had done it and come back safely.  Several even said that it was a life changing experience for them and highly recommended it.  I had looked into it before and dismissed the idea for different reasons; the timing hadn’t been right, I couldn’t afford it and, frankly, I had to admit to myself that I was afraid.  Like most people, I had a lot of fear.  But I know that fear is usually based on ignorance and uncertainty, and my fear of skydiving certainly fit into that category.  I don’t like heights or the feeling of  “losing my stomach” when falling and I couldn’t imagine landing hard or especially landing really hard.  I had heard something that skydivers often say in jest, “It’s not the fall that hurts, it’s the sudden stop at the end.”  Honestly, that’s what concerned me the most. 

This time, I decided that I would use my fear as an excuse to learn about, not avoid, an activity I knew could be a lot of fun.  I chose to learn more about skydiving first, then weigh the real risks and determine whether or not it was an activity I still wanted to pursue.

Look below for additional information about this Extreme Sport Experience!

RESEARCH

My first step was to educate myself about what goes on during a jump in order to give myself a better understanding of the true risks.  I gathered information from two main sources and approached each one with prepared questions to get the answers that mattered most to me.  I used the Internet to look up accident statistics on various sites like the NTSB and skydiving web sites (click here for additional links).  I read all that I could about the sport: the training that is required, the dangers, reasons why others do it and the associations they recommend.  The Net gave me the analytical information I needed to be able to compare skydiving with other activities, in order to get some perspective on the real risks.  The different sites were informative and gave me specific numbers and accident statistics for both automobiles and airplanes.  They also gave brief descriptions of how a jump happens, the necessary equipment and what qualifications to look for in a diving school and site.  More than anything else though, the web sites gave me a firsthand look at the attitude of the skydiving community.  The information on the sites excited me about the sport but never gave any indication that these people were careless.  Skydiving enthusiasts proceed with their sport using extreme caution.  Jumpers love the rush, but they’re not totally crazy.  If anything, they want to be sure they live to do it again!

I then looked in the phone book for locations near me and called them to get first hand information.  One in particular, 
Skydive Atlanta, had the level of experience and professionalism I was looking for and was willing to work with my particular needs.  The owner, Mike Powell, assured me that specific precautions would be taken with me to minimize my risk and, although skydiving is inherently daring, it can be done safely.  He explained that my first jump would be “tandem” with a “jumpmaster” who would handle any difficult parts of the jump.  There were jumpmasters associated with Skydive Atlanta who had several thousand jumps behind them, which made them the most experienced jumpers around.

I asked Mike things like: “How do we land?  What about my legs? What will we do with my feet? What is the typical cost for a tandem dive and what does it include?  Is there anything I need to do to prepare?”  He answered everything I needed to know before I went out to the school and informed me about a 45 minute required class that would precede my jump.  There, I would be able to ask all of my questions on the process and about risks.  After talking with Mike, I developed enough confidence in the school to schedule a tentative jump for the next weekend.  I decided that I would use the information I gained in the class and from being at the “dropzone” (jumpers’ term for a particular dive site), to make a final decision about making an actual jump.

From the research I conducted, I was able to break the risk up into four distinct parts.

1) driving to and from  
    the drop zone 
2) going up in the 
    plane 
3) jumping out, 
    free falling, 
    parachute 
    opening,  controlled 
    descent and
 4) landing.  

NOTES

The Skydiving Site

The dropzone was at a small regional airport about an hour south of Atlanta.  After I arrived, I went into the hanger where I met Mike Powell and he introduced me to the man who was most qualified to be my jumpmaster, Jeff Hicks.  They had already discussed my needs and determined the best way to minimize the risks, thereby ensuring my safety.  Jeff was especially looking forward to the jump.

They were running a little behind schedule the day I was there, which gave me an opportunity to talk to people that were around the hanger.  There were professional jumpers, students, first-timers like me, and a few spectators.  Anyone who had already jumped, or was about to, had his/her own reasons for doing so.  From them I learned answers to some of my other questions like: What types of people dive? Is there anyone who shouldn’t? Who packs the chute? How do people handle their fear of heights? What do people get out of the experience?

Those who weren’t jumping were just as clear about why they wouldn’t.  They seemed to be the type who avoid an activity that appears high risk, even when it isn’t, and would stop right there without investigating further.  I could tell they did not like getting out of their comfort zones, even if it meant trying something they might actually enjoy.  Their mindsets allowed them to completely avoid physical and emotional risk and accept that they would miss out on a rewarding experience.

NOT ME! I choose to experience everything I can.  I feel like, the more experiences I have, the wiser I become and the more enriched my life is.  If I felt like the actual risks were minimal, then the only one who would lose out by not going forward is me.

Another thing I was really struck by is the bond shared by all the jumpers.  They could communicate on a level that those who had not jumped could not relate to.  It was as if they were a community that had one simple, common factor: to have jumped at least once.  All personal barriers and/or dislikes of others were swept away by the established bond of jumping.

I also had a chance to watch some professional jumpers come down.  I am still amazed by the control with which they landed.  They would free-fall to about 2000 feet, then deploy their chute. Then they would descend quickly, at about 50-60 miles per hour, gliding in spirals around the airport, as if they themselves were a small plane.  They would then approach the ground while pulling down on the parachute brakes to make a feather soft landing.  Incredible!  I was inspired and beginning to really understand why these people were so addicted to this sport.  At that moment, I couldn’t wait to jump!!

Jump School

In every phase of the decision-making process you’ve got to ask a lot of questions in order to get to your own comfort level—nobody is just going to volunteer to tell you what you need to know to be comfortable.  I knew what it would take for me and boy was I prepared to ask!

Will we free fall or use a static line?  How fast do we descend before and after the chute opens?

How far do we descend before and after the chute opens?  How long does it take from take off to landing?  How do I control the direction I’m going?  What happens if the chute doesn’t open? Has that ever happened?  Who pulls the cord on the main chute?  What about a reserve chute? How much does a typical pack weigh?  What are the dangers?  How are they minimized?  What type of plane is used?  How many divers typically go at one time?  These are some of the questions, the answers to which were very important to me.  And I got those answers, and a lot more.

The class was for anyone jumping tandem.  They went over a brief history of skydiving and its risks.  Among the things of interest I learned was the fact that out of about 3.5 million skydiving jumps in the United States every year, on average only 35 fatalities occur.  That’s about 1 in 100,000. Incidentally, those are about the same odds as dying in a car accident.  And 92% of the skydiving deaths were due to human error, not equipment failure.  Nearly all of those deaths are professionals who push their limits a little too far by not allowing time for equipment problems that might occur or students diving solo who aren’t experienced enough to handle a crisis. SERIOUS INJURIES TO TANDEM JUMPERS JUST DON’T HAPPEN.   One reason for the success of tandem dives is that they are jumps performed by “jumpmasters” who must have numerous solo dives behind them and undergo tandem training to jump with a “guest”.

Another reason tandem dives are safer is the gear.  The tandem couple wears a harness that attaches the jumpmaster to the guest in four places, with the guest positioned in front.  The jumpmaster is outfitted with a pack containing two 400 square foot chutes and an altimeter on his wrist.  He is responsible for controlling the dive and pulling the first chute when they reach an altitude of 5000 feet.  If, for some reason, the first chute doesn’t deploy properly, there is plenty of time for him to pull the ripcord to release the second.  We were also informed that we would wear a helmet and goggles to protect us from the wind and, something I found reassuring, that only the top pros are allowed to pack the chutes for the tandem jumpers.

The Jump

 After the class, I talked to Jeff about how the jump would happen.  We decided, with my physical limitations, the best thing for me to do was keep my arms out of the way while he handled all the controls.  On landing, he would take the force of the ground hit and then fall backwards so that he would not fall forward onto me.  We put on my harness then and it felt snug.  I was confident that it would be impossible for it to come off unintentionally.  I was then fitted for helmet and goggles and we were set to go.  My concerns had dissipated and I was extremely comfortable that these professionals were taking the utmost precautions with me.  For the first time, I was excited without being apprehensive and that is when I made my final decision to go through with the jump.

It was mid-July, so the temperature on the tarmac was 95-100 degrees and I was looking forward to getting airborne.  Mike Powell, owner of the school and our pilot, at the time had approximately 3400 flying hours.  I felt comfortable that he could handle the small twin engine Beachcraft Queen Air that had been gutted to hold twelve jumpers and the pilot. 

A couple of guys loaded me on the plane and took my wheelchair back to the hanger.  Jeff attached himself to me and we did a mock jump through the plane’s door to get our movement down.  The plan was for me to sit in the door of the plane with my legs hanging out and my arms folded across my chest.  We would go on the count of three.  We then moved to the side of the plane to let everyone else board.

We all sat two rows across by five deep, crammed together like forks in a drawer.  The door closed and the plane’s engines started.  They were very loud and it was hard for us to talk to each other as we taxied down the runway and took off.  I was nervous, but excited and taking the whole experience in.  My heart began to race as I periodically checked the altimeter; 2,000 (seemed like it was much higher), 5,000, 8,000, 10,000 (seemed like it was taking forever to get to our jump altitude).  We went through clouds and the earth got smaller.  I could make out less and less detail on the ground and the feeling that we were at dangerous heights began to disappear.  I felt more and more part of a group and less and less like an outsider.  We all had one goal: to jump out, have a blast, and land safely.

The cabin was cold and the air was thin.  Finally, we got the notice to prepare as we approached our jump altitude of nearly 2.5 miles, or 13,500 feet.  The plane slowed to 100 mph and the first jumper opened the door. Jeff and I got in line behind him and he was out within seconds.  We got into position.  My legs were dangling out of the plane and I could feel the strong, cold wind in my face.  I looked down at the first guy who was falling out of sight into the abyss.  My stomach knotted up as Jeff started the count.  I thought…  “Man, what am I doing….”  WE’RE OUT!  I didn’t even have time to complete the thought.

We flipped upside down then right side up a couple of times; the plane appeared above me, then below me, then above me again.  We started free falling at around 110 mph before Jeff deployed a small chute (a drogue) about the size of 5 basketballs, to prevent us from exceeding 120 mph.

My only thoughts were, “it’s cold, it’s loud, and we’re going really, really fast.”  I also felt somewhat suspended.  The best way to describe the feeling is to say it is like floating on water with a 120 mph wind in your face, weightless and 3-dimensional.  We could move left, right and down.  We did some spirals, a flip, and seemed to hover in one place…all while falling at a speed nearly twice that of the legal limit on most freeways.  I experienced an absolute RUSH! One of the most exhilarating experiences of my life!!  I was surprised by the fact that I didn’t have that “lose your stomach” feeling that you get on an amusement park ride.  I had no falling sensation; it was as if we weren’t dropping at all.  The earth looked roughly the same as we fell because there was no extreme change in perspective.

A solo jumper passed me then and I said to myself, “What on earth is he thinking!? I’m going 120 mph and he just passed me!!”  All of a sudden, Jeff pulled the ripcord to deploy the main chute. There was only a subtle jerk, not the hard one I had been expecting.  The chute opened and we slowed from 120 mph to about 25mph in what seemed like 2-3 seconds.  I checked the altimeter. I was amazed to see that we had dropped 8000 feet (about 1.5 miles) in less than a minute and were still 1 mile up.  The transition really made an impression on me; it went from really loud and fast to relatively slow and peaceful.  Now, all I could hear was the gentle sound of the parachute rippling in the wind.  We went from breakneck speed, which gave us an adrenaline rush, to total peace and tranquility in a matter of seconds.  I was amazed that those two, totally opposing sensations could be felt within such a brief period. 

Jeff and I could talk now and I said, “Now I know why you do this.  This is what it’s all about.”  He said, “Yeah, this is what it’s all about.”  I replied, “I got it. I got it.”  He then explained that we were 6-7 minutes from reaching the ground.  When I looked down the earth looked the same as it did at 13,500 feet; a lot of color and patterns without detail.  We passed through a cloud and Jeff showed me how to control the chute to glide where we wanted.  There are two handles; one on each side of the parachute.  When you pull on one or both it changes the amount of air that the chute traps, which changes the speed of descent.  You can also change direction and direct your landing by pulling on one handle at a time.

Floating down is so incredibly peaceful it is difficult to convey in words.  I continued to look below me and saw some birds. Then I saw the plane land, which was really strange.

The Landing

At about 2,500 feet I could see more detail; the airport, the roads with tiny cars, the trees.  As the ground got closer I began to think about the equipment for the first time.  Like, “I wonder how secure my harness really is? I’d hate to get all this way down and then fall out.”  Jeff told me to relax and reassured me that we were fine.  At 1,000 feet we hit a hot air pocket that Jeff told me is known as a “thermal.”  He also told me that it signaled good news and bad news, “The good news is that it’s rare to experience one on a first jump, the bad news is that means we aren’t dropping fast enough.”  So I asked, “And that means…?”  He replied, “We’re not going to make our landing zone because I can’t control us enough to glide there.  We’ll have to aim for a plan B landing.”  He pointed, indicating that we would land in a field next to a lake where several large pieces of farm equipment (lots of jagged edges) were sitting.  He made it clear he would try to find us a soft spot.  I thought, “Great, I’m all for that soft landing!!”  He applied the brakes as we approached the ground and slowed us down to about 5 mph.  When we landed, we fell backwards just as we had planned and came out of it completely unscathed.  He actually managed to land us in a patch of grass softer and thicker than our original spot would have been.  No breaks, bumps or bruises, just a few bugs.  What a ride!!

Epilogue

On reflection, I don’t recall as many of the details of the jump as I thought I would.  It all happened so fast. I’d actually love to do it again, to enjoy it more and worry less about the process and the dangers.  There are so many ways that skydiving has enriched my life.  While it is a completely unnatural act, it is also a total blast!  In addition, I have become a part of a community of skydivers who share the unique bond of understanding a particular level of experience.  I also learned more about myself.  My success reaffirmed my belief that physical obstacles are often imposed by attitude, not environment.  I feel more well-rounded and can talk with others about what it’s like to push limits farther and harder than most people do.  I have accomplished a feat many wouldn’t even think of trying.  And why don’t they?  Because of fear. Fear of the unknown.  They don’t know what skydiving is all about and don’t realize that the risks are less than climbing in a car every day.  I believe that fear is usually based on ignorance, so I choose to turn that around and use it as an excuse to learn about extreme activities instead of ruling them out.  I tell others to investigate and try anything new.  They might just find a new passion.  So could you, after all…

“If I can do it, you can do it.” So, what’s stopping you?

Appendix: My Questions (Just some of the things you too might want to find out)

Will we free fall or use a static line?

How fast do we descend before and after the chute opens?

How far do we descend before and after the chute opens?

How long does it take from take of f to landing?

How do I control the direction I’m going?

What happens if the chute doesn’t open? Has that ever happened?

Who pulls the cord on the main chute? What about a reserve chute?

How do we land? What about my legs? What will we do with my feet?

How much does a typical pack weigh?

Who packs it? 

What types of people dive? Is there anyone who shouldn’t?

What are the dangers? How are they minimized?

What is the typical cost for a tandem dive and what does it include?

How do people handle their fear of heights?

What type of plane is used?

How many divers typically go at one time?

Is there anything I need to do to prepare?

What qualifications should people look for in a school/site? And specifically for the disabled?

What do people get out of the experience?

THINK ABOUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS TO YOU AND ASK!

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