Skydiving over Canberra

i would reckon to have this experience before satan takes us :p
amazing fun

Gungahlin Al said :

But I recommend checking out where the ripcords are on your tandem buddy. I woke up that night in a sweat when I realised I had not checked out this basic thing, and if something had happened to they guy, I would not have been able to save myself (us).

I’d like to think that that tandem jumpers would use an AAD (Automatically deploys the reserve when you hit a certain altitude – in freefall).

Holden Caulfield said :

I would love to do this, I think; but don’t think I’d have the balls to go through with it.

That’s why they get you to stand there with your arms crossed – so you don’t grab anything. I distinctly remeber as my toes started leaving the plane’s doorstep thinking “No not ready yet…” but before my arms could move out, the wind snatched us off the step and we were away. A half-second of (I thought understandable) panic, then all good.

Going tandem (despite looking like a couple of cane toads doing it) is the best way to conquer your fear on this, as it takes away some of your control.

But I recommend checking out where the ripcords are on your tandem buddy. I woke up that night in a sweat when I realised I had not checked out this basic thing, and if something had happened to they guy, I would not have been able to save myself (us). Sure enough, a few months later a tandem jump somewhere went wrong when they tumbled out the door as the newby was a little out of control, and the lead guy pulled, but got the drone chute line around his neck causing him to black out. There was a separate cameraman going down with them and he caught up and tried to signal to the passenger, but the guy just waved back! The cameraman then flew in and ripped the reserve chute himself, saving them both.

Like a lot of basic risk management – 20-20 hindsight…

I would love to do this, I think; but don’t think I’d have the balls to go through with it.

A pity about the music actually. The sounds are the aspect of my first jump that stuck with me. The “Shiiiiiiiiiiittt” to start, the roar of the wind, my groan when the shute pops and hauls up on your crotch (do make sure you’ve got everything arranged out of the way of the straps gents), then the absolute silence when as the chute filled bringing us to a temporary stop, then the wind (lighter) again as we started “flying”.

It was a very short free fall though – I’d recommend shelling out more for a higher jump. I recall mine was about 30 seconds. Passed through clouds, time to look around.

Awesome!! Nothing like a video to capture the moment. Mine is hilarious – facial expressions are classic.

Can only imagine the sound on the way down is less Foo Fighters + Lenny and more like a flapping flag in a cyclone? Looks like fun

Holy moly. Fantastic camera work and some new undies needed for the jumper I would think.

great video! such a blast…

It’s a blast. I did 6 “static line” drops when I was 17. It was my proud boast then that I’d been up in a plane 6 times but never landed in one.