lifetime flyer, long skydiving careers

[dzswoop717 5]

I have been around skydiving since 1966 as a DZ brat. First jump was 1978 and I only missed jumping in one calender year since then. I don't get to jump as much as I would like to, it makes each jump special now. A simple 4 way with my brother and close friends is pricless. I sometimes think about hanging it up but, then on a beutiful day ,like today, I can't stop thinking about it. I appreciate the whole skydiving experience. The dirt dive, ride to altitude, climbout, exit, FF, opening, canopy ride, and landing. I am in my element while jumping like no where else in life. The thoughts of quiting are few and far between and usually only enter my mind when it seems impossible to get away from "real life" long enough to get to the airport to make a couple of jumps. I imagine I will continue to jump as long as I am physically able. I was just wondering how many "lifetime flyers" there are out there and what keeps you jumping?

[airtwardo 6]

Quote

I am in my element while jumping like no where else in life.

I started in '76 and I think your quote above about 'nails it' for me too.

I just feel 'comfortable' around it....STILL love it all - the jumping, the gear, the aircraft, the people.

I actually enjoy being the conservative old fart that some n00bs ask advice from now & then - not that I really HAVE any!

I think I'm in a kind of transitional stage of my 'long skydiving career' so to speak.

I did a lot of instructing in the 70's & early 80's, then concentrated pretty hard core on demos for the past 30 plus years...thinking it's time to do something different within the sport - actually considering style & accuracy competition, I can still turn & burn pretty good for a large fossil ...we'll see.

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[peek 20]

At this point, what really keeps the fun in it is working with students. I'm not sure what is going to happen when I some day let my last instructional rating expire, but I'm going to keep doing something until I can no longer physically skydive. I guess you can say that I "got hooked".

[councilman24 36]

First jumps 1978, at 19. Not jumping as much as I want at the moment but when I finally get out of the plane I where I'm supposed to be. Comfortable, relaxed, and in the best place. I NEED to get out of an airplane!

Time to go do my reserve instead of someone else's.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[diablopilot 2]

What keeps me jumping?

The next challenge.

I started in 1999, have made almost 13,000 jumps in that time, have obtained instructional ratings, done demos, TV and movie work, been a wind tunnel instructor and coach, participated in workings of our national organization, the USPA taught skydiving around the country and world, become a jump pilot, and I see no end to the list of things to keep challenging me.

----------------------------------------------
You're not as good as you think you are. Seriously.

[chuteless 1]

I heartily agree with Twardowski. I started in 1962, and have done everything the sport offers. I never di get into big-ways, but the smaller group jumps was just as exciting. I slacked off a few years while flying Corporate hot air balloons, and building airplanes, but I never lost the zeal for flying the blue, and just punching a hole in the sky. I must confess, I am almost 82 now, and I am getting tired of my small amount of participation. I have sold or given away everything connected to jumping, and hope my belongings brings happiness to others in the game. My daughter Crystal is jumping, and while I have said so many times, I won't jump anymore, there is always that lingering, " well, maybe just one more". It is like a narcotic, and very hard to stay away from. I enjoy being at a dropzone even if its only to watch, but I find it is getting harder to walk, move, sit, stand up, and certainly, to fly, so I have to keep telling myself its over......until that urge comes to me once more. We'll see.

Bill Cole D-41 Canada

[jimjumper 25]

Geez, I've only been around 30 years and don't consider that a long time. My FJC Instructor still jumps! About 15 years ago I got into teaching and discovered I was pretty good at it. Lately, I've stopped teaching when quantity started taking priority over quality but I intend to keep jumping and (maybe?) teaching till I can't keep up any more. I've always tried to find the fun in jumping and find the fun in people. That philosophy has served me well and keeps the sport fresh. I'll probably never quit as long as I still see smiles in the air!

[dzswoop717 5]

I envy your position in life. In my younger years I had the same drive, accomplished much of your list, and now have no time to persue new challenges. It is a challenge for me just to make the time to make a couple of jumps. Life changes, priorities change, and we grow older. I specifically don't want to be challenged when I am jumping now. It is a cherrished stress relief that can change my state of mind with just one hop and pop. I am challenged in life and work, skydiving is the relief. That is just one reason I keep jumping.

[JohnMitchell 14]

I made my first jump in September 1974. I've never been a full time jumper, just the weekend guy with a weekday job, but I got instructional ratings and worked a bit. Marriage, career demands and kids brought more constraints on my time, but with Vskydiver being a jumper I was able to knock out jumps from time to time and keep my hand in the sport.

Last 15 years have seen me do a steady 200+ jumps a year. Now that I'm retired I hope to double that, esp. after I get some excess real estate sold. I still have my ratings, my health and a not too creaky body. I know I say I love the sport but more and more I realize I love the people in it even more. Some of the most interesting, kind people you'll ever meet.

[wmw999 2,120]

I started in 1975, and quit in 1988 for family reasons. But I kept my rig, and the skydiving hole was still there. Came back in 2001, and have made more jumps since coming back than I made before quitting. I'll never be completely gone, but unlike john, I find that I'm jumping less now that my husband and I are retired.

Skydiving, particularly fun jumps, even better if there's a newbie or two, will always feel like home.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[JohnMitchell 14]

Tough to see people burn out or get frustrated, or worse, injured and then our sport. That's what keeps me working with people to help them enjoy our sport safely.

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

peek

At this point, what really keeps the fun in it is working with students. I'm not sure what is going to happen when I some day let my last instructional rating expire, but I'm going to keep doing something until I can no longer physically skydive. I guess you can say that I "got hooked".

I totally agree with Gary here. I grew up on a dropzone and started jumping when I was 17. I've been an instructor since I was 18. I'm 50 now and have been a full-time instructor since I retired from the army 11 years ago. Students are what keeps me going. I truly don't know what I would do without the sport as my backstop. I still manage to do about 850 work jumps a year and I'll keep it up until my body won't let me anymore, then I'll be the old guy driving the tractor at Z-hills....

Chuck

[Tink1717 2]

I'm out of the sport for this season and possibly next season due to the financial aftermath of a divorce. I miss it with every fiber of my being.

Skydivers don't knock on Death's door. They ring the bell and runaway... It really pisses him off.
-The World Famous Tink. (I never heard of you either!!)
AA #2069 ASA#33 POPS#8808 Swooo 1717

[skypuppy 1]

I started in 1979 and have done jumps every year since, some years less than others due to injury or to work. Thought I might get out once before getting offered a spot on a demo team, which rejuvenated my jumping somewhat. Then when that wound down, I got a tandem rating which again boosted the jump numbers for a few years. And paid for a few fun crw jumps, both just for fun and for competition. After that I started getting into doing freefall student jumps again. Not sure how long that will go on. The ankles really do hurt some days...

If some old guy can do it then obviously it can't be very extreme. Otherwise he'd already be dead.
Bruce McConkey 'I thought we were gonna die, and I couldn't think of anyone

[joesky 0]

I started in 1967. Like everyone I was a 'fun jumper' for the first years but turned competitive in the late 70's. If it was not for competition I would have quit long ago. Competition keeps me challenged, keeps me fit and keeps me 'young'. I make over 200 a year and compete regularly at the Nationals on both sides of the border. Just returned from Lodi where I made 96 training jumps and competed in the Stearns meet. I will be competing in August at the World Championships in Bosnia and again in Dubai later in December. The fun continues to come from the challenge. I have remained healthy apart from a slight crushing of a vertebrate under my PC in the mid 70's. What continues to make it all possible today are the large slow accuracy canopies and the soft tuffet to land on.

[jimmytavino 16]

as a kid I Always Looked ^^^ UP ^^^ when an airplane flew by....
never was IN one,,,,either on the ground, Or in the air, until the day
that I made my # 1 static line parachute jump !!!
that was '72, when the HOT gear, was a "piggyback, with shot and a halves " ( AND a 'chicken cord' )

As for myself, I took it really slow...... So proud to have learned about and safely used, MANY different types of gear.. some comfortable,,, some NOT so MUCH... almost a thousand jumps with a chest mounted reserve, and 900 + with a "round" main.. mostly French Papillon(s)...Upgraded to a Cloud...in the late 70s and always stayed sensible with my wing-loading and flying techniques..so far, so good (knock wood )
As others have mentioned here.... there IS just something about pulling Into the driveway of ANY DZ...
Great scenery as viewed from above, at ALL of them, pleasant and Fun people as well... In the 70's I trained and jumpmastered lots people and Many of them continued On to make hundreds or thousands of jumps... Others just smiled, shook some hands and were gone....But That's OK too.
Stopped teaching when I was no longer single, and had a family and some assets about which I needed to be responsible...
Faded a bit,, when the kids were little. but ALWAYS made a dozen or two jumps a year..
I was always welcomed at a few local dzs , as a videographer, starting in '95...( I had MORE that 1,750 skydives over 23 years,,,,BEFORE I "added a camera " ) hahahaha.. I guess, that met the "200 jump " requirement.....
Have been lucky in most aspects and I'm settled and comfortable in my life. I have never been "grounded or banned" anywhere... Never have caused injury to Anyone else, a fact that I am proud Of...Wish I could say, that I also Have never been injured, by others....... but that's Not the case . Tough lesson to learn. But "Ya' roll the dice, and Ya' take your chances"...
So Far... it's been a good ride, and well worth it...
I'm Not a "nationals caliber " jumper.. but I'm happy to know that THOSE such types,,, are always happy to have me share a skydive with them...
Our sport takes great dedication and time and effort and Money...If you're able to "subsidize" some of the cost,,, ( instructing, camera work, packing etc. ) it CAN be a "zero net loss" regarding cost.. and adds to the fun we can have, whenever we're at a dropzone.....
skydive softly, skydive often, skydive with friends

jmy
A 3914
D12122

[Boomerdog 0]

At 103 jumps logged and 58 years old, I came late to the sport. I'm in my second year of skydiving and it'll take a lot to keep me away from the DZ.

Skydiving exerts a profound and strong pull and I'm no exception. For many years I thought about skydiving and the thought would leave as quickly as it entered my mind. That changed Christmas 2011, when my wife gave me an introductory AFF certificate. This was a gift completely unexpected and off the page. In point of fact, it wasn't even in the book or so I thought. Part of the reason for the gift was to get my mind off the beat down I took in battling prostate cancer. So far I'm winning the battle. But the memories of spending substantial time in a Radiation/Oncology clinic remain and made me realize I hit rock bottom. I count my blessings every day that I was one of the lucky ones. It tears you to pieces to see other patients of all ages particularly the children and you get the instinctive foreboding by looking at them that they don't have too many cards left to play. Ultimately, all of us come to peace with the fact that something is eventually going to take us from this Earth. My wife had it on her agenda to learn to jump as well. So a couple of fifty somethings started in August 2012 and were finally awarded their A-licenses in January 2013. I just had my first reserve ride a little over a week ago. I don't take pride in saying it but I only say it to convey that the mal has not deterred me.

It's a great community and my friends at the DZ are more than friends, they are my extended family. And all the other DZ's I go to, I'm immediately made to feel welcome. The second home IS the DZ.

I thought about it for many years so why now? what was really going on? I reconciled that answer about 9 months ago when I had to confront the realization that skydiving was a dream that would not go away. We spend our lives chasing our dreams then one day the tables turn and our dreams come looking to chase after us. What do you do then?

It's been a great two years and every day at the DZ is a +. From time to time the weather skunks us but I'm still there with my friends and the beer is always cold.

Jump when you can dz but may I humbly encourage you to keep jumping! Even us older "noobs" need someone to look up to!