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alp27

first ever skydive - my story

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I have always wanted to do a skydive but have never had the chance - until yesterday!
I arrived at the airfield early and found it was already full of people. My excitement levels started to raise as we approached the reception and I caught a glance of the PAC XL-750 that would take us to altitude.
We registered, signed our lives away and then went outside to wait for our call for training. We got the call shortly after to go through to the hanger for training and as we made our way over the pilot fired up the plane. The noise was fantastic as solo jumpers starting climbing inboard. I wished it was me getting on board and hurried through for training.
The training went well as we were taught the three positions for exiting, freefall and landing. Everything was so relaxed and I was surprisingly calm.
After a wait of about 3 hours we got the call. I went to the hanger and met up with Peter my instructor. He got me kitted up, went through the training again and before I knew it we were at the plane door (or roller shutter- calling it a door is a stretch).
There was only me, one other tandem and 5 static line jumpers. We got comfortable and the pilot took us to 3000 feet. Then all of s sudden the door was opened and they prepared the static’s for jump. I was amazed at how smooth the plane was, how little noise there was inside with the door open and how calm I felt. It was as if I had been preparing for this for years and had finally got my chance.
The final static jumper made her move and the door was whipped shut. The pilot got the signal and then we began a rapid accent to 14000 feet. As we rose higher and higher I was told to sit on my instructors knee and together we pulled the leg straps tight. We the relaxed as the plane levelled out.
The door was opened and the planes engine note changed. I put my goggles on and we edged our way to the open door. I remember asking myself why I was not scared or paniced but all I could feel was complete peace and a building excitement.
I crossed my legs, place my arms across my chest and lower myself into position. He told me to stay still and I took a deep breath in, exhaled hard and then we where out. I remember an initial sense of speed and then a feeling of floating. My brain struggled to take in what was happening and the first 10 seconds is a blur. Then I got the tap and adopted the arch position, the wind blasted me in the face and at first I struggled to breath. Then I relaxed as I had been told too and started to breath normally through my nose. He then held my arms and lowered them into a tucked position by my sides. I felt us dip and we were flying, it is the best feeling in the world and so hard to express in words. WOW!!! He then raised my hands back into the arch position and we levelled out.
I then felt his body position change slightly above me and then bang the chute was deployed. I felt the massive deceleration as I was pulled upright, followed by the silence. I grab a lung full of air as my instructor ask we what I thought, amazing I replied, simply amazing. He then made me more comfortable and ask me if we wanted to do some fun parachute stuff. I told him to do his worst as he handed me the hand loops. Pull right hard down he said and the result was instantaneous. We swung round sharply to the right and started to pick up speed. I have driven some quick, balanced cars in my life but the responsiveness and directness of controlling the canopy beats them all. We straightened up the right and he said left down hard. As I did we started to spiral hard to the left, my stomach leapt as he pointed out the canopy, which looked horizontal in front of us. The grin on my face was uncontrollable and automatic. I couldn't have stop smiling if I tried. We did two more spirals down each one quicker and sharper than the last. He then took control of the canopy and guided us in to land. Due to the lack if wind we were advised to land sitting down and as he flared I lifted my legs and we touched down.
I got my breath and give Peter a big thumbs up. He shook my hand and he said "welcome to skydiving!"
I couldn't believe I had done it and it reconfirmed what I had hoped before the jump. I want to do my AFF course as quickly as possible. I will need to save up but it is now top of my to do list. I'm missing the feeling already and can't wait to start my training.
Hope my novel above hasn't bored you all too much but I had to share, it was too amazing to keep to myself.
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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Sounds like you had a great time - let us know how your AFF goes ;)



hey man yeah it was epic, im still smiling 4 days later :)

I will keep you guys posted on how the AFF goes, just getting the money together!!
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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I have noticed that a number of people use www.affschool.com to do the course and I think these guy operate out of Cark. Has anyone had experiance of using them because the prices look great and they video each jump as standard included in the price. Thoughts would be appreciated.

Nice one!!
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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It's great to see peeps getting excited about their early involvement with the sportB| ... BTW it often gets better tooB|B|

Help us out a bit by putting some more details into your profile (country at least ... but I'm guessing U.K)

All the best and have a great summer


(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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I know nowt about Cark (I must go some time, it's in a beautiful part of the country) ... but saying that, if you can afford it, I can recommend you do your AFF in Empuriabrava (Spain) - mainly because the weather is more likely to be good, so you may learn faster and cover the full syllabus in a single hit.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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I know nowt about Cark (I must go some time, it's in a beautiful part of the country) ... but saying that, if you can afford it, I can recommend you do your AFF in Empuriabrava (Spain) - mainly because the weather is more likely to be good, so you may learn faster and cover the full syllabus in a single hit.



That way I can tell the wife we are going on Holiday LOL.. nice idea matey!!
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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I know nowt about Cark (I must go some time, it's in a beautiful part of the country) ... but saying that, if you can afford it, I can recommend you do your AFF in Empuriabrava (Spain) - mainly because the weather is more likely to be good, so you may learn faster and cover the full syllabus in a single hit.



That way I can tell the wife we are going on Holiday LOL.. nice idea matey!!



I take mine - she loves it there.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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Wait till the first time you are all alone under your canopy and it is just you and the quiet and the sky.

Magic

;)



i loved the freefall but wasnt expecting to love the canopy ride as much as i did. As someone who had never done it before i assumed the jump was as good as over once the canopy was open. How wrong was I!!!
It was so calm and peaceful after the overwhelming noise of the freefall... and the views.. WOW
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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Wow an awesome writin story. I might be taking the jump out of a plane in a few months. Im kinda scared cause im afraid of heights and never been on plane plus never even ridin a rollercoaster ahah. I will search this forum for info for newbs :) I think me and a buddy with do the tandem jump at cedartown georgia. wonder if anyone has experience with these people, I would kinda like to do research 1st.

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...I think me and a buddy with do the tandem jump at cedartown georgia. wonder if anyone has experience with these people, I would kinda like to do research 1st....
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lots of nice people there and they'll treat you right, but drive just a few more miles to the Farm. They've got a neat shuttle bus ride to the airport and a much bigger landing area.

Cheers,
Jon

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Wow an awesome writin story. I might be taking the jump out of a plane in a few months. Im kinda scared cause im afraid of heights



Thanks man, I had never done anything like this before and was actually jumping for chartity although it is something i've always wanted to try. It is the most amazing thing I have experianced (ahem... after the birth of my daughter and my wedding day of course lol).
The free fall is such a thrill and I cannot put into words the sense of freedom and jump start to the heart you get as u leave the plane. Also as I said before the canopy ride is the exact opposite and one of the most relaxing and peaceful places on earth.. go for it mate, you wont regret it!!!
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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well i finally have the cash together to do AFF. Im hoping to start pretty much immediatly at Cark in Cumbria UK but wanted to check if you can still jump sept onwards as I know the colder/worse weather is on its way.

I dont really wanna have to wait until March/April next year and im desperate to get started. It seems like an age since my tandem and I dont wanna lose the bug.

Do DZs in the UK close during winter? any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

ALP27
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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<"Im kinda scared cause im afraid of heights and never been on plane">

acraze:

Shouldn't be a problem...at least it wasn't for me.

Of course it was way back when (been out of the sport so I'm lurking around here).

On my first jump - I had never been in an airplane either, and I am scared of heights too.

I was the only one in the first jump class that had never been in an airplane and our instructor told me that was actually an advantage...I guess if you haven't been in a "perfectly good airplane" before, then jumping out of one isn't as big a problem...

I was still getting used to the experience when I went out the door.

In fact, for the first two years I could tell people I had gone up in an airplanes....but never landed in one.
I thought that was kinda cool.

Have fun!

This is something you'll always remember, and if my experience was any indicator, you'll meet some fine people and always have this unusual experience to share and recall...it changes you - in a good way.

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Wow, that sounds familiar. I did a tandem, then worked the next 2 Saturdays and a couple of long days to get the money together. Less than a month after my tandem, I'm through with AFF and have 3 solo jumps complete. I can't stop looking at the sky, and my dreams are one continuous freefall! Welcome to the addiction....

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Wow, that sounds familiar. I did a tandem, then worked the next 2 Saturdays and a couple of long days to get the money together. Less than a month after my tandem, I'm through with AFF and have 3 solo jumps complete. I can't stop looking at the sky, and my dreams are one continuous freefall! Welcome to the addiction....



I know mate, I just cant wait to do AFF. Does anyone know if u can jump or do AFF during the autumn/winter months in the UK. I would be jumping out at Cark in cumbria
Everyone dies.... not everyone lives!!

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