How Superstitious a Skydiver are you?

[Yossarian 0]

I've seen a great range of skydiving superstition, the first was when i went to Langar for the first time and it went from lift 12 to 12a... people seem to have habits from rabbits feet to the handshake before exit to kissing crucifixes to having to touch the wing of the plane before they'll get in...

personally im not religious or supersitious, but sometimes i think im alone in that!

[Malta_Dog 0]

Usually not superstitious but when I took up skydiving I was wearing a T-Shirt that my daughter (who was 5 yrs old back then) had decorated as a gift for Father's Day and I've worn this T-Shirt on almost all my jumps.

TBH, I'll have to find another lucky charm soon because the T-Shirt is now in a sad state...

All your dropzone are belong to us!!!!111!

[phoenixlpr 0]

I hate pre-boarding pictures. I had some trouble when I had pre-boarding pictures taken. I hate even more if someone forcing me for being on a pre-boarding picture.

I jump anyway any day even on the 13th of Friday.

[Peej 0]

I've never been very superstitious or overly religious for that matter but i do have a small prayer that i say every time we're wheels up.

Funnily enough though, a few weeks ago i ran out to do a distance round of competition at our Nationals and i was wearing a pair of shoes that weren't my normal jump shoes. I swooped well in the first round and before round 2 i actually thought about changing back to my usual jump shoes but then decided to stick with 'em for the rest of the comp cos they were lucky

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[piisfish 135]

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i was wearing a pair of shoes that weren't my normal jump shoes...but then decided to stick with 'em for the rest of the comp cos they were lucky

sunday I wore shoes which were not my usual ones and I did my 1st Superman.

Now my black RW suit is the same color as my rig.. Black AND camo

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[lekstrom10k 0]

I know a past DZO that would say "I am glad I'm not superstious , knock on wood" She would then rap her knuckles on a particle board plastic coated desk. Well its sort of wood.

[pinkfairy 0]

Eh, no, unless you mean my lucky canopy packed in the lucky way, and the lucky reserve, packed by the lucky rigger in the lucky container, with the lucky AAD turned to the lucky state. And my lucky pull hand. I always check that I have all my lucky handles at least thrice before every jump.

I think it's generally more lucky to jump with all that than without.

Relax, you can die if you mess up, but it will probably not be by bullet.

I'm a BIG, TOUGH BIGWAY FORMATION SKYDIVER! What are you?

[DougH 270]

Hmmm I do some things most every flight, I don't know if you would call the superstitious though., more habits.

Before boarding I jokingly bitch about skydiving: "you mean I have to do this again!!!".

I put my helmet on and strap it down right before take of, then a give it a few good whacks on the head.

I give the plane ceiling a few love tapes while it is taking off, something along the lines of, come on baby work at least one more time for me.

Oh and we usually scream something after wheels off, which is nice because that first 1000 feet is the worst for me.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[Orange1 0]

Quote

Eh, no, unless you mean my lucky canopy packed in the lucky way, and the lucky reserve, packed by the lucky rigger in the lucky container, with the lucky AAD turned to the lucky state. And my lucky pull hand. I always check that I have all my lucky handles at least thrice before every jump.

I think it's generally more lucky to jump with all that than without.

yup, pretty much my attitude. my set routine isn't about doing things for luck but to check that everything is as it should be.

Skydiving: wasting fossil fuels just for fun.

[countzero 7]

after we reach 10k i do a short breathing/ mental picture exercise before every jump. it's more to relax than a superstition.

i jump with new a piece of gum in my pocket, which i chew while i'm packing for the next jump. the times i've jumped without the gum i've either landed off or had a rough landing. so on that point i'm superstitious.

the hand shakes in the plane i view as part of the camaraderie. and as for the gear checks, pin checks and touching my handles multiple times: better safe than sorry.

diamonds are a dawgs best friend

[skr 1]

Well I'm quite sure there is a lot more going on
than the standard sensory consensus reality.

But I also know that it is often difficult to know
whether I'm actually tuning into something or
just making it up and kidding myself.

And there is also the way state of mind affects
the course of events, and whether to call rituals
and procedures sports psychology or superstition.


I do have some set procedures, like the way I
pack or the way I gear up or some other things
I check in the course of making a jump, and
these do evolve over time, although at any
given moment they are pretty fixed.

And it's not like an OCD thing, I can do things
out of order or differently in some unusual
situation.

But I'm quite aware of where I'm deviating,
which is what I want.


I developed those procedures over time
because I've caught myself in the past
getting tired, dehydrated, stupid, distracted.

I remember once at Quincy catching myself
suiting up, hands raising flaps, eyes aimed
at pins, mind a million miles away.

My body was going through the motions,
my mind wasn't registering any of it.


But I do think it's highly premature for
so called hard nosed scientists to just
dismiss stuff that doesn't fit in their idea
of reality.

I was a scientist once

"Back off man, I'm a Scientist!" :-) :-)

It seems to me that we've barely scratched
the surface.

Skr

[chanti 0]

Quote

but i do have a small prayer that i say every time we're wheels up.

Me too. I pray for the same things always:
1. That we have a successful jump (as in turn lotsa points!)
2. That we have fun
3. And above all for all of us to land safely

Then I always have my lucky Eyeore socks on and never go on load 1 because the last time I did, I broke a femur.

-Chanti-

[ChrisL 2]

I have a prayer I say before the plane leaves the runway on every jump.
Its for everyone on the load and I never neglect to say it.

__

My mighty steed

[darkwing 4]

I'm not at all superstitious, but I do have a routine. Routines are great routes to being safe. Checking handles, etc, on my rig and on other rigs I can see before and after loading.

-- Jeff
My Skydiving History

[stitch 0]

I often give my love to the plane.

"No cookies for you"- GFD
"I don't think I like the sound of that" ~ MB65
Don't be a "Racer Hater"

[sraja 0]

My first cutaway was on my 13th jump - I have a prayer that I say as the plane takes off.

[Jumpah 0]

That reminded me...I scratched from my jump #13 when rig I was jumping wasn't packed in time. The Otter had an engine failure on that load and everyone was out at 9k, scattered 5-10 miles out from the DZ. Found a load of people who dropped in on a guy getting ready for a BBQ...the good host broke out the beer

The plane landed fine at a nearby airport.

[schuey87 0]

Quote

Quote

but i do have a small prayer that i say every time we're wheels up.

Me too. I pray for the same things always:
1. That we have a successful jump (as in turn lotsa points!)
2. That we have fun
3. And above all for all of us to land safely

I do that aswell, plus the handshakes, plus checking my handles at least 3 times in the last 2-3000ft of the plane ride...

[ZigZagMarquis 8]

I do have a "lucky charm" so to speak... the following printed on a small slip of paper in with my reserve packing data card...

Meet me Jesus, Meet me
Meet me in the middle of the air
And if my wings should fail me, Lord
Please meet me with another pair

Most folks see it and assume I'm deeply religious or something, but mostly its just a cool line from a Led Zeppelin song.


Anyway, does it also count to be reverse Superstitious?? Like making it a point to go skydive on a Friday the 13th.

[udder 0]

Im very superstitious. I eneded up doing my first jump on Friday the 13th.

"In one way or the other, I'm a bad brother. Word to the motherf**ker." Eazy-E

[FallingDuck 0]

I always seem to check my beanbag about three times in the airplane.

[freeflyn 0]

I always practice my emergency prior to exit, I complete my skydive mentally several times prior to boarding and during the ride up. Prior to a day of skydiving I never say "good-bye" to my wife only "I will see you soon."

[Eule 0]

My other half gave me a ring and I've had it with me on just about every jump. When it was cold and I wore gloves, I took it off and put it in my pocket.

Lately I've also been putting another small item from the other half in my pocket. It's not any bigger than a car key.

This maybe falls under general dive preparation, but I've noticed that when I'm rushing around to get on a load, the dive tends to not go as well as it otherwise might. Once or twice I've decided to manifest on the load after next, instead of the next one, so I can get ready in a leisurely manner.

I know a guy who has pillow handles for both cutaway and reserve. He's got Bible verses embroidered on them - a different one on each. Not the whole verse, but the book, chapter and verse, like "John 3:16". I don't now remember what they are specifically, but I do remember looking one of them up once and finding it appropriate. I file this under "religion", not "superstition".

Eule

PLF does not stand for Please Land on Face.

[mnealtx 0]

The last jump I did on vacation this time back was load 13...

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706