robskydiv 0 #1 May 5, 2003 Watching Point Break made me want to try it and then I met a pharmacist who had actually made it about half-way through the static-line program and he referred me to an instructor. The guy had his own plane in his hangar next to his house and he trained me and a friend right there in the hangar. But the seed had been planted long before that. I remember my uncle telling me to come with him outside. He threw something into the air. A blue plastic parahute-man came floating down to the earth. I was only two at that time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveMonkey 0 #2 May 5, 2003 Saw some skysurfing on tv when I was about 16, and my parents wouldn't let me jump. Signed up as soon as I came to university, and never looked back, although I don't plan on skysurfing now at all ____________________ Say no to subliminal messages Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #3 May 5, 2003 I got involved through my dad who jumped a lot in the military and continued on when he got out. When I was 15, I did my first jump and I got hooked. Now at 19 I have 500 jumps 20 demos and I eat this shit up. I am planning on getting my PRO rating this summer. John D-24352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattM 0 #5 May 5, 2003 Quote My dad jumped a lot in the military and continued on when he got out. When I was 15, I did my first jump and I got hooked. Now at 19, I am the youngest most experienced person in El Paso and most of New Mexico. I have 500 jumps 20 demos and I eat this shit up. I am planning on getting my PRO rating this summer. John D-24352 Wow, pretty sure of yourself aren't you.... Matt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #6 May 5, 2003 I did some changes for you. I forgot to proof read what I wrote. It did sound pretty bad. Anyway, it was the truth, there just aren't that many people that are young and experienced in New Mexico and El Paso. I just feel lucky to be that young and experienced. I couldn't have done it without my dad. John D-24352 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattM 0 #7 May 5, 2003 Its cool dude, I'm right there with you. I've been skydiving for 8 months and have about 330 jumps. Matt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jethers203 0 #8 May 5, 2003 In 8 months, 330 jumps? That is awesome. I haven't jumped a lot lately since I have been in college, but the summer is almost here. It must be nice to jump at your DZ with all the badass people. Blue Skies. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyer299 0 #9 May 5, 2003 It is kind of funny... I always wanted to do it, but never did anything about it. One day I was searching the internet looking for a place to Camp. I typed in Camping in Austin, and a local Dropzone came up (because they allow camping on the DZ). I looked at the website for about 5 minutes, picked up the phone and schedule my entire AFF course. That was last Oct, and many thousands of dollars later, I am so happy I typed in Camping! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Scottyb 0 #10 May 5, 2003 I have always wanted to try it. My wife & I did the bungee the white water rafting and then for my birthday she got a tandem jump for both of us and the rest as they say is history. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ltdiver 3 #11 May 5, 2003 The 'seed' as was stated, was planted by an orthotic fitter while we were standing over a comatose patient in a hospital. I asked what he did before working with the brace industry and he stated he was a tandem instructor at Elsinore! 2 years later, I remembered that and booked my first tandem for a 'joy ride'. 7 years and 1500+ jumps later I haven't stopped. I've always wanted to find that guy and thank him for a new life he unknowingly presented me with that day. ltdiver Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #12 May 5, 2003 Saw Point Break, at age 16. 3 years later having forgotten all about the temporary resulting jumplust, while wandering back from this carnival I worked at I drove past....Jump School? WTF? Investigate later... Oh. I find out I'll need lots and lots of money to do that. I was broke at the time. 7 years-ish later, I had enough to do aff. Jumplust can last a long time and require great patience...but it pays off.Live and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jerry81 10 #13 May 5, 2003 First of all, I think I was born with an inherent love of flight. I've had toy airplanes, model gliders and rockets for as long as I can remember. When I was 6 or 7, a friend's father showed her how to make parachutes out of plastic bags, she in turn showed me and shortly afterwards all my toys got their own rounds. I made my first square for my sister's Barbie doll and a few days later saw my first skydiving accident as one of the risers came loose and Ken burned in from the top of our appartment building. I saw Point Break when I was 11 and knew immediately that I had to try freefall one day. A year and a half ago, a drunk guy drove a bit too fast on a rainy evening and rear-ended me at the traffic lights. The insurance money paid for my sl course and about 50 jumps, and I've been going broke ever since. My only disappointment was the realization that freefall rarely lasts 3 minutes, but I've learned to live with that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skydyvr 0 #14 May 5, 2003 My SO bought me a tandem jump for my b'day last year. When I went to cash in on it, I discovered the AFF option and went for that instead. . . =(_8^(1) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
StevePhelps 0 #15 May 5, 2003 Joined Special Forces in 1977 ... crazy habit of theirs was jumping out of airplanes. ODA 552 CO B 2nd BN 5th SFG Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pkasdorf 0 #16 May 5, 2003 I always thought: "it must be very nice". And one day I decided that if I liked it I should try it. And now! What's the use of waiting? One never knows what life has prepared for you. So I called phone information to ask for telephone numbers of Instructors, called 4, the one that returned my call got me as a student. So I started at 48, three and a half years ago. One of the best decisions in my life! HISPA # 18 POPS # 8757 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bunge 0 #17 May 5, 2003 when i lived in the desert, the old Parachutes Over Palm Springs was using a barron section of the desert by my house to land. since i had always wanted to try it and it was so close to my house, i gave it a shoot. the rest is history...... BUNGE I don't hate them, I just like us better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 598 #18 May 5, 2003 I have always been fascinated with all aspects of flying. When I was in the army reserve, someone told me that parachuting was really macho, so I applied for the army static-line course three years in a row. The army never invited me, so I started jumping with the local club at Valcourt, Quebec. After one hundred civilian jumps, I attended - "struggled through" would be more appropriate - the army static-line course. I quit the military 16 years ago - to attend university - then drifted into full-time skydiving (instructing and rigging) 11 years ago. These days I may not be wealthy, but I sure enjoy my job! Now I am struggling to complete my commercial pilot license. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gale 0 #19 May 5, 2003 Well I had a pretty major illness a few years ago. Things weren't looking good and at one point my doctor actually gave up on me! But then I tried (another) new drug. One that only works on a tiny fraction of people. It turned out I was in the tiny fraction. It was just about the time when the meds started kicking in that the local drop zone had a booth set up at my university's clubs day. I always thought it was something I should try. So I walked up to the booth, and as I started writing down my name the guy sitting there said, "don't you have any questions?". I replied, "do I get to jump out of a plane?" "Yes" he said. So I said, "That's all I needed to know". I figured I'd only do one. Just to try it. And then I figured, well, just one more to see if I'm less scared.... I still wonder if the next one will be less scary. Maybe that's why I keep coming back. GaleI'm drowning...so come inside Welcome to my...dirty mind Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skybytch 259 #20 May 5, 2003 It was all Tommy's fault. He wanted something for us to do on the weekend's other than drinking and camping. Funny how I do more drinking and camping today than we did before we started jumping... btw, during the six months or so after Point Break came out, being a non-rated average skydiver at a Cessna dz totally sucked. Lucky for me I had a jumpmaster rating by then... cuz if I hadn't I wouldn't have seen the inside of a plane for weeks at a time... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
adamjenner 0 #21 May 5, 2003 guy talked to our gym class at school about it and I went with a group from school....so yeah...SCHOOL hahaha I'm one of 2 from the group who have gone back though. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmpnkramer 0 #22 May 5, 2003 I was in the Barracks in Washington State when I saw an ad on the bulletin board. I knew it was for me. I convinced another guy to go with me and Ten Years Later I am still jumping today. The Other guy could not jump the second time in the airplane. I on the other hand could not get enough and still cannot. The really funny thing is that I grew up about 10 minutes from Deland and never knew there was jumping there. I would have been jumping when I was in High School had I known. Oh well, Such is life I was into Drinking and chasing split tail and the Beach of course. Wait, I am still into those things I have just added a few more things like Skydiving into THE MIX!!!!Laters, KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The REAL KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMER! "HESITATION CAUSES DEATH!!!" "Be Slow to Fall into Friendship; but when Thou Art in, Continue Firm & Constant." - SOCRATES Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Unstable 8 #23 May 6, 2003 Friend of mine i met in a pys lab up at KState wanted to try it, so we did the FJC over at the KState Parachute Club. KSUPC He did 2 S/L and 1 PRCP, and quit, i got hooked, and can't dream of quiting!! sds manhappening ks Edited like 5 times as i tried to make it clicky!!!=========Shaun ========== Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoHawley 0 #24 May 6, 2003 It was one fo those things that I thought I would do once at some point in my life. Then on a train journey I met someone who organises challenge events to raise money for the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. I signed up for a tandem straight away and convinced a few friends that it was a good idea. My mother asked me not to do it, so I didn't tell her until afterwards that I had gone through with it. I called her straight away and she said 'Well thank goodness you have got it out of your system'...hmmm...I did my AFF a couple of months later and haven't looked back since! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brabzzz 0 #25 May 6, 2003 Hmmm....last year when I came to University. I heard they had a paragliding club and was hell bent on joining that - only to find it had disbanded a few years back. I figured the guys and gals at the skydiving stall were friendly, the videos looked amazing and it was quiet '''similar''' to paragliding - so I signed up to a SL fjc. Toooo much money later I now have AFF behind me and a rig...wooohooo. Mike --------------------------------------- Ex-University of Bristol Skydiving Club www.skydivebristoluni.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
