July 24, 2016 This weekend, I was visiting family in Cincinnati and saw ads for the StartSkydiving company. Earlier this summer, I jumped off the Stratosphere building in Las Vegas and got a very small taste of what it's like to jump and fall through the sky. So, when I saw the ads in Ohio, I decided I would go for it... and made my very first tandem skydive today. I was even able to convince my brother to jump with me. As he states in his video, "when I left work on Friday, I had no idea I'd be jumping out of a plane this weekend." Keep in mind, I knew nothing about this company, other than what I read on the web. I put more time and thought into purchasing my refrigerator than I did in selecting a skydiving company. Lol. The reservation process went without a hitch. My brother and I chose the 7am jump slot. We were using a $100-off coupon associated with Kings Island, and there was no problem with the web page and pricing. I received a call the day before from Ashley asking if we'd be able to move our jump time from 7am to 9am, since we were the only two jumpers scheduled at that time. I'm guessing they need a full plane of jumpers to make the economics work, which I understand. So, we arrived a bit before 9am and were promptly checked-in, completed all the paperwork, and watched the safety/training/legal disclaimer video. Then, it was off to the hanger for equipment and to meet my instructor. Let me share that, while it's important to have a quality plane and parachute to make this work, the entire experience really rises and falls with the instructor. I was not disappointed! From the moment Dan P. introduced himself to me, I knew I had chosen the right company and that luck had chosen a great instructor for me. His sense of humor, friendliness, knowledge, and epic mustache made the entire experience from hanger to landing awesome! He explained everything clearly and easily. During the plane ride up, he asked about what I did for a living and shared his experiences with jumping. It seemed like a pretty normal plane ride, until we reached just below 10,000 ft and the first person jumped out solo. Lol. The time came for us to waddle over to the door and make our jump. Everything went as expected and Dan did a great job during the freefall. It's very easy to forget everything that's been told you in the hanger and on the plane ride up, when, as Dan puts it, "we throw a planet at you." The descent after the parachute opened was incredible, and the landing was flawless. Everything about this jump was fantastic... and Dan definitely gets the credit for my experience. I highly recommend him. This guy knows what he's doing and how to make first-time jumpers comfortable and calm. I chose the video option where the instructor wears a camera on his wrist and Dan really knows how to capture the experience. He knew what to capture: from boarding the plane, the ride up, the freefall, the descent, the landing, and the conversation after. The final product on YouTube captures the entire thing perfectly. I've had many compliments and comments from my friends since sharing the link with them. From the time my brother and I arrived, to the time we left, the entire experience was about 2 hours. I visit my family in Ohio every year, and I plan to make this an annual event. I'd like to try my hand at skydiving back home, in Washington, DC, but I don't know any companies. I'm afraid I've been spoiled by StartSkydiving. To Dan P. I say thanks a million!
