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For my birthday, my wonderful significant other is taking me skydiving. It is something I have wanted to do since I was twelve (according to my mother). It's also on the list of things I want to do before I die.
Has anyone here ever done it? Tell me about your experiences and what sort of dive was it (tandem or Accelerated Free Fall), and would you do it again given the chance? For those of you who haven't done it, why not? ( ?) Are you still debating or is it something you'd never consider.
posted
I made about a dozen jumps back when I first graduated high school. Back then you could either do tandem or many jumps to work up to solo jumps. I thought I would make a sport of it. I had a blast but ran out of money. If you are going to jump once, I would do the accelerated free fall. You are the most free there.
You are in for an experience.
Posts: 1766 | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
It is on my list, as well, but I haven't done it yet.
My friends who have tried it have usually done the tandem first. Someone else, with experience, is in control that way. Then after that, they felt more willing to try it on their own.
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I really debated on that. I want to do the AFF but it is twice as much and the class is twice as long. Xavier (the wonderful significant other) will also be jumping, so the cost may just be too much.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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posted
Oh, I'm envious! I love high up places, and I've always wanted to sky dive. The only thing that really keeps me from pursuing that is I figure that I'm fairly likely to break a limb doing it. And I have too many people depending on me intact to risk breaking a limb.
This also keeps me off motorcycles. I have been gliding, though (in a little airplane without a motor), and parasailing (strapped onto a giant kite). And to all those high-up-in-the-air rides at the amusement park. Especially the ones where they drop you quickly.
Maybe someday, I'll get to skydive. Report back on how that goes.
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posted
I haven't done it because the thrill of moving quickly, for me, is soon replaced by the inconvenience of breathing shallowly -- which means that the cost/benefit analysis breaks down as follows: on one hand, I could die; on the other hand, I could truthfully tell people I did something specific that could have killed me.
If I ever need to benefit from the latter, there's nothing stopping me from telling people that I have in fact been skydiving.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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posted
I did it tandem in college, I didn't want to sit through the all day class and pay the extra cost to do it otherwise. I would take it over bungie jumping any day, but I don't know if I would do it again. It was an experience I will never forget, and I am glad I did once.
My one word of advice is that if you have any type of sinus problems, take an over the counter sudafed about 30 minutes before the plane goes up. I didn't, forgetting my SCUBA training, and suffered a squeeze that really hurt.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
I've always wanted to, too, but haven't gotten around to it yet. Have fun, you guys! (A skydive con isn't in the cash or vacation budget for me this summer, I'm afraid, although it's tempting.)
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Yeah - what ElJay said is my situation too - no extra money or vacation time to be able to do it this year.
Stephan - I'm curious about what you said, and hadn't thought about that part of it. I'm a mouth breather because my sinus are much too small to work properly (this has been all my life). So if you have sinus issues, this causes problems with the jump?
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I found it loud and cold. And actually kinda dull. I much prefer a roller coaster.
Still, I'm glad I did it (tandem. Didn't want to sit through the long course) and I would consider doing it again, just to see if it was more fun the second time.
It's checked off my list of things I have to do before I die though.
Oh, and eat a (small) breakfast. I hadn't had anything to eat all day. They wanted to wait till the plane was full to take us up and the other group of people were way way way late. So by the time we went up I was pretty light headed and when the shoot opened, all my blood rushed to my feet and I almost passed out.
But don't eat too much because you don't want to spray it everywhere either. (some people get sick, they said)
posted
Great! It is on my list to do but my butt puckers even when I see a scene in a movie depicting a high place, though I have made it a point to go to all the high points in spite of it. Funny though, the fear of heights didn't seem to bother me when I was taking flying lessons.
There is the thought about why you would want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane.
Go for it and have a blast, I will envy you.
Posts: 87 | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
My cousin got a certificate for skydiving for his 18th birthday, (which was September of 04) but was unable to jump until June of 05, during his high school graduation party because of athletic coaches and his parents being concerned. He had planned to jump alone, but because of the weather that day, he jumped tandem. He completely loved it and it added a nice touch to a grad party (we all met at the airport then drove back to his house). Later that summer he did jump alone, I'm not sure if he has since then.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Farmgirl: Stephan - I'm curious about what you said, and hadn't thought about that part of it. I'm a mouth breather because my sinus are much too small to work properly (this has been all my life). So if you have sinus issues, this causes problems with the jump?
FG
It can. You know how when a plane climbs you feel the pressure change in your head? You have to clear your ears by yawning, chewing, or holding your nose and lightly pushing air to your ears. Jumping out of a plane you are going through those pressure changes a lot more quickly, without the benefit of a pressurized cabin. It shouldn't be dangerous, but if you don't take precautions it could make the fall a tad uncomfortable. I suffered what in the SCUBA diving world is called a reverse squeeze. I don't know how my problems are similar to your small sinuses, so if it is a concern definitely talk to a doctor.
Like I said, I forgot to take Sudafed, or I would have been perfectly comfortable. When SCUBA diving I always take it 30-60 minutes before going under. Just make sure you get the stuff that actually has pseudophedrine in it from behind the pharmacist counter.
edit: don't take medicine to early or it could wear off in the middle of the dive, take it to late and it may not kick-in in time.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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valentine, tahts awesome that u are going skydiving. im actually going for my first time July 15th with a big group of friends. you're definitely going to have to tell us what u thought of it. i think for ours we get just over a minute of free fall and then a 7 minute canopy parachute ride down. i really want to get one of those cameramen with the helmet-cam to jump with us so we can make a dvd of it all.
Posts: 813 | Registered: Nov 1999
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quote:It's also on the list of things I want to do before I die.
Seriously, though, I wanted to for a long time, but then I decided it was too dangerous. You better do it before you get old like me and stop dreaming. Also, I went on a free fall ride at a theme park last year and was surprised by how frightening that turned out to be. I'd always been a daredevil in the past, so I don't know what happened.
Someday I may get to a point where I decide it would be okay to dream about again, after my kids are grown maybe. My husband and I also want to tour the nation on motorcycles when we're older.
Posts: 11017 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Squeeze is produced on descent when trapped air in the sinuses contracts and produces negative pressure. The pressure differentials are directed to the center of the sinuses producing mucosal edema, transudation, and mucosal-or submucosal-hematoma, leading to further occlusion of the sinus ostium. The sinus will fill with fluid or blood unless the pressure differential is neutralized. If the outlet is blocked during ascent, the situation is reversed and "reverse squeeze" appears. Pressure inside the sinus increases, affecting the walls of the sinus and producing pain or epistaxis.
Geez! Whoever wrote that particular Wikipedia page needs to learn how to translate Medical-ese into some layman's language the average person and parse and understand!
posted
"If at first you dont succeed, skydiving is not for you."
Also why not make skydiving the LAST item on your, "Things to do before I die" list? Then it does not matter how dangerous it is.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
My mom did this on her 50th birthday and said it was a great time. I hope you like it as much as she did.
Posts: 872 | Registered: Mar 2002
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quote:Originally posted by BlackBlade: "If at first you dont succeed, skydiving is not for you."
Also why not make skydiving the LAST item on your, "Things to do before I die" list? Then it does not matter how dangerous it is.
I'll do anything at least once that has less of a chance of injuring me then driving my car to and from work on a daily basis.
Posts: 3134 | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Wow, sounds exciting. What's the difference between tandem and accelerated free-fall? Is the latter the same as the former, except you're not attached to someone else?
Regarding the medical jargon...I'll take a crack at it. When an actual medical-type person comes along, she can correct me.
quote:Squeeze is produced on descent when trapped air in the sinuses contracts and produces negative pressure.
When you go from an area of lower pressure to higher pressure, the air in your sinuses becomes smaller in volume, which causes the pressure in the sinuses to be lower than the outside pressure.
quote: The pressure differentials are directed to the center of the sinuses producing mucosal edema, transudation, and mucosal-or submucosal-hematoma,
The change in pressure sucks at the membranes in the sinuses. This can cause the tissues to fill with fluid and become swollen (edema). The fluid might even ooze from the tissue into the sinus cavity (transudation). Additionally, blood vessels might burst, causing blood to collect in the membranes of the sinus (hematoma).
quote:leading to further occlusion of the sinus ostium.
So all that swelling and fluid blocks the connection leading from the sinuses to the nose even more than it already was, thus perpetuating the problem.
quote:...Pressure inside the sinus increases, affecting the walls of the sinus and producing pain or epistaxis.
Pressure inside the sinus increases, affecting the walls of the sinus and producing pain or nosebleed.
Posts: 3546 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
pooka: I will jump out of a perfectly good airplane, but I will NOT ride a motorcycle. I know too many dead/maimed people to even consider it.
Posts: 7085 | Registered: Apr 2001
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Here explains the difference between tandem and AFF. This is also the place that will instruct me. Both Xavier and I are students so it will only cost $145 each. I also thought it was much more expensive, thinking that deterred me.
Posts: 2064 | Registered: Dec 2003
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And this is from someone who used to be terrified of the drops on roller coasters!
(and who has really sensitive ears...all the links to info on the pressure has been freaking me out!)
Posts: 3516 | Registered: Sep 2002
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It was great! However, Niki had a hard time breathing during free-fall, and was struggling to keep her goggles on. She also had a tandem instructor who would not stop hitting on her in that sleezy "I am just joking around, so can say offensive things all I want" sort of way.
posted
The first (and probably only) time someone at my workplace went skydiving, she broke both of her ankles because of a bad landing. That was I think, a year ago, and she still doesn't walk normally (though she's gotten rid of her crutches).
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?) Are you still debating or is it something you'd never consider.
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Have fun, you guys! (A skydive con isn't in the cash or vacation budget for me this summer, I'm afraid, although it's tempting.)
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