<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Brat @ Feb 22 2008, 07:05 AM) [url=index.php?act=findpost&pid=27363]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/url]</div>
do you get to jump solo, or does it have to be tandem. solo would be best id be up to jump solo.
always wanted to go skydiving.[/b]
You can go by yourself on the first time. It essentially is the first step of becoming a licensed skydiver. It is a programe called Accelerated Free Fall (AFF) training and is a 7 jump program. I order to do this you would have to go through almost a full day of ground school that teaches you everything and more about skydiving and canopy control. On you jump you will jump out with two AFF instructors that will hold on to you durring free fall. While in free fall you will have to preform certian tasks through out the dive. You will be responsible for pulling your own chute, flying the parachute and landing. All the canopy stuff you will be talked in by radio. Me personaly, I would recomend doing a tandem jump first to get an undestanding of the whole experience. Skydiving is nothing like you think it will be and on your first jump you tend to have sensory overload.
Common misconceptions
1. You do not loose your stomach when you leave the plane
* When you leave the aircraft it is traveling at about 100-115 MPH and the relative wind is coming from the direction the plane is traveling. Therefore when you leave the plane the relative wind pushes you more backwards than falling straigh down. It typically takes a full 1000 feet to start falling straight down. This is call the "Hill". Because of the hill it takes a full 10 seconds to cover the first 1000 feet and to hit terminal velocity. Once terminal, you cover a 1000 feet every 5 seconds (on average)
2. You do not feel like you are falling
*Your body only feels acceleration and deceleration. You tend to feel the gradual acceleration at the begining but once terminal, you are falling at constant rate. It would be like driving your car at 65 MPH on cruise control. It is windy and loud, but lost of fun
3. It is very easy to breath in freefall.
* It is all in your head. Many people become so overwhelmed (fear) that they forget to breath.
4. It does not hurt when the parachute opens.
* Parachutes are designed to open slowly. You will feel preasure on your leg harnes but is over in a mater of second. The amazing thing is that it will go from being very loud to dead calm. Under canopy is perfdectly quite.
After you have completed your first jump you definatly have a better understanding of the sport and are better prepared to take the next step
To become a licensed skydiver
1. AFF Course (7 jumps)- $1200
2. 13 additional Student Jumps- $45 a piece
3. Buying your equipment- About $3,000
Total- About $5000- (this is spread out over a few months)
After you are licensed and have your own equipment it only costs only $20 per jump
As far as a sport goes it is not that exspensive and once you make the inital investment you're set for life. I will skydive tell I am old and grey. The thing about this sport is it always gets better and so many things you can do.
then I'm good. Shall we say August?
