Skydivers Who are Pilots...or Pilots Who are Skydivers

[skygazer 0]

Just curious since I started my flight training...how many of you who are out there are also pilots? Which is your first "love"?

I found that although nothing matched the experience of my three jumps, I find both peace and relaxation at the controls.

Share your thoughts?

_______________________________________

[kallend 2,135]

Quote

Just curious since I started my flight training...how many of you who are out there are also pilots? Which is your first "love"?

I found that although nothing matched the experience of my three jumps, I find both peace and relaxation at the controls.

Share your thoughts?

I'm a PP, ASEL, instrument and glider. Prefer skydiving.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[pilotdave 0]

Soloed when I was 16, got my private at 17, first jump at 18. Both are fun, but very different kinds of fun. I know of pilots that have given up flying for jumping, and jumpers that have quit to learn to fly. Flying is definitely more "useful," and can easily be shared with friends. In college, until 9/11, I loved to take friends for rides over campus. That campus is now inside the washington DC flight restriction zone, so circling over campus would probably get you shot down.

But for me, skydiving is starting to really take over. I used to have a 2 hour drive to the nearest DZ, or a 45 minute flight. I chose to fly as often as I could...especially since I didn't have a car until my last year. That was a great way to mix up flying and jumping. But now I have a shorter drive and jump every weekend, so flying has...well... temporarily dropped out of the picture. I'm still paying lots of money to be in a flying club, so hopefully I'll get back in the air soon. But right now, I'm having too much fun jumping to take a weekend off to go flying.

Dave

[Flyer2Diver 0]

I was a pilot before I was a skydiver. It is difficult for me to choose a first love - I enjoy both for different reasons. Skydiving is thrilling, challenging, has a great social side to it - flying can also be thrilling (aerobatics), but I also like the way it clears my mind of other things (like work).

The thing I love about both is the immediate sense of accomplishment that comes from doing something well - you know right away when you pull off a beautiful approach/landing or a formation jump that goes well.

_______________________________
30005KT 10SM SKC 23/05 A3006

[VectorBoy 0]

Pilot first, took up jumping when getting access to planes was too expensive while living in europe. Love them both but can't afford to do both. Right now jumping is in the lead.

[peacefuljeffrey 0]

I'm a private pilot, airplane, single-engine land. My dad took lessons and got licensed in '82. I used to fly with him all the time around Long Island, and then I took lessons in high school and college. I didn't get the license then because I was lazy about the book-work. I finally did in 2002.
I also did my first five jumps in 1991 and 1996, but didn't go all for it until 2003. Now I skydive more often than I fly, but I love both equally.

Blue skies,
-

-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"

[FallRate 0]

Skydivers are pilots, so long as they deploy.

FallRate

[CanuckInUSA 0]

I was a pilot before I was a jumper. And some of my best days were the mountain flights I did over the rocks here in Colorado. But I haven't been PIC since the spring of 2003 and have decided that I get more out of skydiving (and BASE jumping) than I do out of flying. So my flying has been put on hold. At least for now.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[TheAnvil 0]

I've got 40 some hours and need to get off of my ass and finish the PPL. Skydiving is still my first love. I do find peae at the controls sometimes, but flying is just so boring compared to doing some kickass RW or freeflying. Perhaps when I get a lot more hours and can start some aerobatics I'll think differently, but that's a lot of time and $$$$$$$$ (that I don't currently have) in the future.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[skybill 22]

Hi Sky,
Soloed a 7AC Champ when I was 16, made my first jump when I was 18 and got my Private (SEL) when I was 34. Over the years I've spent more time skydiving than flying but it's all relative. Oh yes, I've also been building and flying model airplanes (AMA 87838)since I was old enough to glue two pieces of balsawood together and get it into the air!! It's about "FLYING!!" I love it all!!!

SCR-2034, SCS-680

III%,
Deli-out

[gmanpilot 0]

AMEL here. I have more fun skydiving, but an airplane affords me the ability to get to the dz a little quicker.

_________________________________________
-There's always free cheese in a mouse trap.

[freakflyer9999 1]

I've been involved with aviation in one form or another all of my life. My dad was a military/commercial helicopter pilot and then later an airplane pilot.
I received my skydiving license first, then my private pilot.
Each has its own rewards, but skydiving gives me a greater sense of freedom and helps me to clear my mind better.

For Most the Sky is the Limit,
For a Few the Sky is Home.

[skygazer 0]

Thanks to all...I guess I certainly am not in a position to compare - 3 tandems has not allowed me to call myself a skydiver, that's for sure. As much as I loved it, I can only afford one sky hobby at a time...wait a minute, did I say I can afford one? Yeah, right. I mean I can throw every extra penny at one.

See you in the sky.................................

_______________________________________

[flygirl03 0]

Quote

Just curious since I started my flight training...how many of you who are out there are also pilots? Which is your first "love"?

I found that although nothing matched the experience of my three jumps, I find both peace and relaxation at the controls.

Share your thoughts?

Private pilot here. I just got my rating a year ago April. I have logged about 275 hours, total.
I only wanted to jump Once, but after my first jump last September, I was hooked.
Lately, I have been jumping more than flying because it isn't quite as expensive.
I have 47 jumps to date.

Flying will always be my first love.
The best thing is when I fly to my drop zone (an hour flight) may a couple jumps and then fly home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
earthbound misfit

[starkmtn 0]

Back in September of 1997y CFI made a tandem jump at the skydiving school across the field from the FBO, came back and said I had to try it. My reply? A disdainful "I fly airplanes, I don't jump out of them." His reply? "Pussy."

So of course I marched over there at about 4:00 in the afternoon and asked when I could make a skydive. My first jump was also my first sunset load. You can see from the look on my face when I got down that I was hooked. There went half my flying budget!

I continued flying and started jumping more and more, until the time spent at the DZ side of the airport began to surpass the time spent at the FBO. Flying is my "first love," but right now I am uncurrent (I have my ASEL, IA) due to the costs of flying and the fact that my CFII moved to VT, I moved out of MA, and I don't live very near an FBO. However, I do intend to eventually get my Commercial certification, and probably my multi. I've toyed with being a "diver driver," but don't think I'd enjoy watching everyone else get to jump!

"You guys should just do CRW. There are so many more ways to get killed, it makes a CYPRES seem safe." -Kevin Keenan

[velvetjo 0]

I just started flying a couple of years ago, it's a good time. Got my instrument ticket last year, and I'm still enjoying the hell out of learning every time I go up. Not sure which I like better, they're each good in different ways.

A difficult crosswind landing or a tough approach to minimums in the mountains is every bit as exciting to me as a fast canopy landing or pulling off a cool RW sequence.

Lance

[relyon 0]

I've been privately rated in ASEL for many years, earned my commercial helicopter two years ago, and just today I passed my helicopter CFI checkride. I always loved aviation and got into skydiving because it was yet another thing to do in the sky. I prefer to keep jumping as a hobby activity and fly helicopters for a living (the job hunt starts tomorrow).

Bob

[gjhdiver 0]

Quote

Just curious since I started my flight training...how many of you who are out there are also pilots? Which is your first "love"?

I found that although nothing matched the experience of my three jumps, I find both peace and relaxation at the controls.

Share your thoughts?

I've been a pilot for close on 15 years now. I hardly fly any more though, because to be honest, it bores me rigid.

If I could afford to get into aerobatics though, it might be different. For all other intents, I can get to where I'm going faster in my car most of the time.

[mjosparky 4]

Started jumping in 1976, earned ASEL in 1981.
Sparky

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[tspillers 0]

I am both and enjoyed both. I have much more experience jumping (depending on how you look at it). Actually I have more hours flying, but that is apples to oranges.

The only down side is now I am even more nervous landing in a plane if I am not the one flying it, even if it is a plane I don't know how to fly.

Todd

I am not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example.

[aeromobile 0]

I started jumping because I flew the jump plane. Flying is more like work and jumping is for fun. As a matter of fact, I've been jumping for 10 years and don't have any skydiving license-not even a "A". I have many FAA licenses, and I fear that if I start getting skydiving licenses I'll turn something fun into work by getting my tandem and AFF ratings.

[skygazer 0]

Wow...nice to hear of all the pilots here!

You all would have died laughing watching me taxi the first time, could not go in a straight line, gotta get those feet coordinated!

It is a lot more costly than I had originally thought, now I have to find the $$$ to be able to fly several times a week rather than every weekend as I planned. Everyone tells me better (and cheaper in the long run) to fly as much as possible. I don't know how I end I with these expensive hobbies!

Oh well, keeps me happy! hope I can occasionally ask for opinions from pilots here once in a while.

_______________________________________

[tspillers 0]

Don't feel bad. I had problems with trying to taxi when I started. Just tell everyone you are practicing for taxiing a tail dragger.

Todd

I am not totally useless, I can be used as a bad example.

[simonsonjh 0]

For my pilot solo, by instructor jumped out, so I had a solo landing before a solo take-off. After I got tired of jumping, I flew loads to fill in the time. I was flying jumpers before I took the checkride.

[crwmike 0]

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I've been privately rated in ASEL for many years, earned my commercial helicopter two years ago, and just today I passed my helicopter CFI checkride. I always loved aviation and got into skydiving because it was yet another thing to do in the sky. I prefer to keep jumping as a hobby activity and fly helicopters for a living (the job hunt starts tomorrow).

Bob

Way to go, Bob!!!

Congrats, brother.

Michael