ERAU freshmen make first jumps - Article

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http://horizons.eraunews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2002/11/01/3dc3308bcb074

Just one comment, what a "Correspondent Lunchlady"?

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Parachuting Pupils from Prescott Plummet Perfectly

by Lynda Roberts, Correspondent Lunchlady
November 01, 2002


There was no fear for the six freshmen that took the plunge October 5 into the realm of skydiving. Heather Ingalls, Shannan Hamp, Logan Briery, Mark Gunter, Mike McCellan and Mabel Shike have all recently joined the newly formed Embry-Riddle Skydiving Club. The students took their first parachute jump at Skydive Cottonwood in Cottonwood, AZ.

I spoke with Dan Bachelor, owner and operator of Skydive Cottonwood and he explained the particulars of the skydiving experience to me. For first time jumpers each person is paired with a tandem master who shows them proper body positioning for the jump and the landing along with safety issues. The Cessna 206 climbs to an altitude of 10,000 feet AGL and strapped together the jumpers push out of the plane. The duo freefall approximately 39 seconds for 1 mile. The student then deploys the ripcord of the Ram Air Foil and they are under canopy for 7 minutes traveling another mile. All six of the students were in agreement that "when you are freefalling you cannot hear yourself scream." While under canopy the tandem master and student may speak to each other freely with no problems. The tandem master then shows them how to handle the steering toggle and maneuver the parachute to view the countryside. They spiral down in lazy circles and scope out landing spots. The student's touchdowns were soft even with some wind blowing that day.

I wanted to know more about this adventuresome group so I dove into the interview with those wild and crazy kids.
LL: "Were you scared?"
Mike: "No, I wasn't scared. I had a blast. I ate a hamburger before we jumped."
LL: "So how did you like skydiving?"
Logan: "It was a total adrenaline rush."
Mabel: "It was great, I recommend it to anyone. I had to try to remember to breathe."
LL: "Did you have fun? What was it like?"
Heather: "There's nothing you can compare skydiving to. You have to experience it to understand the feeling."
Shannan: "I threw up."
LL: "Does your mother know you jumped out of an airplane?"
Mark: "No, she doesn't and neither does my probation officer."

After the tandem jump the students have 6 hours training for their first solo skydive. They will need at least 25 solo jumps to get a skydiving license that can be used as proof of proficiency at other skydiving centers across the country. For more information regarding this ultimate thrill you may contact Dan Bachelor at (928) 649-8899 or send email to skydivecottonwood@hotmail.com.

My last question was, "What were you thinking when you jumped out of an airplane 2 miles up?" Their answers were nearly identical. "You just stop thinking and enjoy the ride." 

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The World's Most Boring Skydiver