Skystorm

I used to be normal too, you know? Doing the whole quite housewife gig, never raising my voice towards my man (ex-boyfriend) blah blah blah. In other words, I was dying.. One day I looked up at the sky, and there was this crazy people jumping out a plane and flying towards mother earth at breathtaking speed. (Now remember I'm scared sh&tless of hights and speed... ) And I remember thinking: I need that to be alive again. Two weeks later I did my first jump course, got in a plane and jumped. YYYYYEEEEEEHHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say I dumped my boyfriend, who forbid me to jump again, and took up skydiving. Everytime I rig up I'm nervous as hell, wanting to die, but sitting hotbox, watching take-off I can't wait to get to AL to get out! CRAZY PEOPLE, ALL OF US!

There was a fatality on one of the dz in my country on the 22nd of July this year. (Not my home dz, I might add... And there's only 3 dz in my country... ) The second fatality in 7 months at the same dz. The first one happend in March, when a 15 year old boy spiralled to his death. A first time S/L with his father as his JM. Apparently the boy's arms got entangled in his steering lines, which resulted in a right turn spin. He hit the ground fairly hard and was in ICU for about 2 weeks before he died. We all felt bad for the father who's a pretty big name in Skydiving in my country. But how did this happen? And on a S/L? I was a S/L myself, and just can't think what could've gone wrong. The second accident was a S/L on her 3rd jump. Her FEET became entangled in her steering lines (?). She managed to free herself and did a cut away, but according to the newspapers she opened her reserve to fast and the main and reserve became entangled. She fell to her death. I was wondering: HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE ON S/L???? [question] At least her family doesn't blame the sport. Her sister is also a skydiver and wrote a long letter to the newspaper. Saying that no-one can force you to jump, you yourself makes the decision and you are responible for your own life and safety up there.

DZ, YOU'RE THE BEST. THANX. I've tried everything that was suggested on the posts, but nothing seemed to work. As you all can see, I'm back online... Heeerrrrreeeee'ssss Johnny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! jtval, try this one!!!!!!!!!!!

This weekend I'm getting my first lesson in model airplane flying, whilst trying to renovate our clubhouse.

CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY.

Mark, thanx for wanting to call my boss, it's the thought that counts, hey? I'll see if I can contact you by mail this weekend and chat a bit. Dr. Fowler, ROTFLMAO, wearing nothing but a helmet.... Thanx to all of you, you've brighten up my day alot. Blue skies and good luck to everyone that's doing something special this weekend. Now, one last favour: would everyone that's jumping this weekend do a jump for me and Mark also? See you guys Monday!!!!!

Man, I hope you're not hurt! And I thought I had it bad. I can't even look forward to jumping my own rig, not to mention a NEW one, for I don't have my own rig, YET!!!! Sorry to hear about the accident. I would've offered to keep you company over the weekend, but I don't have a PC at home. And maybe, just maybe, I could still hitch a ride to Swakopmund. At this very moment my boyfriend is pulling into Swakop (he left at 2 o'clock this morning) and he's terrorising me with reports of blue skies and fine weather. And I'm sitting in my office, waiting for the phone to begin ringing... I still can't believe I won't be able to jump this weekend. I so looked forward to doing my 180's and 360's. Dr. Fowler, Dr. Fowler, calling Dr. Fowler.... I need a prescription, for low altitude poisoning, I tend to get seasick on waterbeds....

When we call in sick, even if it is just for one day, we have to have a doctor's note. Although it's not required by the labour law, this company made it their own law. And I don't know any doctors that will give me a note, unless I was there...

I was planning on catching that dredged flu, but somehow I think my boss would not believe me. The problem is that I'm 670k's from the nearest operating DZ, and my lift is leaving on Friday morning at 3 o'clock. And there's no other way of going, since they pay me a scrappy salary on which I can't afford my own car.

I'm raging f#&*ing mad!!!!! I've asked for leave on Friday, JUST FRIDAY, to have a long weekend, so I could just relax. I have been working now for 6 years straight. My longest vacation was a week long. I planned to go to the sea, sleep my ass of on Friday and skydive the whole Saturday. Keeping Sunday for the long drive home (670k). My leave was denied, why? Because there will be no-one to answer the phones when I'm gone (Althought we are 3 working in the office)!!!!!!!! AAARRRGGGHHHHHH @#^$%^%^&#@^%^%$^@#^&^&^&*#%^%$$@#

Tried, I went out with a guy who wanted me to centre my life around him. I always had to do the things he like, we never did what I wanted to do. When I decided that I wanted to skydive he didn't engoured me, but he did went to the DZ the first time I jumped. When we reached the DZ and all the other skydivers found out I was a first timer, they made me feel right at home. They joked, laughed and gave tips on what to do and what not. I felt that I belonged, the first time in my life. The problem was that this was a sport mostly dominated by male skydivers. And I had a very jealous boyfriend, altough I never cheated on him, nor will I ever cheat on a boyfriend. When I returned after my first jump to the club house I was absolutely vibrating with life. Everybody congratulated me and joking, but my boyfriend was sulking. I was scheduled to do 2 jumps that day, but after my first he simply told me to get in the car so that we could go home. He forbid me to jump again. Since then, every time I heard a plane, or saw one of the skydivers I wanted to cry, I wanted to go home to the skies. We went out for another 2 years before I finally worked up the guts to send him packing. But it still took me about 10 months to get back to skydiving, because I felt that I would betray him somehow. He made me feel guilty about doing the things I like. Now I'm skydiving again, and dating a skydiver, and no one will ever tell me to stop skydiving again. My mother tried, and she failed miserably, because it made me more determined to sucseed. It's awesome being with someone who understands the sport and supporting you all the way.

I jumped a fundive at another DZ and we went to 8000ft. I'm starting to do my 180-turns, which I am told is done at about 6000ft. When we jumped last weekend, I was sitting hotbox, looking out the door, thinking: "Man, I don't wanna jump, 5000ft is to low!!! (This from someone who, on her first SL didn't want to get out the door at 3500ft.)" Now that I'm freefalling I deploy on 4000ft, maybe at 3500ft but that's my absolute lowest.

Hi, my name is Elsabé and I am an Assistant Transport Operator for an International Transport Company. The benefits are great, the job is fast paced, some of my co-workers real bitches (all female staff), and the paycheck to small.

Doasfu, "My first freefall was possibly my favorite jump. " My first freefall was my worst jump!!!!! When I dumped, I immediatly felt something was wrong. I went into a spin. As I looked up my canopy was almost completely closed. Line twist, from my risers right up to the canopy, my slider wasn't even visible!!! At first I wanted to do a cut away, but something kept telling me I would be OK. As I looked up the second time (with my hands on the cut away handles, just in case... :) ) I saw my line twist opening up from the canopy downwards. I pulled and kick like a horse, and eventually it openend. The next day, the JM had to force me to rig up and climb into the plane, I was convinced that my chute won't open again and put up quite a fight. He simply told me : " Get into your gear, into the plane and jump, or I will gear you up, throw you into the plane and f@##$%k you out." That did the trick. And I will forever be gratefull for those words, for they kept me in the sky.

Hey Geek, Finally someone that also began his skydiving career as a SL. When I first registered with Dropzone.com, it seemed to me that everyone began their career as a AFF student. I also began as a SL and everytime I had to let go of the strut, I was scared shitless. But once I was free of the plane, my fear turned into amazement and adrenaline. This weekend I did my second unpoised. And man, there's nothing that could every be compared with the feeling you get from falling out of a plane into thin air and FLYING. But I still get very nervous and tense before each jump. This keeps me aware of all the things that just MIGHT go wrong. I don't think you should be worried about not being scared anymore, just don't loose your awareness...

if you are doing the butt bounce... It's like : BOUNCE, BBounce, bounce uuurrrrgggghhhh, Get up, Get up!!!!!! Don't let them see your hurt... UUURRRRGGGGGGHHHHH, will I live through this...? But when the next load is booked, I already in the plane again.

How many marshmallows hit the tummies????? I will try this the next time we jump.

Doasfu, I get those same headaches as well. The first time I got one I thought I was dying from a brain tumor. I start getting this lights (if you can call it that) in front of my eyes, than my fingers and toes go numb, my nose is next. The doctor told me it's migraine and it's quite normal for stressed out people. Since I started to skydive it hasn't returend. Touch wood!!!!!!

Aviatarr, I've had standup landings with a 230 everytime, but with the 210 I sit on my ass everytime. What am I doing wrong??? I weight 61kg and stand 1.61m short.

Go for it!!!!!!! You'll be great.

This one might actually work. Thanks : ))

One of us!!!!!!! Oh, yeah!!!!!!!!

My point exactly!

I found your article about landing on top of buildings quite facinating, thank you!!!!! Thanks for the advice, but we don't have fairs. What we do have is Bazaars, the same principle as a fair but much, much smaller. If we get 200 people to attend the fair it's a big sucsess. And we don't do tandems at our club (no tandem master), and we already asked everybody who was remotely interested in jumping, who by the way did one jump and then left. Any other ideas???????

Your idea is not goofy at all. Only problem is the nearest place to donate plasma is 480km from me, and you don't get paid. You get a can of Coke and two cookies for all your trouble...