Sky Diving... And bungee... Update 2:Zipwire

[-Matt-]

Also now includes my bungee jump and zipwire pics/vids
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Anyone else had a go before? I'm looking to do a tandem jump soon. If I enjoy it and don't land on the ground having shit and pissed myself, the plan is then to save up and do an AFF course to jump solo.

Seems to be about 150 quid minimum, upto 250 quid The cheapest place is going to be the winner at the moment with those prices, unless anyones got any particular recommendations.

And no, its not being sponsored or done for charity etc

[Suntan Sid]

Why jump out of a perfectly good aircraft?
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"Everybody needs money, that's why they call it money!"

[chickenstrip]

Remember - you don't need a parachute to go skydiving. You only need a parachute if you want to go skydiving more than once

[-Matt-]

From the looks of half the planes they use theyre about ready to come down at speed too

[chickenstrip]

Oh, and don't let this put you off.......

https://deadspin.com/skydivers-involved-in-fiery-two-plane-crash-caught-it-1458479178?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

[Nope.]

There was a chap on here who used to have something to do with the BPA. Might be worth chatting to him. I remember him saying something along the lines of that he'd never jump at a UK jump site again because they don't keep to safe working practises or some such.

Probably worth searching for. I believe he now jumps in France or some such.

(Or I could just be talking a load of wank and it's just my memory playing tricks on me)
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Current: 2011 Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, 2003 Yamaha YZR-R1 5PW (In Build), 2009 Kawasaki ZZR1400

[swampy]

[-Matt-]

Cheers chaps will give him a PM, hopefully it was him

[G]

Fatpies; Ms Ed also did a lot back in the day as well.

I've done day 1 AFF - actually ended up being a bit of hassle because it kept cancelled due to weather - didn't help I'd moved to the other end of the country.

You'll be able to jump in more conditions with a Tandem.

As for doing it generally 'sok - but nowt amazing to my mind.

I enjoyed para/hang gliding more, though as with skydiving, didn't find any that 'extreme' (not done either properly, but done 1 day para and 2 hang - was planning to carry on the latter but got made redundant, then been busy and/or broke since.)

[Bendy]

Planning on having a dabble this year, since Skydive London are based at the same field where I keep my microlight. Since we have to nob about avoiding the fallers, might as well see what it's all about.

[-Matt-]

[angryjonny]

[Benno]

Been twice because I enjoyed it so much.

Not much to say really. You just turn up, put on the gear, sit in the plane, and then fall out of it. You don't even need to think, just keep your mouth shut if you're scared and they'll put you through it.

I actually found bungee jumping a lot scarier. Probably because I could see the ground, and I wasn't strapped to some sweaty fat australian who did the actual jumping out of the plane.

The freefall is over before you know it unfortunately, but the parachuting is also pretty fun. The landing is nothing to fear, it tends to be pretty gentle.

It's pretty much like being a soldier: shut up and do what you're told, and you can't do anything wrong. Probably.
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I'm autistic. That means I'm smarter than you.

[andym]

I'm guessing you're a bit younger than 80.... but just remember you've paid for the jump.... so YOU WILL JUMP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFqUuTl560g

[-Matt-]

[G]

I've done diving a few times - I'm terrible at swimming, but it doesn't really matter as you get big flippers and you mostly just float about a bit .
Also, should note I REALLY dislike salt water in my mouth and never been that great underwater etc.
Last time I did it they made me take the reg out 1m down and got a massive mouthful of water. Then made me do it again - at which point I worked out if I closed my mouth and didn't swallow a load of water, it wasn't nearly as bad . (This also applies, I worked out, when upside down in a canoe on the Thames!)

Snowboarding (only done indoor so far) scares me a lot more than skydiving.
And I should add that I messed up my AFF - felt a bit airsick on the way up which really didn't help - didn't have the right body position (near vertical dive at one point), couldn't find the pull and had to have one of them pull it for me.
Lines were twisted when I opened (not a problem, I sorted it), then I thought the little bit of fabric on the lines was in the wrong position. Oh and I think the tail bit was folded over too.
However, at least from my one day's paragliding and flying experience, despite their shouting I landed closer to the building than the others AND on my feet, though I did dip down a bit as I landed.
The point I was Tef'ing through was that despite all that, the thing that worried me the most was how unconcerned I was about it all - for me I wouldn't consider it a 'thrill' like zipping through woods on a dirt bike.

On that, if you've ridden mountain bikes, I highly recommend enduro for fun-play-times .

[-Matt-]

[-Matt-]

[Tungtvann]

I've done 5 jumps 5 years ago, way too scared to do any more now though. Got put forward to do another course last year, but we were taken off it because the army didnt want to risk any injuries to us before we deployed to Afghanistan. Kind of glad really, too much pride to refuse!

If you've never done it, 100% go for it. Do as many as you can because it becomes easier and more fun the more you do. I stopped before I got past the scared shitless stage, but I've got enough memory to know how scary it was.

[G]

First time I broke a bone was off-roading ; to be fair, had had 4 hours of not very good sleep, then been riding all day and was getting cocky.

Then a few months later did much worse on a 600 class sports bike as it goes - the off road one I actually rode a bike to A&E a couple of days later when work colleagues kept hassling (had to get the bus home .)

There is more danger in off-roading, but as with road-bike riding, you can mitigate it to some degree by not going super-fast straight away and the like.

Before I first did diving it did, ah, 'cornern' me - I was suprised that I was actually the least worried of those of us doing it as the others were happy to swim under water.
Once I was down there for a few minutes I was fine with it. As with the air sports, I don't find it a particular 'thrill', just a way to see scenery in a different manner.

[Musketeer]

I used to do skydiving and also paragliding for many years, then... I got married

Go for it.. it's fun
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[andym]

Sorry but I done a bungee jump and found it a massive let down, but then I'd worked myself up to the jump and had it cancelled, then worked myself up even more the week before the jump.... when it came to it I misheard the guy and thought nothing of jumping when I knew what was happening.... afterwards I didn't think anything of it.

I guess a skydive would be as disappointing if you had worked yourself up before hand.... the point of my link was you paid to get up there, legally they aren't allowed to push you out..... but you've paid (and technically you don't want to jump).... they aren't going to carry you back down in the plane or basket... you are getting what you paid for.... whether you want it or not.

Every single life preserving nerve is fighting against you and telling you 'NOOO', you are 'persuaded' out of the plane and your body goes to 'ooohhh fuck... I'm going to die' mode...

When you hit the ground and can walk off.... you 'allegedly' have the most amazing buzz for the rest of the day

[-Matt-]

I am wondering if it might be worth paying for a bungee first having looking into them a bit more tonight. Thought they cost more than they do. Theres one available in Bristol I could be around for quite a lot sooner than i'd be free to go for the sky dive and its only 60 quid - so if I [hopefully won't be the case] do completely bottle it, maybe better to do it there 60 quid down than 10'000 feet up sat in a plane after a long journey to god knows where and 150 plus quid out of pocket

I am working myself up for it but its positively at the moment, i'm not really nervous, so i'm hoping at worst it will just lead to disappoinment, but I guess until its actually about to happen I don't know how i'll react. The biggest 'drops' i've experienced so far are rollercoasters and other rides at various places so nothing to compare it to really.

[andym]

OK so in my drunken state at the present moment, I've been looking at parachute jumps etc and can't see a clear answer.... human terminal velocity is allegedly 125mph (I guess human lava lamp stage depending on build), but the thing I've not been able to find an answer for is what speed you are hitting the ground at.... I've seen videos where it's a brisk jog and a full on short sprint.... but still haven't been able to find the speed (I know deceleration is enough to cause harness bruising).... but my best guess is hitting the ground between 10-20mph ish? would I be anywhere near?

[andym]

Matt, I done a bungee about 4 years ago, to be honest I didn't really think too much of it (well apart from not understanding what the guy meant when explaining the jump and didn't realise he wanted me to jump when he counted down.... then it was only after I seen the video (£15 for the linked video), I realised I let out an involuntary scream on the way down)

Skip to about 2:40 to save on the big nosed-ness and making an arse of myself on the way up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxvIiF0_cxM