Any SkyDivers on here?

[Jyphotography]

I am afraid of heights, but if I can get my fat butt into shape I will be going to Airborne school this year...

I will see how that goes then I will decide if I want to do any more!

 

[Deadmeat]

Yeah, I used to do it hot and heavy. Made my first jump in 1971 and finally quit in 1996, 1,100 jumps later. Used to make my living at it also by skydiving with 1 or more cameras on my helmet and taking pictures that I then sold to the advertising media. D-4879, WSCR-454, BASCR. Had 8 malfunctions in 1,100 jumps that I had to cut away from and to the reserve and one plane crash on takeoff. I also used to skydive into nudist colonies on a regular basis, and of course there's only one way to skydive into a nudist colony properly.

 

[Jim]

Yeah, I used to do it hot and heavy. Made my first jump in 1971 and finally quit in 1996, 1,100 jumps later. Used to make my living at it also by skydiving with 1 or more cameras on my helmet and taking pictures that I then sold to the advertising media. D-4879, WSCR-454, BASCR. Had 8 malfunctions in 1,100 jumps that I had to cut away from and to the reserve and one plane crash on takeoff. I also used to skydive into nudist colonies on a regular basis, and of course there's only one way to skydive into a nudist colony properly.

:LOL2: Post of the year so far! :beer:

 

[KMixson]

I also used to skydive into nudist colonies on a regular basis, and of course there's only one way to skydive into a nudist colony properly.

Details, Man. Details.

 

[Captain Ahab]

No skydiving - I fall very often while just waking from fishing spot to fishing spot


Good thing I am bouncy

 

[Waterwings]

A thumbs-up to you guys that jump! 8)


I live by two philosophies:

1) I don't jump out of perfectly good airplanes (and really didn't care to be in the plane to begin with)
2) I never go on ships that sink on purpose, better known as subs. :shock:


And I'm like the Cap'n, I have enough trouble sometimes on regular ground, plus I'm more prone to breaking instead of bouncing nowadays, lol. :shock:

 

[BassAddict]

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[Deadmeat]

Uh, well, I used to skydive with as many as four cameras on my helmet...a 35mm in front, a 16 mm on the right, video on the left, and a 2.25 on top. The whole rig weighed 23 pounds and when you're slowing from 120 mph to 10 mph in less than three seconds, the opening shock was brutal.

As for the nude skydiving, we used to have a circuit of nudist colonies we used to jump into. Typically, we'd take off in a large turboprop such as Twin Otter while wearing shorts and a t-shirt and strip down in flight to avoid offending the spectators at the airport. Every time someone would stip down the others would sing "Shine on Harvest Moon." Then we'd stuff our clothes under our leg straps so that if we landed off the nudist colony we'd be able to get back somewhere to be picked up. Fortunately, it never happened.

Usually it was about 5-6 guys and a few chicks, and after we exited we'd form a round formation or other formation where we'd link up in freefall. I'd fly over the top of the formation with the cameras and take pictures of all the nude skydivers with the nudist colony in the background. I'd then sell the pics to the owner of the nudist colony to use for promotionals for the rest of the year. As fun as it was, the opening shock was brutal and for the guys at least our voices would go up about three octaves for the next week or so.

I've got some great shots but for obvious reasons I can't put them on the website. About the worst thing that ever happened is the wicked sunburn I got the first time I did it (we usually spent the rest of the day at the nudist colony) when the sunscreen washed off and I didn't know it. You just don't know how many seams there are in a pair of Levis until you've been sunburned there.

By the way, the BASCR I used in my previous post means Bare-A$$ed Star Crest Recipient, which was an award given years ago to anyone who was in a nude 8-way formation.

 

[Deadmeat]

I used to ride a motorcycle also but had a woman turn left in front of me one day and it was either hit her or lay it down. I laid it down and although I didn't break anything there wasn't a patch of hide on my left side that you could have put a quarter on. I sold the bike shortly thereafter and took up skydiving. To the day I quit, I never had anyone turn left in front of me at 15,000 feet.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Deadmeat - you are asick puppy


i woudl fish with you - but only fully clothed [-X

 

[jkbirocz]

a nude 8-way formation

Wow 8 :shock:

 

[BLK fisher]

I have thought about it and now that I have kids I probably won't do it. Plus I heard the fastest you can fall to earth is 120mph ( the pull of gravity) I've done 190mph (in my younger days) on my motorcycle, which I sold as soon as my first son was born. It does look fun and I can't imagine the rush or the cenery.

 

[KMixson]

I have thought about it and now that I have kids I probably won't do it. Plus I heard the fastest you can fall to earth is 120mph ( the pull of gravity) I've done 190mph (in my younger days) on my motorcycle, which I sold as soon as my first son was born. It does look fun and I can't imagine the rush or the cenery.

Your freefall speed depends on altitude. These guys that do HALO jumps from 35,000 ft can reach speeds in excess of 250 mph at high altitude where the air is thin. As they get closer to sea level their speed decreases because of the air resistance. Form also is a factor in the speed. If you go into a dive form you will increase speed and if you assume a flat fall position with arms streched you will slow down just like streamlining a vehicle.

 

[Deadmeat]

You're right. Terminal velocity varies with body position. In a face to earth position it's about 120 mph, increasing with altitude. In a head down dive we've been clocked at well over 250 mph. I always liked to go out last on big formations since I had to go head down to catch up with the other skydivers who had left the plane before me. It's a real rush!

Also, it varies with body shape. Short, squatty skydivers fall faster than tall, skinny skydivers. And one of our favorite things to do was to try to catch a watermelon. A couple of us would take a watermelon up to 12, 500 feet or so, pitch it out, and then try to catch it. The skydiver has never been born who can catch a watermelon! Jeez, that sucker can travel! And when it hits the pink spray is awesome. Unfortunately, I've seen a few skydivers do the same thing.