Would you ever go skydiving?

I have done free falls and spins in both powered and non powered planes. And bungee jumping - wud love to take it a step fwd and do sky diving - tandem at first and then a solo probably. The problem is that I was yng and carefree back then, now I am old and responsible !!

I've gone once and would go again. I'm not sure what the restrictions are in your area. Here in MA you have to go tandem so there's an instructor strapped to you. They gave me an hour run down of what to expect and safety precautions. I was very comfortable with the whole experience. It was really incredible - you just feel like your flying.

The only thing they didn't mention, and I didn't think of, was the pressure on my ears. Take a Sudafed before you go!

Only if the plane was going down. Why jump out of a perfectly good plane?

Would love to give it a go!

Not a chance. I get vertigo just standing on the curb waiting for a walk signal.

What is the difference between a bad golfer and a bad skydiver?
--The bad golfer goes, "whack -- damn!", while the bad skydiver goes "damn -- WHACK!"

I pay to stay in a plane, not jump out of it

Hey, this looks like fun...
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!splat!

If someone put me up to it, or needed somebody to go with them, sure.

Not something I'm going to go out of my way to do, tho.

You do realize that you have a better chance of getting run over walking to the corner store than dying from skydiving.

Considering the incredible lack of caution people take when they're driving and the millions of idiots on the roads around here, not to mention the random stabbings and shootings on the subway, I'd rather skydive my way to work everyday. It's safer.

Just don't land in the street.

I don't disagree that skydiving is generally safer. But if you get hit by a car, it is a sudden surprise. If something goes wrong with your parachute, you have a long time to think about it on the way down. That frightens me.

No, not I.

When my husband was young and not yet under my influence, he joined a sky-diving club. The very first time that he went up, the guy just ahead of him jumped and got a "Mae West" where the parachute has a line over the top, seriously limiting its carrying capacity.

They all watched that guy go splat -- he didn't die, but broke a lot of bones -- then the clubmaster said, "Next" and my husband jumped... successfully. He said it was wonderful but doesn't jump anymore.

Definitely something I'd like to try.

(i shouldn't say it here cuz hamburger might see it, and tell mrs. hamburger, and then there'd be trouble)

Well, if something goes wrong with your main, you still have your reserve. You shouldn't be thinking, you should be reacting. ;-)

And in answer to the original question:

In MA a first-timer has to go tandem. About an hour of training/explaining before you go up.

If you still want more after that, you can start the AFF (Accelarated Free Fall) program and start earning your 'A' license. Ground school for this lasts for a full day before you're able to go up and jump - this time with your own parachute.

We had a good friend go splat, actually a few years before we met her. A beautiful woman with an ankle that looked like hamburger and a few steel rods here and there.

No thanks.

I did a tandem jump once in Georgia. It was great. Just like Sugar said. I had no problems with my ears, Sugar.

It did a lot for my self-esteem, also. Ever since, I am thinking 'hey, I jumped out of a plane, what could scare me?' I did a fire walk later and it did not scare me a bit.

My brother's first and only jump was Accelerated Free Fall, also in Georgia. But that's more than 10 years ago so I don't know what the regulations are now.

For me, it was a dream come true. I could fly and I could touch the clouds.

I wanna go!
I wanna go!
I wanna go!
I wanna go!
I wanna go!
I wanna go!

next time I am in plane, try to find the equipment!