Did the accelerated free fall course some years back. http://www.waskydiving.com.au/aff.html
9hrs(I think) of training followed by a jump with two instructors holding you stable for 20 secs of free fall then you pull the cord and fly the parachute to ground.
Did it at Pinjarra and the view from the chute as you circled was cool.
The free fall was all over very quickly and I was concentrating so hard it didn't really give me as much of a buzz as a good day's windsurfing. Considered the cost of continuing and decided to call it a day.
I would recommend the tandem to see if it is your thing. Less of the hard training more of the experience. Enjoy.
I tried it 20 odd years ago and found it boring. Way too much waiting around doing not much of anything.
A mate got into it recently and had the money to get all the training and gear happening quickly. He jumps a wingsuit now. I think you need a 200 jumps before you can us a wingsuit.
"Why would you want to jump out of a perfectly good plane?"
I wanted to try skydiving, bungee jumping etc. years ago...I think that self preservation has kicked in now & I'm not interested in ever trying it.
In saying that, training for vertical rescue (SES) has opened my eyes to abseiling!!! Plenty more of that ahead I hope.
Yes, around 5 years ago. The free fall was fantastic, then the chute was opened, and I had the worst motion sickness the rest of the way down, and lasted for a few hours once I landed. I'm tempted to try again, knowing now what I didn't know then, but it's a lot of money just to be sick all over again.
I did the AFF course a few years ago. The drop zone was a bit of a drive from my place so I spent the night at the drop zone camping with a few regular skydivers. It was great to see people so passionate about their sport. People from all walks of life (doctors, soldiers, salesmen) all united by their love of jumping from planes.
Definately something I would recommend.
(although I did the jump in the morning, I still got a good buzz from a kite session that arvo)
BTW, skydiving is THE most accuracte sport in the world!
Nobody EVER misses the planet
thanks all. ive booked in for it for late july at pinjarra. wanted it sooner but could not get it. cant wait now.
did the tandem from 14000 ft in boardshorts and no drogue about 12 years ago and have been wanting to do it since.
was in port maquarie for the aussie sky dive titles and got to meet a few of the guys there. got talking and they said i could do what ever i like so no drogue and boardshorts. the guy i jumped with was hung over and fell asleep on the flight up.
watched the mrs drop out of the back of the plane 1st which was strange, then my turn. loved it.
I done the one day solo course years ago with a couple of jumps from 3000ft in Qld, was friggen awesome. There was somewhat of a fear factor going solo and it was my first plane flight, for a while I could say "yeah, taken off in a couple of planes but never landed in one".
Now I'm into base jumping with over 300 jumps but I usually go up instead of down. My winged suit has a 10 meter wing span (hang glider).
Parachuting is a lot safer than it looks and is well worth trying at least once, if your chute doesn't open they will gladly give you a full refund.
Yeah but not for 15 years, did just over 500 jumps, jumped out of some awesome aircraft, Boeing 727 being the highlight. Great fun and good times.
Was that at the Free fall Convention in Quincy??
Other than the jet, the Super Constellation, DC-3 with massive prop blast, the chopper, a king air that went to 24000ft.
I didn't do the biplane as I thought it was too expensive which of course I regret now.
Also did alot of walking through corn fields.
Yer man 3000+ lobes.3 bass jumps.A load of free flying and wingsuit jumps.But like anything else it gets old real quick.
wow i remember that convention. I skipped the dc-3 and went straight to the space shuttle, f16 and inverted chopper jumps
man that cost an arm and a leg