Birthday boys - dk's jump video added

[portentous]

Happy 40th for today DK and happy 39th to missionpossible (I expect an invite to your 40th next year Phil!!)

Have a great day young 'uns. :thumbsu:

[Ford Fairlane]

Happy birthday to you young guys! Enjoy the jump dk! :thumbsu:

[*PAF]

Happy Birthday missionpossible.

I'll wish DK Happy Birthday on here a bit later in the day, as somehow I doubt he'd be awake yet. :p

[*PAF]

double

[morell]

young guns? young-uns?

they're nearly double my age! :p

Happy Birthday DK and MI.

[Macca19]

So how was the jump dk??

[dreamkillers]

So how was the jump dk??

Absolutely awesome..........all theme park rides and rollercoasters I've been on are like going on a ferris wheel compared to that.

90 seconds or pure adrenalin rush falling towards the ground and then calmly floating down for the next few minutes before landing on the beach.

Can't wait to see the dvd which I'll have later in the week and will post it on you tube so you can see.


Highly recommended for anyone thinking about it.

[Toots Hibbert]

I'm looking forward to the video.

I did some skydiving in the late eighties and the memories of my first jump are still quite strong. I've never been so frightened as I was during take off and the ascent to altitude. I was next to the open doorway and had asked to be the first student to jump as I knew how I'd react. The instructor noticed how nervous I was and reminded me of what we were told during training that I did not have to jump but once I'd climbed out of the plane I would not be allowed to get back in (too dangerous). We'd been told that on one occasion the pilot had been forced to speed up the plane in order to shake of someone who'd been too scared to let go. ( For those who haven't done it a static line pulls open the parachute on your first few jumps).

From the altitude we jumped it took only about three minutes to land but that first jump still feels like half an hour.

DK I envy the fact you've got a DVD as I don't have a single pic. I always thought I'd get them taken some time but did not continue on with the sport.

Happy Birthday.

[blackdiamond]

Firstly happy birthday to DK and missionpossible.

So DK did you have the Geelong Supporter who did the tandem with me?

Im thinking that I might take the jump again while I am over here, not sure if I will do the DVD again, it will depend upon the surrounds - if they do something like that around the Grand Canyon I think it would be awesome!

[dreamkillers]

So DK did you have the Geelong Supporter who did the tandem with me?

He made no mention of the footy - was he short or tall as the guy with me was just over 5ft - you'll see in the dvd which I should have by the end of the week.

[dreamkillers]

Can't wait to see the dvd which I'll have later in the week and will post it on you tube so you can see.

I got the DVD tonight and will get a mate to reduce the size of the file for uploading to youtube tomorrow so with a bit of luck I'll post the link tomorrow night or by the end of the week at the latest.

[blackdiamond]

He made no mention of the footy - was he short or tall as the guy with me was just over 5ft - you'll see in the dvd which I should have by the end of the week.

Can't have been him, he was taller than me.

[dreamkillers]

Can't have been him, he was taller than me.

Well you can now see for yourself as the dvd's been converted to MPEG3 and uploaded to you tube and as you'll see he has the two fingers up in part of the flight down.......:D

I will say though from the DVD it really doesn't highlight how fast or how long the free fall is as it's just an amazing feeling falling for 90 seconds and something I will definitely be trying again.........I'm looking at doing a solo jump course next year which will be a great incentive for my post Xmas give up smoking campaign.


For those people with dial up it's usually better to hit the pause button until most of the movie has loaded then hit play again.........

Anway here it is...........

a5XnqCivXYA

[Sandola]

Aaaarrgghhh. Entirely too thrilling for me.

DK -- a crazy person with great taste in t-shirts.

Well done!

[PAFC2004]

Awesome! Good to see the t-shirt too :D

[morell]

Brilliant stuff DK!

I love the look on the face when you were half hanging out the plane.

[dreamkillers]

Brilliant stuff DK!

I love the look on the face when you were half hanging out the plane.

Basically the fear of the unknown with the brain thinking 'we're not supposed to jump out of planes' but that feeling didn't last long as the adrenalin rush set in from the free fall...........it was an amazing feeling and way better than I ever imagined it would be like.

[blackdiamond]

Basically the fear of the unknown with the brain thinking 'we're not supposed to jump out of planes' but that feeling didn't last long as the adrenalin rush set in from the free fall...........it was an amazing feeling and way better than I ever imagined it would be like.


I can't say I had quite that feeling, it was more of a 'can't go back now' type of feeling.

When I get back home I will see if I can post my Darwin jump here as well, who knows I might have a Grand Canyon jump or something like that to add to it.

[Toots Hibbert]

Great stuff DK. You look pretty composed throughout I must say. I'm really impressed by the camera work. That was just your guy filming the whole ride wasn't it?

Did you jump over water and then fly back to the beach or were you over land the whole time? Also did you jump from about 10,000 feet?

[dreamkillers]

Great stuff DK. You look pretty composed throughout I must say. I'm really impressed by the camera work. That was just your guy filming the whole ride wasn't it?

Did you jump over water and then fly back to the beach or were you over land the whole time? Also did you jump from about 10,000 feet?

There were 2 small cameras inside the plane but the majority of it was from the camera the guy had strapped to his wrist for the flight down.......he certainly knew what he was doing and I'm glad I got it filmed.


Over water (the little blue bag strapped on the front of me was a life jacket) when jumping out of the plane at 12,000 feet..........close to 90 seconds of amazing freefall (there is the small chute) reaching nearly 200 kmh when the main chute opens. Then within 10-15 seconds you are gently gliding with the breeze which in some ways gives the feeling of floating until landing on the beach a few minutes later.

I can understand how people can get addicted to it.

[MrMeaner]

Top work DK! I did a dive over the Yarra Valley five years ago now.

That moment when you're staring at the bottom of the plane feels a little weird, doesn't it?

[dreamkillers]

That moment when you're staring at the bottom of the plane feels a little weird, doesn't it?

and the moment just before the plunge...............

The freefall part though is just amazing and pretty hard to explain to people who have never done a dive out of a plane (a few mates had tried to explain it to me before and said the same thing that until you have done it it's pretty hard to describe but totally awesome to experience) as it's like nothing else I've ever experienced and am very keen to experience again.....:thumbsu:

[Toots Hibbert]

DK you should try gliding. There's a couple of clubs in the Northern Territory. There's one at Alice Springs and another at Batchelor which I think is about an hour south of Darwin.

http://www.soaring.org.au/main/clubcontacts.php#northernaustralian

The intensity of the rush is not quite there but the thrill lasts for longer. I don't know whether they do winch launches or aerotows at those two clubs. I haven't experienced a winch launch but I imagine the rush would be very close to free fall because you go up at a very steep angle. In either case it's a great experience being towed to altitude and spending twenty minutes flying without power assistance. The view is sensational and coming in to land is also a buzz. If you're lucky your instructor might find a thermal and manouevring through the air to stay in the lift like a huge eagle is outstanding.

[dreamkillers]

DK you should try gliding. There's a couple of clubs in the Northern Territory. There's one at Alice Springs and another at Batchelor which I think is about an hour south of Darwin.

http://www.soaring.org.au/main/clubcontacts.php#northernaustralian

The intensity of the rush is not quite there but the thrill lasts for longer. I don't know whether they do winch launches or aerotows at those two clubs. I haven't experienced a winch launch but I imagine the rush would be very close to free fall because you go up at a very steep angle. In either case it's a great experience being towed to altitude and spending twenty minutes flying without power assistance. The view is sensational and coming in to land is also a buzz. If you're lucky your instructor might find a thermal and manouevring through the air to stay in the lift like a huge eagle is outstanding.

Batchelor is where the main parachute clubs are based at and they have a couple of big weekends each year with others jumpers up from down south........it's only 90 mins drive south of Darwin.

That said I have done gliding before quite a few years ago in the riverland with a winch launch and I can assure you the winch launch is nothing like the falling feeling after jumping out of a plane...............

Once the winch releases there is a small adjustment but due to the wings it's only for about 10 seconds before you are gliding along........even the gliding feeling once the parchute is open is a little different as you are actually out in the air so it's more like going on a hot air balloon (which I tried in Alice Springs) trip where you don't feel the breeze as you are floating along with it.

[Macca19]

Great to see!! Makes me want to get out my video and go and jump again.

Interesting that they have the camera attached to the tandem guys wrist. When ive had it done they have a seperate jumper jump out with you and he flys in front of and around you. You also get to see the ground creeping up at you.

There is nothing like the feeling on your first jump when your hanging out the plane waiting to drop, and then the first 3-4 seconds after the drop.

[Toots Hibbert]

Batchelor is where the main parachute clubs are based at and they have a couple of big weekends each year with others jumpers up from down south........it's only 90 mins drive south of Darwin.

That said I have done gliding before quite a few years ago in the riverland with a winch launch and I can assure you the winch launch is nothing like the falling feeling after jumping out of a plane...............

Once the winch releases there is a small adjustment but due to the wings it's only for about 10 seconds before you are gliding along........even the gliding feeling once the parchute is open is a little different as you are actually out in the air so it's more like going on a hot air balloon (which I tried in Alice Springs) trip where you don't feel the breeze as you are floating along with it.
I noticed you were steering for a while.

[dreamkillers]

I noticed you were steering for a while.


I had control for about a minute which I didn't expect to be doing but it was good to feel how the parachute reponds and he could get some other shots from the camera.

[MrMeaner]

I had control for about a minute which I didn't expect to be doing but it was good to feel how the parachute reponds and he could get some other shots from the camera.

I didn't expect to steer either. All I can remember thinking as my instructor handed me the controls was 'I did tell you that I'm hungover, didn't I?' :D

[portentous]

You're still a woose DK. :)

[blackdiamond]

I have just arrived back in Louisiana after my Contiki trip, for one of the free days I thought I might as well take the plunge again, this time just outside Las Vegas.

It was an okay jump, views a bit different to those of Darwin, more desert like with good views over the mountains.

I also had it put on DVD but I can't say it was anywhere near as good as the DVD for Darwin, focused too much on me rather than the surrounds plus it looks like they edited it quite a bit. :(

When I get some time I will post the jump but this may not happen until I get home in the middle of January.

OT - those who are waiting on an email from me with some pictures don't fear, this should arrive within the next week. :)

[portentous]

So you've been hanging out in Vegas hey BD? :)

BTW did you visit any gaming venues? Win or lose??

[*PAF]

I have just arrived back in Louisiana after my Contiki trip, for one of the free days I thought I might as well take the plunge again, this time just outside Las Vegas.

It was an okay jump, views a bit different to those of Darwin, more desert like with good views over the mountains.

I also had it put on DVD but I can't say it was anywhere near as good as the DVD for Darwin, focused too much on me rather than the surrounds plus it looks like they edited it quite a bit. :(

When I get some time I will post the jump but this may not happen until I get home in the middle of January.

OT - those who are waiting on an email from me with some pictures don't fear, this should arrive within the next week. :)
Add me to the list DB.
Check your PMs.

[blackdiamond]

So you've been hanging out in Vegas hey BD? :)

BTW did you visit any gaming venues? Win or lose??

I was that buggered running up and down Vegas that I didn't even get the chance bet any of my money away, however I enjoyed the place so much that I have written it down as one of those must visit again places.

[blackdiamond]

Add me to the list DB.

Who has been a drinking?

Thanks for the email addy, fingers crossed something will get out this week.

[portentous]

I was that buggered running up and down Vegas that I didn't even get the chance bet any of my money away, however I enjoyed the place so much that I have written it down as one of those must visit again places.

Are you in training for the NY marathon or something? Have you thought about starting a blog or anything? Looks like it'd be popular. What's it like, being popular and all? :p

[portentous]

Who has been a drinking?

Thanks for the email addy, fingers crossed something will get out this week.

You'd be surprised if he hadn't been drinking! Looks like he got his BD and VB mixed up, as you do. :D