1 more take-offs than landings.

[venquessa]

So... as of 2 o'clock on Sunday I have taken off in a plane one more time than I have landed in a plane.

How is this possible... well, I jumped out of it didn't I!

Solo, static line, ram air parachute jump from 3,500ft.  £200 for the training (8 hours!) and the first jump.

I pretty much focused on what I had to do, not what was going to happen, it was the only way to keep my fear in check so I would get out the door of the plane.  So when he said, "No. 3 feet out.", I got in the door and when he said "GO!", I went...

Then my whole world exploded in pure primordial terror.  "1 thousand...", watched the plane wheel disappear upwards out of view, an insane blast of air and the feeling of accelerating rapidly, falling VERY, VERY fast.  Roaring wind pulling at you, the scenery below, on your own. "What the hell have I just done!?!?!?  You idiot."  At this stage T+2 I had actually forgotten I had a parachute, I was well in a world of fear.... fear too fast for adrenaline to kick in.

Then, there was a small tug, a few eye blinks later a huge pull on the harness and a big swing forward, and I remembered I had a parachute.  Don't remember "2 thousand" or "3 thousand", but I remember saying, "4..." and looking up to see a big yellow/black parachute.... with..... twists in the lines!

It was still surreal at this stage, I now just felt like I was "hanging around" at 3,000ft above the scenery and I had a problem.  So I pushed fear out of the way and acted, trying first to kick myself round with no success, so I summoned some balls and grabbed the two "risers" pulled them apart and started swinging, kicking my legs until finally the twist spun out and I spun round 180 degrees and the parachute actually now looked like it could be landed.

Quick check to make sure my emergency handles were still stowed and safe and found my chest strap up near my neck and my altimeter beside my chin.... I'd forgotten to tug the leg straps tight!  So while I was still secure in the harness and fairly comfortable I was sunk down into it with my shoulder straps sitting up 6 inches above my shoulders... which made the next task more difficult.

I reached up grabbed my control toggles and pulled them out of their elastics, then I started looking for the landing arrow.   Couldn't find it, looking through fields for ages, I decided I'd need to do my control checks anyway, so started into a right hand turn, just as I heard, "No. 3, Left turn, left, left, left, left toggle down, all the way down...", so I opted for a left turn and 10 to 20 seconds later, I seen the arrow in the landing field.

To be honest, I let the guy guide me in, but I was very much aware that it was me up here and I had my life in my hands, his guidance was just a backup.

The wind had changed and they were actually moving the arrow around to point in a different direction and I found myself on a straight in approach, but was convinced I was too high, following the ground instructor though I quickly realised he was flying me in gentle S bends until he said, "No. 3 fly straight into the arrow just keep it straight."

It's quite hard to judge your height, I could see another parachute below me making a low turn to land, and I still felt high, but the wind was stronger and as I got closer to the ground I figured I was actually going to land somewhere near the arrow.

The ground starts to rush at a few hundred feet, well inside the field, just needed to hold the thing straight while the wind tugged at me a bit in turbulence.  Got myself into the landing fall position, feet together, knees bend, chin tucked down, 100 feet (ish) and the radio again, "Okay, ready to flare, hold, wait, wait, wait, WAIT, Now FLARE!"  Probably only 10 feet up I pulled both toggles right down, and the parachute slowed rapidly and almost stopped dead, so I came out of the landing fall position and tried to put my feet down, but... was still about 2 foot up, then suddenly I dropped, BUMP onto terra firma and just had to take two steps forward to keep upright.

Landing stood up meant the parachute was still happily flying above me!  They hadn't taught us how to deal with this though!  I grabbed one riser (one set of lines) and pulled on it and felt the wind pull back, so I dropped down onto my knees in case it pulled me over and waited for it to fall to the ground, got up and ran around the back of it as it collapsed in a heap, legs like jelly.  Scooped up my chute and walked over to the instructors with a HUGE grin on my face.  I aced my first landing!

Debrief was waiting for me when I got back, "Good position, good exit, good spread, weak arch, no count".  Aww well, not bad and I survived with is the main achievement.

Paul

[FPVSteve]

Sod that for a laugh!  ;D

[Funky Diver]

I'm with Steve on that one... nutter  :laugh:

Congrats though, it's not something I would CHOOSE to do personally.

[venquessa]

My girlfriend (on her 2nd jump) was on the lift (plane trip to jump is called a lift) before me, our mate who came up with us for his first jump was No. 1, first out.  She was second, so... he was sitting in the door looking directly at her... This is a much more horrible story...

He stalled when told to GO and didn't go, then decided he was going to go, edged forward a little but changed his mind.  He did this rapidly a few times, then decided he definitely wasn't going, but... it was too late, he'd edged forward too far and ...

He fell out!  While trying to grab hold of the plane and get back in!

OMFG!  That's horrifying.  He's being brave and all afterwards, even though he hurt his foot landing, but my GF says she will be scared for life having watched his face as he fell out.  Terrified her before she even left the plane.

... and she was NEXT!  She jumped, good on her, perfect exit, nice landing, got promoted to "Dummy pull" exercises.

[g.collins]

Brilliant, theory descriptive read, I was there with you for a minute with my breath held, :o well done, theory brave.
regards G

[sheep600fx]

My heartbeat increased reading that, Fair play to you, Prefer dirt under my feet.

[Coyote]

Well i think your mental ! lol No way on earth i`d do that :)

Nice write up and congratulations

[electricmick]

Respect !!!!!

[Artie]

Fantastic write up! But... you didnt mention what was wrong with the plane...did it crash? Was it structural or engine failure that made you jump out?  (?)

[venquessa]

Fantastic write up! But... you didnt mention what was wrong with the plane...did it crash? Was it structural or engine failure that made you jump out?  (?)

LOL, it was voluntary evacuation!

Though the plane did develop problem, losing power earlier in the day.  Pilot went at it with a screw driver for 20 minutes, then went for a flight on his own before taking up a load of 3 instead of 4 to check.  I was on the next ride and... well, I had a parachute! :)

[venquessa]

So .... err... I went and did it again!  Same thing, static line parachute dump from 3500ft.  I was first out today.  He said "Come'on lets go!", so I got in the door and put my feet out... Got in the position waited.... a cloud appeared below/beside the plane.... "Will he wait for the cloud?", .... "GOOOO!", so I jumped off the plane straight bang into the cloud.

It looked white and fluffy but suddenly  as the sounds of the plane vanished replaced by a roar of noise the world went white, cold and wet.  Remembered I was counting, and not actually *that* afraid!   Then tug, gentle pull, rumbling and suddenly I look up to see a big square parachute, with no twists this time, "One less thing to worry about." 

Grabbed the toggles, gave a HUGE howler at the top of my lungs, something like, "WWEEEEEE,WOOOOO, WAAAAA, AH, HA!"

Did a 360 turn, spotted the arrow, looked up to see my girlfriend appear from under a plane and a canopy ripple open over her head.  Awesome!

Managed to land, almost stood up.  Stopped dead about 2 foot up, reached for the ground, but it wasn't there, then fell onto my feet, but crumpled with jelly legs onto my ass.

The first time I was fairly sure I didn't want to feel that fear again.  This time, I feel like I could do it again... and again!

Paul

[Artie]

Truly, you guys need to revamp your safety standards..... so many faulty aircraft in use...Im surprised it hasnt made the news....

I get nervous standing up in the back of a ute.... I applaud your commitment ... but... maaaaate....

[FPVSteve]

Can we change Paulca's description to "Mentalist" please?  ;D

[tiggerbiker]

nice one - its one of my bucket list items and this thread has spurned me on, i have even found a couple of mates that SAY they are up for it (lets see who bottles it when the time comes!)

[Coyote]

Ill put it on my bucket list, as backup in case what ever terminal illness is taking too long :) I`d never open the shute, not because i didnt want to, because i would have died from heart failure jumping in the first place lol