Anybody Ever Been to a Skydiving School? (1 Viewer)

[Eddie]

Ok, so I found this place close to Asheville, NC that has a jump school, and since we're racing here at home (Charlotte) this weekend and I don't have to fly anyone anywhere, I thought I'd go.

They have a deal where you can do 20 jumps and get your USPA license for a pretty resonable price.

Just wondering if anybody has had any experience or has any feedback to offer on these types of schools.

 

[paoldtimer]

Ok, so I found this place close to Asheville, NC that has a jump school, and since we're racing here at home (Charlotte) this weekend and I don't have to fly anyone anywhere, I thought I'd go.

They have a deal where you can do 20 jumps and get your USPA license for a pretty resonable price.

Just wondering if anybody has had any experience or has any feedback to offer on these types of schools.

Sorry, never felt the urge to jump out of a perfectly good airplane For a long time, I had a fear of getting ON them but with traveling for business, I've overcome that fear rather quickly.
Be safe!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

Your odds of getting killed in a car are much greater than on a plane.

I wish I had info because it's something I've always wanted to do. A friend of mine's brother is a skydiving junkie. Several of them go in together to pay a pilot on weekends and they get the rate down to pretty reasonable per jump.

 

[Bullard Anderson]

Eddy, there is a closer skydiving place around Charlotte but it's not a licensing deal (I don't think) just a pleasure deal. It's 40 minutes south of Charlotte and 5 minutes from my farm. I can see folks popping the chutes many days if I'm in the right pasture.

Skydive Carolina! Skydiving in North and South Carolina

 

[Eddie]

...40 minutes south of Charlotte and 5 minutes from my farm....

Kinda cool that there's another Mater so close to me. When I do a southbound departure from Concord Regional, I probably fly right over your house.

 

[none]

I went skydiving about 30 years ago. It was not a licensing type deal it was just pay the fee go through a morning class then do an afternoon jump.It was by far THE MOST EXCITING thing I have ever done in my life.When they open the door of the plane the wind rushing in is enough of a rush,but when you stick your feet out the door & the wind blows them back & your standing on a little foot step & holding on to the wing strut, the wind blowing in your face & the instructor slaps you on the butt to signal you to let go, it's at that moment you realize you are gonna die. Then you feel a great big tug upwards(if all goes according to plan,if not see previous sentence)when the chute opens,you settle into your harness & it is SOOOO peaceful & quiet & the the view is AMAZING!!!!!!!

 

[T.J.]

My brother in law and I are planning on doing a few jumps next year and we cant wait!! A friend of mine used to run a school in Salado, Tx and he offered a "normal" jump and an advanced free fall course from a much higher altitude!! I was SOOO close a number of times to going, but work and a family have somehow always gotten in the way. He has since closed the school and is a pilot for Delta now (Shoulda gone while I had the chance)

 

[Eddie]

Ok, so today was the day. We had an absolutely GREAT time!!! I posted something on my blog about it, so, if you want to you can read about it there.

 

[Bob]

...never have skydived, but I did bungee jump from a hot air balloon, three times. Step out of the balloon basket when the balloon reaches sufficient altitude onto a platform about the size of a car license plate, then do a swan dive toward the ground.

That was the biggest adrenaline rush I had ever had, each time I did it. The first time, it was the most frightening thing I'd ever done in my entire life, and I did it on purpose! That fact scared me too! The second time, I wanted to remember all of it (I was so frightened the first time that my mind blacked out my memory of actually leaving the platform - I only knew what happened because the jump company video taped every jump). The third time, I did a double jump, 2 cords attached end-to-end (a 220-foot free fall before bouncing). I wanted to jump before the balloon was high enough. All I wanted was air time! The pilot had to calm me down and tell me to wait a minute or two while he got the balloon high enough for me to not plant my skull in the weeds. Free falling and weightlessness is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

I went skydiving about 30 years ago. It was not a licensing type deal it was just pay the fee go through a morning class then do an afternoon jump.It was by far THE MOST EXCITING thing I have ever done in my life.When they open the door of the plane the wind rushing in is enough of a rush,but when you stick your feet out the door & the wind blows them back & your standing on a little foot step & holding on to the wing strut, the wind blowing in your face & the instructor slaps you on the butt to signal you to let go, it's at that moment you realize you are gonna die. Then you feel a great big tug upwards(if all goes according to plan,if not see previous sentence)when the chute opens,you settle into your harness & it is SOOOO peaceful & quiet & the the view is AMAZING!!!!!!!

That last step is the one I like to think about! Whew!

There use to be an attraction/ride in the resort town of Pigeon Forge called the "Ripline." You put on a harness then, walk several stories up to the top of a tower. A D-ring on a strap from your chest hooks to a pulley on a cable. They then open a gate door and you step out onto about a two foot platform, looking several stories back down to a concrete go cart track and the cable went all the way across the facility. I don't think ANYONE is able to take that last step their first time. The strap is long enough that you won't know for sure that it holds you until you're past the point of no return.

Here's the cool part. Apparently they know everyone procrastinates with their "Okay, on three. One, two....." etc. They give you about half a minute. Then, if you were to turn around, you'd see the operator's finger on a button! The platform you're standing on is hinged with an air cylinder holding it up! All of a sudden your a** is just GONE!!! That's one of the few jobs I think I'd do for free!

 

[none]

Eddie
What a great description of your jump on your blog.