My brother was an Airborne Ranger and jumped many times, but I don't think he liked it much.
A static line from a C-130 or C-141 is nothing like skydiving. Somewhere I have a shirt that says:
"I dont care how many skydives you have, until you've jumped from a C-130 moving at 120 knots, with 150lbs of equipment strapped to your body, into the pitch-black night at 800 feet, youre still a LEG!"
But I still get a kick out of watching a low level mass tactical exit.
However the best jump ever, IMO, is a rear exit from a Chinook helicopter.
KingSmono said:
I think it's because you don't have any points of reference when you're up there, so you don't really realize how high you are, or how fast you're falling
At Benning they start you out in the sawdust pits, but you're first real test is exiting at 34 feet. Somewhere, someone determined if you'll jump from this height you'll jump from any height. But what scared the crap out of me was the 250 foot towers.
For me, if I could make out structures on the ground, ie people, cars, etc, I got nervous. Once I couldn't really see much more than patterns I was alright.
I never jumped Deland. It was always on my list of places to jump, being the Mecca of Florida Skydiving. Did quite a few jumps in Williston, as well as Palatka, which are just outside of Gainesville.
Personally I found it to an addictive hobby. Unfortunately a broken back at age 21 curtailed a thriving interest in the sport. However both of my orthopedic surgeons said I should be able to jump now (note more than surgeon, so I'm sure it would a
good idea).
:thumbsup:
