The Ultimate open cockpit?

[Bundy]

The boys got together and put me in a plane for a tandem freefall for my birthday!

AWESOME!

I must admit, nothing prepares you for those first 5 seconds or so! What an amazing feeling. We bailed out at 16000ft over FAWB after a rather hair raising ascent in the turbine modified Kudu. There is no door and also nothing to hold onto inside the plane so everytime the pilot banked right, I nearly slid out! Eventually I told the jump master behind me to please clip my harness on as at that time I did not have a parachute!!

After the initial acceleration, all you can hear is the air rushing past you... almost deafening! Our chute opened and he let me glide us down to around 1000ft agl. He pulled the cables and I tell you those last two turns we fell like a stone!

Just a word of warning to you guys! Do not jump if you have a cold/blocked nose! I had baratrauma on the way down due to a blocked eustation tube and perforated an eardrum! Otherwise, one of the best experiences of my life!

Thanks to the guys at Pretoria Sky Diving Club!

[Blue Eagle]

WOW - well done Alan, it IS AMAZING isn't it....? I did 127 jumps - all out at Witbank... I had the time of my life. Started out on a static line working my way up jump by jump - learning how to fly using your arms, legs, body and the wind. Eventually I hit jump number 99 and sat there for awhile as jump number 100 had to be done in the nude.... well I sat on 99 for about 3 weeks and eventually decided "got to do it -right".... the pilot climbed to 3500 AGL and I had to do a "hop 'n pop" - the lower altitude is "warmer" when one is butt naked y'know. The 3 boys jumped out behind me (for protection/security). I landed on a farm (as they don't drop you over the DZ) and had to walk back to where the 3 guys were waiting for me... wrapped the parachute tightly around me, but I felt good as I was congratulated for making my 100th naked jump successfully.... a wonderful memory....

I stopped on jump 127 when I had a scary malfunction.... haven't been back... so I started flying instead.... ha ha...

AWESOME....

[Madman]

Hey Bundy,

Looks awesome...

I myself did 118 jumps,jumped most of the dz's in SA.

Also started on Static line,completed freefall progression...really an amazing rush..cannot describe it

Had two Mal's,both on high performance canopies..slowed down till I stopped when I started racing superbikes...

Now I fly,keen to get back into skydiving...can't think of anything more awesome than putting your Rig on the back seat,flying to the dz,doing couple of jumps and flying back...yeeeehaaaa

[Bundy]

Forgot to mention when the chute opened... I unfortunately recieved a little too much "pressure" to a certain part of the anatomy!..... Wasnt much use to the wife for a few days!

Happywhen flying... I dont suppose you can post some pics of the 100th jump?
kidding!

Madman... you need not!

[Jean Crous]

I say Bundy, did your tone of voice also eventually come down again

[kloot piloot]

Treated myselve to a tandem at Witbank about 5 years ago.

What a blast ! Expensive, but more than worth that must do feeling !

Couldn't believe how my cheeks were fluttering at those speeds !

[John Boucher]

.... bar the RUSH..... why would anyone want to jump out of a perfectly good & serviceable aeroplane?

I watch the guys at Mossel Bay often.... the smile and screams on the way down is just priceless!

[kloot piloot]

[quote="John Boucher"].... bar the RUSH..... why would anyone want to jump out of a perfectly good & serviceable aeroplane?

Because I (at least the oke I was strapped to) could and the pilot not

[Bundy]

I say Bundy, did your tone of voice also eventually come down again

Eventually... yes I was pumping plenty adrenaline so did not feel too much "initial contact" ha ha

[Blue Eagle]

Yeah Bundy.... got lovely pics of the 100th jump... got to find em it was so long ago...

[Bundy]

.... bar the RUSH..... why would anyone want to jump out of a perfectly good & serviceable aeroplane?

I watch the guys at Mossel Bay often.... the smile and screams on the way down is just priceless!

Ag come now John.... dont be a pissie man!

[John Boucher]

Call me pissie then......

[Cacofonix]

Got the notch on my belt too. i always used to question myself what the hell are you doing in this plane again. I remember the first static line. Sitting in the doorway getting the command "get out!" then putting my left hand on the what ever bar and then swinging my body and right hand over to the what ever bar. Then shifting up a little then hearing "Look at me!" then when eye contact was made "now smile, you wanted to be here! GO! and then the scream AAAAAAARRRRRRRCCCCCHHHH 1 THHOOOSSAAANNNDDD.


Crazy man. Completed the static line and then started the free fall progression. What a blast.

However sad as it was the Witbank Skydiving club was so full i could only get in 1 Jump in on a weekend. 12am the Friday the guys and dolls would write their names on the manifest board. By the time my name goes on i'm the 14th load. After landing there was no way i could manifest as it was booked full.

Gave it up. But then got to fly in a microlight and the rest is history. YEEE HAAA I own and fly my own Aquilla 582. Aquila the latin name Eagle in which we soar the skies

[John Boucher]

Now..... I'll second the flying with eagles bit....!

[bluesmancoops]

waiting patiently for the pics happywhenflying
I did some parachuting up in the pilansberg many years ago, was absolutely amazing, only did a couple of static line solo jumps but still a rush