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| Blogs > 69missb > frustrations of a single girl |
Jump from a plane, no problem.
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Jump from a plane, no problem. In order to raise a bit of much needed money for cancer research, I decided to do a sponsored sky dive. Bear in mind I'm not a fan of heights.... Luckily I'll have a highly qualified instructor strapped to my back. Was originally booked for the 19th October, but due to shitty weather delays ensued and despite being there all day. I never got to jump as they don't do night time jumps. Rearranged to the first available date which was today. After experiencing all associated nerves already whilst waiting for my first I was quite upbeat about the day and possibly foolishly thought that I'd be OK. How very wrong I was, as previously... I hadn't gotten onto the plane. Where suddenly it all becomes very real. Whilst waiting, I said to my mum (bless her she came with me) so far today has been a comedy of errors, luckily at the end I was given a break. A good break not a broken bone. 7am - get to the parents to pick mum up, go to program my sat nav to find its given up the ghost. Fuck!! and can't borrow dads as he needed it. Double fuck!! Think no worries Northwich to Whitchurch is easy and they have supplied directions albeit somewhat shit for the exact location, an atlas in the glove box just in case. No problem. Being still dark at that time had no idea what the weather was like, all I knew it was dry. Half way into the journey remember that said atlas was actually a Cheshire A-Z and shit... Whitchurch is in Shropshire. Been there before should be OK. Sun was coming out and the sky didn't look to great. 8am - Get there on time and didn't get lost, by this point though there was light fog. Knew already jumps would be then be delayed and I had a long wait ahead of me. 9am - Went for my safety briefing, the instructor recognised me and said 'Sorry but you do have to go through it again'. Sit myself back down for the wait. 11.30am - Small patch of blue sky spotted, might actually get to jump 12.30am - All clear given for jumps to proceed and I'm on first load, so head off to get kitted up whilst they prepped the plane. I looked like a complete clown, all in one pink jump suit matched with blue helmet. Such a sexy look. 1pm - Finally get into the plane, a whole new set of nerves is setting in, the helmet strap is triggering one of my reactions to my restricted breath phobia as it was digging into the top of my throat. Not something I had taken into account and said reaction is the continuous need to burp. Knuckle down missb and breathe deeply.... and we start taxiing for take off. 1.30pm - Disembarked the plane from the ground thanks to a fault in one of the planes backup systems which meant it was unsafe to fly. At least I got to jump out of a plane.... Engineer was called but wouldn't be there until 2.30. More waiting!! During the wait the engineers van broke down on way, so the apprentice was called out on the emergency mission. Give them there dues they did manage to get to the airfield on time, but the decision on whether we jumped or not lay solely on getting the fault fixed. 3pm - Fault fixed WOO HOO!!!!!! Scramble to get rigs back on and checked. Back onto the plane for the second time and taxi towards runway. Success we're up the air. By this point nerves had set back in with a vengeance, I found the ascent awful, the changes between climb to bank whilst circling the airfield sent my stomach into somersaults, all whilst trying to contain burps. At one point I looked down and thought cool we're at 10000ft already, spied an instructors altimeter and it only read 2000ft. Really, oh fuck, seriously OH FUCK we're going to get higher than this FUCKKKK!!!!!!!!!! The ascent in all took 20mins but we had to do another circle when a helicopter was sighted in the drop zone. During the ascent we had to move to be sat on the lap of the instructor, and your that tightly strapped together lets just say, luckily I didn't get a poke in the back. After a quick double check door opens, hear the engine lose power, first tandem jumper moves to the door, lent forward and gone in an instant. I didn't have much of a choice on being moved to the door, all my body weight was on the instructor, before I knew it all I could see was cloud. Then the voice ' hands to chest, cross ankles, head back, we're gone'... OH MY GOD! Fricking awesome, immense and so hard to describe. Contrary to what I thought my stomach didn't get catapulted further up my body. The wind chill when traveling at 120mph was freezing. Although I did shout on exit, a practice they advise to eliminate the gasp effect, I did try to say something and promptly shut my mouth as I instantly felt the need to be sick. Tap on the shoulder to move my arms out 20 seconds and 5000ft later, free-fall abruptly stopped by the parachute release. Bugger! Again no stomach somersault but the jolt on my crotch was not particularly pleasant. Instructor started to circle us around so I could have a good look round, then he picked up speed on the circling. Had to ask him to go slower as my stomach also started doing circles. Four minutes later we were coming into land, legs up feet out and down. I survived!! So glad it was the instructors job to land, it takes good judgment and practice. I knew the ground was nearing but with approaching at an angle and still at speed my perception was screwed. I thought we still at some height at the same moment as my arse was hitting the deck. Instantly turned deaf, took me 10 minutes to pop my ears successfully.  Would I do it again yes and no, Yes, if I get to arrive immediately kitted up and put immediately on the plane. No, if I had to sit around waiting for god knows how long. And just so you know I never once closed my eyes! |
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 This is something I could not do, no matter how much I've always wanted to, having a pathological fear of heights. Well done, that is an amazing thing to do, and for such a good cause! You sound very justifiably proud of yourself! 
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Have always wanted to do this, its on my bucket list. Well done missb for doing it though, and raising cash for a good cause at the same time.  I think i'd want to do it in the summer, can't be doing with wind chill in this weather. brrrrrrr. Also after reading this not sure about the crotch snap on parachute opening. 
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