NEVER
=^..^= Terri, Salome', Siggie the Tomato Vampire, Guinevere, Sammi, and 5
furangels: RuthieGirl, Samantha, Arielle, Gareth and Alec =^..^=
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, August 15, 2005 5:08
PM
Subject: RE: parachuting complete
Michelle
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
My stomach was in knots and my legs
tingling just reading your account---you are SO brave. Fuhgeddit---nothing
would induce me to jump out of a plane. And, yikes, you're planning to do it
again!
Don't forget to give me a
mailing address for you---since I can safely say I will never be doing it
myself, I would really like to contribute to your magnificent achievement.
(And let me know what amounts people are generally giving.)
yours in awe
Kerry
What else can I say other than aaaaaaaagggggghhhhhh - very
frightening but good.
The training was the easy part - it was 6 hours ground training on
Saturday and a recap before take off on Sunday. When they dispatch
you out of the plane the commands are 'feet out' (you put your feet out
and sit with half your backside hanging out of the plane with one hand at the
back of you on the side of the plane and one down in front of you on edge of
plane floor), 'head up' (ready to arch as you exit - but this really helps not
looking down so is the best command), 'and go' (push out of the plane in
a backward arch position doing a check parachute drill - reality was OH S**T -
push out of the plane forgot about shouting out the drill and checked
canopy praying that the parachute was ok). We had an instructor on
ground prompting too after leaving plane which helped.
We were scared before we got in the plane but when the plane dipped
sideways whilst climbing we could see the ground from the
dispatch doorway and our faces must have just turned white - The
instructor had to help me get into position near the door in preparation for
dispatch - even before the feet out command - I was scared of
falling out of the open doorway. The sensation of leaving the plane
was unbelievably strange - I didn't even feel like I was moving. The
parachute is on a static line so opens as you exit at 3500 feet- it moves
forward at 20mph ground speed plus wind speed and you can't
feel movement unless you turn fast or until you see ground approaching
rapidly at about 300ft. I decided to avoid making any fast turns -
thought I'd leave those for another time - I think I was too frozen in
shock or fear to think about much other than landing where I was supposed to
land - I was just relieved to see the parachute open and see my landing area.
My first sight was a mass of quick sand and sea and I had visions of landing
there as I couldn't see my dedicated landing area - thankfully I did
see my correct landing area soon after when I decided to look below my
feet instead of looking around me. The landing was fun - I didn't expect to
touch ground so hard and the impact is quite strong so as I landed on my
feet my legs give and I just fell over ha ha - didn't really hurt though
- was just an unexpected shock (to be honest I think I took the brakes off too
soon but not 100% sure). Very very strange experience but - me being me - I'll
be returning to do it again just for fun - maybe I'll be brave and try more
turns next time.
There is no way of describing the sensation - it is wierd feeling - being
weightless is just bizarre - just feels like dangling on a static line but
with no pressure - like a feather floating maybe. But at least it raised about
£1000 for the donkey sanctuary.
Michelle, Bramble, Minstrel & Buddy =00
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