Breaking away from the shackles of gravity and soaring out into the open skies, has always represented the ultimate freedom for man. Even as kids, you might recall harboring fantasies of being in your favorite super-heroes' shoes. Skydiving now offers you the opportunity to see your dreams being fulfilled. 'But, why the hell would I jump out of a perfectly fine plane?' This is the first question that springs to your mind. That is exactly why, on the 8th of March 1997, we set out in the quest for enlightenment. Die-hard sky diving fans on the internet have argued - 'If an aircraft ride can be termed as flying, then riding in a boat would be swimming. In order to really experience the element, you have to get out of the vehicle'. Strange logic, I know, but worth a thought. Though I am not sure in what proportion, it definitely helps to have a good combination of sheer guts and plain stupidity, to make up your mind to go skydiving.
We - Uday, myself and Santosh, a CITILite - reached the dropzone located in the city of Hemet, California, at noon. As expected, there were quite a few people already present there and preparing for the jump. Ours was the last group for the day. We filled out a couple of forms which in short translated into the following - I agree to sign my life away. I have no rights. Skydiving Adventures Inc. is not responsible for anything, anywhere, anytime. I will not attempt to sue. How can I sue if I am dead?
As we had decided to go for the Tandem jump with video/photographs, each of us was assigned a certified jumpmaster and a photographer. In a Tandem skydive, your instructor is securely attached to you, via a pair of harnesses and four heavy-duty clips which are designed to withstand up to 5,000 pounds of pressure. The instructor wears two parachutes, a main and a reserve, each specially designed to support the weight of two people. You are positioned with your back to the instructors chest so that you are both facing forward. After we got into our jumpsuits and harnesses, it was time to get into the plane, which was smaller than I had expected. It could accommodate only about 15 people at a time. We had to reach an altitude of about 13,000 feet before exiting the plane. This would give us approximately 50 seconds of freefall before the parachutes opened. All this while I had managed to keep my cool. But as the aircraft took off, I started feeling a bit jittery and even the cold temperatures couldn't prevent my body from breaking into a sweat. I checked my altimeter reading which said 13,000 feet. Surprisingly, even though the aircraft door was open, we were not sucked out of it, like in the movies. My instructor told me, we would be the first to dive. We inched our way towards the open door and my instructor began the countdown. 'Ready, set...' 'Go' was supposed to be the final word, but I didn't hear it at all. All I heard was the rush of wind as we flung ourselves out into the open. Its the only thing you hear when you are hurtling to the ground at breakneck speed. Then I realized, 'Holy cow! I don't feel the instructor on my back. And he is the only one with the parachute?'. I mentally visualized myself on the ground on impact, flat as a pancake. But then I saw my instructor behind signaling me to get into the falling position with the body arched and arms opened. I heaved a sigh of relief. During the freefall, you don�t feel the instructor�s weight at all, on your back. I saw my photographer in front of me, freefalling at the same speed. Showtime, folks! We did a couple of 360 degree turns for the camera. The ecstasy and the complete sensory overload is unbelievable. You don't feel any falling sensations because once the terminal velocity of 120 miles an hour is reached in the first few seconds, you stop accelerating further.
When you are skydiving, sky is not the limit, the ground is. So at about 5000 feet from the ground, I got my second signal from my instructor, to pull out the ripcord that opens the parachute. I did it half-heartedly because I was thoroughly enjoying the freefall. Then with a jerk, we almost came to a standstill in mid-air. Our falling speed dropped from 120 mph to 12 mph and I could still see my photographer plummeting down. The parachute ride which was equally enjoyable, lasted for a couple of minutes. We did a few turns and practised the landing maneuver once in the air. The view was breath-taking and absolutely spectacular. The landing impact on the feet is comparable to jumping from a height of 5/6 feet. But after experiencing weightlessness, the sudden pressure was a bit more than what my legs could handle and we went down on our knees. But no injuries and hence no complaints. This is one experience which will always be fresh in our minds for years to come. In a world in which we are all slaves to the laws of gravity, I'm proud to be counted as one of the freedom fighters.
Don't forget to check out The Complete Story in pictures. U also gotta read about The Bungee Experience if U haven't already.