Posted on 05/07/2026 2:50:34 PM PDT by Ronaldus Magnus III
There’s nothing like a near-death experience to clear the head. In 1988, I decided to do a parachute jump. I was young, it sounded fun, and it was for charity, so I signed up and pestered people to sponsor me for an HIV charity, which was a cause very much in the news at the time.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Dad used to say that there are two kinds of people that jump out of airplanes: Idiots, and people in the Armed Services. Yes, yes, dad had to master parachute jumping, but if he still had wings on his plane, he tried to land it.
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Death doesn’t scare me at my age. I’ll try it if it was free.
I don’t jump out of an airplane as long as it has wings and a tail. I also don’t fly helicopters. I have license to fly both, as well as a seaplane rating.
People used to call me an idiot for Hang gliding, which I did for several years. Also thought i was an idiot for riding motorcycles. Smart people use good judgment and manage the risk to keep themselves safe. Skydiving is no different. I never had an injury accident in either hang gliding or motorcycles, and I really had a great time!!!!
Risky enough behavior in 1988 without jumping out of an airplane.
Tou have a brave strong dad. Good for you—and the rest of us to.
My friend was a parachuter in the Army. met him when we were neighbors in LA. He took me out with him when was leaping out of planes “for fun”. I had to wear a parachute and know how to use it in case I fell out.
Best I could do was watch out the door as he jumped out. NO WAY I’d ever do that. But the peole who did, amost all men, thought it was fun.
My friend was a dentist. I’’d never want to be one of those either. I’m just a squeamish “girl”. And proud of it. Am living longer than all those old friends and most of the new ones.
I’ve done two tandem jumps with two of my kids. One of my others has done it as has my son in law.
I had the same instructor both times. He’s done 4000 tandem jumps. I kinda guess he’s got it figured out.
The first half second after you depart the plane is sheer terror, then it goes to super cool.
Shortly after I got my pilot’s license I took a fellow who was an ex-paratrooper for a ride. Kept telling me he’d love to jump out of the plane. I think he was serious.
There is a certain amount of fun in jumping from various planes and various helicopters, and in different terrain, storms, and at night.
Twenty-five thousand moving parts, all conspiring to kill you. I did ~two hours in an R-22 after I got my PPL, just to see what flying a helicopter was all about. It was fun, but I never pursued it further.
As for jumping out of a perfectly good airplane... that's a higher form of insanity.
Thanks!
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