May 14: Today was a fly day! So I figure if its fair enough for VFR (visual flight rules) and not very windy, it will be a good day for jumpers. So off I went to the Michigan City Airport in Indiana.
They call the Drop Zone (DZ) there “Skydive Windy City Chicago” because on a fair day the view from 14,000 feet is fantastic. You can see the lake shore all the way around the southern portion of Lake Michigan . You can easily see Benton Harbor, Bridgman, New Buffalo, Michigan City (right below you under canopy), Hammond (East Chicago), and the tall buildings of downtown Chicago proper. Since this was Mother’s Day there was a good number of Mom’s being rewarded with a Tandem jump.
So whats involved in doing a tandem jump you ask!
Most dropzones are set up to offer tandem skydives under two different scenarios: the “one-time fun jump””, or as part of a hybrid training method sometimes called “tandem progression.”
The former only requires about 30 minutes of ground preparation where you will usually watch a video about tandem skydiving that describes the process you will soon participate in. While watching the video (or perhaps after), you will review and sign several pages of waivers — including liability and photograph/video releases.
After training you (now a skydiver to be) are suited up in a snug fitting harness. The gear you use will depend on your drop zone, but one thing is universal and that’s your harness. I will tell you right now it can be uncomfortable.
The harness is specifically designed to connect you to your skydiving instructor. Just plan on having a wedgie and slightly constricted breathing. You want the harness to be tight and secure! It will connect to your instructor in 4 places: 2 at shoulders and 2 at hips, but you won’t “hook up” until right before you jump out of the plane. You may also be given a pair of goggles to wear. Other gear may include a jump suit, altimeter, and a helmet.
Once in the aircraft you fasten your seat belt, even though you are most likely sitting on the floor, and enjoy the flight to jump altitude. Some people have used this time to ponder if they really want to do this. Prior to the aircraft door opening, you, the fledgling skydiver, are then connected to the harness of your very experienced tandem instructor.
The instructor guides the you through the whole jump from exiting the aircraft through freefall, piloting (steering) the canopy, and landing.
Right after the pair exit the aircraft the tandem master releases a drogue chute (about 3 feet wide). This helps to maintain stability and to slow you down a bit so that when the parachute deploys it will not rip apart from your falling to fast. Average freefall speed for tandem skydivers is about 120mph. The heavier the individuals, the faster the freefall. Tandem skydivers usually deploy their parachute at 5,000 feet.
A typical skydive (not counting the ride to altitude) lasts five to six minutes, with approximately 50 seconds of that spent in freefall and four to five minutes on the parachute ride down. How long a skydive lasts is dependent on various factors, including altitude, weight and equipment used.
At the correct pull altitude, the tandem master pulls a ripcord, releasing the bridle and allowing the drogue to deploy the parachute.
The ride under canopy will be anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes — depending on the weather, your instructor’s personality and your desire to play around. You will soon realize that things on the ground are getting closer, which means it’s time to think about landing. Your job will be to pull your knees up to your chest. Your instructor will tell you when. Right before the landing, it will feel like the ground is rushing up at you — because it is! One of the crucial parts of a tandem skydiving landing is to lift your legs up nice and high to keep them out of the way as you touch down. As a tandem skydiver, you can expect to land on your backside with your tandem instructor, and to slide in along the ground until you come to a stop.
After your great landing its time to “celebrate!”
