Tandem Skydiving

Tandem Skydiving

by Chad Ison

Publication Date: May 2001

I remember telling my friends in high school that someday I would skydive out of a plane. That was quite a few years ago. I never imagined I would have the opportunity to actually skydive until I was contacted by a representative from the Greene County Sport Parachute Company (GCSPC). They had seen our magazine and wanted to know if we would be interested in trying a tandem skydive. Needless-to-say, I "jumped" at the opportunity.

In the weeks leading up to the jump, I heard quite a few remarks from different people. "Are you crazy?" "Do you have a death wish?" "Are you going through a mid-life crisis?" "Aren't you a bit scared?" All to which I replied NO, NO, NO and well yes, maybe a little. I have to admit that I have a slight fear of heights and have challenged this fear by climbing and rappelling. However, this would be something totally different. This would not be a 100 foot rappel or climbing a rock facethis would be "me" jumping out of a perfectly good airplane about 10,000 feet above the ground. Thoughts of what could go wrong did go through my mind, but I was determined to conquer my fears and fulfill my lifelong dream.

As the jump day neared, I was surprised at how calm I was in anticipating the skydive. I didn't have nightmares about jumping out of the plane or falling uncontrollably to the ground. My anticipation and excitement far outweighed any fears that I may have had.

Then the day of the jump came. When Jenny and I walked out of the house that morning, I noticed that it had rained during the night and the sky was still dark and cloudy. We wondered if I would be able to jump, but decided to go on to Bardstown - maybe the weather would be better there. Not so! The rain came down harder and halfway there, a large, black cat crossed the highway in front of us. I began to laugh when Jenny suggested that it just wasn't in the grand scheme of things for me to skydive.

We finally arrived at GCSPC and checked in with Ken Heismann, who introduced us to Rick Jarvis, my tandem master. Rick briefly instructed me on the steps involved with the tandem jump and handed me a six-page disclaimer to read and sign. I completed the forms and then watched a video of the company's attorney explaining the risks involved with tandem jumping. After braving the video and signing more lines than a mortgage contract, I was ready.

While I went through the training session, Ken was signing up groups of sky-divers and fellow tandem jumpers.

After fueling the planes, Ken took a group of sky-divers up for the first jump of the day. The sky was still cloudy and a bit gray in areas. I watched as the first jumpers made their debut in the sky, each floating gracefully to the drop zone. When Ken landed, he said that I would have to wait until the cloud coverage lifted. The sky was clear up to 4,000 feet, where single skydivers were jumping, but tandem jumps have to be made from at least 10,000 feet.

While I waited, I was amazed at the teamwork of the GCSPC crew to ensure everyone waiting to jump felt at ease. The crew all seemed like one, big, happy family pitching in to answer phones, schedule jumpers and fuel planes. Each time the sky cleared, Jenny and I waited in anticipation for someone to call me for the jump.

Rick informed me that I would be going as soon as he repacked his chute. I laughingly told him to take his time and make sure it was done right!

Finally I was on my way to the adventure I had always dreamed of. We boarded the plane with the pilot and Paul Robards, the videographer. The climb was a slow and steady pace as I sat back enjoying the view. As we approached 7,000 feet, Rick advised that it was time to clip my harness onto his. While he checked and rechecked each buckle and strap, I prepared my helmet and goggles for the jump.

Then the pilot gave us a thumbs-up, signaling that we were at 11,000 feet and ready to jump. The videographer opened the door and climbed out onto the strut of the plane. Rick and I scooted to the open door and I climbed out, suspended in mid-air from the harness attached to Rick. We rocked back and forth, while I assumed the skydive position and then...one, two, three...we rolled out of the plane into a somersault. We were plummeting to the earth as the wind blew fast and furious. Rick threw out the drag-chute (a small chute that slows down the tandem jumpers so that the photographer can fall at the same speed).

We were free-falling and I was loving every minute of it! I was hamming it up for the photographer who was in mid-air in front of us. Suddenly my goggles flew off my face and I was unable to see Rick give me the sign to pull the rip-cord. Sensing something was wrong, Rick reached and pulled the cord. A quick bolt and it felt as if we suddenly stopped in mid-air. Paul kept falling to the ground and prepared for our landing.

The rest of the skydive was a spectacular experience. One cannot describe the beauty and pageantry in just a few words. It felt as if we were flying like a bird over the countryside. Roads were just lines; fields were different colors and shapes; the drop zone was just a small circle. Slowly and gracefully we descended closer to the ground. Houses were now easier to see, large hay bales seemed like rolls of sod, and people looked like ants.

Closer to the ground and I was able to distinguish more and more I didn't want it to end. I soon recognized Jenny below and yelled out to her. As we approached the drop-zone, I lifted my legs into the landing position and flared the chute that slowed us for the landing. We landed right in the zone. Rick unhooked the harness, and I turned and thanked him for a great jump. As I walked to Jenny, who was asking me if it was everything I had dreamed of, I kept thinkingwhen will I be able to do this again?...I can't wait!