Getting back into skydiving

Hey everyone,

I was a skydiver in my early 20's when I was in University and what little money I had went towards jump tickets - I did 52 jumps on a solo rating in Canada ( it was below A, can't do 2-ways, only solo jumps). It was sooooo much fun and just thinking back about it brings me joy!!

I guess life happened, and haven't jumped since! I'm in my mid thirties now and I'm thinking about getting back into it.

Anyone here taken a long break and returned? How was it?

Cheers

Quote

Anyone here taken a long break and returned? How was it?

Plenty have. There's even a club for it. Can't remember the name, but someone will.

Off from '79 to '98, raising kids and stuff. It's a fast moving sport. A lot will seem new to you. A lot has changed, but the basics are still valid: A good arch will cure a lot of problems.

Have fun. Good luck. Welcome back.

"There's even a club for it."

SRA--Skydiver Resurrection Award?

I too am Canadian and took a long break, 16 years, in my skydiving career. I came back in 2003 and it was the best thing I've done.

I'm in Calgary. Where are you located?

If you wish, you can email me at [email protected] or facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ian.harrop

Cheers

Don't do it, IT'S A TRAP!!


JK
Welcome back

I stopped for 13 years, 2005 thru 2018, but jumping never left my heart and soul. I decided to go for it while I was still healthy, but the sniper can get anyone at any age so do it while you still can.

Be sure to get good recurrency training, the changes have been significant since 2005.

Some of my challenges, besides flying skills, have been the proliferation and ascendency of different free fall disciplines, the MUCH higher deployment altitudes, AAD, MARD, two-out training, slow opening canopies, BOC, GPS spotting, mandatory landing patterns, flaring technique, cameras everywhere, tandem mills, tunnels, hardly no one will make a jump below 3000 ft and DC-3 exit skills are no longer needed, rules, rules and more rules, and strictly following them!

I went out to the DZ to just make one jump to see If I still liked it, then I made another, then another, so far I’ve done 50 since the summer and bought modern gear.

Do you know what the best thing has been? that jumpers are still the greatest people in the world to be around.

Don’t over think it, Just do it, even if you do just one, I doubt you will regret it.

I stopped in 1992 when I got married.  25 years later my daughter wanted to do a tandem, so I decided it was time to restart skydiving again and it would also give me a chance to check out the local DZ to see if it was safe enough to let my daughter jump there.

I turned up one Saturday morning at the DZ naively with my old kit and asked the head jumping bean if I could do a jump.  I was told no one jumps round reserves any more and my kit was missing some letters like RSL and AAD; he gave me the address of a parachute museum in Strasbourg that I could donate it to .  Then he asked an older instructor to explain to me what had changed over the last 25 years and check that I still remembered what to do and in one hour or so I was jumping out of the aeroplane 

4 months later my daughter did her tandem and the DZO was happy to let me to follow her out the door. Best ever!

Been back for two years now, the oldest jumper on the DZ has just had her 80th birthday, so I reckon I have another 30 years skydiving in front of me.

Edited January 22, 2019 by neilmck

I'm in same situation - last jump in 2003 (after making 280 jumps). I'm 37 & decided 10 days ago to return to sport.  Amazing how things have changed.  "Cypres has a lifespan? Why is every dz around me a Cessna DZ now? No jumpmasters anymore? Wingsuit & camera are standard gear? Tandem only DZs?"  Good luck with your return; hope you'll keep us updated.  Blue ones.