Sponsored Skydive

[tufctillidie]

Hi guys

I know not many of you will look at this topic, but tomorrow morning at 10:30 i will hopefully be heading up in the sky in a plane climbing to 15,000FT ready to jump, i've said it many times before, but please if you can donate anything towards this charity i would really appreciate it, and so will thousands of others. Thanks

Matt

[tufctillidie]

Hi guys

After a few hours of waiting for the clouds to pass yesterday i managed to do my skydive.

Sat in the waiting room at skydiveUK, Dunkeswell. A tannoy announcement came through, "this is a 20 minute warning call for lift 1" I sat nervously on the edge of my seat waiting for my name to be read out (or not to be read out should i say) and sure enough it was, So i reluctantly got off my seat and walked into the 'packing' room. I already had my jump suit on because a few hours previous we had been called to jump but had to stand down because the clouds came in, So after getting harnessed up, i was ready to jump, nearvously waiting for us to be rallied up and led to the plane.

The time came when we set off for the plane, slowly walking towards it i was some what sh1tting my self. As we arrived the pilot was doing his checks and gave the thumbs up, so we boarded the plane, my instructor and I were the first ones on, which meant i would be the last one out, this made it even worse. Every one was on board and we hit the runway, and within seconds we were in the air, slowly climbing to altitude.

We got too 5,000FT and the door opened, A solo AFF was ready to jump, he was given the green light and was gone, my heart was pounding as we climbed the last 10,000FT to altitude. As we hit altitude the plane leveled out and a siren sounded, and the green light signalled the jumpers to get set.

One by one every one exited the plane, my heart was racing, then it was my turn. The time i had dreaded ever since take off, my instructor and I slowly shimmied to the door, i knelt down at the edge, hanging 15,000FT above the ground. In my ear i heard my instructor turn to my camera man and count down. 3,2,1 (thoose 3 seconds seemed like hours) and that was it, we were in freefall. There was no going back now.

My instructor tapped me on my arm to tell me to put my arms in front of me and enjoy the ride, and by god i did. we were in freefall for 60 seconds, but the adrenaline made it seem alot faster. We were doing about 125MPH as we quickly started to reach ground level, and at 5,000FT the canopy was pulled.

The view was out of this world, i could see the welsh mountains all the way to Cornwall, It was the best experience in my life, as we slowly got closer to the ground, my instructor gave me control. I couldnt believe i was actually steering the canopy, left to right. And all of a sudden he grabbed my hand and pulled down hard on the left toggle, we did a 360degree spin, that was amazing.

As we got to the drop zone, my heart was racing, my blood pumping, and adrenaline flowing. We landed safely on the ground and that was it, the ride of my life was over. I wanted to get back in the plane and do it again.

I am now thinking of saving up to get My AFF licence to do solo jumps. I think it's save to say i am now an adrenaline junkie.

Thanks for reading this and hope you can all still sponsor me.

I will put pictures up when i have the time to do it and when it arrives ill put the video up too.

Matt

[Louis]

Great post Matt, well done for doing it at long last!! I couldn't do it.