Tasting Life Again from 14,000 ft

That is a DeHaviland Twin Otter. In fact, it's the Twin Otter I jumped out of yesterday from 14,000 feet.

I finally got my ground school done Thursday to clear the way for me to work on my class A skydiving license. Geez that has taken forever but at least it is done. Now that I have done my first two tandem jumps, I will have to complete 18 jumps witn a non tandem instructor to be certified to jump solo any time I want to. Ground school was easy but by far the most beneficial thing in the school was getting to pull a container apart and see how the damn thing works. There is a LOT to it but it's redundant out the ass. You have to walk away knowing:

1. You are not the first person to ever do this
2. Less some huge human screw up, this thing is gonna work

Saturday was my first shot at jumping, but the winds were well over 25 mph with the front coming in. Rules state that they are too high at this point in my career which is fine with me because it did look pretty rough up there. Walking into the DZ that morning one thing struck me: it really is a little community out there. People know each other and don't really reach out to the rookies. I would imagine a lot of rookies fall by the way side. But for the regulars, this is their life. They come alive in the plane. Some of them even catch a nap they are so at peace. Jokes fly around left and right. One thing is for sure, once you get onto that plane, you are now one of them, and they have you back and want you to be safe. But anyway..........

Late Saturday night/Sunday morning the front came through and it was certainly over cast but the ceilings were well above 15,000 with 10 mph winds. Conditions were go for try number two. I met Terry my jump master the day before. I suppose you could best describe him as the old Texas coot - more of a character on Dead Wood than anything I suppose. I checked the winds and diagramed my approach and flight plan, reviewed my malfunctions and procedures and the next thing you know Terry and I are gearing up. We checked our containers inside and out and I finally got to put the container on for the first time, so effin' cool.

Your heart skips a beat when you hear the engines start outside the hanger and you are walking towards a plane that you will NOT land with. Terry and I sat towards the front of the plane with two other students that were a few jumps ahead of me. The vets sat in the back towards the door. No tray tables, no safety announcements, no video briefings, no seat belt checks. When everybody is in, full throttle and you are climbing.

I think I was more nervous in the hanger than in the plane probably because the decision was made and I was confident in my skills. It took us about 15 minutes or so to climb. The door is open the whole way up so by default it is not pressurized and you have to clear you ears. The coolest thing is that you feel the humidity go away and suddenly the temps plummet from 88 to 55 or so. We checked gear several times and I kept reaching for my pilot chute handle to make SURE I knew where it was on the container. The vets went out on the first pass over the DZ and Terry and I jumped on the second. There I was crouched in the door looking forward at the propeller down range. Terry spots the DZ, points it out, I confirm and look back at him for the go. He confirms he is ready and grabs hold of my left thigh strap. I wave my left hand out the plane (one count), back in the plane (two count) and three is us arching on our backs watching the plane above us fly off without us.

Our arches slowly bring us belly down and I check altitude 12,000. Terry gives me a few signals to extend my legs as I check altitude. I adjust, thumbs up, 10,000. Practice handle throw one, I easily find the handle and arch again. Terry gives me the extend legs again, I check altitude, probably 8,000. Jump into handle throw two and find it, check altitude, 7,000. Thumbs up from Terry. I can get one more touch in knowing it is the last one before the real thing and I touch. Just before 6,000 now so I lock on the altimeter on my wrist. Just after 6,000 I wave off. Arch. Reach. Throw, Arch. I hear the pilot chute release from my hand and rustle in the wind as I feel my container pop open. I am counting.......one one thousand....two one thousand......by five I feel the canopy begin to open and just at that moment it feels like the hand of God above me slowing me from 120 mph to 20.

Above me is a beautiful square, stable, symmetric and steerable red canopy. I reach up and grab the steering toggles from my rear risers and give the chute a hard flare, left turn and a right turn. Cool. 4,000 feet now and all I have to do it enjoy the ride down. I catch myself all tense and then I think to myself, hey, this is the fun part. Sit back like you are chilling on your couch with a beer and enjoy the view! I spot the DZ and the radio chatter begins as they talk me down. Flying the canopy was a blast and easily my favorite part because you can really get a feel for how it flies into the wind and also down wind. As I am getting ready for my approach it is all natural. At 20 or 15 feet I begin a slow flare that leaves me maybe two to three feet above the ground and then there is a short jump to the ground. SURPRISE! This is the time I find out that basically the DZ turns into a rice patty after the rains. I could have easily stood up but I landed in the water and my feet go from under me leaving me on my ass and side. No harm, no foul. I am back on firm land......just a little wet.

I don't think I have ever felt more alive than I do up there. Life is tangible there. You have no barriers. You are about to jump out of a plane, what in the world do you think that you CAN'T do after that? Your limits are re-defined. Life is sweeter. The sky is more blue. Your cheeseburger tastes different. The birds sing a bit louder. The beer is a bit colder.

You get to taste what life is about on the simplest terms: You, our beautiful earth, and God.