Excerpt: 'You Can Do It!'
June 20, 2005 — -- Laura Catuzzi Grandcolas, a former Girl Scout, dreamed of writing a "how to" book for women so they could do all the things they ever wanted, but never had time for. After Grandcolas died tragically on United Flight 93 on 9/11, her sisters decided to complete her book as a tribute to her. They hope it will inspire other women to live life to the fullest.
Following is an excerpt from "You Can Do It!"
Skydiving
Imagine This
You're falling but it feels like floating. You feel small, compared to the wide blue yonder all around you, but you also feel sturdy and strong as you steer and balance. And though you thought you had a sense of your senses, you now know how heightened they can be as you hear air and feel silence. When, all too soon, you feel the earth beneath your feet, you still feel like you're walking on air, flying high, giddy and grinning. You always wondered what training, skills, and equipment you'd need -- and if, when you got right down (or up!) to it, you could actually push yourself out of a plane and into the sky. Now you know! Gonna fly now? You can do it!
The Payoffs
It's thrilling. Well, duh! To get an idea of the rush, think sitting on a cloud, riding a really steep roller coaster, and drinking a triple shot of espresso -- all at once!
It's challenging. Even on heavily supervised beginner jumps, you have to do something completely counter-intuitive: Leap out of a plane! And more advanced solo jumps require great concentration and precision.
It's fear-conquering. Like so many of the You Can Do It! badges, learning you can take that leap vaporizes old stumbling blocks and makes new challenges feel like a piece of cake.
It's special. As a skydiver, you join an elite club. Our continent-hopping expert likens it to a family; you can go to any "drop zone" in the world and feel at home.
So, what's your motivation? Take a moment. Dream a little, think big, and then complete this sentence, "I see myself …"
I love being able to do something that we should not physically be able to do: Jump out of a plane!
--Jill Salo
MEET YOUR MENTOR
Name: Jill Salo
What She Does: Jill is a skydiving instructor with about 1,800 skydives and 250 BASE (Buildings, Antennas, Spans, Earth) jumps to her credit.
Why She Does It: "It was something I had wanted to do since I was 12, when I saw a photograph of skydivers in a magazine. I remember running to my parents to tell them that this is what I wanted to do. They nodded in polite acknowledgement, and said that I would have to wait until I was 18. As the years went by, I grew ever more determined -- and on my 18th birthday, I asked permission to go skydiving. In South Africa (where I was living), one had to be 18 with signed parental consent, or 21 to jump as an individual. My parents, who had always prided themselves on keeping their word, said that they could not sign for me because they would never forgive themselves if something happened to me. So I waited another three years and, at 21, signed up for a course at the local parachute club. That first jump was amazing, and opened up a whole new world for me. I was so excited and couldn't stop babbling about my experience -- this coming from a normally quiet girl. My dad said 'The good news is that she lived, the bad news is that she loved it!' It was the most challenging and empowering thing I had ever done, and it changed my life. From that weekend, it was all I could think about, and I spent every moment I could at the 'drop zone.' "
Word from the Wise: "It's a mental challenge and physical adrenaline rush in one package. It feels a bit like swimming, but is a lot more liberating."
BADGE STEPS
Step 1. Drop by a drop zone.
Though it's called the United States Parachute Association, the USPA Web site (www.uspa.org) is the perfect place to begin your skydiving adventure no matter where you live in the world. Use the site to locate drop zones (diving sites) around the world. You can also check your Yellow Pages -- under "parachute" or "skydiving" -- but you'll want to make sure any site you find is a USPA "group member," and that its instructors are certified and rated members of USPA.
You can call the drop zone to ask about the different options they offer for beginners. But why not visit the site to make your inquiries? Seeing is believing, and it'll give you a feel for the place and its people. Make a day of it -- ask if there's a training video you can watch, observe a few jumps, and talk to a first-timer after her first dive.
Some drop zones require a tandem jump the first time around, while others will give you a choice of:
Tandem. You are connected via a harness to a tandem master, who calls the shots from plane exit to landing. You share a heavy duty parachute which the master opens. Your prep time for this is minimal, often about 30 minutes.
Static Line. In this technique, developed by the military, your parachute is attached to the plane by a (really strong!) cord. The chute opens for you almost immediately after you de-plane. You'll get landing signals from the ground or via radio contact. This requires a four- to six-hour training class.
Accelerated Freefall (AFF). Two instructors jump out of the plane with you and hold onto you during the 45 seconds or so of free fall. Your instructors monitor your ability to pull your own cord and open your own chute. When you do so, they let go of you, and you get about a 5-minute float to the ground. Ground or radio signals direct your landing. For this, you'll need an all-day or weekend training.
Jill suggests that tandem is just the ticket for your first jump. "You won't have much to learn or remember -- and since you're attached to a tandem master during the jump, you can pretty much just enjoy the ride, relaxing, and taking in the view."
Find and visit a drop zone -- and sign up for a tandem jump.
Step 2. Pre-dive checklist.
As you anticipate your jump, be aware of these preliminaries. At the drop zone, you'll register and sign a liability release form. Skydiving is really very safe, but you are, after all, jumping out of a plane! You usually need to be at least 18 (some schools admit 16-year-olds with parental consent) and should be in good health (heart and respiratory problems and some medications don't mix well with skydiving).
Your gear rental is part of the cost of training. Here's what to expect:
Parachute system. One main and one reserve, packed into a backpack with chest and leg straps.
Jumpsuit. Various fabrics and tailoring are used in different types of jumps.
Helmet. Required for students.
Goggles. To protect your eyes during the speedy (120-150 mph!) free-fall period.
You'll also want to dress comfortably and wear sneakers (no boots or sandals).
Think about who you'd like to invite to your diving debut. Most people enjoy having a cheering section to celebrate with post-jump.
Prepare to fly.
Step 3. Dive day.
Almost all drop zones will offer a professional video of your jump. (The camera person jumps just before you to capture your every move.) Jill highly recommends that you take advantage of this option! There's no way you'll forget your jump, but the video will let you replay it forever -- plus you can use it to scare your mother, wow your dates, and impress your teenage nephew. The video will also give you a different perspective on your experience. You might not believe your own eyes!
Before your jump, you'll receive basic safety instruction and get briefed on the jump procedures your tandem master will follow, including exiting the plane, controlling the parachute, steering, and landing.
You'll have about a 20-minute plane ride to reach diving altitude, typically 10-13,000 feet. Once you're there and situated above the drop area, the pilot will cut the engine while you de-plane. Your tandem master "rides" on your back. During the initial 45-60 seconds of free fall, you'll really hear the wind. Your guide monitors your altitude, deploying the parachute at about 4,000 feet. At that point you'll feel a gentle tug upward and begin a 4-5 minute float to the ground. Now you can hear and even chat with your instructor on the way down.
Finally, you'll come in for a landing just as you've been trained to do. Landings these days are more gentle than jolting, due to the rectangular shape of modern chute canopies. Once you're back on the ground, notice how it feels: Do you want to kiss the ground like the pope, or dump the tandem master and fly solo?
Jump, smile, celebrate -- and watch your video!
CONGRATULATIONS!Jump for joy! You did it!
Jill's Picks
BOOKS
"Eyes in the Sky" by Patrick Passe and Wendy Smith
Photographs from around the world by two premier free-fall photographers cover the range of diving techniques and styles.
"Jump: Skydiving Made Fun and Easy" by Tom Buchanan
A wealth of information for the novice.
"Parachuting: The Skydiver's Handbook" by Dan Poynter and Mike Turoff
From first jump through advanced techniques, a comprehensive and well-illustrated basic text.
"Skydiver's Information Manual"
Published by the USPA and available at their Web site.
MAGAZINES
Parachutist
The world's largest and most widely read skydiving publication. Published monthly and sent by mail to USPA members. (You are sure to find a copy or two at your drop zone.)
Skydiving
The latest news on equipment, events, techniques and the people and places of parachuting. Published monthly.
www.skydivingmagazine.com
WEB SITES
www.uspa.org
The United States Parachute Association's site. This is the place for beginners and experts. Features everything from information on the history of skydiving, safety, and equipment to a shop and up to the minute news and event listings.
www.dropzone.com
A wide range of features and services, including forums, gear reviews, and photo galleries.
www.afn.org/skydive
Provides links to virtually every information source about skydiving on the Internet.
VIDEOS AND SOFTWARE
"Flying Your Body"
This instructional DVD helps new divers master the correct free-fall body positions. (English, German, and French text.)
"From Wings Came Flight"
An hour-long video filled with dramatic footage filmed on three continents.
"Skydiving: A Multimedia Reference"
Contains "Parachuting: The Skydiver's Handbook" (referenced above), 56 minutes of video, and searchable, hyperlinked text from the USPA's Parachutist magazine. (PC with CD drive required.)
The foregoing is excerpted from "You Can Do It!" by Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas, Yvette Bozzini, and Julia Breckenreid. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced without written permission from Chronicle Books, April 2005.