Throw Momma From the Plane

Date: July 11, 2005 (posted 3/9/07)

      My late younger son Johnathan never got to jump out of a plane. So, a few weeks after his death, my older son dragged me to the airfield and put me up to doing this. I wore the Team in Training tee shirt, my late son's Boy Scout shirt (he was an Eagle scout), and had a button of him in a soccer uniform (about 5th-6th grade). He was cute on the button (and as cute as). Next up - hot air baloon. Not sure about hang-gliding. Maybe when I am 70. I think he was with me.

      Sacramento is a 2-3 hour drive from the house - and since Chuck's truck desperately needs a clutch (I will help with that since what he described is downright dangerous and he can pay me when he gets his bonus) - he drove us in mine - with Rob stuck in the back behind us.
     
      We did the class at 1:45 (the "you know you are being crazy and we are not responsible if you want to throw yourself out of a plane" class) and did not jump until about 5:30-6PM - which delay we did not realize. They never said - come early (cooler) - less wait - etc. Now we know.
      Since they were busy - they were rushing everyone.
      Spoiled some of the effect - on the other hand - less time to think about it.
      I was saying in the plane - can I ride back down?? -------Half serious. Probably a psychic flash.
     
      I am a trained Cesna pilot - I went all the way to qualify to solo - so I like being up in a small plane - the plane doesn't bother me.
      Neat aircraft - I would have loved to fly it. (John's father was a pilot - I took lessons from him - official lessons. He was 10 years older - so I wanted to be able to put the plane down should the need arise. I can.)
     
      It was HOT which is not good for me and we get dehydrated - although got some water in me.
      We sat in some shade - but there was no breeze for hours. Too dry. Sort of like desert air, it sucks fluid out of you.
      Lunch was Hagen Dazz and water, some chips (need salt in the heat).
      The boys had CHILI DOGS!!!!! I could not face that!
      Probably not enough food (the experienced jumpers say you MUST eat) - but we didn't want to have a lot of water on board before the jump.
      I KNEW I would need water when I landed. I KNEW this. So I put a bottle in my purse.
      John - his partner and me all jumped together - the plane was in fact really stuffed to the gills.
     
      Plane door open did not bother me.
      But boy we went out fast!!!!!!.
      The minute I tried to breath - I knew I was in trouble
      I closed my mouth and turned my head to help (they had said to do that)

     
      It wasn't as scary as you might think - the jump out part----- - they have your head back on the instructor's shoulder
      so your head doesn't snap around and hit them. I was in proper position going out.
      Wham - you are out there.
      Oh Lord!
      But you stabilize at 120 MPH pretty damn fast - free fall has no acceleration.
     
      (DAMN!!! I forgot to get my tee shirt!!!)
       
      RIght off the bat out of the plane - my breathing was labored and I was i trouble. I knew it.
      I was trying - I really was. I wanted to do this.
      But my instructor saw me - said I looked like I was rigid (yep) - I think my hands were like claws. Think of a vampire stuck on a ceiling.
      Although I had my hands out (free-fall) and my eyes open (Oh Lord) and was waiting for him to have me reach (practice) the cord pull (I wanted to do it).
      I could not smile for the camera - oh no - I tried - but the air rush was keeping me from getting air in the lungs. I had screamed. (You are supposed to - to let air out).
      Since I was suffering from a tight chest (all the straps etc. were not helping)
      I closed my mouth and turned my head - they had said to do this.
      He saw this.
     
      The instructor took over pulling the parachute. He flashed the altimeter at me - I looked at mine - but I was unfocused - he pulled the cord. (I know this because I watched my viedo. Yep - had myself filmed.)
      I had my hands in the straps while were were hanging - and we pulled one and the other - so we turned a few times - neat.
      He pulled it at the end (you push down hard to slow the chute). You can do that in the air to take a longer time to come down.
      That would be nice to do.
     
      (Boo - Chuck got the purple chute!)
     
      The free fall itself was fine - I prefer the parachute drop - sway and that stuff better (I could breath better).
      The chute jerk when it opens was not bad.
      My instructor had me stand on his feet and he loosened the straps a bit.
      That part was not bad. From flying a plane - the ground coming up did not bother me.
      Once down - I was flat out on the ground in the landing zone. (You have to stretch out the lungs - hands over head - to get air in.)
      They go me up to get out of the straps and the suit down so I could loosen the bra - remove some clothes (John's Boy Scout shirt)
      Chuck landed - saw me in trouble - went for my inhaler (I had used it before the flight - but at 2PM - it was now 6 PM)
      Someone got a van and water.
      I think not breathing scared me much more than the jump did - the jump was actually an adventure.
      Too hot and way too long a wait in the heat before hand - they had a fan on me in the gear room while I was down on the couch to cool me down - force air over my face.
     
      The adrenalin overload is weird - Your joints ache afterward - my chest felt tight - some of that was not asthma - it is adrenalin.
      I would know better next time. We were joking - at 18,000 feet - you jump in a mask. I would probably be fine jumping with and O2 mask.
      I might do that.
     
      I have stress asthma - and it hit with a vengeance. I had taken my pills - used my inhaler (had two with me) BEFORE. Thought I was covered.
      They got me to a van and got me water - I collapsed on a couch for 1/2 an hour.
      The DVD has to be mailed - they were slammed - the photographer had to go back up another load. (Funny DVD.)
      We are load 21 - they were on 26 when we left. Every 20 minutes. Way too rushed - way too busy.
      They got a shot of Chuck yelling "YEAH - I am throwing my mother from a plane!!!" beforehand.
      I can't wait to see the DVD.
     
      I have never hiked well over 4-5,000 feet - this was 13,000 ft jump - the air is thin and you get that adrenaline rush - which - for a stress asthma person - just does you in.
      I didn't know that. Now I do.
     
      Yep - I liked hanging from a chute - I would have liked being up there longer if I had been breathing better.
     
   
      I NEED MY TEE SHIRT!!!!!!!! (120 MPH - not strictly enforced) - yes - head-down free fall is 160MPH - some people are crazy.

      Note: If you are going to jump, strap a man on your back - you can land on him!