Surviving Skydiving

October 22, 2008
By Brittney Meyer
Staff Writer

For the past few years, my mother had always let me pick out my birthday and Christmas presents, and for my 19th birthday this year it took me a while to decide what I wanted. My choices were cut and dry – a Coach purse, or skydiving. Risking my life, or having a cute purse – what a toughie. Three weeks after my birthday had past, I officially made my choice, and it wasn’t to buy that uber cute heritage Coach purse I’d been dying to have -- I had made my reservation to go skydiving.            

I researched many sky diving places to compare prices, but all were relatively the same. And, for those of you who are wondering, I paid approximately $300 (less than the purse, but definitely worth every cent). Sky diving became an opinion after my friend Steven told me how exhilarating the feeling was, and I just had to capture it for myself.

So on Oct.11, 2008, I drove to Vandalia, Illinois to find Archway Skydiving. Driving all alone, to what was to me an unknown city, only to be jumping out of a perfectly good plane started to get to me.

The facility was a large hanger where one would normally see small planes hanging out, but instead there were couches, TVs, and tons of people packing parachutes. It was a rather cozy, down to earth type of place, but it still had a totally serious atmosphere about it. A middle-aged couple who were unpacking their personal skydiving equipment next to me can be thanked for convincing me to spend the extra $100 on video and pictures. Since I didn’t have any friends or family members there to help calm my nerves, the total strangers definitely helped.

The next part had my stomach back in knots, though. The paperwork I had to fill out ensuring I had perfect mental and physical health had a constant reference to “death and or personal injury” that did not ease my tension. Signing away all of my legal rights made me realize just how serious this jump would be and didn’t ease my irrational fear of heights and death.

Training for landing, exiting, and other precautions was next, which, shockingly, was a ten-minute long video that looked like it was made in the ‘80s. All I could think was “so after watching this I am now ‘certified’ to jump from a plane?” My nerves were on edge. Then I was assigned to a flight- Flight 6. Flight 4 had just taken off.

After getting in my bright yellow, enormous (men’s) jumpsuit, and navy blue harness, I was informed by my instructor, Chuck, how to exit, land, and what to remember while up there. Talking with Chuck calmed my nerves; at least until cameraman Steve started filming. 

Crammed with 30 people in it, the small plane ended up going about three miles into the air. The back of the plane opened up just as it did when we walked on it and a few people jumped out right away. I don’t know if it was the weight of the harness, or just my nerves, but when I stood up I felt really heavy and as if my legs were about to give out. Chuck started to secure the straps that held us together and we stood up and got in line. I felt like a goggle-wearing kangaroo pup being strapped to him as we approached the dock, where we would be jumping off.

As I looked out of the plane, all I could see was clouds and vague outlines of farmland. It looked like a huge map into which I was getting ready to dive. The cameraman was hanging out of the plane awaiting me to make that one large step out. The remaining jumpers in the plane said I screamed, but that’s something I’m going to deny. I do remember doing a back flip out, because of the impact the wind had on my leg when I walked out of the plane.            

The seconds after I jumped and before the small chute deployed were absolutely breathtaking. I tried to recall what the video would later show me, but it’s hard to remember, or even think, when you’re about three miles high up in the air.  We were just falling. It was windy, loud, and a little painful, but the view of miles and miles was astonishing. The view from above the clouds was almost enlightening. Getting to see what a bird sees on a daily basis was just phenomenal.

As we fell faster and faster towards the center of a cloud, I noted that it wasn’t like a falling sensation at all. Prior to the jump, Chuck said it is like nothing else in life-- he was right. It was more of a human flying experience. If you slighted moved your right arm to be more extended you’d go towards the right.  It might have been floating but for the 200 mph wind hitting your face.

When our parachute finally deployed, it was about a 6-minute drift down until we slid onto the ground to safety. I hit the ground with the shock of knowing that I, Brittney Meyer, the girl who gets dizzy in heels and cries in elevators had just jumped 14,000 feet from a plane.

The experience was a once in a lifetime thing, but it was also just one check off on my “bucket list.” Anything could be next.

See more pictures at the Skydive Photo Essay