The Big Idea
In 2003 I attended a skydiving demonstration in my hometown, Patten Maine. As I was watching the skydivers I started thinking that I could fall out of a plane just as easy as anyone. After some pondering, the skydiving plane landed and I approached the skydivers to dig a little deeper into the possibilities. To my surprise Dan Dyer, the skydiver that day said he would be happy to take me on a tandem anytime.
Hey, Mom, I Am Going Skydiving!
I hadn’t told my parents yet about what I had been thinking and one day just decided to call Dan. I made the appointment, gave him my payment over the phone, and I was now locked in and ready to go. Now I had to call my mom haha. So I made the call and her response was no you’re not! I said yes I am I already paid the guy and have an appointment. After some back and forth she relented to the idea in the only way she could. She said well then your father and I will take you!
I met them at their house on the big day and since it has been a while I don’t totally remember the ride but for some reason, I remember it being quiet. I also may not remember the ride because I was nervous.
The Big Day
We arrived at Pittsfield Municipal airport where we met Dan Dyer and his brother who was there to take the pictures and video. Unfortunately, I have since lost the video somehow. We did the usual greetings and went into the little skydiving shack to get suited up and go over what was going to take place. Dan had never done this before with someone who is paraplegic so we took a few minutes to brainstorm and decided the best way to go about it was to duct tape my legs together. I suited up and applied the duct tape around my knees and ankles. After I was physically ready Dan went over the jump procedure. He told me that I would slide to the edge of the door while already attached to his front, we would count to three and I was to cross my hands in front of my chest. I think that was to prevent panic grabbing of the door edge haha. After some free fall, he would tap under my right armpit and that was my cue to reach down and grab a golf ball and pull the chute.
Off Into the Wild Blue Yonder
It was time to board the plane. I had been in planes before but never with the intention of leaving it mid-flight. Needless to say, as we gained altitude so did my nervousness level. It felt like an eternity to get to ten thousand feet but it really only took probably 15 minutes or so.
Now was the big moment. As I am sliding to the door I look up and right above the edge of the door, someone had written OH SHIT! I thought well said haha. Dan grabbed both sides of the opening rocked back and forth 3 times and we were off into the wild blue yonder literally. It was the most perfect bluebird day. I could see for miles.
Freedom At Its’ Finest
Once I exited the plane I had never felt more free in my life. I was smiling ear to ear and loving every second of it. The rush of falling at over 100 miles per hour combined with the perfection of the view was the most amazing experience up to that point in my life I had ever had. After what only seemed like milliseconds Dan tapped my side and I reached back and found the golf ball on the first try. I pulled hard and we instantly slowed down. It felt like we were shooting back up. I think it was actually more terrifying than the jump itself. It is that moment when the chute works or it doesn’t. Spoiler alert it did haha.
Phew, It Opened!
Once the chute comes out you go from chaos and adrenaline to peace and quiet. I was like being a bird. No noise just beauty. I think that may be one of the reasons that lead me to try flying planes. I loved the experience of being able to see the world from a whole new perspective and one that very few people will ever get to see. While we were flying around Dan said if you scream at the top of your lungs right now your parents will hear it. So I let it rip as loud as I could. He said they definitely heard that haha.
The Landing
Now comes the landing which as I said before Dan had never tried before. So the plan was for me to grab the duct tape that was between my knees and hold my legs up. As we came in for the landing we glided in on the grass right on our butts and it
worked flawlessly.
My parents were there waiting. My mom walked up and said I heard you screaming, I thought something was wrong. So I had to explain it was really Dan’s fault. After all, he told me too haha.
More Info On Skydiving
As you can tell I really love skydiving. While writing this post I did some research and found some interesting information about skydiving for people with disabilities.
Try to skydive on a mild day to avoid getting cold, and to make the jump easier for everyone helping out.
Visit the skydive facility in advance and introduce yourself to the staff.
Always strap your legs together, and your arms if you’re a high-level quad, to ensure limb safety while jumping. The wind velocity can put a lot of stress on a quads shoulders.
– Strap your legs to your tandem instructor to prevent your legs from hitting the instructor in the face.
Paraplegia Skydiving Tips
Paraplegics ALWAYS need to properly tie their legs together before the jump. Any strap will do, but many use Duct tape or Velcro straps (make sure to bring your own strapping materials, unless you’re going to an adaptive skydive facility). Strapping your legs together ensures that they don’t go flying in wayward directions during the jump.
When landing, try to assist by pulling your legs up and underneath you so you land on your knees (don’t worry, your tandem coach will land you softly). Some even arrange for someone to wait in the landing zone with their wheelchair nearby. Also, many solo licensed para skydivers prefer water drop zones (an ocean or lake) to ensure an extra soft landing.
Quadriplegia Skydiving Tips
Quadriplegics who skydive generally follow the same rules as paraplegics, although those who cannot move their arms will also need to strap their arms together. You will also need help donning the suit and harness provided by the skydive facility, so make sure to bring an assistant.
Also, make sure the straps aren’t too tight to avoid automatic dysreflexia during the jump. Wearing warm clothing is important, but make sure it’s not too bulky. And when landing, have help nearby for assistance if needed. It can be helpful, for example, for someone to grab the legs of the quadriplegic so they don’t drag on the ground.
Indoor Skydiving
This is something I have yet to try but I really want to. There is a facility in Manchester New Hampshire called Sky Venture Check out the link for more information.
Indoor skydiving is the perfect warm-up for those not sure about jumping out of a plane at 17,000 feet, and indoor skydiving facilities are popping up nationwide. Many cater to people with disabilities, with instructors who assist in helping you out of your wheelchair and into the wind tunnel to “skydive.” A giant wind stream is produced, creating the same physical effect as skydiving.
SPINALpedia has been working directly with iFLY to put on “All Abilities” nights for all people with disabilities. This super fun adventurous “All Abilities” program cost less than $50 and includes pre-flight training session, all the necessary flight gear (suit, helmet, goggles), each flier is assisted by specially trained flight instructors that help with accommodations based on participant needs, and each flier receives 2 flights. 9
You can get more information about that program here: iFLY All-Abilities
I also found a skydiving facility that has a page on their website for people with disabilities. It is called Start Skydiving located in Middletown Ohio. Check out that link for more information if you are interested in trying it there.
Closing Thoughts
So this was a pretty long post but it was an unbelievable experience that couldn’t be described in just a few words. I highly recommend trying this adrenaline filled adventure whether you have a disability or not. It is something you will not ever regret.
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