I finally did it. This dentist has his Airborne Wings! Wow, five jumps are completed and I only twisted my right knee, which is better then most.
Jump #1 was Hollywood (just a parachute and reserve). We did this day jump on Monday. The process of getting rigged up before jumping is not a complicated process. But to do it for 430 people with limited jump masters – literally takes all day. Wow, we were tired. With a 0400 morning call, I was so glad to jump out of the plane and get that harness off of my tired body. The landing was great, no problems with my PLF (parachute landing fall). We jumped with a T-11 chute, know for its softer landing. I also hit the drop zone which had been previously tilled making the ground very soft.
Jump #2 was Hollywood on Tuesday but this time with a T-10D chute. It falls faster and the landing is much harder. This is the chute that was used a long time ago. I landed on the drop zone but messed up my PLF pretty good. The soft soil saved me. I was fine.
Jump #3 was combat equipment jump. This was on Tuesday. This is when you have your parachute, reserve, back pack, and training weapon. In total, the equipment weighs about 50 lbs or more. This basically means, when you get to the door, instead of jumping out of the plane, you usually fall out. It’s far from ideal but it works. Once in the air, you are required to quickly lower your equipment, direct the chute, pull a slip, then land. All while not colliding with fellow jumpers and hitting the drop zone, oh all in about 30 seconds. With a hope and a prayer, I was able to do all of that. Again I messed up my PLF but the soft dirt saved me. I had major trouble lowering my weapon before landing and nearly had to land with it by my side. I started freaking out and was finally able to release it from my body about 100ft about the ground.
Jump #4 was a another combat equipment jump on Wednesday. While in flight one of the two jump doors jammed shut so they made us shuffle (while loaded with all our equipment to the other side of the plane, near the door that was still working. All while trying not to fall as the plane shifted in the turbulence. Wow, I was nervous when we had to change up the jump door. Everything I had thought about before was not the opposite. “Hand off will left hand, jump with right, kick with left leg, or was it right?! Oh too late, here we go.” I learned my lessons from the last jump and got a good tight exit from the plane. I lowered my equipment earlier and had time to make adjustments for another messed up PLF. But again the soft dirt saved me. That was a total of 1 good landing out of 4 total. Not good odds.
Jump #5, Hollywood NIGHT JUMP. Wednesday night. We geared up and started to wait until night fall. I soon became aware that there was nothing cool about this configuration. That night the lunar calendar fell on a new moon – absolutely zero light. “our eye would adjust, right?” I had no idea what to expect. Once loaded and looking out the window at take off, I realized that this was really a bad idea. With one step, kick and jump I fell into the dark abyss. My chute opened and I immediately started looking for fellow jumpers to avoid collision. But the only thing I could focus on was that I was oscillating under the chute. Swinging like a pendulum under a parachute will increase your effective speed of impact. I was freaking out, pulling risers as I was taught, but I could shake the rocking motion. I looked down at the earth, already wasted time, to realize that I had NO IDEA where I was going, or which way I was drifting. I could see the outline of the drop zone and figured that I would be ok. The ground came faster than I could react. I quickly pulled a slip thinking I was going right but when I hit the very hard dirt, my body when left. I heard a crack in my right knee and I yelled out! “ahh”. Not a good feeling. Once I realized that I could still walk, and after consulting with the instructors, I packed up my chute and started walking. I was still in shock from my horrible land and unsure of the status of my knee. I started walking but ended up getting lost. I came to a swampy area by the creek. I had to back track back up the rise and over across the bridge. I walked over a mile to the pickup area. Wow, my knee was hurting so badly. I finally made it back.
I did get my knee check out, just a sprain - Motrin and no running. I accept, happily.
Airborne, Hooah!