Skydiving: The Adventure I Never Wanted but Totally Love Now

Skydiving was never, I repeat NEVER, on my bucket list. Seriously, why would I, a sworn hater of ladders, heights, and rollercoasters, ever think to jump out of a perfectly good airplane? No thank you!

My very first skydive 🪂

Fast forward to two years ago. I met a guy—an AFF instructor and tandem coach—who changed everything. As my interest in stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new activities peaked, I found myself gearing up at Skydive Danielson in Connecticut one bright morning. Strangely, I wasn't nervous, even as we ascended to 14,000 ft and the plane door opened to let out eager skydivers. It wasn't until my instructor scooted us to the edge after I watched someone plummet out that panic set in. Too late! We were off, soaring (or rather, free-falling) through the sky at 150+ mph. To my surprise, the experience was both utterly peaceful and terrifyingly exhilarating. For those wondering, no, you don’t get that rollercoaster stomach-drop feeling. It’s more like sticking your head out of the car window at 120 mph and floating!

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Learning to level and dock

The view during our parachute-guided descent was breathtaking, and landing just left me buzzing with adrenaline. "Want to do it again?" my instructor asked. Hell yes, I was hooked!

I finished that season with another tandem jump and eagerly awaited April to start my official skydiving training. A friend took me to safety day and introduced me to the wonderful, quirky community of skydivers, and I dove into the six-month journey to my A license. The path wasn't just tough on nerves but on the wallet too—skydiving is not cheap, with every jump squeezing the purse strings a bit tighter. I outline some of the expenses at the end of this blog.

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Currency jump at Spaceland Dallas. Full circle moment: my coach was the same guy who got me into the sport!

My training was intense: starting with two student tandem jumps followed by the first jump course to learn the basics, moving to jumps 3-7 where I was accompanied by AFF instructors but landed solo, and then progressing to solo & coach jumps where every free-fall minute was precious and every mistake meant a repeat (and more expense).

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First Jump Course (FJC) learning how to cut away and release the reserve parachute 🪂

To achieve your A license you need a minimum of 25 jumps, pass all of the skills on the USPA proficiency card and pass a written & oral test. Despite the setbacks—like failing one, very expensive, jump four times—as well as numerous other repeats— it was the supportive skydiving community that kept me going. Their encouragement and shared blunders (like the fellow student who shared himself spinning uncontrollably in a video to cheer me up) were invaluable. Some students breezed through the program in just a few short weeks. Me? I wasn't exactly a natural. It took plenty of practice and determination for me to make it through. Many of my fellow students who faced challenges alongside me have since become skilled, licensed coaches, even participating in 50-way jumps. Their progress inspires me and fuels my hope that with continued practice, I too will keep improving.

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My 3,500 ft hop n pop. Part of the license requirements.

Six months later, I proudly earned my Class A Skydiving license. I was almost 50 yrs old and formerly terrified of heights, I was amazed at myself. Now, my bucket list is filled with dreamy skydiving spots around the globe, where I plan to 'high pull' and see the world from above. A 'high pull' involves deploying your parachute right after you exit the airplane, skipping the freefall. You then glide gently to the ground, taking in the breathtaking views that only a fellow skydiver can truly appreciate.

Skydiving, after a multiple divorces and entering the world of my fifties, could be likened to standing at the edge of an open airplane door, 14,000 ft above the ground. It's a moment charged with apprehension and thrill—the deafening rush of wind akin to the loud uncertainties and the silent excitements of starting anew. Jumping out represents the brave decision to let go of the past, plunging into a freefall that is both terrifying and liberating. The parachute deployment is like finding your new pace and rhythm, gently guiding you towards new landscapes. It's a journey of navigating through the open skies of possibility, where every second in the freefall teaches resilience and every serene float towards earth paints a picture of newfound peace and scenery.

The “A license” stamp for my achievement (followed by a sneaky pie in the face video below)

Are you ready to step outside your comfort zone and see the world from a new perspective? Why not give skydiving a try?Just remember, it's not just about the thrill; it's about the people you meet, the fears you overcome, and the new heights you reach, both literally and metaphorically. Skydive Danielson awaits—will I see you there?

Live in the New England area and want to book your first tandem skydive or get your license? Visit https://www.skydivedanielson.com in Connecticut or https://www.skydivenewengland.com in Maine

Skydive Danielson in Connecticut end of season party. If you want to get into skydiving…better invest in a few onsies!

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Shaving cream pie in the face…a right of passage for any newly licensed skydiver.

Costs:

I estimate I spent about $4400+ to get my license. Pass all the jumps first time through, you would pay approx $3500+. Then there are the gear costs, once you get closer to your license, that include a helmet ($300 used), altimeter ($100+ analog used & $399+ digital), jump suit ($250+ used), and eventually your own rig (used $7500+). While you’re a student you enjoy the privileges of loner gear.

A license progression card is here and lists all of the items you will need to learn and get sign off on

• Complete 2 training tandems 
• $50 Sign up cost - Training Materials/Ground Briefing
• $269- Jump 1
• $179 - Jump 2 (using tandem repeat jump coupon offered after your first jump!)
  • Total - $498
• 4-6 hour school $140
• Training Manual $15
  • Total - $155
• $245 - Jump 3 (2 instructors)
• $205 - Jump 4-7 (1 instructor)
  • Total - $1065 (many students have to re-do at least one of these expensive jumps- me, at least two)
• Complete 5 coach jumps, learn Group Freefall skills
• Free video included each jump
• $125 / jump
  • Total - $625 (this is where I had to do more coach jumps to learn techniques I didn’t pass first time)
• Complete 12 solo skydives
• $70/jump
  • Total - $840 (I only had 2 solo skydives to get to my 25 total as I has to do more coach jumps to get sign off on my USPA proficiency card)
• Learn to pack your own parachute, then jump it!
• Class length - 3-4 hours
  • Total - $100
• Showcase your skills to an AFF Instructor and earn your license to skydive!
  • $205 check dive