How to get up... and Come down fast

April 5, 2015

Skydiving is an unusual pursuit that seems slightly contrary to human nature. Most people wouldn’t jump out of a plane unless the plane was in peril, but for some, the challenge, the sights and the thrill are well worth it.

THE BEGINNING

There are three ways to begin skydiving according to Don Watkins, a well-known recreational skydiver from Traverse City. Watkins has been jumping for more than 12 years.

"There’s military, which is a static line attached to the plane that pulls the parachute cord for you; tandem, in which you’re attached to an instructor who does all the work; and AFF, or Accelerated Free Fall, in which you go out with two instructors who hold onto your harness – one on either side – and you all jump out together before falling on your own," Watkins said. "AFF is how I learned."

Most people find tandem jumping most accessible. It adds a layer of security for the newbie and lets them enjoy the experience without having to worry about the technical side.

Luther Kurtz is a Charlevoix native and the owner of Skydive Harbor Springs and several other jump zones across the United States. Kurtz says starting to tandem jump is easy; equipment is provided by the company you’re skydiving with and you can either wear one of their jumpsuits or just show up in jeans and a T-shirt.

"We specialize in first-timers," he said.

"You just book your day and time, show up, sign a waiver, go through a short training session in which you learn to position your body for free fall and how to help with the landing, and you’re good to go."

THE PREPARATION

Entry-level skydiving is often the gateway to a long-term passion. Kurtz said he went skydiving just once and was hooked.

"I started going every day," he said. "Plus, when I first went, I didn’t realize that you could do all different kinds of jumps – group formations, skyboards, wingsuits – so that keeps it even more interesting."

Some people, he said, plan far in advance, greatly looking forward to their first skydiving experience, while others don’t want to talk about it at all until it’s time to jump.

"Some people are calm and confident," Watkins added, "but that’s a very small percentage. Most people are a combination of enthused and anxious."

Traverse City’s Katie Hawkins is a former AFF instructor turned skydiving coach. She pointed out that, for some people like her, the mental work is compounded by physical limitations. Hawkins is battling multiple sclerosis.

"I’ll admit it’s not natural to want to leave an aircraft in flight, so fear is expected," she said. "But the excitement you get as soon as you face the fear and overcome it – that’s such a euphoric feeling. With my disease, the right side of my body loses feeling, leaving me unable to skydive safely when I’m physically taxed, but, as long as I’m feeling good, I’m jumping!"

THE EXPERIENCE

What’s it like? "When you leave the plane, you go into sensory overload," Watkins explained. "Your brain can’t process what you’ve just done – that you’ve just voluntarily jumped out of a plane. Sometimes you black out for a few seconds. Sometimes it’s for a few minutes and someone else has to pull your cord for you. This doesn’t typically happen during the tandem jumps because you’re aware that someone else is in control, but on your own –yeah."

On Watkins’ first jump, he said he didn’t remember leaving the plane at all, just the free fall and the thumbs up from his instructor while he was in the air, and then the landing. That was only the beginning of his skydiving escapades.

"I’ve ended up in two trees; went into a violent spin and had to use my reserve chute; and once I went through clouds and couldn’t see for a bit, only to find myself right over downtown Mt. Pleasant instead of over the airport. I had to go under some high voltage power lines and land in a tiny bean field," he recollected.

Hawkins said she continues to skydive because she feels a particular energy that she can only describe as serenity or zen.

"I choose to keep skydiving because on my very first jump I discovered part of my soul," she said. "I know it sounds cheesy, but I’m complete and in the moment when I’m 14,000 feet up in the air."

Rick DeShano of Midwest Free Fall in Romeo, Michigan has been an instructor since 1998, and has enjoyed a wide range of skydiving experiences.

"I’ve jumped over the Atlantic Ocean and landed on the beach in Florida; did a tandem jump with my wife for our 25th anniversary; and for my 5,000th jump, I had eight friends and students jump with me," he said. "But what I really love is jumping at night, which is incredible – leaving a plane in the darkness adds a whole other aspect to the sport."

"When you jump, you usually only have 40-60 seconds of time in the air, so you really have to maximize that," he added.

THE INSPIRATION

Talking to skydivers inevitably leads to one thing – the numbers. Some people are understandably proud that they’ve managed to jump out of a plane one time, but Watkins said the typical skydiver jumps 120 times per year.

Watkins’ 670 jumps over the course of a dozen years probably sounds like a lot, and it is, but DeShano has surpassed that number almost tenfold with 6,500 jumps over the past two decades. Kurtz and his sister, Angela Bishop, set a world record a few years ago for the most tandem skydiving jumps in 24 hours: 107.

So what inspires people to do this, and to keep doing it?

"The reasons are all over the map," Watkins said. "Youth are looking for something new and fun. People who jump once on a whim will say "˜this is so much fun, I’m actually going to learn how to do this.’ Skydiving is also used as an antidote for life issues. When you’re skydiving, you have to put everything else out of your mind and focus on what you’re doing, so that can be a real break for people dealing with something difficult."

Seeing the world from a completely different perspective is another motivator.

"When you jump over Harbor Springs, you can see pretty far," Kurtz said. "We go up about 10,000 feet, so you can see Little Traverse Bay, Grand Traverse Bay, Green Bay, Wisconsin, and up to the North Channel and even Canada on a clear day. It’s pretty great."

"Nothing beats the scenery jumping here in northern Michigan," Hawkins agreed.

Watkins explained that any recreational skydiver will tell you that "the whole world looks like a better place after a skydive."

"They always forget to put one thing on the waiver forms though," he added. "Warning: skydiving is addictive."

To learn more about skydiving, visit the United States Parachute Association at uspa. org. To locate your nearest drop zone, visit dropzone.com.

DON WATKINS’ SKYDIVING TIPS:

- The most expensive jump you’ll ever take is your first one, which will probably run $200-$250. Once you get your USPA license (which you can apply for after 25 jumps) and own your own equipment, you can jump for as little as $25, so it’s worth your time to go through the process.

- Top-level skydivers pack their own chutes. This is another skill well worth learning.

- If you’re scared, keep in mind that skydiving is a quick risk. When you ask people, "were you afraid?" after they jump, they’ll say no, that it went so fast they didn’t have time to be afraid.

- When the pilot says "Door," be mentally prepared for the rush of cold air that will come in. It can be distracting at first.

- Enjoy the view! Northern Michigan really does have some of the most spectacular skydiving views in the country.