Comments on: Strange Geographies: On Jumping Out of Airplanes

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:01:20 +0000

wow. I’ve go to admit, reading your post, especially the part where you’re in the plane and about to jump made my palms sweat and my heart beat fast. I’ve tried indoor skydiving and I’m thinking of doing the real thing some time soon.

By: Kali1901

Kali1901 — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:31:04 +0000

Sounds like you had a wonderful experience!
I am planning my first jump for the fall (seems like the most appropriate season). I find reading other peopleâ€™s skydiving accounts soothes my anxiety, allowing me to look forward to the big event.
Thanks for sharing your jump experience, Ransom.

By: MetalRose

MetalRose — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:17:14 +0000

The only fun place I’ve been plane jumping/ skydiving is Wisconsin. I’m jealous!

By: Chloe Flockhart

Chloe Flockhart — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:13:00 +0000

i’m doing a project on Plane jumping and i would love to do a jump like this.

Im 13 and a will probaly do one when i have a little more courage!
Great website by the way!

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 24 May 2008 23:59:35 +0000

ROCK STAR!

By: Dawn

Dawn — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:13:40 +0000

Awesome story..I’ve really got to get down to Queenstown and do skydiving! I’m glad you enjoyed your time in NZ -my husband and I moved here from Baltimore back in 2006. Everyone should come check out this gorgeous place!

By: Kevin

Kevin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:04:00 +0000

Bethy,

You wrote: “But I have a question. You said you â€˜fall fasterâ€™ doing tandem jumps. Hasnâ€™t science proved that items always fall at the same speed? The olâ€™ drop a crumpled piece of paper and a bowling ball trick?”

The science you are referring to occurs in a vacuum. If you drop a bowling ball and a feather off of a skyscraper that is not in a vacuum I can guarantee you that the bowling ball will reach its final destination first.

By: tommy

tommy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:24:12 +0000

travis pastrana is the guy

By: tommy

tommy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:52:43 +0000

Go to youtube and put in “redbull skydive” A famous motocross guy (My work won’t let me access youtube so I can’t get his name) jumps out of a plane with no chute on. It was intentional. Crazy stuff. One of the most incredible things I’ve seen on youtube.

By: Ransom

Ransom — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:11:20 +0000

Hey everybody —

Next time we do an embarrassing photo contest, maybe I’ll post the lemon-suck picture. :)

@Bethy:
I was wondering about the drogue and terminal velocity and all that too, and from what I can figure out, wind resistance plays into it a bit — two people cut through wind resistance better than one. I think it’s related to the reason there’s a weight limit for tandem skydiving (220 lbs was the posted limit, I think).

@kate:
my wife was shopping and then went and scaled a cliff face with merely a belay rope around her waist — I was actually more scared to do that than jump out of a plane! In any case, it’s all in a typical morning in Queenstown.