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Jump #2

"...The late February sky softened from red to dark violet as dusk settled over the Earth far below. I stepped from the door and slid my hands out onto the wing strut. From training that morning, then waiting for the clouds to break so I could take my first jump an hour before, and finally strapping on my canopy one last time before the evening skies turned too dark to jump made for a full day. I was tired, though I didn't think of it in terms other than being mentally tired. But it all adds up.

As I braced against the cold winter wind, I hurried my exit just a bit too much. I stepped from the wheel deck, not taking the time to check my grip on the strut and instantly slipped off the plane plummeting downward.

But this time I kept my wits arching hard just as immediately as the static line played out. I reached back and pretended to pull my drogue, practicing for when I would later have to do it myself. The canopy opened cleanly and smoothly decelerated my momentum. No fouls this time. God what a gorgeous moment.

My radio crackled, "Okay, nice exit. Good Canopy. Let's do a performance check." I complied as best I could, my heart still racing a little from what had just happened. "90 degrees left turn. 180 degrees right. Stall. Good. 360 left. Cut hard. Hard, hard, hard. Good. You're out a little far so we're going to run a little and get you back over the airfield."

Since I'd left the plane prior to my drop point, I was out of position. 40 seconds of flying was necessary to get me to where I could be in position for my final approach. The radio crackled again, "Okay, let's cut it up a little." I jammed hard on both risers, cutting my airspeed until the canopy ruslted. Then releasing them I cascaded forward and the wind stung my face. I hollered something incoherent as I cut open a few sharp S-turns and finally a long 360 where the G forces really came on.

"Okay, your a little off wind, so let's correct a bit. Give me 50% brake if you see the air socks." The ground controller ordered. I lined up and stabbed a quick brake. "Okay, you are coming in nicely, hold there." I was flying down the line. Watching for obsticles. Lerch and the other jumper were already down. Wow, those performance chutes must really drop like bricks!

"You're fast." The controller warned. I slowly applied brake. "Flare. Flare!" I snapped into PLS and dropped my risers to my sides landing hard but smoothly. I gathered up my parachute as the controller ran over time me. "He slapped my back, "Nice manuvering. Sorry about the landing, you came on pretty quick." I understood. Altitiude is a hard thing to judge when you don't have any reference point. Oh, well there was that altimeter thing on my wrist, but who has time to look at that! :)

I was beaming! My second jump and I was done everything really well! Except maybe the exit. I finished gathering my parachute and walked over to Lerch who was already in the hanger folding and packing his canopy. Everyone was congradulating me and man did I ever feel good. Lerch though, what a guy, he just looked up at me and with a smile and his best Drill Instructor voice yelled, "Mister! I did not give you permission to exit the airplane!..."