My First Jump
...paratroopers in the sky. It is daytime and the sun is very bright and I could see the clear sky like waiting for me to touch the clouds. I this point I am decided to load up the plane and make my first jump. The only problem is that I’ve already forgotten the rules. What rules? They are certain things we have to do when our instructor give us the jump commands. All I remember is something about listen, be safe, have fun and a cord. I put on my parachute harness that includes a main parachute and reserve parachute. My other equipment is a Ballistic Helmet and pair military glasses (prescription) that I have to wear during the jump. Minutes later, I was inside the plane. My friend is so scared that I could almost feel his legs moving and shaking. Our airplane darts through the fluffy, white, scalloped clouds. I could see through the small window that we are going up and that there is only one way down. Uh, whoa, I’m actually about to jump from a plane! What was I thinking? Sure, 1,200 feet sounded like a lot, but I had not comprehended how high it would really be! The Jump Master opens the door, and my heart drops to the bottom of my chest. Time to Go! The Jump Master gives the command “stand-by” to the first jumper. Good thing I am the third jumper. Now it is my turn to go (one second in between jumpers), I am in the air next to a wing of the airplane that is traveling at many miles per hour. I just realize that I am promptly plummeting toward earth. Words cannot describe the next minute of freefall. It is truly something you have to experience for yourself. Indeed it was only four seconds, but it feel like a few minutes. One thought I remember clearly? “My hands are cold!” My other thought? “When you’re a kid, you imagine what it’s like to fly. Now I know.” Four seconds after I exited the aircraft my parachute bursts up! I’m thr...