Why jump out of a perfectly good airplane ?!..a skydiver’s story..vikas kapur USPA a-16895

Why jump out of Why jump out of a perfectly good a perfectly good airplane ?!airplane ?!

..a skydiver’s story..a skydiver’s story

..vikas kapur..vikas kapurUSPA a-16895USPA a-16895

A bit of me.. A bit of me..

....skydiver (once), private pilot (still skydiver (once), private pilot (still ) )

..staff scientist at Intel corp. ..staff scientist at Intel corp. ( EE/CS/Physics/Math/IC Design )( EE/CS/Physics/Math/IC Design )..Home-pages at -> ..Home-pages at -> www.eskimo.com/~vkapur/hm/index.htmlwww.eskimo.com/~vkapur/hm/index.html

..Linked-in pages ->..Linked-in pages -> http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=1902http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=1902 (also FaceBook etc..)(also FaceBook etc..)

..All pics at ..All pics at http://olypix.smugmug.comhttp://olypix.smugmug.com

..speaking of perfectly good ..speaking of perfectly good airplanes ;-)airplanes ;-)

..much beloved King Air N41DZ actually – ..much beloved King Air N41DZ actually – i’ve probably jumped out this airplane i’ve probably jumped out this airplane most of all..most of all..

Skydiving – most fun you can have Skydiving – most fun you can have with your clothes on :-) with your clothes on :-)

( cue norm kent skydiving video ( cue norm kent skydiving video ))

Sequence of re-cert jump …Sequence of re-cert jump …

• At Skydance Skydiving, Yolo At Skydance Skydiving, Yolo County ( near Davis ) County ( near Davis )

• Jump-master Max Hurd Jump-master Max Hurd

• Images by Gus WingImages by Gus Wing

• Jump-ship Beech King-Air – exit Jump-ship Beech King-Air – exit altitude 13,500 feetaltitude 13,500 feet

• Main Canopy – Falcon 265 sq ftMain Canopy – Falcon 265 sq ft

• Breaking down the jump … Breaking down the jump …

Thumbs-up at 13,500 ft… :-) Thumbs-up at 13,500 ft… :-)

..and out the door, crazy-quilt of ..and out the door, crazy-quilt of fields below...fields below...

..settling into manuevers…..settling into manuevers…

..the landing zone is visible below ..the landing zone is visible below – ol’ five-sided...– ol’ five-sided...

..good pic of the (real) runway ..good pic of the (real) runway below below -- Rwy 34 @ Yolo County -- Rwy 34 @ Yolo County airport...airport...

..view is mah-velous ..view is mah-velous looking looking south towards the delta and Mt. south towards the delta and Mt. Diablo..Diablo..

60 seconds of pure fun.. :-) (note 60 seconds of pure fun.. :-) (note the hair.. the hair.. ) )

..view to the west ( Lk. Berryessa ..view to the west ( Lk. Berryessa over the hill..) – and checking over the hill..) – and checking altimeter… note the toes…altimeter… note the toes…

Note the rip-cords – 4 of ‘em in Note the rip-cords – 4 of ‘em in this image across 2 rigs…this image across 2 rigs…

..Time to go – waving ‘clear’ … ..Time to go – waving ‘clear’ …

..starting the ‘pull’ – fields getting ..starting the ‘pull’ – fields getting bigger…bigger…

Pilot ‘chute is out – ripcord visible Pilot ‘chute is out – ripcord visible – looking west..– looking west..

..main is out.. slider is up…..main is out.. slider is up…

hasta la vista / auf wiedersehen / hasta la vista / auf wiedersehen / sayonara / ‘till next time… :-) sayonara / ‘till next time… :-)

Sequence of re-cert jump …Sequence of re-cert jump …

•Play videoPlay video

Play video of Skydance Play video of Skydance

•Bali / tandem etcBali / tandem etc

Info about USPA and skydiving Info about USPA and skydiving statsstats

• UUnited nited SStates tates PParachute arachute AAssociation – ssociation – natl. self-regulatory sport parachute natl. self-regulatory sport parachute agency ( agency ( www.uspa.orgwww.uspa.org ) )

• USPA stats USPA stats

• Key numbers – 31,000 USPA members Key numbers – 31,000 USPA members

• About 2 million jumps in year 2007About 2 million jumps in year 2007

• ““hard-core” of about 15-20,000 hard-core” of about 15-20,000 jumpers nation-wide – making on jumpers nation-wide – making on average about 100 jumps each year… average about 100 jumps each year…

Adobe Acrobat Document

The End and thank you :-) The End and thank you :-)

• Show’n’tell stuffShow’n’tell stuff– Norm Kent book (and DVD)Norm Kent book (and DVD)– Freestyle bookFreestyle book– Dan Poynter bookDan Poynter book– USPA SIMUSPA SIM– Jerry Sobieski analysisJerry Sobieski analysis– AltimeterAltimeter– LogbookLogbook– Jump-suitJump-suit– Skydance video and Re-cert videoSkydance video and Re-cert video