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CardinalAndGold

CardinalAndGold

Member
Mar 9, 2010
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I want to check something off my list and skydive this summer. Sounds like a load of fun and I'm all for adventure!

It's something that I want to make sure I go with the right company, though (hey, my life is at stake). Does anyone have experiences with places around here? I'm located a little closer to Omaha than Des Moines, so that would maybe be better, but would also be open to driving to Des Moines.

Can anyone give me their experiences with particular skydiving companies?
 
You will have to do a tandem dive, so the instructor's life is also at stake. As such, they are all quite safe. I've gone in Booklyn, IA (hour or so east of Des Moines) as well as St Louis. Both were good experiences.
 
benjay said:
You will have to do a tandem dive, so the instructor's life is also at stake. As such, they are all quite safe. I've gone in Booklyn, IA (hour or so east of Des Moines) as well as St Louis. Both were good experiences.
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My first jump was in Brooklyn and it was NOT tandem. I jumped, pulled my own chute, and landed. (Not so gracefully I may add). That may have changed since 1999 when I did it but back then you had the option of doing AFF (Accelerated Free Fall) by yourself the first time out.

It's a good time. It's really not all that scary and I'm a pansy. I'd like to try bungee jumping, that seems like it would be really, really scary.

I'd really recomment Brooklyn. Great group out there.
 
Did you have to go through an extended instructional process for that? I don't remember having that option.
 
I have over 100 jumps. Hope you go for it cause jumping is great!

Just make sure that the place is accredited. Most are by the USPA, but there are other orgs out there too thatare good.

If you only plan on going once in your life, then go tandum. You jump from about 10,000 feet and you don't have to do much. If you are going to jump some more, start out on static line. It gets you to free fall faster.

Good luck!!
 
That wouldn't be bad. We had a very brief instruction process to go tandem, like 20 minutes or something. Then you just wait for your turn.
 
I did an AFF jump shortly after I graduated which sadly is 20 years ago now. I did mine at Aggies over Texas down in College Station. In addition to tandem and AFF there is also the static line jump but with that you don't get any real free fall. AFF is the closest to real skydiving you can get for a first jump, but it is also the most expensive. I think mine was like $200 and that was 20 years ago.

Quite the rush when you crawl out on the wing and let go of the plane. I blew the landing a little and limped around for a couple weeks with a sore foot but I'm glad I did it.
 
There is a GREAT instructor in the Ames area - Hashem Hashimi (I probably butchered the spelling) he jumps with a group of guys out of Boone.

Hashem has like 6 or 7 thousand dives to his name and is a certified instructor.
 
cyeah said:
There is a GREAT instructor in the Ames area - Hashem Hashimi (I probably butchered the spelling) he jumps with a group of guys out of Boone.

Hashem has like 6 or 7 thousand dives to his name and is a certified instructor.
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I did my one and only skyidiving experience with Hashem. He and his crew were great.

I checked it off my list, and have no desire to ever do that again.
 
cyeah said:
There is a GREAT instructor in the Ames area - Hashem Hashimi (I probably butchered the spelling) he jumps with a group of guys out of Boone.

Hashem has like 6 or 7 thousand dives to his name and is a certified instructor.
Click to expand...
I learned from Hashem in 1980. Round chutes and static line. Jumped 3 times and loved it. I just couldn't afford to continue.
 
Went in Winterset, had good time. We actually got rescheduled due to weather. As someone mentioned, they let us reschedule with no extra charge.

I would highly recommend getting the video. It's extra money, but you will love it after it's done and you get to watch the DVD.
 
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cyeah said:
There is a GREAT instructor in the Ames area - Hashem Hashimi (I probably butchered the spelling) he jumps with a group of guys out of Boone.

Hashem has like 6 or 7 thousand dives to his name and is a certified instructor.
Click to expand...

I went through Hashem, too. He does tandem from over at the Boone airport. He's awesome - really, really polite, and made it a great experience.

Like cyeah said, he's super-experienced. The kid who went before my friend and I was working up to his 100 jumps, and the main chute didn't open for him that day. Hashem was really cool about it, got the second chute open and landed them both safely (I think part of the parachute ended up in a tree, but everyone was fine). While it freaked me a little bit, it was great to see he was so capable.
 
It's okay to do if you have a checklist of things to do before you die. But, my experience with tandem jumping was, "and for 55 seconds of free-fall, I paid $180?" For the same money, I'd rather set up a nice tailgate, drink good beer and buy an ISU football ticket that gives me THREE HOURS of adrenaline rush.
 
I went through Hashem in Boone as well. It was the best $175 I have ever spent. I am kind of an adrenaline junky though. Someday I want to learn to go myself just can't afford it right now being in college and all. I definitely recommend Hashem he is one cool cat.

Irresponsible said:
It's okay to do if you have a checklist of things to do before you die. But, my experience with tandem jumping was, "and for 55 seconds of free-fall, I paid $180?" For the same money, I'd rather set up a nice tailgate, drink good beer and buy an ISU football ticket that gives me THREE HOURS of adrenaline rush.
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I thought it was worth the money but I do see your point. Obviously skydiving is not something you would do every saturday instead of an ISU football game. It's a different rush than football although a lot of my most exciting moments have been watching good ol ISU beat up on some football teams.
 
I remember Hashem from way back when...
The boys over at the Brooklyn, Iowa airport is the way to go though. Might also add that "Bruce Kennedy" owns that airport. A jumper himself for decades! He is also the owner of Paesano's pizzaria down there by Lincoln High School. He's a good friend and you might catch him there on any given Friday night. Good Luck!
 
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