The Wake

Leonardo da Vinci once said, “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the Earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” This philosophy has possessed skydivers’ lives since the dawn of the parachute and continues to do so still. But skydiving is in danger of losing its population. Not from skydiving related misfortunes, but from low participant numbers. The media only likes to focus on extraordinary survival stories of skydivers hitting the ground from parachute malfunctions and ignores the amazing breakthroughs in the world of human flight. In the past 15 years, the sport has seen huge advancements in equipment and safety measures that the sport is safer now. It’s less risky than driving in your car, which nobody will even bat an eye at. It is so safe that humans are now in the experiment phase of the sport: wingsuits that can generate lift, freefalling faster than terminal velocity, swooping, BASE jumping, the list goes on. These phrases might not mean anything to you, but to a skydiver, it means we are one step closer to realizing da Vinci’s obsession.

The only way to save this sport from “death by media ignorance” is for you to go to your local dropzone and experience the phenomenon of human flight for yourself. You may then understand why people take the calculated risks they do everyday in order to feel more alive with the power of human curiosity.

The U Skydiving Club is a small group of skydivers who enjoy giving people a chance to do something they have always wanted to do, but never have because it is “too dangerous,” or nobody is willing to join them. We’ll help you fall out of a perfectly good airplane and smile with you when you get back to the planet. Our club organizes an event each semester that allows U students the opportunity to complete a tandem skydive, which is a jump made while attached to a trained professional. The dropzone we work with is Skydive Twin Cities in Baldwin, WI. They offer U students a rate of $189 for a tandem jump and the option to have the experience filmed in mid-air. This is expensive, but tandem students are the only thing keeping dropzones alive these days.

The event begins with a carpool we organize to get all of the participants out to the dropzone in the early morning calm. The event is planned for May 12. Upon arrival, you will meet the staff, sign your life away, obtain necessary training for the jump, and wait in anticipation for your chance. When the time comes to get suited up, you will meet with your tandem-master and they will instruct you further. This is where your trust in your fellow man and human technology comes in. You would be amazed at how comfortable the instructors can make you feel because they understand how much refinement has gone into the parachute system and how safe it really is. As you climb to the jump altitude of 13,000 feet you can fret and fear the jump all you want or you can absorb the moment completely. But I guarantee you it will be one of the most memorable experiences of your life, so enjoy it. Find out for yourself and live the rest of your life with a new perspective. I doubt that you’ll regret it.

Maybe you will be inspired by the raw power of the sky and choose to continue the experience. Our club’s modus operandi is to attract more people who want to call themselves skydivers. We will help you along the long journey of being a student skydiver, and you will have common friends to jump with and share the experience. I can say from personal experience that training is tough, especially when there is nobody your age to confide in. But you are college students and learning is what we do best. Why not learn something new? We invite you to share the excitement with us and possibly join the skydiving community as we learn how to fly a little more.

The U Skydiving Club is holding a mandatory informational meeting on Mar. 19 at 7 p.m. in Coffman Memorial Union, room 304. If you would like to join us for the May 12 tandem jump, contact us at skydive@umn.edu. Blue Skies.