# Near death experience



## Dirty Dog (Sep 30, 2017)

I've been afraid of heights for most of my life. As in: it can be a challenge to change lights in a ceiling fixture.
So for an early birthday present, I jumped out a perfectly good airplane from 4000 feet. I didn't exactly stick the landing, but I didn't die, either.


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## Tarrycat (Oct 1, 2017)

Dirty Dog said:


> I've been afraid of heights for most of my life. As in: it can be a challenge to change lights in a ceiling fixture.
> So for an early birthday present, I jumped out a perfectly good airplane from 4000 feet. I didn't exactly stick the landing, but I didn't die, either.



 - You looked really nervous! At least you conquered your fear.  - I'm scared of heights too, but only when I'm not protected (having no parachute for example). I will feel better knowing that I have two parachutes, just in case one fails to open.

This I will do any day. In fact, I'd like to have a board attached to my feet so I can land skiing on the grass!


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## Monkey Turned Wolf (Oct 1, 2017)

I don't now why someone reacted "funny", but I am very impressed. I have the same fear, which I keep hidden from people because of pride, but there is no way i would have been able to do that. It's amazing you were able to, and I hope one day to be able to do the same.


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## Tarrycat (Oct 1, 2017)

kempodisciple said:


> I don't now why someone reacted "funny", but I am very impressed. I have the same fear, which I keep hidden from people because of pride, but there is no way i would have been able to do that. It's amazing you were able to, and I hope one day to be able to do the same.



I reacted funny, because I found it funny, yet at the same time I applaud him for doing what he did, because it DOES take a lot of courage. I am not making fun of him.


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## drop bear (Oct 1, 2017)

Nice work.


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## jobo (Oct 1, 2017)

Dirty Dog said:


> I've been afraid of heights for most of my life. As in: it can be a challenge to change lights in a ceiling fixture.
> So for an early birthday present, I jumped out a perfectly good airplane from 4000 feet. I didn't exactly stick the landing, but I didn't die, either.



good on you, i did one about 30 years ago, i wasn't scared of height till i did it, i got to the edge of the plane and couldn't let go, just could release my grip, then the instructed, put her foot in the small of my back and forced me out, still have nightmares about it


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## Flatfish (Oct 1, 2017)

Yeah I can do without that....shudder


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## ballen0351 (Oct 1, 2017)

I have a strange fear of heights.  Ive jumped from Planes, Helicopters, done SPIE Rigging, Repelling from Helicopters, down the side of buildings, and cliffs no problem.  Put me on the roof of a single or 2 story house Im done ill freeze up.  I guess Im afraid of low heights.  My though process is I fall from a really high distance Ill just die and it wont matter, fall from the roof i wont die but its gong to hurt lol.

Anyway Congrats man


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## Danny T (Oct 1, 2017)

Takes courage to face your fear and press beyond. Awesome!!!
And yeah the face plant landing was funny but...dude!!...You Did It!!


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## Gerry Seymour (Oct 1, 2017)

Well done, man! My fear of heights is pretty limited. A bit of exposure, and it goes away. I worked as a lighting designer/engineer for some local theatre companies for a while on the world's wobbliest catwalks. I was scared ****less the first few times out, but gradually got used to it. If I stop playing on heights, it comes back. Getting out of that plane would have been a challenge, but it's something I've wanted to do for a long time.


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## Bill Mattocks (Oct 1, 2017)

This is what the class before the jump looked like:






Sadly, I cannot find the clip of the actual jump or the result.  Everyone was fine, but since the wife of Truman Sparks (the pilot and skydiving instructor) had packed the dirty laundry in a spare chute sack that the skydiver was wearing, it was 'another wash day shot to hell'.  Thank goodness for the reserve chute.


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## Dirty Dog (Oct 2, 2017)

Tarrycat said:


> - You looked really nervous! At least you conquered your fear.  - I'm scared of heights too, but only when I'm not protected (having no parachute for example). I will feel better knowing that I have two parachutes, just in case one fails to open.
> 
> This I will do any day. In fact, I'd like to have a board attached to my feet so I can land skiing on the grass!



I was probably even more scared than I looked, to be honest.



Danny T said:


> Takes courage to face your fear and press beyond. Awesome!!!
> And yeah the face plant landing was funny but...dude!!...You Did It!!



I got my chin tucked and rolled out. No face plant.


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## Buka (Oct 2, 2017)

Dog, that's awesome!

But you said it, the same line I've always used - _"I jumped out a perfectly good airplane_".

I'm afraid of heights, too. Hated my years as a part time roofer. Always wanted to skydive, but always chickened out. But now, I have lived vicariously through you....and your madness!


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## Tarrycat (Oct 2, 2017)

Dirty Dog said:


> I was probably even more scared than I looked, to be honest.
> 
> 
> 
> I got my chin tucked and rolled out. No face plant.



Lol. You look like the type of guy who doesn't show it when he's scared; instead you go silent?  - just an observation... (I'm also like that; same when upset ).

All in all, it was a very courageous move. You should be proud of yourself!


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## Flying Crane (Oct 3, 2017)

I did it years ago, it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life.

Welcome to the club.


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## KenpoMaster805 (Oct 8, 2017)

Im so afraid of heights too hahahah like in the mall if i go to the high floor i get this cold hands and like started paniking hahahaha my gawd i need to get over that


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## JowGaWolf (Oct 8, 2017)

Dirty Dog said:


> I've been afraid of heights for most of my life. As in: it can be a challenge to change lights in a ceiling fixture.
> So for an early birthday present, I jumped out a perfectly good airplane from 4000 feet. I didn't exactly stick the landing, but I didn't die, either.


ha ha ha.  awesome break fall.  Thanks for sharing.   Jumping out of a plane is definitely not one of the easiest things do on the first try.


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## JowGaWolf (Oct 8, 2017)

kempodisciple said:


> I don't now why someone reacted "funny", but I am very impressed. I have the same fear, which I keep hidden from people because of pride, but there is no way i would have been able to do that. It's amazing you were able to, and I hope one day to be able to do the same.


I think it was the honest experience of it all and how Dirty Dog stated he didn't exactly stick the landing.  I read it as his good nature so when I saw the video it felt O.K. to laugh.  For me it wasn't a laugh at a person, but laugh with a person.  Like when your friend does something and goofs it up a bit.


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## JowGaWolf (Oct 8, 2017)

Heights don't bother me.  Climbing trees as a kid helped a lot.  Falling out of trees not so much.  The falling part is easy. It's the landing that makes me nervous.


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## Buka (Oct 9, 2017)

Heights. Yeah, there's all kinds of heights. To me, all of them bad.


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## Gerry Seymour (Oct 9, 2017)

Buka said:


> Heights. Yeah, there's all kinds of heights. To me, all of them bad.


Yeah, that one scares the hell outta me. I could walk that (okay, there are day's I'd crawl that one section), but never on a bike. Never even walking a bike.


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## oftheherd1 (Oct 11, 2017)

Dirty Dog said:


> I was probably even more scared than I looked, to be honest.
> 
> 
> 
> I got my chin tucked and rolled out. No face plant.



Somehow I missed this.  Good on you Dirty Dog!  It's no secret I was in the US Army Airborne.  I am still afraid of heights but not so much from jumping.  Go figure.  I don't know if I would ever have taken up sky diving.  I thought about it, but never did.

Roll out my flat foot!  That was terrible PLF.   

Hope you get a chance to show us more.


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## oftheherd1 (Oct 11, 2017)

Bill Mattocks said:


> This is what the class before the jump looked like:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I can't imagine.  But then I have heard of some other rather dumb things happening.  Who won the fight?  ;-)

And yes, thanks for reserve chutes.  I once had to deploy mine on Okinawa.  No telling what would have happened without it.  I had a tight squid that was scarily close to a streamer.  I was dropping fast until I got the reserve out.


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## oftheherd1 (Oct 11, 2017)

Buka said:


> Heights. Yeah, there's all kinds of heights. To me, all of them bad.



Wow!  Just wow. 

Was that some kind of competition or had the bird of paradise just flown up his nose and screwed up his judgement?


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