The following is an e-mail from one friend to another.
To: julie_shapario@nexus.com
From: christine_katzman@hypersystems.com
Date: Saturday, September 23, 20-- 04:15:13 p.m.
Subject: Skydiving!
I went skydiving yesterday! My cousins skydive several times a year, and they invited me to come along. Of course, my first answer was no, but they insisted, and before I knew it, we were heading to the airport.
First I took a 20-minute beginner's training session at the jump school. We briefly covered basic information about the plane, the parachute, and how to land. Then it came time to actually jump. Because it was my first time, I was attached to an experienced instructor. He stood behind me and we jumped and landed together, a situation called tandem jumping. I only had to jump when he yelled "Jump!," while he actually controlled the parachute and the landing.
The feeling of free-falling is incredible, but I hadn't realized that the parachute actually opens soon after you jump. In a tandem jump, the plane is only flying about 12,000 feet above the ground, so the free-fall time is relatively short -- about a minute. But after the parachute opened, I had about five minutes to enjoy the breathtaking view of the landscape below. I understand now why people skydive, but I think once was enough for me.
Write back whenever you have a moment!
Christine