What do you love about tandem skydiving?
“The whole experience is awesome, from getting harnessed up and talking with our instructors getting directions and what we would like to do on our jumps, to the camaraderie on the plane (sardine jokes), from the rise of anticipation with feeling the cold air of the door opening to the adrenaline rush of going out the door and seeing the plane leave …. Karl and I both love the experience of being in freefall – where every sense feels like it is on overload – the sound of wind rushing by, the cool air, then swirling, twirling, and spiraling in the air … and all too soon I see the signal that the chute is going to be pulled. But after which, another type of joy sets in – seeing the mountains and the beauty of the state we live in, our senses and heartbeats gradually returning back to normal, floating, flying, spiraling slowly back to earth, then touching down…”
Judy Brown
Judy Brown and her husband Karl Brown came to Orange Skies in 2019 to experience skydiving for the first time. As most people who join us for a tandem skydive, they were nervous, excited, and had no idea that they were about to fall in love with flying. They had made the drive to Fort Morgan to celebrate Judy’s birthday and they experienced the typical rollercoaster of emotions for new jumpers, “I was incredibly scared, having a quite healthy fear of falling. My hands were sweating and my jaw dropped when I saw the soloists go out and get swept away…I remember my forearms were sore from hanging on so tight to the harness.”* Who would’ve guessed that once Judy and her husband landed, they were hooked.
“…knowing we just had an experience of a lifetime. And knowing we have to do it again. There is nothing on the ground so exciting that can match being able to fly.”*
The Browns have continued to skydive with Orange Skies, typically jumping once or twice each month. They have even brought out Karl’s son, Matt to join in on the excitement. When asked what keeps them coming back, Judy responded with several reasons why they can’t get enough.
1. The want to experience the rush of skydiving
2. The safety and friendly staff at Orange Skies, that makes her and her husband feel included at the dropzone
3. The fact that with each jump her understanding of body flight, altitude awareness, and parachute flight develops and they learn more about the sport of skydiving each jump
4. Confidence building, “I keep coming back because of the confidence skydiving builds by learning these new mental and physical skills – looking back and seeing progression of the mastery of control.”*
Since that first day in early 2019, Karl and Judy have now done 18 skydives each with a goal to hit 20 jumps before the end of the year! Here at Orange Skies we love sharing the bliss of flight with everyone who steps out of the plane with us. It is so rewarding to be able to share our love of flight with people over and over again!
*Thank you to Judy for providing all of the quotes throughout this post, and to Karl and Matt Brown for letting us share their skydiving story.