University of Alabama - Corolla Yearbook (Tuscaloosa, AL)

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The areat Skydivers thrill to 9,000 feet plunges They sat huddled in the rear of the small plane waiting for the pilot to give the go signal. They had b een up for about 15 minutes, rising to 9,000 feet above the earth. There vi as little talk, some thinking of the planned ma- neuvers, others reflecting on the sensibility of what they were about to do. For most of the jumpers. it was nothing new. Several had registered hundreds of jumps. Yet. they still exper- ienced the anxiety, still felt the rush of adrenaline. After you ' ve been jump- ing for a few years, the mind doesn ' t suffer from mental anxiety anymore, but the body can ' t be fooled. Jack Alford. a chemical engineer- ing graduate of the Universi- ty, said. It knows it ' s about Richard Washburn to fall. SO it pumps just as much adrenaline as ever. The experienced jumper leaps conscious that ever- ything ' s going to be all right but laughs at his own weak body for being afraid. Alford and about 15 other students and graduates of the University were mem- bers of the Bama Skydivers, though not offically char- tered by the University, the Bama Skydivers had been affiliated with it for over 10 years. The Bama Skydivers met every Sunday at the small Eutaw airport. Because of the size of the plane, only about five could go up at one time. The preparations for the jump were considerable. The parachutist had to re- pack his parachute, line up at I the lead cords to the canopy and check his equipment. Most wore a special jump suit that had less wind resis- tance and allowed for a smoother fall. Then, the divers planned the sequence of maneuvers they would later perform in the air, going over and over the sequence in what was called dirt diving. A wide variety of formations, in- cluding stars, snowflakes, and doughnuts were per- formed. It took between 15 and 20 minutes for the plane to reach the desired altitude. After a signal from the pilot, the jumpers lined up on the plane ' s strut, hanging in the air as the wind tried to force them free. At the designated time, the divers broke their grip Richard Washhii Gathering up her parachute. Sandi Wedlock, a University advertising major, heads over to- ward the airplane hanger to repack her parachute and prepare for her next jump. After coming in for a smooth landing. Bama Skydiver Darin Evans-Young waits for Ricky Latham to float to the ground. Student Life: Skydivers 1 1

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Winds blowing at 140 miles per hour distort Darin Ev- ans Young ' s face as he prepares to leave the plane and join four others for an air formation.

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Gasp from the security of the plane and started the free fall at about 120 miles per hour. By arching their backs, the jumpers were able to fly toward each other and begin the forma- tions. At 2,500 feet the divers broke apart, dumped their parachutes and began the descent back to earth. And though many think it is a dangerous sport, the people who skydive regular ly argue that the fatality rate is low, and that the adven ture greatly outweighs the risk. I guess it seems like a very insane sort of thing to do, Alford said. Richard Washburn But Alford, who was also a certified skydiving instruc- tor, said he thought safety was a relative term. Is it safer than jumping off a bridge or driving drunk back from a football game? It ' s safer than that, he said. Skydiving is also a very social activity. You build up a lot of friendships with other skydivers, Bill Gar- rett, a former Bama Sky- diver, said. Skydivers are considered by most to be crazy ... I guess you kind of stick to your own kind. Sandra Medlock, a junior in advertising, said the pec pie involved in skydiving was one of the reasons she liked the sport so much. It opens up a lot of opportuni ties for meeting new people and traveling, she said. Before the prospective skydiver actually jumps from an airplane, he must go through hours of instruction on the ground. Then, he usu ally takes his first jump from a lower altitude. Alford said that although a lot of people try skydiving, less than 5 percent continue to jump. Everyone ' s family gets worried and starts putting pressure on them to stop jumping, he said. It ' s one thing that when your par ents sent you off to college they hope that you don ' t do. D — Lynn Rollings There ' s no turning back for Jack Alford and Bill Garrett, who left the airplane at 9.000 feet to descend to a small field near the Eutaw airport runway. In order to ensure a smooth fall to the earth, skydivers must use cords to put on the breaks. Barbie Clieno demonstrates during a landing following her first jump of the day. 12 Student Life: Skydivers