Vanguard reporter Carla Allen flies in a plane – then jumps out of it

On the day before the Yarmouth International Air Show, Vanguard reporter

Carla Allen grabbed the opportunity to fly up to 12,500 feet and jump out of

a plane strapped to a Canadian Forces Skyhawk.

This is what happened.

Tina Comeau videographer



Soaring with a skyhawk



By Carla Allen

THE VANGUARD

NovaNewsNow.com



My mouth is so dry I can hardly swallow. The videographer in front of me is grinning and reminding me to breathe. Deeply.

There’s a man strapped tightly to my hips and shoulders so that’s a little difficult but on the other hand, that man is the most calming element in this situation.

Captain Dennis Bellamy has jumped out of airplanes 918 times in 16 years. Fifty of those jumps have been in tandem, as he is with me today. In 2009 he’ll succeed Captain Angelo Manzara as the Skyhawks officer in command.

Bellamy has carefully explained everything that will happen and demonstrated exactly what he wants me to do when we dive out the tail door of this Casa C-212.

“I want you to arch your back and bend your knees. Try to kick me in the butt, that’s how far I want you to go,” he said.

At 2,500 feet the streamers are tossed out to determine how far upwind the rest of the skyhawks, who are practising for the show tomorrow, must jump.

The men slide palms, touch fists and give a thumbs up before moving to the deck awaiting the jump signal at 8,000 ft. They launch in comic poses, bright red suits disappearing quickly below.

We’re climbing higher, to 12,500 to give me a full 45 seconds in freefall.

It’s time. Capt. Bellamy and I step off the back into nothingness and the breath is sucked out of my mouth. We’re falling at 170 miles an hour until the drogue chute tapers it to 120. There are wild gyrations for the first few seconds as the captain instinctively matches his movements to his cumbersome mate.

Videographers/jumpers Corporal Serge Blouin and Sergeant Brad McKenzie slice through the sky to our level and position themselves on each side.

The wind is rushing past at a ferocious rate and I’m screaming with excitement, fighting to bring my fingers to my lips to throw a double kiss for the camera.

All too soon I feel a tap on my shoulder. It’s the signal to put my hands back on my shoulder straps so the main chute can be deployed.

There’s a yank and then silence as we float beneath the 330-ft semi-elliptical ram air chute at 4,600 ft.

Bellamy loosens the harness and shows me how to pull it down my thighs a bit so I’m sitting comfortably to enjoy the view. He works the steering toggles and we spin in lazy wide circles as the runway grows nearer. I’m hoping we never reach ground. We glide in to the mark with my legs at 90 degrees and I settle onto the grass as gently as a feather.

I asked Bellamy during our ascent why he skydived. “When I was a young private in Trenton I needed a challenge in my life and my job. It seemed to be the right thing at the time. I’ve never looked back.”

I will be looking back… to relive the thrill of a lifetime, again and again.