Well, I went for my 2nd jump and was ready to go was really looking forward to a back flip out of the casa but that was not quite what happened. You see we loaded up into the casa and had a seat and waited....and waited... and waited...and then there was a "POP" and from what I learned later smoke came out of the left engine, [the left engine wouldn't start.  Don't worry, the Casa's fine.  It was back up and running the next morning] so we got OFF the casa and waited for a while again. It was then decided that the westwind was just as acceptable so we loaded up. One plane is much like another-just an elevator right? I don't think so. I have to admit I was just as nervous going out of the side exit westwind as I was on my first jump out of the casa. On the casa I couldn't look down it was just step off and there you go gravity works-right? On the westwind I had to squat down in the door/exit and I made the mistake of looking down--big mistake but I no sooner thought "OH MY GOD" and we were out the door. It was my time to pay attention to my altimeter and check my pull handle. I then looked around for a few seconds and checked my altimeter and touched my ripcord again and again and again. By this point I had gotten over my initial
vertigo--I hate heights have I mentioned that? Anyway at about 6,000 feet I reached for the ripcord and pulled--OK I tried to pull... OK I am thinking "what now"? Finally the ripcord gave and I actually managed to hold on to the handle. My tandem master "Treeboy" about had to pry it out of my hand. One of the nice things about downloading an aerial photo of the dropzone is it helps you figure out where you are and sure enough I found the DZ right off. So we do some turns under canopy and land. I had a videographer tape my trip in the plane and in the air and as "Treeboy" and I landed he was right there getting those hideous hair first impression close ups. I understand now why you need to put your hair up if it is long. It took me 15 minutes to get all the tangles {and it felt like half my hair} out. I have decided that I prefer the casa but next time I have to go out of a westwind {or god forbid a cessna} I definitely will NOT look down!! I get paid in 2 weeks and fully intend to blackmail god into making it sunny and warm even if it is almost November so I can make my next jump.