Perfect jump: Young Hanoians get high on parachutes

Members of the Northern Aviation Club arrive at Hanoi’s Hoa Lac Airport at 5 a.m. on Saturday for a parachute jump after four months of practice.

The members have their blood pressure measured. They will not be allowed to fly if the pressure is too low or too high.

They are going to wear a big parachute on the back and a back-up one on their chest.

Lieutenant Colonel Do Van On, teacher of the course, said the students need good health and focus to acquire necessary skills. All have to go through 15 training sessions.

Excited feet go aboard.

The parachuting starts when the helicopter reaches 800 meters (2,600 feet) high.

Five students jump at a time.

Each student has got to jump once or twice during the course.

A woman collects her parachute after landing.

“The best moment was the first three seconds of free falling from the helicopter,” said this student named Dinh Trong Hai.