Warning signs of complacency

[billvon 3,028]

One of the the biggest killers in this sport is complacency. All too often we assume that the converse of complacency is paranoia, and paranoia seems like something we want to avoid, so we scale back on checking things, maybe worry a little less. Hand in hand with that is the desire that we be seen as ultra-competent by others, and that we do not need "hand holding" or extra help with what we are doing. We are, after all, not the sort of people who sit on the ground watching other people do stuff.

One of the warning signs that leads me to think that people are starting to move along the curve towards complacency is the "I don't need that" or "you're an idiot if . . ." or "that won't happen to me because . . ." statements we've seen in Incidents. A few examples:

"So yes, I have a feeling this will never happen to me."

"The day I need a video person to help me with my altitude awareness is the day I quit tandem skydiving."

I think this is especially prevalent with instructors. We want to be seen as knowledgeable and competent to our students - indeed, that is very important to many nervous students. They perform better if they think that their instructor is uber competent and unfazed by anything, and they stop worrying about extraneous issues (like the spot) and concentrate on the dive at hand.

It's something we have to defend against. That attitude with students can bleed over into your attitude towards everyone else. I recall a sorta funny conversation in the plane at Rantoul one year, when our six way looked out and saw a baby thunderhead growing under us:

Winsor (to other jumpers on the plane): "We've got significant cloud buildup right under us! We're not getting out! You can take a look if you want."

Tandem master in the back: "Just get out! It's only a cloud!"

Winsor: "It's solid and it's thick; we're not going."

TM: "Look, I have a thousand jumps, and I say it's fine to get out! It's just a cloud! You'll be fine!"

Winsor: "Dude, we're NOT GOING!" (I could see him deciding whether or not to tell him how many jumps HE had.)

TM then proceeded to push back past us, knocking as many people as possible 'accidentally.' He got out.

The pilot turned around and said "you want another pass?" We said "Sure!" We got a second pass on the North jump run which was clear; the knot of cloud had passed pretty rapidly. After we landed we saw the tandem student walking around soaking wet and looking unhappy.

So there we had a case where a tandem master with 1000 jumps was trying to tell an AFF-I with three times the number of jumps and an S+TA that we'd all be fine if we just got out over a 5000 foot thick raincloud. He may have really thought that, or he may have been saying that to make sure his student didn't doubt him. But he ended up making a fairly bad decision.

We have to guard against that attitude, the attitude that "we'll be fine," "it's won't happen to me" and "he was an idiot and I'm not." It can sneak up on you if you're not paying attention.

[riggerrob 643]

Sounds like that TI should have looked out a window before opening his mouth.

[jtnesbitt 0]

"I've never been in that/your situation BUT...."

...thats one that I can't stand and it's EVERYWHERE on here.

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[JohnDeere 0]

Should have got the guy a rain coat and give it to him as a gift that night.

Nothing opens like a Deere!

You ignorant fool! Checks are for workers!

[tombuch 0]

The most dangerous thing we can do in skydiving, is to forget that skydiving is dangerous.

Tom Buchanan
Instructor Emeritus
Comm Pilot MSEL,G
Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy

[chuckakers 426]

Quote

I recall a sorta funny conversation in the plane at Rantoul one year, when our six way looked out and saw a baby thunderhead growing under us:

All I needed here was "Rantoul" and "thunderhead growing under us". The rest was predictable.

Nice post, BTW.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[format 1]

When I get you in the mood
I pour some John Daniels, make a coffee
and read word by word, slowly and again,
remembering the times of Richard Corben


__________________
and it's only morning

What goes around, comes later.

[Baksteen 84]

Quote

"I've never been in that/your situation BUT...."

...thats one that I can't stand and it's EVERYWHERE on here.

Why?

It's good for people of all experience levels to think about stuff - they may not have been there yet, but talking about it might help prepare them for when they will be.
Sharing those thoughts (yes, yes, I know.. - see my sigline) will help guard people from a dangerous course of action:

"I've never been in that situation, but if I had a lineover I would cut it away immediately."

Possibly not the kind of advice that would apply to someone with 10K jumps, but for a student an excellent course of action.
"...Is it square? No? -> reserve procedure immediately!"
I don't want a person with only a couple of dozen of jumps to spend even a second thinking about hook knives, pulling risers or whatever. That stuff is for later in their career.
EDIT: How is " I've never been.." a sign of complacency anyway? In fact I think it should be encouraged.. It's the ones who don't think about stuff that can go wrong (anything) that you have to watch out for.

"That formation-stuff in freefall is just fun and games but with an open parachute it's starting to sound like, you know, an extreme sport."
~mom

[jtnesbitt 0]

Good point. I guess i should have clarified. That statement really bothers me when i see it in safety and training or especially incidents and the person that says it has low jump numbers. There are two reasons that bothers me. First, that person doesnt need to be giving advice. I know we are skydivers and that makes us all experts on everything but some people dont need to be giving advice. The other is that it scares me because it comes across as cocky and complacement. Maybe examples would be easier to convey what i mean:

"Well my dropzone is a cow pasture and we dont have low obstacles but I would NEVER make a low turn and ALWAYS land into the wind."

OR

"I only jump a few times a year and have never done video for back to back to back to back loads but I would never head to the loading area without a rig and its unexcuseable."

I guess the difference is making the statement "I have never BUT..." is ok for discussion sake, and I agree Baksteen unexperienced things need to be planned. However when statements like that are made as ADVICE, it indicates a false level of confidence.

"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

[beowulf 1]

Quote

The most dangerous thing we can do in skydiving, is to forget that skydiving is dangerous.

This is worth repeating. I whole heartedly agree with you.
Also I would like to add that I cringe when someone says "it couldn't happen to me because....". This to me is a big sign of complacency like billvon mentioned. Anything can happen on any skydive.

[nomal2day 0]

Quote

Quote

The most dangerous thing we can do in skydiving, is to forget that skydiving is dangerous.

This is worth repeating. I whole heartedly agree with you.
Also I would like to add that I cringe when someone says "it couldn't happen to me because....". This to me is a big sign of complacency like billvon mentioned. Anything can happen on any skydive, 'to anybody'

small modification...

'To fly is heaven, to freefall is divine'

'You only need 2 tools. WD40 for when it doesn't move but should, and duct tape for when it moves but shouldn't'

[erdnarob 1]

Very good thread for the upcoming season. We will never speak enough about complacency among skydivers.
First those affected people think that since everything is OK so far for them then it will be the same way for ever. How wrong they can be.
The worst enemy is yourself having the wrong attitude. At the safety awareness day most of the time people who attend are the ones who need the less a safety seminar since they get information continuously by participating to forums like this one. OTOH people who need the most to attend the safety day are not showing up. Why is that?
Very simple, an ignorant ignores he is an ignorant while people with some knowledge understand that there is so much to learn and realized that there is a lot of stuff that they don't know.
Now to be more practical;this winter as a rigger I gave a packing course (35 hours) to 6 students. I believe this is the basic for a beginner. Good packing habits is one factor to stay healthy. Riggers and instructors on a DZ have an important role to play by promoting good practices like for instance showing the newbies how to interpret a pilot report on winds aloft to determine a good spot. As an official at the DZ you should show a good exemple by following the basic safety rules when jumping. Anyway, safety should be a constant preoccupation on a DZ and time should be allowed to give some seminars about it during the season. How fragile can the safety be sometimes. Just something I have in mind right now is the main closing loop as an exemple. At the end of the winter the air is dry then a canopy is quite bulky to pack (static electricity) and you adjust your main closing loop accordingly for the beginning of the season. Then in July you could easily not pay attention anymore to that loop which can be too slack now because of the high humidity making the main volume less bulky.The consequence can be a main container opening and if this happens at the wrong time, safety is compromised.
Doing an extreme sport mandates that we stay on an constant alert mode when skydiving and this about equipment, techniques, knowledge, attitude...etc Have a good skydiving season everybody!

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[aresye 0]

I think a big warning sign for complacency, is when you have a close call yourself. You can be on the alert at all times, and fight complacency, but sooner or later something will happen that makes you realize you have become complacent, even if only slightly. With skydiving, there are so many factors that most of us will become complacent on something. What was said earlier, and I'll repeat, is that we must always stay on the alert, so we can minimize the chances of becoming complacent.

If you think you are safe because you are constantly on the alert for complacency, well, that's pretty much complacency right there.

For a personal example:

I have always been fighting complacency. I'm kind of OCD, and I keep reminding myself that anything can happen on any jump, at any time. I review my emergencies thoroughly, check my gear multiple times, and still ask others to check it for me.

On one of my jumps, which was a Hop&Pop, I became complacent without realizing it, and nearly took my head off on the tail of a Caravan.

I've been to 4 DZ's total. I thought every DZ slowed down, and leveled off for Hop&Pops. I was quite wrong, and I could have figured that out and prevented it if I had asked somebody before I boarded the plane. Instead I was complacent, and thought cutting power and leveling off were standard procedures at every DZ.

After the incident, I found out that there are many DZ's that do this practice, and that they teach jumpers to roll out, instead of regular exits. I failed to ask, mainly because I didn't want to roger up to it being a first H&P from this DZ, and owing beer.

I guess to sum it up, the moral of this story is, roger up to your firsts. You may owe beer, but you may learn something that can safe your life.

Skydiving: You either learn from other's mistakes, or they'll learn from yours.

[pms07 3]

Two of the biggest warning signs to me are jumpers that develop one of either two attitudes;
1. too cool to bounce; example "I have xxx jumps/mad skilz and would never do anything as stupid/we'll be fine as..." (insert scenario from recent injury/fatality, frequently with a small high performance canopy...but wingsuit fits easily...)
2. follow the herd; example "the previous load/group landed fine with winds gusting to 28 mph/thunderstorm building/heavy clouds below on jumprun so I should be fine too..."
I've found that a certain level of parnaoia is probably called for when in danger (read skydiving...).

[erdnarob 1]

I don't want to start playing with words. Being on alert mode means for me you do everything possible in order to keep problems away. Take a cliff climber, he checks its ropes and spikes and tools before climbing isn'it? He stays current with methods to be used and stays in top physical shape because climbing is very demanding on his body. He should know his limit and keep self discipline. He finally has to "respect" the mountain if you see what I mean.
Well a skydiver has to do the equivalent. Being on alert mode is respecting the sky for what it is, fantastic, full of nice discoveries, strong sensations, full of overwhelming challenge but don't mess up with it because the sky can make you understand the hard way. You have to be well prepared. You wouldn't believe how the IQ decreases when in freefall, try for instance to substract 2 numbers of 2 digits in freefall and you will see what I mean. A close call will happen soon or later but you have more chance to solve the problem if you are well prepared.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[linebckr83 3]

Quote

You have to be well prepared. You wouldn't believe how the IQ decreases when in freefall, try for instance to substract 2 numbers of 2 digits in freefall and you will see what I mean.

No kidding! Last year I tried doing my Rubik's cube on a solo jump a couple times. Now I've done it thousands of times, and average about 30 sec. I can even do it REALLY drunk. I mean it takes absolutely no thought process anymore, kind of second nature. But the second out the door i just stared at it the whole jump. I had no idea where to even start. It was a really cool experiment and showed me how a mind works when overloaded like that.

"Are you coming to the party?
Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!"
Flying Hellfish #828
Dudist #52

[DanG 1]

It would be really cool if you continued to do the Rubik's cube experiment every 200 jumps or so.

I find that my brains works a lot better in freefall that it used to, but when I take a layoff, like over the winter, I'm back to being much more easily overwhelmed until I get current again.

- Dan G

[rmarshall234 14]

This is an important subject to discuss.

Let’s not mistake a poor attitude and weak safety practices for complacency though. The inability to realize one can learn from 1st jump students and seasoned veterans alike speaks to attitude. Complacency is the relaxing of one’s norms brought about by becoming too comfortable in a dangerous environment. The sense that “things have always worked out fine so they should this time too”. Examples such as:

• The pilot, that fails to do a control check because the previous thousand checks have all been positive and as a result, nearly kills everyone onboard.
• The Rigger, who does a cursory tool count on his 4th pack job of the day and leaves a molar strap in place.
• The air show pilots that collide and parish while passing within feet of one-another performing their “usual” act.
• The camera man, who takes care of all the less important steps before releasing his brakes while flying back towards the DZ.
• And, the AFF Instructor that fails to cut-away a blown Stiletto because the situation seems manageable and “not too much different” than what unfolds on a regular basis.

Good people with good attitudes and safety practices, but becoming too comfortable and letting their guard down. Complacency preys upon experienced people who are very current. The problem is: The unusual becomes the usual and one looses sight of the fact that what we do is dangerous as hell and a little bit crazy.

[linebckr83 3]

My original plan was to repeat it at Couch Freaks this year. The extra time out of something other than a 182 would be beneficial. Eventually i was able to do about half of it in the 40-45 seconds from a cessna. So more time and maybe more tries would be the key.

"Are you coming to the party?
Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!"
Flying Hellfish #828
Dudist #52

[erdnarob 1]

You are a very gifted person. I am impresssed but your case is quite exceptional and is far from being a common type of practice. Remember one thing: habit can kill you like the telltale story about the guy who used to pull when seeing clearly the oranges on the trees, he dies the day the oranges have been picked up.

Learn from others mistakes, you will never live long enough to make them all.

[regulator 0]

So what do you do with the cube when you deploy your main? Let it go? or do you have some means of attaching it to your gear?

[linebckr83 3]

Originally I screwed a piece of string to the middle yellow piece since it's always on top when I solve it, with the other end looped on my left wrist in case I accidently dropped it. But I've realized I have a death grip on the thing in the air. Possibly part of my problem?

Anyways, I appreciate the advice and will definitely listen. It's rare that I take it with me, but when I do I'll be sure to keep my priorities in line

"Are you coming to the party?
Oh I'm coming, but I won't be there!"
Flying Hellfish #828
Dudist #52

[format 1]

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But I've realized I have a death grip on the thing in the air.

So did I, when wanted to make a phone call while under canopy - it's fascinating how ordinary task become so demanding.

on the subject:

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The unusual becomes the usual and one looses sight of the fact that what we do is dangerous as hell and a little bit crazy.

20 yrs ago, stupid as I was, I found interesting to load a 6-shooter with a bullet, spin it and watch in the mirror in order to decide whether it's safe to shoot of not.
After some time, I felt assured that I am good at it.
No more fear or tension... (complacency?)

and once, I spin it, pointed to a mirror, decided it is safe, pulled the trigger and for some brain-fart reason I heard "cliCk" instead of normal "click", which made me continue clicking until strange feeling in my ear. Yes, I hit the wall with a .38.

I hope some of you will find a parallel with OP subject.
Too relaxed? Not anymore, thank you.

What goes around, comes later.

[wmw999 2,476]

To me, the trusting of long-held habits is a sign of complacency. Habits are very different from a pilot's checklist -- the checklist measures the behavior against a standard every time, while a habit often measures the behavior after the last execution.

If you've ever had to cut a series of boards all the same length, you know which way of measuring is more likely to have the desired result.

I'm not very good at habits, so I try to make new ones, or do things that make me think, on a regular basis. Anything to consider what it is I'm really doing, and return me to measuring my behavior against a standard of thought rather than habit.

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Arvoitus 1]

Quote

No kidding! Last year I tried doing my Rubik's cube on a solo jump a couple times. Now I've done it thousands of times, and average about 30 sec. I can even do it REALLY drunk. I mean it takes absolutely no thought process anymore, kind of second nature. But the second out the door i just stared at it the whole jump. I had no idea where to even start. It was a really cool experiment and showed me how a mind works when overloaded like that.

I never really thought about how much it affects your thought processes to be in freefall but if it really changes them that much then it puts this video:

http://www.skydivingmovies.com/ver2/pafiledb.php?action=file&id=6360

in a whole new perspective. Not that it wasn't impressive on the first time I saw it.

Your rights end where my feelings begin.