Tandem with JA (Juvenile Arthritis)

[egloskerry 0]

I have a friend who wants to do a tandem. She has juvenile arthritis, so most of her joints are very stiff. Imagine having splints on everything: kinda what it's like. She's also very, very small, on the order of 65-75lbs.

I am gonna take her down to the DZ one day to have a talk with a TI, but I was just wondering what special considerations she needs to expect. The only difficulty I could see her having is raising her legs for landing. I'm not sure how well she is able to do that.

Thanks for your input.

[billeisele 130]

I have no idea what DZ you go to and this is not a slam on anyone, just a caution

"special" tandems are very tricky, there have been some really bad outcomes when folks were trying to do something nice

if the person(s) you talk to don't have significant experience, and I mean a ton of it in skydiving, tandems, gear fitting & rigging then this could be bad

for folks with limited mobility and/or muscle mass and strength, sometimes just the opening shock can damage/break stuff

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

[egloskerry 0]

I jump at Palatka, so not a tandem factory. Art and the other guys won't let her jump if they don't think it's safe.

[mdrejhon 8]

Hello,

Fellow Canadian made this:
Disabled Skydiving Manual

Not an endorsement for her to jump, BUT, a dropzone must have the power of knowledge to make a good call...

[Andy9o8 2]

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I jump at Palatka, so not a tandem factory. Art and the other guys won't let her jump if they don't think it's safe.

But they may or may not have sufficient specialized knowledge to accurately assess whether or not it's safe, is the point.

[egloskerry 0]

Well I would hope if they are unsure, the answer would be no.

[billeisele 130]

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Well I would hope if they are unsure, the answer would be no.

that is the challenge, making sure that optimism does not overcome lack of experience

there is a world of difference between: well I think we can do it, and no problem, we have the experience, we have special gear, we've handled this before, let me show you how it will be done

sometimes it is hard to say no even when no is the correct answer

Give one city to the thugs so they can all live together. I vote for Chicago where they have strict gun laws.

[gimpboogie 0]

Quote

Quote

Well I would hope if they are unsure, the answer would be no.

that is the challenge, making sure that optimism does not overcome lack of experience

there is a world of difference between: well I think we can do it, and no problem, we have the experience, we have special gear, we've handled this before, let me show you how it will be done

sometimes it is hard to say no even when no is the correct answer

so many valid points, none of which can be argued.

all that can happen, is emphasizing the

'willingness' to try things.

an example.

the DZ jump at, the person teachng me
had never taught a paraplegic to jumpp.

at that tme, there was only one such person in the world -TONTO.
he taught peter,
and it was peter and Tonto who taught my coach.

at that time, my coach, T, as well as AFF instructor, 29 yrs in the sport, world record holder, a few times over..

EXPERIENCED diver, and the specialized skydiver he was, TI etc., as well, one of the best around.

yet, he had nver done this.

SOMEONE HAS TO BE FIRST.

but the catch s,

having the combination of experience themselves as a skydiver,

my coach, can fly crcles around anyone, on his belly.

toss him into an artistc even, and im sure htings are dfferent.

but belly is where i needed him.

as Tandem progression coach, he was amazng.

his ability to teach, under canopy, while in FF, give hand signals, and the finer points of flying wth your hands, and arms only,
he could teach all this.

he took the risk.
the DZO took the risk.

to teaching me.

today, i am most likely ((no one has come up and proven otherwise)
the only paralyzed woman n the world licensed to skydive solo.


because someone who had the ability to fly well,
knew it, and trusted himself,
TOOK THE RISK, to TRY SOMETHING NEW.

but that is where it lays.

not in havng the experience,
who has the experence in teaching paralyzed people to skydv?

currently Dale,s nstructor, TK and Angus (and FuzzyDave).

that is it.

so there is not a lot of experience out there.

of the these, both Canadian fellows, come from small cesna DZ's wth 30-50 divers/wkend.

these are not big pperations like TK's, (Dale's DZ i do not know anything about it-how big, how experienced etc.).

anyways....

keep on looking is what i would say, if one says no,
try asking another.

i travelled (without a car of my own)
5 hours one way to get to my DZ for 2 years, so if you want it... keep on looking.

some places are small, but have gems like my coach who has the ability to teach a pig to fly, if given the opportunity to....

To become active member in the Bonus Days Club you must very narrowly escape eternal freefall ... one exciting time.)-Pat Works

[SJTurner 0]

I was thinking she might also have problems with FF since the wind is pretty brutal if you are extremely stiff. The arch may be hard to maintain as well. As for landing, she may be able to do a modified slide during landing so she won't have to pull her legs up to her chest on approach.

Good luck!

‎"... and once you have tasted flight, you will
walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been and there you long to return."