Abedy 0 #1 October 25, 2017 The season is coming to a close -- at least here in Germany -- and it is time to reflect. And since I had a really strange encounter in freefall this year I thought this might be an interesting thread. Here we go: I was making a tandem jump. The student had a good position and no video flyer to be considered so I waited tossing the drogue and... in about 3800 meters (~ 12,500 ft) it happened: Someone had let off two helium balloons with their threads knotted together and a piece of paper (probably a birthday or wedding wish?) attached. And we were heading towards it at almost terminal speed. It happened so fast but I saw it very clearly, stretched my legs and... pfffft it went past us at insane speed. I don't think anything bad would have happened (but I'd rather not find out actually) however I was shocked, looked up (in vain, of course) and then tossed the drogue. WooHoo, huh? So, anything unusual you encountered in freefall? Hugs, HannahThe sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
piisfish 140 #2 October 25, 2017 passed close to big birds around opening altitude... A friend of mine had a bird impact in his helmet. He was unhurt, bird was killed, visor of the helmet was broken.scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,523 #3 October 25, 2017 Monarch butterfly. Right around pull time, 3000 ft + a little. As I was waving off, I saw a little splotch of orange that very quickly became a decent sized butterfly. Not huge, but it would have hurt. No time to react or duck or anything. Missed my face by a foot or so. It was a rather turbulent day, lots of thermal heating, unstable atmosphere, decent thunderstorms that afternoon. I'm guessing it got caught in a strong updraft to get that high."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #4 October 25, 2017 AbedyThe season is coming to a close -- at least here in Germany -- and it is time to reflect. And since I had a really strange encounter in freefall this year I thought this might be an interesting thread. Here we go: I was making a tandem jump. The student had a good position and no video flyer to be considered so I waited tossing the drogue and... in about 3800 meters (~ 12,500 ft) it happened: Someone had let off two helium balloons with their threads knotted together and a piece of paper (probably a birthday or wedding wish?) attached. And we were heading towards it at almost terminal speed. It happened so fast but I saw it very clearly, stretched my legs and... pfffft it went past us at insane speed. I don't think anything bad would have happened (but I'd rather not find out actually) however I was shocked, looked up (in vain, of course) and then tossed the drogue. WooHoo, huh? So, anything unusual you encountered in freefall? Hugs, Hannah Flirting with tandem terminal is not a good idea. Get stable, throw the drogue. That is your job.My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #5 October 25, 2017 Got under the canopy once just 50 feet from a turkey vulture, So I chased it for a while. It didn't like that very much and took off in a direction I couldn't follow. I learned later on that if threatened, they will spew projectiles of vomit at you. "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EnricoPalazzo 1 #6 October 26, 2017 Tracked right over a dove during separation, maybe 30m below me. Took me a few moments to realize what I saw, that might have hurt. A fellow of mine had a wasp splatter on his camera lens once when he looked down before pulling... and then again a few weeks later! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jclalor 12 #7 October 26, 2017 Flying on my back, I noticed an object falling in my burble. I first thought it was a piece of my rig, as I focused in, I noticed it was my car keys that had fallen out of my jacket. My first grab at them disrupted the burgle and they disappeared. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
keithbar 1 #8 October 26, 2017 Swooping down to a formation once I felt something on my right forearm looked over and it was someone's pull up cord draped across my arm. Shook it off and made it into my slot. Yes this was lots of years and pounds ago i have on occasion been accused of pulling low . My response. Naw I wasn't low I'm just such a big guy I look closer than I really am . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Abedy 0 #9 October 26, 2017 obelixtimFlirting with tandem terminal is not a good idea. Get stable, throw the drogue. That is your job. And a full quote for just this, nothing to contribute to the topic? Sad.The sky is not the limit. The ground is. The Society of Skydiving Ducks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
obelixtim 150 #10 October 26, 2017 Abedy***Flirting with tandem terminal is not a good idea. Get stable, throw the drogue. That is your job. And a full quote for just this, nothing to contribute to the topic? Sad. No, what is sad, is you care so little for the life of your client that you willingly choose to flirt with tandem terminal, and brush it off as something inconsequential. Especially when we have had a spate of tandem fatalities lately. WTF is going on in your head? Tandem terminal is not somewhere any TI should go if they have a choice. Its a dangerous place to go, and better TIs than you have discovered that fact. Are you invincible? If you choose to be careless with the lives of others, I would suggest you hand in your tandem rating before you kill some trusting innocent, as well as yourself. The topic itself is frivolous, and is of little enough importance that I wouldn't bother adding to it, even though I could. Your statement caught my eye instantly. Witnessing a tandem fatality, tends to make me notice these things.My computer beat me at chess, It was no match for me at kickboxing.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ehecatl 1 #11 October 27, 2017 1) Floating spider webs. 2) Burning leaves from sugar cane fields being burned down below to clear the stubble for the next planting. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BillyVance 34 #12 October 27, 2017 Another thing... I learned 20 years ago at the WFFC, on a raft jump, you better account for everyone on the jump, as those things tend to be floaty. Sure enough one of the guys sank out and disappeared. On break off, I tracked, and scanned the air below, nothing... then reached and pulled the PC handle out of the BOC, then froze... an open canopy almost directly below me getting bigger and bigger. I hadn't pulled the closing pin out yet. Judging from my position relative to his, I knew we weren't going to collide in freefall so I zoomed by him, no more than 30 feet away, then let go of the PC... He was the one who sank out on the raft jump at the beginning... "Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ZigZagMarquis 9 #13 October 27, 2017 Not counting things we intentionally left the aircraft with... spaceballs, cantaloupes, oranges, pumpkins, rafts and other inflatables ... or acts of mother nature... rain and ice... ... I've ran into bugs and come close to other aircraft while in freefall, once the plane we had exited and another time an interloper. Also, had a cameraman fall on the 4-way formation I was in once and take me out. Opened right next to a hawk once and followed him for a few seconds, him looking at me, me looking at him just a few yards away until he decided to split. Was diving on a formation when someone's pilot chute came out, quickly followed by bag, lines, body going right past me. Got hit too by ashes leaking from the ash bag while diving on the base during an ash dive. Another jumper I knew almost got hit by a skyboard in freefall that a skysurfer (remember them) had cut away shortly after exiting in front of them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JohnMitchell 16 #14 October 29, 2017 Let's see, I opened maybe 200 yds short of a Huey Helo on a dusk jump. I have video of freefalling in front of a C-172. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oldwomanc6 52 #15 October 29, 2017 JohnMitchell Let's see, I opened maybe 200 yds short of a Huey Helo on a dusk jump. I have video of freefalling in front of a C-172. I have a few things, too, but I am interested in the video.lisa WSCR 594 FB 1023 CBDB 9 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akarunway 1 #16 October 29, 2017 My buddy a couple feet away when we punched thru 4000' of nasty cloud.I hold it true, whate'er befall; I feel it, when I sorrow most; 'Tis better to have loved and lost Than never to have loved at all. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
