School Parachuting Research Survey

[HuronEDD 0]

Hello,

I am a student in 11th grade doing a research project on parachutes and was wondering if anyone could fill out my survey pertaining to safety and other things with parachutes both for the military or recreational jumpers. Your response is very much appreciated.

Thank you

Survey link:
http://bit.ly/2ejWvSP

[councilman24 37]

Your survey and under lying assumptions are flawed. Find an experienced master rigger willing to talk to you and learn aa little first.

I'm old for my age.
Terry Urban
D-8631
FAA DPRE

[mjosparky 4]

councilman24

Your survey and under lying assumptions are flawed. Find an experienced master rigger willing to talk to you and learn aa little first.

Yea, what he said. Your questions try to mix sports jumping with military drops.

My idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals

[IJskonijn 45]

How to find a master rigger:
- Look up the closest dropzone to your place (use the dropzone locator on this website).
- Be bold, call them (or better, visit them if reasonably close), explain your school assignment and ask if they can hook you up with a master rigger. The worst answer you can get is "no", and it only gets better from there. Most people in this sport that I know would be more than willing to help you. At my home dropzone, we used old surplus (no longer airworthy) parachutes to help a school project a while ago.

[mr2mk1g 10]

I gave your survey a whirl but as above, there are massive differences between the equipment used by sport (recreational) skydiving and military skydiving with associated differences in what each are trying to achieve/avoid. I rather suspect you'll want some further input on the differences between an operational combat drop and what paratroopers do in peacetime training exercises.

[wolfriverjoe 1,523]

I don't usually answer these sorts of surveys, but for a high schooler, I gave it a shot.

A couple of issues:

As was noted, you tie military jumping and sport jumping to closely together. Other than "they use parachutes" there really isn't too much that crosses over (not including Military Free Fall).

Modern gear is very reliable. Static line (even though it isn't "modern") is also very reliable.

Hard openings are somewhat of an issue, but it's a transient one, unless there is a problem with the gear (lines out of trim, wrong size slider, ect). I have hard openings from time to time, but it's a packing issue, not a gear issue.

Modern square canopies are fully controllable. I can go in any direction I wish. Accuracy (not including the "down to the centimeter kind) is very easy. Automating wouldn't make it any better.

As was suggested, go out to a DZ. Explain why you are there and ask if anyone is willing to talk to you. It shouldn't be a problem.

Getting jumpers to talk about our sport is easy. Getting us to shut up about it is the hard part.

For example, there was a group of Cub Scouts at the DZ a couple weeks ago. The DZO gave a full tour, I demonstrated a pack job, the only "down" part was the DZ was in full operation, so the DZO couldn't let them get a good look at the Otter.

"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

[riggerrob 643]

These are leading questions ...... leading us to say that your invention is a good idea. It would help if we knew more about your invention.

For example, please explain how your invention can speed openings when current, military static-lines pull parachutes to line-stretch within 2 seconds of exit and negligible altitude loss.

You might want to allow multiple answers for respondents who have military jumps, recreational jumps, BASE jumps and experience test-dropping parachutes.

At a minimum, separate questions into round versus square parachutes.

[dthames 0]

I gave your survey a glance and I wonder, what is the real world problem(s) that you are working to address?

Several have pointed out things that you might need to learn more about, but to know your target objective would be helpful.

Instructor quote, “What's weird is that you're older than my dad!”

[Tigerfly 0]

My husband is a retired army ranger, who has many static line jumps,and we are new to skydiving, so he did your survey, strictly from a military POV, because there is a difference between are you A.) landing on a battlefield being shot at and B.) jumping for fun on a safe DZ, not being shot at. I'm thinking maybe you should consider narrowing your focus on your project/survey. If you are more focused on miltary jumps, sure there are lots of experienced military jumpers on here but also try looking up message boards on other sites for like Army Rangers, special forces groups, Army halo stuff like that. Some of them are kind of private sometimes though, for security. Hope this helps somewhat.