AFF student leaves plane without instructor

[-ftp- 0]

I am not sure if this is a repost....if it is please point me to the thread I could not find it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ6IYnoAxBs

Instructor forgets to remove his tether.

[normiss 798]

"If you ever find yourself in freefall without your instructor......"

[shropshire 0]

-ftp-

forgets to remove his tether.

holds hand up to say .. Yeap, I've done that too.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[babz 0]

Ouch, still wearing the seatbelt by the door.. thats an embarrassing one.

Nice work by the student although should probably have pulled when given the finger (although it looks like sun is behind the cameraflyer so student might have been unable to see it)

[obatzda 0]

OUCH ! why the hell do they use seatbelts? to be honest ive never seen anyone using them before.

[shropshire 0]

obatzda

OUCH ! why the hell do they use seatbelts? to be honest ive never seen anyone using them before.

Depends what country you jump in.

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[obatzda 0]

how does it work? when are u "allowed" to remove the belt? just after takeoff?

[mr2mk1g 10]

Most places it's seatbelts on for takeoff (and landing if you end up making one) in case of the need to make an emergency landing (crash). They stay on until you're high enough to get out in the event of an aircraft emergency - interpretation of that differs from place to place but commonly it's at least 1000ft with some being higher.

Some places it's a requirement from the governing body. Some places it's just plain common sense. Some places have no common sense and so don't use seatbelts... maybe you should have a quite word where you jump...

[-ftp- 0]

what's everyones opinion on the camera flyer kind of assuming the role of AFFI in a way (giving pull sign, etc.)?

[Remster 30]

obatzda

OUCH ! why the hell do they use seatbelts? to be honest ive never seen anyone using them before.

Because, in a plane crash, if you are not wearing one, you'll probably die and kill others at the same time.

Remster

[normiss 798]

Most vidiots I know ARE AFFI's.
I don't see a problem with it in this case as the jumper seems to be pretty heads up.
Were it a less abled student, I think he might want to be main side and ready to deploy the student.

[yoink 321]

normiss

Most vidiots I know ARE AFFI's.

Were it a less abled student, I think he might want to be main side and ready to deploy the student.

To clarify - ONLY if the cameraman is an AFFI as well, otherwise, stay clear!

[cpoxon 0]

A good lesson in observation. First time I watched it, I didn't notice the seatbelt. Watching again, it is very obvious and could have been easily caught by the video guy. It's easy to get wrapped up in your own job and not notice the bigger pigger.

Skydiving Fatalities - Cease not to learn 'til thou cease to live

[shropshire 0]

-ftp-

what's everyones opinion on the camera flyer kind of assuming the role of AFFI in a way (giving pull sign, etc.)?

Did a GREAT job . Kudos to him/her

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[normiss 798]

I'm close to agreeing with that...but I want to add a "maybe".

[Arvoitus 1]

babz

Ouch, still wearing the seatbelt by the door.. thats an embarrassing one.

Nice work by the student although should probably have pulled when given the finger (although it looks like sun is behind the cameraflyer so student might have been unable to see it)

In the comments section the jumper says:

No, i could see that it was the cameralady. But i was determinert to do my thing and get the level cleared, so i had to do the rutine in front of the camera! My instructor watched the video and passed me with flying colours!!!

Are AFF students supposed to pull immediately if they're alone in freefall without their instructors? So by the book shouldn't it be automatic fail since he didn't?

Your rights end where my feelings begin.

[rwieder 0]

I'm curious as to how the instructor got shed of his seat belt after he was most likely hanging from the thing after he "attempted" to jump. I doubt there's any way he could have unsnapped his seat belt with his weight on it. Does anyone know this part?

Best-
Richard

[Kalrigan 6]

rwieder

I'm curious as to how the instructor got shed of his seat belt after he was most likely hanging from the thing after he "attempted" to jump. I doubt there's any way he could have unsnapped his seat belt with his weight on it. Does anyone know this part?

Best-
Richard

If that belt in the video is anything like the ones in the 182s that I've jumped from, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be too hard. It all depends on the belt snapper and his position I think. There might be a possibility of him not being able to reach it too. Would the pilot be able to help him at that point? It's a 182, he's not that far from him.

[rwieder 0]

Quote

If that belt in the video is anything like the ones in the 182s that I've jumped from, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be too hard. It all depends on the belt snapper and his position I think. There might be a possibility of him not being able to reach it too. Would the pilot be able to help him at that point? It's a 182, he's not that far from him.

Seat belts are designed to hold weight and shock loads and shouldn't be easy to unbuckle with weight on them. With weight on them, there a pain to unbuckle.

Best-
Richard

[pchapman 279]

Aviation seatbelts are designed to undo under load.
Supposedly to a greater degree than automotive belts. (Yet you can be hanging upside down in a car just as easily as an aircraft...)

Haven't tried it myself though. Certainly in this case the jumper might be suspended in a way that they can't reach the mechanism.

[NickyCal 17]

Quote

Are AFF students supposed to pull immediately if they're alone in freefall without their instructors? So by the book shouldn't it be automatic fail since he didn't?

As a current AFF student recently moved on to single instructor jumps (and having the time of my life!), my instructors told me that no, I should NOT pull just because the instructor gets away from me. As long as I am stable, I should continue on with the dive and pull at the correct altitude. Now, I'm a slightly older student, very cool-headed, and required no assistance on my beginning AFF jumps. Maybe it depends upon the student, and hopefully I'm not going to get anybody into trouble here, but they very clearly stated that I should carry out all maneuvers and pull on schedule *as long* as I am stable.

Although, we don't have a camera person, so I guess they'd have to take my word for it on the ground that I successfully completed the moves

[rwieder 0]

Quote

Aviation seatbelts are designed to undo under load.
Supposedly to a greater degree than automotive belts. (Yet you can be hanging upside down in a car just as easily as an aircraft...)

I totally disagree. If aviation seat belts are designed to open under a load, what would make them stay closed in an emergency? Airplane crash on take off, should aviation seat belts unsnap? I think not. Revisit your theory.

Quote

Haven't tried it myself though.

Try it, and get back to us with the results.

Quote

Certainly in this case the jumper might be suspended in a way that they can't reach the mechanism.

That's another problem. That's just one reason I jump with a really good hook knife! I jump with 3 actually.

Best-
Richard

[Southern_Man 0]

NickyCal

Quote

Are AFF students supposed to pull immediately if they're alone in freefall without their instructors? So by the book shouldn't it be automatic fail since he didn't?

As a current AFF student recently moved on to single instructor jumps (and having the time of my life!), my instructors told me that no, I should NOT pull just because the instructor gets away from me. As long as I am stable, I should continue on with the dive and pull at the correct altitude.

It depends on level. This is listed in the video as a level 5 AFF jump. Since I did the categories (a-H) I am not quite sure where that is in the progression.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[pchapman 279]

rwieder

I totally disagree. If aviation seat belts are designed to open under a load, what would make them stay closed in an emergency?

We are using & interpreting words in different ways.

I don't mean they pop open when under load. Rather, the release mechanism for the seatbelt is indended to operate correctly with easily applied force, when the seatbelt is under a tension load such as the occupant being suspended upside down.

Just like if you have a spinning mal, 3 rings "should release under load", if you get my drift.

Anyway, I don't know what the design rules are, but it was explained to me not to use automotive seatbelts in homebuilt aircraft, as they aren't designed to release as easily (using the release mechanism) when there's weight on them.

[Remster 30]

rwieder

Quote

Aviation seatbelts are designed to undo under load.
Supposedly to a greater degree than automotive belts. (Yet you can be hanging upside down in a car just as easily as an aircraft...)

I totally disagree. If aviation seat belts are designed to open under a load, what would make them stay closed in an emergency? Airplane crash on take off, should aviation seat belts unsnap? I think not. Revisit your theory.

They are in deed designed so that they can be opened under load (that does not mean that they will let go under load). What makes them stay close is, wait for it, the closing mechanism.

Remster