Altimeter limits/ Did I get ripped off?

[johnabarton 0]

Hello all,

I had my first skydiving experience a few weeks ago with a tandem jump. Absolutely amazing. When we were watching the videos (4 of my friends also got video), we noticed the videographer's altimeter was at just under 12,000 when we were climbing out to jump. She was using an Altimaster or Galaxy judging by the images.

Here's my question - we all paid for a jump from 18,000ft. Do these altimeters stop at 12k or do they roll over to show 12K + number? It looked like the operating range was 17K ft from their website...

I had an awesome experience, maybe I'll try to go solo, but I hate feeling like we got ripped off. Please advise.

Thanks,

John

[DSE 5]

What DZ sold you a ticket to 18k?
Many altimeters only go to 12K, and then the indicator goes past the 12K point.

[likestojump 3]

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Hello all,

I had my first skydiving experience a few weeks ago with a tandem jump. Absolutely amazing. When we were watching the videos (4 of my friends also got video), we noticed the videographer's altimeter was at just under 12,000 when we were climbing out to jump. She was using an Altimaster or Galaxy judging by the images.

Here's my question - we all paid for a jump from 18,000ft. Do these altimeters stop at 12k or do they roll over to show 12K + number? It looked like the operating range was 17K ft from their website...

I had an awesome experience, maybe I'll try to go solo, but I hate feeling like we got ripped off. Please advise.

Thanks,

John

If you were jumping somewhere where ground level is 5000ft MSL, then 12K AGL would give you an 17K skydive. If that was not explained to you, and that was the case, then someone preyed on your lack of knowledge if they charged you extra to "go up to 18K"

or I could be absolutely wrong ... :)

[skyjumpsteve 0]

Skydive Santa Barbara? Did you pay $299 or $199? How many seconds did you get of free-fall? (time it from your video from the second you jumped until the time the canopy opens). If you paid for a high altitude jump, and have evidence to show that perhaps you didn't get it, I would call he DZ and ask them if they could explain. It is possible (although not likely) that there was a mix-up between the manifest staff and the pilot....I doubt it but perhaps there was an honest mistake. If so you should get the $100 back.

[speuci 0]

Wouldn't there also be oxygen involved with an 18k jump? I did one at Taft a while back and they (rightly) required us to all wear O2 masks....

[skyjumpsteve 0]

Good point! John, did you have oxygen on the way up?

[TEXX56 0]

altimeters are like the face of clocks regardless of weather its a skydive one or one in a plane (but most altimeters in planes only go to 10). the only real difference is that the ones in planes have another little dial (like the day or month thing on an analog wrist watch) that will show a 1 if it goes past 10 and then 2 if it goes past a second time, i think you can figure out the pattern. but the ones used for skydiving don't need to count very high since we usually exit at 13k and only really need to go to 12, but if you went to 18k the needle should have been at the 6 and not just under the twelve. and was it at the 12 in all of the videos or just one? and yeah if you had O2 on the way up it was to 18k

[porpoishead 8]

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Skydive Santa Barbara? Did you pay $299 or $199? How many seconds did you get of free-fall? (time it from your video from the second you jumped until the time the canopy opens). If you paid for a high altitude jump, and have evidence to show that perhaps you didn't get it, I would call he DZ and ask them if they could explain. It is possible (although not likely) that there was a mix-up between the manifest staff and the pilot....I doubt it but perhaps there was an honest mistake. If so you should get the $100 back.

holy shit!!! $100 for an extra 6k of altitude

that's extremely ridiculous ... but if some dumbass is willin to pay that then...

that's harsh

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[Reginald 0]

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holy shit!!! $100 for an extra 6k of altitude

that's extremely ridiculous ... but if some dumbass is willin to pay that then...

that's harsh

How many high altitude jumps do you have? What do you think the cost of the extra altitude per person is on a normal high altidute jump?

"We've been looking for the enemy for some time now. We've finally found him. We're surrounded. That simplifies things." CP

[denete 3]

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What do you think the cost of the extra altitude per person is on a normal high altidute jump?

Um...a nice set of "Ta-Tas" in the co-pilot's seat?

- AltiDude

SCR #14809

"our attitude is the thing most capable of keeping us safe"
(look, grab, look, grab, peel, punch, punch, arch)

[porpoishead 8]

over 17k i would say around 10-15 maybe more.. just the price of a normal jump ticket $22-$25

at my home dz we jump from 14k, 15 and change occasionally same just the price of a normal ticket $22

whats a tandem gonna get from 18k opposed to 12k maybe 20-25 more seconds delay fuck paying $100 bucks extra for that..

but then again tandem students don't know better do they

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[kelpdiver 2]

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holy shit!!! $100 for an extra 6k of altitude

that's extremely ridiculous ... but if some dumbass is willin to pay that then...

that's harsh

How many high altitude jumps do you have? What do you think the cost of the extra altitude per person is on a normal high altidute jump?

Only a few years ago, it cost us 3-5$ for that extra altitude (well, from 15 to 18k), while the tandems paid an extra 40-60$. IIIRC, at the American Boogie this year it was $6 to go to 18 instead of 13. Even the passenger, the TI, and an optional camera man is only $18. So it's quite clear that this is upselling at its finest. (even more so given how many do their exit run, then just turn around and do their '18k' pass)

BTW, with the asymmetric altitude face on the Altitrack, 18k AGL would look just short of 12 o'clock.

[JohnMitchell 16]

Time your freefall on the video. If you fell for 50-60 seconds, that's about 13K. If you fell for 80+ seconds, that would more likely be from around 18 k. If there's a bunch of slow motion in your video it will be more difficult to tell. If you got ripped off, let us know who it was. That kind of crap is poison to our sport.

[JohnMitchell 16]

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whats a tandem gonna get from 18k opposed to 12k maybe 20-25 more seconds delay fuck paying $100 bucks extra for that..

Some DZ's market the extra altitude like that, and it sells. If it's honest and the customer gets what they pay for, fine. If they are not getting the extra altitude and the oxygen that should go with it, that's a rip off.

[porpoishead 8]

absolutely john I agree, give the people what they pay for, that's fair enough

but on the same note it kinda rubs me the wrong way.

for a tandem passenger that has never jumped before, $100 bucks extra for 20 more seconds of freefall ...they dont know any different they would get the same rush from a 10k jump.. save the $100 throw up a little more and maybe come back for another

$300 bucks for a tandem is borderline a criminal act in my opinion

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[TEXX56 0]

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$300 bucks for a tandem is borderline a criminal act in my opinion

oh, well Kapowsin has a $450 tandem to 18k, but that is the tandem, a video and pics, t shirt, log book, and what not, so id say its priced accordingly. but if it were 300 for just the tandem to 18k, yeah your right.

[porpoishead 8]

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$300 bucks for a tandem is borderline a criminal act in my opinion

oh, well Kapowsin has a $450 tandem to 18k, but that is the tandem, a video and pics, t shirt, log book, and what not, so id say its priced accordingly. but if it were 300 for just the tandem to 18k, yeah your right.

fuck me running!!! $450 for what????? 1 jump, a $2 logbook, a $15 t-shirt, a video that you would probably laugh at then burn if you actually started jumping.

what else??? a kick in the balls to boot???

what is the field elevation at k-pow??? and what aircraft are they jumping from??

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[TEXX56 0]

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$300 bucks for a tandem is borderline a criminal act in my opinion

oh, well Kapowsin has a $450 tandem to 18k, but that is the tandem, a video and pics, t shirt, log book, and what not, so id say its priced accordingly. but if it were 300 for just the tandem to 18k, yeah your right.

fuck me running!!! $450 for what????? 1 jump, a $2 logbook, a $15 t-shirt, a video that you would probably laugh at then burn if you actually started jumping.

what else??? a kick in the balls to boot???

what is the field elevation at k-pow??? and what aircraft are they jumping from??

jumping from an otter and im pretty sure the elevation is close to sea level maybe 20-200 above sea level but not sure. oh and i forgot to add you get discounts for your next jumps, but that is just going off the site i don't really know how much as i only jump there.

[porpoishead 8]

people pay $450.00 (four hundred and fifty dollars) for 1(one) tandem jump as a passenger/student and then actually go back for more...

that has got to be straight out bullshit, nobody can possibly be that stupid.


if not then that has got to be some of the sorriest shit i have ever heard of in my life...

if you want a friend feed any animal
Perry Farrell

[fasted3 0]

30,000 feet - $3,495.00

http://www.incredible-adventures.com/halo-jumping.html

Jump ticket is $350.00

But what do I know?

[ozzy13 0]

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Wouldn't there also be oxygen involved with an 18k jump? I did one at Taft a while back and they (rightly) required us to all wear O2 masks....

At Tittisville Fl they went to 18k for 5 bucks more ( Fun jumpers) with no oxygen in their king air

Never give the gates up and always trust your rears!

[DanG 1]

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At Tittisville Fl they went to 18k for 5 bucks more ( Fun jumpers) with no oxygen in their king air

Wow. Only $5 AND you get to break an FAR. Awesome.

- Dan G

[chuckakers 425]

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$300 bucks for a tandem is borderline a criminal act in my opinion

oh, well Kapowsin has a $450 tandem to 18k, but that is the tandem, a video and pics, t shirt, log book, and what not, so id say its priced accordingly. but if it were 300 for just the tandem to 18k, yeah your right.

fuck me running!!! $450 for what????? 1 jump, a $2 logbook, a $15 t-shirt, a video that you would probably laugh at then burn if you actually started jumping.

It's called free market capitalism. The DZ markets it, consumers buy it, and everyone's happy. What's the problem with that. It may be the only jump some of these folks ever make, and some of those are more than willing to pay big dollars for all the extras.

Chuck Akers
D-10855
Houston, TX

[TheCaptain 2]

I do no know if this applies but I know a few videographers that use an analog altimeter for shots in the plane which will never be set to the correct altitude(they manually change the altimeter for the shot they want) and then another they use for the jump. This way they can get all of the ride to altitude shots and have extra time on the top end to get ready for the jump. Personally when I do handycam almost all of my altitmeter shots are faked(manually adjusted, I do adjust the altimeter back to read correctly prior to the jump) so I have enough time to get the camcorder in the glove and prepared for the jump.

Kirk
He's dead Jim

[davelepka 4]

You've got it backwards, Captain. You roll your altimeter forward, so you can get certain shots in the plane before they really happen. This is in case you need to be doing something else at the actual time.

If that were the case here, and the camera flyer forgot to reset it, it would have read higher.

Either way, I think the over-riding factor here is oxygen. I find it hard to believe that anyone would run tandems to 18k without O2 on board. I can't imagine that any TI would want to take an unknown tandem student way up there without O2 to keep both of them on top of their game.