horror stories

[somebodynew 0]

Since I did my maiden flight I've heard horror stories from everyone. The one that is the most credible is the one about the TI having an acute MI and dying just out of the plane. If that in fact happened, would it be possible for the student to deploy the chute or to control the freefall prior to deployment??

I used to cry, now I hold my head up high..
and you see me, somebody new...

[AggieDave 6]

You're hearing those stories from people who don't skydive and they heard it from people who don't skydive, those other people heard it from people who don't skydive and the ones they heard it from just make stuff up.

Well, its not necissarily that bad, but you can get my point right?

How many times have you seen the media mess up the facts on simple events? Now, those people are in the business of relaying information, what about all of your "friends" relaying information to you about skydiving?

Whuffo friends are just about worthless when it comes to relating skydiving events back and forth. Listen to them if you want, but I tuned my whuffo friends out long ago when it came to skydiving (unless they were asking questions and wanted to learn).

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[tdog 0]

The chances of a TI having a heart attack is about the same as a bus driver having a heart attack. Do you ever wonder how safe the bus is when you get on it?

[somebodynew 0]

I understand - and most of the stories I have disregarded - however I wondered in this scenario what options would a student have ??

I used to cry, now I hold my head up high..
and you see me, somebody new...

[somebodynew 0]

I have a drivers license - I could drive a bus if I had to - just curious what options a student would have in this situation.

I used to cry, now I hold my head up high..
and you see me, somebody new...

[kelpdiver 2]

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The chances of a TI having a heart attack is about the same as a bus driver having a heart attack. Do you ever wonder how safe the bus is when you get on it?

Given how often San Francisco Muni buses crash into cars, corner storefronts, and other non moving targets, it's a very apt comparison. Have there been any such TI incidents?

If the TI dies on exit after the drogue is thrown, does the AAD reserve fire run the risk of getting fouled? If the drogue isn't thrown, you have instability and really high speed. In either event, you still have to land an unguided decently loaded canopy with a person landing on top of you. Not your lucky day.

[crotalus01 0]

several of our TMs instruct the student on what to do if they (the TM) lose consicouness in freefall for whatever reason. its pretty much a mini-groundschool for opening and flying the parachute as far as the information goes....

As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD...

[slug 1]

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Since I did my maiden flight I've heard horror stories from everyone. The one that is the most credible is the one about the TI having an acute MI and dying just out of the plane. If that in fact happened, would it be possible for the student to deploy the chute or to control the freefall prior to deployment??

Hi Some

Maybe and thats final

Anything is possiable Just like the TM having a acute MI.

Different DZ's have different type of tandem rigs and EP's.

R.I.P.

[Groundbound 0]

Do some research on your own to learn the facts. If you just listen to eveyone's anecdotes and fatal fantasies then you will never have any adventure in your life -- brrrrrr its too scary to leave the house!!

On my tandem, my great instructor, as part of the ride showed me how to pull -more for training - but I suppose if I 'needed' to pull for us, there it was.

Yes there is risk to skydiving; but an unconscious TI -- come on! You would have to be incredibly unlucky!

[Mr17Hz 1]

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Since I did my maiden flight I've heard horror stories from everyone. The one that is the most credible is the one about the TI having an acute MI and dying just out of the plane. If that in fact happened, would it be possible for the student to deploy the chute or to control the freefall prior to deployment??

As already mentioned, don't listen to stories: they're rarely acurate. Even news casts. Look for 1st hand witness reports and official FAA or USPA anouncements.

I think the incident you're talking about is this one:
http://www.dropzone.com/fatalities/Detailed/128.shtml

I have very little experience in the skydiving industry (1 year and 93 jumps), but I do know that at my home dropzone (Skydive Chicago) they let students pull their own main. So yes, you could technically save yourself. However you would have to be extremely talented to do so without training, as well as lucky, as you would probably not know how to follow through with emergency procedures. I also assume that the droge would have to be already deployed.

What it comes down to is that yes, skydiving is a dangerous sport. Statistically, you have about a 1 in 65,000 chance of not making it to the ground alive... But I think you'll find a number of other activities (including driving) are just as high a risk, or higher.

You might find this post to be informative.
http://parapub.com/parachute/statistics.html

Matt Christenson

mattchristenson@realskydiving.com
http://www.RealDropzone.com - A new breed of dropzone manifest software.

[Trae 1]

You can actually learn a lot from 'horror' stories.

Learning from other people's mistakes or 'bad' luck is a very good way to mentally toughen yourself enough so that if the 'horror' story does happen to you you may not simply freeze but may still be capable of doing something to save yourself.

Some people do seem to take delight in scaring people though and if this is done at inappropriate times (like to a student just before they climb out ) it can just seem cruel rather than a learning experience.

One of the most common things if you read the fatality reports is that a lot of the deceased went in without pulling all their handles. Perhaps if you get over the 'horror' stories you'll end up seeing them for what they are ....things some-one died to teach us.

There's clear air past the horror and you get there with confidence by improving your safety standards and general knowledge.

Have fun--- it's not a death sport but a very much alive sport.

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[bert_man 0]

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Statistically, you have about a 1 in 65,000 chance of not making it to the ground alive...

Actually, barring an acute MI, you have an extremely good chance of making it to the ground alive. Making it back up onto your feet afterwards is the main issue.

-Ghetto
"The reason death cannot frighten me, is because life has cured me of fear."
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