steveorino 7 #1 January 4, 2007 What precautions and special needs must be addressed for taking a tandem passenger with one arm (complete shoulder)? steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BIGUN 1,317 #2 January 4, 2007 Steve, Since you're jumping an Eclipse, I'd probably contact Terry G. or Chris M. (Eclipse I/E's) at Skydive Spaceland for recommendations.Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 643 #3 January 4, 2007 That's a new one! My first suggestion would be to tighten the bejezus out of the chest strap to prevent the shoulder yoke from slipping off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TALONSKY 0 #4 January 4, 2007 I have taken a student that had one arm that she had no control of . I had her put the arm inside her jumpsuit(so in essence it was taking someone with only one arm), then I tightened the chest strap pretty tight (making sure the main lift web were pretty close together. I also had her hold the chest strap with her good arm though out the skydive. The skydive went fine and she had a great time. Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steveorino 7 #5 January 4, 2007 Quote I tightened the chest strap pretty tight (making sure the main lift web were pretty close together. I also had her hold the chest strap with her good arm though out the skydive. The skydive went fine and she had a great time. Kirk That was what I was thinking, but wanted more input than mine. steveOrino Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BASE1036 0 #6 January 6, 2007 Steve, I have experience taking a passenger with only one arm on an Eclipse Rig.... First I used a Strong harness with the belly band for added security. I tightened the lift web adjustments to a snug fit, and made sure the chest and belly strap were tight. I also made sure that My chest strap was overly tight to make sure and hold the hooks in place better. All went well. Hope this helps.Daniel Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones Tasers - Pepper Spray - Stun Guns and more! www.dallassecuritysupply.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdthomas 0 #7 January 8, 2007 after this summers tragic tandem accidents i would avoid this tandem. or you can do it and ask yourself would you be willing to live with yourself if someone was to get hurt or killed doing this. know when to say NO to special tandems is my advice. Joewww.greenboxphotography.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
efs4ever 3 #8 January 9, 2007 Quote after this summers tragic tandem accidents i would avoid this tandem. or you can do it and ask yourself would you be willing to live with yourself if someone was to get hurt or killed doing this. know when to say NO to special tandems is my advice. Joe Troll??? BS. Tandem is what makes the jump special to those who could otherwise not experience it. ADJUST accordingly.Russell M. Webb D 7014 Attorney at Law 713 385 5676 https://www.tdcparole.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdthomas 0 #9 January 10, 2007 EFS4ever i am not a troll I am a real jumper and I if you viewed previous post you can see that I have been on here for years. You are correct in that tandems can be special but they are also not for eveyone and we can't always adjust to make it that way. I gave Steve my thoughts as he asked for opinions. granted i only have afew thousand tandem jumps and am not an expert by any means.. I just gave my thoughts on the topic. I have personally seen "special" tandems gone bad that did not have to make the jump. and I don't see much room for this type of publicity when the jumps go bad. One thing for an experienced jumper to get hauled off by an ambulance, but a tandem passenger should never have that happen. I respect your desire ADJUST accodringly and you can respect my choice without calling me a troll. Joewww.greenboxphotography.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Laszloimage 0 #10 January 11, 2007 Those tandem accidents happaned because of the improper adjustment of the tandem harnesess. Even those extreme cases like the handy cap guy w. the very thin legs or a person with a huge butt (up to certain limit...) the harness can be adjusted properly. In the case of the one armed passenger it shouldn't be any more difficult than in the case of an avarage student since the harness suppose to sit on the person's shoulder not on his/her arms. If the passenger arm is the factor to prevent him/her falling out of the harness, then is really f#$&-ed up!!! I took a student before with one arm and it wasn't a problem at all. -Laszlo- www.laszloimage.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdthomas 0 #11 January 11, 2007 Thats great that you took the passenger. you where willing to take the risk as well was the passenger. I gave my two cents worth on how I felt and how I think that the risk does not out weigh the benift. There are to many things that can go wrong already, I personally don't see the need to add to the mix. Steve asked for as much input on this as possible, pro and con. He is a young TM in the since that he has not been doing tandem long. he is a very smart man for asking instead of just doing and seeing what will happen. I offered my input and because i feel that there is risk, I voice my thought and I have become a "troll" and told to "adjust". i am not sure why i can't have a thought or opinion that is diffrent and i should just adjust and go on like a cog in the wheel of a machine.. it's odd that because i err on the side of safety I am outed on my thoughts. I have always been very saftey minded in tandems and have told many people NO. Some where offended by this but oh well. they can bad mouth me for that, but an accident and a trip to the ER does more damage to me and the sprt then telling them they are not physically fit for this activity. I never hurt anyone doing tandems, well except some feelings by telling them NO and that never made national media and i can sleep at night with that.. hurting or killing someone just for a skydive.. well i would not sleep well with that. Joewww.greenboxphotography.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Laszloimage 0 #12 January 11, 2007 I totally agree with that point he (Steve) asked before he was taking a tandem passenger w. one arm. But the answer is one missing arm isn't that big of the deal like for example a disabled person from waist down or some other extreme odd body shape or size. If the person has an avarage body built other than the missing arm it shouldn't be an extra safety issue period. As I said the student harness should (and must) stay on the student's shoulder, the arms shouldn't even come into the picture as a safety issue (like preventing the passenger falling out). -Laszlo- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TALONSKY 0 #13 January 11, 2007 QuoteI totally agree with that point he (Steve) asked before he was taking a tandem passenger w. one arm. But the answer is one missing arm isn't that big of the deal like for example a disabled person from waist down or some other extreme odd body shape or size. If the person has an avarage body built other than the missing arm it shouldn't be an extra safety issue period. As I said the student harness should (and must) stay on the student's shoulder, the arms shouldn't even come into the picture as a safety issue (like preventing the passenger falling out). -Laszlo- While I personally have taken someone that was handycapped and basically had one arm, I really doubt I would do it again. Yes, it can be done and more or less the odds are in your favor if everything goes right, but what if it does not? MY DZO in the last year has had a change of heart (or acceptable risk) and would not allow a student this past year with almost the same condition as the student I have taken before. At first I did not truely get it but then if you look at the tree of what ifs, it seems to make at whole lot of sense. Do you really what to risk your life, career or finacial future (not to meantion the idea of a prison term if things go wrong) to take just one person on a joy ride that they may think nothing more of afterwards than an amusement park ride? I can tell you now my answer would be NO, and not just NO but HELL NO. I watch the last customer leave broken hearted because he could not skydive with his friends, but in the end a tandem skydive is much more then taking someone for a joy ride. I, personally, would not even know how to begin to deal with killing someone I knew was creating a larger risk in a skydive. Kirk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jdthomas 0 #14 January 11, 2007 "some other extreme odd body shape" Is not missing one arm and extreme odd body shape? I am glad that you feel comfortable in taking a one arm person on a tandem, i could just never see myself doing it. Joewww.greenboxphotography.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
douwanto 22 #15 January 12, 2007 When applyed correctly the harness sits on the shoulder of the passenger. Most TI's have had at one time or another the harness slip off the shoulder. There are a couple of things you can do to stop this. 1 tighten the TI's chest strap so that the hooks are inside the passengers shoulders and not pulling the harness off the passenger. 2 Use a good harness like the Sigma harness were the chest strap does not freely slide down once put into possition by the TI. I have found that strong harness chest straps will fall and move when outward pressure is applyed from above. 3 Duct-tape would always be of assistance in keeping the harness over the shoulder of a passenger with no arm. The loading forces from opening are in the other direction. Yes I would consider taking this passenger. Chance is very very good I would take them with a little extra training and attention. As on every tandem pay attention and be safe. They all deserve extra effort and attention. Uncle/GrandPapa Whit Unico Rodriguez # 245 Muff Brother # 2421 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allballs 0 #16 January 12, 2007 As a general rule :No stump No Jump"..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
