davelepka 4 #1 April 25, 2003 I'm not talking about shaking students hand, or flying up in a sit and making them grab your dirty shoe. Has anyone had any experience floating up under a tandem, on your back, and taking grips on the main lift webs of the student harness? I have seen Rickster float out of the door in front of the tandem, with his hand on the students chest, but he sets that up in the door. I'm talking about in freefall, drouges out, and you fly up and do your thing. Any takers? Anyone seen or heard of this? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #2 April 25, 2003 There is a fairly infamous video out there of a videograper flying up, taking grips on the MLW and holding on through opening. He then did a little interview with the student, you know a how was that anything to say type deal then did a Mr. Bill off and opened his canopy. I had heard the TM lost his rating over that stunt.Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverds 0 #3 April 25, 2003 As a tandem instructor I can say that I would be very leary of letting someone attempt what you are talking about. Sounds like too great a risk of corking up into the passenger. In fact I can't think of anyone I know personally that I would allow to attempt such a thing on one of my tandems. Then again I come from a small dz. I am sure there are some freeflyers out there who have the ability to do it safely. Skydive Radio Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pringles 0 #4 April 25, 2003 I have seen video of a tandem Hy-brid. It was pretty hot video. I don't know the situation though. All the jumpers involved may have been expirenced for all I know. Basicly the tandem was flying with the drouge out and the freeflyer was in a stand holding onto the passengers chest strap. Matt Matt Davies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pullhigh 0 #5 April 25, 2003 My first thought was "heck no". But after thinking about it a little, I've re-considered. !st off the passenger would have to be an experienced jumper who was aware of the added risk factors, not just a tandem student thinkit would be cool. And I would have to know the freeflyer and his abilities very well, I know a couple of guys that I would trust enough to fly under like me that, but it wouldn't be just anyone. Just my .02 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
base704 0 #6 April 25, 2003 If I remember correctly, I saw a pic of a jumper in a stand on the tandem master's back, holding on to the taught bridle of the drogue... I personally don't feel that this was a bright move at all if the student was actually a student... At best it's still a hairy situation if you ask me, but an acceptable one if everyone on the dive was experienced, and really new what they were getting into... If it was a student, I would consider a rating pull as a reasonable penalty for an instructor that would put his student in a situation like that...not too cool You can get a lot more done with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cookie 0 #7 April 25, 2003 A close friend of mine has done just that (Ridden the tandem and held the drogue bridle). It was published in a skydiver magazine. Needless to say all involved got in a lot of shit. They all had an average of 7000+ jumps each. Made for a very cool picture. But it makes my skin crawl to think of the shit that could happen if somthing went wrong. Nice one "Wally" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ccowden 0 #8 April 25, 2003 Tandems are not there to entertain you in freefall. It is for the passenger, and that what it should be about. As a tandem instructor and video guy, I get so tired of seeing other instructors trying to be in the spotlight by acting all goofy or video guys trying to get to artsy. Yes it get very routine to do the same tandem dive and shoot the same video of the tandem, but thats what we get paid to do! No tandem student wants to watch his/her video over and over and see the instructor being the "move star". And all they want to see on their video is THEM! Fun jumps are for you to try new things and entertain yourself. Leave the tandems to just do your job. If you are not having enough fun just filming a persons first tandem, then maybe it is time to rethink why you are doing it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slayer21016 2 #9 April 25, 2003 I've got some video on my site that show's this topic. the biggest concern that i've had was getting to close when back flying and my burble taking there air away but this is also a way to help close the distance with a slower falling tandem to help me stay up with them. but i do not feel that this is as dangerous as some feel?. as far as getting above or standing on a tandem's back not for me but below can get some great angles that are very hard to get unless you have a rubber neck. neonskys. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
davelepka 4 #10 April 25, 2003 Wow, some interesting replies from all. A few years back I did dock on the main lift webs of an actual tandem student. The video was so-so, and it scared the crap out of the TM (we had talked about it before hand). Seriously, I would say that it was one of the worst ideas I ever had. Truthfully, I don't think anyone should ever be under a tandem (as in stealing their air). An accidental deployment at that time would kill a small handfull of people. Freeflying and backflying with tandems is cool, but if you stay just out or their air, so will your accidentally deploying main or reserve. As far as getting over the top of tandems, thats insane (I'm mean take a good look a packed tandem rig, tight and secure are not the words that come to mind). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BETO74 0 #11 April 26, 2003 I used to jump in a Drop Zone that was a freeflyiers Paradise, I have seen that and a lot more, How about a Tandem and two freeflyiers Head down Docking on the Student. I remember when the picture of a Tandem in Headdown position appeared in the Parachutist Magazine, freeflyiers at the Dropzone were doing that maybe a year before that picture was taken. http://web.mac.com/ac057a/iWeb/AC057A/H0M3.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
