Oct 25, 2002, 11:58 AM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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When I walk to the plane
1. Check your handle 2. Check your alti 3. Check your handle 4. Emergency drills 5. Check your handle
Yup. I add the following.
a. Check around you for others' handles/straps b. Check again for others' handles/straps c. Check all mine about 47 million times d. Check others' handles and straps...
At the door, one last touch to all three, and smile and go....
Ciels- Michele
PhreeZone (D License)
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Oct 25, 2002, 12:33 PM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Yes, it happened. The videoflyer had a chest mounted recorder that looked a lot like a chest mounted reserve. In the mid 80's chest reseves were falling out of favor fast, but they were still there on older gear. The harness fitted like a skydiving harness. I've heard it a few different versions, but all the details are the same... impact with no rig.
Ask anyone with more then 1000 jumps how many times they've seen/had a mis routed chest strap. Gear checks are needed, but each jumper is responcible for their own gear.
Oct 25, 2002, 12:41 PM
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Re: [PhreeZone] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Thats what I like in the UK.
FLIGHT LINE CHECKS!
I jumped in the USA last year and found it a bit of a shock to have no flight line checks as mandatory, but if you are blessed with a bit of common sense you get other people to check your gear as well as yourself.
Safety at the end of the day is in your own hands.
Oct 25, 2002, 2:52 PM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Thats what I like in the UK.
And thats one of the things I don't like. If you want a gear check then ask for one, I just don't like the fact that its mandatory. You said it yourself :
Quote:
Safety at the end of the day is in your own hands.
So why rely on others to check things you could/should check yourself? Too many people get lulled into a false sense of security by a gear check IMHO.
Will
PS I jump quite often with another Matt Robinson (freeflyer with about 400 jumps), bit of a co-incidence that.
Oct 25, 2002, 5:39 PM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I've seen a camera flyer get in the plane with no rig, but someone pointed out his mistake before the plane moved. He was just learning camera flying and was trying out his new camera suit/helmet setup. He never lived that one down.
Dave
quade (D 22635)
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Oct 25, 2002, 5:47 PM
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Re: [pilotdave] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Oct 26, 2002, 12:13 PM
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Re: [Snowflake] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I was told these photo's were fake. I heard he was wearing a harness under his jumpsuit and had a steel cable through his sleeve connected at the leg straps.
Anyone heard this/heard otherwise?? Either way they are excellent photos.
Oct 26, 2002, 1:36 PM
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Re: [rmcvey] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Yep, it's true. If you get a chance to see the video watch really closely. They do a good job editing around it but you can still get a glimpse of the cable every now and then while he's under canopy. Even so, it's still some wild video!
Oct 26, 2002, 5:07 PM
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Re: [Parrot] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Janelin has an advertising poster (we have one at our DZ) it has a guy in a white jumpsuit doing the same thing, if you look closely at it you can see he outline of a webbing strap (or flat cable) running anlong his arm and attached to the container..
Regardless of the attachemnts,, it's an awsome picture and that guy has some BIG testicles.
Oct 27, 2002, 5:55 AM
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Re: [Squeak] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Back in the 1960s, Bill Cole did a few chuteless jumps. Cole wore a harness with chest rings. and his buddy handed him a chest-mounted reserve in freefall. The camera malfunctioned on the first jump, so they repeated the stunt. CSPA banned Mr. Cole for his second chuteless jump. A few other skydivers repeated the stunt. The last time it was documented in Andy Keech's book Skies Call 2 or 3?. Only this time, the hero clipped into a set of risers hanging off his buddy's leg straps.
Oct 27, 2002, 5:30 PM
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Re: [Snowflake] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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The story documented in The Endless Fall that was mentioned by someone else was the story of Bill Cole, not these pictures. Bill's was in 1972, and it was not faked. Mike Swain, who wrote the book, was the one who did the video on the jump. Great story!
(This post was edited by Luna on Oct 27, 2002, 5:32 PM)
Oct 27, 2002, 6:03 PM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I seem to remember this event, as a case where the camera flyer entered the plane, with his rig and camera equipment,,, and yet somehow managed to climb to altitude without ever actually donning the gear.... He was apparently seated up near the cockpit,, and so was one of the last to exit,,,,,,,, no one "downstream" of him, in the cabin, noticed... and he exited with the rig still sittin' in the plane..... makes you shake your head,,,, and wonder...... yet as this sport demonstrates to us on a regular basis,,,,anything is possible.....Gear check????? I would say SO!!!.... at least a couple of times on the way to altitude....For me.... my favorite skydive is the one that I am looking forward to making,,,,,,,,,,NEXT.....
Oct 28, 2002, 3:37 AM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I've heard a few stories of such things happening to camera flyers. Apparently a dude did this at our DZ. He was just checking to see his alti was zero'd lots of times...scary shit... I'm told when he realised he retreated sheepishly back into the hanger As dangerous as it is..as long as you never made it on the plane your never gonna live that one down. Its coming out every 5 minutes i'm bettin...
Oct 28, 2002, 5:24 AM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Here in Hungary, before you board the plane, usually you stand in a nice row and the jumpmaster (here it is called jumpcommander) checks your gear.
With my own eyes I saw -I was on the plane too- when a jumpcommander checked a gear of a jumper with ~13000 jumps (he holds the Hungarian record), and for the guy it was natural and did not say anything, did not try to stop because of his jumpnumber.
It is really strange when we jump sometimes there are whuffo passengers in the plane without rigs than come the jokes "I would not fly with this plane without a parachute etc. etc."
In US passangers are allowed to be on a jump plane?
Oct 28, 2002, 1:36 PM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Nothing to do with being a jumper. Kapowsin offers observation rides. Even then the observers wear one and get briefed on how to use it. They mostly wear a student rig, otherwise a pilot's rig if they sit shotgun.
I figure if the pilot's gonna bail, you might as well.
Oct 29, 2002, 9:10 AM
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Re: [Cajones] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Many years ago at the old DZ.
A guy was walking to the Cessna with his leg straps undone....B12's. If you don't know what these are, buy beer for an old guy and he will teach you.
He was to cool and groovy to actually put the rig on before getting in the plane "It's uncomfortable" he would say. The pilot told him to put his rig on as if he were ready to go out the door or he was not going to fly the load..
This guy bitched and whined, but put the rig on. He then sat behind the pilot seat, and "Ill show him" Took of his B12's.
He left the plane with his group and noticed that something was wrong. He fliped over and tried to connect his B12's....Hell he was a good jumper. He managed to connect one of his leg straps...the right one, and flip over and deploy. He did all of this by 4,000 feet. Like I said the guy was good. However he had a 180 degree twist in the leg strap. It was a ROL....If you don't know what that is....buy lots of beer. He had a pilot chute in tow. He freaked out. Started trying to swim. He hit the ground in front of his family, and a DZ full of people....
Man he did look cool going to the plane with his rig loose. He didn't look cool dead with his rig loose....Any questons?
This is why I yell at people who are to f--king cool to have the rig on when they go to the plane.
Another thing....Be standing infront of me when the pilot yells at us to "Get the He-- out of my plane!!!" With your rig loose. I am running right over you. I am not waiting for you to do something you should have done on the ground. Be ready to jump when you get on the plane.
Ron
billvon (D 16479)
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Oct 29, 2002, 10:00 AM
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Re: [Ron] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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>Another thing....Be standing infront of me when the pilot yells at us > to "Get the He-- out of my plane!!!"
True story:
Years ago I was at Perris when the old Sikorsky helicopter was there. We loaded up for a helicopter jump. Engine started, rotor began spinning up, and across the runway comes another jumper carrying his rig. He jumps in right as the helicopter takes off.
Once inside we realized he hadn't quite finished packing his rig. He closed it, started to stow the pilot chute etc as we climbed.
At 1000 feet, we heard a BANG and saw a few pieces flying away from the helicopter. The helicopter hovered for a moment then pitched over and started a rapid descent. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I was pretty sure that it couldn't be good. You can only see the pilot's feet in that helicopter, and they were quite busy. We looked at each other, not sure what to do. Do we bail out and open right away, risking hitting the rotor disc? Do we actually take a delay at 1000 feet? And do we push that guy out the door who is just now putting his rig on? (he was in the way, of course.)
We stayed put, and the pilot managed to land the helicopter in a field with minimal damage - we hit hard and crushed the tailwheel, but no one was injured. He climbed up to the engine, fiddled with it, pronounced it fixed, and offered to fly us back to the DZ. We all walked.
Oct 29, 2002, 4:41 PM
Post #30 of 56
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Re: [Ron] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Quote:
Another thing....Be standing infront of me when the pilot yells at us to "Get the He-- out of my plane!!!" With your rig loose. I am running right over you. I am not waiting for you to do something you should have done on the ground. Be ready to jump when you get on the plane.
Nov 6, 2002, 1:15 AM
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Re: [Parrot] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Question - With 8 jumps, I do not consider myself a "wuffo", but am very definitelly a "Newbie". So, if any of you more experienced jumpers saw someone heading towards Earth without rigging, would you attempt to get to him? Or is that just asking to be removed from the gene pool?
Nov 6, 2002, 6:01 AM
Post #32 of 56
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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At the Herc Boogie I was fortunate enough to meet an american guy, cannot remember his name but could find it, who was on the very flight you are talking about.
I am not going to state the obvious but he told me the following "We did not notice anything which was kinda strange as he walked up to me and asked if I could swap seats with him, I was in the co pilot seat and I said sure, so he walked past me and previously he had not been able to sit in the copilot seat as his rig and the front mounted video recorder were too big to allow him to sit in the seat. This time however he sat down fine and we both passed as I climbed past him.” I am not making any comments but those who believe there safety are in there own hands are right however, we are humans and tend to make mistakes, that’s why a back up is useful. If everything was perfect and canopies containers were perfect and your 100% why have a reserve or AAD because things happen. That’s why we look out for each other. I am all for self preservation by knowing your gear and how to fly, however at the end of the day most accidents are traced back to human error not pure equipment failure. So an extra pair of eyes looking out for you has to be a good thing.
Nov 6, 2002, 11:29 PM
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Re: [weezil1] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Question - With 8 jumps, I do not consider myself a "wuffo", but am very definitelly a "Newbie". So, if any of you more experienced jumpers saw someone heading towards Earth without rigging, would you attempt to get to him? Or is that just asking to be removed from the gene pool?
At terminal its almost impossible to hang onto someone during deployment. And also you'd most likely be under canopy when you noticed this leaving you helpless..
Nov 7, 2002, 4:09 AM
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Re: [jumpy] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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DO'H! That makes perfect sense. Still, it would be rough watching someone auger in without doing something. But at my stage of training, I am having enough trouble trying to figure out what to do with these d@mn yellow handles dangling in my face!
Nov 7, 2002, 2:26 PM
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Re: [wlie] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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i've been on a jump plane without a rig several times but i never had any intention on jumping at the time! i have a friend who owns a dropzone and he allowed me to ride to altitude and watch as others bailed out.
Nov 7, 2002, 9:28 PM
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Re: [outofit] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I wouldn't get on a jumpship without a rig, even if I was an observer. As they say, "have you seen our airplane?" I did an observer ride once, on a Bell Jet Ranger. It was reassuring wearing a rig even then.
Nov 7, 2002, 11:32 PM
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Re: [lummy] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I don't think so. I've certainly sat up front in private planes with no bail-out rig. And I've noticed that a lot of jump pilots don't wear rigs. But I certainly would rather wear a rig on a small plane.
Nov 8, 2002, 12:06 PM
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Re: [lummy] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Isn't it a rule or somethin that you need to wear a bail out rig if you are flying or riding co pilot? Or is that just common sense practice
It depends on the plane, and where you're sitting in the plane.
In the US, most cesna 182's are type-certified so that everybody (including the pilot and obverservers) must wear rigs, due to the risk of a canopy/tail entaglement.
Larger planes like Caravans, Otters, etc do not require those in "seats" to wear rigs. In an otter, if you're in the right seat you don't need one, but if you're riding in the back you do.
I would have no hesitation about flying right seat in an otter without a rig. I would never even step into a 182 jump plane without one. In a caravan or king air I probably still would want one, because it has a low wing and still has entanglement risks.
Nov 9, 2002, 11:50 AM
Post #41 of 56
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Re: [jumpy] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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At terminal its almost impossible to hang onto someone during deployment.
Does anybody know of a case where this happened (at terminal) and it worked out ok?. If this happens and the person manages to hold on would it be a good idea to deploy your reserve to improve your chances on landing? Especially if you have one of those postage stamp sized canopies.
I guess maybe not, fighting a possible downplane with a guy hanging onto you (with dislocated shoulders and covering up your cutaway handle) would "complicate" the situation.
Nov 10, 2002, 9:19 PM
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Re: [skyblade] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Talking about bail out rigs...
One story I've heard. At a drop zone, the skydivers like to get as many people on the plane as possible. This particular plane is rated for 10 jumpers an a pilot, but if you sqeeze up you can get 11 or 12 in. After being warned about this, the JM still got 11 jumpers in the plane. At about 4000', the pilot turned around and counted the people in the back. He proceeded to get out of his seat and clamber his way to the rear door, saying 'I've told you before, only 10 jumpers' and proceeded to jump out. Needless to say, there was a mad rush to get out the door. Unbeknowenst to everyone, the jumper behind the pilot was also a pilot and he was flying the plane. The last two jumps saw this and didn't exit. The (new) pilot setup for jump run at 10000, and they had a great jump.
Nov 11, 2002, 7:34 AM
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Re: [masher] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I guess I don't understand why the pilot doesn't just refuse to take off if the plane is overloaded. He's the one with the keys. If the DZ owner is allowing them to overload the plane, and the pilot needs the job, there should be a better way. But I'll bet it was funny... Reminds me of a time when supposedly a dummy was launched out of a 182 to scare a DZ owner who thought his pretty new airplane was going to stay pretty and new with jumpers... Wendy
Dec 9, 2002, 8:26 PM
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I finally came across what appears to be an actual news report from the time of the well known accident. There's no proof that its an actual AP press report, but it appears authentic.
(Found at http://www.aarrgghh.com/no_way/noChute.htm)
===========
LOUISBURG, NC--An experienced parachutist filmed his own two-mile death plunge after he fell from an airplane while carrying a video camera but apparently without realizing he had no parachute, investigators said Tuesday.
Officials declared the death Saturday of Ivan Lester McGuire, 35, of Durham, an accident.
Franklin County sheriff's Capt. Ralph Brown said there was no foul play and no indication of suicide, although "a man who has jumped 800 times ought to remember his parachute." "A man who has jumped 800 times ought to remember his parachute."
The videotape shows McGuire leaving the plane, apparently without problems, Brown said. Other parachutists then jump and free fall, but disappear when they pop their parachutes and McGuire plunges on toward the ground at 150 mph.
McGuire, who was carrying a video camera mounted on his helmet, was filming a student and an instructor at Franklin County Sports Parachute Center about 20 miles from Raleigh.
The plane's pilot, Mark Luman, couldn't be found for comment and had no telephone listing. Brown said the pilot "wasn't in any position to see what happened in the back of the plane."
The videotape showed the divers making preparations around the plane's door; then the camera went out with McGuire.
With the camera aimed up toward the plane, the tape then shows the instructor and the student jump and freefall somewhat above McGuire. The jump appeared to be proceeding normally until the instructor and student opened their parachutes and receded rapidly from view as McGuire hurtled below them.
"The pictures get to moving real fast because he's approaching the ground at 150 mph" "It kind of appears he reached for his parachute and didn't have one," Brown said. "But the release for his (McGuire's) parachute is on his right hip, and when that right hand goes down, the left hand comes forward and it comes into camera view."
After several seconds of jerky motion, the tape shows the ground approaching. "Then the pictures get to moving real fast because he's approaching the ground at 150 mph," Brown said.
McGuire's body was found in woods about 11/ 2 miles from the airfield. Footage of the final stage of the plunge was destroyed on impact and what tape remained had to be spliced in places, officials said.
Brown said blood samples will show whether McGuire had alcohol or drugs in his system and test results should be ready in about a week.
Although an expert jumper, McGuire could have forgotten to put on his parachute because of fatigue or preoccupation with his video equipment, Mrs. Fayard was quoted as saying.
A Federal Aviation Administration investigator said Monday he was checking to see if the pilot knew whether McGuire was wearing a parachute when he entered the airplane, as FAA regulations require.
Sheriff Arthur Johnson said Tuesday the investigation showed the pilot thought McGuire was wearing a parachute. But Walter L. Riggsbee, the FAA investigator, said the video equipment may have been mistaken for a parachute.
Dec 26, 2002, 11:46 PM
Post #46 of 56
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Re: [indyz] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I checked Lexis/Nexis (newswire database) and found three AP stories and two UPI stories:
Crap, I didn't realize that the links wouldn't work outside of my University's network. If anybody is interested in the text of the stories, I can post them after I get back to school (second half of January). Either that or somebody with access to a Lexis/Nexis subscription, which should include just about any library or newsroom (Jessica?), could post them.
If you are interested in looking them up on Lexis/Nexis, the search terms that I used were "Ivan Lester McGuire" with the date restricted to 1988.
Dec 27, 2002, 12:12 PM
Post #47 of 56
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Re: [weezil1] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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In reply to:
Question - With 8 jumps, I do not consider myself a "wuffo", but am very definitelly a "Newbie". So, if any of you more experienced jumpers saw someone heading towards Earth without rigging, would you attempt to get to him? Or is that just asking to be removed from the gene pool?
It's worth a shot, but isn't likely to work.
IIRC, a parachuteless pilot attempted a Mr. Bill with one of the jumpers after exiting an inop airplane. Though they were both holding on as best they could, opening shock separated them.
Jun 30, 2010, 9:04 PM
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Re: [AndyMan] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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Quote:
Isn't it a rule or somethin that you need to wear a bail out rig if you are flying or riding co pilot? Or is that just common sense practice
It depends on the plane, and where you're sitting in the plane.
In the US, most cesna 182's.....
_Am
FAR 91.307 c "Unless each occupant of the aircraft is wearing an approved parachute, no pilot of a civil aircraft carrying any person (other than a crewmember) may execute any intentional maneuver that exceeds-- 1) A bank of 60 degrees relative to the horizon 2) A nose-up or nose-down attitude of 30 degrees relative to the horizon."
I thought this rule also applied to any aircraft whenever the door is opened in flight, but couldn't find that published anywhere.
Jun 30, 2010, 9:05 PM
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Re: [michaelbolton2] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I came across this thread because I recently got in a plane without a rig on. I'm fairly new at camera flying (about 75 total and 20 tandem video jumps). A tandem student was already geared up when they decided they wanted video and I was asked to do it. In my rush to get ready and do the ground interview I had everything ready except my rig. I don't know how long it would've taken me to notice (hopefully I would have) but the engine was running before someone came to the plane and told me.
I know complacency can be dangerous but...talk about a wake up call.
Feb 19, 2012, 9:29 PM
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Re: [billvon] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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>Another thing....Be standing infront of me when the pilot yells at us > to "Get the He-- out of my plane!!!"
True story:
Years ago I was at Perris when the old Sikorsky helicopter was there. We loaded up for a helicopter jump. Engine started, rotor began spinning up, and across the runway comes another jumper carrying his rig. He jumps in right as the helicopter takes off.
Once inside we realized he hadn't quite finished packing his rig. He closed it, started to stow the pilot chute etc as we climbed.
At 1000 feet, we heard a BANG and saw a few pieces flying away from the helicopter. The helicopter hovered for a moment then pitched over and started a rapid descent. I wasn't sure what had happened, but I was pretty sure that it couldn't be good. You can only see the pilot's feet in that helicopter, and they were quite busy. We looked at each other, not sure what to do. Do we bail out and open right away, risking hitting the rotor disc? Do we actually take a delay at 1000 feet? And do we push that guy out the door who is just now putting his rig on? (he was in the way, of course.)
We stayed put, and the pilot managed to land the helicopter in a field with minimal damage - we hit hard and crushed the tailwheel, but no one was injured. He climbed up to the engine, fiddled with it, pronounced it fixed, and offered to fly us back to the DZ. We all walked.
Feb 19, 2012, 10:08 PM
Post #54 of 56
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Re: [highfly] Can you get on a jump plane and jump without a rig?
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I have just recived a copy of "Into the Silk" by Ian Mackersey. There was a newspaper clipping inside with reference to an Ivan Maguire.
The clipping stated that this camera flyer managed to get into an aircraft with his full camera equipment on and no rig.
When the a/c reached altitude he proceeded to jump with the team without his rig.
This incident happened in 1988 and I am unclear as to weather it happend or not.
Please can I get some clarification on this please.
Is this another bad urban myth or is it fact.
Blue skies
April 6, 1988
PARACHUTIST'S DEATH RULED ACCIDENTAL
LOUISBURG (AP) - The death of an experienced parachutist who fell 10,500 feet without a parachute while he was filming another jump was accidental, Franklin County vestigators said Tuesday. "We have gathered enough information to declare it an accident," Sheriff Arthur Johnson said. Ivan Lester McGuire, 35, of Durham died Saturday after jumping from an airplane without a parachute, said Captain Ralph Brown of the Sheriff's Department. McGuire had made more than 800 jumps.McGuire, who was carrying a video camera mounted on his helmet, was filming a student and an instructor at Franklin County Sports Parachute Center when he jumped from the plane piloted by Mark Luman of Louisburg. Luman couldn't be found for comment and had no telephone listing, but Brown said the pilot "wasn't in any position to see what happened in the back of the plane." There was no answer at the parachute center. But Nancy Fayard was quoted Tuesday in the News and Observer of Raleigh [NC] as saying: "No one was aware that he got on the plane without a parachute. Of course no one knew or they would have stopped him." Brown said that there was no foul play and no indication that suicide was involved. But, he added, "A man who has jumped 800 times ought to remember his parachute." McGuire's body was found in woods about 1 1/2 miles from the airfield. The videotape showed McGuire jumping from the airplane and that the jump was going smoothly until the parachutes worn by the instructor and the student opened and McGuire hurtled below them. " It kind of appears he reached for his parachute and he didn't have one." Brown said. "You could see the instructor and the student falling on the video. But the release for his parachute is on the right hip, and when the right hand goes down, the left hand comes forward and it comes into camera view. "Then the pictures get to moving real fast because he's approaching the ground at 150 mph. The only thing the camera shows is the ground coming." Brown said blood samples will show whether McGuire had alcohol or drugs in his system and test results should be ready in about a week. Although an expert jumper, McGuire could have forgotten to put on his parachute because of fatigue or preoccupation with his video equipment, said Fayard, wife of club owner Paul Fayard-the instructor on McGuire's last jump. Nancy Fayard said McGuire worked third shift at Northern Telecom Inc., a manufacturer of telephone switching equipment, and usually left the club at noon to get to work. On Saturday, she said, he stayed until 2:30 to shoot the video. "He's a real perfectionist when it comes to his video photography, and he'd been working a lot on it," she said. "The best we can figure is he became so preoccupied with the video, and then being fatigued, that his mind was on the video."A Federal Aviation Administration investigator said he was checking to see if Luman knew whether McGuire was wearing a parachute when he entered the airplane before the jump. Walter L. Rigsbee of the district office in Raleigh said FAA rules require that the pilot check to see that parachutists have on parachutes. Johnson said Tuesday the investigation showed the pilot thought McGuire was wearing a parachute. But Rigsbee said the video equipment may have been mistaken for a parachute. "These parachute clubs have safety programs," Rigsbee said. "They check these jumpers out depending on their experience."