Someone landed atop a palm tree, the only tree around for a hundred yards, naturally.
Something similar, found on the net years ago. See the mpeg, I put it temporarily on my website. AFAIR I read the jumper didn't suffer any injuries apart from a bruised ego.
I posted to this thread a long time ago, and have had a few "interesting" students since then. The ones I remember most are the ones that say funny things during the ground-school. Like one young woman (about 19 y/o), who prattled out something like this:
"What do we do when our 'chute doesn't open? Oh, I think we're supposed to cut it off, fly to the other guy and clip ourselves to that guy. Is that right?"
I swear that Hollywood puts these ideas in people's minds.
I posted to this thread a long time ago, and have had a few "interesting" students since then. The ones I remember most are the ones that say funny things during the ground-school. Like one young woman (about 19 y/o), who prattled out something like this:
"What do we do when our 'chute doesn't open? Oh, I think we're supposed to cut it off, fly to the other guy and clip ourselves to that guy. Is that right?"
I swear that Hollywood puts these ideas in people's minds.
A decade ago, I wondered what I did to get such a clumsy tandem student, until another instructor told me the full story ... after we landed!
He was teaching the first jump course to a bimbo. Whenever the he said something like: "If your main parachute does not open, look at the right side of your chest, watch your fingers wrap around the red handle, look at the silver handle and watch your fingers wrap around the silver handle ...," she would reply "But, I'll still be okay?" After dancing through this routine a few times. my buddy said: "Let me introduce you to our best tandem instructor." She:"But I''ll still get to jump by myself? Right?" He:"Let me introduce you to our best tandem instructor." She: "but I'll still be able to jump by myself? Right?" He: "Let me introduce you to our best tandem instructor." Hah! Hah!
In case anyone accuses me of mysogeny, I also use the word "bimbo" to describe young women who: cannot read maps, expect me to do all the heavy lifting, expect me to clean up the worst messes, expect me to pay all the bills, etc. Can anyone suggest a similar word to describe young, male slackers?
Edit: the problem with "stupidest student stories" for me, is either:
the student just didn't get prepped very well, and that's not on the student, it's on me or my friends that prepped him.
I fully agree. Sometimes the stupidest student simply had the stupidest instructor. I've seen a few who must have got their rating out of a cereal box.....
Edit: the problem with "stupidest student stories" for me, is either:
the student just didn't get prepped very well, and that's not on the student, it's on me or my friends that prepped him.
I fully agree. Sometimes the stupidest student simply had the stupidest instructor. I've seen a few who must have got their rating out of a cereal box.....
Hey! That box said I'd be just fine if I sent in my nickel along with the box tops....
I can buy her more jumps... ain't got much money but for a woman like that, I'd find it... the married with kids part, thats a bit of a barrier, there I wouldn't mess with. Bummer. How come all the worlds truly badass women are all taken? Or, rather, have taken guys for themselves already. Oh well, I betcha she makes a badass Mom.
What I wouldn't give to find my other half and discover she's got that much of a cool collected head on her shoulders... There is nothing more attractive than a woman with a mind like that.
Nope. Generally the evaluation of "stupid" is a result of "he didn't learn what I taught, the way I taught it."
There's a whole host of reasons why that might be the case, all the way from fear, through physical clumsiness, different approach to problems from the teacher, with only a small percentage actually being stupid.
What I wouldn't give to find my other half and discover she's got that much of a cool collected head on her shoulders... There is nothing more attractive than a woman with a mind like that.
In reply to:
I got one!
Nuthin' keeps ya on yer toes like a woman with more balls than you have!
ok lets have some good laughs. im hosting this years dumbest student awards. lets hear your candidates story. this years prize is a set of golfclubs.
------------------------- Okay, someone's got to bump this thread back to the top. Have we had no 'challenged' students since the last post?!
I'll reboot it with a story of my own. Oh, BTW, you know I was an awesome student! Oh, sure....
At Ft. Lewis Washington in summer of '82 I was ready for my first clear and pull from a Chinook Helicopter, CH-47. I get the go and bunny hopped off the tailgate. I actually did a good hop and pop. The fun starts under 300 feet.
As I'm drifting under my MC-1B, 35 foot round with steering toggles, I'm still holding my ripchord. As I drift over the windsock at about 100', I dropped my ripchord (in reality, I was tired of holding it and thought I could try a little impact accuracy with it) and almost hit the windsock.
Oh no, the newby fun is not over. I drifted past the LZ and into the biggest fucking christmas tree I've ever seen. I hit it ass first about 20 feet up. The tree collasped into a slide and I slid down it to a perfect standup landing.
So, Pvt. Garrison was on the hook for 3 cases of beer. First freefall, Dropping the ripchord and First standup landing. I ponyied up (how the hell do you spell Pony+ed) with a small keg and just smiled.
Okay, there are several years of stupidity missing here.
Pony Up!!
Same jump except completely different. First freefall, June 1972, Raeford, NC, hop and pop, 28-foot 7-TU round. Didn't drop the ripcord, but drifted past the landing area into pine trees. Small trees, parachute hung in four of them, I did a standup landing in between. Three cases of beer: first freefall, first tree landing, first standup.
It was on her AFF level 1. Everything looked fine, good exit, good freefall, good altitude aware etc etc. So she opens her parachute and she is hanging around in the holding area and everything seemed fine until its time to start the usual student landing pattern...then she cutaway about 1000'
She landed fine under the reserve and her excuse was: "I was going too slow and it was taking forever to get to the ground"
Nope. Generally the evaluation of "stupid" is a result of "he didn't learn what I taught, the way I taught it."
There's a whole host of reasons why that might be the case, all the way from fear, through physical clumsiness, different approach to problems from the teacher, with only a small percentage actually being stupid.
There is the saying, (which is true, sometimes) "If the student didn't learn, maybe the teacher didn't teach".
Many instructors have no training in teaching and learning techniques, and its something that needs to be incorporated into instructor training. Knowing the content, and knowing how to impart it, are two different things.
(This post was edited by obelixtim on Jan 26, 2012, 11:24 PM)
There is the saying, (which is true, sometimes) "If the student didn't learn, maybe the teacher didn't teach".
Many instructors have no training in teaching and learning techniques, and its something that needs to be incorporated into instructor training. Knowing the content, and knowing how to impart it, are two different things. I knew a guy that 'had it' in spades.
He's moved on now, but a while back there was an AFFI at the local DZ that just absolutely amazed me.
This guy had some innate ability to relate to people in a way I've never seen a 'teacher' do, he'd size 'em up and get on their wavelength like no one I've witnessed in my time jumping.
Professional as they come...I use to like to just watch and listen to him bring a n00b along, never saw a 'bad' student in this guys hands.
In the aircraft he was 'at the office' and the only thing missing was a briefcase & tie. I know some good instructors, this guy was a GREAT one.
I guess he was having some health problems and went to something less physical, too bad...I told him once he could always make a living teaching the teachers HOW to teach...and not have to jump.
A decade ago, I wondered what I did to get such a clumsy tandem student, until another instructor told me the full story ... after we landed!
He was teaching the first jump course to a bimbo. Whenever the he said something like: "If your main parachute does not open, look at the right side of your chest, watch your fingers wrap around the red handle, look at the silver handle and watch your fingers wrap around the silver handle ...," she would reply "But, I'll still be okay?" After dancing through this routine a few times. my buddy said: "Let me introduce you to our best tandem instructor." She:"But I''ll still get to jump by myself? Right?" He:"Let me introduce you to our best tandem instructor." She: "but I'll still be able to jump by myself? Right?" He: "Let me introduce you to our best tandem instructor." Hah! Hah!
In case anyone accuses me of mysogeny, I also use the word "bimbo" to describe young women who: cannot read maps, expect me to do all the heavy lifting, expect me to clean up the worst messes, expect me to pay all the bills, etc. Can anyone suggest a similar word to describe young, male slackers?
lol I remember her. At some point when I kept telling her how great Rob was she, in I am sure was one of her more lucid moments of the day, said, "you're not giving me a choice are you?" When class resumed the other students tried to get me to wait as there was one missing. When I said she was going to do a tandem everyone was very relieved.
That's a great example of why certain changes were made. Chest mount altimeters are such a bad Idea with student skydivers.
Arch Look Reach Pull was changed to Arch Reach Pull ... with whatever variance you wish to add but no looking.
That's about all the detail I care to go into from that video. It's fun to watch but the student wasn't that dumb. The equipment has changed because of that exact scenario.
edit: close the underline tag from the previous post :)
(This post was edited by hookitt on Jan 27, 2012, 10:41 AM)
AFAIR I read the jumper didn't suffer any injuries apart from a bruised ego. 
