Jul 11, 2007, 4:08 PM
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“Safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
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So I was teaching my first jump tandem class last weekend and had one of the students say “I’d never go by myself on the first jump. It would be too dangerous”. It got me thinking. What is the “safest” way to make your first jump? Tandem? AFF? S/L? IAD? Without looking at the data I think most people would agree there are way more students killed doing tandems than any of the other disciples. One would have to know the number of jumps in each of the disciples to come to any kind of meaningful statistical conclusions, but the overall number of tandem fatalities sure makes me wonder. From the other side of the equation, I think that a tandem instructor is far more likely to die during his career than an AFF instructor. Each tandem jump has a specific risk level associated with it, but from the students perspective there are a lot more tandem students than tandems instructors giving a higher “career” risk exposure to the instructor. So what is the “safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
Jul 11, 2007, 5:39 PM
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Re: [deadwood] “Safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
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A tandem is the safest by far, according to the stats. All the other methods of learning, depend on the individual. Tandem passengers, are (most of the time,not all)going for a ride, paying an experienced jumper to handle any situation that would require higher brain function. Not much danger there.
Jul 11, 2007, 7:16 PM
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Re: [L.O.] “Safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
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Please direct me to where I can find the stats.
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A tandem is the safest by far, according to the stats. All the other methods of learning, depend on the individual. Tandem passengers, are (most of the time,not all)going for a ride, paying an experienced jumper to handle any situation that would require higher brain function. Not much danger there.
Jul 11, 2007, 7:38 PM
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Re: [deadwood] “Safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
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You are correct, but my question is more statistical in nature . What are the overall rates?
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I believe that this is different for different personalities..
In my limited experience, knowing what I know concerning skydiving training - if my mother or loved family member wanted to take up skydiving, I would insist they go with tandem progression, beginning with 2+ tandems, and not "joy ride" tandems but working tandems mind you, that is followed by an ISP type training program.
The program I teach in utilizes such a progression, 2 tandems (teaching tandems, not carnival rides) followed by an 18 jump solo training curriculum that is well designed with well maintained aircraft, well maintained late model student gear, 130 acre landing area surrounded by fields. Our graduates are where I was in terms of skill level and knowledge when I had around 150-200 jumps and not only in freefall skills which is secondary, but most importantly in EPs and canopy piloting skills…
In my opinion, I believe that I work in the very best training program in the history of skydiving (http://www.skydivespaceland.com)…
Jul 11, 2007, 11:27 PM
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Re: [altichick] “Safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
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We love to point fingers at the BPA from this side of the pond for being as anal-retentive as they are, but they are also the unquestioned leaders in reliable data collection in the sport. Thanks for the link Sal.
Jul 12, 2007, 12:24 PM
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Re: [Andrewwhyte] “Safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
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If my memory serves me correctly, there have been approximately 60 tandem deaths and 16 AFF deaths. But you have to consider how many tandem jumps there have been compared to the number of AFF jumps there have been.
If my little brother wanted to start jumping his progression would go something like this--3-5 tandems to learn more about canopy flight, 30 minutes of tunnel, get through a modified AFF program with me and another trusted AFF-I, and then about 2 hours of tunnel before an additional 20+ coached jumps. If money isnt an object, I think something like this will make the safest and most proficient student-to-skydiver transition.
Jul 16, 2007, 8:11 AM
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Re: [jumpnaked69] “Safest” way for the student to make his/her first jump?
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If my little brother wanted to start jumping his progression would go something like this--3-5 tandems to learn more about canopy flight, 30 minutes of tunnel, get through a modified AFF program with me and another trusted AFF-I, and then about 2 hours of tunnel before an additional 20+ coached jumps. If money isnt an object, I think something like this will make the safest and most proficient student-to-skydiver transition.
that will run the credit card up a few thousand dollars
statistically, tandem is safest by far. I suspect that AFF/SL/IAD would all be about the same safety level.
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