Oct 31, 2008, 7:17 AM
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Blind Skydivers
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The Associated Press RUTLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — Six blind people ages 21 to 79 are planning their first parachute jump, a 10,000-foot dive over southwestern Michigan.
Each blind diver will be attached to an experienced sky diver from Skydive Inc. when they make the jump from a plane at Hastings Airport in Barry County's Rutland Township. The airport is about 30 miles southeast of Grand Rapids.
The first-time divers include five students and a staff member from the Michigan Commission for the Blind Training Center in Kalamazoo.
Seventy-nine-year-old Robert Willis of Royal Oak says the jump might make him the world's oldest blind sky diver and says he plans to make that claim until someone proves him wrong.
There are a couple of blind experienced jumpers that I know of. One was 'Blind John' from the 90s on the west coast. Don't know if he still jumps but he would count down in freefall to know when to pull then would be guided down by radio.
There are a couple of blind experienced jumpers that I know of. One was 'Blind John' from the 90s on the west coast. Don't know if he still jumps but he would count down in freefall to know when to pull then would be guided down by radio.
That would be John Fleming, I think. The other blind skydiver is Dan Rossi. They even did an all-blind two way! If you google Dan Rossi, there's plenty of stories out there. Some great reading.
This thread lead me to one question....just out of curiosity...what joy can a blind skydiver have in a skydive?? well, i guess only a blind skydiver can tell me that... I can understand a deaf person would skydive..but blind???
I don't feel weightless or have the ability to fly my body when I stick my head out of the car window. I also don't get to fly a parachute. I also don't get much of an adrenaline rush, or a feeling of accomplishment. I think a blind person cold enjoy a skydive just as much as someone else, albeit without the visual sensation.
I think it would take way more balls to jump out of an airplane blind than with all 5 senses intact and functioning.
