Thoughts on how old is too old and if we should have age restrictions to starting?
Absolutely not!!! We cannot arbitrarily set an age at which someone is not allowed to skydive - just as our government can't arbitrarily set an age at which someone is no longer allowed to drive.
We allow deaf people, blind people, diabetics, epileptics, amputees and paraplegics to learn to skydive without restrictions. They are advised of the additional risks they are putting themselves under and they make their own adult decision to go ahead and jump. No difference between any of them and a 65 year old woman with osteoporosis or a 70 year old man with undiagnosed heart disease.
As long as someone is not putting anyone else at risk by jumping, who are we to say they can't put themselves at additional risk?
Besides all that, who is going to give this approval? If we are going to require that anyone over a particular age get this approval, we need to require that EVERY jumper be similarly approved.
If I have a heart attack in free fall and land under my AAD deployed reserve, that's okay by me. I was gonna pop that ticker anyway. Just make sure there's at least one keg at the funeral, but two would be better.
If I have a heart attack in free fall and land under my AAD deployed reserve, that's okay by me. I was gonna pop that ticker anyway. Just make sure there's at least one keg at the funeral, but two would be better.
I couldn't agree more. I'd rather die on a woman or under an AAD-deployed canopy. But why a keg at the funeral? I'd order a couple of crates - if ya have a beer, then right from the bottle, no glasses, no hassle
If I have a heart attack in free fall and land under my AAD deployed reserve, that's okay by me.
I've told everyone if I die skydiving, take my rig, my jumpsuit, helmet, altimeter and goggles and push me off to the side of the road and let the state take care of it. They remove dead dogs, don't they?
I like the BPA rules that were posted. I know the owner of our local dz told my wife he turns away people over a certain age as he isn't prepared to have the additional liability/hassle.
The main point of my post originally was what extra precautions should jumpers over a certain age take?
I have no problem with a 100 year old jumping if they are fit to do so. Personally I have no desire to die of a preventable heart attack, simply through ignorance or laziness.
But as with driving there becomes a point where your motor skills simply make you a risk to others. My dad was a good driver, now he scares the crap out of me. Unfortunately it is part of life. At some point I think our abilities degrade to the point that we should stop. The BPA medical seems to cover it. There is no upper age, just a set of capabilities.
skymama (D 26699)
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Jun 4, 2012, 6:34 PM
Post #36 of 71
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If I have a heart attack in free fall and land under my AAD deployed reserve, that's okay by me. I was gonna pop that ticker anyway. Just make sure there's at least one keg at the funeral, but two would be better.
John, You inconsiderate bastard! The last time someone brought a keg to a funeral ... ... I woke up with a fat chick! ... The shock! ... The horror! ... The embarrassment! ... GASP! ... HAH! ... HAH!
(This post was edited by riggerrob on Jun 4, 2012, 7:23 PM)
Simple answer, if they have recently lost their driver's license - for medical reasons - they have lost the vision/eyesight/reaction times needed for solo skydiving.
John, You inconsiderate bastard! The last time someone brought a keg to a funeral ... ... I woke up with a fat chick! ... The shock! ... The horror! ... The embarrassment! ... GASP! ... HAH! ... HAH!
Ahhh, yes Life is for the Living.
Glad to see you got past the mourning period so well.
John, You inconsiderate bastard! The last time someone brought a keg to a funeral ... ... I woke up with a fat chick! ... The shock! ... The horror! ... The embarrassment! ... GASP! ... HAH! ... HAH!
And when you woke up she was asleep but your arm was trapped underneath her, and you had to quietly chew it off and sneak out before she woke up....right?.
(This post was edited by obelixtim on Jun 5, 2012, 12:04 AM)
I like the BPA rules that were posted. I know the owner of our local dz told my wife he turns away people over a certain age as he isn't prepared to have the additional liability/hassle.
The problem I have with requiring "medical" clearance is that most GP's have absolutely no idea about skydiving and tend to think of it as incredibly dangerous, thus disqualifying many people who are perfectly OK to jump.
Again older people are perfectly aware of their age and the limitations that brings, and are big and ugly enough to make their own decisions. It is up to the instructor to then assess their suitability during training.
I like the BPA rules that were posted. I know the owner of our local dz told my wife he turns away people over a certain age as he isn't prepared to have the additional liability/hassle.
The problem I have with requiring "medical" clearance is that most GP's have absolutely no idea about skydiving and tend to think of it as incredibly dangerous, thus disqualifying many people who are perfectly OK to jump.
Again older people are perfectly aware of their age and the limitations that brings, and are big and ugly enough to make their own decisions. It is up to the instructor to then assess their suitability during training.
That should be enough.
The link that was posted for the BPA stuff had a full page of guidelines for the MD to follow.
Sadly I disagree with you. There is plenty of evidence that elderly people continue to drive when they are no longer safe to do so. If people have that problem with driving, then they will have the same with jumping. Obviously everyone is different, which is why I don't like a blanket rule of nobody over X years.
Simple answer, if they have recently lost their driver's license - for medical reasons - they have lost the vision/eyesight/reaction times needed for solo skydiving
I hope it's not entirely that simple. There are visually impaired people who can skydive, but not drive, if nothing else. Just as someone elderly who lives in a rural area can often continue to drive past a point when someone in an urban area has to quit, someone who limits their jumps to 2-ways with experienced friends on perfect days can probably continue to jump longer than someone who swoops.
John, You inconsiderate bastard! The last time someone brought a keg to a funeral ... ... I woke up with a fat chick! ... The shock! ... The horror! ... The embarrassment! ... GASP! ... HAH! ... HAH!
And when you woke up she was asleep but your arm was trapped underneath her, and you had to quietly chew it off and sneak out before she woke up....right?.
I turned 60 the other day and am training with a semi-serious 4-way team. I pack my own rig too. But I started back in the day, took a 15-year layoff, and came back at the age of 46. But, if and when I think it's time to retire, I probably will.
John, You inconsiderate bastard! The last time someone brought a keg to a funeral ... ... I woke up with a fat chick! ... The shock! ... The horror! ... The embarrassment! ... GASP! ... HAH! ... HAH!
And when you woke up she was asleep but your arm was trapped underneath her, and you had to quietly chew it off and sneak out before she woke up....right?.
Well . . . I was hoping there'd be some of those big busted Oktoberfest gals making the rounds with the big mugs for all my friends. . .
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