You never jumped a tandem as a student, will you do it for free now?

[ryoder 1,381]

Funny story of two guys I knew who did a tandem course together. They were paired up in the class, and alternated front-rear positions on the jumps.

On one jump they had a partial mal. I was told the following conversation was heard by the spectators on the ground!

Front guy: "Cut it away!"

Rear guy: "I'm trying, but I can't find the handles!"

Front guy: "THEY'RE RIGHT FUCKING THERE!!!"


Even funnier when you know the guys. The guy on the rear was pretty small, so unless the harness was properly adjusted, I suspect the handles could have been at his ears.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[pBASEtobe 0]

After ~250 jumps I finally did my first tandem (yes for free)...and had my first cutaway too.

[ILUVCHUTERS 1]

Although my first jump was a tandem so this poll doesn't really apply to me, I wanted to answer anyway

I do some of our TI's recurrency jumps with them every year, including my "first". It's a fun way to start the year, and I get a kick out of it.

I voted boobies though. That's the right answer, isn't it?

[Southern_Man 0]

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After ~250 jumps I finally did my first tandem (yes for free)...and had my first cutaway too.

That's a lot of beer.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[Southern_Man 0]

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I voted boobies though. That's the right answer, isn't it?

Boobies is always the right answer.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[SansSuit 1]

I've done about a half dozen tandems as the experienced jumper on the front of a TI candidate. But ONLY with people I think are good. I even did one naked. That was with someone I REALLY trusted.

Peace,
-Dawson.
http://www.SansSuit.com
The Society for the Advancement of Naked Skydiving

[monkycndo 0]

Have riden on the front twice for friends that either needed to get recurrent or complete their training. And yes, it feels weird not having a rig on. Had fun with both on the ride up joking if I was going to be a good student or a rag doll from hell.

50 donations so far. Give it a try.

You know you want to spank it
Jump an Infinity

[kd5xb 1]

I only voted "fuck no - this shit is too scary" because you didn't have an answer with enough curse words to express my thoughts.

HELL NO! I will NEVER jump a tandem if I have any say so over it.

To be connected to another jumper (and the only parachute) by four itty bitty pieces of hardware just scares the bejesus out of me. Hey, waitaminnit, let me go change my pants for just thinkinig about it!

I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper.

[FlyingRhenquest 1]

I only have 37 jumps and started AFF back in July. I did AFF because I didn't want to be strapped to some dude. I'm pretty fearless getting out of a plane now... but I think I'd have an even harder time doing a tandem now than I would have back in July before my first AFF jump.

Which is odd, because I put my life in the hands of my AFF instructors, dropzone packers and their pilots on a regular basis, without so much as a second thought. Ok, so actually I do realize that I'm doing that pretty regularly, but I don't let it worry me.

So I'd have a really hard time doing one, but if a friend or one of the tandem instructors I know (Some of whom were also my AFF instructors) needed me to be a body for them, I'd do it, and I wouldn't let my fear stand in my way. Fortunately my fat ass will probably keep them from ever asking!

I'm trying to teach myself how to set things on fire with my mind. Hey... is it hot in here?

[Zenister 0]

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To be connected to another jumper (and the only parachute) by four itty bitty pieces of hardware just scares the bejesus out of me.

there is less hardware connecting you to your parachute, and ps... you still have two while doing a tandem.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[kd5xb 1]

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To be connected to another jumper (and the only parachute) by four itty bitty pieces of hardware just scares the bejesus out of me.

there is less hardware connecting you to your parachute, and ps... you still have two while doing a tandem.

Yes, but I've jumped solo enough time that it doesn't bother me. Sitting in an airplane with a harness without a parachute is something new and scares me. To each his own, I guess.

And as for how many parachutes -- I guess in MY old school, a harness, container, main and reserve is called A parachute. Not technically correct, but that's the way it was.

I'm a jumper. Even though I don't always have money for jumps, and may not ever own a rig again, I'll always be a jumper.

[popsjumper 2]

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As a TI, I think we should do one a year.

It serves as a nice reminder to what we're doing.

would the SO go with you?

My reality and yours are quite different.
I think we're all Bozos on this bus.
Falcon5232, SCS8170, SCSA353, POPS9398, DS239

[normiss 620]

She has made a couple with me.
Even when I cross trained - she made a training jump with me!

[JohnMitchell 14]

Vskydiver has done quite a few tandems helping people get their ratings. (If you had to pick someone on the DZ to be strapped on the front of you, who would you ask?) She even did some while she was pregnant.

She does remember riding up next to the open door, no seat belt, with a very inconsiderate TM candidate one time. She said it scared the bejezzus out of her. Not a cool thing to do to anyone.

[Maksimsf 0]

That is a lot of cool stories here, I'm glad i posted this poll ;)

[swreefer 0]

Why I can't vote both? I voted "No", but Also I really want to vote boobs too ;)

[airtwardo 6]

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That is a lot of cool stories here, I'm glad i posted this poll ;)

When I got my tandem rating (well over 25 years ago) Bill M. was running the class and was on the front of me...1st time out the door he was doing everything in the book and then some to try to get us unstable.

I'm a fairly large caveman with quite a wingspan so I was flat & stable while he tried some circus act in the harness...we both got a laugh.

Then it was my turn in the front...we were clipped up checking things and I started walking to the plane with poor Bill hanging 6 inches off the ground helpless.

On the ride up he whispered to me..."All that shit I did to you...DON'T DO TO ME!"

~ If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn? ~

[headoverheels 291]

I did a tandem for a friend who was getting qualified on another brand of equipment. He already had quite a few on whatever other type.

[Croc 0]

I did a tandem for a friend who needed it to get his rating. Pretty sure I had my D at the time. He was more nervous than I was. For me the worst part was being in the plane without a rig, but once we got out it was OK. When we got down I told the DZO that I should get a discount since I helped steer!

"Here's a good specimen of my own wisdom. Something is so, except when it isn't so."

Charles Fort, commenting on the many contradictions of astronomy

[skydiver30960 0]

ABSOLUTELY.

I consider it "paying it back" or "paying it forward" or whatever. When I was getting my S/L JM rating, plenty of my buddies offered to play student for me. When I was getting my Tandem rating, I needed five friends to step up for me and ride on the front. I've never had trouble finding people to help me out.

Now, even though I'm no longer a TI, I consider it my responsibility to return the favor to up and coming TIs.

Elvisio "you can keep rubbing my ass if you want to, but I'm going to go ahead and throw the drogue" Rodriguez