The Hoff and tandem skydiving

[skybytch 259]

Regarding his Dancing with the Stars appearances -

"I'm in the hands of a professional, so as long as I just strap myself on to her, jump out of the airplane... . It's kind of like tandem skydiving, [you] just hang on and hope the shoot opens."

Gee. I always thought tandem skydiving was supposed to be a method used to learn to skydive, not an amusement park ride. Silly me.

[skyrider 0]

Many face it, and many sell it, as a ride....WTF it keps us employeed!

[masterrig 1]

I've seen a lot of folks who make tandem skydives just for the 'bragging rights' because they had just come-back from white-water rafting, rock climbing and etc. No real interest in any of those just so they can say they did it.


Chuck

[jtval 0]

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Gee. I always thought tandem skydiving was supposed to be a method used to learn to skydive, not an amusement park ride. Silly me.

You thought that because you are a skydiver.

others treat it as a box on their "bucket list."

My photos

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[Bolas 5]

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others treat it as a box on their "bucket list."

That's what it was gonna be for me but was gonna go static line but got convinced to do AFF.

Stupidity if left untreated is self-correcting
If ya can't be good, look good, if that fails, make 'em laugh.

[millertime24 8]

Don't hassle the Hoff.

Muff #5048

[skybytch 259]

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You thought that because you are a skydiver.

Nah. I thought that because when I started jumping, it wasn't marketed as an amusement park ride.

[Jkralovec 0]

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Gee. I always thought tandem skydiving was supposed to be a method used to learn to skydive, not an amusement park ride. Silly me.

Did you REALLY think that?

[airtwardo 6]

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Gee. I always thought tandem skydiving was supposed to be a method used to learn to skydive, not an amusement park ride. Silly me.

Did you REALLY think that?

Back in 1984 when the Tandem system took hold, THAT'S what it was intended for!

Simple & 'safe' comparatively, to be utilized as a method of dual flight instruction...you know, like in an airplane.

In retrospect~

I'm pretty sure it would have probably gone that route anyway, but I use to wonder sometimes if 'we' didn't maybe help it along as an 'amusement park' ride, way back when.

We use to do tandem jumps as part of our demonstration act starting in 1985...and we did a LOT of shows nationwide!

~it started with experienced jumpers on the front, but quickly became a 'perk' for the organizers to grant to various officials or dignitaries. . .we kinda 'had' to allow it to get the 'announcer time' (P.A.) needed to describe & explain. . .to MARKET the system.

It got to be a real 'Catch 22' because on one hand you're saying it's not a 'stunt' for the show, but in fact a new method of instruction that (again) is relatively safe and easy...

Kinda hard to tell the show boss that HE (or his wife in a few cases) can't do it then...the USPA hadn't addressed it until fatalities at drop-zones and the resulting negative PR gave them concern regarding the possibilities of an even MORE public 'embarrassment'.

It did get the desired effect regarding mass public exposure...literally 100's of people would wait in line to ask where, when & how they could do it.

The DZ's bought the rigs to accommodate, but very quickly reali$ed it was more profitable to give 'em a ride and get 'em out, moving on to the next one...than it was to tie up re$ources training prospects for continued involvement.

I was there....I saw it happening.

Never in my wildest dreams could I ever have conceived that there would someday be drop-zones dedicated ONLY to slinging meat with no experienced skydivers allowed!

So YES, people actually 'thought' that because THAT'S what it was meant to be!


Edited to add a really OLD pic~
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=50215&l=62ae131e7b&id=100001482098738

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

[Niki1 1]

Back in 1984 when the Tandem system took hold, THAT'S what it was intended for!

Simple & 'safe' comparatively, to be utilized as a method of dual flight instruction...you know, like in an airplane.

In retrospect~

I'm pretty sure it would have probably gone that route anyway, but I use to wonder sometimes if 'we' didn't maybe help it along as an 'amusement park' ride, way back when.

We use to do tandem jumps as part of our demonstration act starting in 1985...and we did a LOT of shows nationwide!

~it started with experienced jumpers on the front, but quickly became a 'perk' for the organizers to grant to various officials or dignitaries. . .we kinda 'had' to allow it to get the 'announcer time' (P.A.) needed to describe & explain. . .to MARKET the system.

It got to be a real 'Catch 22' because on one hand you're saying it's not a 'stunt' for the show, but in fact a new method of instruction that (again) is relatively safe and easy...

Kinda hard to tell the show boss that HE (or his wife in a few cases) can't do it then...the USPA hadn't addressed it until fatalities at drop-zones and the resulting negative PR gave them concern regarding the possibilities of an even MORE public 'embarrassment'.

It did get the desired effect regarding mass public exposure...literally 100's of people would wait in line to ask where, when & how they could do it.

The DZ's bought the rigs to accommodate, but very quickly reali$ed it was more profitable to give 'em a ride and get 'em out, moving on to the next one...than it was to tie up re$ources training prospects for continued involvement.

I was there....I saw it happening.

Never in my wildest dreams could I ever have conceived that there would someday be drop-zones dedicated ONLY to slinging meat with no experienced skydivers allowed!

So YES, people actually 'thought' that because THAT'S what it was meant to be!


Edited to add a really OLD pic~
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=50215&l=62ae131e7b&id=100001482098738

[JohnMitchell 14]

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Accurate history. But Bill Booth used to say it was the best way for a skydiver to get laid.

Even a static line will work for that.

No matter how we teach skydiving, only a small percentage of first jumpers will go on to be licensed skydivers. It's just human nature. Our sport is high profile and exciting, and a lot of people want to do it just once, to see what it's like and be able to say they did it. Heck, I was only planning to make one jump myself. Some get hooked, others don't.

So just like most who ride in a small plane don't go on to get a pilot's license, most who make a tandem won't go on to get an A license. It's not a big deal, it's just the way things are.

[ryoder 1,382]

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Edited to add a really OLD pic~
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=50215&l=62ae131e7b&id=100001482098738

Omigod!
The tall, hairy dude is you???

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

[skybytch 259]

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But Bill Booth used to say it was the best way for a skydiver to get laid.

He was right, or course. We all know how well the "don't fuck the students until they're off student status" thing works.

But he also used to say that the best AAD for a tandem was a trained tandem master...

[Niki1 1]

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Accurate history. But Bill Booth used to say it was the best way for a skydiver to get laid.

Even a static line will work for that.

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But Tandem is so much more personal.

No matter how we teach skydiving, only a small percentage of first jumpers will go on to be licensed skydivers. It's just human nature.

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The percentage of people in the general population who can deal with jumping out of an airplane hasn't changed. That's the people who, in a stressful situation, experience "time expansion", that is time seems to slow down for them. Other attributes also contribute but I think tha's the main one. The ones who experience "time compression" are the ones that should take up bowling.

Our sport is high profile and exciting, and a lot of people want to do it just once, to see what it's like and be able to say they did it. Heck, I was only planning to make one jump myself. Some get hooked, others don't.

So just like most who ride in a small plane don't go on to get a pilot's license, most who make a tandem won't go on to get an A license. It's not a big deal, it's just the way things are.

I agree with all of that. But I think Tandems have actually lowered the rate of retention. The same number of people stay and go on to an A licence but there are a LOT more making that one jump because it is so much easier and safer now. And it's because of those one timers that have lost our "crazy, daredevil" image. Hell we're looked upon as almost normal now. If they only knew.

Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossilbe before they were done.
Louis D Brandeis

Where are we going and why are we in this basket?